ISSUED: 17 August 2018
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The 17th annual Scarborough Society Gala took place August 10 at the Bavarian Inn to support Shepherd University’s Scarborough Library. The black-tie event was inspired by the classic Boris Pasternak novel and film adaptation of “Doctor Zhivago,” inviting the nearly 300 guests into a winter wonderland invoking the imperial majesty of early 20th-century Russia.
Presenting sponsors for the event were BB&T Wealth Management, represented by Marty and Marlyn Keesecker; Jefferson Security Bank, represented by Cindy and Steve Kitner; Valley Proteins, Inc., represented by Mike and Wendy Smith; United Bank, Inc., represented by Christopher and Samantha Colbert; and Bronfman Rothschild Wealth Advisors, represented by John and Lisa Wolff. Jerry Williams of State Farm Insurance sponsored the band, Souled Out, while Argos USA Corporation served as a program sponsor. Other community sponsors included Stephen Skinner of Skinner Law Firm; Brian Jackson of McMorgan and Company; Bowles Rice LLP; PriceRomine PLLC; Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC; and Ours, Lawyer, & Lewis Company, PLLC.
This year, Bronfman Rothschild Wealth Advisors joined other longtime gala supporters as a presenting sponsor of the event.
“As a proud alumnus of Shepherd, I am honored to support the Scarborough Society, along with its many worthy causes,” said John Wolff, managing director and principal, wealth advisory, Bronfman Rothschild. “I became familiar with the society’s mission through my work with the Shepherd University Foundation and am proud to support an organization that works to improve the scope and reach of the university’s library system.”
The evening featured decorative touches that transformed the Bavarian Inn into a winter wonderland. Serving as a photo backdrop for arriving guests was a sleigh on loan from Shepherdstown residents Chris and Jody Carter. Twinkling evergreen trees and animated reindeer dotted the grounds, while sparkling crystal-beaded trees adorned the table tops, creating the illusion of an icy landscape.
During his welcoming remarks, Scarborough Society President Ramon A. “Ray” Alvarez channeled Doctor Zhivago himself, donning a fur hat and adhesive mustache for a memorable pre-dinner program. Prior to that, guests enjoyed appetizers on the patio, including shrimp cocktail with a peppered vodka shot. The plated dinner also featured Slavic-inspired flavors such as a Russian Tea Room salad, beef stroganoff on a bed of bow-tie pasta topped with beet chips, and a dessert bar featuring cheese blintzes and other treats and cordials from the Far East.
Among the guests supporting the Scarborough Library were table hosts from the region and their invited friends. The group was composed of university faculty, administrators, alumni, and community members, including Ray and Mary Alvarez, Jason Best and Sara Maene, Bill and Sue Blair, Chris and Jody Carter, Enrico “Rick” and Denise Caruso, Chris and Samantha Colbert, Brent and Jennica Grubb, Daniel and Linda Hart, Shepherd President Mary J.C. Hendrix and Charles “Chuck” Craft, Jerry and Susanne Horner, Martin and Marlyn Keesecker, Harrison and Vicki Lanham, Ralph Lorenzetti and Rosemarie Cannarella Lorenzetti, Al and Sara Lueck, Tony and Shelly Price, Mike and Wendy Smith, Jim and Mary Staley, Paul and Lisa Welch, Kevin Wilson, John and Lisa Wolff, and John and Lisa Younis.
The Scarborough Society, sponsored by the Shepherd University Foundation, serves to support and strengthen the Shepherd University library system. Funds raised by the society provide information technology and other resources to Shepherd students, faculty, and friends. Membership in the organization is available on an annual basis and members’ names are engraved on a Wall of Honor located in the library. Members receive library cards with special privileges and are placed on invitation lists for library lectures, book signings, musical events, seminars, and receptions.
Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Scarborough Society is encouraged to call the Shepherd University Foundation at 304-876-5397, or 800-344-5231, extension 5397.
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