With a mission to inspire, motivate and empower at-risk young women in South Florida to live up to their full potential, the Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program is extremely special to me. Their annual gala was held on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at the beautiful Mandarin Oriental hotel in Brickell Key.
It was Women of Tomorrow’s 13th fundraising black-tie gala and 500 guests attended, including leading philanthropists, celebrities and politicians.
With that said, I was thrilled to personally serve as an Honorary Chair and for THE COLLECTION to serve as a Platinum Sponsor for the uplifting affair. I am happy to share that 2014 proved to be a record breaking year for the gala, raising over $900,000 for this wonderful cause.
This year, THE COLLECTION donated one of the most talked-about items on the live auction list — a 2014 Maserati Ghibli; Maserati’s newest creation (Manufacturer’s Suggest Retail Price of $75,670).
Yes, one lucky auction winner won a three-year lease for a 2014 Ghibli, which was on display in the terrace area during the event to entice prospective bidders.
Getting the vehicle to this fifth floor terrace was no easy feat – we actually had to crane it up! Seeing a Maserati dangling about 50 feet in the air is not your every day sight.
In addition to this fine touring car, we had a Maserati GranTurismo on display at the valet throughout the evening serving as eye candy.
During the silent auction portion of the evening, THE COLLECTION provided three weekend loans from our luxe fleet. We also had a key box raffle for some awesome prizes from THE COLLECTION boutique.
The evening was superb. The biggest celebrity in Miami was in attendance and very willing to take pictures with admirers – the MIAMI HEAT championship trophy. (Go HEAT!)
One of my personal highlights of the evening was surprising the Honorary Chairs, the expecting Wayne and Cynthia Boich, with a Ferrari baby walker. Every baby needs their first Ferrari!
Over-the-top auctions and gifts aside, the night is all about giving to The Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program. In the words of Founder and President Jennifer Valoppi, “As our program continues to expand around the country, our gala continues to draw supporters from all over. They are people who see problems and are willing to take action to solve them. What better way to stop the cycles of violence, poverty and abuse than to uplift the lives of young women who will raise the next generation?” In her words, the Women of Tomorrow annual gala is “changing the world, one young woman at a time.”
