YOUNG FRIENDS OF THE KRAVIS CENTER WAGER ON GREAT EVENT WITH GOURMET FOOD, GAMES AND RHYTHM
Annual Reach for the Stars Turns 22 with Kravis Royale: Cha Cha Ching Party!
(West Palm Beach, Fla.) Some 500 Kravis Center supporters who attended the Reach for the Stars benefit on Saturday, November 8th hit the jackpot with endless stations of food, wine and specialty drinks, along with gaming tables and Latin music – all to benefit the education programs of the cultural gem.
A signature benefit of the Young Friends of the Kravis Center, Reach for the Stars annually raises funds for the Kravis Center’s S*T*A*R (Students and Teachers Arts Resource) Series and education programs. In celebration of its 22nd annual event, Reach for the Stars celebrated coming of age with big crowds for its “Kravis Royale: Cha Cha Ching Party!” theme, back after it was first introduced at Kravis Center last season.
Local restaurants provided four stories of stations throughout the lobby to feature their own favorite menu items for the event. Participants included Aioli, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Brio Tuscan Grille, Café Chardonnay, Chowder Heads, Del Frisco’s Grille, Echo, Flagler Steakhouse, Ganache Bakery Cafe, Havana Restaurant, Leila Restaurant, Paneterie, Pistache French Bistro and Serenity Garden Tea House & Restaurant.
When guests won big at the gaming tables throughout the Kravis Center lobbies, they converted their winnings to raffle tickets. Raffle prizes for the evening included five-star hotel stays, a cruise, exquisite jewelry, health packages, photography services, golf packages, restaurant gift certificates, gala tickets and even a personal helicopter tour of Palm Beach County.
“We are thrilled with the attendance and support at this year’s Reach for the Stars benefit,” said Cory Valentine, event co-chair with Zachary Berg. “Thank you to the Young Friends Executive Committee for all of your efforts to make this benefit another successful evening. It is through events such as this that we can continue to raise necessary funds for the Center’s education programs, which opens the door to live theater for more than 60,000 children in our community annually.”
Assisting Berg, Valentine and the Young Friends Executive Committee in this year’s roll of the dice were CBS12 News anchor Liz Quirantes, as the guest emcee; and as celebrity Blackjack Dealers, Tim Byrd “The Byrdman” of PalmBeachLiveWorkPlay.com; Josh Cohen, ESPN West Palm; Erin Guy of WPBF 25 News; Deena Lang and Bill Adams from the morning show with Jennifer Ross at Sunny 107.9; and Jay Zeager, 95.9 FM Seaview Radio.
Event sponsors were Marcie Gorman-Althof and Jane M. Mitchell.
Centrally located in West Palm Beach, the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is one of the premier performing arts centers in the Southeast with a renowned national and international reputation. Established as a leading force in the social fabric of the community, its many outreach programs are as broad and varied as the community itself. To date, the Center has opened the door to the performing arts for approximately two million school children. For more information about Reach for the Stars or Young Friends membership, call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org/youngfriends.