by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
The Northeast Florida Builders Association held its annual gala at the ballroom of the Jacksonville Hyatt, which was transformed into Caesar’s Palace last month.
Hundreds of builders, Realtors and those associated with the building industry came out to play Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘em and try their luck at roulette. There were drawings for prizes ranging from a $250 gift certificate to Morton’s Steakhouse to home appliances.
The grand prize, however, was a Las Vegas vacation, complete with first-class round-trip tickets for two to Las Vegas, hotel accommodations at the Bellagio, $1,000 in spending cash and a helicopter ride over the Hoover Dam. The winner was NEFBA member Todd Von Niede.
Another winner was Jim Thurman, who won the “Ultimate Jaguars Experience” package, which includes travel with the Jaguars to the Dec. 17 Titan game in Nashville (get-away package includes air and ground transportation, hotel accommodations for two and two tickets to the game) compliments of the Jaguars. Thurman also took home a 42-inch Panasonic Plasma HDTV compliments of D.R. Horton.
Mark Judge won a Savannah Get-Away at a Southern style bed and breakfast compliments of Mercedes Homes. The trip includes a convertible rental car courtesy of FirstSource Leasing.
All proceeds from the event went to the Arnold Tritt Scholarship and the NEFBA Charitable Foundation.