The Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation’s annual black-tie fundraising event was a smashing success this year raising a grand total of $320,000. The benefit was held June 7th, 2008 on the 9th floor of Macy’s on State Street. Centered around the introduction of the new Nintendo Wii Fun Center, this years theme was “gaming”. A Nintendo Wii Fun Center allowed guests to pay-to-play and experience first hand the new form of adolescent entertainment. Also, a Wii Workshop was set up for the guests to help “build up” Starlight Programs. Guests were able to directly sponsor a Great Escapes event, a Fun Center or other Hospital Happening programs which are dedicated to helping improve the lives of seriously ill children and their families.
The first portion of the evening allowed guests to enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, a silent auction and the Wii Workshop area. The Wii Workshop area was filled with four large trees decorated with mini-wheel barrels, yellow hardhats, cracker jacks, inflatable hammers and other items signifying fun and innovation. Each prop represented a different Starlight program that the guests could sponsor. The programs included mother-daughter makeovers, group trips to basketball games, the new Wii Fun Centers, donations of 300 and 500 toys, etc. Those who chose to sponsor were thanked by receiving the adjoined item in addition to a flashy light-up star pin, which proved to be enjoyed by all of the adults throughout the evening.
The silent auction provided guests with the opportunity to bid on a number of fantastic packages. Among the favorite silent auction packages were two tickets to the Oprah show, a two night stay at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel, a VIP tour of Yankee Stadium with a former New York Yankee player and a beautiful 18K White Gold ‘Iris’Butterfly Pennant. The silent action had great success raising $33,000.
Guests then made their way into the futuristic-gaming designed dining room and NBC 5’s Natalie Martinez commenced the dinner portion of the night by introducing the Gala chairs of the evening, Bryan Schwartz and Geoff Schiciano. After a few heart-warming speeches the guests mingled amongst one-another and dined on their meals.
Not long after dinner the auctioneer of the night, Jeff Brown, enthusiastically began the live auction which included several desirable packages including the Porsche Vacation Package took the lime-light, featuring two flights to Frankfort, Germany, visits to the Porsche Factory and Museum, a test drive of a Porsche, and a visit to the Mercedes Museum, which sold for $20,000.
Directly following the live auction, member of the Starlight Starbright National Board of Directors, Brandon Lane Phillips, gave a captivating speech about his own childhood involvement with Starlight. The generous group of attendees donated even more money to this amazing cause and raised nearly $32,000 of straight donations in the Angel Auction.
The wonderful evening ended with the lively beats and powerful voices of Lynne Jordan and the Shivers. Guests crowded the dance floor, kicked back and celebrated the success of the evening. Starlight Midwest was thankful to have so many gracious attendees present at the Gala this year. However, our biggest stars of the night were the Council, Cobar, Peters and Sanchez families. These Starlight families were a joy to have present and kept the evening rolling proving themselves the life-of-the party. Each guest was thanked with a goodie-bag filled with a box of Franco mints, Berry Chill Gift cards, and discount coupons for Macy’s.
For more information, please contact Meredith Stadel, Manager of Development, at 312.251.7827 ext. 14 or via e-mail at mstadel@starlightmidwest.org.
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