Young Professionals of Florence to have first gala

Young Professionals of Florence will host a gala celebration at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing Technology on the campus of Florence-Darlington Technical College in Florence.

The evening is sponsored by Carolina First Bank, First Reliance Bank, and Roche Carolina and will include a catered dinner following a networking and cocktail reception.  Florence County Councilman and Republican candidate for state Lieutenant Governor Ken Ard will be the keynote speaker.  The organization also will recognize the first recipient of the Young Professional of the Year.

“The theme for the event is ‘Tux and Chucks,’” Mary R. Dittman, vice-chairwoman of Young Professionals of Florence, said in a press release. “Jazz up your formal attire with your favorite pair of crazy Chuck Taylors — or other funky shoes — and come enjoy a fantastic evening. Butler’s Fine Menswear, Heyward & Hanna, and Galloway and Moseley Jewelers are providing prizes for the best-dressed attendees.”

“This celebration is YP Florence’s first-ever gala,” event organizer Eric Belk said in the release. “This is a time for young professionals in the area to get together and network, enjoy a meal together, listen to a great speaker, and celebrate the accomplishments being made by our peers.”

Young Professionals of Florence was formed in 2006 by a small group of men and women whose aim was to create a network for professionals in the early years of their careers. The group now has more than 600 members and meets monthly to network and socialize. The organization has no requirements for membership and is open to anyone who wishes to join.

“This is a time to relax, have a good time, and celebrate the excitement of being a young professional in the Pee Dee,” Dittman said. “And to top it off, you get to wear comfortable shoes to a formal event!”

Tickets are $50 each and are available through the YP Florence Web site, http://www.ypflorence.com. Tickets must be purchased by Oct. 5 and won’t be available at the door.