The Ryan Nece Foundation, a youth and family nonprofit, held its fourth annual gala and scavenger hunt on June 19 at the T. Pepin Hospitality Center. The fund-raiser increased attendance from the 2009 event by nearly 100 guests—for a total of more than 300 this year—and raised an additional $30,000 in sponsorships. Foundation director Allison Stokes credited organization founder Nece’s notoriety in the area for the spike. He is a former linebacker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"A lot of people met him over the past year at various events, where he was a speaker or in attendance to network, which resulted in a good portion of the increase in sponsorship dollars coming from those connections,” said Stokes.
With sponsorship levels ranging from $500 to $5,000, the organization secured 23 financial sponsors, many of which contributed at higher levels than last year, Stokes said. Additionally, eight companies and organizations made in-kind donations, compared with just one in 2009.
The event began with a scavenger hunt around the Tampa Bay area earlier in the day in which 11 teams of two to nine people, many including a professional football player, scoured the city to take photos at a specified list of places and with various items to win points. The winners were announced later that night during the reception-style gala.
RSBP Events designed the hospitality center’s ballroom with a dark palette of slate gray lounge furniture, navy and platinum linens on the tables, and more than 40 chandeliers to illuminate the space. Local restaurants Donatello Italian Restaurant, Mangroves, and the Venue set up food stations for dinner. The night’s program included a welcome and short speech by Nece, a performance by a gospel choir led by Belinda Womack, and band Blind Willie James & Blue Situation, a new addition to the lineup this year who played for nearly 90 minutes. DJ Barry Carew rounded out the evening’s entertainment until the party wrapped up around 11:30 p.m.
While final numbers are still being tallied, Stokes anticipates the evening netted more than $45,000, making it the organization's most successful outing yet.
