FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                Contact: Carolina Schwarz

                                                                                    Voices For Children Foundation

                                                                                     Tel: 305.324.5678

                                                                                     Email: cschwarz@voices4.org

 

COMMERCEBANK PRESENTED LAHABANA CABARET: A LOUD VOICE FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN IN MIAMI-DADE

 

October 18, 2005-Miami, FL-On Saturday October 15, approximately 1,000 guests gathered to enjoy the musical extravaganza LAHABANA CABARET at the Deauville Beach Resot in Miami Beach. The event to benefit Voices For Children Foundation, the fundraising arm of the 11th Judicial Circuit Guardian Ad Litem Program, raised over $100,000 and served as platform to raise awareness about the plight of abused, abandoned and neglected children in Miami-Dade.

 

The night started shortly after 8 oÕclock, when guests eager to enjoy the exuberance of the recreated Tropicana nightclub arrived in black and white chic. Once the cocktail hour was over, patrons received red carpet treatment into the main ballroom of the hotel, restored to its 1950s glory with palm trees, dancers, swings, and accompanying music. JenCarlos, a rising music star, kicked off the celebration at 10 p.m. and instantly had guest moving to the Latin beats.

 

After JenCarlosÕ performance, TelemundoÕs Ambrosio Hernandez and Maria Montoya, emcees for the event, officially welcomed guests to the glamorous night and spoke eloquently about Voices For Children and the children they serve. Nestor A. Rodriguez, Executive Director of the organization, then took the stage to thank everybody for their support and presented recognition plaques to Commercebank, The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, and Jose Dans and Many Alfonso, producers of LAHABANA CABARET.

 

When the emcees introduced Lucrecia, music filled every corner of the room.  Flown in especially from Spain, the sensational Cuban singer sang classic hits such as Cachita, El Cumbanchero, Besame mucho and Guantanamera. Lucrecia was accompanied by the extraordinary LAHABANA CABARET Big Band under the musical direction of Yainer Horta, who wrote all the musical arrangements for the occasion. The celebration ended in the early hours of the morning and raised much-needed funds and awareness for abused and abandoned children in our community.

 

Voices For Children Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises funds to ensure that every abused and neglected child in Miami-Dade County has a court appointed Guardian Ad Litem and that financial assistance and other resources are available to meet their basic needs. Guardians Ad Litem are trained, court appointed adults who serve as the representative voices for abused and neglected children in juvenile court. The mission

of the Guardian Ad Litem Program is to advocate for the best interest of the children who are abused, neglected and abandoned and who are involved in court proceedings. For more information call 305.324.5678 or visit www.voices4.org. Be a Voice. 

 

 

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LAHABANA CABARET sponsors included Commercebank; Miccosukee Resort & Gaming; HSBC; Bacardi U.S.A.; The Miami Herald; El Nuevo Herald; Mandarin Oriental Miami; SBS Radio; Telemundo T51; Selecta Magazine; De la Pe–a & Associates; Avatar Real Estate Services; American Airlines; Armadillo Sounds; BJÕs Wholesale Club; CITGO; Imagen, The Marketing Agency; JC Productions; Leon Medical Centers; MAJA; Miller Brewing Company; The A Group; Univision Radio; WOW FACTOR; Bank United; Cafˇ La Fama de Amˇrica; Clear Channel; Commercebank Real Estate; Davide Realty; DIAGEO; Diario Las Amˇricas; FPL; General Motors; Genworth Financial; KPMG; Machado Gardia-Serra Publicidad; Mandarin Oriental Miami; Mayda Cisneros Fashions; Perry Ellis International and Stewart De La Vega Group.