Music Academy Auxiliary 2nd Annual Sip and Swap Fundraiser
The beloved Music Academy’s (MA) Auxiliary held its 2nd Annual Sip and Swap Fundraiser at the MA’s Marilyn Horne Main House on Thursday, November 9. The event saw both its members and their friends joining for a lovely evening of libations and top tier swapping of one or more treasured items from one’s closet to another’s. Event Co-Chair Mari Warner shared with me that the event was birthed in 2022 with her co-chairs Ashley Woods Hollister and Sarah Corliss. It was so successful and fun that it is now an annual holiday shopping fundraiser for the MA.
The sipping and upbeat conversations took place on the back patio with wines, specialty cocktails by T.W. Hollister & Co., and spritzer flavored mineral waters, matched with delicate hors d’oeuvres.
The items to swap were sourced, curated, and arranged for selection by Alice Brophy, who when I arrived was putting the finishing touches on their display layout in the adjacent patio room with lovely live piano music. The swapping spree items were designer clothing, shoes, handbags, scarves, hats, jewelry, and small works of art. Labels included Saint Laurent, Prada, I. Magnin, Roberto Cavalli, Angela Scott, and Magda Butrym.Key wardrobe items were donated by Belle Hahn and Lily Hahn, which of course were the first to fly out the door! How it worked: each person who donated an item or multiple items could select one item, and then pay a $25 donation for each additional item. VIP ticket holders had first selection.
The event hallmarked newly appointed MA President and CEO Shauna Quill’s first appearance at an MA fundraising event. After being formally introduced, Quill welcomed everyone and thanked the co-chairs for their devoted work to make it happen. She called the lucky winning two raffle ticket holders as well.
The event, named after Warner’s great grandmother Martha Ann Edwards – who was a founding member of the MA’s Board of Trustees – is formally titled, “One Night in MAE’s Closet.” The Auxiliary writes: “It is more than just charitable holiday shopping, it is truly about bridging the timeless with the timely, encouraging the merging of generations through fashion and philanthropy, and showcasing the best of what we can all do when we come together for a cause we all collectively love and support, while keeping the Auxiliary’s mission of interconnectedness, inclusivity, and fundraising.”
All profits are donated to the Music Academy via The Auxiliary and help to support the SING! Program.
