Runway to Runway Casino Night guests try their skill at the casino games. (Photo courtesy of Sheila Yantis Norkis)
Kalel Martinez is greeted by Disney friends. (Photo courtesy of Sheila Yantis Norkis)
(Back Row L-R): Rodney Pete Watson, James McKinstry, Dickie Noles, Michelle Briehler, Michael Briehler, (Middle Row L-R): Kara Forsythe, Valerie Lopenzina, Cathy DiCostanzo, Pat Colavita, Christine Tentilucci (Front Row L-R): Laurel Reid, Susan Fanning, Kalel Martinez and his mom. (photo courtesy of Susan Fanning)ends. (Photo courtesy of Sheila Yantis Norkis)
PEAC Health and Fitness raised more than $22,000 for the Mercer County Chapter of the Sunshine Foundation at its sixth annual Runway to Runway event April 20.
Proceeds are set to benefit the Sunshine Foundation’s annual Dreamlift program, which transports more than 100 children with special needs from the National Guard Facility near the Trenton/Mercer Airport to Orlando, Fla. for a day at Walt Disney World. Dreamlift was scheduled to take flight on May 7.
Since 2008, PEAC Health and Fitness has raised more than $150,000 for the program.
PEAC’s Runway to Runway event was casino themed. Attendees played blackjack, roulette, craps and and entered raffles. Among the prizes were a 51” TV, new bicycle, Kindle Fire and $500 Visa gift card.
Members of Kappa Delta and the women’s soccer team from The College of New Jersey volunteered their time to serve the evening’s fare catered by Cugino’s Italian Specialties. Ritchie and Page Distributing of Robbinsville donated a selection of craft beers and R&R Marketing of Trenton donated wine.
PEAC’s special guest of the evening was four-year-old Kalel Martinez, who is physically handicapped and was selected to attend this year’s Dreamlift.
“His smiling presence at the event was heartwarming, and he was thrilled to see the Disney characters up close” Runway to Runway chairperson Laurel Reid said in a statement, “this is the reason we do this.”
Former professional athletes Bobby Jackson and James McKinstry of the New York Jets, Dickie Noles of the Philadelphia Phillies and Rodney Pete Watson of the Cincinnati Bengals attended the fundraiser. They mingled, signed autographs and took pictures with Runway to Runway attendees.
More information is online at sunshinefoundation.org and peachealthfitness.com.
