By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore
Journey of Hope
On June 6, a crowd of more than 300 philanthropists gathered for the 2014 Miami Man and Woman of the Year Journey of Hope Gala hosted by the Southern Florida and Puerto Rico Chapters of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) at the InterContinental Miami Hotel. The celebration was the culmination of The Man and Woman of the Year campaign: a 10-week program to raise funds to help find cures for blood cancers. The campaign recruited candidates in the community who agreed to conduct their own fundraising efforts to compete to earn the coveted title: Man or Woman of the Year. Each candidate was judged solely on his/her success in raising money, each dollar counting as one vote, running in honor of the Boy and Girl of the Year, who are local blood cancer patient survivors, known for inspiring others. In total, this year’s candidates raised a whopping $611,000. Michael Parrish, Regional Managing Director of the e South Region of Aon, was crowned the Man of the Year, the charming Zachary Scott, founding partner of Superhive, a New York based smart-home technology integration firm, was the runner-up (and the youngest contestant, at only 25 years old. Yvette A. Aleman, President and CEO of F.R. Aleman & Associates, Inc., was named Woman of the Year. To support the LLS visit: www.lls.org.
Catwalk for Charity
Supermodel Lydia Hearst hosted Catwalk for Charity 2014, on Sunday, June 8 at the JW Marriot Marquis. The annual charity event benefits Breakfast with Santa, an organization that supports underprivileged children in Miami’s Little Haiti and neighboring cities, as well as various towns in Haiti. Hearst was also the recipient of the Humanitarian Award by the organization.
The fun-filled afternoon drew celebrity guests such as Joanna Krupa, supermodel and cast member of Real Housewives of Miami, honorary chair of the event, who received a philanthropic award at the brunch; Tatyana Ali, actress and R&B singer; Cynthia Bailey, supermodel and cast member of Real Housewives of Atlanta; and local celebrities, Karent Sierra and Katrina Campins. DJ Michelle Pooch provided the music.
Actor Brian J. White served as the emcee for the afternoon, which began with an exclusive VIP cocktail reception and silent auction that included a trip to Paris for two, tickets to the 2015 Emmys, and beautiful fine jewelry. The silent auction was followed by a sit- down champagne brunch, during which famed fashion designers Nicole Miller and Gustavo Cadile presented a gorgeous runway show.
Catwalk for Charity’s main focus is to bring awareness to the challenges of Haitian children in Miami’s Little Haiti district and to those in Haiti. Proceeds from Catwalk for Charity supported the annual back-to-school distribution, a holiday celebration and a toy drive for these underprivileged children. For more information or to support Catwalk for Charity, visit: www.catwalkforcharity.org/.
