Wilton Library’s Spring Gala will Mark the Return of its Biggest Fundraising Event of the Year with “Imagination in Bloom” 

Warm weather, budding trees and blooming flowers means spring has most definitely arrived. Wilton Library will be celebrating that and more at its Spring Gala on Saturday, April 22 from 6:30-11 p.m. at Rolling Hills Country Club. This is the first time the library is holding its Spring Gala in-person fundraiser since before the COVID pandemic, and library officials have been eagerly anticipating its return. 

Attendees are eager for its return as well, and limited tickets remain. Organizers are asking anyone still wishing to attend to register soon before they sell out.

The Spring Gala is the library’s biggest and most important fundraising event of the year, and organizers promise it will be an “elegant and entertaining evening” celebrating both the library and spring with the theme “Imagination in Bloom.” 

The event will honor four distinguished individuals responsible for making Wilton Library the cornerstone of the community through their forward-thinking work and dedication — Judy Higby, Kathy Leeds, Katharine Welling, and Malcolm Whyte.

“We are delighted to welcome back the Spring Gala event, which serves as a wonderful showcase of what makes the Wilton community so special. So many parts of our town come together to make this important fundraising event happen: generous sponsors, advertisers, and attendees, local businesses that donate goods and services, enthusiastic volunteers who donate their time and talents, and our hard-working library staff,” Wilton Library Executive Director Caroline Mandler said.

Mandler added that the library has chosen its honorees “for their vision to create an innovative library environment that would engage new residents and grow with the ever-changing needs of our community. Both the library and our community have benefited from their involvement, and we are very grateful to them.”

All proceeds from this event will directly support Wilton Library collections, programs, and services.

At the event, guests will enjoy dinner prepared by Rolling Hills Country Club and dancing to live music by Coverland Band. There will be “specially curated” live and silent auction items including unique experiences and entertainment, tickets to sporting events, a three-night stay in Manhattan, packages for foodies and wine lovers, plus much more, all in support of the library.

“Our committee is so excited to plan this fabulous party to benefit the library. We encourage new Wilton residents to attend since this is a great opportunity to get to know some of your neighbors. We also look forward to seeing our loyal friends and all of our generous sponsors, advertisers, and donors and thanking them in person. Without them, this event would not have been possible,” gala co-chair Mary Pytko said.

“Our wonderful theme ‘Imagination in Bloom’ is really coming to life, and we can’t wait to share this fun and colorful evening with our guests. This event is a great example of our community uniting and coming together for a great cause, and it’s truly something to be thankful for,” co-chair Betsy Huffman said.

Tickets for the Spring Gala are now on sale on the library’s website or by contacting Suzanne Verrilli via email or by calling 203.762.6321. Tickets are $250 per person and a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible. 

The Spring Gala is made possible in part by the generous support of the Field of Dreamers sponsors ASML and Carol Boehly and Paul Hannah. The media sponsor for the event is GOOD Morning Wilton. 

In addition to co-chairs Huffman and Pytko, the Spring Gala Committee includes Lianne Acosta-Rua, Sabeth Albert, Marty Avallone, Michelle Baronowski, Audrey Clark, Arlene Dolin, Mike Dugan, Jill Eaton, Tim Flanagan, Ashley Goldman, Kathryn Groves, Nalini Hage, Jung Soo Kim, Juliette Leavey, Jen Longmire, Meredith Lorig, Joe Magnano, Caroline Mandler, Marcia Marafioti, Penny Maxwell, Tyler McCue, Donna Peterson, Allison Gray Sanders, Maria Sonatore, Sue Stengrim, Mike Sutka, Patty Tomasetti, and Verrilli.

For more than 127 years, Wilton Library has served as the cultural and intellectual center of Wilton with the mission to inform, enrich, connect, and inspire the community. Wilton Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on a successful public-private partnership with the Town of Wilton as well as fundraisers such as the Spring Gala to provide a variety and richness of programs, materials, and technology to its patrons and deliver important and innovative services. 

Anyone unable to attend the Spring Gala who would like to make a donation to the library can visit the library’s website. The library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Rd. For more information, visit Wilton Library Online or call 203.762.3950.