SNOW HILL – An annual fundraiser to benefit a local nonprofit is going virtual this year.
On Saturday, Nov. 14, the Lower Shore Land Trust will host its fourth annual Flannel Formal. This year, the fundraiser will be held virtually in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It gives people an opportunity to get a glimpse of who we are as an organization and the people that are involved in the work,” said Executive Director Kate Patton. “What the organization has been able to achieve in the last five years or so has been really phenomenal. We’ve really grown.”
Each year, the Flannel Formal brings community members together to celebrate recent accomplishments at the Lower Shore Land Trust, highlight new programs and promote conservation. While the fundraiser is typically held at an outdoor venue, Patton noted staff and volunteers have worked hard to ensure this year’s virtual event is just as special.
“We’d much rather be outside, by a bonfire, enjoying the outdoors,” she said. “So we are doing our best to recreate that.”
Patton said those who purchase a ticket online through the Lower Shore Land Trust website will receive a Zoom access link to participate in the virtual fundraiser. This year’s event will include live music by the Resto Tribe Band, short films and stories, virtual toasts and an online silent auction, among other things.
“I really think this is a neat way to see what the organization is about,” she said.
Patton explained the Flannel Formal has become the nonprofit’s largest annual fundraiser. She said money raised through the event is used to support the nonprofit’s mission.
“Most of our grants are program-specific,” she said. “So the board is able to use these funds – which are the most important funds that allow us to operate – and designate them as needed.”
The 2020 Flannel Formal will be held on Nov. 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. Tickets and sponsorships are available at www.lowershorelandtrust.org.
“More than ever, this year has shown us how important it is to get outside and have access to great trails and places where we can enjoy the great outdoors, go birding, spend time with family and be able to really explore what we have on the Lower Shore,” Patton said. “It’s really shown us that this work means so much, and we are continuing to forge ahead to keep those opportunities available for everyone.”
