My name is Josie Sutton and I am Mes Papillons Foundation’s (MPF) Student Intern this year! As someone who’s been attending MPF’s Annual Gala for the past four years, I can confidently say it has been a blast! Months later, I’ve caught myself ruminating on what an impactful experience it is. Every year I walk in and can't help but notice how spectacularly executed everything is. The decorations are beautiful; the food is incredible; and everyone dresses up and looks great. This year, one thing that has always really stood out to me is the sense of community support. Everyone in attendance shows up for the cause of raising money for children with rare diseases to help provide medical equipment not covered by insurance. Every year, we gather to also celebrate MPF success and the people that worked hard to contribute to that success.
As soon as you enter the door, you can feel the sense of community. Although the attendees come from different backgrounds, experiences, and stages of life in general, it’s refreshing to see them all enjoying themselves and building connections with others. This year, MPF decided to honor members in the community through awards. The MPF S.O.A.R. Champion Award was awarded to a young boy named Ronan who has a rare condition called DeBarsy Syndrome. Watching Ronan's face light up as the award was called was so heartwarming and brought so much enthusiasm to the audience. The sense of community and support was so apparent in those moments, especially how it shed light on the significance MPF’s to families and the rare disease community.
In addition, the MPF S.O.A.R. Impact Award, was given to the founders of Abilitations Children’s Therapy & Wellness Center because of their work with families of children with disabilities not only as a therapy service provider, but also for being a lifeline in the community. Organizations such as Abilitations give families motivation, tools, and hope to persevere despite whatever they are facing. Overall, the awards ceremony was inspirational and we all were glad to be a part of something so special.
Another important aspect of the MPF Annual Gala is fundraising! In past years there has always been a silent auction that includes fun-themed baskets, pieces of art, or even signed footballs. But taking that a step further, this year, MPF had their first live auction where each of the items were announced and bid on. Aside from the auction being a big hit, it was so much fun seeing all the kids and adults interact with the different items, with the kids begging their parents to bid more and more.
Although at times, children can feel like they don’t belong at an adult event, MPF’s Annual Gala is incredibly inclusive of children and they’re encouraged to have just as much fun as the adults! After all, we want the children to feel uplifted and welcomed, especially at an event that works hard to prioritize children's needs. There are so many activities specifically tailored for children including dancing, bracelet making, coloring, tattoos, face paint, browsing the silent auction, and making new friends! For example, my little sister is nine years old and it was apparent that she had an amazing time at this year’s Gala. She was constantly running around checking out the charcuterie table, arts table, and was particularly invested in the silent auction tables.
I hope that it is evident based on what I’ve shared, that MPF is such a great organization to support and there’s no better way to do that than attending the annual gala and giving to such an important cause. Keep an eye out for next year’s upcoming gala. Make sure to secure a ticket for yourself and your family as well because you won’t want to miss out on this incredible event!
