Hello Glamour!

Our third and final 50th anniversary gala has come to an end, and it definitely didn't disappoint. From the food to the entertainment—everything fell perfectly into place for a truly magical night. Plus, all ticket sales went to help the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Foundation, which is set to open a new, state-of-the-art hospital and teaching facility in early 2011. Its mission is to be among the nation's leading comprehensive children's hospitals—delivering the highest quality health care through research, education and innovation, and advocating for issues that promote the health and welfare of children.

We couldn't have asked for a better event and want to thank everyone who helped make this one-of-a-kind evening such a success. Here's a look at some of the great memories we're still talking about:

iL CiRCo

Combining classic art traditions with modern cirque artistry, iL CiRCo delivered an exhilarating experience that thrilled and took us on an inspiring journey into a surreal world—a perfect fit with our gala theme. Each highly-trained acrobat blew us away with impressively choreographed moves that left us musing, "How does he/she do that?" You certainly need the right genetic make-up to pull off moves like that!

The talent and training the iL CiRCo acrobats need to perform is mind-boggling. It's no wonder they're in such demand and have traveled and performed in over 10 countries on three continents. We were so lucky to have them for our big night!


Sights and Sounds

What an incredible transformation! It really felt like you were inside a swinging jazz club or suave cabaret. The ambiance was elegant and the place was buzzing with an electrifying vibe. Since this was such a special occasion, we asked Huntington House to create exclusive pieces in a dazzling array of fabrics and shapes to help set the stage for glamour in our atrium. The chic Lydia settee features a gothic-inspired burgundy tapestry fabric for a good dose of drama, while Sheba offers a little animal magnetism with a fierce, bold tiger print. We'll have these pieces out until the first week of November, so if you weren't at the gala, stop by and check them out.

And man, did the Simone Vitale Band tear it up! They have a stellar reputation, which
is why they've been asked to perform all over the country, including for two Presidents. There's just something about a live band that gets your heart rate going and your
toes tapping.

Every detail about the night was perfect. It's hard to believe that in less than 24 hours it will all be gone and our entertainment venue will become a store again.

Oh! Did you look inside your custom gift box of Sanders chocolates yet? One special box contains a 'Golden Ticket' for a spending spree worth $2,500 at Art Van Furniture.



Star Power

Our version of the "red carpet" was packed with local leaders, customers, long-time employees and many others who were dressed "to the nines" for a night of mystery and intrigue. We were very fortunate to have gospel-recording artist Vickie Winans join us. During her 20-year career in music, she has released over 10 albums and garnered eight Stellar Awards and an NAACP Image Award®. Vickie is also the president of her own label—Destiny Joy Records. And to top it off, she's also been an Art Van Furniture guest since she was 19 years old.

And we truly appreciate WOOD TV8 for doing such a wonderful job with the live telecast of the gala, and for Suzanne Geha acting as our fabulous Mistress of Ceremonies. As the first woman to anchor prime-time news in West Michigan, Suzanne has dedicated her life to keeping her community informed and helping others through various charitable organizations.

Thank you to everyone who came out and made this final gala a "haute" affair. We hope you enjoyed the night as much as we did, and here's to our next 50 years!