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STAR CHAMBER: ‘Celebrity' affair brings in more than $40,000
The Walton County Chamber’s 4th annual celebrity waiter dinner brought in more than $40,000 last week to fund the Chamber’s upcoming leadership programs.
More than 300 Chamber supporters and community business leaders attended the dinner held Aug. 19 at the Sandestin Grand’s Magnolia Ballroom.
The evening’s theme was Waiters of the World with International Flair.
The gala event began with a cocktail reception and pictures prior to the parade into the elegantly decorated ballroom.
The dinner’s 22 waiters were local “celebrities” about town, and each chose his or her favorite culture to celebrate. Each of the 24 tables’ decorations reflected the selected culture, and ranged from the good ole U.S.A. to Russia.
Winning “best table” was Sandestin’s tribute to Soviet Russia. The Sandestin team headed by John Russell, dressed in red running suits. Their vodka-filled ice sculpture in the shape of an anvil, created by Chef Roy Khoo, along with caviar was a big hit, said Russell.
“We chose Russia because we knew we could do the costumes and table settings without spending a lot of time or money,” said Russell. “One of our team had done the ice presentation before and we thought the vodka-caviar theme would sell well to raise money, and we knew we had some Russian staff that could add authenticity.”
The celebrity waiters were charged with coming up with ideas to excite the guests at their table in hopes of being rewarded for good service and entertainment.
During the sit-down dinner, waiters tied tipping into their theme by selling trinkets, singing songs, or selling shots of liquor, while guests also enjoyed entertainment by Matsuriza Taiko Japanese drums.
“This was an opportunity for everyone to let their hair down and not have a care in the world,” said the Chamber’s Valencia Williamson, who worked on the event for six months. “With all the bad the community has been through, this was something good.”
All proceeds from the evening benefited Leadership Walton and the Youth Leadership program in conjunction with the Walton County School District.
