It’s eight days and counting until our Flights for Food event. Our office is a mishmash of half-baked centerpieces, auction baskets, auction items that haven’t found their way into baskets, and at least five colors of ribbon. Autographed sports memorabilia are cozying up to bottles of wine, party lights and glue guns.

The planning began back in October when we started looking for a venue.  The venue makes the event and we wanted a larger place with history and character that wouldn’t break the bank (it’s not a large bank).  We ultimately settled on Old Town Hall in Fairfax, a historic building built in 1900 by Joseph Willard, a former lieutenant governor of Virginia. He also had the dubious distinction of being the son of a Confederate spy and Union officer.

Because nothing makes a party like a live band, our next order of business was to find one willing to help us out. That turned out to be the easiest part of the process.  One of our weekly volunteers knew Big Tow, connected us, and they immediately agreed.  We can’t wait to hear them in person.

Lining up local wine, whiskey & beer vendors came next. We’re really pleased that MurLarkey Distilled Spirits,  Lost Whiskey Club, Cana Vineyards and Winery,  Casanel  Vineyards and Winery,  & Caboose Brewing Company will be serving up good stuff to our guests. It’s amazing how many great places are within 30 miles of us. Härth & Oak Steakhouse are going to provide small bites to go with all of those tastings, and RSVP is catering dinner.

The hardest part of event planning is finding the financing. In addition to being a great time and introducing Food for Others to new people, Flights for Food needs to raise money so we can keep feeding hungry people.  Lots of local businesses stepped up with auction items, and we have seven fabulous sponsors. Thank you Insurance Associates, NCC, Morgan Stanley, TTR Sotheby’s, TW Perry, Quest Insurance, and Ancient Order of the Hibernians for your generosity and leadership.

The rest of the planning process is a deluge of permits, ABC licensing, ticket sales, social media posts, menus, tablecloth counts, volunteer recruitment, parking maps, signage . . . The list goes on and on.

It’s all going to come together into one great night on February 20^th where we will relax with friends, meet new ones, and make something special happen for food insecure families in our area.

Come join us! We still have a few tickets available.

Alison Padget is Food for Others’ Director of Development & Outreach.