Glam-A-THON’s Lipstick Lounge was held to Kiss Cancer Away during the 15th annual Lipstick Lounge at the W Fort Lauderdale Hotel. The event benefits those fighting breast cancer and is designed to celebrate all things fashion, fabulous, and fun. Style insiders and trend seekers gather to experience fashion and culinary artistry.
Glam-A-THON has donated more than $750,000 to local hospital foundations in Broward County to assist women in the greatest financial need, but the big news this year is the event has switched to Gilda’s Club as its charity.
“They opened up a new facility off Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale that services the Tri-County area, and it is spectacular,” says Tammy Gail, president and founder of Glam-A-THON.
She likes how Gilda’s Club is scrappy like Glam-A-THON and provides wellness, educational and mental health services for women and families affected by breast cancer.
“Gilda’s Club is Switzerland, meaning all of their patients end up being referred to Gilda’s because of what Gilda’s does as opposed to hospitals. Gilda’s provides psychological and emotional counseling,” Gail says. “So, basically what we’ve overlooked for the last 17 years is we’ve been treating the body, the person or their lifestyle needs, but we haven’t been treating what the fallout is, like the PTSD of cancer, who you are afterward, who you are as you’re dealing with it.”
Gilda’s Club even has counseling programs for children of cancer patients, who sometimes go through tough times because they think they’re going to lose their parents, Gail notes.
“This year, we have assembled a powerhouse group of philanthropists who will be recognized at our exclusive Glammy Awards ceremony to celebrate the depth of generosity and activism that that these special honorees embody,” she says.
Two of the honorees are what Gail calls her power couple. Mike Boggio, who owns Slate Real Estate Development, and Erica Stowers, is a broker associate with Douglas Elliman. They exemplify the type of achieving and giving back that Gail seeks for her honorees.
Boggio splits his time between his home in Detroit and one in South Florida. His Slate Development in Pompano Beach develops luxury waterfront homes. He was recently celebrating a contract on an oceanfront site in Golden Beach, where a 10,000-square-foot house is planned.
Among his favorite charities are the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. He also supports those with military service, which dates back to when he was a musician touring overseas.
“I think our military men and women and veterans are taken for granted in this country and to me that’s a travesty,” he says. “So, anytime I can help our military men and women out, I do.”
Stowers says this is the second time she has been nominated for a Glammy. She has been inspired by a close friend who is a breast cancer survivor, and she has participated in the New York City Breast Cancer Walk in her honor many times.
She and Boggio are focused on their fundraising goals and Stowers plans to bring a group, saying it’s the event of the year.
Her business niche is multifamily homes and after 20 years, referrals drive her business.
The heart of Lipstick Lounge featured artfully crafted cocktails and a collection of culinary notables from some of the area’s finest restaurants, including Mastro’s, Velvet Taco, Toro at Le Meridien, Amalfi Llama, Casa Sensei, South Bar & Kitchen.
For more information on Lipstick Lounge, visit https://Glam-a-thon.com.
