A Kid’s Place is near and dear to my family. So, when I was asked to chair the committee to throw a Gala for A Kid’s Place I knew there were two things I was good at: Throwing a Party and Raising Money. So, of course I was ALL IN!
The night was amazing.
Dancers in flapper dresses and sequins glided across the dance floor as their partners in pin-striped suits and bowler hats lead them in the Foxtrot, the Waltz, and of course the Charleston. It would seem fitting that bootleg liquor couldn’t be far from the action, but The Bubbly Bar is hardly a threat to prohibition. That’s because the year isn’t 1924, but instead 2016 and the event isn’t hidden in a back alley speakeasy.
This black tie affair at downtown Tampa’s District 3, Presented by The MacKinnon Family Foundation, celebrated A Kid’s Place style. This night was a way for supporters to “Foster Hope” for children in foster care from all over the greater Tampa Bay area and specifically those who temporarily call A Kid’s Place home.
The successful evening brought in over $100,000 for our foster children! Guests enjoyed sumptuous food by Core Concepts, entertainment provided by The Aerial Dragons, live and silent auctions, and time to dance the night away to the wildly-popular Atlanta Party Band. Tampa Chief of Police Eric Ward got into the spirit and allowed himself to be auctioned off as part of the “Pardon the Chief” challenge. A special guest won a one of a kind sculpture by Dominique Martinez from Rustic Steel Creations that touched the hearts of everyone in the room!.
If Gatsby himself had overseen the gala he would have been hard-pressed to plan more lavish entertainment or decadent food than what guests were treated to. Dining, drinking and dancing are great ways to spend a Saturday night, but raising funds for foster children as a bonus only adds to an evening to remember.
The Gala has turned out to be a true signature event for A Kid’s Place supporters and we look forward to continuing to “Foster Hope” for the children at A Kid’s Place.
Thank you to our very generous sponsors who helped make the evening spectacular and "Fostered Hope" for all the children who call A Kid's Place home.
