For 75 years, a religious congregation of sisters with the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence has served the community at Langoma, the historic Potts mansion in Elverson. The site was once home to a school for girls with special needs, and it is now a retreat center, where people of all faiths spend time praying and focusing on their spiritual needs. The site includes several buildings that house senior citizens.

To celebrate the sisters' years of service, a 75th anniversary winter gala will take place on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 6 to 9 p.m. The event will feature special reflections by guest speakers, a display of historic photos and memorabilia, guided tours of the mansion and seasonal music.

Multiple rooms and sections of the mansion will be decorated for Christmas by local artists and vendors, including the ballroom, the east and west staircases, the east and west foyers, Mrs. Potts' bedroom and the Green Room.

Decorators for the event will include Crickets Antiques & Garden Market, Heritage Design Interiors Inc., Violet's Flowers & Vintage Boutique, Stephen Newman Flooring, Topiary 219 Floristry & Horticulture and Twisted Twigs Florals, as well as the Brennan family and the Knights of Columbus - Chester County Assembly 1873.

Butlered hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine will be served beginning at 6 p.m. Food will be provided by Aquilante's Catering.

According to a history of the site, the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence arrived at Langoma, which is a Native American word meaning homestead, in 1948. The mansion was used as a boarding school for girls with special needs until the 1980s, until the school relocated to Delaware County.

St. Mary's became a retreat center and now hosts hundreds of retreatants of all ages each year. It also sponsors community events, such as its annual Strawberry Festival, and tours of the mansion are offered throughout the year.

The 75th anniversary gala is designed not only to celebrate the heritage of St. Mary's, but to support its ongoing mission to serve the community and to preserve the historic property.

St. Mary of Providence Retreat Center is located at 227 Isabella Road, Elverson. For more information or to purchase a ticket to the gala, visit http://www.stmaryprov.org or search for the Facebook event page, "St. Mary 75th Anniversary Gala."