More than 600 distinguished guests attended the12^th Annual Ann Storck Center Celebrity Chefs Food Tasting & Auction held recently at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.  More than $430,000 was raised to benefit the organization that is dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities.  The Ann Storck Center (ASC) provides a full range of Residential Services, a Developmental Training Program, Music Therapy, a nationally acclaimed Fine Art Program and a Preschool/ Infant Stimulation Program with Family Support Services to 300 children and adults.

This year’s successful event was chaired by Honorary Board Member, Roz Pearlmutter, and Co-Chaired by Joan Ast, board member of the Broward County Medical Association Alliance.

The evening’s highlights included a speech by second grader Gabi Arbelaez of Cooper City, a former Ann Storck preschool student who took to the stage and told the audience she wanted to be a singer when she grows up.  When she entered Ann Storck at age two, she was unable to eat on her own or speak more than a few words.  However, in three short years she graduated from Ann Storck ready for public kindergarten.  The young Gabi then offered support to a very nervous Christian Vallejos, 5, a 2005 Ann Storck Preschool graduate, who sang “God Bless America.”            

Entertainment for the event featured world-renowned harpist Victor Espinola and his Paraguayan harp. Espinola recently joined famed musician, Yanni, on an international tour.

ASC Board Member Albert Miniaci acted as auctioneer in a live auction for Bids for Kids that raised a total of $100,000.  The auction, which allowed guests to bid to sponsor individual children or an entire class at the Center’s preschool, included several winning double-digit bids.  Phil Morgaman, an Honorary Board Member, bid $24,000, Albert Miniaci, Board Member, bid $12,000 and Joel Hochberg bid $12,000 to sponsor the children.

Gordan Latz served as auctioneer for the remainder of the live auction, which featured vacation packages, jewelry, sports items and 29 autographed guitars donated by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.  The silent auction included more than 100 items.

Ann Storck board member, Max Osceola, a member of the Tribal Council of the Seminole Indians, was presented a framed guitar hand painted by artists of the Center’s Expressive Arts Program.  Chef Jean-Pierre Brehier, who started the event 12 years ago, was honored as well and was presented with a print of “Chef III”, a poster painted by Mindy S., an ASC client.

Twenty-four area chefs and restaurants participated, including Chef Dean James Max, 3030 Ocean, Marriot Harbor Beach; Mr. Anthony Bruno, Anthony’s Runway 84; Chef Christopher Nealon, Aruba Beach Café; Chef Adrian Deacon, Bin 595 Eclectic Grille & Wine Bar; Chef Michael Costello, Bistro 17; Mr. Bob Roth, Bob Roth’s New River Groves; Chef Jon Howe, Brooks Restaurant; Chef Angelo Elia, Casa D’Angelo; Chef Eric Peterson, Gatsby’s; Chef Kenneth Williams, Grill Room on Las Olas; Chef Eve Montella-Smith, Hana Lu Lu Catering Company; Chef Elisa Eliot, In Home Gourmet; Chef Johnny Vinczenca, Johnny V’s; Chef Kevin McCarthy, KM at the Grapevine; Chef Stewart Buchanan, Legal Sea Foods; Chef Nicola Bacchi, Mancini’s; Chef Rino Balzano, Rino’s Tuscan Grill; Chef Abdiel Aleman, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse; Chef Dario Marquez, Samba Room; Mr. and Mrs. Chris Del Campo, Schakolad; Chef Peter Mavraides, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino; Chef Michael Smith, Spazio; Chef Michael Coldrick, Trina; and Chef Dominique Beckers, We Take the Cake.

For more information about the the12^th Annual Ann Storck Center Celebrity Chefs Food Tasting & Auction, please contact
Maria Delegal at (954)584-8000 x349 or via email at mdelegal@ascfl.org