Celebrate the Beat fundraiser Sept. 30 at Zino Restorante in Edwards

The Vail Valley's children and their counterparts in Punta de Mita, Mexico will be the ultimate beneficiaries of a joint fund-raising event Thursday evening, September 30, as the Vail Valley Foundation's Celebrate the Beat program joins forces with PEACE (Protection, Education, Animals, Culture and Environment) for an evening of cocktails, contemporary Italian cuisine and a children's dance performance at Zino Restorante in Edwards.

Scheduled from 5-7 p.m., tickets are priced at $25 per person and can be obtained by calling Zino at 926-0777. Half of the proceeds from the evening will go to support the Vail Valley Foundation's Celebrate the Beat programs in local schools, while the other half will benefit a new PEACE Celebrate the Beat effort in Mexico.

Created in 2007, in conjunction with the Vail International Dance Festival, the Vail Valley Foundation's Celebrate the Beat program helps children discover their potential through inspirational music and dance classes, motivating them to believe in themselves, value artistic expression, and develop a personal standard of excellence.

Currently serving over 1,500 students in Colorado, Celebrate the Beat recently partnered with PEACE to implement their programs for the disadvantaged students from Punta de Mita.

“Celebrate the Beat is a wonderful addition to our children's daily curriculum,” explained Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation. “You can truly see the added confidence and character that the program instills in the participants.”

“The kids that are sometimes overlooked in the classroom become stars on stage,” added Molly Fisher, Founder and Director of PEACE. “You can see their hard work and their growing confidence and enthusiasm.”

Celebrate the Beat is a project of the Vail Valley Foundation. For additional information on Celebrate the Beat of the Foundation, visit www.vvf.org.