Mardi Gras Mall
Staten Island Advance
Sunday, February 22, 2004
They had less than one hour to transform the Staten
Island Mall's Center Court into an authentic scene from a New
Orleans Mardi Gras.
"We only had 45 minutes from the time the Mall
closed until the first guest would be checking in," noted Donna
Lindsey, event coordinator for the College of Staten Island (CSI)
Foundation. "And we had to get the casino set up, prize tables, food
tables, bars, the bank, check-in tables, etc. all set up and
decorated. And we did it smoothly and timely thanks to all the
volunteers from CSI and the Mall -- [their] friends and family
included."
The event, called "Casino Night: A Sure Bet," was a
new type of fund-raiser for the College of Staten Island, but the
committee pulled the tight set-up off without a hitch.
Staged on Feb. 8 during a three-and-a-half hour span
after the Mall closed, the event attracted about 185 guests. It was
chaired by Jim Easley, vice president and general manager of the
Staten Island Mall and vice president of the CSI Foundation.
The Mall space and table rentals were all donated, a
huge factor in the success of the event. Decorations, arranged by
Sharon Somma, a marketing and promotions employee at the Mall, added
an authentic feel.
The color scheme was green, gold and purple,
accentuated with beads and decorated masks. A Dixieland band, two
tarot card readers and Fred Fassberger, a caricature artist at
Sardi's restaurant in Manhattan, provided the evening's
entertainment.
Pam Silvestri and the American Grill provided food
and beverages. The cold seafood table, featuring an abundance of
lobsters, shrimp, calamari salad and mussels, was one of the guests'
favorites. A casino-themed dessert table with cakes resembling dice
and playing cards as well as authentic Louisiana pecan tarts was
also a hit.
At the end of the evening, players redeemed winning
chips for raffle tickets equaling both platinum and gold level
prizes. Top prize was a trip for two to New Orleans donated by John
Mazza of Adak, Inc. Prize number two was a basket of Staten Island
Yankee merchandise with a certificate for use of the Luxury Box at
the Stadium during the 2004 season. There were over 30 prizes in
all.
by Jessica Jones
Reprinted here with permission from the
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