2017 Metcalfe Gala

On Saturday, January 27, CroppMetcalfe held our annual Gala at Waterford Reception with the Roaring 20’s theme. Our Gala is to celebrate the accomplishments of 2017.

The Night of the Gala: 

Doors opened at 6pm to the cocktail reception with a 3 person Jazz Band and hors d’oeuvres were being passed around as well as a cheese tray. There were delicious bacon-wrapped scallops, teriyaki chicken skewers, and wild mushroom bruschetta. All of the hors d’oeuvres were a hit amongst co-workers – specifically, the bacon-wrapped scallops! With the fireplace on in both reception rooms, it was a cozy beginning to a fun night.

Around 7 pm, co-workers began to bustle into the large ballroom which was split between a casino, a dance floor, and a buffet. President, Tim Cropp, started the evening off with a short, but sweet speech thanking co-workers for their hard work in 2017 then passed it off to the Waterford staff to call people to get a plate for their dinner. Dinner consisted of peach bourbon chicken, beef brisket with caramelized cranberry sauce, Brussel sprouts, fresh broccoli and carrots, and lastly penne pasta. All of the food was flavorful and there was plenty of it. For dessert, everyone enjoyed chocolate revenge cake, red velvet cake, and assorted cheesecakes. With the amount of guests that had come to the Gala, there was more than enough to feed everyone! 

At 8pm, the games began. Co-workers were given $300 Cropp Cash to play games of their choosing for prizes – from blackjack to roulette as well as $300 Cropp Cash “just for fun” to play games like slots and poker. Many guests opted to play poker and learn the game without winning any prizes. Some people took a hand at craps to test their luck! 

In the same room, we had a photobooth for co-workers to enjoy with plenty of props. Pictures weren’t the only exciting thing happening in the booth – one couple, Nick and Virginie from CroppMetcalfe, got engaged! They definitely stole the show for the night. In our "speakeasy lounge", we had a caricature artist who was extremely popular amongst co-workers. The line to get pictures drawn was out the door the entire night. People were also able to lounge and take a break from the games. 

With all these games and fun, come great prizes! Some lucky electronics lovers received a polaroid camera, a Roomba, a brand new TV, a drone, and a tablet. Our sportspeople were not forgotten, they received Wizards tickets, Caps tickets, and Nationals tickets! The foodies received Great American gift cards and Odyssey Cruise tickets. 

The Roaring 20’s theme came with people dressed in great clothes! We did a best-dressed contest and give some money away. It was difficult to pick just one winner from the many people who entered the contest – so we chose 2! One was a “Gangster” from the 20’s and the other was a flapper. Lots of great looking people that night!

Coming to an end, we did a lot of line dancing and eating. There were some “late-night bites” passed out for people who decided to stay later. This ranged from mac and cheese bites to vegetarian spring rolls. 

Everyone had a great time with this being the highest number of co-workers attending the Gala. We look forward to a great 2018 and another opportunity next year to celebrate another Gala! 

- ML