22nd annual 50 Finest Gala

When and where: Saturday night at The Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh hotel, Downtown.

#SEENInspiring: The 22nd annual Pittsburgh’s 50 Finest Gala, which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, sold out a week in advance. Over 1,000 people turned out to not only celebrate the Class of 2017 honorees, but also to show their support for the fight against cystic fibrosis. Special guest speaker Heather Hunter received a double lung transplant and spoke to the crowd about winning her fight with CF. The event raised more than $500,000, breaking a national record.

“It’s more than a recordbreaking number to us,” said Lauren Pesce, the chapter’s senior development director. “It’s half a million reasons to keep fighting, half a million reasons to keep raising awareness, half a million reasons why Pittsburgh is the best city in the world. We are truly astonished at how giving this city is, year after year.” Added gala committee Dominic Janidas: “I’ve been involved with the foundation since 2012, starting as an honoree and transitioning into the committee shortly thereafter. It blows me away at how much this program has grown over the years. Each year, the Pittsburgh’s 50 Finest class breaks records and changes lives, and it’s not just a program that people help with once and move on from.. ... The honorees become so closely connected and invested that they become lifelong supporters even after the flash of the camera fades. It’s truly inspiring.”

#SEEN: Emcees Elena LaQuatra and Frank Murgia, Ron and Theresa Bauer, board president Robert Feldman, Carol Israel, Britt and Denise Freund, Alyssa Gerlack, Mike Madden, Nicole Englert, Nate Wadding, Doc Mendelson, executive director Pat Joseph, Justin Davis, Ginger Kutschbach, Dawn Holden, Zach Diberadin,Summer Drummond, Briana White, Morish Wilson and Frank Polito, #SEENBestDressedCouple: Joe Leachko and Brianna Kline.