The St. Johns County Education Foundation, which operates as Investing in Kids (INK!), has announced an upcoming fundraiser to benefit the education nonprofit and Ocean Sole, a nonprofit based in Ponte Vedra Beach and Kenya whose mission is to clean polluted beaches, build conservation awareness and connect people with unique artwork to benefit low-income communities.
The Art of the Possible event will be held in conjunction with Asado Life, a renowned waterfront restaurant in St. Augustine with a sense of community, compassion and unique culinary style. The event will benefit STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) programs in St. Johns County School District.
Activities will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at Asado Life, 173 Shipyard Way, for an evening of purpose and networking along with asado cuisine, live music and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on education and families in need throughout St. Johns County and beyond.
Individual ticket prices are $125 per person. VIP packages are $200 and include preferred seating, a large Ocean Sole sculpture and two beverage tickets; and each table of eight is $925. Attendees may buy a ticket for a teacher to attend for $120. For ticket information and online purchases, go to runsignup.com/TicketEvent/flipflopsoiree.
The event features the tradition of asado cooking, which dates back centuries to the time when the Spanish colonists brought cattle to Argentina. The gauchos, or Argentine cowboys, quickly adopted the practice of cooking meat over an open flame.
The local restaurant will create the traditional cooking methods with modern day fine dining. On April 18, the five-course Asado Trio meal will include Parrilla Roasted Prime Picanha, House-made Argentinian Malbec Infused Chorizo and Signature Spiced All Natural Chicken Thighs Chimichurri. A vegetarian option is also available.
All food will be prepared by Asado Life's chefs, featuring locally sourced ingredients.
INK! has cultivated success for students and teachers through funding, initiatives and inspiration since 1994. Participation and donations at The Art of the Possible will help provide educational resources, innovative programs and classroom support to teachers and students across St. Johns County, ensuring that local children have access to a brighter future.
“As CEO of Ocean Sole, I'm excited about our partnership with INK! for the inaugural Art of the Possible event,” said Erin Smith. “Our experience at Ocean Sole has taught us the invaluable role of art in education and empowerment, particularly for women. Through transforming flip-flops into meaningful art, we've seen how creativity fosters creativity and collaboration, enhances learning and fosters economic empowerment. The INK! and Ocean Sole collaboration allows us to share our passion for integrating art with STEM, demonstrating that the addition of art makes learning more engaging and comprehensive. We're proud to support an initiative event that prepares students for a future where they can innovate, collaborate, learn, lead and make a positive impact on their world.”
According to Cathy Newman, INK!’s executive director, event sponsors include: All American Air Charitable Foundation, The Volen Group — Keller Williams Luxury International, Old Town Trolley Tours, Leonard’s Photography and Grand Canyon University.
The event will feature a silent and live auction, photo booth, custom selfie station, door prizes and live acoustic music. Unique items available in the auctions include a five-night stay at a four star beachfront resort in Mexico; golf and a three-night stay at the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort in Hilton Head; a World Traveler Package including choice of locations in Tuscany, Bali, Thailand, Paris and Greece for two; guitars autographed by various music legends including Jimmy Buffett and Bruce Springsteen; NFL signed helmets; 2018 USA Women’s Hockey autographed photo; PGA Tour Champions custom memorabilia; local golf course packages; gift certificates; services and baskets from local restaurants, spas, attractions and more.
“We are excited to host the inaugural Flip Flop Soiree with Ocean Sole at Asado Life to bring our community together and raise awareness for the work that INK! does supporting STEAM programs within the St. Johns County School District as well as the conservation education initiatives that Ocean Sole supports locally and globally,” said Newman.
For more information, contact Newman at 904-547-7120 or email Catherine.Newman@stjohns.k12.fl.us.
