by Jess McCuan / photos by Matt Rose

Always a rollicking dance party and a who’s who of Asheville politics, the YWCA’s Black & White Gala raised nearly $25,000 this year. A crowd of 300 showed up for the annual fall fundraiser at The Orange Peel in early October, despite the fact that it competed that night with the televised vice presidential debates. Johnny White & the Elite Band’s Motown classics had Holly Jones, the YWCA executive director and a Buncombe County Commissioner, cutting a rug on the dance floor. A silent auction prize was lunch with Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy, who also attended. More than 30 restaurants donated food, thanks to the organizing efforts of Lu Young, co-owner of the Westville Pub. “The value of what we provide the community becomes even more crucial during economic times like these,” says YWCA marketing director Ami Worthen. “The local businesses acknowledged that.”