7 minute read
PARTIES WITH A PURPOSE
The spotlight shined on talented students from FAU’s College of Arts and Letters at the annual President’s Gala.
Partieswith a Purpose
JEFFREY THOLL
These three organizations host electrifying, large-scale events with big benefits for the community | By Marisa Cioffi
Good Time: President’s Gala
MFA students at Florida Atlantic University are better supported in their educational endeavors thanks to a generous gift from famous benefactor Marleen Forkas. Forkas’ donation will fund graduate fellowships for MFA students each summer for FAU’s Festival Repertory Theatre series. “Marleen’s strong desire to help students who share her same passion for the arts will transform the lives of our students for generations to come,” says Michael J. Horswell, dean of the College of Arts and Letters. Hosted at the FAU Stadium, the eighth annual FAU President’s Gala highlighted the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters and dazzled with fine dining, fireworks, and Broadway-style live entertainment showcasing the college’s talented students. This year’s event raised more than $3.7 million, and the College of Arts and Letters Advisory Board requested that the funds be donated specifically to arts scholarships.
“The visual and performing arts inspire creativity and help students gain a deeper understanding of themselves,” says Horswell, who is a firm believer in arts education. The annual tradition gives the community a chance to experience the remarkable work of students and faculty at FAU, all while making a direct impact on a student’s life by providing scholarship support.
“We only see the event growing in the scholarship dollars raised year after year,” says Stacy Volnick, vice president for administrative affairs. “That affords us the opportunity to help make even more students’ dreams of an education possible.”
The annual Palm Beach Wine Auction brings together wine connoisseurs and philanthropists to support the Kravis Center’s art programs for children.
ALICIA DONELAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Good Time: Palm Beach Wine Auction
Good Deed: Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts education programs
Thanks to the Palm Beach Wine Auction, performance students can continue singing their hearts out. The unique event combines food, wine, and philanthropy for an enchanting evening of fundraising at the Kravis Center, where supporters enjoy a five-course dinner paired with fine wines and have a chance to bid on rare bottles. This year, the auction raised more than $700,000 for Palm Beach County performing arts education, including many Title I schools.
Ted Mandes, founder and chairman of the auction, united his passions for wine and arts education when creating the event 11 years ago. “The performing arts has been a part of my life since I was little,” he says. “There’s a need for enlightening young minds and exposing them to the performing arts.” Mandes travels worldwide from California to Europe for wine tastings in order to choose the best bottles for the big night. The goal of the auction is to ensure that educational programs continue at the Kravis Center.
The Kravis Center offers multiple resources for underserved schools in the county, such as Broadway Reach, which allows children from neighborhood after-school programs to experience live touring Broadway shows. The majority of these resources are intended for elementary schools, but programs like the Kravis on Broadway Student Workshops serve high school and college students. Tracy Butler, director of education for the Kravis Center, explains the importance of providing comprehensive arts programming. “There is a correlation between the discipline they learn here and how it crosses over into completing their schoolwork,” she says. “We want to have as many students participate in our programs so we can foster that love for the arts.”
These programs have proved that the performing arts have enhanced students’ attendance, teamwork, confidence, and engagement in class. Says Butler, “We really want to shine a spotlight on the great work happening in our schools.”
SOUTH MOON PHOTOGRAPHY TRACEY BENSON
A sea of pink took over the West Palm Beach Waterfront to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer services at the 2018 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
SOUTH MOON PHOTOGRAPHY SOUTH MOON PHOTOGRAPHY PAULETTE MARTIN
Good Time: Race for the Cure
Good Deed: Susan G. Komen South Florida services
A breast cancer survivor grabbed Kate Watt’s hand at the 2018 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in West Palm Beach and said two words: Thank you. “Twenty years ago, she didn’t know where she was going to receive the treatment she desperately needed,” says Watt, executive director of Komen South Florida. “Komen was there for her, and we’re still here.” Watt was inspired to get involved with Susan G. Komen after her mother beat breast cancer—with the help of the Komen organization’s education and advocacy resources.
The twenty-seventh annual event called on more than 11,500 survivors, supporters, and breast cancer fighters to lace up their running shoes and race to find a cure. The survivor’s ceremony usually is the event’s most powerful moment. “There’s something in the power of seeing so many people who are living with, battling, and have survived this disease standing in front of you,” Watt says.
This year’s race raised more than $1.3 million. Seventy-five percent of funds stays in the county, while 25 percent goes toward groundbreaking research grants. This year’s fundraising benefited 14,000 people in the South Florida community, providing them with breast cancer education and treatment services. Out of those 14,000 people, 46 discovered they had breast cancer. Over the last 30 years, there has been a 38 percent reduction in breast cancer deaths, and Watt says the organization’s ultimate goal is to increase that percentage to 50 by 2026.
Watt encourages the community to come out each year for the race, and to bring awareness, advocacy, and funding to support those living with the disease. “Grab your friends, form a team, and wear pink so you can help us fight this fight.”
The PALM BEACH MEDIA GROUP Collection
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Palm Beach Illustrated // Naples Illustrated // Palm Beach Charity Register // Naples Charity Register Traditions: The Breakers // Salut!: Naples Winter Wine Festival // The Jewel of Palm Beach: The Mar-a-Lago Club Pinnacle: The Magazine of the Jupiter Medical Center Foundation // 5th Avenue South // art&culture // Dine239
