Shannon O’Donnell and Margaret Sarcone

2012 Parents’ Formal Co-Chairs

Dinner is ready to be served at Ash Lawn.

Theta’s annual Parents’ Formal, a favorite social event among the sisters, was held on Friday, October 19. This year the event was held on James Monroe’s farm, Ash Lawn Highland. This was a move from the Boar’s Head Inn where we have held the event for the past few years. The move was fueled by an especially busy fall at the Boar’s Head Inn, but we believe that was a blessing in disguise. We loved having a change of scenery this year and took beautiful pictures with the changing fall leaves in the background! We worked with the C&O restaurant on the Downtown Mall, a Theta favorite, for the delicious food, and MS Events helped with rentals. The incredible music and entertainment was provided by Casper, a band from Richmond, VA. We can’t forget to mention our moms, Michelle and Martha, and Shannon’s neighbor for the extra effort on the centerpieces and helping set up!

At Ash Lawn, the fourth year sisters ate in the barn, while the second and third years ate in the pavilion. This was arranged in part because of space limitation in the pavilion, but it also allowed the fourth years to enjoy a more intimate setting for their last Parents’ Formal dinner. Mary Shaffer Willetts and Shannon Boyles put together a great slideshow of the fourth year baby pictures which provided a good laugh. After dinner, the fourth year guests grabbed lanterns and walked up to the pavilion. After a special thank you to those who helped with the event, the band was introduced, and everyone hit the dance floor! The band was fabulous, and the dance floor was full right up until the last bus left!

3rd year Carter Hunter with her parents Patricia (UVa Delta Chi ’84) and Jimmy (UVa ’84).

Parents’ Formal is a truly special event. We, as active Theta sisters, are so grateful to our parents for the gift they give us when they pay our Theta dues! It’s a great night to thank our parents for everything they do for us. It is also a great chance to meet your friends’ parents and a great occasion to dress up. We are so happy that this year’s event was such a success. Ash Lawn has a great pavilion, and luckily the weather was just right. We are sad that it was our last Parents’ Formal but we were so happy to be able to plan such a special night.