Photos biyi Carol Porter
The 19th Annual JustWorld Gala, held Friday, March 11, surpassed all expectations, as the event returned to its traditional in-person setting at Belle Herbe Farm. With tremendous support from the equestrian community, new records were set for attendance, auction proceeds, and funding raised to support JustWorld’s life-changing projects for impoverished children in Cambodia, Guatemala, Honduras, and the United States.
Caryl Philips and Frank Zeiss generously returned as Presenting Sponsors of the gala and were joined this year by Jenny Oz LeRoy and her new Wellington restaurant, Maxwell’s Plum. Gala guests walked down the Yellow Brick Road into an Emerald City where The Wizard of Oz theme was ever-present. The Voltaire Design-sponsored wall encouraged attendees to use their brains, heart, and courage to support JustWorld’s work, while the cupcake tower provided by Christy’s Bakery was surrounded by lollipops, a hot air balloon, and giant ruby red slippers. Jewelry sponsor Karina Brez Jewelry contributed a “huggable hooves” bracelet to the silent auction and dressed JustWorld Founder, Jessica Newman, in a rainbow gemstone horseshoe necklace. Generous monetary and in-kind donations to support the gala’s success were made by ProElite, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Wölffer Estate Vineyard. Entertainment for the evening was provided by Tom Blake, DJ Adam Lipson, Bismarck Morgan, and Ki-Juan Minors, whose incredible rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was one of the evening’s highlights, while equestrian events announcer Steve Wilde served as emcee for the ninth consecutive year. Read on . . .
