The members of the Spring Gala Committee at the Wilton Library are, back row, standing, from left, Allison Gray Sanders; Ashley Goldman, development and administrative assistant, Wilton Library Association; Donna Peterson; Lianne Acosta-Rua, WLA trustee; Mary Pytko, co-chair; Marcia Marafioti; Suzanne Verrilli, head of development, WLA; Caroline Mandler, executive director, WLA; and Sue Stengrim, development assistant, WLA. In the front row, sitting, from left, are, Patty Tomasetti; Meredith Lorig; Nalini Hage, WLA trustee; Betsy Huffman, co-chair and WLA Board of Trustees secretary; Michelle Baronowski; and Arlene Dolin.
Contributed photo / Wilton LibraryWILTON — The Wilton Library is preparing for its biggest and most important fundraising event of the year, its Spring Gala, which is returning with the theme of “Imagination in Bloom.”
Tickets are now on sale for the event, which will be held from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton.
The Spring Gala "promises to be an elegant and entertaining evening celebrating both the library and spring," organizers said.
The event will honor four individuals — Judy Higby, Kathy Leeds, Katharine Welling, and Malcolm Whyte — who are responsible for making Wilton Library a cornerstone of the community "through their forward-thinking work and dedication," organizers said.
Spring gala details
Tickets are on sale for Wilton Library’s Spring Gala, which will be held from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Rolling Hills Country Club, 333 Hurlbutt Street, Wilton.
The honorees are Judy Higby, Kathy Leeds, Katharine Welling and Malcolm Whyte. Guests will be treated to dinner, dancing to live music by Coverland Band, live and silent auctions, and more. Proceeds benefit the Wilton Library.
Tickets are $250 per person and may be purchased at www.wiltonlibrary.org or by contacting Suzanne Verrilli at sverrilli@wiltonlibrary.org or 203-762-6321.
“We are delighted to welcome back the Spring Gala event, which serves as a wonderful showcase of what makes the Wilton community so special,” said Caroline Mandler, executive director of Wilton Library.
"So many parts of our town come together to make this important fundraising event happen: generous sponsors, advertisers and attendees; local businesses that donate goods and services; enthusiastic volunteers who donate their time and talents; and our hard-working library staff," she said.
All proceeds will directly support the library's collections, programs, and services
The four honorees will be thanked "for their vision to create an innovative library environment that would engage new residents and grow with the ever-changing needs of our community," Mandler said. "Both the library and our community have benefited from their involvement.”
The event will include dinner prepared by Rolling Hills Country Club and dancing to live music by Coverland Band. There will also be live and silent auction items, including unique experiences and entertainment, tickets to sporting events, a three-night stay in Manhattan, packages for foodies and wine lovers, and more, all in support of the library.
“Our committee is so excited to plan this fabulous party to benefit the library. We encourage new Wilton residents to attend, since this is a great opportunity to get to know some of your neighbors. We also look forward to seeing our loyal friends and all of our generous sponsors, advertisers and donors and thanking them in person,” co-chair Mary Pytko said.
Co-Chair Betsy Huffman said, "We can’t wait to share this fun and colorful evening with our guests."
“Our wonderful theme 'Imagination in Bloom' is really coming to life," Huffman said. "This event is a great example of our community uniting and coming together for a great cause, and it’s truly something to be thankful for."
Tickets are $250 per person and a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible.
The Spring Gala Committee also includes Lianne Acosta-Rua, Sabeth Albert, Marty Avallone, Michelle Baronowski, Audrey Clark, Arlene Dolin, Mike Dugan, Jill Eaton, Tim Flanagan, Ashley Goldman, Kathryn Groves, Nalini Hage, Jung Soo Kim, Juliette Leavey, Jen Longmire, Meredith Lorig, Joe Magnano, Caroline Mandler, Marcia Marafioti, Penny Maxwell, Tyler McCue, Donna Peterson, Allison Gray Sanders, Maria Sonatore, Sue Stengrim, Mike Sutka, Patty Tomasetti and Suzanne Verrilli.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.wiltonlibrary.org, or by contacting Suzanne Verrilli at sverrilli@wiltonlibrary.org or 203-762-6321.