Eat For A Cause!

We all love a good meal, right?

Good Friday morning, Sara Celi here.

I know I love food, especially good food, and on Sunday there is a chance to try some of Cincinnati's best while helping out the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A few folks are hosting an Up and Coming Cincinnati Chefs Dinner in Indian Hill, with all the money raised going to this worthy cause. It's a four course meal with beer and wine pairings. And don't let me forget the canapes to start the evening!

You can't beat that, right?

Right now, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is in the middle of it's Finest Young Professionals fundraising push. Basically, a number of nominees are raising money for the foundation and vying for the title of Finest Young Professional. They only have two weeks left for this campaign, which has been going on since June. Each nominee must raise a minimum of $2500 for the foundation. Sunday's event helps out the fundraising of some of the nominees.

Personally, I think this is a great place to throw some support. Cystic Fibrosis is a chronic disease that affects about 30 thousand people in the US. Doctors normally diagnose about 1 thousand new cases each year. Unfortunately, there is no cure and most people live to be about 30 before the illness takes their life.

Tickets for Sunday's dinner are $65, and can be purchased here: http://cfspotlightdinner.eventbrite.com/

Hope to see you there!

Not Only in Vegas

I never thought my first Cirque Du Soleil show would take place right around the corner from my house. I thought that was something that only happened in Las Vegas or Orlando.

Sara Celi, here.

I was wrong.

Last night, my good friend Katie Scheidt and I had the pleasure of being in the audience for Cirque Du Soleil's "Alegria" opening night show at the Bank of Kentucky Center. Not only was this my first Cirque show, it was also the first time I had ever been in that new venue.

If you've never had a chance to go to one of the shows, it's hard to describe. There's not really a plot. There's more of a focus on acrobatics, amazing costumes, dancing, and gymnastics. In between the acts, clowns entertain the audience. It's truly an experience.

We were lucky enough to have tickets on the floor level, with seats on the second row. That also made the show so amazing, and I really had a chance to appreciate the amazing venue that is the Bank of Kentucky Center. I really could tell the designers of that event space clearly thought thought acoustics, layout, and performance areas.

"Alegria" is playing for seven more performances at the Bank of Kentucky Center. If you can, check it out!

Join the Fight, Get in the Kitchen

It's hard to miss the epidemic of childhood obesity.

Good Morning, Sara Celi here.

With millions of kids suffering from obesity, the Junior League of Cincinnati decided to take action.

This year, the organization made encouraging healthy living a central theme, and decided to expand on an effort called Kids in the Kitchen. Through Kids in the Kitchen, the Association of Junior Leagues International promotes healthy living, nutrition, exercise, and obesity awareness. More than 200 Leagues across the country joined in the national effort.

The Cincinnati chapter decided to take those ideas and expand on them greatly. Throughout the last few months, the league has worked on several healthy living projects and tried to promote diet, nutrition, and exercise through the region.

But it's all culminating in this weekend's event.

The Junior League of Cincinnati is hosting a Spring Family Festival at UC on Saturday. From 10AM to 2PM, children and their families can visit the recreation center on campus to learn ways to make better lifestyle choices. The event features healthy snacks, cooking demonstrations, yoga classes, face painting, a raffle, gymnastics classes, and much more. The whole idea: be healthy, be active.

Best of all, the event is free! Hope to see you there!

Find out more here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kids-in-the-Kitchen-Junior-League-of-Cincinnati/325704319852#!/event.php?eid=277501484057&index=1

Yes, Haiti is Alive

Good morning, Sara here.

This weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to hostess UC's Haiti Alive Benefit, with proceeds going directly to the Restavek Foundation.

If you haven't yet heard of this wonderful charity, please allow me to tell you more.

The Restavek Foundation raises awareness about children who are in virtual child slavery in Haiti. Even before the devastating earthquake, this wonderful organization had been giving a voice to so many children who would not otherwise be heard. It was founded by Jean-Robert Cadet, an amazing man who overcame his own childhood in slavery. Against all odds, he came to the US, got an education, and has now devoted much of his life to helping others. Cadet lives here in Cincinnati, and travels all over the US to tell people about his experiences and the suffering of these kids.

The Haiti Alive Benefit was a joy for me to emcee. Not only did it educate me more on the proud culture and heritage of Haiti, I truly felt excited to see such a worthy organization being supported by our community. Through the night, we heard songs, poetry, and stories about Haiti. A silent auction also took place, as well as performances by the Cincinnati Black Theater Company and several other local musicians.

I left the night so happy and honored to have been a part of it.

I was even more thrilled when I heard this: at least $10,000 was raised for the foundation!

ABS Gala Provides Money for Worthy Cause

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of hosting the first ever Fundraising Gala for Applied Behavioural Services (ABS). ABS is a Cincinnati school that provides services, therapies, and education to kids with autism and other learning setbacks. The school is small, progressive, and private. Like many other treatments for autism, it can be very expensive. Saturday night's gala was an effort to help defray some of the costs for families that desperately need it. At the end of the night, I was blown away by the support the community and Cincinnatians offered this worthy organization. More than 250 people packed the banquet hall at Molloy's on the Green in Greenhills for five hours on Saturday night. A live auction, silent auction, performances by the local band ChaseLounge, and a video documentary about ABS's wonderful students highlighted the evening. At the end of the night, more than $25,000 had been raised for the school's tuition foundation. What a great thing!