On November 28, ALMA held its third Holiday Gala at the Seaport Hotel in Boston to kick-off the season of giving and celebration. Three hundred guests from the Greater Boston area and as far away as California attended the festive event to support ALMA’s mission to preserve and present Armenian heritage in America, and of course to enjoy an exciting evening.

ALMA Trustee and Gala Chairman Michele Kolligian and her committee planned the festive occasion in true ‘Hye’ style. During the cocktail reception, jazz performed by Vardan Ovsepian and vocalist Maggie Grebowicz blanketed the colorful conversations among friends, family and supporters of ALMA, who caught up with one another over cocktails and bountiful hors d’oeuvres. Many browsed ALMA’s compelling traveling exhibit, “Légion Arménienne: The Armenian Legion and Its Heroism in the Middle East,” which was on display in the reception area; others crowded the silent auction table to view the 46-inch flat screen television with Blue-ray disc package, assortment of Boston sporting event tickets, a diamond-encrusted pendant and other luxury items and packages that awaited the highest bidder.

Doors then opened to the hotel’s Plaza Ballroom, where a slide presentation displayed some of ALMA’s treasures continuously in the background. Once guests were seated, Kolligian graciously welcomed all in attendance on behalf of ALMA and its Board of Trustees. Guests then feasted on a sumptuous multi-course dinner with wine and a decadent dessert. After eating, guests fluctuated between placing their final bids on prized silent auction items and dancing to the inviting homeland sounds played by Harry Bedrosian, Bruce Gigarjian, David Hoplamazian, Kenny Kalajian and Joe Kouyoumjian.

A number of songs later, Kolligian announced the close of the silent auction and invited ALMA Trustees Robert Khederian and Daniel K. Dorian, IV to the stage as the live auction’s stand-in “celebrity” auctioneers. For the duration of the auction, the comedic duo roused the crowd to bid generously with their range of good-humored banter. In the end, a Bruins Box for 18 guests, four private suite tickets to a New England Patriots game, four EMC club tickets to a Red Sox game, and a private box suite for 12 guests to see Disney on Ice were auctioned off, along with the incredible perks that each auction package offered.

Before the spectacular event ended, young professionals joined the festivities during ALMA’s first ever late Gala ‘Kef’ Dance. The merriment and dancing continued well into the night as guests danced to the deejay’s American music selections and enjoyed late evening fare.

While ALMA’s Gala has come to an end, the season of giving and celebration continues. ALMA’s third Holiday Gala raised a substantial part of the budgetary needs, making this third time not only a charm, but a complete success.