MAC Raises over $10,000 for Disabled Children, 2nd Fundraiser This Weekend!
More than 130 guests attended a fundraiser hosted by Tyler Green of Business and Finance Consulting (BFC) for MAC Georgia on March 9, at Betsy’s Hotel. The event was supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which matched 100% of contributions. In total, the event raised GEL 35,227 ($13,200). As a result, 27 children with disabilities in Georgia will now receive a new, fitted wheelchair that is right for them.
Multiple musicians contributed to the fun and got the crowd into their dancing shoes. It included Georgia’s Tako Asanidze, who got the party started with some well-balanced classical guitar. Tako was followed by Seattle’s Beau Gordinier, who got the crowd clapping with his Irish bluegrass and folk stories. Turning up the volume, the Double G’s, featuring Sandy Higgs, got the dance floor shaking. Tbilisi’s one and only Paul Rimple and the Natural Born Lovers closed out the night, playing everyone’s blues away.
The night included a presentation by MAC’s CEO, Jeremy Gaskill, who highlighted the needs for specialized pediatric chairs and explained MAC’s efforts to ensure that every person in Georgia receives the chair they need. More information about MAC’s initiative can be found here.
Guests not only enjoyed the music, food, and wine, but also participated in a raffle with more than 45 prizes. Eleven silent auction prizes were donated by local businesses, artists, the Turkish Embassy, as well as the Georgian National Rugby and Hockey teams. The generosity of so many helped make the event a roaring success and exemplified the community’s commitment to support the needs of the vulnerable in Georgia.
Contributing to the event were the following: 9 MTA; Betsy’s Hotel; Chateau Mere; Chateau Mukhrani; Tina Chertova; Esben & Charlotte Emborg; ESTIA; Funicular Restaurant; Georgian National Rugby Team; Georgian National Hockey Team; John Graham; Natela Grigalashvili; Hans Gutbrod; Hangar Bar; Hotels and Preference Hualing; Hummus Bar; Ikorta; Ilja’s Hotel; Marriott Hotels; Metis Restaurant; My Sisters; Paragraph Resort & Spa, Shekvetili; Pipes Burgers; Brianna Quintero; Ronny’s Pizza; Sheraton Metechi Palace; Alice Sherrod; Shumi Winery; Shera Toigombayeva; The Turkish Embassy; Woland’s Speakeasy; Maurice Wolf; Zeiferblat Workspace; and Maria Angelica Zurita.
MISSED OUT OR JUST WANT TO CONTRIBUTE ALL OVER AGAIN?
Metis Cafe-Bar Restaurant is joining the fundraising fun for MAC Georgia, with time running out on the EBRD ‘dollar-for-dollar’ matching offer.
Following the recent success of the Betsy’s event, the Metis gathering will take place at Metis at 19:00 on March 23. 100% of funds raised by the end of March will be matched by the EBRD and go to the purchase of new and fitted wheelchairs.
Metis Restaurant: 8 Shavteli Street, Tbilisi
Date: March 23
Time: 19:00 – 24:00
Entrance: GEL 50 - Includes wine and the following gourmet buffet:
- home-made sausage rolls
- vegetable quiche
- hummus and vegetables
- cheese w/ bread
- smoked herring on black bread toast
- marinated lamb shashlik
- chicken stew
- maroccan style taboule salad
- seasonal fruits
The evening will include a presentation by MAC CEO, Jeremy Gaskill, musical performance by La Courbe Flottante and Beau Gordinier, and an after event dance party featuring songs from the 60s to the noughties.
Please RSVP as seats are limited. For the latest event updates and to register, go here. And remember- every Lari you spend will be automatically doubled by the EBRD to help children in need!
Founded in 2008, MAC Georgia works to transform the lives of the most vulnerable by providing them the services and resources they need to reach their full potential. The right wheelchair, if fitted correctly, can change a child’s life. In many cases it means the difference between health and chronic illness, inclusion and isolation, independence and dependence - in some cases, even life and death. With more than two years of field testing behind them, MAC has identified a number of reasonably priced chairs that are well suited to the realities of Georgia. These wheelchairs range in complexity and will significantly help to improve posture, mitigate secondary complications, and promote a better overall quality of life. MAC has a team of clinicians who are trained to assess and fit children in the right wheelchair. With your help, they will work to ensure that each child in Georgia has access to the support they need.