For the first time in its 12-year history, the AHCA’s Angelina Eberly Luncheon was held virtually on Feb. 5, bringing together nearly 300 patrons and raising nearly $14,000 for AHCA and its support of the Austin History Center. Among the attendees are 44 who are now new members of the AHCA!
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced Eberly chair Rita Kreisle and her committee to forgo the usual luncheon gathering and instead produce a one-hour virtual event, complete with appearances by Shannon Sedwick of Esther’s Follies, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, and Harrison Eppright, of Visit Austin. Former TV news anchor Ron Oliveira served as host for the event.
Those who attended were treated to a performance of All Aboard! The Train Comes to Austin, written by Austin playwright Paullette MacDougal and directed by Austin Playhouse Artistic Director Lara Toner Haddock. The performance was a historically-grounded glimpse of events that shaped Austin in the years following the Civil War, most notably the arrival of the town’s first rail service.
Plans are already underway for the 2022 Eberly Luncheon, which will feature the next segment of Our Austin Story, to be set in Austin in the timeframe of 1885 to 1900.
Special thank you to Preservation Austin, which provided a grant supporting production of the Our Austin Story production.