Benefit Gala To Shed Light on Child Abuse
By: MINDY SPAR
It truly takes a village to put on an event the size of From
Darkness to Light's Circle of Light gala to be held Thursday
at Marion Square. Months of work and many donations have
gone into making this an event that promises to be a
showcase.
Dinner and dancing under the stars will be followed by a
live auction with travel packages that include a first-class
trip to Scotland and one to the vineyards of Perrier Jouet-Fleur
in France.
"America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh and New
York playwright Eve Ensler will be given the Voice of
Courage award.
From Darkness to Light is a nonprofit organization that
works to prevent child sexual abuse through an awareness
campaign. The organization runs ads on national and cable
television as well as posts billboards to make the public
aware of the prevalence of child sexual abuse and ways to
stop it. One of the organization's most effective ads
featured local survivors of child sexual abuse talking about
their own experiences.
This is the third year the Voice of Courage award has been
given by From Darkness to Light. The first recipient was
Marilyn Van Derbur, the former Miss America who has spoken
out about her own abuse, and the following year the award
was presented to Guerry Glover, a former student at
Porter-Gaud School who was involved in the Eddie Fischer
molestation case.
From Darkness to Light President and CEO Ann Lee says that
hearing Van Derbur story's coupled with Glover's courage in
bringing the Fischer case to light was the impetus for
starting the organization. "So far we have had two
wonderful recipients," she says. "This year the
focus is on people who have taken their own personal stories
and not only told them but magnified them through the
media."
Walsh is well-known for his television show as well as for
founding the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Ensler won an Obie for her off-broadway play, "The
Vagina Monologues." She also gives theater groups the
rights to perform her play with the caveat that proceeds go
to an organization that helps women and children who are
victims of abuse. When the College of Charleston performed
the play earlier this year, proceeds went to From Darkness
to Light and People Against Rape.
Walsh is unable to attend the Circle of Light gala but will
send a videotaped acceptance. Supermodel Lauren Hutton will
be on hand to present Ensler with her award.
The event has been a labor of love for Jane Milner, director
of media and corporate relations, who has relied on the
kindness of friends while planning this event.
"The local people made this happen," Milner says.
"They have been so incredible. Without the donations of
Keith Snyder of Snyder Rental, Tally Attaway of Distinctive
Events and the local restaurants, this event would not
happen. We couldn't make money if we didn't have these
gifts."
From Darkness to Light has recruited some heavy-hitters in
the corporate world to help out as well. Orient Express
Hotels, Delta Airlines, Perrier-Jouet Fleur Champagne and
Volvo are participating in the gala event.
Putting together an event of this size is a momentous
undertaking. Milner has been busy since March, setting up
sponsors, designing the invitations and working with Snyder
and Attaway on all the details from the color of the napkins
to the placement of the ice-martini bar.
Tenting Marion Square is a feat unto itself. Milner says it
will take Snyder's crew four days to set up the tent, the
flooring and the tables.
As guests enter the tent, which will be bathed in copper
light, they will be treated to cocktails and hors d'oeuvres
while listening to the a cappella sounds of the New
York-based Spank, a musical group Milner discovered on the
streets of New York while visiting her daughter. She was
walking in Soho when she heard the group performing on a
street corner. She was wowed and asked the group if it would
perform for the gala. Mo Money from Charlotte will perform
for the dancing portion of the evening.
The evening meal will be prepared by eight local chefs:
Michael Kramer of McCrady's, Fred Neuville of 39 Rue de
Jean, Brett McKee of Brett's, Bob Waggoner of Charleston
Grill, Donald Barickman of Cypress, James Burns of J.
Bistro, Frank Lee of Slightly North of Broad and Mark Timms
of Tristan. The meal will be finished off with a special
dessert created by Vinzenz Aschbacher of Charleston Grill
and paired with Perrier Jouet champagne.
The money raised from the event will go toward the
public-awareness campaign initiated by From Darkness to
Light.
"We are very excited about this event," Lee says.
"When you get this level of support for an event, it
raises the bar. I can't think of a gala built around child
sexual abuse to this extent. Hallelujah, it's about time.
But the big hurrah is that we can take proactive steps to
prevent child sexual abuse and become aware of what the
steps are and do something about it."
Mindy Spar covers fashion. Contact her at mindys@postandcourier.
com.
|
