New Heights GameChangers Ball 2023
October 2023. New York City, Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center
Empire was honored to partner again with New Heights, a non-profit sports-based youth development and educational organization, to produce their 7th annual GameChangers Ball on Thursday, October 26, 2023. The gala took place at the home of New Heights, Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The venue features a variety of sports facilities, classrooms, offices, and community spaces.
The gala kicked off with a cocktail reception and live DJ set by Jon Blak, the official DJ for NY Jets. Upon arrival, guests were treated to signature cocktails sponsored by Farmer’s Organic Gin and Michter’s and were invited to pose with friends at a custom built 3D photo booth.
At the close of the reception, attendees were ushered by New Heights volunteers into the basketball court which transformed into a ballroom for a seated dinner. To highlight the basketball hoops and New Height’s mission in helping student-athletes to grow, Empire presented a new stage design featuring a floral arrangement growing out of the basketball hoops.
The program started with an opening performance on the balcony by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter J. Hoard, who sang a cover of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.” Following the show, Chairman of the Board Mark Patricof and New Heights Executive Director Ted Smith greeted attendees from the stage and invited speakers, alumni, and award recipients to join them in sharing how New Heights has positively impacted their lives, the community, and beyond. After a successful live auction led by Auctioneer Pat Tully, the program concluded with honoring Mark Attanasio, the Chairman of the Milwaukee Brewers, with the GameChanger Award.
Working closely with New Heights, Empire served as the overall event producer, managing elements including venue, catering, décor, programming, and technical production. Empire is a leading producer of fundraising events and has been proud to serve leading not-for-profit organizations and foundations for over three decades.