WEST PALM BEACH (March 4, 2011) – The Seventh Annual Polo With Pedro event benefitting the YMCA of the Palm Beaches broke records in both attendance and money raised this past Sunday at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The event and prior pre-events raised more than $195,000.00 for the YMCA and launched its new capital campaign to build a much-needed replacement preschool building on the grounds of the YMCA in West Palm Beach.
It was a sold-out event for Polo With Pedro with enthusiastic supporters celebrating the best-attended event in its history. Over 550 people enjoyed brunch, a silent and live auction and after-party, during the Finals of the CV Whitney Cup, hosted by professional polo players Kris Kampsen and Nic Roldan.
“The International Polo Club Palm Beach was honored to be the host venue benefitting the YMCA of The Palm Beaches and all the lives this group touches in our County,” said International Polo Club President of Operations John Wash.
Together with Equestrian Sport Productions’ recent “Great Charity Challenge Competition”, where a team of riders, including Olympic medalist McLain Ward competed to bring the YMCA a prize of $100,000, the YMCA has had a record breaking fundraising season. “A lot of local low income families rely on the YMCA preschool. It is a vital need in the community and right now we cannot provide for them adequately without a building. Our current building was recently condemned. These fundraisers provided an amazing amount of money to kick off our capital campaign for the new building,” said Jacqueline Frost, CEO of the YMCA of the Palm Beaches.
The title sponsor for Polo With Pedro was the Morrison Foundation with Jonathan Cameron-Hayes, H. Loy Anderson III and Marc Ganzi serving as event chairs. Committee members included: Kirsten Braden, John Biondo, Sarah Scheffer Brooke Craig, Frank Frankel, Mike Green, Linda Soper and Arvo Katajisto.
Auction items included: Domodimonti Wines, Canouan Resort, The Breakers Resort, The Ritz Carlton Resort and Eau Spa, Swiss Village Camps, Elite Island Resort, International Polo Club, Chariots of Palm Beach, Maureen Fulgenzi, Frank Frankel.
“The staff of The International Polo Club Catering Company are thrilled to be a part of a record breaking fund raising season for the YMCA. Polo With Pedro has always been a festive occasion and this year’s crowd had more fun than ever. We look forward to continuing the tradition for years to come,” said International Polo Club Catering President/Owner Aaron Menitoff.
Pedro G. Morrison was in the prime of his life when he passed away playing polo, the sport in which he loved to play so much. He was a generous philanthropist and served many years on the board of the YMCA of the Palm Beaches and touched numerous lives through his charitable contributions, most of them geared towards helping children. The event is a tribute to Pedro that began in 2005 to help continue his legacy of caring about others.
The Edwin W. Brown Family YMCA is a full-service branch YMCA that offers membership and programs to the Palm Beach County community. Located in the heart of West Palm Beach on South Congress Avenue just south of Forest Hill Boulevard, the Brown Family YMCA has 17 acres to include a fitness center, a skate park, Preschool and After School care, racquetball courts, group exercise room, an aquatic center and additional space to develop and enhance to include a lake and ball fields.
Everyday the YMCA serves families and individuals of all ages and backgrounds at their facility. A walk through of the branch may find parents smiling because of their infant’s new aquatic survival skills while seniors chat in the hall after their Silver Sneakers class; a 4 year-old learns a new skill in the Preschool while a pair of friends play racquetball; a teen is being cheered on as he tries a new trick on his skateboard, while an adult is offered a spot in the fitness center. Throughout all of our programming the core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are displayed and expected.
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If you would like more information on this topic or to schedule an interview, please call Linda Soper at (561) 835-9057 or email: linda@lindalanemareting.com
All Photos by Lucien Capehart Photography:
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