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PrintJanuary 2012 Fundraisers & Charity Events
Warm your heart and endure the winter months by enjoying fine wine, summertime-themed parties, and great music—all to benefit some of our finest local charities, schools, and cultural institutions.
The Premier
Beneficiary: Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center (NFMMC). 5:30 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, January 15, at the Seneca Niagara Casino, Niagara Falls, N.Y. Tickets: $200; call Cara Turner at 278-4570, or visit www.nfmmc.org/thepremier.
A cocktail hour (and-a-half) will begin this year’s event, and be followed by a surf-and-turf dinner in keeping with the evening’s theme of “Endless Summer.” To that end, the after-dinner entertainment will be provided by Beach Boys founder and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Al Jardine and his Endless Summer Band (featuring many of the musicians who toured with the BBs). The evening will honor NYS Senator George Maziarz, and longtime NFMMC physician Dr. Naresh Jain. All proceeds from the evening will be used to support women’s healthcare services at the NFMMC.
Breath of Life Gala
Beneficiary: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. 6 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, January 28, at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St., Buffalo. Tickets: $150 per person; call Alex Hamberger at 204-2535, or go to www.wny.cff.org.
Shea’s is the place to be for this year’s black-tie-optional event, built around the theme, “Lights, Camera, Cure.” There will be cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres in the lobby, and a gourmet sit-down dinner served right on the stage accompanied by entertainment and a live auction of high-end items. After the meal, guests can return to the lobby to dance the night away. All proceeds help fund research to cure CF, including important work at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.
Marauder’s Ball Masquerade—The Lasallian
Beneficiary: St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 4, at St. Joe’s, 845 Kenmore Ave., Buffalo. Tickets: $150 per person; call Cathy Greene at 270-4117, or visit www.sjci.com.
The school’s first floor will be covered with section after section of silent auction items available for bid during the predinner cocktail hour. As guests stroll among the selections, they’ll enjoy the melodies of St. Joe’s own Jazz Lab Band. Cash Cunningham will be running the live charity auction, lending his skills to high-end items (including travel packages and custom dining events) during a gourmet sit-down dinner catered by Oliver’s. After the meal, guests will enjoy more live music and an open bar as the evening winds down. All proceeds will be used to provide funding to meet the financial and academic scholarship needs of St. Joe’s students.
S.S. Shea’s
Beneficiary: Shea’s Performing Arts Center. 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, February 4, at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St., Buffalo. Tickets: $20 per person; call Eric Ruff at 847-1410, or go to www.sheas.org.
Cruise away your winter blues when the S.S. Shea’s sets sail on the stage at the landmark theater with a hint of all the fun things a luxury voyage has to offer. Various restaurants will offer samples of their wares, accompanied by tropical drinks from a cash bar. Two bands, the Ifs and Pirate Dream, will set the tone, and guests are encouraged to wear Hawaiian shirts and summer frocks. All proceeds go toward Shea’s restoration and education programs.
Terri Parsell Hilmey writes about fundraisers and health-related topics for Spree.
