from staff
As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this page that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations. Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they feel would be of interest to our readers. E-mail to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they try to continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Fishing for a cure
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation raised more than $77,000 at its 9th annual Oldest City Red Trout Classic at Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor in St. Augustine. Presented by PSS World Medical, the tournament encouraged anglers to “catch a cure” for cystic fibrosis.
“Participants of the Oldest City Red Trout Classic have a chance to do something they love while raising money to fund medical research to find a cure for cystic fibrosis,” said Kevin English, senior vice president of supplier operations at PSS World Medical. “It is an honor to be part of this event year after year and I want to thank everyone who turned out, showed their support and made this another successful tournament for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.”
The Oldest City Red Trout Classic is a catch-and-release tournament and part of the Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series. The festivities began at the St. Augustine Rod & Gun Club with a Captain’s Dinner, sponsored by Lagasse.
The fishing took place over two days and concluded with an awards reception held dockside at the Kingfish Grill at Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor in St. Augustine.
Since the first year of the Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series in 2002, the Oldest City Red Trout Celebrity Classic has netted $448,877 for cystic fibrosis research and care programs.
Stellar supports youth
The Stellar Foundation, the corporate giving division of Stellar, raised $80,000 during the 2010 Stellar Foundation Golf Classic held Oct. 1 at the St. Johns Golf & Country Club. Through its third annual charitable golf tournament, the Stellar Foundation made contributions to two Northeast Florida youth organizations: PACE Center for Girls, Jacksonville, and the Academy of Engineering at Allen D. Nease High School.
The golf tournament was attended by more than 140 players, including Stellar executives, vendors and partners.
“The Golf Classic is always one of our favorite charitable events as it demonstrates the generous level of support from our partners and vendors,” said Allison Korman, Stellar’s director of corporate marketing and public relations. “Monies raised at this year’s tournament will support programs that provide life-enriching opportunities for Northeast Florida youth.”
PACE Jacksonville, the Northeast Florida branch of PACE Center for Girls Inc., a statewide nonresidential delinquency prevention program serving at-risk girls ages 12 to 18, received a new eight-passenger van donated by the Stellar Foundation.
From its headquarters in Jacksonville, PACE operates 17 centers throughout Florida and has served more than 21,000 girls since its creation in 1985.
The Stellar Foundation also donated 12 desktop computers to the Academy of Engineering at Allen D. Nease High School through funds raised during the Golf Classic.
In addition to the donations made to PACE Jacksonville and the Academy of Engineering, the funds raised during the Golf Classic will be used by the Stellar Foundation to support other Northeast Florida nonprofit organizations throughout the year.
‘Rocking the Red’ at Nocatee
To honor the survival of her mother, Betsy, from a heart attack at age 42, Kamli Abdulgani organized the “Rock the Red” awareness luncheon and fashion show in 2008.
That initial grassroots event has grown into “Rocking the Red,” an initiative to increase young women’s knowledge about their risk for heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women.
The Abdulganis of St. Augustine are working with Dr. Pamela Rama, a cardiologist with the Jacksonville Heart Center, who will serve as “Rocking the Red’s” medical director.
On Nov. 5, Baptist Health and the Jacksonville Heart Center will team with “Rocking the Red” for “Prescription for Prevention,” an event scheduled 7-11 p.m. at Crosswater Hall at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra.
Proceeds will be used to provide women with educational heart health fairs and screenings at five Northeast Florida colleges and universities. Many young women consider heart disease an illness of older women and are unaware that it begins to develop in the first two decades of life.
Silent and live auctions at “Prescription for Prevention” will feature items that include dinner with Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard and his wife, Mary, as well as Kyle Brady, former tight end for the Jaguars, New England Patriots and New York Jets, and his wife, Kristy.
The evening will feature a Mediterranean menu by Marsh Creek Country Club, the Motown music of the band Paradise Experience, an open bar and special beverages by Pusser’s Caribbean Grille and A1A Ale Works.
Tickets are $100 each and may be purchased online at www.rockingthered.org.
Golf for scholarships
More than 100 golfers participated in the 2010 North Florida Hotel and Lodging Association Claude Collins Hospitality Scholarship Charity Golf Tournament played on the Ocean Course at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club.
“We had a great turnout for an important cause, scholarships to help educate and train the future leaders in our industry. We achieved our goal of surpassing last year’s scholarship fundraising amount,” said David Mariotti, association chair.
Tournament Silver sponsors included Jacksonville JetPort at Cecil Field and Sight & Sound Productions. Bronze sponsors included the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, Edward Don & Company and Visit Jacksonville.
The hotel and lodging association serves its membership with a lobbying voice at local and state levels on all issues affecting the Northeast Florida hotel and hospitality industry as well as serving its membership and the community with resources, education, scholarships and networking opportunities.