LEXINGTON — Captain Commanding Stephen Cole and The Lexington Minute Men are pleased to share the success of the Ignite the Night Fundraising Dinner, which aimed to raise money for the company’s Securing Our Legacy capital campaign.
The Fundraising Dinner, which was held on Thursday, April 2, at Heritage Hall in Lexington, brought together over 170 guests, members, family members, and supporters of the Lexington Minute Men.
The event was organized and planned by the Lexington Minute Men and John Guilfoil Public Relations.
Special guests included Boston Bruins legend and Hall of Famer Johnny Buyck, actor Kevin Chapman, chef and restaurant owner Paul Wahlberg, Boston Bruins anthem singer Todd Angilly, Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, State Rep. Michelle Ciccolo, and New England Patriots’ mascot Pat Patriot.
As guests filed into Heritage Hall, they got to walk down a red carpet and be photographed with the men and women of the Lexington Minute Men, while the evening’s host, WBZ-TV Chief Meteorologist Eric Fisher, did a live news broadcast in full kit throughout the cocktail hour, which featured an appearance from Captain Commanding Cole.
As guests ate their dinners, they listened to welcome remarks from Cole and Fisher, and Reverend Chris Haydon led a blessing. Guests also watched a series of videos highlighting the accomplishments of the Lexington Minute Men, such as their roles in leading the 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Boston and their feature in Ken Burns’ documentary “The American Revolution.”
Then, with Sen. Tarr serving as the event’s auctioneer, it was time for the live auction. Though each auction item was highly sought after, that did not stop the special guests from raising the stakes.
Upon hearing that the Boston Sports package didn’t feature anything from the Boston Bruins, Bucyk pulled out a jersey that he had with him, signed it, and added it to the package. Chapman also added his opening day Red Sox tickets to the package. The auction for a dinner at Paul Wahlberg’s restaurant Alma Nove turned into two dinners after two bidders went back and forth on the item for quite some time. Todd Angilly threw in an offer to come sing at an event as part of one auction item, and Eric Fisher offered up a free tour of WBZ-TV’s studios.
After expenses, the Ignite the Night Fundraising Dinner successfully raised nearly $50,000 for the Lexington Minute Men, which will support the “Securing Our Legacy” capital campaign.
The campaign aims to raise $250,000 by the summer to help the company recruit the next generation of Lexington Minute Men by alleviating the upfront costs of joining, which can be up to $7,000 per member.
The hope is that the Lexington Minute Men will be able to bring in younger members, ensuring that the legacy of the Battle of Lexington and the Shot Heard Round the World are honored and remembered by future generations.
“We are overwhelmed by the success of the event, which is the first fundraising dinner we’ve done to this degree,” said Cole. “It is an honor for the Lexington Minute Men to be surrounded by a community of people who recognize the value of what we do to keep the history of our nation alive. We are overcome with gratitude for the people who continue to uplift our group and spread our message, and that support was on full display during the event. On behalf of the Lexington Minute Men, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who attended the event, and to everyone who has supported us throughout our journey. I would also like to express my gratitude to John Guilfoil Public Relations for organizing the event.”
