A Little Night of Music (ALNM), PENCIL’s signature fundraiser, returns to the Grand Ole Opry House on Wednesday, April 26, and as usual, anticipation is running high as we anxiously await the announcement of this year’s performers. But before that happens, we want to introduce you to Rachel Hawksworth, Amani Kelly, and Nancy Floyd, our remarkable Event Chairs who have been planning this exciting evening for months. Let’s meet our 2023 Little Night Event Chairs:
Board member Rachel Hawksworth, who is VP, Talent Acquisition for HCA Healthcare, got involved with PENCIL about two years ago thanks to a former board member, and she says it was a natural fit. “Public education has been and always will be personally important to me,” she says. “As a society we need to continue to invest in organizations that support the education platform and children, given they are our future!” As for ALNM, she is looking forward to seeing so many businesses and community organizations come together for the evening and support this amazing cause.
Rachel Hawksworth
Managing Partner at Southeast Investment Capital Group, Amani Kelly has also been a PENCIL board member for the last two years. We are thrilled he shares his passion for giving back to the community and mentoring the next generation with us! He believes that it is important to support PENCIL because “Equal access to good education is a requirement for furthering equal opportunities in our communities.” A self-described music lover, Amani is looking forward to seeing who performs and the energy in the room.
Amani Kelly
Our third chair is Nancy Floyd, Senior Account Supervisor at Hall Strategies, and her history with PENCIL goes back years. A former journalist, she spent a decade covering our fundraising events and programs and has also volunteered at the DG PENCIL Box. “I consider myself lucky to count so many PENCIL staff members among my friends,” she adds. “I grew up as a public-school kid with very little resources available, and I can recognize now how invaluable it would’ve been to me to have access to the types of mentorship and support programs that PENCIL offers students in Metro schools,” explains Nancy. “No one should ever underestimate how powerful and impactful it can be for kids to have someone that believes in them and champions them. PENCIL is providing that for kids of all ages across the city, and we will all benefit, as those students realize their full potential.”
Nancy Floyd
We hope you consider joining Rachel, Amani, and Nancy at the Grand Ole Opry House on April 26. Nancy summed it up best by saying, “There is no shortage of incredible fundraising events in Nashville, but A Little Night is truly in a class of its own. The opportunity to experience an intimate concert from an A-list artist while sitting on the stage at the Opry House is truly an only-in-Nashville experience!” And we agree.
All proceeds will benefit PENCIL’s mission of linking community resources to Metro Nashville Public Schools to help young people achieve academic success and prepare for life. If you cannot attend but would like to support this incredible organization, you can do so at one.bidpal.net/alnm23.
