The Los Alamos Historical Society hosted the 2014 Fall Gala “An Evening Under the Stars” on the lawn at historic Fuller Lodge Friday.
This special fundraising event included an elaborate three-course dinner, the Society’s annual Experience Auction, and dancing to the music of the Los Alamos Big Band. The evening began with an elegant pre-party wine and cheese reception at the Hans Bethe House on Bathtub Row, where Helene Suydam and her late husband Jerry Suydam received the Los Alamos History Award.
The Historical Society holds an “experience auction” for its major fundraiser every year, at which cultural and historic experiences are sold to the highest bidder. Some of this year’s items included a historic tour of 109 East Palace Ave. a balloon ride, Gondola Club passes and a stay at the Embassy Suites Hotel during Balloon Fiesta, a tour of the Manhattan television series set (pending renewal for a second season) and the always-popular trip to Ashley Pond’s first ranch school near Watrous, N.M.
County Councilor Steven Girrens and his wife Sharon Stover won the final night’s stay at the Hans Bethe House on Bathtub Row before exhibits fill the rooms and it is opened to the public. Clay and Dorothy Perkins purchased the historic home and donated it to the Los Alamos Historical Society. The couple was honored with the Los Alamos History Award Tuesday evening.
The Los Alamos Historical Society, a private 501(c)3, manages the Los Alamos Historical Museum and the Historical Society Archives. The organization owns historic properties, such as the Romero Cabin and the Oppenheimer House. It publishes books on the history and natural history of the Los Alamos community, conducts educational programs for youth and adults, and otherwise promotes the history of the community.
Attendance at Tuesday’s gala will go toward supporting all of these programs.
To learn more, visit www.losalamoshistory.org.