It was a big weekend for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. National chairman Jerry Lewis received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Oscars on Sunday for his work seeking cures to neuromuscular diseases, and on Saturday night, the MDA celebrated its seventh annual Heartsongs—Passport to a Cure Gala, which raised $300,000 and channeled the Oscars and the success of Slumdog Millionaire by staging a Bollywood-inspired party.
Colorful saris and fabrics draped throughout the Marriott Wardman Park's ballroom and music from Slumdog on the sound system gave the gala's 300 guests a taste of Indian culture. At last year's gala, 600 guests raised more than $800,000. "With the economy, we were struggling with securing sponsorships. We faced challenges," said the association's program coordinator, Lorna Pomicter, noting that the guest list shrunk to half its size.
Since 2003, the Heartsongs gala has celebrated the message of the association's national goodwill ambassador, poet Mattie Stepanek, and each year, the gala committee designs the decor around a different country. “Everything is inspired by Mattie Stepanek,” said Pomicter. “He said, 'If they could find a cure, I could travel the world and spread the message of peace.' We keep his legacy alive every year at the gala and that’s why we feature destinations.”
To capture the vibrancy of India, Bravo Events by Design used pops of brightly colored fabrics, including a tented platform at the center of the reception area draped with turquoise fabric and wrought-iron lanterns, which served as a stage for dancers performing traditional Indian dances. The reception was interactive, with a silent auction and what Pomicter calls a “super-silent auction,” in which volunteers posted bids for sports memorabilia and vacation packages on a board making the bidding more competitive. Guests sampled different types of Honest Tea, and lined up for temporary airbrush tattoos at two different stations and for henna tattoos courtesy of students from George Washington University’s Ahimsa organization.
The evening included a sit-down dinner featuring entertainment by country singer Billy Gilman and soprano Christina Carlucci, and a live auction for a Toyota Prius. But before guests entered the ballroom, they passed by a large logo for Heartsongs, one of the decorations from the very first gala. The decoration isn’t always used every year, but Pomicter thought it would be fitting for 2009’s gala. “With the economic climate, it’s kind of made us go back to our roots, since it’s been such a tough year. We went back to our original inspiration,” she said.
