Plan to attend one of the most fun and engaging events on the East Cobb social calendar. The Georgia Symphony Orchestra (GSO) is hosting its 12th annual Celebrity Luncheon fundraiser on March 23 at the Marietta Country Club.

Monica Kaufman Pearson, renowned broadcast journalist and former longtime WSB-TV Channel 2 senior news anchor, will join a diverse and entertaining group of talented local artists, authors, musicians and business leaders as the event’s keynote speaker, which benefits the GSO’s musical performance, youth education and outreach programs.

Not only are guests certain to be inspired by Pearson, as well as a few other surprises planned, they will also select to be seated at a table with one of a carefully assembled collection of influential and creative people in the area to learn about their path to fame. A specially curated three-course menu will be prepared by Gary Sanderson, Marietta Country Club executive chef, and his team.

Highlights of this year’s celebrities include:

  • Tiffanie Barriere—Cocktail mixologist
  • Mary Nye Bennett—Actress and artistic director of the Atlanta Lyric Theatre
  • Katy Ruth Camp—Editor of Cobb Life Magazine, Cobb Business Journal and Marietta Daily Journal Features
  • Melissa Conroy—Artist, author and illustrator; published The Lowcountry Coloring Book, Grandma is an Author and Poppy’s Pants
  • Edward Eanes—Concertmaster, Georgia Symphony Orchestra
  • Jim Glover—Sixth-generation Cobb County native, three-time author and vice president and managing broker for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty’s Cobb office
  • Kim Gresh— President of the S.A. White Oil Company
  • Dennis Krusac—Bat and endangered species specialist, USDA Forest Service, a.k.a. “Bat Man”
  • Ann Parsons—Executive director, Smith Gilbert Gardens
  • Stephen Plate—Director, School of Music, Kennesaw State University

The luncheon also will provide a great opportunity for guests to indulge themselves from an array of live and silent auction goodies, such as rare trinkets and tidbits, stunning fine art and everyday splurges.

Founded in Marietta in 1951, the GSO, a nonprofit arts organization, has become one of Georgia’s finest community-supported, multifaceted performing arts organizations through imaginative programming, visionary leadership and critically acclaimed performances. Today, more than 700 individuals participate in one of its diverse programs, as musicians, vocalists, educators, students and volunteers.

Proceeds from the event will allow the GSO to thrive and continue delivering classical, jazz and pops concerts of high-quality choral and instrumental music and help inspire and educate young musicians through the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra—the largest such program in the Southeast.

Tickets are $50 and good seats are still available. To purchase, visit georgiasymphony.org.

This article originally appeared in the March issue of EAST COBBER, on page 7. Click here to view the digital edition.