The Fall Extravaganza Raises $625,000 for the Foundation 

It was a night of adventure, mixed with a little rain, that raised a record-setting $625,000 for the TowneBank Foundation.

An event four years in the making, the return of the TowneBank Foundation Fall Extravaganza on October 14, 2023, reminded all of us that “There’s No Place Like Towne.” The Member Service Center campus was transformed into the Emerald City, complete with a yellow brick road, the Good Witch Glinda greeting guests with bubbly, and a sparkling green Emerald City gate opening up to a festive evening that raised $625,000 for the TowneBank Foundation, a new record for the event. 

The Taste of Towne returned with delicious offerings from Yummy Goodness, Rodman’s Bar-B-Que, Taste Catering & Events, Pollard’s Chicken & Catering, Bay Local Eatery, Murphy’s Irish Pub, Centerplate, Joysicles, and Simply Sweet OBX. PFG served as a strategic partner to our chefs, coordinating and providing food for the extensive menu offerings. Guests enjoyed signature cocktails from Tarnished Truth and danced the night away to the musical stylings of the Kustom Made Band under a tented stage lit by an emerald glow. 

With a Wizard of Oz theme, the Fall Extravaganza started with an appearance by Good Witch Glinda.

Yes, there was rain, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of nearly 2,700 guests, volunteers, and event partners who took residence in the Emerald City that night. Guests enjoyed activities such as casino games, a 360 photo booth, giant Jenga, cornhole, night golf, and rooting on favorite teams in the W.M. Jordan End Zone Lounge. The night glittered with blinky rings from the always popular Heads & Tails game of chance.

The silent auction, featuring 80 packages largely donated by generous TowneBank members, raised its highest-ever total of $105,000. With trips, experiences, jewels, décor, and more, bidding stayed hot right up until the closing moment on items provided from all over Towne – Carolina Panthers tickets in Charlotte, Duke Basketball and Carolina Hurricane tickets in the Triangle, a private flight over Williamsburg, Richmond International Raceway NASCAR and Porsche driving experiences, deep sea fishing off the coast of Virginia Beach, fine dining at the best restaurants in the area, and luxury stays in the Outer Banks, Oak Island, and even Honduras.  

Event co-chairs Michelle Butler, director of private banking, and Doug Russell, president and CEO of Towne Insurance – assisted chiefly by the TowneBank event management team of Tara Wolicki and Courtney Sumner – led a committee of volunteer employees who oversaw sponsorships, volunteers, the silent auction, the employee raffle, and the onsite food drive benefiting local food banks. So many sponsors make this event possible, including longtime presenting sponsor Bon Secours, whose fleur-de-lis logo lit up the night alongside the TowneBank laurel. Over 150 partners made up Premier Exclusive, Exclusive, Gold, Silver, and Bronze categories – truly a village of supporters who make this night and its impact in our community possible. TowneBank and the TowneBank Foundation have contributed over $102 million to the communities we serve since 1999, and this event has raised $5 million in grants for community organizations. 

With the support of so many partners and neighbors, the smiles on the faces of everyone who visited the Emerald City were the best reminder that There’s No Place Like Towne. We can’t wait to do it again in 2024! 

Delicious food and drink were all around for the Fall Extravaganza guests to sample.