The annual fundraiser for The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment will be 6 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 14, at beautiful Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables. “Peace, Harmony and Moonlight” will be as delightful as the name implies, with live music, tram rides through the moonlit garden, and the company of good friends.
In addition to enjoying a delicious dinner, attendees can bid on more than 100 items at a silent auction.
Grace Carricarte, auction chair, called the auction items “a wonderful collection of exciting things such as trips, jewelry, wine baskets, spa services, Heat tickets, and much more. It’s amazing that every year our committee comes up with such a broad array of goodies.”
Honorary co-chairs of the event are Ken O’Keefe, Jason Stephens and Karyn Cunningham. Last year, some 300 people attended Peace,
Harmony and Moonlight and a record crowd is expected this year. Tickets are $175 and can be purchased by contacting the Institute at 786-662-5210 or they can be purchased directly at www.melissainstitute.org.
The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment is a nonprofit organization with a mission to prevent violence and promote safer communities through education and application of research-based knowledge. The Institute was established to honor the memory of Melissa Aptman, who was murdered on May 5, 1995. Lynn Aptman, Melissa’s mother, currently is president, and Susan Keeley, PhD, is president-emeritus. They, along with Michael Aptman, MD, Melissa’s father, founded the Institute.
