“An Evening at Downton Abbey” was a fundraiser fashioned after the popular television series of the
same name running for six seasons commencing in 2011. The series was a British historical drama set
between 1912 and 1926 in an English country estate depicting an aristocratic family and their domestic
servants.
We chose Lakewood Country Club in Westlake to welcome our guests on November 14, 2015 from
6:30 to 10:00 p.m. It was suggested to our guests that they may want to dress in period outfits which
the majority did. They were greeted by the entrance with a vintage car and entered the venue that was
adorned with not only life-size stand-up characters from the show, but a complex array of vintage silver,
glassware, and floral arrangements.
A photo op venue was in the background depicting characters and a screenshot of the estate. A jazz
band played, the hallway was lined with enticing gift baskets to bid on, and there was a live auction of
some higher-priced items at the end. Waitresses and waiters wore period aprons and served small
glasses of sherry to the guests. The event was extremely popular, well-attended, and successful. Evelyn
Allen chaired the event.
