Festival raises $16,000 for charity

Early totals show the St. Andrew’s Scottish Festival held Nov. 21 on Lakewood Ranch Main Street raised more than $16,000 for charity.

The event, which was organized by MacAllisters Grill & Tavern owners Karen and Malcolm Ronney, benefited the Payton Wright Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness of pediatric brain cancer.

Families enjoyed haggis sampling, golf demonstrations, face painting, live music by country music star David Nail and the local band Chameleon, as well as food and other activities.

“We can’t give enough thanks to David Nail, Chameleon, MacAllisters, all of our sponsors and people who showed up on Saturday night to support this great event and Payton’s Foundation,” said Patrick Wright, who co-founded the Payton Wright Foundation with his wife, Holly, after their 5-year-old daughter died of a rare brain cancer in May 2007. “It is heartwarming to know so many people care and want to help us fight this battle.”

Holly Wright agreed.

“Saturday night was such an amazing event,” she said. “I hope people walked away knowing how much we all need to be a voice for our children. Children are unable to fundraise and it is up to us as adults to help them. If we could get one message out that night ... it was that.”

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].