The first thing you should know about Palm Beach is that it’s an island (unto itself) — the most exclusive town in America, and (according to wri…
But Mr. Trump\u2019s election puts charities in an awkward position over choosing the resort — recently dubbed the president\u2019s Winter White House — for events they may have planned more than a year in advance.
With Mr. Trump placing a moratorium on refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and his promises to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, activists are pressuring charities such as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic to move or cancel their galas this month.
As the American Red Cross held a gala fundraiser Saturday at Mar-a-Lago, about 3,000 demonstrators marched nearby to protest Mr. Trump\u2019s now-blocked executive order temporarily limiting immigration. The Saturday protest began with a rally outside Trump Plaza in West Palm Beach and the march headed two miles to Mar-a-Lago.
Hundreds of people also protested in Miami, holding signs and standing in opposition against Mr. Trump\u2019s executive actions on immigration, CBS Miami reported. \u201cNo hate! No fear! Refugees are welcome here,\u201d the crowd chanted. Protests took place in other cities across the country.
The event near Mar-a-Lago on Saturday ended peacefully, and there were no arrests. So far, no known Mar-a-Lago charity events have been moved or canceled.
More than 2,000 people, including faculty and students from Harvard Medical School, have signed an online petition demanding that Boston-based Dana-Farber move or cancel its Feb. 18 \u201cDiscovery Celebration,\u201d featuring a performance by Grammy Award winner David Foster. The cheapest ticket is $1,250.
Petition organizer George Karandinos, a 30-year-old Harvard medical student from Houston, said he understands that canceling or moving the Dana-Farber event would be difficult, \u201cbut they can make a public moral stand that is in line with their stated values\u201d of diversity and supporting scientific exchanges across borders. Plus, he said, a cancellation might attract additional donors.
A similar open letter, signed by more than 1,100 including doctors and medical students, demands that Cleveland Clinic move its Feb. 25 \u201cReflections of Versailles: A Night in the Hall of Mirrors\u201d gala. Its cheapest ticket also is $1,250.
Both Dana-Farber and the Cleveland Clinic said they won\u2019t move or cancel their events, but added that it doesn\u2019t mean they support the president\u2019s policies. Applications filed with the town of Palm Beach show Dana-Farber expects to raise $1.25 million after paying expenses of $250,000. The Red Cross says it will make $950,000 after spending $400,000. A portion of those expenses would go to Mar-a-Lago. The town did not immediately release Cleveland Clinic\u2019s application.
Dana-Farber President Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher issued a statement saying she shares the protesters\u2019 concerns about the immigration moratorium and what it will mean for doctors, scientists, students and patients from the affected countries, but that the protesters are unrealistic.
\u201cThe forthcoming fundraiser in Palm Beach is planned many months in advance, and raises critical funds to support this lifesaving work. Contracts have been signed, and a large number of people have committed to attend. Cancelling the event outright would only deny much-needed resources for research and care,\u201d she said.
The Cleveland Clinic issued a similar statement.
\u201cThe sole purpose of our event in Florida is to raise funds for important research to advance cardiovascular medicine that improves patient care,\u201d spokeswoman Eileen Sheil said. \u201cIn no way is this connected to anything else but helping patients. The event has been held there for years, well before the election.\u201d
Mar-a-Lago director Bernd Lembcke didn\u2019t return a call seeking comment. The Trump Organization didn\u2019t respond to an emailed request for comment.
President Trump travels to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida for the first time since his inauguration. The Red Cross says he’s expected to attend i…
Photos of the ballroom complex, including the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom, show large open spaces lighted by chandeliers and surrounded by massive archways and columns. Bathroom fixtures are gold-plated. The walls, ceiling and columns have intricate decorations gilded with gold leaf. Many organizations have been using the venue for years to host their wealthiest donors.
Mr. Trump opened the 20,000 square-foot ballroom complex in late 2005 — the inaugural event was the reception for his wedding to Melania Trump. He told reporters the complex cost $35 million, but Palm Beach building records indicate the cost was lower, likely no more than $15 million.
Mary Simboski, who teaches in Boston University\u2019s fundraising management program, said that while she could not speak to any specific event, major galas like the ones the Cleveland Clinic, Red Cross and Dana-Farber are throwing take a year to plan and are a major part of an organization\u2019s fundraising operation.
Picking a site like Mar-a-Lago often comes down to location, size, cost and availability, she said, and has nothing to do with politics. Projecting that the groups could perhaps garner more financial support by canceling the event is wishful thinking, she said.
\u201cHope is not a strategy,\u201d Simboski said.<\/p>\n

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