March-April 2017 Newsletter
April 6 Reception to Honor 2017 Wisconsin Cherry Blossom Princess Maria Giannopoulos
In this the 69th Anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Princess Program, we are honored to have Ms. Maria Giannopoulos as our Princess for the 2017 Cherry Blossom Festival. In addition, Carolyn Bohnert, the 12-year-old daughter of Randall Bohnert, will be a Junior Princess this year. Lastly, Rachael Bohn, our Princess and Queen last year, also will be there.
They will be honored at a reception sponsored by the Wisconsin State Society on Thursday, April 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Dave Magee has once again graciously volunteered to host this year's reception at his beautiful condo in the Weslie at 1401 N. Oak Street, Apt. 910, in Rosslyn overlooking D.C. and all the monuments. This event is FREE to paid-up members who RSVP by emailing Dave Larson at wsscherry@gmail.com or Bill Wagner at mfcwagner@gmail.com. Shoes must be removed at the reception.
Maria, our new treasurer, is from Sheboygan and is a 2015 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, having majored in Political Science and Communications. As Senior Class President, she helped endow $150,000 for the Senior Class Gift by coordinating with the UW Foundation for a scholarship that helps students who dedicate themselves to a mission of public service and the Wisconsin idea. She also was an intern in the House of Commons and spent a summer at the London School of Economics. She also was an intern at Disney World and worked for the Fox News Channel in NY. Since graduation, she was a partner at 2016 Election Game in DC and a digital media strategist with i360: in Arlington.
Other Festival Activities to Celebrate!
The Festival is more than just the above reception; there are many other Cherry Blossom activities between April 2 and April 8 that members are invited to attend. In addition to the parade on Saturday, April 8, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in downtown D.C., the events include the Lantern Lighting Ceremony on Sunday, April 2, at the Tidal Basin at 2:00 PM; the Celebration of States and Territories at the Army-Navy Club at Clyde’s at Gallery Place ($50) on Monday, April 3; the Congressional Reception on Wednesday on April 5, and the Grand Ball & Sushi Reception at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington ($200) on Friday, April 7, For information on these events and to order tickets, go to the NCSS website at http://www.statesocieties.org and click on the EVENTS folder in the MENU bar.
