More than 1,500 smiling LaunchAbility supporters attended the 14th annual A Special Evening at the Meyerson Symphony Center, and everyone had high hopes that this year’s guest, Dana Carvey, would deliver a show filled with his greatest hits.
We are happy to report the Saturday Night Live alum did not disappoint.
The evening began with a VIP reception, during which co-chairs Regina Montoya and Paul Coggins and honorary chairs Ambassador Kathryn and Craig Hall welcomed donors and sponsors, including Mary Blake and Chuck Meadows, Linda and Bill Custard, Nicole and Chad Cook, Anne and Steve Stodghill, Caroline Rose Hunt, and Ellen and Don Winspear.
Master of ceremonies Jody Dean of KLUV kicked off the program by announcing this year’s honorees. For the first time, LaunchAbility recognized two couples as co-recipients of the Milton P. Levy Jr. Outstanding Volunteer Award, the organization’s highest honor for individuals.
Laura and Ellison Hurt and Stacey and Nicholas McCord received their leadership award from Karen Wald of sponsor Alliance Data. Scott Moore of PricewaterhouseCoopers accepted the Alliance Data Corporate Champion Award from Kathryn Parsons for the firm’s longtime partnership with LaunchAbility.
The evening also featured a moving speech by Daniel Fiaccone, who shared how he has greatly benefited from LaunchAbility’s Supported Employment program.
When Carvey finally took the stage, he amused the crowd with his perfect impersonations of George Bush and Ross Perot. He even brought back Garth from Wayne’s World and some of his well-known SNL characters. The charitable comedian continued to delight with a post-show meet-and-greet, during which he posed for photos with attendees.
Since its inception, A Special Evening has raised more than $5 million for LaunchAbility, which uses the funds to continually expand its programs and grow each year that champion for people with disabilities by providing services to help them reach their maximum potential.
Dana Carvey
