Inaugural Carmel Gala raises $60,000 for Carmel Youth Assistance Program

Thanks to generous sponsors and community support, the inaugural Carmel Gala, Design Bright Futures, was a big success for the Carmel Youth Assistance Program (CYAP), which will receive $60,000 in donations from the sold-out event held on May 6 at the Ritz Charles.

The funds will go directly to CYAP, an organization that provides support services for Carmel’s at-risk youth and families. Nearly 350 attendees raised the $60,000 through sponsorships, a silent auction and a live donation request on behalf of a new initiative, the first ever Carmel Summer Lunch Program.

“We want to thank everyone who came to the event or who has otherwise supported this important effort in our community,” said Mayor Jim Brainard, who served as the Honorary Chair of the event. “We have done a lot in Carmel to help the next generation thrive in education, the arts, health and well-being. We can do more and we must continue to reach out to children who are at risk of falling through the cracks of society. This is why we started the Carmel Youth Assistance Program.”

Plans are under way for next year’s Carmel Gala, set for April 2018. Stay tuned for a future announcement with more details.

Special thanks also goes to CBS4 Indy news anchor and Carmel resident, Debby Knox, who served as the emcee for the Gala, which featured an elegant dinner and After Party with live entertainment, a photo booth and interactive games like jumbo Jenga and puzzle building. This event would not have been possible without these generous sponsors:

Naming Sponsors: $5,000

City of Carmel

Hylant

United Consulting

Gold Sponsors $2,500

Allied Solutions, LLC

American StructurePoint, Inc.

Carmel City Council

HWC Engineering

Krieg DeVault LLP

Legacy Fund

Merchants Bank of Indiana

National Chimney

Old Town Design Group

Somerset CPAs and Advisors

St. Vincent Hospital

Strada Education Network

Wessler Engineering

Silver Sponsors $1,000

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Church, Church, Hittle, + Antrim

CNO Financial Group, Inc.

Doug & Jayne Ann Wilson

DWA Healthcare Communications Group

Eli & Katie Moffett

F.C. Tucker Company

First Internet Bank

First Merchants Bank

Gary Nance Design/McKenzie Homes

ICC Floors

Joe’s Butcher Shop and Fish Market

Kevin Johnson

Northside ENT

Parkside Animal Hospital

Prime Carwash / Herff Jones

Rangeline Chiropractic

Verizon

Wilhelm Construction

In-Kind Sponsors

Adam Grubb Productions

Artist Development Company

Carmel Monthly

Kuzee Design

Media Factory

Ritz Charles

Wilkinson Brothers

ABOUT THE CARMEL YOUTH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

CYAP is affiliated with the larger Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program. Its goal is to reach at-risk children through family assistance, tutoring and mentoring programs, providing services to family and youth to enrich their lives. More details about CYAP and Carmel Gala can be found at www.CarmelGala.org.