By Jessica Dillon
Spencer-Penn Center hosted its 20th anniversary gala on Nov. 8.
Spencer-Penn Center celebrated 20 years of nonprofit service with its first-ever gala on Nov. 8. Guests dressed in 1920s attire and enjoyed food and music in the 1927 Lester Banquet Hall.
“Oh, my goodness, it was such an amazing experience for me. You know, it was our first gala, and celebrating 20 years of service is pretty huge,” said Executive Director Susan Sabin.
Sabin said the idea for the gala grew out of a desire to gauge community support. “We started dreaming of this 20s gala to celebrate 20 years in our 1927 wing of the facility,” she said.
“We really were very intentional about every decision we made—from the vendors we used to the decor, the people we reached out to, trying to get them as table sponsors,” Sabin said. “We really, really wanted this to be a celebration of the last 20 years, supporting vendors who had poured into us previously, people who were partners for us. And in doing so, I think we created a really unique and wonderful event that everybody had an amazing time at.”
Sabin said attendees enjoyed the night’s festivities. “I looked around the room several times and everybody was smiling and laughing, whether they were just sitting and watching people dance or socializing in the corner bidding on silent auction items,” she said. “We even had a moment where a group of people got up on the stage and led the YMCA.”
The center is now preparing for its Christmas Extravaganza, scheduled for Dec. 5 and 6. “This year it will be a two-day event instead of one. It was just so huge, and everybody said, ‘Gosh, I couldn’t come that Friday night. I wish you had it on Saturday,’” Sabin said.
The event will feature food trucks both nights, a tree-lighting ceremony on Friday thanks to Triangle Electric, and free photos with Santa on both days.
“This is something that was really on my heart to do because you see a lot of places where you can get pictures with Santa, but you have to pay $10 for a picture. We didn’t want that to be the case,” Sabin said. “We wanted everyone, no matter their situation, to be able to come, sit in Santa’s lap, tell him what you want for Christmas, and get some pictures.” On Saturday morning, the center will host Storytime with Santa, and crafts will be available all day.
The center is still seeking volunteers to put up trees for the event. Voting will be done by placing donated food items under each tree, and the tree with the most votes will win. Sabin also encouraged donations on Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Dec. 6, to help keep the center’s programs running.
In 2025, Lawless Welding became a platinum sponsor for Spencer-Penn, receiving a year of free marketing valued at several thousand dollars.
