STING Helps raise over $5 Million at the 28th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball

Miami’s premier charity event draws celebrities including Gala Emcee Gabrielle Anwar, Fat Joe, Karolina Kurkova, Alonzo Mourning, Naeem Khan, Romero Britto and more.

Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida and InterContinental® Miami are proud to announce the 28th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball, held on November 4, raised in excess of $5 million, net of expenses – setting a new record for the esteemed event. The glamourous evening was headlined by legendary talent Sting, who performed a private concert for 900 Ball guests.

Actress and filmmaker Gabrielle Anwar made her return for the 12th year as Celebrity Emcee of the Ball, chaired for the 18th year by Anwar’s philanthropist husband Shareef M. Malnik. Notables at the black-tie extravaganza included supermodel Karolina Kurkova and actor husband Archie Drury, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez with wife Gloria Suarez, co-host of ABC’s The View Ana Navarro; Miami HEAT Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning, fashion designer Naeem Khan, artist Romero Britto, and more.

Funds raised from the evening benefited Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida, the non-profit organization which grants life-changing wishes for critically ill children. Guests at the Ball included: Shareef M. Malnik & Gabrielle Anwar; Al & Nancy Malnik; Gala Cohen; Dan Baker & Gladys Taggart; Peter & Tatiana Cancro; Dennis Crowley & Maria Haupert; Eugene & Brooke Frenkel; Ken Gorin; Michael Liebowitz; Joseph Perez; Missy & Barry Skolnick; Richard & Robin Weissman; Judd & Laura Zebersky; Maxwell Blandford; Alex de Armas; Dennis DeGori; Ken DeGori; Kamal Hotchandani; Andre Zotoff; Drs. Ginger & Roger Medel; Hon. Marissa Mendez; Jeff Miller; Belkys Nerey; Lee Brian Schrager; and Jerry Joseph.

The Ball’s unique theme was “OCULUS – Le Sceptre Rose,” transporting guests into a thrilling evening of adventure and intrigue. Conceptualized by Creative Director Maxwell Blandford, the InterContinental® Miami was transformed into the fictional “World Museum of Art | Musée Mondial D’art” – home to the world's largest collection of art and jewels in Paris, including the prized "Le Sceptre Rose," which has gone missing.

Enter "OCULUS," an elite team of spies – a.k.a. Ball attendees – who were tasked with identifying the burglars and returning the masterpiece to its rightful place. The hotel’s entrance and lobby paid homage to iconic spy dramas of the late 50’s and early 60’s, such as Goldfinger and The New Avengers with triumphal 3D columns and archways reminiscent of a vintage pop-up book, with a luminated 10-foot-high marquee that welcomed guests to Ce Soir, Le Bal Make-A-Wish A L’InterContinental Miami Presente OCULUS “Le Sceptre Rose.”

The Ball’s famed silent auction featured luxury merchandise and experiences donated by leading hospitality, entertainment, fashion, and luxury goods brands. The coveted items included an Aston Martin DBX 707 courtesy of THE COLLECTION and a glistening array of pristine jewels from Ammrada for Ball attendees to bid on.

Performers masquerading as secret agents guided attendees into the Grand Ballroom for dinner service. Choreographed by Ruddy Sanchez of New Century Dance Company, a “museum-heist procession” led guests via a passageway located beneath a “Louvre Pyramid” homage. Lavishly appointed in jewel-tone hues, the ballroom’s tablescapes featured centerpieces of lush red roses, deep purples hydrangea, and champagne roses bursting out of gold candelabras, created by the Ball’s florist, Rick Andrews of Bayfront Floral.

The gourmet dinner menu created by Chef Jhonnatan Contreras included “The Wellington,” a culinary take on the classic dish, using Wagyu beef, forest mushroom paté, truffle cheddar, and cabernet truffle demi-glace. Dessert was the showstopper “The Stolen Rose,” an exquisite rose-shaped work of art composed of caramel chocolate mousse atop a hazelnut brownie, coated in a bold pink rhubarb coulis.

Mr. and Mrs. Malnik – aka Shareef and Gabrielle – kicked off the ballroom festivities with their "dramatic moment," a long-standing Ball tradition. This year, the dynamic duo starred in a “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”-inspo video artfully directed and produced by Edward Perez of GE Vision Studios. With the bejeweled crowd thoroughly engaged, world-renowned mentalist Lior Suchard took the stage, astonishing guests with his extraordinary mind-reading skills.

During dinner, “Wish Kid” Libbi was recognized. Diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer at age one, Libbi, now cancer-free, wished to visit Walt Disney World. Libbi’s mother, Stephanie, spoke of the family’s VIP wish experience that exceeded all expectations, courtesy of Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida. Actress and filmmaker Gabrielle Anwar, a Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida Ambassador, hosted her signature Wishes live auction, charming the crowd while raising much-needed funds.

The Ball’s highly anticipated entertainer, presented by the Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation, was Grammy Award-winning megastar Sting, who performed a 45-minute set of his chart-topping hits, including “Englishman in New York” and “Desert Rose,” as well as fan favorites from The Police’s repertoire including “Message in a Bottle” and “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic.” For his final number, Sting engaged the audience and encouraged them to support Make-a-Wish® Southern Florida, closing out the show with “Every Breath You Take” in dedication to the Make-A-Wish® vision.

All guests received a VIP gift bag that included artisanal chocolate truffles by The Fudge Factory; a pair of binoculars and soy wax candle from BetterSwag.com; European skincare ampoules by Babor; gourmet chocolate bars from Hoffman’s Chocolates; stainless steel 28 oz. cocktail shaker from Acopa Tableware; a $500 gift certificate for the Rene Ruiz Collection by Luis Escudero; and aromatic home fragrance in “Chandelier” from Aroma360.

The official after-party, Le Gogo Paris Cabaret: The InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Nightclub presented by E11EVEN Miami, was held immediately following the Ball at InterContinental® Miami and was headlined by multi-platinum-selling artist Fat Joe, who performed a selection of his mega songs for Nightclub guests, including "What's Luv" and "Lean Back."

The Nightclub presented a cabaret featuring the burlesque talents of E11EVEN Theatrics as well as performances by Undercover, AUDIOPIPE, and the nation’s premier U2 tribute band, Joshua Tree.

The 28th Annual InterContinental® Miami Make-A-Wish® Ball has an incredible 28-year history of philanthropy, raising more than $42 million toward granting wishes for children in our community with critical illnesses. 

“We remain profoundly grateful for the unwavering support and generosity of the donors, supporters, and contributors to the InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball. Their dedication enables us to continue making a significant difference in the lives of numerous children battling critical illnesses. For a child facing medical fragility, a wish isn't merely a luxury – it's an essential catalyst for their enhanced physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness.” said Norm Wedderburn, Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida President & CEO.