By Christian Kirkpatrick Special Writer
When the bleak November chill descends, almost everyone would like a holiday in a bright, colorful clime.
That simple truth inspired “An Evening in Tangier.” This year’s “A November Night” gala, which was sponsored by the Auxiliary of the University Medical Center at Princeton, took nearly 300 guests on a trip to sunny Tangier. Or more accurately, Auxiliary members created a Moroccan banquet in an enormous tent hoisted above the stone parking lot of the D&R Greenway Land Trust.
As they came to the event, guests were greeted by — what else? — a camel with its handler in a colorful robe and fez. Inside the tent, servers and some guests were also dressed in traditional Moroccan garb. Tom and Peggy Fulmer of Princeton came as Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca.”
The dining tables were draped in purple, aqua, rose and orange cloths. On each was a floral arrangement in equally joyous hues.
Canopied structures resembling banqueting tables stood at both ends of the tent. Fit for a sultan, they were draped with woven rugs and brass lanterns and piled with North African dishes like lamb meatballs, baked onions and artichokes with mint, as well as with wooden bowls filled with pomegranates and paper bags of nuts and dried apricots. And this was just for appetizers. Dinner included Tunisian sea bass with charmoula sauce and a fennel and orange salad, among other Mediterranean delights.
Co-chair Bettie Greber of Princeton Junction said that gala committee members chose Tangier as the gala’s theme because they wanted something that “was colorful and fun.” They certainly made the most of their choice, staging their silent auction items in a mini- bazaar and engaging a belly dancer, Vin Iyer of West Windsor, to perform her sinuous dances before dinner.
While dessert was being served, Joe Bolster took the stage. He has been on “The Tonight Show” and “The Late Show with David Letterman,” but he first appeared at Princeton Hospital, UMCP’s forerunner. Mr. Bolster and his 14 siblings were all born there, which is notable, because proceeds from “An Evening in Tangier” will benefit the Medical Center’s Maternal- Child Health Program.
Someone who’s getting to know the program well is Skillman resident Vanessa Gronczewski, who is expecting her second child in April. Being chair of UMCP’s Department of Emergency Medicine, her husband spends a lot of time at work, so much time that their 2-year-old child says “Dada!” whenever she is driven past the center.
“The hospital is such an important part of my life. I wanted to make it even better,” said Ms. Gronczewski. That’s why she chaired the gala’s silent auction.
She was assisted by volunteers like Sue Howard of Hightstown, who said, “The Maternal-Child Health Program is such a good cause. Plus, we had a blast doing this.”
Unusual silent auction items included Moroccan cooking classes, Faberge wine glasses, a series of antique botanical prints and a Lotus Elise to drive for a weekend.
“You can’t imagine how many people it takes to organize an event like this,” declared Barry Rabner, UMCP’s president and CEO. “It takes a hive of people. Three days ago there was nothing here. At 4 o’clock volunteers were here vacuuming the driveway,” he said, pointing proudly to the tent’s floor.
Corporate sponsors for “An Evening in Tangier” included Bristol-Myers Squibb, BlackRock, Johnson & Johnson, NRG Energy and Turner Construction Co.

