Third Annual Audi Best Buddies Palm
Beach Gala, Presented by Mark Edward
Partners, Raises More than Half A
Million Dollars For Best Buddies
International
Palm Beach, FL – March 22, 2011
– Nearly 300 people attended the
Third Annual Audi Palm Beach Gala,
presented by Mark Edward Partners,
at the breathtaking Mar-A-Lago on
Friday, March 18. The Gala raised
$550,000 in total donations for Best
Buddies International, a vibrant
organization founded in 1989 by
Anthony Kennedy Shriver to
establish a global volunteer movement
that creates opportunities for
one-to-one friendships, integrated
employment and leadership development
for people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities.
Mark E. Freitas
and Thomas C. Quick served as
Co-Chairs, Donald J. Trump
served as International Honorary
Chairman and Diana & Llwyd
Ecclestone served as Honorary Chairs
of the event.
The Gala drew out many notables
from Palm Beach – and beyond – including
Louis Aguirre, Juan Bollini, Allison &
Chip Brady, Lynda & Bill Foster,
Florence D’Urso, Dottie & Bill Fauerbach,
Mary & Mark Freitas, Marc & Melissa
Ganzi, Arij Gasiunasen, George Hamilton,
Michelle & Howard Kessler, Christina &
George Lindemann, Jose Olle, Tatiana &
Campion Platt, Lois Pope, Alina &
Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Donald Soffer,
Nic Roldan, Susan & Dom Telesco, Becca
Cason & John Thrash, Thomas C. Quick,
and Richard Ziegelasch.
The Gala included a pool-side
cocktail hour featuring GREY GOOSE
libations, a gourmet dinner, and a
lively auction, which featured fabulous
items such as an
incredible cultured pearl necklace,
Kentucky Derby box seats, tickets to the
Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, six
luxury box seats to any New York Yankees
home game, and a private polo lesson
with Nic Roldan.
Additional highlights of the evening
included an inspiring speech by Buddy
Ambassador Rachel Lipke, a
special presentation, during which
Montblanc announced a $100,000
donation to Best Buddies as part of its
“11 Days of Giving” campaign, and a
performance by Michael
McDonald.
Gala
sponsors included Audi, Mark
Edward Partners, A.R.T. Fine
Jewelry & Art, Chartis,
the Quick Family, Michele &
Howard Kessler, Arij Gasiunasen,
Niche Media, Patrick Park,
Tatiana & Campion Platt, FIJI
Water, GREY GOOSE,
Montblanc, the Frankino Foundation,
Mr. & Mrs. K. Alexis Mersentes II,
and Mr. & Mrs. Thorn Rosenthal.
The festivities continued on Saturday,
March 19, when the
Audi US Polo Team,
which is currently ranked 4th
in the World Polo Tour standing, hosted
the Audi Best Buddies Polo
Experience at its home-base, the
Grand Champions Polo Club in
Wellington.
During this event, Best Buddies
participants were introduced to mallet
and horse techniques by some of the
world’s greatest polo players, including
Gonzalito Pieres, Nico Pieres,
Rodrigo Andrade, Nachi Heguy, Lolo
Castagnola, and Juan Bollini,
and Audi US Polo Team patrons Marc &
Melissa Ganzi. Best Buddies Founder
and Chairman Anthony Kennedy Shriver
and other notables, including “Deco
Drive” Anchor Louis Aguirre, also
saddled-up to create a unique experience
for the Buddies and raise awareness for
the organization. Afterwards, each of
the participants received a trophy and
plaque to commemorate the occasion.
Photos of the Gala
are available at:
http://lcphotostore.com.instaproofs.com/enterEvent.php?id=349908
or
http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====489796&nbc1=1.
Photos of the Polo
Experience are available at:
http://www.wireimage.com/ItemListings.aspx?igi=489803&nbc1=1.
For additional information, please
contact:
Heather Schatz
(305-374-2233,
ext.207 or heatherschatz@bestbuddies.org)
.
About Best Buddies International:
Best Buddies® is a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization dedicated to
establishing a global volunteer movement
that creates opportunities for
one-to-one friendships, integrated
employment and leadership development
for people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities.
Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver,
Best Buddies is a vibrant organization
that has grown from one original chapter
to almost 1,500 middle school, high
school, and college chapters
worldwide. Today, Best Buddies’ seven
formal programs – Colleges, High
Schools, Middle Schools, Citizens,
e-Buddies® , Jobs and
Ambassadors – engage
participants in each of the 50 states
and in 50 countries, positively
impacting the lives of nearly 700,000
people with and without disabilities
around the world. As a result of their
involvement with Best Buddies, people
with intellectual and
developmental disabilities secure
rewarding jobs, live on their own,
become inspirational leaders, and make
lifelong friendships. For more
information, please visit
www.bestbuddies.org.
About Audi:
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S.
dealers offer a full line of
German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI
AG is among the most successful luxury
automotive brands globally. During 2010
Audi was the top performing luxury brand
in Europe, and broke all-time company
sales records in the U.S. Over the next
few years, AUDI AG will invest nearly
$16 billion on new products and
technologies. Visit
www.audiusa.com or
www.audiusanews.com for more
information regarding Audi vehicle and
business issues.