by Rachel Witkowski
Staff Writer
Former First Lady Barbara Bush, Jay Leno, Former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell, and Barbara Walters, all have one thing in common — they’ve spoken at the Florida Forum in Jacksonville.
And, lining up at least three well-known speakers every year is a difficult, pricey venture.
“People don’t realize what a challenge it is to get these speakers,” said Karen Wolfson, president of the Women’s Board. “Today, a lesser expensive speaker who’s well known can start at about $35,000 and go up to someone who’s really well known, such as Lance Armstrong. He’d probably ask for $250,000.”
The 15th season of the Florida Forum at the Florida Theatre will start Oct. 17 with former Ga. Sen. and Gov. Zell Miller, then continues with media icons Bob Woodward on Nov. 16 and Tim Russert on Jan. 16. The series wraps up with CBS’s Katie Couric Feb. 17. The Women’s Board has organized the event every year since its inception in 1992.
But more importantly than attracting top-notch speakers, the Forum directly benefits Wolfson Children’s Hospital. The lives of many children will be saved with new surgical technology bought by the funds generated during this season’s Forum.
With increasing expenses to operate the fundraiser, the Women’s Board spends about a year selecting and confirming mid-range cost speakers who are generally politicians, authors or members of the media. Last season’s audience also completed a survey that suggested what speakers they would like to see in the future. Wolfson said the board tries to get as many corporate sponsors and in-kind donations as possible because most of the ticket sales and sponsors cover just the cost of the speakers. But with about 1,600 of 1,900 tickets sold so far, the Forum is picking up speed, according to Sacha McGraw, co-chair of the 2006-07 Florida Forum and member of the Women’s Board.
“So far, it’s turning out to be pretty good,” she said. “Ticket sales are coming in steadily.”
Tickets for this season’s speakers start at $175 for general admission seating per speaker, to $7,000 for six front row seats and six general admission seats with a private reception afterward and photo with the featured speaker.
The 2005-06 season raised more than $400,000, completing the goal to build a children’s emergency center. It took two seasons since 2004 and $5 million from the Board to finish the project. It will also probably take two seasons to fund the completion for surgical services, said Wolfson. The Board has committed to donate $1 million for the new project.
“They’re (Women’s Board) about 50 percent of our budget, so they are very essential,” said Larry Freeman, administrator of Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
The money that is raised through the 300-member Women’s Board, their Florida Forum and their Art & Antique Show on Nov. 29 will fund one primary area of need at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. Freeman presents a list of concerns to the administration and Board leaders who select the main target for the season, or sometimes, several seasons.
There is currently about a $5 million capital budget of needs, said Freeman. Two primary technologies requested in the surgical services budget is the Extra Corporeal Life Support, or ECMO, and the minimally invasive surgical suite, also known as MIMS. The ECMO is used to treat infant and pediatric patients with reversible lung disease or transplants, and to treat post-operative cardiac patients, according to the hospital. The total cost for the entire ECMO equipment is about $200,000. Freeman said he also needs two MIMS for easier and more efficient surgeries. But it will cost about $600,000 each and Freeman said he has a lot of faith in the Board and community for their help.
“The Women’s Board has been absolutely, unequivocally essential to Wolfson Children’s Hospital,” he said. “But most great things happen because of an individual.”