Every year, the Reach for the Stars Gala provides a night of catching up with old friends, making new ones, exciting bidding over auction items, delicious food and drinks, music, all while learning about the work REACH does. There’s no way we could pull off an evening this spectacular without the help of our amazing event committee members, who start planning almost a year in advance. Our co-chairs for the event introduce us to new faces by bringing their friends, provide their input in the planning process, and put their own personal touches on the evening. This year’s event co-chairs are Brooke and Eric Brown, and Lisa and Bob Oros. With a little over one week to go until this year’s Reach for the Stars Gala, we thought we’d introduce you to one of these co-chairs, REACH Board Member Brooke Brown.
- Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up? What do you do for work? For fun?
I grew up outside of Philadelphia, PA. I have my Master’s degree in early childhood education and taught kindergarten for years. My husband Eric and I live in Wellesley with our three girls, who are 18, 15, and 12 years old. We just got back from spending our summer on Martha’s Vineyard.
- How did you first get involved with REACH?
I first learned about REACH after they did presentations in our daughter’s class at Dana Hall. She and her friends talked a lot about what they had learned. Soon after, I attended a breakfast where REACH staff shared information with parents on how to talk to your kids about healthy relationships. As I’m sure other parents of teenagers can relate to, that can be especially challenging! I decided to get more involved, and recently attended their 6 hour training and their Annual Meeting. This spring, I joined the REACH Board of Directors.
- Why did you agree to Co-Chair the Reach for the Stars Gala?
I’ve attended the gala in the past and thought it was a great event. As someone who knows people who have been impacted by domestic violence, I was glad to see that it was such a success for the organization.
- What are you most looking forward to about this year’s gala?
I’m looking forward to being with lots of wonderful people while raising money for a terrific cause. I look forward to hearing from the survivor speaker, which is always a really meaningful part of the event and reminds us all why we’re there. I think the new venue (The Intercontinental) will be really beautiful, and we have some exciting auction packages that I know people will want to bid on – in fact, they already can, thanks to our new online bidding platform. It’s sure to be a great time!
If you haven’t already, make sure you get your tickets for the Gala by clicking here and selecting “Tickets” from the donation menu. You can also get a sneak peak at the auction packages Brooke spoke of and even start putting in your bids. If you’re interested in being a part of the planning for next year’s event, email our Director of Development, Brianna Nadelberg.
