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DELRAY BEACH, FL - Over 150 business leaders and
corporate execs from all over South Florida and beyond came
together Wednesday, December 3rd in
the renowned Cathedral Room at the Boca Raton Resort & Club
for the second Havana
Nights. This
high-stakes poker tournament raised over $570,000 for the
Achievement Centers for Children & Families and seven other
Palm Beach County nonprofit partners.
Presented by Kolter | Kast Construction, the Cuban themed
evening featured a cocktail reception, professional poker
tournament facilitated by the esteemed Casino Party Nights
Florida, gourmet dinner stations, drinks and the much
enjoyed indieSWIM women’s fashion show with hair and makeup
by Naked Hair Salon – all in support of 8 worthy charities
serving Palm Beach County.
Ambitious and hopeful players left the game with nothing
more than slightly bruised egos, but were still in good
spirits knowing their support made a difference in the lives
of children, families, and veterans as well as individuals
at end of life or in medical need throughout our community.
With a combination of skill and luck, the top ten players
made it to the final championship table. The competition
intensified and five players remained. As the rounds
continued well beyond midnight, a unanimous decision was
made to split the winnings with four of the five winners
taking home $2,000 and the remaining $10,000 in prize money
being donated back to the charities.
“The level of sponsor support for this year’s event
completely exceeded our hopes. Collectively, from small
business owners to large corporations, the impact the
sponsors have made in our area is significant,” stated
Abigail Goodwin, Executive Director of the Achievement
Centers Foundation, “The vision for this event truly comes
from the leadership at Kolter|Kast Construction. Their
commitment to making a difference in the community is
evident not only by underwriting the entire event, but
through the efforts they and their teams put into raising
sponsorship funds.”
This premiere event was made possible with the commitment of
more than 80 companies in South Florida that went all-in,
particularly the top sponsors including Kolter | Kast
Construction, Gunster Law Firm, MT Scapes and Regions Bank.
“I came up with the concept two years ago because we wanted
to do something memorable. So we created a charity poker
tournament and made it spectacular. This year our event was
the hardest poker tournament to get in to as it quickly sold
out,” said Bobby Julien, CEO of Kolter Group and Chairman of
the Operational Board of the Achievement Centers for
Children & Families. “The real pay-off comes when we get to
see the charitable results from what we raised.”
“We were honored to play a role in this incredible event
that benefited so many important non-profits. Our business
deals with building strong foundations, so it’s wonderful to
support organizations that are building strong charity
foundations,” said Michael Neal, President of KAST
Construction Company.
ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENT CENTERS: The Achievement Centers for
Children & Families is a community based social services
organization that provides a safe, nurturing environment for
children facing the highest risk of poverty, abuse,
abandonment or neglect. The Center’s mission is to ensure
school readiness, provide skill building opportunities,
promote academic achievement and support healthy lifestyles.
Their award-winning services and nationally accredited
programs serve over 800 children and 500 adults. Services
include toddler, preschool, afterschool, teen and family
programs. For more information visit
www.AchievementCentersFL.org
BENFITING CHARITIES: Achievement Centers for Children &
Families, Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity Palm
Beach County, Hospice by the Sea Foundation & Hospice of
Palm Beach County Foundation, Jewish Federation of Palm
Beach County, Place of Hope, Quantum House and Renewal
Coalition.
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