A Night at the Drive-In Gala

On Saturday, October 24th, Friendly Center hosted a Night at the Drive-In Gala, where supporters gathered in the parking lot of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Orange for a socially distanced evening experienced from the safety of their vehicles. Many aspects of a typical gala remained; with the drive-in format serving as a unique twist on the annual event and a welcome break from virtual events. Guests tuned in with their car radio to Friendly Center’s broadcast to hear the presenters up front and videos shown. Boxed dinners were enjoyed from the safety of vehicles while Friendly Center attendants checked in with raffle tickets.

Friendly Center’s President/CEO Cathy Seelig shares, “Despite the many challenges the past year has brought, the Night at the Drive-In Gala offered an encouraging and exciting way to bring supporters together at a critical time when the needs of vulnerable children and families in our community continue to grow.”

More than half of the gala’s attendees stepped up their support by becoming sponsors of the event, a distinction that gave them preferred parking and special recognition. By evening’s close, over $42,000 was raised to benefit Friendly Center’s efforts to stabilize low-income families in Orange County experiencing crisis.