Gilkey Fund hosts a magic moment

To honor their late son’s love of magic, Michael and Laura Gilkey hosted a magic-filled fundraiser, “This Magic Moment,” Sept. 30 at Michael’s On East to raise money for The Benjamin Gilkey Fund for Innovative Pediatric Cancer Research. 

The evening brought a fun theme to a heart-touching cause with a lineup of magic entertainment emceed by former Sarasota High School principal David Jones, who is known for performing magic tricks for kids and adults alike.

Attendees enjoyed food and drinks with games, a live auction and a magic show performed by magicians from Zubrick Magic Theatre before hitting the dance floor. 

After Benjamin Gilkey died from complications of leukemia in 2017, his parents started a foundation to honor his memory and raise money for pediatric cancer research. Prior to the event at Michael’s On East, the foundation had raised more than $1.35 million for pediatric cancer research at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Representatives from the hospital were on hand to share progress made with the funds, including clinical trials and investigative studies of children with cancer.