(West Palm Beach) – Jim Belushi would
have been proud. The scene at Pioneer Plaza Green
on Saturday night was straight out of Animal House
as nearly 300 guests rushed for the Center for
Creative Education’s Over the Big Top event. Set
under the stars, the fraternity-inspired Over the
Big Top Goes Greek event offered the perfect
opportunity for guests to dress the part, wearing
their sorority and fraternity letters and college
colors – all to raise funds for the educational and
artistic programming offered through CCE.
CCE is a not-for-profit educational
organization that supports partnerships among
schools, arts and cultural organizations, artists,
community-based organizations, and human service
providers. CCE artists integrate the arts into
academic curriculum and after school activities in
Palm Beach County to help students learn in fun,
creative ways. CCE will open its Kluge Center for
Creative Education in fall 2009 – allowing for
on-site creative education in the arts for all ages.
Pledging to support CCE, guests were
hazed with dinner and dancing the night away to
Sultans of Swing, generously underwritten by the
event’s Grand Sponsor, Dr. Daniel Kapp – as well as
a surprise halftime performance by Jim Belushi and
Dan Akroyd look-a-likes, The Blues Brothers,
underwritten by the Private Client Group at National
City. Capturing the moment in a fun digital photo
booth, guests created artistically silly pictures.
The jocks in the group jumped into inflatable Sumo
wrestling suits and dueled in the ring. Mixologists
from Atlantico Rum created signature daiquiris for
the evening and Palm Beach Proper Vodka had an ice
luge.
Pausing from the fun, event chairmen
Susie Dwinell, Blair Griffin and Keith Williams
thanked guests, sponsors and supporters. Raising
additional fund for CCE programming, nominations
were taken at five dollars per vote for the night’s
Homecoming King and Queen. Beau Breckenridge and
Colleen Orrico were crowned and posed for photos in
a vintage convertible from Chariots of Palm Beach.
“CCE is a ‘creative’ organization so
we do our best to reflect this in everything we do,
including our events,” said Tom Pilecki, executive
director for CCE. “We are grateful for the support
and generosity of our chairs, committee and sponsors
who made this event another memorable one. With the
opening of our new Kluge Center for Creative
Education, it is critical that we keep the momentum
going through the season.”
Sponsors for the event were Atlantico
Rum; Tricia Callahan Burt; Botanica Landscaping;
Brown Distributing; Gina Borman; C. Orrico; Casa
Ceramica; Chariots of Palm Beach; Vicki Halmos; Dr.
Daniel Kapp; Emilio Pucci; Kenn Karakul; Karyn and
Kevin Lamb; Knapp Kitchens & More, LLC; Livingston
Builders; M. Perry Design, Inc.; Mario Nievera
Design Inc.; Michele and Craig Millard; Pam and Brad
Miller; National City Private Client Group; Neiman
Marcus, Palm Beach; Palm Beach Proper Vodka;
Pistache French Bistro; Megan and Ryan Quinn; Mr.
Tom Quick; Ralph Lauren, Bal Harbor; Spark PR &
Events; and Wittman Building Group.
Over the Big Top Goes
Greek committee members were Katie Alexander,
Whitney Baldwin, Beau Breckenridge, Jackie
Breckenridge, Diane Buhler, Jan Coniglio, Gita
Costa, Paige Crawford, Shannon Curley, Merrill Debbs,
Aime Dunstan, David Ghysels, Charlie Kappler,
Christina Keogh, Patrick Killian, Amy Lagae, Karen
Lamb, Kevin Lamb, Helene Lorentzen, Mia Matthews,
Ross Meltzer, Jordann Miller, Rick Moeser, Colleen
Orrico, Diana Perry, Chad Renfro, Amy Royster, Missy
Savage, Liza Smith, Alex Snyder, Rena Toppe, Scott
Velozo and
Penny Williams.
For more information on
CCE, please call
(561) 805-9927 or visit
www.cceflorida.org