Gladiators host annual youth fundraiser

The Bradenton Gladiators will host the ultimate ‘Mask” Mardi Gras Gala Feb. 27 at the Manatee Central Banquet Hall, 515 9^th St. East, Bradenton.

The event will feature authentic Mardi Gras cuisine, a cash bar, music, dancing, a silent auction and live “Gladiator” auction and more. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Proceeds from the event will provide funding for the organization’s youth camps and clinics; mentoring and motivational speaking programs for hundreds of at risk youths; free school supply programs, which provide hundreds of elementary and middle school students with the required school necessities; and educational awards/scholarship programs for local individuals seeking higher education.

The Bradenton Gladiators is a non-profit organization. The organization’s mission is to bridge the gap between youth and young adulthood, by developing fundamental values and offering alternative activities to at-risk youth, while establishing various programs to positively develop surrounding neighborhoods and communities.