2020 Gold Medal Gala Program Information
pre-gala reception & “Zoom rooms”
6:00 pm to 7:00 Pm ET
Example of a Zoom breakout room. Click on the image for more detailed information on breakout rooms (redirects to a Zoom help site).
The Pre-Gala Reception will take place prior to the main program of the Virtual Gala. It will take the form of a large Zoom meeting divided into multiple breakout rooms. Each breakout room will be accessible from the main meeting, but it will enable participants to gather and socialize virtually in smaller, more manageable groups with fewer people on screen.
Table hosts, table guests, and purchasers of individual premium (Benefactor or Patron) tickets will pre-register for access to the Pre-Gala Reception through Zoom. Upon entry, they will be assigned to their relevant breakout rooms, but all participants in the Pre-Gala Reception will be able to move freely among different breakout rooms.
Table hosts who purchase a Benefactor, Patron, or Friend Table will have a special Zoom breakout room with their own name on it, where they can host their table guests and other friends who visit them during the reception.
Special breakout rooms will also be set up for individual Benefactor and Patron ticket buyers, but they will also be able to move freely among all the breakout rooms in the reception. The main reception area will remain open during the reception, as well, for people to socialize in.
Ten minutes prior to the Virtual Gala, the Gala Host will announce the closing of the main reception room and all breakout rooms, and guests will be directed to join the Virtual Gala.
Virtual Gala
7:00 pm to 8:30 Pm ET
The Virtual Gala will be broadcast beginning at 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Registered guests will be sent information on how to access the broadcast. Further program information will follow, but it is anticipated that the panel discussion among this year’s three Gold Medal Honorees will occur during the second half of the broadcast.
Ten minutes prior to the Honoree Breakout Sessions, the Gala Host will announce the end of the Virtual Gala, and premium ticket guests who have purchased access to the Honoree Breakout Sessions will be directed to join them.
honoree breakout sessions
8:30 pm ET to end
The Honoree Breakout Sessions will take place immediately after the conclusion of the Virtual Gala broadcast. Like the Pre-Gala Reception, they will take the form of a Zoom meeting divided into multiple breakout rooms. In the case of the Honoree Breakout Sessions, each Gold Medal Honoree will have their own exclusive room which will be strictly limited in size. Premium ticket guests will pre-register for one Honoree Breakout Session, in which they will be able to chat and socialize with the Honoree as part of a small, exclusive group.
Young Friends socialize with 2019 Gold Medal Honoree Paul Edward Farmer.
Upon entry, guests will be assigned to their pre-selected Honoree breakout room. Depending on demand, there may be more than one session per Honoree during this part of the program.
Upon the conclusion of the last Honoree Breakout Session, all three Honorees will be invited to join the Young Friends’ Breakout Session to conclude the evening. The Young Friends’ Breakout Session will be opened to all registered Young Friends as soon as the Virtual Gala ends, and will remain open for Young Friends to network and socialize among themselves until the Honorees join them at the end.