Thompson Winter Gala 2025

Elegant Dinner, Auction, and Dancing with Friends…

Sunday, February 2, 2025, 5:00 pm, Woodstock Inn Ballroom
$185 per ticket

Join your friends and neighbors for a festive evening to benefit The Thompson with dinner, exciting silent and live auctions, and dancing with music by A House on Fire.

To read about all of our fabulous LIVE and SILENT auction items, visit our catalog here.

Please complete both steps of our two-part registration:

Step 1. Register and make menu selection here
See menu options below. Reservations must include menu choices and allergies. Please indicate if you are part of an existing table reservation. There are no longer full tables available.

Step 2. Purchase tickets here
Tickets are $185 per ticket. This link allows you to enter the total amount for the tickets you would like to purchase. Please calculate $185 times the # of tickets you wish to purchase.

Please note that we are limited to 180 tickets for this event. Tickets are available on a first paid/completed reservation basis. Once a waiting list starts, we will note that here as soon as possible. 1/28/25 – Waiting list only. Please contact Deanna about seating arrangement questions (802) 457-3277

If you’re interested in hosting a table or a sponsorship opportunity, please contact Deanna Jones, Executive Director, (802) 457-3277, or djones@thompsonseniorcenter.org. Full tables are not guaranteed unless you’ve made arrangements in advance to host a table. We have to honor first paid ticket sales. Thank you.

Your Virtual Senior Center

Virtual programs are offered through the Senior Learning Network and other partners.

SLN Virtual Programs are home viewing only. Please register in advance to receive your Zoom link by calling 802-457-3277.

Presidential Inaugurations on the National Mall

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2:00 pm

Every presidential inauguration is a moment in our nation’s history and each president has left their own legacy that shaped the country. Some presidents are honored with monuments and memorials for future generations to reflect on their life and legacy, including many iconic sites in the nation’s capital. In honor of the presidential inauguration, follow the journeys of past presidents through places and stories found in national parks in D.C. and across the country. The National Park Service has been at the center of planning presidential inaugurations for more than 80 years. The National Park Service are responsible for the care, maintenance and preservation of some of the most important locations used during inaugurations, from viewing areas on the National Mall to the inaugural parade route on Pennsylvania Avenue to the site of the presidential reviewing stand near President’s Park. Two administrative units of the National Park Service—National and Memorial Parks and President’s Park—play an important role in planning inauguration event support in DC.

“Freer in Egypt”: National Museum of Asian Art

Tuesday, February 4, 2:00 pm

Charles Lang Freer developed an interest in Ancient Near Eastern objects in 1902 when he began to collect examples of the region’s ceramic vessels, such as glazed jars from the Parthian period (247 BCE–224 CE) and ancient Egyptian statuettes in faience (e.g., F1902.24 ). His interest increased over the years and culminated in 1906 when he embarked on his first trip to Egypt.

In 1906, Freer made his first trip to Egypt. The journey started in Detroit in November and after a stop in New York and Philadelphia, he reached Naples on November 29, 1906. From there he sailed with the SS Oceana and reached Alexandria on December 8, 1906. Freer traveled throughout Egypt for about two months until January 1907, allowing him to develop his first impressions of the country.

“Small Cave No More”: Jewel Cave National Monument

Tuesday, February 11, 2:00 pm

Learn about one of the longest caves in the world! Hundreds of feet beneath our tour routes, Jewel Cave’s passageways descend deep enough to intersect the Madison Aquifer. At these points, cave explorers have discovered 14 underground lakes! When our exploration teams add new mileage to the cave, they encounter passageways and formations that have never before been seen by human eyes. The first discovered lake in Jewel Cave, Hourglass Lake, was encountered by an exploration team in 2015. Over 220 miles long, Jewel Cave is known for its length and the unique crystal formations that cover the cave walls. Join a ranger to learn about the cave formation, discovery, and modern exploration.

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

Tuesday, February 18, 2:00 pm

“All in all, he’s a riddle that must puzzle the devil.”- Davy Crockett

Today, Martin Van Buren is an obscure man, often little more than a footnote. In pre-Civil War America, however, it was impossible not to have an opinion of him. Van Buren was central to the creation of America’s political parties and to the largest crisis of his time, slavery. The above quote is from Davy Crockett, one of many Americans trying to understand the Red Fox of Kinderhook.

Join us as we learn about this historic site, Lindenwald, an estate he purchased in his hometown of Kinderhook in 1839. After his presidency, Lindenwald became not only a family home, but a political base.

“We Return Fighting”: The Harlem Hell fighters in World War I National Museum of the United State Army

Tuesday, February 25, 2:00 pm

On Dec. 27, 1917, the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment docked in Brest, France. In the 191 days the men spent on the front lines no ground was lost and no man was captured. Their actions earned them the nickname “Hellfighters.” Explore the commitment, challenges, and bravery of the Harlem Hellfighters. Learn how their actions, along with the thousands of other Black World War I veterans, contributed to the Allied victory. Examine the legacy of their service and its impact on the civil rights movement.

2025 Thompson Winter Gala