Showcase Properties Presents An Evening of HOPE

October 22, 2021 @ 4:30PM — November 1, 2021 @ 7:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)

An unveiling of the Horse Fever 20/20 installation of Hope at Showcase Properties of Central Florida, to directly benefit The Ocala Royal Dames for Cancer Research.

Showcase Properties Presents An Evening of HOPE image

There are currently no tickets available for this event, but you can still make a donation.

Share:

HOPE Event Program

4:30 PM Doors Open

Refreshments and Silent Auction, Wine Tasting

5:30 PM Guest Speakers and Unveiling

6:35 PM 50/50 Drawing

6:30 PM Silent Auction Ends


Albert Einstein was perhaps the 20th century’s greatest mind -- a genius, a scientist and scholar, and theoretical physicist whose life’s work was founded in developing the things not seen -- of hope and possibility: “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow”, he once said. While he remained grounded in the practical reality of the here and now, he also believed in and believed in boundless optimism and encouraged the power of hope.

For Showcase Properties and the Ocala Royal Dames, “Hope” is the 1,000 pound fiberglass Horse Fever 20/20 equine at Showcase’s Ocala offices, which will be unveiled and installed during “An Evening of Hope” fundraising event October 22. Proceeds from the evening will directly benefit cancer research helping scientists dedicated to finding a cure in our lifetimes.

“It’s real research that has the potential to save lives,” says Joan Audette, Royal Dames President.

An all-volunteer, all-women organization founded in 1987 by Theresa Castro, the Dames have raised over $4M for cancer research and education. Funds are awarded to carefully screened projects at the University of Florida in Gainesville and the F. Lee Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa. Additional grants of $25,000 per year for two years give young researchers the opportunity to get their foot in the academic door and develop their work; seed money like this has resulted in the development of Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug originally created for treating melanoma. It is now approved for treatment of at least 16 different types of cancer. Research currently being funded includes oral cancer, sarcoma, ovarian and fallopian tube cancers, and Leukemia.

“We’re a small organization, but we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, providing the money needed for treatments like Keytruda,” Audette explains. “Generally we give away about $150,000 a year, and as much as possible of what we raise is earmarked for research grants.”

“An Evening of Hope” will feature a silent auction, wine tasting, and the official unveiling of the equine art piece “Hope”, which is located at the Showcase office building. There will also be photo opportunities with the beautiful, painted equine artwork, which is part of the Ocala Horse Fever 20/20 Installation. Originally slated for 2020, the event was postponed due to the Covid pandemic.