Kevin Carter, ESPNU sports analyst and 14 year NFL veteran and former Tennessee Titans player, will host the 13th annual Kevin Carter’s “Waiting for Wishes” Celebrity Waiters Dinner to benefit The Kevin Carter Foundation and Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee at The Palm Restaurant on Tuesday, April 15, 2014. Nashville’s premiere celebrity event, “Waiting for Wishes” has raised more than $1.5 million for charity since its inception in 2002.
The celebrity event, co-hosted by Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, is an exclusive VIP evening where Carter, professional athletes, country music artists and other various celebrities take over The Palm as servers before they head over to Honky Tonk Central for the Official After-Party – Jam with Jay DeMarcus & Friends. The event, presented by HCA, continues to be one of the most unique celebrity events in the country and is considered one of the “must attend” events for patrons and participants alike. Tickets are limited, and the event is expected to sell out.
An eclectic mix of celebrities appear each year, and this year will be no different with country artists Scotty McCreery, Chris Young, Dustin Lynch, Frankie Ballard, 80’s Pop Singer Tiffany, ABC’s TV hit NASHVILLE’s Chip Esten (Deacon), NFL Vikings Jared Allen, Olympic Skater Scott Hamilton, America’s Got Talent’s Jimmy Rose, Big Brother’s Jeff Schroder, the Voice of the UFC Mike Goldberg, WWE Wrestler Titus O’Neil and champion boxer Antonio Tarver all scheduled to appear. More celebrity names will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event.
The Dinner
The evening will begin with a VIP cocktail reception for sponsors at 5:45 p.m., followed by The Palm’s famous “Surf & Turf” dinner at 7 p.m. During the dinner, Emmy Award-winner John Dwyer of WKRN-TV will host a brief program. A premiere silent and live auction will feature exotic trips, autographed celebrity memorabilia, and once-in–a-lifetime experiences. The celebrities will serve guests, sign autographs, and accept donations to indulge the lively crowd. Tickets are $500 per person; space is limited. For reservations, contact Paige Dixon at 615-742-3193 or pdixon@thepalm.com.
The After-Party
Because the event itself sells out so quickly, last year “Waiting for Wishes” expanded to include an Official After-Party. The 2014 “Jam with Jay DeMarcus & Friends” will be held from 8 p.m. until close at Honky Tonk Central. This informal jam session is tons of fun for patrons and servers alike, and will feature a few guests and friends unable to make it to the main event. Last year’s “Jam with Jay DeMarcus & Friends” featured music from Big & Rich with Cowboy Troy, Darius Rucker, Keith Anderson, Kristen Kelly and Low Cash Cowboys.
After Party tickets are $85 and available online only in advance of the event at www.waitingforwishes.com. Tickets are limited, and the event is expected to sell out. Proceeds benefit The Kevin Carter Foundation, Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee and the YWCA.
“I am so grateful to be able to continue this incredible event so many years after my tenure with the Titans,” said Carter. “It’s been thirteen years since I first had a vision about hosting a special dinner in Nashville to help children in need. I had no idea that thirteen years later the success that this event would be so significant. I can only attribute that to this incredible community, their spirit of giving, and their commitment to changing the circumstances of those in need. I am also very blessed to have a wonderful committee of volunteers who never get enough credit for the amazing work they do each year. I couldn’t do it without their continued support in handling all the details of the event.”
In previous years, the star-studded lineup has included a cast of NFL players and veterans such as Drew Brees, Cris Collinsworth, Jim McMahon, Matt Hasselbeck, Derrick Mason and Tim Couch, as well as UFC fighter Chuck Lidell and Diamond Dallas Page of WWE fame. Entertainment industry superstars John Rich, Sugarland, Dierks Bentley, Lee Ann Womack, LeeAnn Rimes, Billy Zabka from the Karate Kid, and Hollywood actor, writer and director Johnathan Schaech a have also joined together for this special evening.
The event is sponsored by HCA, PAR, The Palm, The Hilton, Matchless Transportation and Nashville Lifestyles Magazine. Sponsorships are still available; contact Tresa Halbrooks at LEGACY Consulting, PR & Events at 615-669-6058.
About The Kevin Carter Foundation and event beneficiaries
Kevin and Shima Carter founded The Kevin Carter Foundation to enrich the lives of children focusing on youth and character development. Carter often quotes his father’s saying, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” and admits he tries to live by that today. For more information, visit www.waitingforwishes.com or www.facebook.com/waitingforwishes.
The Kevin Carter Foundation will make a donation to Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee, the primary beneficiary of “Waiting for Wishes” with the proceeds of the event. Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. For more information about Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee , visit www.middletennessee.wish.org.
In addition, a donation will also be made from the proceeds of the After-Party to the YWCA who is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. For more information about YWCA, visit www.ywcanashville.com.
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