RECORD FUNDRAISER FOR FOOD PANTRY
Rappahannock Food Pantry director Mimi Forbes said despite heavy rain turning Saturday’s “Escape to the Caribbean” bene t dinner theme to “Hurricane in the Caribbean,” the pantry managed to raise roughly 10 times the amount of money seen at its past annual fundraisers.
Food Pantry’s benefit dinner raises ‘10 times’ more than in years past
Forbes declined to disclose exactly how much money was raised at the annual fundraising dinner, which took place May 7 and was hosted by Dee and Chuck Akre at Mount Prospect, their home in Washington. It was the first in-person food pantry fundraising event in two years. It was attended by about 150 guests, with Caribbean-themed food provided by Headmaster’s Pub, the Corner Store, Sumac and a local farmer.
Forbes said she thinks that because of the pandemic halting past fundraising events, “people were ready to party.” Along with a record number of donations and tickets selling out weeks in advance, Forbes said there were also many new faces and firsttime donors at the event.
“I had a great committee with the best volunteers in the world,” Forbes said. “I was really, really happy. I was a bit stressed out about the weather, but everybody seemed to have had a good time, and the food from all the restaurants was wonderful.”