Smile!
Interfaith Dental Clinic Gala brings Big Easy to Music City
Published On: May 13, 2010
A little bit of magic morphed Music City into the Big Easy on a recent Saturday evening. It happened just outside the city, down Highway 100, right by the Harpeth River at the Loveless Barn. The air was steamy and thick, trees dripped with Spanish Moss and the faint tunes of Zydeco music beckoned. What was up?
A Hullabalo on the Bayou, that’s what. The Interfaith Dental Clinic fundraiser had guests getting their Mardi Gras on as they sipped Hurricanes and perused the impressive silent auction. Co-chairs Terryl Propper and Lynda Davenport decided to change up the feel of the event and make it slightly less formal than previous years so folks could simply have a grand time for a good cause. And they thought of everything. From the Dixieland band that greeted guests upon arrival to the delicious New Orleans-inspired taste treats that were passed in waves throughout the evening, there was no mistaking the theme of this event. Who knew endodontists could be such fun?
And clever! Guests could purchase beautifully wrapped mystery gifts for a range of prices and be surprised by the contents. Perhaps a night at the Hutton Hotel was in your box. Or maybe airline tickets. Or a massage and facial. According to the ladies manning the gift stations, no one would be disappointed. And who doesn’t love a surprise?
The Loveless Barn was completely transformed for this event with an interesting set-up. The silent auction was a circle of goodies mid-room so guests could easily maneuver about. Blue lights washed the Barn in a groovy, dusky light that flattered all but kept it bright enough to read the auction items' descriptions.
But more important than the smiles on the faces of all the guests are the smiles that the Interfaith Dental Clinic provides to our community. The organization restores, protects and improves the oral health of uninsured, low-income employed individuals, their children and the elderly in Nashville.
This event seems to grow in popularity each year as people become familiar with the nonprofit, and the new “kicked-up causal” nature of the night piqued even more interest from folks looking for a good time. EN
—photographs by sinclair kelly
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