Ruth’s Chris Steak House of Destin earned a first-time Wine Spectator Award and also received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The restaurant introduced its East Bar with an exclusive cocktail party. In just two hours, the event hosted more than 250 guests and raised $5,000 for the Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast’s efforts to purchase a PET/CT scanner.
▪ MANNA, a private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to alleviating hunger in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, celebrates 30 years of service this year. MANNA, which is based in Pensacola, provided food to 44,209 people last year. ▪ The Pensacola Bay Area’s Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival was selected as an American Bus Association’s Top 100 Event for 2014. ▪ Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa has received the prestigious Pinnacle Award as one of the 2012 Best Hotels and Resorts from Successful Meetings magazine. Cause for Celebration … ▪ The Sandestin Wine Festival donated more than $50,000 to local charities and philanthropic causes. The Village of Baytowne Wharf Special Event Manager Lanier Motes presented a $33,000 check to Kim Henderson, executive director of Fisher House of the Emerald Coast, and a $21,000 check to Sara Becnel, board member of the Sandestin Foundation for Kids.
Sara Becnel, board member of the Sandestin Foundation for Kids; Alan Meyers, executive director of the Baytowne Wharf Neighborhood Association; Lanier Motes, special events manager for The Village of Baytowne Wharf, and Kim Henderson, executive director of the Fisher House.
▪ Altar’d State, a women’s apparel boutique in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, donated $38,000 to Autism Awareness through its Mission Monday program. Through the program, the company donates 10 percent of net proceeds to various local charities every Monday. In Miramar Beach, Mission Monday funds were donated to the Emerald Coast Autism Center. Along with monetary support, each store is encouraged to reach out to the community with time. For Autism awareness, Altar’d State employees have participated in races, volunteered at local schools and supported fundraisers to make a personal impact. ▪ Matt Staver, owner of Blueprint Health Studio of Destin, launched a new program to host fit camps that benefit four local children’s charities: Children in Crisis, EMERGE with the Emerald Coast Autism Society, Shelter House and Sacred Heart Foundation. Charities will receive 25 percent of the studio’s fit camp membership fee. Staver’s goal is to raise $5,000 for each charity. ec
EmeraldCoastMagazine.com December 2013–January 2014
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