Sweethearts And Patriots!

Saturday night, we went to the Sweethearts and Patriots Annual Gala at City Tavern Club. 

Guests enjoyed an open bar, silent auction, Revolutionary War re-enactors, a military presentation of colors, a rendition of the national anthem, desserts and dancing. We snapped NASA's Grace Fischetti, homemaker Margy Cummings-Whitmore, entrepreneur Claire O'Connell and patient care coordinator Martina Caputy.

The black-tie gala is organized jointly by young members of theDC Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (DCSSAR) and members of the DC Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DCDAR). Here, attorney Mandy Adams, consultant Eric Schodowski and project manager Mandy Duvall.

Each year, the gala benefits a different local organization that supports veterans. This year’s gala benefited Dog Tag Inc., which offers a work-study program with Georgetown University that combines classroom education with business experience to help veterans succeed post-duty as civilians. Here, Real Estate Counselors PLLC's Mark Ricardo, Smith & Harroff co-owner and EVP Carina May, Albert Gallatin impersonator Ronald Duquette and Katelyn Bledsoe.

Program participants take courses given by Georgetown professors and lecturers, and then develop practical business experience through management of Dog Tag Bakery. Here, attorney Andrew Dye, Terri Dye, Veronica Collins, and Sweethearts and Patriots co-founder Reid Collins.

Army First Lt. Andrew Shult with Sweethearts and Patriots co-founder Carl Bedell.