Salisbury Academy’s 10th annual Bloom in Wonder Gala was a whimsical adventure and festive showing of community support for education and other local needs.

Held March 30 at the Back Shop at the N.C. Transportation Museum, Bloom in Wonder brought 300 people together for an evening that included dining, dancing, a live auction, and upbeat music from The Band Punch.

The gala was set among lights, trees, oversized flowers and pops of color that accented the historic setting of the Back Shop. Even more memorable was the outpouring of community support.

In addition to supporting education programming, scholarships and community outreach at Salisbury Academy, proceeds from Bloom go toward a number of community needs. Part of the money raised enables high school students from all Rowan-Salisbury Schools to participate in the Broyhill Leadership Conference.

This educational opportunity prepares young people for roles as future community leaders and exposes them to ideas for improving Salisbury and Rowan County. More than 100 students have been awarded Broyhill Scholarships by Salisbury Academy to date. 

This year’s Bloom-supported nonprofit group was the Community Care Clinic of Rowan County, an organization with a mission of caring for uninsured and underserved adults in Rowan County through medical care, dental care, and prescription medications.

For the Fund-a-Need portion of Bloom in Wonder, money was raised for campus safety and security at Salisbury Academy. It will help pay for door and window upgrades, parking lot safety enhancements, communication system upgrades, additional cameras, and other additions to existing security measures.

“Salisbury Academy is so very grateful for our supporters,” said Beverly Fowler, head of school. “Bloom in Wonder was a fantastic night for all involved and a wonderful demonstration of the commitment our community has to education and other local causes.”