SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2022
www.thefinleyproject.org
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Discover more at AdventHealthforWomen.com.
Event Program Saturday, July 23, 2022
GALA 5:30–9:45 p.m.
REGISTRATION 5:30–6:30 p.m.
OPENING RECEPTION 5:30–6:30 p.m.
AUCTION 5:30–8:45 p.m.
DINNER & PROGRAM 6:30–9:45 p.m.
AUCTION WINNERS NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL 8:45 p.m.
"WINE-FOR-A-YEAR" WINNER ANNOUNCED 9:45 p.m.
AUCTION CHECKOUT 9:45 p.m. Check out our AMAZING Auction! The Auction will close at 8:45 p.m.! Be sure to check out and see if you won then!!! Winners will collect their baskets at the end of the program around 9:45 p.m. Scan the QR Code to see the items!
Guest Speaker NOAH SMITH & TAYLOR GATHYE Taylor and Noah have been together for four and a half years and recently were engaged to be married. Taylor has a 10-year-old son, Cameron, and together they had Benjamin. They also recently welcomed their rainbow baby, Wyatt, in February of this year. Taylor was born in Alabama and moved to Florida as a young child and considers Central Florida her home. Noah was born in Virginia, but lived in the Apopka/Altamonte Springs area for many years. Noah attended and graduated from Florida State University and is now a partner in a successful recruiting firm in Maitland. Taylor was working as a Paralegal in a Family Law Firm, but has recently taken some time off to stay home with their newest addition, Wyatt. They came to know The Finley Project in January 2020 after the death of their baby boy, Benjamin.
Event Host
NICK ROTONDO With over 30 years of experience in the entertainment and balloon artistry industry, Nick Rotondo, aka "Nick the Balloonatic," has twisted balloons all over the world. Nick has been featured on television shows, including The Meredith Vieira Show and others. His “zany, wildly funny, compassionate beyond compare, basically indescribable” personality is how the Howard Beach, NY Forum Newspaper described him. Since 1968, when he was just seven years old, he has dedicated his life to finding ways to bring smiles, laughter, fascination, and love to people all over the world with his inflatable creations and entertaining, outgoing personality. We are honored to call Nick a friend of The Finley Project and thrilled to have him help us CELEBRATE life and hope through laughter this evening.
Happy Birthday TO OUR LITTLE ONES
CHRISTOPHER ARROYO
DEXTER BURNETT
NOVA BALLINGTON
CJ CARMONA
Cassandra Arroyo August 20, 2021
Tara Bush July 12, 2021
Brittani Allison July 28, 2021
Kasey Carmona February 15, 2021
EMMA KATE BILSKIE
SEBASTIAN CASTRO
SAWYER BLANKE
GRAHAM CUCCIONILLI
STELLA BLANKENSHIP
AMARI DAVIS
NOAH BOUMAN
DWAYNE FRAZIER
ZOE BOWMAN
DAISY GARRETT
LAITH BRICE
REYA GRIBBIN-MORENO
HAZEL & VIOLET BRYDEN
MAXINE HAGEN
Lauren Bilskie July 27, 2021
Rachel Blanke July 1, 2021
Erika Blankenship July 15, 2021
Andrea Bouman August 6, 2021
Mary-Alice Bowman August 17, 2021
Nuriman Faris August 24, 2021
Catherine Bryden August 29, 2021
Stephanie Castro November 21, 2021
Jenna Cuccionilli July 16, 2021
Wendy Amimo August 6, 2021
Gabriela Frazier August 3, 2021
Amanda Garrett July 15, 2021
Alison Gribbin July 3, 2021
Alexandria Hagen August 14, 2021
Happy Birthday TO OUR LITTLE ONES
ARLO HOLLIDAY
TAYLOR MCBROOM
Nicole Holliday August 26, 2021
Katie Savannah McBroom December 6, 2021
ZYAIRE HUDSON
JAMES MCCORMACK
SOPHIE JANNETTA
BABY MILLEMAN
JONAH & GABRIEL JARRELL
EZEKIEL RAMOS MORALES
ALEXANDER LEVY
JUNIPER MORIN
Shanté Hudson July 12, 2021
Dexomia Livia June 5, 2021
Kelsey Fusco June 30, 2021
Kelly McCormack August 11, 2021
Ashton Milleman February 10, 2022
Arilyn Morales December 31, 2021
Amina Levy July 17, 2021
Jacquina Morin September 27, 2021
SOLVEIG LUCAS
AUSTIN MOSS
LEVI LYNCH
ATABEYRA MOTA
WARREN MATTER
NIYANI NIXON
Taylor Barcelow February 15, 2021
Joanna Lynch October 13, 2021
Krystie Moss June 28, 2021
Kasandra Mota September 3, 2021
Taylar Caysonis June 5, 2021
Nitasha Jones September 1, 2021
ALFIE MAYS
ALICE OWNBY
Haley Mays September 8, 2021
Amy Ownby April 22, 2021
Happy Birthday TO OUR LITTLE ONES
ROWAN PERUYERA
MILES TETRAULT
BENJAMIN PHELPS
AVA VAN HORN
ASHER PRENDERGAST
SUTTON WALKER
TREMAINE RIVERS
AMOS WEBB
AMELIA ROMERO
CYRUS WELLS
Giselle Peruyera June 22, 2021
Olivia Phelps April 23, 2021
Kelsey Prendergast May 3, 2021
Jacie Severance April 28, 2021
Elizabeth Martinez July 16, 2021
ADELAIDE RUDDELL Amelia Ruddell April 12, 2021
BLAKE SCHEIDEGGER Melissa Hunter December 25, 2020
JAIDYN SMITH Tierra Ravenell May 22, 2021
JAMISON SMUTKO Nakachia Murphy August 11, 2021
Alyssa Tetrault July 29, 2021
Vanessa Mazurek May 6, 2021
Lindsey Wham April 11, 2021
Stacia Webb May 1, 2021
Alyssa Dipirro September 26, 2021
Thank You to
o Our Sponsors
PHOTO BOOTH SPONSOR
BLESSING WEEKEND SPONSOR
INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS
IN-KIND SPONSORS
Dr. Joshua & Natalie Eisenhut Amina Levy Bruce & Chris Kavenagh Alex Zanazanian Dr. Eric & Kathryn Wiepert Dr. Kyle & Marie Crofoot Luis & Breanna Echavarria The McCully Family and the Jeep Club of Oviedo
Orlando Party Rentals Auction Angels Our DJ Rocks Fairbanks Florist Alfond Inn Art Faulkner Photography
