Trading his usual "Hail to the Chief" for an evening of African-themed entertainment, President George W. Bush took to the stage at the Washington Hilton Wednesday night as the 2008 recipient of the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award.
Presented by Africare—a Washington-based nonprofit dedicated to providing aid to Africa—the annual award dinner is the largest fund-raiser for Africa in the United States, with last year’s event taking in more than $1 million in a single evening. This year’s gala, staged in the Hilton’s main ballroom for 2,000 guests, focused on Africare’s work to provide clean water to the continent. With that theme in mind, Capital City Events dressed the room with a water motif.
Aqua blue linens adorned the hundreds of round dining tables, while the centerpieces each featured a small water globe flanked by flowers and a small brass statue of two people embracing. Sponsors played a role in the gift bags, in the form of a calculator from Shell Gasoline and literature on Africare. Coca-Cola, another sponsor, provided old-fashioned Coke bottles for the table, and African wine was also set out.
The evening started early and—because of the Presidential guest and serious security throughout the building—was on a strict schedule. A V.I.P. reception kicked off at 5.30 p.m. in a separate room, while wait staff were simultaneously ushered through security to the main dining room. The guests, too, faced screening, going through magnetometers and a Secret Service security check.
CNN anchor T. J. Holmes hosted the event and had the difficult job of quieting the large crowd throughout the evening. Jumbo screens placed throughout the room gave guests a better view of the stage and President Bush, who did not stay for dinner.
Previous award recipients have included President Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, and Bishop Desmond Tutu.
