By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The planning committee for the 2nd Annual Galentines Gala huddled around a table at Juniper, multi-tasking as they finalized plans for the 2025 event.
The non-stop conversation was lively and productive mostly because as they talked, the members were on their phones getting confirmations for auction items, donations and decorations.
Based on the electric energy and fabulous ideas that were ping-ponging around the table that Friday morning, the event on Feb. 1 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Stone Ridge Golf Club, will be a blast.
The women-only event, hosted by Bowling Green Women in Business Leadership, includes an evening of bidding on live and online auctions, shopping, eating, sipping, and most of all, dancing and having fun, said Andrea Depinet, assistant vice president of business and operations at Bowling Green State University and one of the event organizers.
Whereas the inaugural event last year had many attendees in “vintage dresses or borrowed bests,” this year’s dress code is whatever you want, from sneakers or heels to gowns or sweats—the only request is to just make sure it’s pink, said committee member Stephanie Paris of State Home Bank.
For the food and beverages, heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be offered, and there will be a cash bar and a wine pull. The VIP shopping experience featuring a variety of hand-selected vendors will add to the festivities, along with dancing to DJ music and various raffles.
The live and online auctions add to the fun and excitement of the evening. Auction items, many of them experiential-based, can be found on the Web or by downloading the app for IOS or Android. As of today (Jan. 24), items that are included in the live and online auctions are the following:
- Podcast Experience, with Cumulus Media Toledo and Q105’s Eric Chase
- Parenting Session with local psychologist Dr. Andrea Mata, and a copy of her book, “The No. 2 Parenting Book”
- Ultimate Home Brew Experience with Lucas Kervin.
- Fiesta Basket
- X Box Series S
- Art-a-Site Private Paint Party for 10
- All About You Basket including ZO skin care products and a $100 gift certificate
- Hair by Audra and Eyez by Jordan Basket
- BG Pedal Ride and Basket
- One-Hour Massage by Maria Weber
- Walleye Game Experience on April 11
- Eden Rose $175 Extraordinary Arrangement Voucher and Candle
- Ultimate BGSU Athletics Ticket Package
- Clay Pot Gift Card & Bottle of Wine
- Olivers and Max (dog groomers) Package
- Coyote Beads & Jewelry Package
- For Keeps Gift Basket
- Ben’s Gift Basket
- Busy Thimble Gift Basket
- Biggby Coffee Items
- Kalifornia Glow Spray Tan Basket
Tickets for the event, available online at bit.ly/Galentines25, are $50 per person, and $25 for BGSU students. Also, raffle tickets for a chance to win a fantastic Falcon Outfitters gift basket valued at $100 can be purchased online for $10 each.
Opportunities for sponsorships—Presenting sponsor at $5,000, True Love sponsor at $2,500, and Angel sponsor at $500—are still available, as well as monetary or auction item donations, Depinet said.
Proceeds from this year’s event will support scholarships for women who are business majors in the BGSU Schmidthorst College of Business. Last year, the event raised $5,000 and benefited the Paige Redlin Empowerment Scholarship at BGSU. This year, the scholarship recipients will be from the Bowling Green and Wood County area.
The party doesn’t completely stop at 10, said Depinet. Guests are invited to an After Party at Grumpy Dave’s, 104 S. Main St. They will be admitted with their Galentines wristband and receive a free signature drink.
Additional information and fun videos are available on the Galentines Instagram account and Facebook event page.
