April 26, 2006

1100 reasons to celebrate

We broke all records - attendance and funds raised...Thanks to you we are close to our goal of $150,000.

More than 1100 people were in attendance for IIRI's 20th Annual Carnival Ball on Saturday April 22nd. If you joined us at Rhodes that night, then you were among the hundreds of people cheering as our opening parade made its rounds. This parade was lead by our co-chairs John Hazen White Jr, and Merrill W. Sherman, as well as the Providence Mayor Cicilline, Governor and Mrs. Carcieri, Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, Barbara Morse and IIRI's Bill Shuey...following them was RI's very own marching Band 'What Cheer!', Big Nazos, Yo-Yo Dancers, Belly Dancers, Umbrella Dancers, dozens of immigrants with their national flags, and, last but not least, a glow in the dark Chinese Dragon...all of this to open the evenings festivities.

Throughout the evening you would see Rhode Island's top business executives dancing with a Nazo or a recent immigrant or refugee, the likes of which can only be witnessed at the Institute's Spring Carnival Ball. No other event in the State brings people from so many different demographics together for one common cause - A community partnership in cultural understanding.

Read more about the evening and watch the Ball Video here.

thanks to our sponsors

IIRI is proud to have worked with Rhode Island's finest

Special thanks to our Spring Carnival Ball sponsors and supporters, particularly our wonderful Sponsorship and Event Planning Committee Members.

See our full list of sponsors here.

www.iiri.org