$1 Million For Heights Foundation And Fort Myers Kids

It was quite an evening. More than $1 Million for Heights Foundation and Fort Myers kids was raised during last night's Love Your Neighbor charity event. The annual fundraiser was held at the Heights Center so patrons could see firsthand where their donations were going.

The Heights Center is in the Harlem Heights community in Fort Myers. It offers education, a safe haven and support for at risk and underserved kids as well as their families. The goal is give these children the resources they need to break the cycle of poverty.

There are so many success stories. It's one of my favorite charities and events because the results are tangible. The Heights Center has been a catalyst to change this entire neighborhood for the better.

Here is a short video with more action from the evening.

The evening began on the rooftop of the Heights Center with cocktail hour and auction preview.

NBC2 News Anchor Kelly Burns was the emcee, I assisted with some of the auction descriptions. One of the items included a wine dinner with Fort Myers beloved Chef Harold Balink. He prepares the food, and I help pair the wines.

There was live entertainment on the rooftop as well. During the auction program, the kids you see at the top of the post sang to the crowd. Kelly asked each what they wanted to be when they graduated, and answers ranged from pediatrician to marine biologist to filmmaker

During dinner, auctioneer Scott Robertson expertly guided philanthropists and attendees to open their wallets and give. The Fund A Need portion raised about $500,000, The rest of the $1 million came from a list of exciting auction lots that included an Eagles concert at The Sphere in Las Vegas, wine trips to Rioja, Spain and Sonomo, and dinners on luxury yachts.

There were five courses of food and wine prepared by Chef Harold. Each was fantastic. The main course was a tender grilled buffalo steak. The wine below, Paydirt, Going For Broke was a juicy red blend that was served with dessert.

That dessert was from famous local chocolatier Norman Love. A longtime supporter of The Heights Foundation, he was in attendance. Look at how pretty it was. A white chocolate mousse heart with fresh raspberry puree. It tasted as good as it looks.

But wait. There is more.

The Heights Foundation is embarking on another huge project raising $42 million for the new Heights Career/Tech Institute. The school will provide certifications and training for dozens of skilled jobs from AC repair to medical coding.

Congratulations on raising $1 Million for Heights Foundation and the kids of Fort Myers.