WARNER TIDWELL
Caroline Cook, Susan Weathersby
The Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville is an amazing multi-day event (January 12-14) that must be on your New Year’s Resolution list.
Filled with antique treasures and awe-inspiring gardens, you will find yourself in sensory overload in the best way. And don’t forget the wonderful guest speakers. This year, the incomparable Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, is the headliner. The show is one of the longest and most respected events of its kind in the nation. We appreciate the very busy event co-chairs, Caroline Cook and Susan Weathersby, for taking the time to visit with us and share their thoughts on life and the honor of chairing the 34th year of this Nashville tradition. This year’s theme is Welcome to Beautiful—and beautiful it is! (antiquesandgardenshow.com)
Nashville Lifestyles: What made you want to chair the Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville this year?
Caroline Cook: I’ve been going to the Antiques & Garden Show for as long as I can remember, and to me it’s one of the most fun, beautiful, and interesting Nashville traditions. To go from attending the event each year to being asked to chair it was the biggest honor. I’ve loved it from afar for so long so I couldn’t pass up the offer. There’s also such a rich history with Cheekwood and ECON Charities [the charitable arm of the Economic Club of Nashville]. It’s amazing what they do for families and the community in Nashville, and it’s a real privilege to serve them in this capacity.
Susan Weathersby: I’ve been volunteering with the show since 2006 in some capacity or another, and when I got asked, I honestly thought they had the wrong girl because I don’t have a design and interiors background, but I felt like I could serve. My strength is in the logistic side of things, and I knew working with Caroline Cook would be a great partnership. Since becoming a chair, it’s been a true blessing and eye-opener to learn about ECON Charities and the show’s history with Cheekwood, and it’s been a joy to raise money for them.
NL: How are the funds raised utilized and how much has been raised over the years?
SW: Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville was originally founded in 1990 to give back to the Nashville community. The show remains committed to supporting its original two beneficiaries, Cheekwood Estate & Gardens and ECON Charities, and in the last 33 years has given nearly $10 million back to these incredible organizations. With these funds, Cheekwood can continue to expand its education, preservation, conservation, and community outreach programming so that we all can continue to enjoy, learn, grow, and celebrate this haven located in our own backyard. And with these funds, ECON Charities can continue to focus on partnering with local nonprofit organizations to eliminate barriers for fragile families to enjoy enriching cultural experiences and create lifelong memories that have a lasting positive impact on the individuals and strengthen our community.
NL: Why is it important to support the Antiques & Garden Show?
CC: It’s such an incredible feat to put on an event of this caliber year after year, and it’s possible because of the support of the show’s partners and the community. After 33 years, the show has grown into an event that people from all over the country look forward to and attend. Nashville is a philanthropic town, and that’s a wonderful tradition to carry on; people feel it the minute they get here.
NL: What inspires you to use your time, talents, and treasure to support nonprofits?
CC: There’s so much history with the show that it feels like being given the opportunity to get your hands on something that will stand the test of time. It’s such an honor to have anything to do with it, let alone chair it! It’s also really, really fun. We’re here for a certain amount of time, and I think, why wouldn’t I give my time to something so meaningful?
SW: My faith plays a big part in the ‘why’ for me. There’s a verse in Ephesians that reads, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” I do it to serve and hopefully make a difference in even just one person’s life.