Former UF first lady, Chris Machen, is raising money for UF’s Baby Gator Child Development Center.
Machen will host Baby Gator’s fourth annual “Building the Love!” fundraiser Feb. 6 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at UF’s University House. The center is hoping to raise $30,000. Tickets will cost $50.
The money will be raised through an auction and will go toward building a preschool playground at Baby Gator, Pamela Pallas, the center’s director, said.
“The funds raised help us provide exceptional care and extras for the children,” she said.
Some of the money raised will also go toward creating outdoor classrooms at the Newell Drive location and renovating concrete and plastic play areas there to have trees, grass, gardens and bike paths, she said.
Machen said she likes raising money for UF’s youngest students.
“I can’t say enough about how wonderful this day care is and how important it is to our university,” Machen said.
Taylor Gurian, a UF marketing sophomore, said she works as a substitute teacher at Baby Gator’s Lake Alice location. She said she sees where the money goes.
“The kids always have a blast on the playground,” the 19-year-old said. “I love seeing the smiles on their faces when it’s time to play outside.”
