March 29, 2012
Oh What A Night!
Who knew that Frankie Valli and The Four Season’s Song “Oh What A Night” could sum up Georgia Ovarian Cancer Association’s “Shaken, Not Stirred” fundraising event so perfectly.
“As I remember, what a night!
Oh what a night,
You know I didn’t even know her name
But I was never going to be the same
What a lady, what a night.”
This past Saturday March 24, 2012 saw the Georgia Freight Depot filled to the brim with all sorts of people: women, men, mothers, husbands, wives, daughters, brothers, nieces, cousins, etc. The room was also filled with another sort of person. Each person attending the evening’s event had been touched in some way by Ovarian Cancer, one of America’s most deadly cancers. Survivors, friends and family of survivors, as well as individuals who had lost a woman near and dear to this terrible disease came out to support the work of GOCA, who is tirelessly trying to increase awareness, provide knowledge, and take action against ovarian cancer. The evening was jubilant and joyful, but as hosts Jovita Moore and Justin Farmer responsibly pointed out, we were all there for a serious reason; to highlight the toll of ovarian cancer and raise funds for it’s demise. The food provided chef Cooper of the Feed Store, chef Zeb Stevenson of Livingston, David Larkworthy of 5 Seasons, Ian Miller of Murphy’s, and Stately Events was simply delectable and people lined up 2 and 3 times for more. With Dee Dee Digby of Renaissance Organics providing a majority of the local and mostly organic food materials, chefs showed up with dishes such as local smoked chicken and dumplings or mini chocolate éclairs that satisfied even the most insatiable of appetites. The melodious tunes of the Ruby Velle Trio brought people together for dancing and good times. The end of the evening also captured one of the best auction items I’ve had the pleasure of viewing: A dance INSIDE the onstage oversized martini glass. Not only did this courageous and very energetic Emory University professor donate some major dollars, but also some major dance moves. The Georgia Freight Depot was certainly filled with happy tummies, dancing feet, and dedication to a cause that desperately needs a lot of attention.
Thanks to Georgia Freight Depot for simply existing and being a fabulous event space as well as Drake Staffing that did such excellent leg work to make all the action happen. Thanks to Dee Dee Digby for donation of food materials, Chef Cooper Miller of the Feed Store, Zeb Stevenson of Livingston Restaurant and Bar, the team at Murphy’s, mixologist Ronne LeClair and David Larkworthy and the 5 Season’s Brewing Company for their fabulous drinks and appetizers, Stately Events, the Ruby Velle Trio for the amazing music, and Jovita Moore and Justin Farmer for their animated hosting.
This evening came together because of the valiant effort put forth by all of these dedicated sponsors and volunteers. It was a great evening and truly a fabulous event for the GOCA community as well as the Atlanta community. If you missed out this year, don’t make the same mistake twice. Make sure to stay tuned to seanokeefeevents.com or GOCA’s website for all of the pertinent event information. Also, whether you attended the “Shaken, Not Stirred” event or not, make sure you check out GOCA’s upcoming Overcome Ovarian Cancer walk this September. It’s such an amazing organization that we can’t plug enough. I feel so honored to have been apart of this event and really can’t wait for next year!