Get Crackin' 2013 - I told you it would be great, and did I lie?

If you were there, you already know that the first ever “Get Crackin’” private bunch to benefit Feeding South Florida on April 21 was beyond a success. In my last blog post, the title was “On the Menu: Good Food & Goodwill.” Well, I understated. It was more along the lines of “Fantastic Food & Amazing Goodwill!”

If you weren’t there (and why not?), here’s what you missed -

Almost $80,000 was raised at the event, which will support Feeding South Florida’s mission: to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and by transforming lives through innovative programming and education.

I was honored, along with Feeding South Florida’s CEO Paco Velez, to present the following honorees with awards before thunderous applause (yes, thunderous) --  local celebrity chef and Honoree Allen Susser, Media Hero Honoree The Miami Herald & El Nuevo Herald, and Corporate Citizenship Honoree Southern Wine & Spirits. The awards recognized their devotion to helping the nearly 1 million children, seniors and families that Feeding South Florida serves in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties.

Diana Brooks and Paco Velez with this year's honorees.

And the very, very best part? We all ate scrumptious Joe’s cuisine and signature Mimosas without a wait, while enjoying the music of Leo Casino. So we ate great for a fantastic cause. 

Now a little sponsor love because everyone knows you can’t do an event right without superlative sponsors. Sincere thanks to our:

60,000 meal sponsor: JM Family Enterprises, Inc., 

30,000 meal sponsors: Simply Healthcare Plans and Beam Global Spirits, 

27,000 meal sponsor: CarePlus, 

15,000 meal sponsors: MBAF Certified Public Accountants and Advisors, and Adkins & Associates, 9,000 meal sponsor: Patrón Tequila, 

6,000 meal sponsors: Jordan Winery and TD Bank, 

2,500 meal sponsor: Diageo, 

1,000 meal sponsor: Sprint, and liquor sponsor Pernod Ricard USA/Chivas.

OK, who’s ready to start planning for 2014?

Diana brooks

dbrooks@vsbrooks.com

YOU GOT A VD? AND YOU'RE HAPPY ABOUT IT?

Last month we were part of a momentous event here at VSBrooks. VDs were spread around the office last Thursday. You’d expect some of the recipients to have gotten one, but others who got a VD were a total surprise! We gasped in shock, jaw dropped and maybe a little ashamed for the person, too.

I’m talking about our first annual VD Awards ceremony. What? Oh, you thought I was talking about venereal diseases? Omg, get your head out of the gutter! We’re a real business - we wouldn’t be talking about that! VD stands for Vivian and Diana, the co-founders of the agency. DUH.

The attire? Retro prom. No joke. And the signature drinks? Jell-O shots and blackberry mojito punch. All were recipes for an assured retro good time.

The winners of 10 different categories received their own, customized award – each of which was created with the broken nails, sweat, and frustration of our social committee.

Bordello Hours Award: 

For the person who consistently works so late, they may as well keep the hours of a woman of the night. Whether it’s because they can’t think until they’ve had their coffee, or simply because there’s so much work to be done.

Winner: Cristy Gaston

I’ve Got a Story About That, Too Award: 

This one was a close running. Between Barbara’s “back in Chicago” stories, Nicky’s “back in high school” stories, and Diana’s stories trumping everyone else’s, we had a number of contenders. But one seems to have more stories than the rest.

Winner: Barbara Marchena

¡Allá Tu! Award: 

We’re often overwhelmed, with brain pains from thinking so hard deciphering cryptic client emails, or coming up with creative and strategies that are bueno, bonito, y barato. This category is for the person most likely to hit their wall and say, “I don’t know. You deal with your decision and conscience!”

Winner: Vivian Santos

Tim the Tool Man Award: 

For the handiest person in the VSBrooks family. Now go build us a bookshelf or something.

Winner: Larry Forteleoni

Cutest Couple That Never Was Award: 

This one was a two-for. The winners of this category hands down spend the most amount of time together in the office. They practically have their own agency that we endearingly call T-Mena. And the greatest scandal of it all? One of them is knocked up with another man’s baby!

Winners: Daniel Timiraos and Gaby Zamorano

Most Likely to Throw a Chair On Jerry Springer Award:

In short - for the person who is most likely to lose their sh*t and break something. In other words STAY AWAY WHEN ANGRY.

Winner: Marlene Torres

Most Likely to Corrupt the Minds of Young Children Award:

I think this one’s pretty self-explanatory. But why him, you may ask? Let’s just say he walks around the office telling the women to go make a sandwich for him (jokingly, of course. We hope…for his safety).

 

Winner: Junior Jimenez

Most Likely to End Up In the Hospital Award:

If we each got a penny for the amount of times we hear this winner say “ouch!” or hear a bang from knocking into something just after she’s passed right by you, we’d be richer than…well, we wouldn’t be in advertising.

Winner: Nicky Goicouria

The Beep Award:

This category is for the person who took George Carlin’s list of seven dirty words and turned it into the only words in her lexicon. We had a clear winner here. Her favorite one? It starts with F and rhymes with muck.

Winner: Diana Brooks

The Dapper Dan Award:

Suspenders? Check. Perfectly pressed pants and button down shirt? Check. Color coordinated sneakers and graphic tee? Check. This guy definitely has a full-length mirror at home – and uses it!

Winner: Saul Angeles

The awards ceremony was such a hit that we’ll be doing this again. So watch yourself, because next year you could be the one to get a VD.