PHILANTHROPY
PARTY AT THE MALNIKS'
Nancy and Al Malnik, who Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida Lifetime Benefactors held their annual Garden Party on Sunday, April 26, 2015. This was a privately held affair at their Palm Beach County oceanfront property. The event celebrated the 21st anniversary of the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball, taking place on November 7, 2015.
Shareef Malnik, Gala Chairman and owner of The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar, revealed this year’s theme will celebrate the mystical world of Mythology. In 2014, the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball was able to raise a record high of $2.5 million, which helped grant 500 wishes to children.
In the event’s 20 years, the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball has been able to grant over 3,500 wishes, and raise $16.8 million. The extrordianry gift of $1 million dollars, which remains the single largest contribution to Make-A-Wish Southern Florida is from the Malnik family. As the Ball Founder, 20-Year Partner and In-Kind Donor of Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, the InterContinental Miami is more than just a location, and continues to play a vital role in the planning and implementation of the Ball.
Notable event attendees included, Robert Hill, Gala Host and InterContinental® Miami General Manager, with wife Breda Hill; Norman Wedderburn, CEO and President of Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida; actress and filmmaker Gabrielle Anwar, who has graced the InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball stage for the past five years as celebrity host; Maxwell Blandford, Vice President of The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar; Adriana De Moura, star of “The Real Housewives of Miami,” with husband Frederic Marq; television personalities Fabian Basabe and James Davis; and Miami socialites Linda Levy-Goldberg, Danny and Meryl Weiss, and Alison Zhuk.
Additional attendees included Chairman’s Society Members Geert-Jan and Joyce Bakker, Robin Levinson, Todd and Kim Glaser, and Richard Polidori; Make-A-Wish Southern Florida Board of Directors Jamie Elias, Jill Johns and Jodi Siravo; InterContinental Miami executives Mike Kovensky, Director of Sales and Marketing; Christine Corson, Director of PR and Marketing; and Hugh Anderson, Regional Director of Operations for IHG Florida and wife Sheila Anderson.
The amazing event featured music by Timothee Lovelock, who is a one-of-a-kind violinist and DJ, as well as tasty bites, refreshing bubbly. The event concluded with a beautiful and whole-hearted speech by Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida wish recipient Ian Sallee. He wished to take a family trip to Naples, Italy and it was granted in September 2014. This event did not only change his life, but that of his family’s, forever.
ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH® SOUTHERN FLORIDA – Since 1983, Make-A-Wish Southern Florida has been able to grant more than 10,000 wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions to enhance the human experience with hope, strength, and happiness. The nonprofit organization aids families in Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Okeechobee counties and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It receives no federal or state funding and raises money to grant wishes through corporate sponsorships, special events, foundation grants, and individual contributions. The Southern Florida chapter grants a wish every 16 hours, every day of the year, at an average cost of $5,000. For more information, to make a donation, volunteer or refer a child, contact Make-A-Wish at (888) 773-WISH or log on to www.sfla.wish.org.