Dressed to impress in a tropical paradise, guests will take strides in the fight against cancer Saturday in a “Polynesian Paradise.”
The event, hosted by Stop! Children’s Cancer Inc., will be at 7 p.m. at the O’Connell Center and benefit pediatric cancer research at the UF College of Medicine.
Although the event will be a night of fun, fundraising for research is the main purpose.
“Research done for pediatrics can move up to adults, but most adult research does not move down to children,” said Rebecca Burns, associate executive director of the organization.
Unlike last year’s live auction, this year’s event will have a silent auction with donated items ranging from $40 to $1,500, Burns said. There also will be a feature auction for donated items more than $1,500. Some of those items include a UF football signed by UF’s Heisman Trophy winners Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow; a vacation to the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas; and guitars signed by Tom Petty and Brad Paisley.
Burns estimates between 1,200 to 1,500 people will attend the event, which will have music, Polynesian cuisine and casino games.
Last year’s event raised almost $250,000, Burns said.
Tickets for the event are $150 and can be purchased at the Stop! office, located at 2622 NW 43rd St., online at stopchildrenscancer.org or at the front door the night of the event. Corporate tables, which seat 10, are $1,500.
