Miami, FL – March 17, 2018 – The Miami Children’s Museum hosted more than 600 attendees for the 2018 Be A Kid Again Gala “Superheroes: From Fiction to Fantasy,” a world of crime-fighting caped crusaders and villains at Soho Studios! The evening, emceed by Pulitzer Prize winning humorist Dave Barry, raised nearly $1 million to support educational programming with the help of generous donors, sponsors, an extensive silent auction and a high end live auction. This year’s gala was chaired by Jennifer and Gabriel Montoya with Auction Chair Melissa Netkin. Guests felt like a kids again from the moment they entered Soho Studios. Costumed superheroes abounded about as the night kicked off with performances from aerialists, the Miami Children’s Museum Theater Troupe channeling their inner villains and a red carpet experience with image and fashion consultant, Elysze Held. The not to be missed cocktail reception previewed over 200 unique silent auction items including designer handbags, great travel, fine jewelry and rare wines. The main event of the evening was an energetic live auction featuring spectacular items. Among the highest bidders were Board Vice President, Marianne Devine who took home a lease for a Range Rover Velar courtesy of Land Rover North Dade, a division of the Warren Henry Auto Group and Senior Chairman of Greenberg Traurig, Matthew Gorson, won a 6 night stay at the exclusive Thulani Private Villa in South Africa, courtesy of Joanne Young. Adding the Spice to our Superhero themed extravaganza was a taste tempting array of treats provided by Chef David Schwadron Catering and Event Design with a twist, that brought to life all the iconic visions of fantasy and fun. Then there was the after party presented by EFFEN Vodka and chaired by Brittany Sharpton and Brooke Sharpton and hosted by Playmakers, the Museum’s young professionals group. Miami’s most influential emerging professionals joined gala goers on the dance floor with 10-foot LED robots and together they partied into the night.

Premier sponsors included Dr. Brigitt Rok Potamkin and Mr. Alan Potamkin and the Fairholme Foundation, Greenberg Traurig, Jeff and Yolanda Berkowitz, Susan and Richard Lampen & Jackie and Adam Malamed, Jose and Heide Dans, TotalBank, Constance and Mike Fernandez, Northern Trust Bank, Allied Universal, Baptist Health South Florida, Berkowitz Pollack Brant, Rycon Construction, Jennifer and Gabriel Montoya, Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, Academica, Trish and Dan Bell, Carnival Cruise Lines/Carnival Foundation, Jacklyn Taplin Schiffrin and Joshua Schiffrin, CPM, Michael and Jolie Berkowitz & Andrew and Felicia Berkowitz, Watermill Institutional Trading, Miami Marlins, , Bilzin Sumberg, Comras Company / Terra Group, Medina Family Foundation, Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A., Weber Law, Hypower, Inc., Century Risk Advisors, Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP, U. S. Trust, Bank Of America Private Wealth Management and Pam Garrison.

Gabriel & Jennifer Montoya, Erika Koopman, Richard Lampen, Deborah Spiegelman, Gary Reshefsky, Marianne Devine, Scott Wagner, Jeff Berkowitz, Steve Weber, Dan Sachar, Norm Gerstein, Brittany Sharpton, Melissa Netkin, & Jackie Taplin Sciffrin

David Schwadron, Hannah Hausman, Gary Reshefsky, Deborah Spiegelman, Taylor Donahue, Marianne Devine, Robert Berkowitz, Erika Koopman, Scott Wagner, Jennifer Montoya Gabriel Montoya, Tina van der Ven, Brittany Sharpton, Melissa Netkin, Jolie Balado, Danielle Gonzalez, & Brooke Sharpton

Daniella Cabezas, Annie Berkowitz, Jennifer & Gabriel Montoya, Brittany & Brooke Sharpton, & Gina Jamurath

Migna Sanchez-Llorens, Bronwyn Miller, Danielle Gonzalez, Elysze Held, Jen Montoya, Tina van der Ven, & Jolie Balido

Felix Rodriguez, Christine Bandin, David Baillargeon, Alexa Lundeen, Joy Spillis Lundeen, & Scott Lundeen

Yolanda Berkowitz, Elysze Held, & Jeff Berkowitz

Yolanda & Jeff Berkowitz

Yolanda Berkowitz & Elysze Held

Rita & Ron Magill

Melissa Netkin, Brooke & Brittany Sharpton

Melissa Netkin

Jen Montoya & Jolie Balido

Melissa Netkin, Erika Koopman, & Jeff Berkowitz

Alex & Tina Van der Ven, Bronwyn Miller, & Migna Sanchez-Llorens

Susan & Robert Shelley, Margarita & Rick Tonkinson

Jeff Berkowitz, Steven & Virginia Weber, & Deborah Spiegelman

Gino Campodonico & Joseph Quinones

Jolie Balido, Danielle Gonzalez, Aliette H. Carolan, & Martha Valdes-Fauli

Marianne Devine, Sara Mesa, & Birkleigh Walters

Ken Russell & Juliana Benedini

Dave Barry

Jeff Berkowitz

Jeff Berkowitz, Melissa Netkin, & Debbie Spiegelman

Gary Reshefsky, Brittany & Brooke Sharpton, Jeff Berkowitz, & Debbie Spiegelman

Gabriel & Jen Montoya, Manjula Jegasothy, & Stephen Hooper

Gino Campodonico, Jen Montoya, Bronwyn Miller, & Joseph Quinones

Jen Montoya, Bronwyn Miller, Migna Sanchez-Llorens, & Brigid Cech Samole

Jen Montoya & Bronwyn Miller

Jen & Gabriel Montoya

Bridgette, Brooke, & Brittany Sharpton

Deborah Spiegelman, Melissa Netkin, & Jen Montoya

Eduardo & Andrea Delgado, Dori Alvarez, & Juan Carlos Alvarez

GALLERY SLIDER