Masquerade Ball Spring Fundraiser

When we party, we party with a purpose!

Our spring 2026 Masquerade Ball FUNdraiser was held on Friday, May 1^st, at the Riverbend Country Club — and it was a massive, sold-out success! The evening was full of exciting activities, including casino games, cigar rolling, a silent auction with dozens of fabulous prizes, and so much more. Community members, new friends, and long-time supporters danced the night away while raising life-changing scholarship funds for local students.

We are beyond thrilled to share that our 2026 FUNdraiser collected over $175,000 for scholarships! This amount is nearly double the funds raised in 2025. Thank you to our generous sponsors, supporters, and community. These record-breaking funds will change lives.

Welcome to the Masquerade

Our evening began with a flurry of activity. Guests in glittering gowns and tailored tuxedos tried their luck at our Blackjack and Roulette stations, rolling dice and spinning wheels to win prizes. During the games, we enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres and bubbly champagne served from the skirt of a themed performer. 

Between games, guests explored the South Terrace to preview the fabulous prizes up for grabs during the silent auction and raffle. Prizes included international getaways, experience packages at local businesses, and beautiful baskets filled with gift cards and tasty treats. A gorgeous Bottega Venetta handbag was featured as our grand raffle prize. 

As the masqueraders browsed, a cigar-rolling station and photo opportunities kept the night buzzing with excitement!

Welcome

Once everyone settled in, Scholarship Fund President Connie Colabatistto officially kicked off the night with words of welcome. Then, student speakers Aisun Abedinzadeh and Veronica Padrino addressed the crowd, sharing what the Scholarship Fund has helped them achieve in their academic careers. It’s always so rewarding to see our mission in action! 

After these announcements, our dinner buffet and dessert stations opened for guests to dine at their leisure.

Online Auction

Our auction consisted of a wide range of incredible items, services, and experiences. The online auction stayed open until 5:00 P.M. the day after the event, which allowed guests who couldn’t attend to join the fun. Whether guests hoped for a weekend getaway, spa packages, a golf outing, or gift certificates to top restaurants, we had something for everyone! 

Raffle Item

Throughout the evening, guests purchased raffle tickets for the grand prize: a beautifully crafted leather Bottega Venetta handbag. Tallat Hassan was the lucky winner. A special thank you to everyone who participated in our raffle, and congratulations to Tallat for taking home the win!

Prizes

Our attendees truly brought their best when it came to dressing on theme!  We awarded prizes for best mask, best dressed, and best coordinating couple!  Our fabulous winners were:

• Best Mask - Keula Fletcher

• Best Dressed - Nelcy Valcourt

• Best Coordinating Couple - Brian and Rose Teach

Live Auction and Spin to Win

Our fabulous auctioneer, Rick Bernstein – The Voice of DC, kicked off our LIVE Auction with a new ice breaker, Spin to Win! In this game, guests bid to win a chance to spin the wheel.  The wheel was full of fun prizes, and the highest bidder won a chance to spin for a prize.

We had six outstanding Live Auction items:

• Salamander Middleburg Resort and Ferrari getaway

• 6 days and 5 nights in beautiful Belize

• Nantucket luxury retreat for 10

• GAIA Superclub brunch and limousine experience

• Package trip to the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina

• An incredible getaway to Cortona, Italy

Rick’s auctioneering skills filled the room with excitement and energy, creating an enticing atmosphere that thrilled the guests. Number cards filled the air as bidders rallied to win their favorite prizes.

After all the Live Auctions found their new owners, Rick opened the floor to an Open Paddle Raise starting with $2,500: the amount of one general scholarship. The paddles went up again, and Rick gradually reduced the paddle's raise amount each round, so donors at all levels had a chance to contribute. Our raise ended at $100, and guests were beyond generous with their support. Thank you endlessly for funding our mission and local students’ futures.

Announcements and Dancing

At the conclusion of our Live Auction, the raffle and prize winners were announced, and the Mystery Wine Pull began. 

Meanwhile, the DJ opened the dance floor! Our DJ played the perfect beats while guests kicked up their heels and hit the floor to mingle, dance with friends, and enjoy some late-night bites. The night was still young, and our guests took full advantage of the evening, dancing until the last call was announced.

Mystery Wine Pull

Our Mystery Wine Pull table took place in the hallway as you left the main event space.  The game was open to play from 10-11pm. As people retired for the evening, they could spin for a chance (or two) to win an awesome bottle of wine at only $50 per try. We curated a mix of red, white and sparkling wines… some valuing as high as $200 per bottle. Many guests won a bottle to take home and enjoy!

Last Call, Last Dance

As the dance floor cleared and the casino games wound down, it was clear we held a truly special night. As always, it was a privilege to come together for the cause of education, and we cannot wait to present the funds we raised to our 2026-27 student cohorts! Thank you to everyone who made this event a roaring success. None of this would be possible without YOU.

Our Vendors

Thank you for making our night an evening to remember!

• Auctioneer, Rick Bernstein - Bernstein Solutions, Inc.

• Photographer/Videographer, Rafael Suanes - RCS Photography

• DJ and Lighting - Pat Premier

• Cigar Roller - Cortez Cigars

• Roaming Photo Booth and Champagne Dress - Pyroxotic Entertainment

• Casino Games - Washington Talent

• RiverBend Country Club

• ClickBid Mobile Bidding