Jack Funari, also known as “Saxophone Jack,” and John Brown will perform at the Children’s Museum 40th Birthday Gala on Friday, Dec. 6. (Submitted photo)
The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will celebrate its origins in the 1970s when guests gather for the 40th Birthday Gala at the museum on Friday, Dec. 6. The theme will be “Rocketing through the 70s!” in honor of the March 11, 1973, birth of the museum and the Rocket Room play area that delights children of all ages.
Guests will hop aboard the “Soul Train,” with the museum decked out as Knoxville’s Southern Terminal, as they enjoy the folk, rock, and pop culture of the 1970s.
Saxophone Jack and Friends will entertain guests with the music from the 1970s, and guests are invited to dress as their favorite characters of that era. Jack Furnari, also known as Saxophone Jack, has been in the Knoxville and East Tennessee music scene for more than 30 years.
Saxophone Jack will lead a cast of his musical friends performing favorite music from the 1970s. Band members include John Brown, male lead vocals and guitar; Eddy Roberts, keyboards; Nicole Gaines, female lead vocals; Graham Waldrip, bass; and Roger Sullivan, drums.
Chef Andras Bartha of Caramella Catering will prepare the 1970s menu, with authentic dishes from that era from around the world. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails, appetizers, and the silent auction. The celebration continues with dinner and a live and lively auction with Clinton auctioneer Bear Stephenson, of Stephenson Realty and Auction, who is donating his services for the event at the museum, 461 West Outer Drive.
Sponsors for the Gala include B&W Y-12, at the $5,000 level, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, at the $2,000 level; Ronnie Bogard, UCOR, and TRU Waste Processing Center, at the $1,500 level; Dade Moeller and Associates, K-9 Search on Site, Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc., USEC Inc., Y-12 Federal Credit Union, Fred and Sandra Berry, and George and Michelle Solomon, at the $1,000 level; Energy Solutions, at the $750 level; and Babcock and Wilcox Technical Services Group Inc., Enrichment Federal Credit Union, ORNL Federal Credit Union, Sexton Automotive of Oak Ridge, Jonathan and Martha Hart, Vince Stevens and Mary Palmer, Gordon and Miriam Fee, and Mary Millemann, at the $500 level.
The Knoxville Area Model Railroaders will be on hand to run the holiday trains in the outdoor train garden.
The Gala supports the museum’s mission of educating children of all ages through play. The Children’s Museum offers educational experiences in the history, the arts, science, and cultures, serving children and families throughout the East Tennessee region.
Tickets are $125 per person, with a portion of that tax-deductible. Support levels and corporate tables are available upon request. For more information about tickets or sponsorships for the Gala, call museum Executive Deputy Director Carroll Welch at (865) 482-1074, extension 105. See the Children’s Museum web site at www.childrensmuseumofoakridge.org to register and pay online.
