Friends and Neighbors: Switchboard bachelor auction to highlight 2013 success story

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Switchboard of Miami will host its Singles for Switchboard Bachelor Auction, which will gather more than 400 women looking for a chance at love and a date with one of Miami’s 30 most handsome and accomplished bachelors.

And all for the good cause of helping raise funds for the Miami-based nonprofit—the area’s leading provider of telephone counseling, information, referrals, mental health and crisis intervention services.

Now in its fifth year, the bachelor auction has built relationships and friendships among participants and raised thousands of dollars. The upcoming event is set for 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Feb. 12 at the Conrad Miami Hotel on Brickell Avenue.

The Switchboard of Miami’s Bachelor Auction Host Committee, in partnership with Brickell Magazine, invites Miami’s bachelorettes to purchase tickets and join in this unique event. There also will be cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, music and prizes.

At the 2013 event, several matches were made including that of Brock Metcalf and Catalina Rueda, whose love is still growing after Metcalf took the stage with a teddy bear for his winning bidder. His gesture touched Rueda, who raised her paddle and won the date. And later, his heart.

“It was truly a memorable experience that turned out to be a great success for the organization and for us personally,” Rueda said in a release. “A beautiful philanthropist paid good money for an eligible bachelor that night, and we are still together today. We still joke about how we met in such a unique way!”

Stephanie Grosman, chairwoman of the host committee, said she is grateful for the way Miami’s community has helped this good cause in such a fun way.

“We are awed by the way the Singles for Switchboard Bachelor Auction has evolved over the past five years into one of Miami’s most popular fundraising events. Our event offers eligible bachelors the opportunity to donate their time toward a great cause, while offering professional women the opportunity to donate much-needed funds to Switchboard of Miami.”

This year, she said, the event includes a chic, gala after-party style event complete with a DJ and dancing late into the evening.

“This year, our guests will get more than ever before when they come for the bidding and stay for the bash,” Grosman said.

Tickets are $75 if you register online and $85 at the door. To purchase tickets and learn more, visit singlesforswitchboard.org and the event’s Facebook page.

FEEDING SOUTH FLORIDA 5K

Register now for the Feeding South Florida sixth annual Outrun Hunger 5K Walk/Run set for March 12. Each registration fee equals at least 150 meals for the needy in our community.

The event will be held 7-10 a.m. at Charnow Park, 300 Connecticut St., and will run along the acclaimed Hollywood Beach Broadwalk and beach area in Hollywood.

Funds collected will help Feeding South Florida achieve its mission: “to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through innovative programming and education.”

Join as an individual or as a team. Medals will be given for the top three places in each age category and for overall best times. To register and learn more, visit http://feedingsouthflorida.org/event/6th-annual-outrun-hunger-5k/ You can also create a customized fundraising page on the site.

Event sponsorships are available. For more, contact Arelis Ferro, Feeding South Florida special events coordinator, at aferro@feedingsouthflorida.org or 954-518-1835.

“Outrun Hunger is a fun and easy way to make a difference in the lives of many South Floridians facing hunger,” said Feeding South Florida President and CEO Paco Vélez in a release. “As the sole Feeding America™ food bank serving South Florida, Feeding South Florida is the largest and most efficient food bank in South Florida. For every $1 donated to Feeding South Florida, we can provide six meals or $12 worth of grocery products. That’s because it costs us only about 13 cents to move a pound of food.”

Registration is $25 per person until Feb. 12. It goes up to $30 per person, equaling 180 meals, from Feb. 13-March 11. On race day, the fee is $35 per person or 210 meals.

The entry fee includes an official Outrun Hunger 5K T-shirt, a gift bag and online time tracking. For more, visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org or call 954-518-1818.

HELP TRACK HOMELESS YOUTH

In Miami-Dade County, too many young people try to survive without a permanent place to live. Many have been kicked out of their family homes, or are unable to pay rent, or have been rejected because of their sexual orientation, or suffer from addiction, or are newly released from a juvenile or prison facility. Many seek temporary, and sometimes, dangerous shelter solutions.

A collaborative effort of over 20 local organizations is seeking help to gather key information related to health issues, education, housing situations and more to better serve these homeless teens.

The iCount Miami has launched a 10-day online survey that targets youth who are at risk or currently experiencing homelessness. The confidential survey is available online at http://icountmiami.com/

If you know, or are, someone 13 to 24 years old who needs help, take the survey. Organizers of iCount Miami want to help but they need to understand what is needed and for whom.

The survey is ongoing through Jan. 31. Youth may also complete the survey by calling 2-1-1 or texting “iCount” to 898211.

WLRN REPORTER IS GUEST SPEAKER

February is World Understanding Month for Rotary and the Rotary Club of Miami Dadeland-Pinecrest will host WLRN Americas reporter Tim Padgett at the breakfast meeting on Feb. 9. Padgett will talk about “Cuba Today.”

This group meets for breakfast every month on the second and fourth Tuesday, 7:30-8:30 a.m., at the Dadeland Marriott Hotel, 9090 S. Dadeland Blvd. Comprised of professionals and business executives who live and/or work in the Kendall/Pinecrest area, the Rotary Club of Miami Dadeland-Pinecrest meets to discuss community service projects and hear an interesting speaker.

On Feb. 23 Jeff Green, FBI Community Outreach Coordinator, will be the club’s speaker. He will talk about “Emerging Crime & Security Threats in the Miami Area.” And upcoming on March 9, Miami-Dade County Judge Steve Leifman, whose topic is “Give People with Mental Illness Treatment, Not a Jail Cell,” will visit the club.

The Rotary Club is conducting its Winter Membership Drive. The club is looking for members to fill the open classifications of journalist, dentist, veterinarian, optometrist, chiropractor, psychologist, publicist, computer tech, security service, plumber, printer, architect and several physician and lawyer subclassifications.

Contact Howard Horowitz, 786-346-6661, or hhtheman@yahoo.com, or Ron Lieberman, 305-613-6744 or miamilawyr@gmail.com.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 3:08 PM with the headline "Friends and Neighbors: Switchboard bachelor auction to highlight 2013 success story."