Second Annual Abby’s Friends Gala
The Daniel Island community loves to throw parties, and there’s no better reason than for a great cause. On Friday, June 27th, the second annual Abby’s Friends Gala, an all volunteer, not for profit organization dedicated to raising awareness for juvenile diabetes, and to raising money for advancing juvenile diabetes research, at the Daniel Island Club was no exception. It seemed like everyone on Daniel Island attended this event as more than 350 people showed up to party and give back.
The day started out for many partygoers with the Abbys’ Friends Charity Golf Classic at the Daniel Island Club Ralston Creek Course. I wondered why I saw so many sun-burned faces in the crowd. The ladies came dressed to kill in brightly colored patterns. They also came ready to bid. Tracey Mullaney and Ashley Stock were tag teaming the auction tables with their eyes particularly glued to the exquisite handbag by Mary Norton. Speaking of the auction items, as I cruised around from table to table, I could not help but notice that most people did not start biding at the minimum amount, they started biding on the items at their retail value. So basically that meant that I was out of the running on everything, but great news for Abby’s Friends.
I was so glad to see that this was not a sit-down dinner. Guests got to enjoy a buffet style dinner that consisted of a pasta and shrimp and grits station, smoked salmon on black bread, blackened shrimp with pimento cheese on crostinis, and crab cakes—all my faves. Those and the bananas fosters station!The live auction started around nine o’ clock and was emceed by Channel 2 anchor Brad Franko. Bidding on all 8 live auction items could have gone on forever, but the surprise of the night was auction item #7, a yellow Lab puppy named Wando. This sweet pup went for $2,500, and Tracy and Jennifer Poudrier are 100% in LOVE. The biggest ticket item was a two-golfer trip to Pebble Beach to play in the Lexus Champions for Charity Event, and John Sutterlin and Brian Keller will hit the greens in December to attend this spectacular event. This item went for $17,000, and the golfers will play for $100,000 in prize money to be donated to Abby’s Friends. Once the excitement from the bidding wars died down, people danced the night away to the sounds of Plane Jane. The event raised more than $160,000 benefiting the MUSC Children’s Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), and Camp Adam Fisher.
