AZ Insider: Local Celebs Help Gala Net $2.1 Million

 
 
 

Kathy Shayna Shocket has the stories on people who make a difference. 

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  About 1,100 guests. Auction items that fetched over $80,000, and priceless passion! 

  The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix’s gala has a very distinct and electrifying spirt!  

 Amidst the loyal turnout of 1,100 guests, the ballroom at the Biltmore swelled with many local Phoenix stars, from the young honorees who’ve  earned star status to shine on stage. . . . to the well-known business and community leaders. At the helm of the high profile committee were Terry McDaniel, CEO of Inventure Foods who was Honorary Chair and  Joanne Solomon, CFO of Amkor Technologies who served as Event Chair. 

(Terry’s pictured above with Youth of the Year winner, Adama Kamara, a refugee from Sierra Leon, and Ralph Marchetta, GM/SVP of US Airways Center.)

Yes, there are the impressive auction items that fetched over $80,000. (Not to mention the trip for 8 to an Itallian villa that sold TWICE for $50,000 each!) But the 12 "Youth of the Year" finalists’ incredible stories of overcoming their obstacles, are the focus of the evening.

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“It tugs at your emotional strings,” says Terry McDaniels of the youth’s accomplishments and the benefits of BGBMP’s unique mentoring and resources.  He’s among those who are involved not only with a growing financial commitment, but on a personal level as well. His wife Lisa McDaniels, for example joined the group of volunteers to help the youth shop for a dress for the gala. 

  It’s a passion fueled evening that added up to raising NET,  $2.1 million..  with an expense ratio of  less than16%.  

Among the live auction items, the 2014 Dodge Viper sold for $85k, the 2015 Chevy Tahoe for $80k. The list of loyal guests and supporters included car dealership king Buzz Sands, entrepreneur John Ames, and Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick. Live Auction Co-Chairs were Jim Bazlen The JAB Trust, retired an  Clarissa Cerda of LifeLock.

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 Kathy Shayna Shocket is a freelance Writer and TV-Field Producer based in Phoenix, AZ. She’s a former TV Reporter who’s also written for national publications such as TIME Magazine, MONEY Magazine, PEOPLE Magazine, the Hollywood Reporter and THE NEW YORK TIMES. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it