Eight Eleven Foundation Fundraiser - A Night in Italy

October 2, 2023

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Last Saturday, the Eight Eleven Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser to support its operations and philanthropic initiatives, with the theme of this year’s event being “A Night in Italy.” Eight Eleven Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, that serves as the charitable arm of the Eight Eleven family of companies, whose focus is centered around its three (3) core pillars of Education, Social Conscience, and the People of Eight Eleven. Although this is only the second year of the Eight Eleven Foundation, it has already been making an impact through its #BeLikeTye scholarship, in remembrance of Tyler “Tye” Edwards, a former Brooksource employee whose hard work and community presence have left a legacy, as well as covering the tuition of four (4) students at Providence Cristo Rey Indianapolis (2023-2024). The funds raised from this year’s event will continue to propel these philanthropic initiatives, and we look forward to doing more.

The Eight Eleven Foundation’s Board poses with a 2023 Vespa Primavera 50 that was auctioned off during the evening. Not Pictured: Allison Russo and Jeremy Hunt.

The Foundation at its Core

As best expressed by its mission statement, “The Eight Eleven Foundation serves as a patronage for the People of Eight Eleven Group in times of need, and champion for all scholastic and social conscience endeavors.” With over 230 guests attending Eight Eleven Foundation’s second annual event, we were thrilled by the turnout and support from the community and our clients. Fred Yeakey, Chief Partnership Officer of Providence Cristo Rey High School (PCRHS), a private college and career-focused high school local to Indianapolis, even served as the guest auctioneer for the night. Sponsored by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN, PCRHS is one of 35 schools nationwide that are members of the Cristo Rey Network which will allow Eight Eleven Foundation to grow its partnership to more than 30 cities. Starting in January of 2023, Eight Eleven Group and its foundation have been growing their relationship with PCRHS and supporting its mission. Some notable achievements include renovating a barber shop at the school’s Indianapolis campus that is used for personal development and free haircuts to its students. The Eight Eleven family of companies has also been covering the tuition of four (4) students at PCRHS through a work-and-learn program that allows the students to act as interns within Eight Eleven Group. During this time, these students have received both professional and personal development from employee mentors, further aligning with the foundation’s Education pillar.

Fred Yeakey and Nate Browning, EEF Board Member, acting as auctioneers.

Another highlight of the foundation’s work can be seen in its creation of the #BeLikeTye scholarship at Alma College representing the People of Eight Eleven pillar, in honor of Tyler “Tye” Edwards following the early passing of the beloved Brooksourcian. Although Tyler had only been with the Eight Eleven family for a little over a year, he was able to make a lasting impact in that time. “… He truly lived out Eight Eleven’s core values as his passion for life and contagious smile could brighten any room. His grit and determination allowed him to quickly rise to the challenges of being an Account Executive. However, the one core value that embodied Tye the most was his dedication to service – he would never pass up an opportunity to help others,” Carlie Oakley, President of the Eight Eleven Foundation, states. It’s the foundation’s hope that this scholarship will honor the legacy that Tye left behind and encourage others to live up to the high standard he set.

Collage of Tyler “Tye” Edwards

A Night in Italy at a Glance

Aside from heavy appetizers, custom cocktails and live music from Chad “Crooner” Brown and DJ Lockstar, the foundation also auctioned off over 100 live and silent auction items sourced from a variety of local artists, organizations, and businesses across our over 32 markets. These delightful goods and experiences were taken home by lucky winners to enjoy, thanks to the generous donations of our sponsors. As a special addition to this year’s auction, some baskets were created by Eight Eleven’s markets to highlight the cities they serve. “It was such an experience to see each market showcase what makes their city unique,” said Oakley.

Silent auction baskets on display awaiting their new home.

A Special Thank You to Our Event Sponsors

More to Come

Although the event is the last one the foundation plans to host for the year, it still has plenty of exciting news left for 2023. One of these special opportunities is its partnership with Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) centered around the Social Conscience pillar. This Fall, in Tampa, FL, the 2023 BBQ Love Fest will take place, celebrating all things BBQ and featuring nationally renowned pitmasters and local culinary teams. Proceeds will be allocated to several local organizations, one of which is FARA. For more information and details about ticket purchases, you can visit here.

The Eight Eleven Foundation is also excited about a special announcement regarding a new effort to assist the People of Eight Eleven that it plans to announce in mid-October. On behalf of the foundation and Eight Eleven Group, we would like to give a big thanks to all our event sponsors and attendees for contributing to “A Night in Italy”. Whether you purchased a table, participated in our auction, or just danced the night away, your support allows the Eight Eleven Foundation to continue to make an impact on the communities we serve – thank you!