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Skål International Boston Holiday Event
Thanksgiving was over and it was time to start thinking about the 2020 Skål International Boston Holiday Party.
It is our always the highlight of our Skål International year in Boston.
Fellow Skålleague and Vice President and Managing Director of the Colonnade Hotel, David Colella always hosts our holiday event numbering over 300 Skålleagues and guests where holiday cheer, laughs, and charitable giving are shared.
It was going to be a big undertaking this year as COVID-19 cases increased in our area and the inside gather numbers were limited to 10.
Members of the board met and developed our plan. Fellow Skålleague and President of Saunders Hotel Group, Dan Donahue coordinated a split of champagne and Lindt chocolates that would be delivered to each Skål International member that registered in advance. Members of the board met at The Lenox Hotel on Friday, December 11th to pack the gift boxes which included a raffle ticket for each guest. For the first time in 2020, we were going to have a raffle. Everyone was so excited.
Our club always meets on the third Thursday of each month and December 17th was fast approaching. Details were being finalized for a Zoom Holiday Event. Videos were made, a charity selected and VIP guests including Outgoing Skål International USA President, Dave Ryan, Incoming Skål International USA President Jim Dwyer, Skål International Councillor, Holly Powers and Skål International USA Auditor, Robert Lowell were invited.
In past years our club, with the help of David, consistently raises over $50,000 for a charity that is important to the club. We knew it would be different this year. Unfortunately, our industry lost one of our own in December. We chose the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention as our charity in the name of Walter Janulewicz. Walter was a 29-year employee of the Four Seasons Hotel Boston and was admired by many. To date we are dollars away from contributing $7,000 in Walter’s name. Until January 21, 2021 donations can be made at this link.
Our club has always shown a video at the holiday party based upon current events and members. We talked about how we could produce a video this year. As always, David Colella came to our rescue and we were treated to a redesigned video from past years that brought laughter to all who attended.
We had close to 100 members join our Zoom. It was great to see and talk to so many. At the close of the program several Skålleagues stayed on the Zoom and got caught up. It was the next best thing in 2020 to being in person at the Colonnade.
All Skålleagues are welcome to attend a Skål International Boston event, whether in person or via Zoom.
Please check out our website for times.
On behalf of all the members of Skål International Boston, may 2021 bring you good health, a return to travel, including dining, overnights stays and in person gatherings.
Happy New Year!
