The wind and the rain held off long enough for a beautiful evening that swept event-goers ever so gently into dusk.
Soiree is a word that originated from the French language for evening or "soir", and the full word describes an event of function held at night.
Mothers and their daughters came together, some bringing grandmothers, sisters, friends or other special women in their lives to celebrate Mother's Day. The event was held on Friday 12 May on the Paterson House patio and into Littleton Plaza.
As the inaugural event, I had the opportunity to create an event from the ground-up. What has always come to mind when thinking of a 'soiree' was an event that celebrates the rich art and culture of a place. So it was decided to create meaningful experiences showcasing those aspects at Girls Grammar.
Four wonderful students and one staff member were approached to create a live art exhibition on the night. The artists were asked to create a work that they could put the finishing touches on at the event. The artists were then given the option to auction their artwork off at the event, and all artists successfully sold their pieces. The funds will be used to purchase new art supplies for the artists.
I wanted to thank Year 12 student Olivia, Year 10 students Taylah, Amelia, and Paige, as well as staff member Ellena Price for volunteering to participate in the exhibition on the night. It takes a lot of bravery to put yourself and your artwork out there for people to enjoy. The girls all did an exceptional job on their paintings.
In addition to the artists, a range of market stall owners were also invited to attend to sell their handcrafted wares in a mini night market experience. Some of our talented staff members also participated. Music teacher Jessica Dawes sold handmade earrings, and chef Raelene Bendall sold fondant biscuits and macarons.
Our boarding students also created a stall to sell slushies, hair braiding, bracelets and key chains to fundraise for their end of year boarding dinner. All stalls reported back successful nights.
We also had a special performance by Yeppoon-based duo Mother Love. Nicole and Carl donated their time on the evening to play beautiful acoustic music for guests. Nicole will be starting as a new Art Teacher at the School in June.
The School's kitchen staff prepared the grazing platters and canapés served on the night, and student volunteers helped by serving the food to guests. A big thank you to all student volunteers who assisted on the night. We also had a handful of students who stayed back after school to help decorate the tables and arranged flowers in vases. There were also students who stayed back after the event to pack down.
A big shout out is also due for additional staff members who helped serve at the bar, with ticket distribution, and assisting with student volunteers.
Finally, thank you to all the students and their families who attended on the night and supported our inaugural Mother's Day Twilight Soiree.
Ellouise Bailey
Community, Marketing and Events Coordinator