Our first year!

The Inaugural Year of the Pink Gala

Franklin Partygoers Ring in 2011 and Raise Funds for Breast Cancer

New Year’s Eve 2010 marked the inaugural year for The Pink Gala, a fundraising event intended to raise funds for women diagnosed with breast cancer in Williamson County . Over 300 people gathered in Liberty Hall in Franklin, TN to “party with a purpose” and celebrate the life of Rebecca Evans, who lost her 20-year battle with breast cancer the year before. Local fundraiser and businesswoman, Kelly Spalding, Evans’s daughter, conceptualized the idea as a way to honor her mother’s life and concurrently raise money for the Breast Health Center at Williamson Medical Center.

Guests arrived at the event dressed in a variety of festive pink attire and ready to celebrate. Liberty Hall at the Factory in Franklin was lavishly decorated with multiple pink accents and radiated with a cheerful atmosphere. Feather boas lined the rail of the upper floor, each with a name attached in honor or memory of someone who had been touched by breast cancer. Tables were decorated with fuchsia feather center pieces, champagne toasting glasses with the Pink Gala logo and a variety of party favors for the patrons to enjoy.

The evening kicked-off with cocktails, appetizers and silent auction. A wide spread of food provided by Constant Cravings Catering was tastefully displayed for the guests to frequent throughout the night at their leisure. Partygoers were also able to enjoy a variety of beverages and cocktails including, a pink martini that bartenders slid down an immaculate pink illuminated ice sculpture then garnished with a pink glow stick. 

Inside the gala, guests were invited to participate in bidding on a bountiful collection of silent auction items provided by several local merchants. Patrons browsed an array of auction items, including a $6,500 value Masterpiece Portrait canvas with artist hand-painting and one-night stay at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. Other popular items were a signed guitar by country music artists Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Rodney Atkins and a Nashville Predators Team autographed hockey stick with game tickets. A live auction was held in the later portion of the night.

            After dinner, The Pat Patrick Band performed on stage as many of the guests crowded on the dance floor. In the final seconds of 2010, guests counted down the clock while toasting with champagne out of their souvenir glasses and cheering with noisemakers.

            “Everything worked out better than I could have ever imagined!” Spalding boasted. “You could really feel the positive energy in the room when you looked around and saw everyone dancing and having a great time. I am sure that my mother would have been thrilled to see so many people out to support such a worthy cause.”

“It’s very rare nowadays to know someone who has not been touched in some capacity by breast cancer. Because of that, I felt that this event would be successful not only because people are looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve, but because they would want to contribute to a cause that that has impacted so many lives,” Spalding said.

As she looks back over the successes of the event, Spalding is ready to take on another year. “Plans are already underway for the 2^nd Annual Pink Gala,” she says.  “I’m looking forward to expanding from last year and further engaging the community. It is my hope that we can raise even more funds than last year from this event to support Breast Cancer research and awareness,” Spalding said.

The impact Rebecca Evans made on peoples lives continues to drive Spalding’s dedication towards raising funds and awareness for breast cancer research. “It’s very moving to see all the support from those around me. I am very grateful for the opportunity to put on this event and I plan to do so for many years to come.”