Lindsey Vonn Foundation Gala by Wedding Planner Andrea Eppolito. Images by Branson Maxwell Photography.

As an event designer, I am often asked to participate in charity events and fundraisers. Choosing whom to support is always a difficult and deeply personal decision, and this year I was thrilled to produce the Lindsey Vonn Foundation Gala of 2022.

Olympian and international sports star Lindsey Vonn founded her charity in 2015 with the goal of helping girls throughout the country achieve their dreams. Together with a board of directors and advisors, the Lindsey Vonn Foundation has expanded its mission and is fully committed to engaging the community and our future generation with a positive and constructive atmosphere. The focus is to help the next generation grow as individuals in whatever their passions may be as learners, athletes, or artists. The programs that the Lindsey Vonn Foundation provides help girls and boys to gain confidence, build inclusivity and discover their grit within. The foundation uses the donations to fund girls’ camps, inspirational and motivational speaker series, and to provide scholarships to girls in need.

I was introduced to the foundation by my dear friends and partners from The Jordan Kahn Orchestra and DJ Nate Nelson. They have been serving this community for many years and invited me to join them in producing this year's gala in Park City, Utah. As the mother of two school-age children with various interests, I welcomed the opportunity to assist other children in reaching their goals. What really caught my attention, however, were the notable board members and advisors that Lindsey had assembled. Angela Duckworth stood out to me, specifically, as I had read her book, Grit, and found the sections on raising children very informative and inspiring.

Over the years, the Lindsey Vonn foundation has hosted theme parties that celebrated the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. While it would have made sense to immediately design for the 1990s I wanted to shake things up a bit and honor the fact that we missed the gala of 2020. We double-downed with celebrating 2020, too - as in let’s celebrate the 20s again, but also, let’s re-do 2020 since we missed it the first time.

Having selected Goldener Hirsch as our host hotel, I immediately reached out to the team from Destinations by Design. We designed an experiential event that began in the main lobby with a Bathtub Gin photo opportunity surrounded by black and gold balloon arches. After registering and having their photos taken there, guests were led down a long hallway that featured many of the night’s auction items, which included signed sports memorabilia, a game box in Yankee Stadium, and even a trip through Tuscany.

From there, our guests were welcomed into a foyer dressed with a multi-tier champagne tower and a second photo opportunity.  This activation was designed to look like an old-school elevator. Costumed performers opened and closed the doors so that guests could spill out, creating photos and videos that could be shared on social media.

Inside the ballroom, our walls were lined with food stations and bars featuring handcrafted cocktails designed by the Goldener Hirsch mixology team. Tables were reserved for our sponsors, who had a front-row seat to both Jordan Kahn's performance and to the live auction. I am incredibly proud to say that our event raised over $400,000, which was not only nearly twice the foundation’s goal but more than has ever been raised in another year.  With this money, the Lindsey Vonn foundation will be able to support every program that it has, officially allowing the foundation to cross over $1 Million in active giving. 

At the end of our official evening, a small group attended a VIP afterparty with a performance boy DJ Nate Nelson.  While I wish I could have celebrated all night beside them, there was work to be done and I said my goodnights at 1 AM.

I want to congratulate the Lindsey Vonn foundation and making such a tremendous impact on the lives of so many children, and I think every partner who donated to this cause along the way. Evenings like this or not possible without the talents and creative efforts of so many, and I look forward to following the Lindsey Vonn foundation and watching how the work of our team will impact the lives of the next generation.

xo - Andrea

CREDITS:

Charity Event Producer: Andrea Eppolito. Images: Branson Maxwell Photos. Host Property: Goldener Hirsch. Decor: Destinations by Design. Entertainment: Jordan Kahn Orchestra and DJ Nate Nelson.

For more information on the Lindsey Vonn Foundation or to support this cause directly, please CLICK HERE.