Palm Beach Society: Day Academy honors annual fund donors at inaugural Evening of Gratitude

A simple 'thank you' for an act of generosity is often enough.

But the folks at Palm Beach Day Academ y decided to punctuate the sentiment with a cocktail reception.

We like that.

PBDA's inaugural gratitude cocktail party — hosted by the Philanthropy Office and head of school Fanning Hearon — took place Dec. 6 at the school's Seaview Campus and honored the donors to the 2023-2024 annual fund.

More Palm Beach society news here.

"It is important for us to take time during this busy holiday season to shine a light on our philanthropic endeavor, and to say 'thank you' to our staff, parents, grandparents, and friends for their generous support of the school," said Hearon. "This is a new event at PBDA, and one which I hope grows in importance on everyone's calendar."

The evening included cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, music and lots of chat about mutual love for Palm Beach Day Academy.

More than 150 people attended, including parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty and staff and others who supported the fund.

The Annual Fund is a PBDA tradition and the school's most impactful fundraising effort each year. Contributions to the fund support academic and extracurricular programs, state-of-the-art technology, competitive salaries and professional development opportunities for teachers and financial assistance to support families from throughout Palm Beach County.

Established in 1921, Palm Beach Day Academy is a co-ed independent day school serving 575 students from pre-K through grade 8 in a culture that expects and honors personal effort, achievement and character.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Head of School promises first-ever gratitude party will be annual event