Friday night, the Queen City got a little more glamorous as Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis hosted a Great Gatsby-themed event to raise money for his Defending Dreams Foundation.
I received my invite in an office lottery three days before the fundraiser was scheduled to kickoff; so most of my productivity this week was devoted to finding an appropriate outfit. One overnighted flapper costume (that I didn’t even wear) and three trips to SouthPark Mall later, I was ready to rub elbows with our defensive line.
Hi, @ThomasDavisSDTM 👋 We’re here! pic.twitter.com/0hqYiMNceh — Dana Boone (@deboone) May 16, 2015
In keeping with the evening’s theme, Davis greeted guests in a three-piece pinstripe suit and boater as they arrived at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for Gatsbyesque festivities.
The NFL’s Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award winner kicked off the evening by giving a breakdown of activities spread across four floors of the Gantt Center. Entertainment included a silent auction featuring signed gear from NFL, NBA and even NASCAR stars, XBOX gaming centers, casino game tables and a celebrity DJ.
Luck be a lady 🎲 pic.twitter.com/faw5nRjYSw — Dana Boone (@deboone) May 16, 2015
While games are always fun, the highlight of most people’s evening started with an L and ended with an UUUUUUUUUUUUKKEE. I’m talking about photo opps with Charlotte golden boy and all-around nice guy Luke Kuechly. He patiently took photos and chatted with anyone who asked him – which is all of these happy people:
Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuke #Panthers #CarolinaPanthers #Charlotte #NorthCarolina #nfl #football A photo posted by Mitch Mcrae (@mitchmcrae40) on
Me and Luke Kuechly at The Great Gatsby a Night with Thomas Davis and Friends #travelqueen #tdddf #glam #vintage #aunnsumm A photo posted by 👑Amethyst💜 Fyah (@aunnsumm) on
To be honest, I probably spent too much time fake gambling and not enough time taking gratuitous selfies. I could have had a picture with these guys.
Great times last night for charity #panthers @ThomasDavisSDTM @randywattson @LukeKuechly @captain_41 @ColinCole91 pic.twitter.com/rxuFHemUrx
— CharlotteVibe (@charlottevibe) May 16, 2015
Or this guy.
Coach Ron Rivera at “The Great Gatsby” Thomas Davis and Friends… #DressToImpress #nfl #panthers #Charlotte #NyoniCouture A photo posted by Nyoni Couture (@nyoni_couture) on
Or even this guy.
#panthers @Harp41 showing love at the Thomas Davis Great Gatsby Fundraiser pic.twitter.com/DPUNv6hXXX
— CharlotteVibe (@charlottevibe) May 16, 2015
Instead, I only got this picture of me + #LUUUUUUUKKEE with my eyes closed.
— Dana Boone (@deboone) May 16, 2015
I did get a high five from Davis when I hit it big on the craps table. However, there are no pics to prove, so basically it didn’t happen.
All in all, it was a fun night raising money for a great cause. The Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation runs a youth leadership academy, offers a free football clinic and serves meals in the community through a partnership with the Salvation Army Center of Hope. We support Davis and his teammates on the field, and it makes me proud to be a fan when I watch them invest in the city they now call home.
If you missed the roaring ‘20s bash but still want to support the cause, you can donate to Defending Dreams here.
