Nearly 550 guests gathered at the Camelback Inn Resort & Spa Saturday, February 27 to celebrate Child Crisis Arizona’s annual gala, hosted by The Friends of Child Crisis Arizona, raising more than $450,000 for the agency.
This dedicated group of volunteers puts the “fun” in fundraising and didn’t disappoint with this year’s Glitz & Glamour Roaring 20s themed event. Guests arrived as flappers, gangsters, bootleggers, and silent screen stars to support the agency’s profound impact on abused children and vulnerable families in the Valley.
The group’s 36th annual gala was chaired by Lauren Kiesling and Kate Dei Cas. Presenting Sponsor, Arrowhead Cadillac, generously donated a luxurious 2016 Cadillac SRX for the evening’s live auction. “Arrowhead’s General Manager, Rick Mewes, and his team have been amazingly generous, donating cars and partnering in this event year after year,” says Event Co-chair Kate Dei Cas.
The evening included glittering Gatsby decor, casino games, a silent and live auction. Guests were wowed with Live auction items including a red carpet Emmy Awards experience, Mission Beach beach house, and fabulous diamond jewelry created just for this event from Isaac Jewelers. Winning bidders for the Cadillac SRX were Phoenix’s Chuck and Gina Hauff. The lively Warren Priske’s Old Hollywood Jazz Band had guests dancing ’til the wee hours.
Money raised from this event will directly benefit the children and families of Child Crisis Arizona. “The Friends of Child Crisis Arizona’s mission is to raise important funding for the agency’s emergency children’s shelters and to support the more than 21,000 Arizona kids in foster care who need safe and loving homes. We are so grateful for our sponsors, donors, and supporters who step up each year to help these children and families who deserve better,” remarks Event Co-Chair Lauren Kiesling.
“Thirty-six years ago, a group of women came together to support Crisis Nursery, now Child Crisis Arizona, and we as an agency are forever grateful. Along with our volunteer board, professional staff and supporters, The Friends, gala sponsors, and attendees help keep vulnerable children safe from abuse and neglect, and make families stronger by providing financial support.
“The number of children in out-of-home care shows that the services Child Crisis Arizona provide and the work of The Friends is more needed than ever before. The reality is, we need to be here to respond to the crises faced by our most vulnerable children and their families,” said Torrie A Taj, Child Crisis Arizona CEO. “Our shelters and foster families provide safe, happy structured environments for children to thrive and grow. The positive impact our volunteers and professional staff witness in children who stay with us is heartwarming and validates that we need to exist and continue to grow,” continues Taj.
Check out our Facebook album to see photos of the event!
Thank you to all of our amazing sponsors who helped make this evening possible: Arrowhead Cadillac, Isaac Jewelers, Western Refining, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Fervor Creative, National Bank of Arizona, Nationwide, Nautilus, Snell & Wilmer, SRP, VMI Holdings, Inc., Bank of Arizona, Cigna, Donley Service Center, General Dynamics, Sheila & Mike Geddes, Councilman Chris Glover, Intel, Kendra Scott, LifeVantage, Linda Nelson – Century 21 Real Estate, Northern Trust, WalMart, Judy & Joshua Walden, Wells Fargo, Air Products, APS, Classic Car Spa, Cobblestone/Sandler Law Group, LLC, Cynthia & Sam Coffman, Crescent Crown Distributing, Goodwill of Central Arizona, Henry & Horne, Mobile Mini, New West Oil, Patty Sapp, Relator – Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, Point B, Realty One Group – Hamblen Team, Ricoh, Suburban Mortgage and Wildflower Bread Company.
