A crowd of 700—ranging in age from 25 to 35—sipped cocktails, listened to live music, and learned about the United Way's work in the community at the organization's fifth annual "Rouge" fund-raiser, held Saturday at the Suites at 1 King West. The benefit, presented by the organization's GenNext Cabinet, featured a performance by the indie band These Electric Lives and music by the DJs Famou$ Players.
"It's meant to be an event to connect the next generation of philanthropists to the United Way," said Jodi Spivak of Roni Feldman & Associates, who chaired the event for the second consecutive year. "We had a really low ticket price, $35," said Spivak, who reported that the 2007 event raised $30,000 to support the organization's Community Fund. (This year's fund-raising total is still being tallied.) "We'll probably never be in the triple digits...it's really just meant to engage people."
In an effort to do just that, organizers added interactive terminals from Espresso Brand Infiltration. Guests could fill out a questionnaire and provide input about the programs that are important to them in the city. The terminals then provided information about the services the United Way provides in those areas.
"It's a fabulous event, and we do it on a ridiculously low budget," Spivak said, noting the total spent this year was $7,000. That was made possible because a number of vendors donated their services. "The United Way is a fabulous cause and people know what the United Way is out there doing."
