The Cedar Foundation Charity Ball raised over 100 thousand lev in support of children and young adults with disabilities

Cedar Foundation’s 13th annual Charity Ball – “Once upon a time…”, was held on November 24th 2018 in Sofia Event Center. 100 430 lev were raised throughout the event and the foundation is going to use this amount to support over 100 children and young adults with disabilities, who live in Cedar’s family-type homes in Kazanlak and Kyustendil.

The event was attended by 220 guests, including partners and supporters of the organization, diplomats, representatives of the business and Bulgarian cultural circles.

The Executive Director Alexandrina Dimitrova welcomed the guests by thanking them for their trust and urging them to continue their support for the cause: “Over 100 children and young adults in our homes in Kyustendil and Kazanlak are counting on the Cedar Foundation to feel safe, supported, appreciated and loved. Our team works hard not to let them down, but we also need assistance. Please, join us, so that their fairytale can continue. Because we cannot change these children’s past, but we can influence their future.”

Representatives of the golden sponsors of the Charity Ball also appealed to the guests – Desislava Talyokova, Executive Director of America for Bulgaria Foundation, greeted the guests with Emily Dickinson’s poem “Hope” and urged them to support the cause. David Butts, Managing Partner at CMS Sofia shared that his company has been supporting Cedar for 13 years now and he is proud with the development and achievements of the foundation.

This year’s ball was hosted by the popular Bulgarian actress Silvia Lulcheva; the program of the evening also included HYPNOTIC trio – one of the most successful string formations in the country. During the event, the guests enjoyed more musical performances by Camino Band and in tune with the magical atmosphere of the Ball, Elizabeth Yakimova and Petya Koleva from Arabesque Ballet performed the dance “My path with you” by Angelina Gavrilova’s choreography.

The main part of the evening’s program was the charity auction with collectibles and experiences. The auction was hosted, for a second year in a row, by the professional auctioneer, licensed by the British auction house Christie’s – Preslava Fentham-Fletcher. The most expensive item that was sold this year was a signed t-shirt of the Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale. Among the most desired items were a signed photograph of Lionel Messi, a day with the Bulgarian pop artist Mihaela Fileva, a hand-painted mural by the Bulgarian artist Jo Iyaa, a painting by the famous artist Krastyo Ruynekov, a tennis ball, signed by Grigor Dimitrov and Tsvetana Pironkova, etc.

Two of the guests, who made the largest one-time donation of the evening will have the opportunity to visit and spend one day with the children in the foundation’s family-type homes.

The guests also had the opportunity to participate in a raffle with interesting prizes, like a weekend for two in the Hilton Hamburg Hotel, VIP tickets to Sofia Opera & Ballet, tickets to the Sensory Theatre Sofia, golf vouchers for Pravets Golf & Spa, kindly provided by the event’s sponsors.

Thanks to the golden sponsors – America for Bulgaria Foundation and CMS Sofia and the bronze sponsor – Dundee Precious Metals, all organizational expenses for the evening were covered and the raised funds from the ball will be invested in the care of over 100 children and young adults with disabilities, for which the organization is providing 24-hour care in their family-type homes.

The ball is organized also with the assistance of  Amuse Bouche, Bulgaria Hall, Balkanski Circus, City Stage, Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria, Dabov Specialty Coffee, Diamond Ring, Georgievi Bros. Winemakery Club, iPrint, Jameson, Kreston Bulmar, LZ Yachting, Modica Artisan Chocolates, Mokuso Office Massage, Mrs. Cherry Photography, Music Wine Art House, Novatel, Pravets Golf Club, Sensory Theatre Sofia, Sircrow, Sofia Film Fest, Sofia National Opera and Ballet, Sofia Philharmonic, Tropic fire, Whirlpool, Zagorka.