Centennial Spotlight: Gala Committee
In celebration of our Centennial Gala, we had the pleasure of speaking with three influential women with pivotal roles in orchestrating the milestone event. Below, Sarah Bruemmer, Amy Gorton, and Caitlin Echelbarger share their experiences as members of the Gala Committee.
Why Join the Centennial Gala Committee?
For Sarah, the call to be a part of the Centennial Gala Committee was enticing. She is deeply passionate about the Junior League's century-long commitment to supporting, honoring, and training women. She shares, "I couldn’t resist the opportunity to celebrate all the Junior League is, has been, and continues to be. One hundred years of supporting, honoring, and training women. A century of helping the greater Seattle community. I can’t think of a better thing to celebrate!"
Amy, an event planner, jumped at the opportunity to use her expertise for a meaningful cause. She says, "I’ll never turn down the chance to plan or help plan an event. It’s my favorite thing in the whole world. And the chance to celebrate JLS? I’m in love with what the Junior League stands for, everything our chapter has done, and I am inspired about what we’ll do next. Rebecca Wilson and I have worked together professionally before. Once I heard she was co-chairing the committee, I knew I wanted to be a part of the process. And last, although I’m an event planner, I’ve never planned an auction or gala. Being on the Centennial Gala Committee has given me a small window into what goes into these types of events. I only wish I had joined the committee earlier and/or been able to play a larger part."
We asked Caitlin to explain her motivation for being part of the committee, and her response was a delight: “A martini. KIDDING! I have had so many wonderful experiences with the League and credit it with giving me much of my confidence as I moved from a 20something into my 30s and now early 40s. I wanted to help celebrate the JLS and all its accomplishments but also make sure it is strongly launched into the next 100 years.”
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
When asked about the role of collaboration and teamwork in the planning and execution of the gala, both Sarah and Amy highlighted the "choose your own adventure" structure of the Centennial Committee. This unique approach allowed members to select areas of interest and leverage their individual strengths.
Amy notes, “You can assist with what interests you, what you have time for, and/or what your skill set thrives on. I believe this has led the committee to be not only fun, but also strong. Committee members are here because they want to be, and the Centennial Gala is going to be amazing because of it.”
Sarah enjoyed the process, saying, "I loved Anisa and Rebecca’s approach. They did a lot of preplanning that allowed us to choose the areas we were most interested in and let our teams run with it."
Caitlin adds, “Collaboration and teamwork are integral to the league. On the procurement workstream, we're able to brainstorm ideas about amazing items and who in our networks to reach out to. Without teamwork, there would be no items, and quite frankly, I would be beyond stressed out. Sharing the load of the work helps make for a successful event rather than silo in one individual.”
A Legacy for the Future
The Junior League of Seattle's century-long journey marks a legacy of impact, change, and hope. For Amy, JLS represents one thing in particular: “Hope. In a world where women still have to fight for so much, to me, JLS is a safe place where we can bond, grow, and thrive. Women supporting women is so important. We leave a legacy of countless examples of what we can accomplish, both individually and as a group, when it happens.”
Sarah shares, “I appreciate how the League has changed and grown with the times and adapted to women’s needs. Although much of the purpose (training and community service) has remained the same, how we do it has changed dramatically. I have no doubt that as women’s lives, schedules, needs and available time continue to change, the Junior League of Seattle will continue to adapt and be there to support women in all stages of their lives.”
A Personal Touch
We asked Sarah about her strategy for securing Gala donations, and it’s clear she was the perfect woman for the job. She says, “For the Swag Bags, Sherry Viray and I discussed what JLS branded items the League planned to provide and built a loose list of the types of items we wanted to procure to bring it all together and make everything seem purposeful and planned. While making this list, we also decided that our approach would be fewer, but higher quality items. One complicating factor was the sheer number of swag bags needed. With 360 bags needed, we knew the best way to procure the large number of items we needed was to reach out to the awesome JLS network through the newsletter, social media, and to our personal JLS contacts with specific asks. The ‘ask’ was for help connecting us to specific items or connecting us to specific companies. Without a connection, 360 quality items is an unlikely yes!”
For Amy, her professional experience proved extremely helpful. She explains, “I have a large network from working in the event industry, for both social and corporate events. As such, I was able to recommend vendors for the gala including our event photographer and our photo booth. My business is also the Event Manager for the gala, my staff will be onsite ensuring the event runs smoothly. This way all committee members can enjoy the evening and don’t have to work. We’re also fortunate to be sponsoring the event with the floral centerpieces and decor. I’m having fun with my team designing the centerpieces and hope everyone enjoys them!”
Caitlin's decision to join the Gala Committee after some time away from JLS was driven by her deep connection with our members: “My dearest friends are JLS friends. There is something so gratifying about working hard together to create an incredible event/shift/product/impact. I have missed the collaboration and the conversations and then continuing the meeting to other Madison Park venues. The committee experience is like putting on comfy pants. Just got right back into it. It has been such a reminder of why I love the League and the ladies who make it happen.”