The festivities begin at 7 p.m. in a setting of "upscale Western décor," which is apparently not an oxymoron. The event also boasts gourmet food, entertainment by country-and-western singer Craig Morgan, and Mark Schumacher of WPLG-TV (Channel 10) as master of ceremonies. An auction features prizes including a Napa Valley wine excursion, one-of-a-kind artwork created by local children with cancer, and a host of weekend getaways to vacation spots around the country.
Organizers hope the Broward Cattle Barons' Ball will raise $200,000; the nationwide total for the events last year was more than $10 million. This year, part of that total will also come from a West Palm Beach Cattle Barons' Ball, scheduled for March 24. The ball began 28 years ago in Texas, of course.
All proceeds go to a variety of programs, including transportation for cancer patients to and from hospitals, research, doctoral education, guest rooms at Winn-Dixie Hope Lodges for families of patients, medical supplies, and education programs.
With all this good work being done, eating a gourmet meal and having a night out with the upper crust of South Florida almost doesn't seem like a guilty pleasure.
