Ambassador Luncheons Are Back

After two years, this smaller fundraising luncheon tested the waters for in-house events. The conclusion? The water is still warm and inviting!

It’s hard to believe that it´s been over two years since we last hosted an Ambassador Luncheon. In that time, both our membership and our staff have grown. It felt a bit like we were starting from scratch. With that in mind, along with COVID, we approached this event mindfully, pushing the date back several times as the pandemic waned and waxed. Our approach was cautious. With a much smaller guest list and few guest speakers, we viewed this as an opportunity to “kick the tires.” We were a little rusty, but we wondered if we still have what it takes.

The result was beyond our expectations. Guests enjoyed a beautifully prepared meal, created and served by our members. They were visibly moved by our member’s testimonials. Their stories aptly demonstrated the capacity of a kind and supportive community to facilitate recovery. Were we perfect? Let’s just say that we were perfectly imperfect, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

We can’t talk about the luncheon without a shout-out to the Steinwachs Family Foundation for their generous match, and to Joan and Brian Wides of the Melissa Wides Foundation for their moving presentation. And while every Academy member played a big role in our success, we would be remiss if we didn’t thank members Kevin Luckner, Rick Pardo, and Naomi Treece for their courage to share a part of themselves so publicly. As Keven said during the event, “way to shine a light.”