There were plenty of beignets, jambalaya and charitable hearts to be found at the Greater Milan Area Community Foundation (GMACF) Mardi Gras gala, including volunteers from DTE Energy as supporters gathered to back community projects, grants and scholarships for the Washtenaw and Monroe communities. Guests “laissez les bon temps rouler” – French for “let the good times roll” – as they danced, dined and donated all night long.
Held at Washtenaw County Community College, this year’s event was the 17th annual gala held by the GMACF and saw an “impressive increase in attendance” according to chair Jodie Franklin.
“It is a time for our community to get all dressed up and spend an evening getting to know their neighbors,” Franklin said. “It is a time to celebrate the amazing grants and scholarships we gave out last year. Thanks to the support of our community, we have granted more than $1 million towards community projects, school enrichment and scholarships that help our high school seniors move onto their next step.”
This year’s gala featured a live and silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, games, dinner and dancing, giving attendees plenty of ways to celebrate and cut loose in celebration of their community and Mardi Gras. The night brought in more than $50,000 to help the community organization reach their goals for 2025.
It’s an event that requires a lot of coordination and support from volunteers to pull off.
“There is an incredible amount of work and effort to make an event like the Gala go smoothly and ensure everyone has a good time,” Franklin said. “Without the volunteers that make up the Gala committee, this event would not be possible. We are so grateful for our supporting corporations including DTE Energy and the Monroe Community Credit Union for helping.”
DTE volunteers manned the check-in table and helped with games, providing a chance to help the community. It was also an opportunity for DTE Community and Government Affairs student co-op Lauren Huizdos to see how the company gives back.
“It’s so important for companies like DTE to show that we care about the communities we serve,” Huizdos said. “Our purpose is to serve, and interacting in the community really helps me recognize how much DTE really cares. We are here to help.”
For DTE Community and Government Affairs Associate Regional Manager Jamal Robertson, the event was a chance to reach out to a community that he doesn’t typically work with.
“Milan doesn’t ask a lot of DTE,” Robertson said. “There are exciting things happening in Milan and I helped out at a tree planting at Milan High School last year. This was an opportunity to connect with that community.”
When the auctions were closed, dinner was enjoyed and the dancing was done, guests and volunteers alike headed home knowing they helped support all the great work GMACF does for the Milan Community.
“For me personally, it is a time to celebrate all that GMACF accomplished over the years and to thank our supporters for allowing us to continue making the Milan area an even better place to live,” Franklin said. “I love Milan and I love to see it grow. It’s an amazing place to live and visit.”