A SPECIAL THANK YOU THOSE THAT DONATED TO OUR AUCTION Simply Shelby Photography John Craig The Primrose Shop Total Wine The Monroe Prato The Parkview Arabella Tuni Innisbrook Universal Studios Fun Spot Orlando Orlando Science Center Massage Envy Altamonte Springs Morse Museum The Grey Orchid All Fired Up Rifle Paper Co. Through the Looking Glass Charyli
Shooz Clementine The Grove UCF Antonella's Pizzeria Tugboat and The Bird The Monroe The Imperial New General The Alfond Inn Wyndham Orlando Resort I-Drive Hannibal’s on the Square The Axe Hole Green Vine Meals Catering and Meal Prep Service Lawn Fairies Yard Cards The Bar Method Winter Park Spaulding Family Chiropractic Boca Restaurant Breaking Barre Oviedo
…..AND MANY MORE!!!!!!!
Be sure to post your gala photos on social media using
#finleygala
Pediatrix® Medical Group is a proud sponsor of The Finley Project Annual Celebration of Life Gala.
pediatrix.com
CHERISHED PRINTS is an online boutique specializing in made-to-order and bespoke funeral and memorial stationery. Our mission is to help the grieving celebrate their loved ones through design, service excellence, and compassion. www.cherished-prints.com • 386-463-0143
TIMELESS, CURATED, AND BESPOKE INTERIORS
IS PROUD TO SUPPORT
The
FINLEY
A full service boutique interior design firm specializing in residential interiors
BESSIE SEELEY FOUNDER + PRINCIPAL DESIGNER 407-630-1223
PROJECT
CELEBRATION OF LIFE GALA
GRAY-ROBINSON.COM 407.843.8880
919 Orange Avenue, Suite 102, Winter Park, FL 32789 www.kardiniainteriordesign.com Connect with us @kardiniainteriordesign
Upcoming Events
Join PRS in support of The Finley Project for a day of golf! ALL golf tournament proceeds will be donated back to The Finley Project. This fun day will be held November 5, 2022 at Wekiva Golf Course. Please contact Noah Smith at nsmith@prs-jobs.com to sign up!
LOVE POKER? Want to give back and enjoy a fun night out? Join The Finley Project this fall for the "2nd Annual Funds for Finley Poker Tournament." This event will be held in Winter Park on November 10, 2022. To learn more, email Noelle at noelle.moore@thefinleyproject.org.
A letter to a little boy... Dear Everett, I want to tell you a story about an angel named Finley. She was a beautiful baby girl who was born just a few months after you were. She was bigger than you when she was born (just about every baby we know was) and her mommy and daddy were in love with her from the start. She had a light dusting of brown hair and the cutest little sausage toes anyone had ever seen. Her eyes were a clear crystal blue, just like her mommy’s, but instead of being wide open and full of wonder, Finley’s eyes were closed. She was very sick when she was born and we were all so worried about her. She didn’t sleep in a regular crib like you did, she had to sleep in a special bed with lots of wires, beeping noises and blinking lights. Her mommy and daddy just wanted to grab her up, kiss her face and rock her to sleep but they couldn’t, and it broke their hearts. I got to meet her when she was one day old and I just melted when I saw her. She looked so peaceful and perfect. She reminded me so much of you and how you looked when you were teeny tiny. You and dad were there that day, too. You wore a onesie made just for Finley and cheered her on as you explored the hospital downstairs with dad while I was falling in love with that precious baby girl upstairs. I knew she was special from the start, but I just didn’t realize how special she would become. Baby Finley stayed in the hospital for a few weeks longer after that visit and although she was fighting her hardest, she didn’t get any better. Her mommy and daddy did everything in their power to help her, but nothing seemed to work. She had an amazing doctor and precious nurses who loved her just as much as we did, but they couldn’t help her either. One day, after weeks of sadness, Finley took one last breath and said goodbye to all of us. She went to sleep in her daddy’s arms, holding her mommy’s hand and was finally at peace. There would be no more poking or prodding, only dancing among the clouds like the beautiful ballerina that she was. I want you to know that Finley not only changed the whole world, she changed our world. She taught people how to love again. She taught me how to savor every minuscule moment and not to sweat the small stuff, because in the end it really is all small stuff, and she showed your daddy how lucky he is to have a baby boy as amazing as you. In honor of Finley, we promise to never take any moment with you for granted and will love you with every part of our being each and every day. Just like Finley’s mommy and daddy loved her. You are our heart. Love, Mom
(Written by: Lane Alexander, A close friend of Noelle, 2013)
OUR MISSION The Finley Project is committed to providing care for mothers who have experienced the unimaginable - the loss of an infant. Our devoted team provides a lifeline for mothers in the minutes, hours and days after infant loss through a 7-Part Holistic Program that supports each mother physically, emotionally and spiritually at no financial cost to them.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, PLEASE MAKE YOUR DONATION!