D2R '13 Press Release

NEWS RELEASE January 9, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Derek Grosso, CYP CLUB President (614) 579-9390 Derek@cypclub.com Twitter: @Derek_Grosso John Guccion, Host Committee - Promotions (614) 477-9744 date2remembercolumbus@gmail.com Twitter: @SUGooch A Date 2 Remember ‘13 To Benefit City Year Columbus, United Way of Central Ohio 6th Annual CYP CLUB Fashion Show & Auction Aims to Surpass $40,000 Raised For Local Non-Profits

(COLUMBUS, OHIO) - A Date 2 Remember, the annual Columbus Young Professionals Club (CYP CLUB) premier social event that has raised more than $150,000 for non-profit organizations over its history, will host its sixth annual charity fashion show and date auction on Saturday, February 23, 2013, at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, CYP CLUB president Derek Grosso announced today.

All proceeds from A Date 2 Remember 2013 fundraising activities, including auction and silent auction winning bids and admission ticket sales, will benefit local charity organizations City Year Columbus and United Way of Central Ohio.

“A Date 2 Remember is the social fundraising experience of the year in Columbus, Ohio,” Grosso said.

“The formal event combines a live date auction featuring exciting, fully- loaded experience packages with a fashion show. The CYP CLUB donates 100% of event proceeds from A Date 2 Remember to two local charities every year. For 2013, we are proud to select City Year Columbus and United Way of Central Ohio as our charity beneficiaries.”

City Year Columbus Development Manager Chris Wyche said the partnership with A Date 2 Remember will bolster the organization’s efforts to keep local high school students in the classroom and on track to graduate.

“In order to address the current high school dropout crisis, City Year Columbus must seek strategic and dedicated partners like the CYP CLUB to help ensure our success and sustainability,” Wyche explained.

“By investing in City Year, we can work to bring the right support at the right time to targeted schools, creating an educational environment where every child can thrive.”

A Date 2 Remember Page Two United Way of Central Ohio plans to use proceeds raised through A Date 2 Remember fundraising activities to help local families stricken by poverty, said Deanna Stewart, senior vice president of institutional advancement.

“A Date 2 Remember is not just a must-attend event - it's a party with a purpose,” Stewart said. “This year, funds raised by A Date 2 Remember will help United Way create pathways out of poverty for so many people in need in Central Ohio. This is a fun event that also improves lives while strengthening our community – a win-win for everyone.”

Over the course of the evening, A Date 2 Remember will auction off 23 date experience packages during a lively fashion show emceed by Danielle Elias of WBNS-10TV News and Mark Dantzer of WVMX-FM Mix 107.9. Grosso said the lineup of date experience packages to be auctioned will appeal to young professionals with a variety of interests. Assortments for live sports enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers were among those date experience packages auctioned off in previous years.

Each date experience package is represented during the fashion show by one to two appointed young professional ambassadors, also known as “bachelors,” “bachelorettes,” and “couples,” who promote the fundraiser in advance of the event to raise awareness about A Date 2 Remember’s charity mission. After the final bid for a date experience package is cast, the auction winner has the option of either going on a date with the package ambassador if both parties agree, or inviting others to participate in the experience.

Date package ambassadors were chosen by the event host committee and are comprised of young professional men and women as individuals, as well as pairs.

Over its six year history, A Date 2 Remember has steadily grown in attendance. After hosting nearly 700 attendees in 2010, and raising over $30,000 for A Kid Again and the Capital Area Humane Society, Columbus CEO Magazine recognized A Date 2 Remember as “Best Charity Event In Central Ohio.” In 2011, to accommodate the growing local community interest in the fundraiser, A Date 2 Remember changed the event location to Lifestyle Communities Pavilion and drew close to 1,000 attendees on a night in which the CYP CLUB collected $40,000 to benefit A Kid Again and Flying Horse Farms. CYP CLUB duplicated that fundraising total in 2012.

With community interest and fundraising dollars continuing to climb, the CYP CLUB has arranged a venue expansion which will not only hold more attendees but also ensure they are entertained in comfortable quarters throughout A Date 2 Remember’s duration, Grosso said.

“This year, A Date 2 Remember is partnering with LC Pavilion to include the A&R Music Bar as an entertainment wing,” Grosso said. “Our attendees can watch the fashion show in the main LC Pavilion hall, or relax with their friends over drinks and live music in the A&R Music Bar next door, where we will have the fashion show displayed on a live closed circuit television screen.”

Tickets for A Date 2 Remember are now on sale. Event tickets are only $35 in advance and can be purchased online at www.date2remember.org, or by paying $45 at the door. The CYP CLUB is also hosting a special VIP section in the LC Pavilion for $50 per person.

The fashion show and auction start at 8:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the Taste of Columbus Cocktail Hour and silent auction that begin at 7:00 p.m.

Several of Columbus’ best restaurants and eateries are donating food samples for the event. This year's Taste of Columbus Cocktail Hour supporters include Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Lindey's,

A Date 2 Remember Page Three The Refectory, de-NOVO Bistro & Bar, Due Amici, Fado Irish Pub Columbus, Fresh 50, Pure Imagination Chocolatier, Commonwealth Sandwich Bar, Bob Evans, Lexi's on Third, Wine Bistro on Lane Avenue, and others.

The Columbus Young Professionals Club (CYP CLUB) is a membership organization consisting of young professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, and creative thinkers who live and work in the greater Columbus, OH area. Founded in July 2005, the CYP CLUB conducts social and business networking events, athletics, and volunteer activities on a weekly basis for a growing membership of local young professionals ages 21-45.

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