If you haven't been attending the Annapolis Rotaract's fundraising events lately, you've been missing out. We love Rock the Dock, but a few weeks ago (sorry for the delay) we discovered an event we love even more: the annual Cigar Dinner.
The Good: Thanks to a partnership with the Smoke Shop on Maryland Avenue, guests arriving at the Cigar Dinner were greeted with a pack of five cigars, along with a warm welcome and an open, line-less bar with what I hear was a pretty good selection of scotch, among other things, just to the left of check-in. In the center of each table was a cute plate of sand holding tea light candles. Do you know what else sand holds well? Cigars. Very clever, Rotaract. Very clever. The jazzy bossa nova-style music was fantastic (shout out to Jonathon Stone, who you can find at 49 West Sunday mornings) and the weather couldn’t have been better. The waterfront, outdoor pavilion was the perfect setting. And the food. Oh, the food. Luna Blu did a stellar job with the catering, but more on that ahead.
The Bad. A growing event has a wealth of benefits—short or nonexistent lines, excellent chances for raffle winning, a really fun and relaxing atmosphere, and the ability to snag some steals at the silent auction. But the early years of an event—especially an awesome one such as this—mean room for more growth. We’re sure the Rotaract would love to see another sell-out event next year, and we’d love it for them. The more support, the more funds they raise for their current project, which provides goods and funds to orphanages in the Philippines. So while we have zero complaints about the night’s event, we’ll say that if anything changes next year, we’re hoping it’s a boom of community support. Get your tickets early next year—you won’t be disappointed.
The Delicious. We don’t actually know where to begin. Luna Blu’s catering was stellar. So delicious, in fact, that we had to get a second plate so that we could photograph it (on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WhatsUpTowneSocial) for readers. Had to. You’re welcome. Oh, the sacrifices.
In total, the event raised more than $2,600 for the Children of the Philippines campaign. Way to go, Rotaract! For more information on the project, the Rotaract Club, or to keep tabs on next year's event, visit Annapolisrotaract.org.
