2008 Woodie Awards
Annual Winter Gala raises $100K for student scholarships
Bridgette Blight
Issue date: 2/12/08 Section: News
02/12/08 - The ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Newport, R.I. was packed with University of Rhode Island alumni and their guests Saturday night for the 17th annual Winter Gala.
About 350 people attended the event with the goal of raising money for URI student scholarships. Even Rhody the Ram wore a tuxedo to the gala, which raised approximately $100,000 through a silent and live auction, a raffle and admission to the event.
"We're at an all-time record for corporate sponsorship and auction items," said Gary Kullberg, president of the URI Alumni Association, which organized the event.
Gala attendees had the opportunity to bid on a room full of items throughout the evening.
The silent auction items varied from artwork to jewelry to a baseball bat signed by Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. A trip for two to the Atlantic-10 tournament and a weeklong trip to Pelican Bay, Fla. were among the items auctioned off during the live auction, which took place as the guests enjoyed their meals.
Junior Mary Coleman was one of 25 members of the Student Alumni Association that volunteered at the gala, which is the organization's biggest event of the year. These students helped set up for the event, greeted guests and encouraged guests to bid on silent auction items. They also had an opportunity to mingle with alumni.
"It's a good networking opportunity and we get to dress up," Coleman said.
Thomas Silvia and Shannon Chandley served as honorary co-chairs for the gala. The couple met at URI during the faculty strike of 1979, when Chandley was still in high school.
"We met during the first week of school and here we are, 28 years later," Chandley said.
Silvia and Chandley said they valued their extracurricular activities as much, if not more, than their time spent in the classroom.
Silvia was on the URI soccer team during his freshman year. His main extracurricular activity was the Student Entertainment Committee because of an interest in music.
About 350 people attended the event with the goal of raising money for URI student scholarships. Even Rhody the Ram wore a tuxedo to the gala, which raised approximately $100,000 through a silent and live auction, a raffle and admission to the event.
"We're at an all-time record for corporate sponsorship and auction items," said Gary Kullberg, president of the URI Alumni Association, which organized the event.
Gala attendees had the opportunity to bid on a room full of items throughout the evening.
The silent auction items varied from artwork to jewelry to a baseball bat signed by Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. A trip for two to the Atlantic-10 tournament and a weeklong trip to Pelican Bay, Fla. were among the items auctioned off during the live auction, which took place as the guests enjoyed their meals.
Junior Mary Coleman was one of 25 members of the Student Alumni Association that volunteered at the gala, which is the organization's biggest event of the year. These students helped set up for the event, greeted guests and encouraged guests to bid on silent auction items. They also had an opportunity to mingle with alumni.
"It's a good networking opportunity and we get to dress up," Coleman said.
Thomas Silvia and Shannon Chandley served as honorary co-chairs for the gala. The couple met at URI during the faculty strike of 1979, when Chandley was still in high school.
"We met during the first week of school and here we are, 28 years later," Chandley said.
Silvia and Chandley said they valued their extracurricular activities as much, if not more, than their time spent in the classroom.
Silvia was on the URI soccer team during his freshman year. His main extracurricular activity was the Student Entertainment Committee because of an interest in music.