# Event Details

- **Event Name**: FRIENDS Gala! 
- **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 18 Sep, 2026 at 05:30 pm – Fri, 18 Sep, 2026 at 11:00 pm (-04:00)
- **Event Description**: Friends Gala - Tickets on sale now! 
Friday, September 18th
@ the APlex in Alpena
- Dinner (Thunder Bay Catering and Save Your Fork)
- Entertainment (Music by Bobbing for Piranhas)
- Live & Silent Auctions
- Raffle
- Cash Bar
Doors Open: 5:30 pm

Tickets and Sponsorship Opportunities at www.friendsgala.org

Join Us for a Fun Evening of Honoring Patients’ Journeys
and Celebrating Judy’s Legacy!

30 Years Ago, Friends Together started as a Promise…
Following her oldest daughter’s diagnosis with colon cancer, Judy Burns and her family looked for support during her daughter Dawn’s cancer journey. While the Burns family found reputable medical care, they could not find people to talk to who understood what they were experiencing and found little to no supports or help for patients and loved ones in northeast MI.

Before Dawn passed away in 1995, Judy had promised her daughter that no one would face cancer alone as they did. She knew her life’s mission was to be present for others going through the cancer journey. Judy made the decision to stand up and be available for those in our community dealing with cancer, starting the nonprofit cancer support organization Friends Together in 1996.

Judy remained the cornerstone of the organization, helping countless patients and families throughout northeast MI for almost three decades. After her retirement, she continued on as group facilitator for the organization until her own cancer diagnosis and passing in 2025.

Her youngest daughter Melissa Burns is now at the helm as the
organization’s current Executive Director and continues the work to fulfill Judy’s promise.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/alpena/friends-gala/200029874254819
- **Event Categories**: fourth-of-july-galas
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 364

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Alpena
- **state**: MI
- **country**: United States
- **location**: The APlex - Alpena Events Complex
- **lat**: 45.080525340464
- **long**: -83.439279778759
- **full address**: The APlex - Alpena Events Complex, Alpena, United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: FRIENDS Gala!
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/92bb62510f274c245f74845d979bf86ac7565939204d434e6014d9c8debf7cf4-rimg-w1200-h1457-dc383838-gmir?v=1786542756

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is FRIENDS Gala!  being held?
  - **A:** FRIENDS Gala!  takes place on Fri, 18 Sep, 2026 at 05:30 pm to Fri, 18 Sep, 2026 at 11:00 pm at The APlex - Alpena Events Complex, Alpena, United States.
- **Q**: Who is organizing FRIENDS Gala! ?
  - **A:** FRIENDS Gala!  is organized by Friends Together Alpena.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** FRIENDS Gala!  is ideal for party-goers, social butterflies, and anyone looking for a great night out with music, drinks, and good vibes. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Alpena, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. With 360+ people already showing interest, this is clearly an event worth adding to your calendar - don't miss out.

## Structured Data (JSON-LD)

```json
[
    {
        "@context": "https://schema.org",
        "@type": "Event",
        "name": "FRIENDS Gala!",
        "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/92bb62510f274c245f74845d979bf86ac7565939204d434e6014d9c8debf7cf4-rimg-w1200-h1457-dc383838-gmir?v=1786542756",
        "startDate": "2026-09-18T17:30:00-04:00",
        "endDate": "2026-09-18T23:00:00-04:00",
        "url": "https://allevents.in/alpena/friends-gala/200029874254819",
        "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled",
        "location": {
            "@type": "Place",
            "name": "The APlex - Alpena Events Complex",
            "address": {
                "@type": "PostalAddress",
                "name": "The APlex - Alpena Events Complex, Alpena, United States",
                "addressLocality": "Alpena",
                "addressRegion": "MI",
                "addressCountry": "US"
            },
            "geo": {
                "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
                "latitude": "45.080525340464",
                "longitude": "-83.439279778759"
            }
        },
        "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode",
        "description": "Friends Gala - Tickets on sale now! \nFriday, September 18th\n@ the APlex in Alpena\n- Dinner (Thunder Bay Catering and Save Your Fork)\n- Entertainment (Music by Bobbing for Piranhas)\n- Live & Silent Auctions\n- Raffle\n- Cash Bar\nDoors Open: 5:30 pm\n\nTickets and Sponsorship Opportunities at www.friendsg",
        "organizer": [
            {
                "@type": "Organization",
                "name": "Friends Together Alpena",
                "url": "https://allevents.in/org/friends-together-alpena/12918443",
                "description": "Friends Together Alpena, Alpena. 3,563 likes · 63 talking about this · 135 were here. Here at Friends Together, a 501(c)3, we help people with cancer...."
            }
        ]
    }
]
```