Promise to postpone Diamond Royale fundraising event; directs focus on virtual Ping-Pong Palooza fundraiser

BREVARD COUNTY — Due to the current influx of Covid-19 cases in the Brevard County area, Promise has made the difficult decision to postpone its Diamond Royale fundraising event, which was scheduled for Sept. 17, 2021. Promise was in the final planning stages of the fundraiser, which took a one-year hiatus in 2020 due to Covid following a successful inaugural event in 2019, when the decision was made.

“With 99 percent of the planning complete for Diamond Royale, which transforms Audi Melbourne into a Las Vegas-style casino with games, entertainment and topnotch food and drinks, we have announced our decision to reschedule Diamond Royale,” said Jeff Kiel, president and CEO of Promise in Brevard. “Fundraising is a life blood for nonprofits; however, no event is worth putting the health of supporters, volunteers, vendors and staff at risk by bringing together hundreds of people in an indoor setting at this time.”

While a new date for Diamond Royale has not yet been selected, Mr. Kiel said it would be announced soon and will most likely be in early 2022.

Promise will now turn its attention to its next scheduled fundraiser, Promise Ping-Pong Palooza, presented by Whittaker Cooper Financial Group. With similar crowd concerns in late 2020, Promise created this unique and highly popular outdoor fundraising event last year, which allowed for limited in-person attendance combined with the ability to attend virtually.

Scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., ticket holders will once again have the opportunity to watch live as up to 1,000 numbered ping-pong balls are dropped from a Brevard County Fire Rescue ladder truck onto seven targets on the field at West Melbourne Community Park. The ticket holder whose ball lands closest to the center target will win $10,000, while the ball landing closest to the six outer targets will each win $1,000 cash. The

ball drop, featuring drone footage, will be live streamed at 1 p.m. and shown via the Promise website and Promise Facebook page.

If conditions allow, the event will also include an in-person element, featuring a Kids’ Zone, family-friendly inflatable obstacle course, life-sized field games, corporate corn hole challenge, live music and more.

Ticket sales are already going fast and can be purchased directly by visiting www.promiseinbrevard.com or scanning the QR code on the attached flier. Sponsorship packages are also available. For more information, please contact Donna McWilliams, Director of Development for Promise, at (321) 722-7400, Ext. 103.

“While we are, of course, disappointed in having to postpone Diamond Royale once again, we are doing our best to make lemonade out of lemons, and allowing our events team to focus their efforts on hosting another fun and safe fundraiser for our supporters to enjoy,” Mr. Kiel said. “First and foremost, we are committed to our overall focus on securing the future of our 125 residents with special needs, and support from the community is critical as we work to fulfill that mission.”

###

About Promise, Inc.

Established in 2009, Promise is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to provide affordable, independent housing for individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities utilizing public and private partnerships to develop a model community. Located in West Melbourne, Florida, Promise in Brevard provides affordable housing, on-site amenities, vocational training & employment opportunities and an extensive resident community program for 125 individuals with special needs.

For more information about Promise and its mission of providing opportunities for individuals

with special needs, please visit www.promiseinbrevard.com or watch this video:

https://youtu.be/IH5inD1cSdY .