Tonight I attended the 2008 Florida Marlins Awards Dinner Gala at the Westin Diplomat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This was my first Major League Baseball dinner. It was very well attended and everyone seemed to have a good time.

The night began with light appetizers from 7-8, followed by a dinner at 8:00. Most of the Marlins players were in attendance along with executives, staff and coaches. The event was also attended by season ticket holders.

The local media handed out awards and our team president initiated a live auction of Marlins items to raise money for the Florida Marlins Community Foundation - which represents the resources of a large number of donors rather than one individual or family. Revenue comes from four sources: player contributions, corporate sponsorships, grants, and events. The money raised is used to support "Cornerstones for Kids" - building a brighter future through education, the arts and baseball. Since its inception, the FMCF has given back over $5 million dollars to the community.

All the money raised, between the live auction and a silent auction on various Marlins and other baseball memorabilia, went to the FMCF. The Marlins players are pretty good about giving back to the community.

It was nice to be able to talk with a number of the players again after a few months of off-season.