MPIGNY had a delightful evening at the InterContinental Times Square for the 2023 edition of MPIGNY’s Auction and Mixology Madness. This stunning venue provided elevated hospitality, and featured some of their most popular food selections from their kitchen for our attendees to enjoy. 

The chapter would like to give a great big thank you to our mixology sponsors, auction donors, and in-kind sponsors for their contributions to this year’s Auction & Mixology Madness. We want to give a special shoutout to our marquee sponsor Kalahari Resorts. They truly made this event a reality, and the chapter of MPIGNY is extremely grateful for their long-standing relationship with the chapter. 

Kalahari further showed their support by being one of our participating teams in the mixology competition. The other contenders in this year’s contest were Mohonk Mountain House, the Membership Committee of MPIGNY, Live Nation, and Virginia Beach. In a very close competition among this year’s participating mixology teams, we want to give a special congratulations to the winners of the competition: Mohonk Mountain House won the prize for Best Decor, and Live Nation took home the gold for Best Drink. 

With a backdrop reflecting the Broadway Theater style reminiscent of Old New York, Pastelly decorated the space with their unique styling of feathers, custom centerpieces, and balloon arches to give life to the event. In line with the Broadway theme, we had a special surprise performance from Broadway Plus, bringing in some old-fashioned flavor by performing a lovely rendition of “All That Jazz” from Chicago the Musical. 

Furthermore, our Canstruction project was a great success! As the chapter’s CSR initiative for the event, a structure made of cans displaying the letters MPIGNY in the design, the canned goods featured in this incredible structure were donated to City Harvest.

Our host Bobby Elhert brought his charisma to the event by emceeing the program, and facilitating the live auction and 100-Yard Dash, engaging guests during every minute of the event! Matt Bonavita of Rhythm in Motion served as our DJ for the night by providing a soundtrack for the evening – and in collaboration with Bobby they were a dynamic duo, entertaining attendees throughout the entirety of the event. 

The MPIGNY chapter raised $32,623 as the combined total for the silent auction, live auction, 100-Yard Dash, sponsorships, and ticket sales. The chapter is truly appreciative of everyone’s involvement in this annual fundraiser.

The Canstruction created for the Auction and Mixology Madness event was amazing!

There are so many to thank for making this CSR activity a success:

• Thank you to Carrie Farrand Clemens and Ingrid Wiggberg for coordinating logistics.
• Thank you to Diana Standard of A Closer Look Events and The Creative Standard for creating the structure’s design.
• Thank you to Dametreus Jackson, Rita Malek, and Sonia Schropfer for being instrumental in building the MPIGNY structure.
• Thank you to the team at the Intercontinental Times Square for helping to source from their wholesaler the canned goods needed to build the structure.
• Thank you to the members who donated funds towards the purchase of cans, and donated canned goods. 

♦ Nearly 1,200 cans comprised the structure
♦ Approximately $600 was donated to purchase the cans
♦ 1,500 pounds of food were donated
♦ City Harvest was the beneficiary for the canned goods.

City Harvest is New York’s first and largest food rescue organization, helping to feed millions of New Yorkers who struggle to put meals on their tables. They rescue more than 75 million pounds of fresh, nutritious food and deliver it―free of charge―to more than 450 food pantries, soup kitchens, community partners and to their own Mobile Markets across the five boroughs. Special thank you to Cruz of City Harvest who picked up the cans after the event.

Concluding on Wednesday, November 29, the MPIGNY x NYU Emerging Leaders program wrapped up with the final event—the Emerging Leaders Career Panel and Networking Event.

Hosted at the NYU SPS Tisch Center for Hospitality, NYU students Stephanie Neves and Bryan Smart collaborated with MPIGNY "clients" Annie Kojundzija and Pam Strug to meticulously plan and execute this successful event. From sourcing the venue to creating the panelist lineup and managing on-site execution, the students handled all aspects of the program with thoughtful detail and creativity.

A special acknowledgment goes to MPIGNY Marketing Director, Carrie Holmes, who collaborated with the students on their marketing, invitation, and registration strategy.

Bryan and Stephanie serve as role models, embodying the future of event planning!

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, home to America’s Largest Indoor Waterpark Resorts, recently broke ground on its fifth resort in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Known for offering a beyond-expectations group experience, Kalahari brings your event to the next level with custom catering packages, expansive modular spaces, and a wide variety of room types.

The new 1.38 million-square-foot resort, opening in 2026, will feature 150,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including two ballrooms, 16 additional meeting rooms, and multiple hospitality suites. Guests can also enjoy 50,000 square feet of outdoor event space, including an event barn, covered terraces and open-air lawn space. Kalahari offers complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the resort, as well as a dedicated convention center loading dock.

The new resort will include 907 guest rooms, including one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites. Admission to Virginia’s Largest Indoor Waterpark is included for all registered overnight guests. Kalahari Resort guests will also enjoy Tom Foolerys Adventure Park, a 90,000-square-foot thrill park featuring rides, a ropes course, climbing walls, and more than 250 arcade games. For those interested in a variety of dining options, the resort will have 12 on-site food and beverage outlets, including four signature dining experiences along with buffet and grab-and-go options.

Kalahari’s newest location in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, is conveniently located within minutes of Interstate 95, easily accessible for your guests but far enough away for them to completely immerse themselves in a unique and unforgettable convention experience. Located less than an hour from Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, and just a short drive from other major East Coast metropolitan areas such as Baltimore and Charlottesville, Virginia, Kalahari Resort in Virginia is sure to be a must-visit destination for groups of all sizes.