CULLMAN, Ala. – The Willow Path hosted its annual fundraiser, themed, “A Night in the French Quarter” on Sept. 17, at Cotton Creek.
Executive Director Jessica Atchley said the moment guests walked through the doors, the room was filled with the sights, sounds and spirit of New Orleans.
“What made the evening truly special had nothing to do with the decorations, food or entertainment,” Atchley said. “It was the 300 people who came together for one purpose: supporting survivors of domestic violence and their children in our community.”
Atchley said that throughout the evening, guests enjoyed Cajun-inspired food, dueling pianos, silent auctions, a bourbon tasting, a caricature artist, a magician, a photo booth, a brass band and, of course, a New Orleans-style second line.
“It was a night filled with laughter, music and celebration, but behind every detail was a mission that is incredibly important to us,” she said. “The Willow Path is the sole domestic violence service provider in Cullman County. Every day, our team works with individuals and families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Our services include emergency shelter, crisis intervention, counseling for adults and children, court advocacy, case management, safety planning, transportation and other support — all provided at no cost to survivors.”
An event of this size does not happen without an entire community behind it, Atchley said.
“We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors, businesses that donated auction items, volunteers, board members, staff and every person who purchased a ticket, bid on an item, participated in an activity or simply came to spend the evening with us,” she said.
“We are especially grateful to Premier Bank of the South for serving as our Host Sponsor and helping make this year’s event possible. There is also one family we want to recognize in a very special way: the Christina Chambers family. Their incredible generosity to The Willow Path means more to our organization than we could ever adequately put into words. Their support is about so much more than a donation. It is an investment in the women, children and families who walk through our doors looking for safety, hope and the opportunity to begin again. We truly love the Chambers family, and we are deeply grateful for the way they continue to love and support this organization and the people we serve. Having a family believe so strongly in our mission is something we never take for granted. Their generosity will have an impact far beyond one evening, and we are honored to have their family as part of The Willow Path family.”
Atchley said fundraisers are important because they provide resources that allow The Willow Path to continue their work, but they also remind them of something equally important: survivors in Cullman County are not alone.
“They live in a community that shows up,” she said. To everyone who helped us create ‘A Night in the French Quarter,’ thank you. Thank you for filling the room. Thank you for supporting our mission. Thank you for celebrating with us. Most importantly, thank you for standing beside survivors. We walked into Thursday night hoping to create an unforgettable experience for our community. We walked away reminded once again just how incredible this community is. From all of us at The Willow Path, thank you, Cullman. We could not do this work without you.”
