Patrick Rugiero (back row right), executive director of Roman Village Restaurant Group and event chairman, with his extended family.
Beaumonth Health’s 13th annual Red Tie Ball Oct. 6 at the Motor City Casino in Detroit raised more than $432,000 to support the Children’s Center for Exceptional Families at Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn.
Beaumont CEF offers diagnostic clinic and comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment services — physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, social work, psychology and dietitian services — and an Autism Evaluation Center with comprehensive and focused, center-based applied behavioral analysis treatment.
Patrick Rugiero, executive director of Roman Village Restaurant Group, led the fundraising committee.
Guests, numbering 450, dressed in their finest and, of course, many wore a red tie.
During the evening’s presentation, several CEF patients and their families were recognized as champions for their therapy achievements – overcoming obstacles and serving as inspiration for a number of successful accomplishments. Patients included 4-year-old Gabriel Arnold; Taryn Boller, 9, of Trenton; Alyssa Patrias, 21, of Taylor; and Luay Alsiadi, 19, of Hamtramck.
Silent and live auctions were an important part of the evening. A total of 77 items were auctioned off raising almost $57,000 for CEF.
A week’s trip to Perugia, Italy, at the private home of the Rugiero family, was one of the evening’s favorite packages, with two trips actually being awarded. The trips were awarded to Mary Ellen Kochis of Canton Township and Dr. In Kwang Yoon of Dearborn.
The evening ended with an afterglow of desserts in Soundboard and dancing to the popular band 50 Amp Fuse.