MONROE - For those ready to bring out the bling, the Hearts of Hope Newtown's upcoming gala on Friday, February 10, will be a perfect fit. For those who like things a little more casual, the fundraiser would also be enjoyable.

With a theme of Denim & Diamonds, the night promises to be a fun and memorable one for everyone.

The event will run from 7 to 10 pm at The Waterview, 215 Roosevelt Drive (Route 34) in Monroe, just south of the Newtown-Monroe town line.

The fundraiser will include ample heavy hors d'oeuvres, food stations, an open bar, and entertainment by DJ John Voket. Hearts of Hope Founder and Executive Director Judy Pedersen and Newtown Police Department Chief James Viadero will be among this year's special guests.

Those attending will be invited to bid on silent auction items, take part in raffles, and have an opportunity to win door prizes. Among the offerings are Walt Disney World park hopper tickets, autographed items from professional sports teams (Giants, Mets, Jets, Steelers), restaurant gift certificates including figs in Sandy Hook and Water's Edge; tickets to sporting events including Bridgeport Bluefish, Connecticut Tigers, and New York Red Bulls; passes to museums (MASS MoCA, Museum of Natural History, Wadsworth Atheneum, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Mystic Seaport); theater tickets (Downtown Cabaret, Warner Theatre, Ridgefield Playhouse, Westport Country Playhouse), and ski lift tickets (Okemo, Catamount, Mount Southington, and Thunder Ridge).

There are numerous offering for both adults (White Silo Farm Winery, Jones Family Winery, Thimble Island Brewery, Gouveia Vineyards) and families (Lake Compounce, Sky Zone, Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, KidCity). The local chapter of Hearts of Hope representatives say they were very fortunate to have an outpouring of support for an outstanding lineup of offerings for Denim & Diamonds attendees.

Tickets are $75 per couple are available through the Newtown chapter's Facebook page.

The event will raise funds for a permanent home for the Newtown chapter of Hearts of Hope, a nonprofit organization that distributes ceramic, keepsake hearts to veterans, cancer centers, active military, children's hospitals, and a host of causes and locations centered around creating hope and helping the greater good. The national project has extended hope throughout the country with the distribution of more than 75,000 hearts since its inception 15 years ago.

More than 2,500 of those hearts were distributed to Newtown following 12/14. Because of the community's enthusiasm for this "pay it forward" program and the town's ongoing neighbor-helping-neighbor spirit, a Hearts of Hope Newtown chapter was formed. In four years, the local chapter has touched the lives of thousands of people, from those who volunteer to hand paint hearts to those who receive them. Hearts of Hope Newtown is a chapter of Hearts of Hope Foundation, Inc, headquartered in the Philadelphia area with chapters in Connecticut, Virginia, and Washington.

For additional information, contact Hearts of Hope Newtown Chapter President Kristen Mattera at newtown@ourheartsofhope.org or visit ourheartsofhope.org.

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