After a year packed with programs fostering connection, support, and fun, Special Love’s annual Holiday Party closes out the year and signals the beginning of a new one. This festive year-end celebration is hosted at a venue which parallels the fun and quirky characteristics of Special Love’s camps and programs – the Pearl Street Warehouse in Washington, D.C. Read on for a glimpse of what Special Love families and volunteers experienced at our most recent holiday celebration.

Live holiday music, classic movies, and seasonal treats surrounded over 130 past, present, and future Special Love program attendees at this event. Old friends reconnected and welcomed new faces with open arms. Party guests were treated to cheeseburger sliders, an assortment of sides, and an abundant supply of cookies and cupcakes for dessert.

Captain Token, the magician, made an appearance and astounded our guests with his sleight of hand while face painters and balloon artists practiced their craft to the delight of our attendees. One artist brought his sweet, furry bunny friend who became an instant hit among guests and staff alike.

It wouldn’t be a Special Love Holiday Party without an appearance from our favorite friends in red – Santa and Mrs. Claus. The iconic holiday couple posed for pictures throughout the event, and they handed out delicious, Santa-shaped chocolates provided by our friends at the National Capital Optimist Club. The Optimists and the NIH Federal Credit Union also made generous gifts to Special Love, which provided significant funding for the Holiday Party.

After participants snapped a shot with Santa, our friends at the Big Tree Memorial Fund provided holiday gifts to each patient and sibling at our party! These gifts were funded through Big Tree’s Little Oak Project, which focuses on bringing joy to children and families with cancer—a goal much in line with our own. The Big Tree Memorial Fund is dedicated to honoring the legacy of Erik Knapp through advocating strength, building awareness of glioblastoma, and providing assistance to those impacted by cancer.

Thank you to everyone who attended our Holiday Party and to those who made the event possible through their generous donations! Click here for more information about Special Love or how to donate. If you or your organization would like to learn more about Special Love, please reach out to us by sending an email to info@specialove.org or by calling our office at (888) 930-2707.