This year’s gala, “Toi + Moi = Beyond the Self“, is a celebration of community spirit and service to others. The school will honor Christy Turlington Burns, advocate, social entrepreneur and founder of the nonprofit, Every Mother Counts. We sat down with this year’s co-chairs, Jordan Phillips, Orla Coleman, Claudia Fleming Bitar and Monique Frumberg to find out what to expect at LFNY Gala 2017.
Tell us about the theme, “Toi + Moi = Beyond the Self.”
There’s a clear connection between the theme of service, and the education our children are receiving. Citizenship — teaching children to give back to others, to be agents of positive change in the community and world around us — is at the core of the school’s mission.
There’s also the community aspect. We’ve met some of our closest friends at the Lycée, and it’s so much fun to celebrate together, at the gala! It’s a reminder that the Lycée Français is not just a school for our children, it’s a community for our families. We’re part of something, and once you feel like you’re part of something, you act differently, and you get involved.
On a more global perspective, we believe it is so important now more than ever that we work as a community to encourage understanding, acceptance and inclusion.
Why did you choose Christy Turlington Burns as honoree?
Christy is a role model of courage and entrepreneurship for Lycée students. She took a difficult personal situation during her first pregnancy and became an advocate and educator for maternal health through her nonprofit, Every Mother Counts. We are inspired by how she has used her fame as a platform to make a difference in the lives of others around the world, from Haiti to Syria to Congo to communities right here in New York City.
You’ve been working to transform the experience and environment of the gala in an extraordinary way. How so?
This year’s concept for the environment of the gala is the vision of Inma Barrero, artist and parent at the Lycée. Inma’s idea is to create an environment that is an expression of our community coming together, literally and figuratively to show the fabric of our community.
For the past two months, we’ve been collecting previously-worn white shirts and pieces of white fabric from our community members. Under Inma’s guidance, parent volunteers and their children have been hard at work creating fabric flower sculptures made from ribbons of this white fabric that will fill the cavernous space of the Armory in the most beautiful way.
Her installation will also include a visual interpretation of the shirts that symbolizes the community joining hands. Suspended from the ceiling of the Armory, it will be at the center of the dining area and form the centerpiece for a student-parent performance, created by choreographer and former Lycée parent, Blanca Li.
There are many pieces to this effort, and we are so grateful to the many volunteers who are part of this extraordinary effort!
What can guests expect at the silent and live auctions?
The silent and live auction, which will be hosted by Brook Hazelton of Christie’s, are key fundraising moments during the gala. Our aims this year are to focus on experiences that bring people together and to have items for every budget. Guests will find everything from great wine and gift certificates to new restaurants, meditation classes, and a chocolate-making class for children in the silent auction to a six-day, five-night stay at the coveted Meadowood Napa Valley luxury resort and Ferrari race track experience in the live auction. Silent auction items will go live for bidding to the entire Lycée community on January 18th, so stay-tuned for your chance to “BUY NOW”!
Student participation is always a highlight.
Our student voices are very much present this year through our “street-sign project”. We asked students to come up with slogans in English and in French about emotional well-being and consideration of others. Working with the art department, we’ve created a series of streets signs that will hang all over the school in the weeks leading up to the gala for our students to see when they visit the water fountain, take the elevator or head to the canteen. These signs will also be visible on gala night at the Armory.
What else is a real need-to-know about Gala 2017?
We’ve worked so hard to make the cavernous space of the Armory feel warm and open and universal. From the white fabric flowers of the decor to the African drums that will be playing as our guests arrive to the international flavor of the music performance by grammy-nominated duo SOFI TUKKER, it will be a thrilling and inspiring evening of community spirit for all guests in attendance.
Thanks very much to everyone in our community who is contributing to making the evening a great success for our school!
To purchase tickets visit: lfnygala.org
Follow us on the Lycée facebook page for updates.
About the Author :
Elisabeth King joined the Lycée team in November 2011 as the school’s first director of communications. A francophile at heart, Elisabeth spent her junior year of college in Paris, and held her first job at the French Trade Office here in New York. She brings to the Lycée over 15 years of experience in media and communications in non-profits, government, news and business. She was previously executive vice president and director of strategy at ABI, Inc., a boutique public relations agency, and she worked as associate editor on two books co-authored by Todd Brewster and the late ABC News anchor Peter Jennings.