Event brought business community together for a cause
By Izzy Kapnick
PALM BEACH GARDENS - A local nonprofit business is building a reputation for supporting local business and promoting charity events.
CityHost411.com recently hosted a toy drive and fundraiser at Aqua Grill at Legacy Place on PGA Boulevard. The event benefited the Holding Hands Foundation, a non-profit group aiming to support local families in need.
CityHost 411.com is a Web site that provides Internet users with local information about events, businesses and services in Palm Beach Gardens. The site's founder, Shawn Verne, pitched his idea to city officials and found an eager participant.
"(CityHost411.com) will really pinpoint anything you need in Gardens, from where to get authentic cuisine, to finding a pharmacy close to you," said Donna Giuliana, Palm Beach Gardens public relations director.
The Web site, which is built on an interactive, user-friendly interface, even includes a "virtual city host,"a digital concierge that pops up onscreen to help guide site visitors through Palm Beach Gardens.
Describing the nonprofit organization, Tom Giuliana, the emcee for the night's event, called it "the new progressive business networking organization."
The backdrop for last Wednesday's charity was the Aqua Grill, a chic restaurant with postmodern furnishings and a steel-tinged bathroom that looks like it belongs on a spaceship.
Mark Orttel, manager and co-owner of the restaurant, ran frantically from the kitchen to the bar, and up and down a mysterious metallic stairwell, making sure guests were pleased with the food and service.
Between his responsibilities he expressed his satisfaction with the cause.
"Not only is (this event) great for our business, it's great for families in need."
The toy drive gathered a few dozen unwrapped gifts to be donated to disadvantaged children in the area. Guests deposited their donation into three large red bins at the front of the sleek seafood restaurant.
Many attendees were members of the local business community who've partnered with CityHost411 in an effort to promote local business.
CityHost411.com helps bolster local business by providing easy online access to local listings and events in Palm Beach Gardens. They also host and organize charity events through which businesses can gain much- needed exposure in the hyper-competitive PGA corridor. The business selects a charity of choice, and CityHost411 promotes the gathering through radio, newspaper and Internet advertising.
Access CityHost 411 through The City of Palm Beach Gardens Official website http://pbgfl.com, click on the right side under Virtual City Host.