Voyage to Vegas Casino Night Sets Sail to Provide New Jersey Children With Free Medical Services

The Children’s Healthcare Foundation of South Jersey (CHF) and South Jersey Magazine / SouthJersey.com has their 'sites' set on raising tens of thousands of dollars for children with no health insurance through 'Voyage to Vegas: 4th Casino Night/Auction Gala,' on Friday, October 28, 2005, at the Mansion on Main Street, Voorhees, New Jersey.

(PRWEB) September 24, 2005 -- The Children’s Healthcare Foundation of South Jersey (CHF), and host sponsors Mednet Healthcare Technologies, Inc. and Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper University Hospital, has their “sites” set on raising tens of thousands of dollars for children with no health insurance through “Voyage to Vegas: 4th Casino Night/Auction Gala,” on Friday, October 28, 2005, at the Mansion on Main Street, Voorhees, New Jersey. “Voyage” will “dress up” the Mansion in the styling of three famous Las Vegas casinos - the Luxor, Treasure Island and the Golden Nugget. Festivities include themed food, open bar, silent auction, raffles, live entertainment, check presentations, celebrity guests and more. Doors open at 6:30pm for the VIP pre-party, and 7:30pm for general admission.

“Voyage” will “dress up” the Mansion in the styling of three famous Las Vegas casinos - the Luxor, Treasure Island and the Golden Nugget. Festivities include themed hors d'oeuvres, desserts, specialty drinks, open bar, silent auction, raffles, live entertainment, check presentations, celebrity guests and more.

“Casino night transports audiences to three grand casinos – where you can strike it rich on a gold rush in our version of the 'Golden Nugget,' sail the high seas for buried treasure in our 'Treasure Island,' or discover the mysteries of Egypt in our version of the 'Luxor,'” said Executive Director Kory Michael Aversa. “Voyage across different times and lands for themed foods, entertainment and prizes – and help us bring critical medical and vision services to children who have no health insurance, no financial means and no where else to turn – children right here in South Jersey.”

ChildrensSong of New Jersey performs during the VIP preview party, at 7pm and 7:25pm. Their mission is to provide quality music instruction with the goal of attaining the highest level of artistic excellence in choral music performance. Recent performances include the Kimmel Center, Atlantic City Convention Center, and Canterbury Cathedral. Nyla, from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, will perform traditional bellydance at 7:15pm and 8:15pm, with walk-around performances between 7:30pm and 9:15pm. Her unique style reflects great emotion, characteristic of the dances of Central Asia. Nyla teaches and performs regularly throughout South Jersey and Philadelphia. Wrangler Rick performs authentic rope tricks and gun twirling between 7;15pm and 10:15pm.

Other live entertainment throughout the entire evening will include music by Frederick Hart Entertainment, pirate caricature portraits by Barbara Thornton..Art, take-home photographs inside an authentic western jail, and casino games, including poker, black jack, roulette, craps and slots.

Celebrity guests will include media chairpersons WXTU’s Leigh Richards and Joe Bisicchia, Host of CN8’s “Comcast Newsmakers.” Richards and Bisicchia will present beneficiaries with grant awards, and meet and greet guests.

Prizes to be awarded or sold in the auction include the grand prize of a golf/ski weekend for the family at a choice of destinations around the United States, as well as a seven day/six night stay in Keystone Colorado, jewelry, Disney on Ice tickets, tickets in the Comcast SportsNet suite for the Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Flyers tickets, and more. A complete list of auction items is available at www.childrenshealthcaresj.org.

Since 1986, more than $500,000 has been awarded by the CHF in grants, programs and services. Proceeds from “Voyage” benefit general CHF programs and services, as well as grants to the Pediatric Healthcare Outreach Program (HOP) and Camden Eye Center's “Sight First for Kids.” The Clinic, in association with Cooper University Hospital, is a free pediatric clinic supported by volunteer medical students and pediatric attendings/ residents of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of Camden. It is the only clinic of its type in the area to provide pediatric care free-of-charge to those in Camden without health insurance. The clinic provides not only healthcare, but also medications. The CHF is the primary financial collaborator.

The “Sight First for Kids” program is a comprehensive program for children up to eighteen years old. Free eye care services, examinations, treatments and prescription eye wear are provided for eligible children from underserved, low income and uninsured families in Camden City, Camden County and surrounding areas.

“Voyage to Vegas!” is presented by the CHF, with support from major sponsors: Acorn Dental Associates, PA; the Children's Regional Hospital at Cooper University Hospital, Bob Meyer Communities, and the Linda M. & Peter M. Jr. Musumeci Foundation. In-kind support is being provided by the Mansion on Main Street, Whole Foods Market, South Jersey Magazine/ SouthJersey.com , The Theme Factory, and YoungProfessionalEvents.com . “Voyage to Vegas” is being organized by chairperson Beth A. Baird, Timesavers Concierge, LLC.

Tickets are $75, or $100 for the event, preview VIP party and souvenir. Young professional tickets are available for those 32 and under, and cost $65. Ticket and ad forms are available by visiting www.childrenshealthcaresj.org or calling Executive Director Kory Michael Aversa at (856) 983-3308.

A "VIP Two Hour Open Bar Benefit and Voyage to Vegas Preview Party Mixer" will benefit the Foundation at L'Hexagone Bar & Lounge (now called Queue Restaurant and Bar), 1718 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA on Friday, October 21, 2005, from 9:30pm - 11:30pm. Admission is $15 for two hours of open bar, themed drinks, light snacks and DJ's. Advance reservations and guest list are available at 856-983-3308. Two tickets to "Voyage to Vegas" will be given away during the preview party, and all guests who attend will be discounted five dollars off their admission to the main event.

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