36th Annual Greater Miami & The Keys Red Cross Ball


The Greater Miami & The Keys Chapter of the American Red Cross honored Iberia-American pop music icon, Chayanne at its 36th Annual Red Cross Ball, “A Masquerade in Red”, on Saturday, April 7th at the Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Miami. Chayanne, a long-time volunteer and member of the Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet, was presented with the Crystal Cross Award, which honors celebrities and entertainment partners who have shown exemplary support of and service to the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross.
Chayanne has been advocating for the importance of blood donation for many years, and most recently, following the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria in his native Puerto Rico, has been incredibly active with the disaster relief efforts.
This year’s ball was chaired by Ana and Cecil Milton alongside Philanthropic Chairs Swanee and Paul DiMare and celebrated the life-saving services provided by the Red Cross in South Florida. Almost 400 guests were in attendance, sporting their finest red attire and ornate masks in keeping with the theme, “A Masquerade in Red.” Guests were treated to the sweet sounds of Soul Survivors amid spectacular decor imagined by Lori M Productions. The evening’s program and auction featured a wine wall sponsored by Bob Dickinson and curated by the Red Cross Ball committee, spectacular cruises by Norwegian Cruise Lines and Oceania Cruises, and VIP tickets to the Miami Marlins and the Miami Heat spectacular, among dozens of other fabulous items.
Andrea Hanley & Bob Dickinson
Amanda Altman, Dax Bello, Michele Reese and Vicki Rueda
Jorge Luis & Marile Lopez, Trish & Dan Bell
Swanee DiMare, Trish & Dan Bell and Ana Veiga Milton
Julia Bianchi and Ana Veiga Milton
Edward & Christina Joyce
Ani & Arturo Hernandez, Norma Echarte and Mariela Geigel
Joanne Nowlin, Cecil & Ana Milton, Paul & Swanee DiMare and Emily Borababy
Scott & Michelle Shuffield
Libby Witherspoon, Maria Elena Villamil, Danet Linares, Matt Haggman
John & Daiana Diez
Yolanda & Gene Schaefer
Janine & Dax Bello and Sari & Michael Levine
David Duckenfield, Ana Veiga Milton, Danet Linares and Matt Haggman
Debbie Campbell, Rita Wilder, Stacy Briggle
Bronwyn Miller, Elysze Held, Lesli Brown
Cindy Roa, Fayne Basto, Veronica Majano and Tiffany Landis
Cecil Milton, Joanne Nowlin, Chayanne and Ana Veiga Milton
Alec Milton, Jessica Younis, Diana, Ana, Cecil Milton, Jenn Mori, Eric Milton
Augusto & Mary Maxwell and Steve & Ruth Marcus
Cerise Sutton, Santra, Emily Borababy
Trish & Dan Bell
Cecil Milton, Joanne Nowlin, Chayanne, Ana Veiga Milton, Paul & Swanee DiMare and Emily Borababy
Norma Echarte, Linda Levy Goldberg, Lesli Brown and Bronwyn Miller
Cecil & Ana Milton and Chayanne
Terry Buoniconti, Linda Levy Goldberg and Mimi Shafey
AR, Marile, Jorge Luis, Annia Lopez
Victoria Villalba, Vicky Rueda
Josie Wang, Bronwyn Miller, Maria Elena Villamil, Silvia Trinidad, Carolina Tundidor
Bronwyn Miller and Lesli Brown
Robert Crapsey, Jacqueline Coleman, Nick Karpinski, Priscilla Rettig, Andrew McDowell
Mime with nurses
Marile & Jorge Lopez
Chayanne with guests
“We are thrilled with the success of our Chapter’s most highly anticipated event of the year,” said ball chair, Ana VeigaMilton. “In addition to honoring Chayanne for his work with the American Red Cross, we were able to raise significant funds to assist with disaster preparedness, response and recovery programs and services, continuing the chapter’s tradition and commitment to the Greater Miami & The Keys Chapter.”
Following the reception, the Greater Miami & The Keys Chapter of the American Red Cross hosted their very first Young Professionals Party in Red, where more than 120 of South Florida young professionals “crashed” the party donning crimson ball gowns and mingled over music and cocktails.
This year’s Ball Committee members include: Amanda Altman, Trish Bell, A. Dax Bello, Julia Bianchi, Stacy Briggle, Paula Brockway, Leslie Brown, Teresa Buoniconti, Debbie Campbell, Pamela W. Cole, Leatrice Damus, Gloria Danovitz, Swanee DiMare, Norma Echarte, Nelly Farra, Linda Levy Goldberg, Carolyn E. Hicks, Jean B. Jenkins, Marile Lopez, Betty Lopez-Castro, Elena Luca, Ginger Mead, Rita Michel, Maria Cristina Miranda, Jenny Parker, Jeanie Pfleger, Barbara Reese, Michele Reese, Vicki Rueda, Joanie Stringer, Mimi Shafey, Rita Wilder, Libby Witherspoon, Kristine Wenzel and Michele Wiseheart.
The Gala is made possible, in part, by generous sponsors including, the Jose Milton Foundation and Swanee & Paul DiMare.
For more information, visit www.redcross.org.