Virgule Pivoine sandal with satin floral embroidery, Roger Vivier ($1,975). BalHarbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., 305-868-4344
Think you’re being judged by the shoes you wear? Then you must be at the Wine, Women & Shoes event benefiting the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation. No one gets snubbed, and everyone is in attendance to support the mission of offering world-class pediatric medical care in Miami. But at this particular lunch, there are undercover judges peering around and scouting the stilettos in order to, at the afternoon’s end, publicly recognize the pair du jour.
“It’s so much fun, but it’s also an amazing cause,” says Tina Carlo, a committee member and mother of twins who were both treated at the hospital. “This fundraising is essential because it allows the hospital to accomplish amazing things.”
Design house Roger Vivier will be the presenting sponsor for the event chaired by a litany of Miami’s biggest philanthropists. They’ll shop, sip, and strut around the Coral Gables Country Club on Thursday, February 6, starting at 10:30 am. A Champagne reception and designer-soaked shopping extravaganza—where sought-after wines are among the offerings—will be followed by lunch and a highly anticipated Neiman Marcus fashion show.
It’s all to pour proceeds into the foundation so that Miami Children’s Hospital can both build upon its distinctive international standing—it has the largest children’s cancer center in Florida, a Brain Institute treating 45,000 kids each year, and a Congenital Heart Institute with a 98 percent survival rate—and fund treatment of low-income patients, who in turn have access to the same medical care as the Carlo twins.
“We’re fortunate we can pay for medical attention, but we have to think outside ourselves,” says Dan Carlo, managing director of real estate giant Avison Young, who, with wife Tina, experienced firsthand the hospital’s medical and emotional expertise. The specialists there, the Carlos say, not only skillfully treated the boys physically but also put everyone at ease.
“I am struck by the sheer number of patients the hospital treats each year,” says Dan, pointing to the 91,000 emergency room patients, the 419,239 outpatient visits, and 14,360 surgeries performed just last year—and that’s not counting the primary services provided to children in highrisk communities. “We try to add value and add to the momentum because collectively we can make a difference. We’ve built something pretty special, but it requires continuing effort.” For more information, visit mchf.org/events