The UN-gala is here! Join us for a fundraising event UNlike anything you’ve ever experienced before!
UNplug from technology? Yes, please!
UNlimited mimosa bar + brunch? You betcha.
UNtold inspiring stories? Always.
UNexpected surprises? Heck yeah!
UNparalleled wellness activities to support every person in attendance? Absolutely!
UNbelievable memories to take home? We wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Love Not Lost UN-gala is here.
What is an UN-gala? The UN-gala finds all the ways to re-think the UNintentional negative experience of a traditional fundraising gala (like rubber chicken dinners, pointless games to get you to spend money, awkward paddle raises… I’m sure you can add your own list too). And instead, create an UNforgettable experience where you get to meet other incredibly generous and awesome people, invest in your own health and healing, and leave feeling like you got your money’s worth and then some!
This year’s gala is made possible by our incredible sponsors:
What does it include? We’ll start at 10:30 AM with an UNlimited mimosa bar and a delicious Southern Sunday Brunch, where your bellies and your hearts will be filled. While we eat, you’ll get to hear UNtold inspiring stories and the vision of what’s to come (it’s big!)... You'll then get to choose your own wellness adventure to UNplug, breathe, and support your own health and wellness at 12:30 PM. After, we'll gather one last time to UNveil what's in store for next year and have a beautiful group send-off around 2:15 PM.
What the heck is a wellness adventure? We call it a wellness adventure because you truly never know what can come UNblocked when you create the space to listen and support your body. When you buy your ticket, you’ll get to choose one of four options for your 90-minute group wellness adventure:
Grief Yoga - This is a very special session with Lanise Shortell, pediatric hospice nurse & grief yoga specialist. She’ll be guiding us through a practice of breathing, listening to our bodies, and getting still with our grief. She’s fully equipped to help as emotions come up and support everyone in this restorative session.
Sound Remembrance + Sound Bath - Ashley, the founder of Love Not Lost, will lead a short and special sound remembrance opportunity for those who are wanting to honor loved ones who have died and then we will move into the sound bath. You will literally lay on a yoga mat while a trained practitioner plays singing bowls and other instruments as the sound waves flow over your body.
Guided Meditation Walk around Barnsley - Barnsley Gardens is one of the most beautiful resorts in Georgia! We are so excited to be able to share the beautiful grounds with you through our guided meditation walk around the gardens and landscapes. This session will happen rain or shine, so bring an umbrella or rain jacket if the clouds move in…
Community Craft + Sharing - Carol, our incredible team member who is bereavement certified, will be leading this session specifically designed for those who are looking to connect with others through a creative craft exercise and have the opportunity to share their stories (don’t worry introverts, you can pass on the sharing part)!
What if I don’t know what adventure I want to choose? We are working to ensure we have enough supplies/space for each adventure, so please do your best to select the wellness adventure you think you’d be most interested in… However, we know things change and you might get done with brunch and feel like taking a nap instead of going for a walk, or maybe the other way around. Don’t stress! We will allow people to change their selection the day-of and ask those people to be gracious if we don’t have enough supplies to accommodate their change.
Where is Barnsley Gardens? Barnsley Gardens is nestled in North Georgia (about an hour from Atlanta and an hour from Chattanooga). It’s between Rome and Adairsville. The official address of Barnsley Resort is 597 Barnsley Gardens Rd NW, Adairsville, GA 30103.
Do I have to stay the whole time? We’ve planned everything so intentionally that we would hate for you to miss something! But we understand some people might only be able to stay for brunch or might not be ready for a wellness adventure and want to leave at 12:30 PM, and that’s okay too. If you have to leave after 12:30 but before 2:15 PM, please choose the meditation walk or the craft for your adventure for the least disruption. Regardless of when you have to leave early, please let us know so we can UNpack your parting gift and give it to you before you go home!
What in the world do you wear to something like this?! That’s a fantastic question. We are truly going casual and we mean it! This is the time to UNtuck those shirts and relax. We want you to be comfortable coming to Brunch in what you would wear for your wellness activity. Think yoga pants, shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers. No dresses, no skirts, no dress pants. Polo shirts would be dressing up… We highly encourage you to stay away from high heels and anything restrictive. Elastic waistbands are the jam! We want you to breathe in every sense of the word.
Can I bring a friend? Yes!!! We would LOVE for you to bring a friend or several! Please let them know we talk about grief and loss, we are full of love and empathy, they will be supported for the journey and wellness adventure of their choosing, and they will be asked to support our cause one time during Brunch (because this is a fundraising event after all), but it will be done in a very UNassuming way. We would love to have them join our community of truly incredible humans.
What if I can’t make it but want to donate? We are always bummed when we hear members of our community can’t join us, but hopefully, you have something awesome planned for July 23rd! We appreciate your UNwavering support so much and would be honored to receive a donation. You can click to buy a ticket and “Sponsor a LNL Family” so we can invite them to the event without charging them a penny, OR you can give here for a straight tax-deductible donation of any amount. We hope you can join us in person next year!
If I “Sponsor a ticket for a LNL Family”, how does that work? With this option, you are buying a ticket even though you won’t be coming, and instead, we will gift it to a family member we have served through Love Not Lost (and of course, we’ll let them know it was from you)! Just click on “Purchase Your Tickets” and select the ticket to “Sponsor a LNL Family Member.” Since that ticket name lets us know you want to gift it, you can select “this ticket is for me” and checkout. We will know it’s a gift just by the “Sponsor” ticket option and we’ll make sure a family receives the gift! It’s a fun way to donate to our cause and have a direct impact on someone who is going through grief to be supported and have genuine connections. THANK YOU!!!