The Mayor’s Gala raises $45,000 to fund programs for people with special needs

   The 2024 Mayor’s Gala with the theme “Last Night in Paris” brought French flair and black tie to the Miami Lakes Hotel on Main on Sept. 28 and raised $44,612 for the town’s Special Needs Advisory Board. Vida Custom Designs donated an additional $530, amounts announced during the Oct. 29 council meeting.      

     Residents danced, sipped drinks and bid in auctions for art created by students. The Special Needs Advisory Board works with the mayor’s office to present the event and develop programs to serve the community. The annual bash funds Arts for Autism dance therapy classes; the Autism Animation course; non-contact karate training and donations to local organizations such as GiGi’s Playhouse, for kids with Down syndrome. Sponsors included The Graham Companies; Miller Market; Town of Miami Lakes; Fantasy Designers; Bacardi Rum; The Mayor’s Café; The Law Offices of Stephanie A. Cruz, P.A.; Sun City Strategies; Perdomo Cigars; Vicky Bakery; The Shred Force Corp.; EzRx Pharmacy; Lakes Orthodontics; Floridian Clinical Research; Floridian Health Center; R&L Schuck – CPAs; Specialty Smiles Orthodontics; First Origin Mortgage Lenders; Miami Lakes AutoMall; Titan Wolfpack IT; Nicklaus Children’s Hospital; Glenda Anders; Cuenca Cigars; The Southern Group; 305 Sports; Vivo Real Estate Group, Inc.; Miami-Dade Commissioner Sen. René Garcia; Gastesi Lopez & Mestre, PLLC; Abraham Ruiz; Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce; AC Graphics Digital; Tommy’s Tuxedos; Vida Custom Designs; Layer 8 Solutions; UM-NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities; Vellu Laser; MD Body Shop Inc.; Chela’s Cocteleria; Fla. Sen. Bryan Avila; Carrabba’s Italian Grill; Antigua College International; Lazarito’s Barber Shop; The Barber’s Kave; Sky Source, Inc.; DEX Imaging; The Trelles Cottage; Mindset Connect; The Photo Booth King; Sergio’s Cuban; Academica; Birrificio Angelo Poretti; draftPros, Inc.; GEMRT Accounting; Gani Films; Maker Productions; Cultivate Behavioral Health & Education and Misha’s Cupcakes.

All photos by Tico Casamayor.