BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER!
Plated Dinner
More Time to Celebrate
Everything Else You Know and Love
Come celebrate with us and help us raise $40,000 to bring the Gift of True Water True Life to 800+ People in Peru!
This event will have the two most important parts of a Speakeasy: the booze and some smooth jazz. Get your own bottle of booze by participating in the wine & liquor pull or if that is not your style then cast a bid in our online auction, or buy a few Golden raffle tickets to be eligible for our grand prize(s).
Of course, the best part is that 100% of the proceeds raised from our evening will go toward providing our brothers and sisters around the world with access to clean water & improved sanitation!
BUY TICKETS AND BID ON AUCTION ITEMS & BUY RAFFLE TICKETS
BY CLICKING THE LINKS BELOW…
BECOME A SPONSOR
Support the Speakeasy as a sponsor and become a champion for these people without clean water who deserve better! Get featured on our website, at the event, and receive special perks for you and yours.
WALTZ
CHARLESTON
FOXTROT
SWING
MAIN PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
5:00 - 6:00 PM CDT | Cocktail Hour
6:00 - 8:30 PM CDT | Main Program + Dinner
8:30 - 10:00 PM CDT | Live Jazz Music + Swing Dancing
EVENT ATTIRE
We encourage y'all to enjoy the Speakeasy theme by dressing up in your best Roaring Twenties / Speakeasy Outfit. See some ideas here.
SPEAKERS/PRESENTERS
BIOS
Ryan Harkins, Master of Ceremonies
Ryan Harkins is a husband to his beautiful bride, Chelsea, and father to three wild boys: John Paul, Gabe, and Nash. Currently, he serves as a senior consultant with Lucid Private Offices, where he loves to connect people to their next big thing. When he’s not in the office, he’s wrestling his boys or turning up the heat on the pickleball court. Ryan and his family currently live in Irving and attend St. Mary the Virgin Catholic Church.
DWIGHT RISKEY, Keynote Speaker
Dwight founded Riskey Business Solutions/Strop Insights in 2007. Prior to that, he spent 25 years at PepsiCo in a wide variety of leadership roles. Most recently he led Consumer/Customer Insights for all of PepsiCo and was responsible for identifying consumer opportunities for growth. During his tenure he also served as Chief Marketing Officer for three PepsiCo divisions including FritoLay USA, FritoLay International, and PepsiCo Restaurants International. Read More
Matt Lampe, Testimonial Witness
Dr. Lampe was raised in Oklahoma and graduated from Oklahoma University and then graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Oklahoma State University. He has been a practicing veterinarian for over 20 years and has served on numerous boards to serve the communities in which he lives and works. He currently lives in Texas with his wife and has children in college and off forming their own families.
He, also, currently severs on the Vera Aqua Vera Vita Board of Directors and together with his wife they are dedicated supporters of VAVV’s mission to give the gift of True Water, True Life to communities in need!
ENTERTAINERS
Emmeline Miles, Melodious Cocktail Hour Tunes
Darryl Smyers of the Dallas Observer raves that Emmeline’s “straight-ahead take on folk/rock may actually be the best thing” on a bill of seasoned, signed artists. The Ghost of Blind Lemon blog says she “not only possesses a beautiful voice, but writes songs that are simply beautiful and heartfelt.” Fellow musicians Avoiding Disaster refer to her as “some sort of sonic angel,” and songwriter Jenni Mansfield Peal declares that her “images and passages of the songs, whether gently reflected or emphatically pronounced, create a sampler of genuine soul observations.”
The pint-sized singer/songwriter from Dallas, TX, may represent a musical amalgamation of big words, unconventional chords, and undeniably catchy melodies, but Emmeline’s pedigree is anything but that of a musician. Born to a tax attorney and a CPA, the former mathlete spent her days in honors classes and her nights in dedicated study groups. Yet despite her penchant for proofs and polygons, Emmeline’s affinity for music manifested at an early age. Learn More
Giancarlo Bernini, The Magician
Magician Giancarlo Bernini is an international performer who has performed for multiple television and radio appearances under his belt. He has read minds over Sirius XM and even made a deck of cards disappear at the MicroSoft Theater in Los Angeles. At Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, he broke the laws of physics while surrounded by 25,000 people.
“Unlike most entertainment, I use my illusions not offer an escape from reality, but to transform your perspective of the everyday into something magical.” – Magician Giancarlo Bernini
Join Giancarlo Bernini during the 5th Annual Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s “An Evening At A Speakeasy” fundraising event on May 13 for his illusions and magic. And don’t be surprised on what you might see! Want to see more? Learn More
Tom Varano, Inspiration Speed Painter
Humble beginnings, a heart for people. Have you ever had an idea that you couldn’t stop thinking about? An idea that seems impossible? Despite the obstacles, even the know how- the idea will not cease? So has Tom. He remembers it like it was yesterday. Having studied photography in college, he decided at nineteen to open up his own photography studio. With limited finances and no idea how to actually run a business, Varano Photography was born. His father, seeing his determination to be a success, allowed him to use two bedrooms in his house; one for the studio, one for my office. That first summer, one hundred and fifty high school seniors came through his front door as he watched from his barcalounger. Having his support, his encouragement, his faith in Tom… changed his life.
That summer he learned that a dream can only begin and continue if you remain passionate about what you do. As an artist, he was given the honor of creating beautiful portraits of thousands of people through the art of photography. He realized he had been given a gift. He had the ability to make his clients see themselves as they were. Beautiful.
Thirty years later, he still loves being a photographer. Yet, an artist must always challenge himself. So, he had another idea… He has dedicated his life to what he believes he does best: offering hope, encouraging others, and teaching the importance of having passion to follow your dreams. His passion in life is to reach as many people as he can to let them know they matter. He does this now through the unique medium of inspirational speed-painting and speaking. Learn More
Dave Washburn Jazz Band, The Jazzy Ensemble
If you love music, particularly jazz and swing, you will love the Dave Washburn Jazz Band. And their music is perfect for our VIRTUAL “An Evening At A Speakeasy” on May 20. The band played at the 2019 Vera Aqua Vera Vita “Speakeasy” and was a great hit and had our guests swing dancing and swaying to the jazz music.
The Dave Washburn Jazz Band is a traditional New Orleans-style group playing hot jazz, swing, and Dixieland, and Big Band tunes and so much more. You might also hear some “Frank Sinatra-style “croon tunes,” an Elvis or Chuck Berry song or maybe even a polka or two, especially around Oktoberfest season.
The band plays many venues in the Metroplex including weddings, corporate & private events, swing dances, parades, State Fair of Texas, and even some jazz funerals.
But the band also provides music for smaller, quieter settings such as a special dinner, a cocktail hour or a brunch. Wherever you go the trio or quartet looks to create a classy, jazzy ambience for the occasion from “soft & sweet” to NOLA “Bourbon Street.” Learn more
DONATE AN ITEM
ARE YOU UNABLE TO ATTEND BUT WOULD STILL LOVE TO MAKE A PHYSICAL CONTRIBUTION?
Then, why not consider donating a bottle of wine, spirits, or simply making a monetary donation (cash, check, card, or gift card) to be used in the purchase of bottles for our wine/liquour pull? Or would you like to get some branding/marketing recognition for your organization, then consider donating an item to be included in our Silent Auction!