Revenue jumped more than 30 percent at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Central Florida’s fifth annual Imagine Gala, held Saturday night, compared to 2010 numbers. The event at the
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel brought in more than $350,000 for the nonprofit, up from $267,000 last year. More than $65,000 of that was raised during “Fund-A-Cure”—a 15-minute pitch near the end of the evening for contributions that will be used for diabetes research.
“By the time we got to that portion of the program, someone had shared their story about how Type 1 has affected them, and our guests were impassioned, motivated, and ready to participate,” said Martin Bernstine, executive director of the nonprofit. “We were able to put names and faces on this and why it is so important to continue the funding.”
Attendance was also up dramatically this year. About 468 people attended the event compared to 315 in 2010. Organizers attributed the growth to an increase in corporate sponsorships and table sales.
“Our gala committee and our board committee did a tremendous job selling this year,” Bernstine said. “The other reason was our two honorees—one corporate and one individual—who both brought in a lot of new people.”
The event included a silent auction with more than 100 packages that raised more than $44,000 and a live auction with 12 items, including a Goldendoodle puppy, which brought in nearly $34,000. The theme for the evening was “Follow the Yellow Brick Road to a Cure,” with centerpieces designed to evoke the fictional Emerald City on each of the 48 tables.