Celebrate Children 2009
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St. Philip’s Plaza was buzzing with excitement on Friday, April 24th, at our 9th Annual Celebrate Children fundraising event! The weather was balmy, and the sultry jazz sounds of the Mike Kuhn Band permeated the air. Festive balloons and playful street signs welcomed guests and beckoned to the over-flowing silent auction tables!
Let’s talk about the food!! Acacia at St. Philip’s Plaza satisfied ravenous guests with their delicious Waguli sliders, while Fox Restaurant Concepts tempted many with Montana Avenue’s delectable Chinese chicken salad. Yummy penne pasta and salad from Vivace pleased those seeking lighter options. Famous Sam’s Restaurant didn’t disappoint with their tangy chicken wings and tasty slices from No Anchovies Pizza also thrilled the crowd. Romano’s Macaroni Grill delighted guests with their signature Italian fare including chicken rigatoni, peasant bread and sweet chocolate cake. Fans of Mexican cuisine enthusiastically made room on their plates for tantalizing selections from Little Mexico Restaurant including mini chimis, taquitos, chilaquilas, birria, beans, rice, tamales and crunchy tortilla chips nicely complimented by their spicy salsa. Finally, a heavenly assortment of desserts from Blue House Catering proved to be the perfect ending to all of the scrumptious fare!
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Colorful silent auction tables were loaded with abundant offerings including dazzling sterling silver jewelry from Tiffany’s, a stunning 18kt gold diamond baby-shoe pendant from Marshall’s Jewelers, an incredible 7-night stay at a luxurious villa near Tuscany, Italy, and two round-trip passes from Southwest Airlines. Beautiful artwork from local artists Diana Madaras and the late Ted DeGrazia, as well as delicate hand-blown glass from Philabaum Glass Studio inspired the crowd. Golf foursomes from Tucson Country Club and Santa Rita Golf Club excited avid golfers, while parents were happy to discover generous gift certificates from Skate Country, Golden Pin Lanes and Golf ‘n Stuff. Arizona Diamondback fans vied for the winning bid on four stadium seats to an upcoming game and tickets to Laff’s Comedy Club pleased those seeking belly laughs and fun! New to our event this year was a live auction featuring an adorable puppy generously offered up for adoption by the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, (The winner also received puppy accessories galore!), and a raffle for a four day/three night trip for two to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort. Included in this fun package was the loan of a beautiful Audi A4 Cabriolet from Chapman Motors and gift certificates to renowned restaurants, Morton’s of Chicago and Fox Concepts’ Olive & Ivy. Passes to the Desert Botanical Gardens and Harkins Theater were also thrown in!
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Thank you to our staff, volunteers and food vendors who helped to keep the event running smoothly and made it even more spectacular than last year. A special thank you to IceT Ice Art for their amazing ice sculpture, and most importantly, a heartfelt thank you to our guests who shared this fun evening with us! We owe our success to YOU for your kindness and generosity in helping us create success for children in Tucson.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying one of our Celebrate Children events, please click on the link below to read an article about Celebrate Children 2008, which appeared in the April 24, 2008 edition of the Arizona Daily Star.
Don't miss our 11th Annual Celebrate Children! Mark your calendars for May 6, 2011 to enjoy a wonderful evening filled with wine, food and fun!
If you’d like to volunteer for Celebrate Children 2011 or need more information, please contact Kristin at 546-9296 or by email at kristino@strengthbuilding.org
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