Our annual Corks & Forks, hosted by Lear Corporation, was held this past Saturday, February 23, 2019, at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. The sold out crowd enjoyed samples from an exclusive collection of unique wines, tequilas, and scotches, gourmet cuisine, and a live auction emceed by Les Gold from the TV hit series, Hardcore Pawn. The event raised more than $315,000 in support of our students.
The importance of the evening and money raised was underscored by Angelica Tibbitts who gave a moving testimonial about her experience in our program. As a high schooler at Pontiac Academy for excellence, Angelica struggled with homelessness, poverty, depression, and lack of support. With help from her Winning Futures mentor, Tamara Taylor, prototype build engineer at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, she became the first in her family to graduate from high school. Today, she’s a freshman at Saginaw Valley State University where she is studying education and communication.
“Because of Winning Futures, I have the tools and the support to succeed,” said Angelica. “I know that I’m not going to fall between the cracks of poverty and will instead rise above them.”
Frank Orsini, executive vice president and president of seating at Lear Corporation, received the Sam Cupp Impact Award. Established in honor of our founder, Sam Cupp (1947-2012), the award is presented to a business owner or corporate executive for stepping up and making transformational changes in the community.
Next year’s Corks & Forks will be held on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham. Mark your calendars now and contact Julie Rayes at Julie@WinningFutures.org or 586-698-4416 for sponsorship opportunities!