Black Tie

The Office had it's Annual Lifetime Achievement Award Gala on Saturday. It was the first event I've worked on since I left Virginia. I have missed event planning immensely ... it's the adrenaline boost I haven't had in 16 months. I started working at The Office three months ago - at the tail end of planning, but I was able to roll up my sleeves and get involved, which I loved.

John Walsh was our honoree this year. Let me just say this - he is one of the most generous, warm-hearted people I've ever met - celebrity or otherwise, which made me even happier we were honoring him for his 25 years of crusading for children's safety. He is the real deal - he truly cares.

He gave an unscripted acceptance speech which was passionate and powerful. We found his notes later that he had scribbled on the back of some scratch paper during dinner - five bullet points - and yet his speech was as polished as anyone's on the teleprompter.

It was the only black tie charity event I've ever gone to where I felt good about the result. Yes, the gala was at the only 5-diamond hotel in The Frontier. Yes, we dined on salmon and filet mignon. Yes, it was black tie. Yes, the giveaways were beautiful. But we gave $900,000 away to three organizations who make keeping kids safe their mission - National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce and the McGruff Safehouse Network. There was no cheesy auction. We raised $50k of that at the dinner through pledge donations. It felt okay to have a big celebration for donations of that magnitude. It especially felt okay to have a big celebration for John Walsh.

It is refreshing to see that in this economy there are still individuals and organizations who care enough to realize that there are still crimes, still predators, still kids who go missing. It was refreshing to see all of the celebrity figures there - entertainers, actors and the award recipient - who were human. Who didn't act like the world owed them a favor. Who were gracious and kind and generous and warm-hearted.

It was nice to sit and de-brief and talk about next year - to feel part of a team - to share highlights and lowlights and know that the ones who have a say are actually listening.

It is such a contrast with The Factory. The Factory wasn't generous. It didn't care about anything or anyone or any cause that couldn't connect it to big names. It didn't listen. It didn't trust. It stripped people of humanity and feeling and only championed a call for "more money!"

Slowly, my faith is being restored in humanity.

HUGE thanks to Erin for volunteering to help us out!