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Submitted News
The 3rd Anniversary Gala theme was “The Best of Virginia” and this year’s event honored three distinguished Virginians – Dr. Randall Edwards, the late Dr. Marvin L. Gillum and The Honorable Kathleen K. Seefeldt – for their passion, dedication and visionary leadership in the creation of the Hylton Performing Arts Center and their support of the Prince William Campus of George Mason University.
Distinguished guests included The Honorable George Allen and Mrs. Susan Allen; actress and Castleton Festival co-founder Dietlinde Maazel; George Mason University President Ángel Cabrera and Dr. Beth Cabrera; Dr. Annie Hunt Burriss, CEO of George Mason University’s Prince William Campus; the honorees, Dr. Randall Edwards, The Honorable Kathleen K. Seefeldt and Martha Gillum (widow of the late Dr. Marvin Gillum); City of Manassas Mayor Harry J. Parrish, II; Alicia Colgan, the wife of Sen. Charles J. Colgan; Del. Mark Dudenhefer; Del. Jackson Miller; Councilman Mark Wolfe; Councilman Ian Lovejoy; Dr. Sam Hill, provost of Northern Virginia Community College’s Woodbridge Campus; Dr. Roger Ramsammy, provost of Northern Virginia Community College’s Manassas Campus; Carol Merchant Kirby and Peter Kirby; Til and Ann Hazel; John O. Gregory; and many others.
More than 340 guests attended the 3rd Anniversary Gala, which included a reception in the Hylton Center’s Didlake Grand Foyer, where guests were entertained by live music by Charlottesville-based folksinger/songwriter Tara Mills and her band, Yankee Dixie. Following the reception was dinner in the Hylton Center’s Gregory Family Theater. Guests enjoyed “The Best of Virginia” themed menu catered by Susan Gage Caterers, which included mini shrimp and grits, peanut soup shooters, spring pea soup, buttermilk fried chicken, Chesapeake crab cakes and a dessert of strawberry-rhubarb pie with sour cream ice cream, paired with Virginia wines from Barboursville, White Hall and Early Mountain Vineyards. The evening concluded with a performance by bluegrass legend and Virginia native Dr. Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys in the Hylton Center’s Merchant Hall.
The gala raised a total of $206,000 and funds raised support the Sen. Charles J. Colgan Community Arts Benefit Fund, which enables local arts organizations to present at the Hylton Center and make it their artistic home.
