Birthnight Ball co-chairs Paul and Jan Mikolashek, flanked by “Martha Washington” and “George Washington”

A Night to Remember

The 75th annual Birthnight Supper and Ball

On February 20, 230 guests gathered at Mount Vernon for its longest-running fundraiser—the 75th annual Birthnight Supper and Ball. This special tradition celebrates George Washington’s February 22 birthday with a black-tie gala. The General would have been 290.

Gala co-chairs Jan and Paul Mikolashek welcomed guests who enjoyed a cocktail reception, a seated three-course dinner catered by Design Cuisine, a live auction, an online auction, live entertainment featuring Jason Paul Curtis and the Swinglab quartet, and
dancing. A highlight of the evening included a birthday toast delivered to General Washington.

Organized by the Neighborhood Friends, this sold-out event and pinnacle fundraiser brought in more than $320,000 in support of the restoration and preservation of George Washington’s beloved home. Thanks to the generosity of the many supporters who contributed, it was the most successful gala to date.

Clockwise from top left:

Haesook Choi, Monika Stoy, Timothy Stoy, MVLA Regent Margaret Nichols, Don Francisco

Birthday auction co-chairs Matt and Audra Gannon

Neighborhood Friends steering committee co-chairs, Ann and Joe Somerset

Platinum sponsor Julia Gluck with her guests Tom Childs, and Andrew and Susanne Prifitis.

Photos by Dan Chung

The evening of Saturday, February 26, marked the joyous return of George Washington’s Birthday Dinner, having been canceled in
2021 due to the pandemic. More than 170 generous supporters gathered at Mount Vernon to celebrate and honor the 290th anniversary of Washington’s birth and were treated to an illuminating conversation between philanthropist David Rubenstein and Andrew Roberts, author of The Last King of America. Members of the diplomatic corps were in attendance, including Dame
Karen Pierce, British ambassador to the United States, and her husband Charles Roxburgh; Santiago Cabanas, Spanish ambassador to the United States, and his wife Sol Oyarzun; and Jacques Pittleoud, Swiss ambassador to the United States, and his wife Angélique Gakako Pitteloud. An appearance by “George Washington” was a highlight of the evening, and his closing words reverberated through the room: “May we Americans continue to come together in the spirit of mutual concession, amity and civility. Each for the other. And may we remember the motto of the country upon itsfounding—E Pluribus Unum—Out of Many, One.”