Selah Freedom is hosting its third annual fundraising event, Light the Path (LTP), which is a celebration of hope and a call to action to end sex trafficking. This year’s event will be held at two locations: Armature Works in Tampa on Tuesday, October 22, and The Westin Sarasota on Thursday, November 14.
Selah Freedom is a nonprofit, anti-human-trafficking organization with the mission to end sex trafficking and bring freedom to individuals who have been exploited. This organization tackles issues on both ends of the spectrum by helping support local victims and survivors through their recovery phases and preventing future young people from becoming victims while providing more awareness about human trafficking to the community.
In addition, Selah Freedom provides the communities of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee, Polk and Pasco counties with an exceptionally adept team of professionals who offer free education and outreach to area schools, law enforcement agencies and partnering nonprofits.
The celebrity guest speaker this year will be Darryl Strawberry, four-time World Series champion, eight-time National League All-Star and two-time cancer survivor.
The goal for these events is to bring together supporters, advocates, survivors and community leaders to shine a light on the issue of human trafficking and raise crucial funds for Selah Freedom’s life-changing programs.
Stacey Efaw, executive director of Selah Freedom, is looking forward to this special event.
“The awareness that will be spread throughout the community as a result of this event will enable more people to find a way to combat human trafficking,” said Efaw.
Guests will enjoy an evening of entertainment, including live music, an inspiring message from Strawberry and a silent and live auction. Delicious food and drinks will also be served throughout the evening, creating a festive atmosphere that encourages guests to mingle, connect and learn more about the work Selah Freedom is doing to fight trafficking and restore survivors.
According to Andrea Martone, public relations coordinator for Selah Freedom, the organization expects around 265 attendees for the event.
“The first year of LTP raised around $100K, and the second year (also the first year the event was split to two nights, two cities) LTP raised close to $100K per event for $200K total, which was the goal. For this year, we hope to raise $100K per night as the goal.”
The silent auction will include various raffle baskets, autographed memorabilia and some exciting vacation trip opportunities, including a chef’s tasting at Cafe Barbosso with Chef Joe DiMaggio, a two-night stay at Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound by Margaritaville, a two-week exclusive scuba camp, a three-day stay at the Laser Lounge Penthouse and more.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., followed by VIP meet and greet, the silent auction and cocktails, then the dinner program begins at 7 p.m. To buy tickets to Light the Path, or for sponsorship opportunities, visit https://support.selahfreedom.com/event/light-the-path-2024-south/e557229.
