Super Bowl in Miami: Parties set to help Haiti quake victims

[babylonsister]

During Super Bowl Week, big parties show big heart
As Super Bowl-related parties gear up, many organizers have broadened their focus to helping earthquake victims.

By AUDRA D.S. BURCH
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The circuit of velvet-roped bashes and athlete and celebrity cameos that accompany the Super Bowl this year presents a startling juxtaposition to the tragedy in Haiti.

But event organizers -- sensitive to South Florida's singular relationship with the quake-stricken country -- are hoping to harness and leverage the power of fame to raise funds for the relief and recovery efforts.

``It's the perfect combustible combination. The celebrities can bring attention to a very important cause and the media will cover it,'' says Marc Pollick, founder of The Giving Back Fund, which provides philanthropic management and consulting to professional athletes and entertainers. ``In terms of raising funds, you couldn't have picked a more perfect place for a Super Bowl. Miami has all the elements for successful fundraising.''

Even before the enormous scale of the earthquake in Haiti was fully realized, one lifestyle magazine began planning a fundraising event to help with the relief effort.

From the beginning, one detail was clear: It would be held on South Beach during the week of the Super Bowl, among the greatest concentrations of celebrities, athletes and wallets in one place.

``We put together this art and photography auction, something sophisticated that we could invite high-net worth celebrities and tastemakers to,'' said Marc Lotenberg, the founder and CEO of 944 Media, which publishes a Miami edition. ``Miami is a culturally influenced market with a lot of Haitian ties. And we knew we wanted to take the star power that will be here this week and use it towards a good cause.''

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