The Round Top Family Library marked its 25th anniversary with the largest and most successful gala to date.
The Round Top Family Library marked its 25th anniversary with the largest and most successful gala to date this September at Windy Knoll. With 260 guests in attendance, the evening blended small-town charm and elegance with the generosity, raising a record-breaking $190,000 to support the work of the vital community hub.
The RTFL 25th Anniversary Gala at Windy Knoll.
The RTFL 25th Anniversary Gala at Windy Knoll.
The RTFL 25th Anniversary Gala at Windy Knoll.
The RTFL 25th Anniversary Gala at Windy Knoll.
Guests were welcomed by a stunning floral “25” designed and donated by Amy and John Bone and custom-crafted by Sparq1200, before enjoying signature cocktails, a whiskey wall raffle, and the melodies of local musicians Harmony Smith and Dominic Motekatis drifting down from the balcony.
Dinner by Royer’s Round Top Café featured braised short ribs and a decadent custard dessert, fueling bidders for an exhilarating live auction and paddles up fundraising. Bidding on both the silent and live auction showcased the community’s passionate commitment to sustaining the mission of the library.
The highest-bid items were those that truly captured the imagination of the crowd: a three-night stay for 16 at The Setting Inn in Willamette Valley Oregon; the first ever Leather and Vodka upstyled Louis Vuitton handbag in collaboration with Richard Schmidt Jewelers, generously donated by Holly Waligura; and the surprise 5-Course Chef’s Dinner prepared by Royer’s Round Top Café, contributed at the end of the auction by JB and Jamie-Len Royer themselves.
Gala co-chairs Kathy Utsey and Teresa McKinsey. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Calvin and Suzanne Krause, Chris Hallman, Pam Langford (fundraising chair for RTFL), John and Amy Bone (RTFL board member). (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Richard and Janet Schmidt. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Debra Long and Linda Plant. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Jeanie and Jerry Hinkel. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
RTFL board members Gary Russell (left) and Bob McDowell (right) with Terri Russell, (center). (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
RTFL board member Sofia Massey and Owen Massey. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Jerry Herring and Bobby Rauch. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Lisa and Monty Mayer. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Lizzy Elverson Welch and Susannah Mikulin. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
RTFL board member Kathy Young and Dale Young. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
JB Royer. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Greg Fourticq, Joan and Jerry Herring. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Frank Hillbolt and Denise Jacobs. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman.)
Amy Bone. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
John Cone and Owen Massey. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Noreen Barker and Diane Walla. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Ed and Suzanne Ellis. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Round Top Real Estate team. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
Kathy Young, Bob Milz and Mary Maxey. (Photo by Chris Pierre Bachman)
This year also marked a new chapter as Teresa McKinsey and Kathy Utsey took on the role of gala co-chairs, carrying forward the legacy built by Suzanne Ellis, Judy Hancock, and Julie Wantland. The gala would not have been possible without generous event partners: Weddings at Windy Knoll, Royer’s Round Top Café, WeTendBar, Cuts of Color, Electronic Specialists, All Star Valet, Roger Wunderlich, Winspire, LG Print Co., S3OneGoal, Ewald Kubota La Grange, and photographer Chris Bachman.
With proceeds covering nearly half of the Round Top Family Library’s annual operating expenses, this milestone event ensured the library can continue welcoming readers and lifelong learners of all ages and from all walks of life throughout the rural community.
To learn more about the Round Top Family Library or how you can support the organization’s work, visit here.
2025 FALL ANTIQUES & DESIGN SHOW | OCTOBER 2 – 19 2026 WINTER ANTIQUES & DESIGN SHOW | JANUARY 22-25
