The third annual Brice Makris Brunch will be hosted by the Hanley Foundation from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 at Boca West Country Club. The event’s chairs are John Makris, a board member of the Hanley Foundation, and his wife Michelle. The occasion is dedicated to honoring their late son, Brice, who sadly succumbed to Fentanyl poisoning at the age of 23. The funds raised during the event will be directed towards the Hanley Foundation’s Brice Makris Endowment Fund, supporting lifesaving treatment scholarships and addiction prevention programs.
“We observed a change in Brice’s behavior toward the end of his senior year at Florida State University,” Michelle Makris says. “Within weeks of this discovery, he began treatment. We learned that addiction is a brain disorder, it’s a disease. Tragically, the disease overcame our son, and we’re sharing his story to help other parents who are fighting in their kids’ corner to battle this disease.”
At the event, the Hanley Foundation will present the Hanley Foundation Community Spirit Award to Erica and John Garwood in honor of Brice Makris. The recipients, founders of the Mark Garwood Foundation, established the organization in memory of their son, who succumbed to complications arising from substance use disorder and diabetes. The Mark Garwood Foundation has played a pivotal role in raising more than $435,000 for educational scholarships dedicated to individuals in recovery.
“There are thousands of smart and talented individuals right here in our community, just like Brice and Mark, who are suffering from substance use disorders,” Rachel Docekal says, CEO of Hanley Foundation. “Events like this are critical to destigmatize this disease, help spread the message of hope, and raise important funds that allow us to continue to expand our substance use prevention and recovery programs.”
Dave Aronberg, U.S. State Attorney for Palm Beach County, will serve as the event’s honorary chair. Honorary guests include Marty Harberer, Tina Polsky, Jan Savarick, and Brian White, who were this year’s celebrity chefs for Hanley Foundation’s 2nd Annual Boca Celebrity Cookoff—the kickoff event to the Brice Makris Brunch.
Sponsors include MDVIP, April Lewis, All-Star Healthcare Solutions, Sharon DiPietro, The Law Offices of Pamela Higer Polani, Lori McDonald, Lesser, Lesser, Landy, & Smith, PLLC, Stuart Friedman & Family, Alec, Jennasey, & Isaac Makris, Marcia & Doug Mithun, Kaufman Lyn Construction/Doug Simms, Adolph & Rose Levis JCC, Michelle Boyce, Marguerite Connelly, Lisa & Brett McMillan, Lorie & Ed Rowan, Debra Weinstein & Andrew Schlein, Samantha & Alan Goodman, Arnold & Linda Wasserman, Karly Parsons, Rewards Magazine Direct Mail Advertising, CTMD Research, Erica & John Garwood, Dr. Lisa Corsa, Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation, Mark Garwood Foundation, Leonaggeo Benefits Inc/Aflac, Anmarie & Jim Galowski, Integrity Billing, and Boca Magazine.
Tickets are $200 per person. Visit HanleyFoundation.org/events/brice-makris-brunch/ call 561-268-2355 or email [email protected] for more information or tickets, sponsorship, and underwriting opportunities.
