First-ever Maine Suitcase Party to Benefit Camp Sunshine Set for Sept. 21 in Private Hangar at Portland Jetport

Partygoers bring packed suitcases and raffle winners climb aboard private jet for swanky weekend in New York City

PORTLAND, Maine (August 13, 2012) – Keller Williams Realty Portland is sponsoring the first-ever Maine Suitcase Party fundraiser on Sept. 21 to benefit Camp Sunshine. Partygoers bring packed suitcases to the event, held in a private hangar at the Portland International Jetport, with grand prize raffle winners boarding a private jet with a guest for an expenses-paid, swanky weekend in New York City.

Other lucky winners and their guests will climb into limousines for luxurious weekend getaways at regional resorts and hotels. Hosted by Maine Aviation Corporation, the Maine Suitcase Party (www.mainesuitcaseparty.com) will take place on Friday, Sept. 21, from 7-11 p.m. in a private hangar at the Portland Jetport. Tickets are on sale now at www.campsunshine.org/support_us/donations/me_sp.php.

This “suitcase party” fundraiser, similar to a handful of others held in other parts of the country, is the first to be held on the East Coast, event organizers said.

“This is going to be the most talked about fundraising event in Maine,” said Event Chair Mark Richard of Keller Williams Realty Portland. “What’s exciting is that guests arrive with their suitcases packed, ready to be whisked away at some point in the evening if their ticket is drawn. And it’s all for a great cause. Camp Sunshine is a special place, devoted to serving children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.”

Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) is a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Casco, Maine that provides a welcome respite for children and their families coping with such life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, kidney disease and lupus.

Tickets to the Maine Suitcase Party cost $100 for a First Class ticket, which includes a raffle ticket for the grand prize. Additional raffle entries can be purchased at the event for $25 each. A Jetsetter ticket, costing $250, provides access to a special private lounge area inside the hangar.

For additional information, visit www.mainesuitcaseparty.com or call (207) 553-2445.

Guests arrive via the red carpet with their entrances shown on a video screen inside the hangar. The event features cocktails, dancing, live music, light appetizers and a silent auction for trips and other items.

At some point in the evening, the hangar doors will open and a private jet will pull up before tickets are drawn and at least three lucky partygoers and a guest of each board the jet for New York City, returning to Portland on Sunday evening.

The party will continue after the grand prize winners depart. A live and silent auction will follow and additional trips will be raffled. Limos will transport winners and a guest to trips to local hotels and resorts, provided by the Migis Group and other generous donors.

“Camp Sunshine is honored and thrilled to be a part of the very first suitcase party fundraiser is this part of the country, right here in Maine,” said Michael Smith, Director of Special Events at Camp Sunshine. “We believe this event will provide significant support to our program and also provide a thrilling night for those who attend. We can’t wait.”

Located along Maine’s Sebago Lake, Camp Sunshine has offered recreational, medical and counseling services at no cost to more than 32,000 people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds since 1984.

Find the Maine Suitcase Party on Facebook and Twitter. Sponsorships opportunities are still available. For more information, visit www.mainesuitcaseparty.com.

About Keller Williams Realty Portland
Keller Williams Realty Portland, a company owned by Maine real estate agents, has operated a Market Center in Portland since 2003. The company has more than 240 professionals presently serving clients throughout southern and central Maine. The Portland-based company has been recognized for years as one of Keller Williams Realty International’s top performing franchises, and in 2012 it was recognized as the franchise’s number one performer in the world.

Keller Williams Realty, Inc. is an Austin, Texas-based, real estate franchise company with more than 80,000 real estate agents, operating in approximately 690 market centers (offices) across the United States and Canada. Keller Williams Realty is currently the second-largest residential real estate company in the United States. For more information, visit www.kw.com or call 207.553.2445.

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week, and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed upon them on a daily basis. The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family — the ill child, the parents and the siblings. Since its inception in 1984, Camp Sunshine has provided a haven for more than 32,000 individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition to providing 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support, the camp offers a variety of daily activities, including swimming, boating, archery and soccer, and special events such as bonfires and cookouts. To support Camp Sunshine, call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

Calendar Listing
WHAT: Maine Suitcase Party fundraiser for Camp Sunshine
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 21 – 7-11 p.m.
WHERE: Maine Aviation Corporation private hangar at Portland International Jetport
WHO: Sponsored by Keller Williams Realty Portland to benefit Camp Sunshine
WEBSITE: www.mainesuitcaseparty.com
MORE INFO: Grand prize raffle winners and a guest immediately board private jet for an expenses-paid weekend in New York City
CONTACT: Mark Richard, Event Chair, Keller Williams Realty (207) 553-2445 mrichard@kw.com

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Here is more information about Camp Sunshine