Foundation’s Finest Gala set for Oct. 23 in Argenta
About 30 young professionals are raising money for the Arkansas Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and competing for the Todd Miles Award, which will be given to the top fundraiser at the foundation’s Finest Gala on Oct. 23.
Alisha Curtis, a former Todd Miles Award winner, is chairing this year’s event. She was also chairwoman of last year’s event that was eventually canceled due to covid-19. “We planned and planned and planned, up until we couldn’t plan anymore,” she explains about last year’s canceled event.
Because of the difficult fundraising year, Curtis says, it was decided to combine the two largest annual events that Cystic Fibrosis has in Arkansas — Taste of the Finest and the Breath of Life Gala. “So we have combined the two, and now it’s the Finest Gala.”
“We’re going to have a gala under the stars at the Argenta Plaza this year,” she says, explaining they can’t have the event indoors. There are other changes, too. Instead of a cocktail hour, guests will be escorted to their tables — decorated with flower arrangements by Tanarah Luxe Floral — where they can enjoy a champagne toast.
About 500 guests are expected at the gala for the seated dinner catered by Vibrant Occasions and a program that includes honoring Annie Norris with the Breath of Life Award and the young professionals for the fundraising efforts. Entertainment will be by the Rodney Block Collective. The program will also feature Cystic Fibrosis ambassadors, 8-year-old Crosby Smith and his parents Lance and Carmen Smith.
“Anne and Mike Preston will be our emcees for the evening,” Curtis says. “They were the 2018 Breath of Life honorees, and they’re actually the reason that I’m involved today.”
She explains that Anne is her best friend and Mike is her boss at the Arkansas Department of Commerce. Curtis is chief of communications and legislative affairs for the department. “I’ve been doing that for over two years now. I handle media and branding
and legislative affairs for the department.” Previously, she served as an executive assistant to Gov. Asa Hutchinson and was director of special projects and economic development liaison.
She says that in 2017 the Prestons were expecting a child and both are carriers of a cystic fibrosis gene. “So the baby had a 25% chance of having the disease.”
The Prestons become involved in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “They asked if I wanted to be involved and I became involved right then in 2017.” She says the child did not inherit the gene, but the Prestons have remained involved in the foundation.
Curtis says cystic fibrosis is basically a genetic disease. “It affects the lung functioning and over time makes it hard for a person to breathe. What this organization does with their partnerships … is that they fund studies and they do research.”
Bethany Howell, development director with the Arkansas Chapter, says some of the cutting-edge research includes using gene editing for possible DNA transplants. She says that the foundation also pays for patient services.
“We have care centers, different ones throughout the country in hospitals,” Howell says. “They can get grants from us for specialized care for people with CF. We also have a program called Compass, that people — if you either have CF or are a care provider — can call and get assistance in different areas.”
“We have 300 people or so in the state with cystic fibrosis and the life expectancy has gone up years, even since I’ve been involved. I think now that age is 35 to 40,” Curtis adds.
“In comparison, when we were founded in 1955, children with CF lived to be about 5 years old, so it’s just a huge drastic difference,” Howell says.
Honorees and committee members have already raised more than $150,000. More is expected to be raised at the event.
“One of the cool things is that most everyone stayed on,” says Curtis about the honorees and last year’s canceled event. “You know it’s hard to raise money right now, and people have a lot going on. For these honorees to stay committed two years in a row is just remarkable. So I salute them.”
This year, they’ve prepared several contingency plans for the gala, from getting a tent if rain is predicted to going virtual and having people pick up their meals. But Howell says, rain or shine, there will be an event.
Tickets to The Finest Gala on Oct. 23 at Argenta Plaza are $250. Visit finest.cff.org/ LRfinestgala for more information, to purchase tickets and to see the honorees.