Cinco de Mayo will be dazzling this year with the Third Annual “Jeans & Jewels” Gala to support 24 Hours of Booty, Inc. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 7:00PM to midnight at The Urban Garden (adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton) located at 1 Bank of America Center Building at 150 N. College Street in Uptown Charlotte.

“Jeans & Jewels” is co-chaired by Bank of American team co-captain Sandy Morgart and Amanda Allen. The event will feature a silent and live auction, DJ, raffle and fashion show. To RSVP and purchase tickets go to http://jeansandjewelscharlotte.com. Ticket price ($45 per person by April 5 or $60 per person after April 6) includes heavy appetizers, desserts and cocktails. Ticket sales will benefit 24 Hours of Booty, Inc., which runs the Official 24-Hour Cycling Event of LIVESTRONG and the premier national 24-hour road cycling charity event in the country.

A highlight of the evening will be recognizing this year’s recipient of the “Inspiration Award,” which will honor an individual in our community who serves as a source of inspiration based on how they handled their fight with cancer, past or present, or has motivated others as a result of a relationship with a cancer fighter. To nominate someone for this award, e-mail your name, contact information, the nominees’ name and story of inspiration in 1,000 words or less to info@jeansandjewelscharlotte.com by midnight March 30. Nominees’ stories will be placed on a public voting page until April 25. The “Jeans & Jewels” committee and 24 Hours of Booty will make the final decision on the recipient and the winner will be announced at the event May 5.

“Our committee shares a passion for cycling and supporting the battle against cancer, which is why we love hosting ‘Jeans & Jewels’ and doing something that brings the community together for an important cause in an upbeat and fun atmosphere,” says Morgart, a veteran 24 Hours of Booty rider, top fundraiser and board member.

More information about “Jeans & Jewels” is available on Facebook, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeansandjewels and at www.jeansandjewelscharlotte.com. Contact info@jeansandjewelscharlotte.com for questions about how to donate items to the silent auction or any additional event information.

Adds Basil Lyberg, executive director of 24 Hours of Booty, “Sandy [Morgart] and her committee do an amazing job putting on this fun event. We appreciate their time, efforts and talents in supporting 24 Hours of Booty and our mission.”

About 24 Hours of Booty

24 Hours of Booty, Inc. – which runs the Official 24-Hour Cycling Event of LIVESTRONG and the premier national 24-hour road cycling charity event in the country – is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity located in Charlotte that provides extraordinary cycling events that are safe, fun, and open to all levels of cycling ability. Its mission is to conduct 24-hour cycling events that increase public awareness, funds, and support for LIVESTRONG and local cancer organizations. Local organizations include The Keep Pounding Fund at Carolinas Medical Center and the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas in Charlotte, the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults in Columbia, Md., and Aflac Cancer Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

In 24 Hours of Booty’s 10-year history, more than 10,000 riders have raised more than $7 million. The 11th Annual 24 Hours of Booty presented by Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte will take place July 27-28, 2012. In addition to the Charlotte event, 24 Hours of Booty will also host its inaugural 24 Hours of Booty of Indianapolis at Butler University on Friday, June 29-Saturday, June 30, 2012; the Fourth Annual 24 Hours of Booty of Columbia, Md. at the Gateway Business Park “Booty Loop” on Saturday, Aug. 25-Sunday, Aug. 26 2012; and the Third Annual 24 Hours of Booty of Atlanta on Saturday, Oct. 6-Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. The location for the Atlanta event is still being finalized. For more information, call 704-365-4417 or visit http://www.24hoursofbooty.org/.

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