FORT MYERS, Fla. (Aug. 16, 2013) – It’s almost that time of year again for local ladies to put on their best pair of heels, grab their girlfriends and spend an evening partying with a purpose.

Tickets for Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc.’s 8th Annual Becoming Cosmopolitan event are now on sale. The event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Firestone Grille & Sky Lounge located at 2224 Bay Street in downtown Fort Myers.

According to CCMI’s CEO Tracey Galloway, the first 75 tickets sold will include VIP status with advance event registration and premier access to the VIP Sky Lounge.

“We are very excited to have Firestone Grille partner with us this year,” said Galloway. “We will be utilizing all four floors of the beautiful building with the Sky Lounge, overlooking scenic downtown Fort Myers and the river, serving as our VIP and after-party lounge.”

This year’s event will continue with the previously successful lounge theme with new twists including a live band and DJ.

“What could be better than a night out on the town with your girlfriends hopping from one lounge to another each with a different theme and feel,” Galloway said. “Add in great food, drinks and live music, all in support of a great cause, and you’ve got what Becoming Cosmo is all about.”

This traditionally women-only evening features a silent auction, gourmet hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, sinfully delicious chocolate and desserts, exciting raffles, a live band and DJ and an after party all in celebration of the cosmopolitan lifestyle in Southwest Florida.

More than 300 local women attended last fall’s Becoming Cosmopolitan event. Because of the Firestone’s building capacity, only 225 tickets will be sold this year.

“Each year, we have been able to make this event bigger and better than ever,” said Katie Haas, director of Florida operations for the Boston Red Sox and CCMI board member. “The monies raised will go a remarkably long way in helping CCMI assist the growing number of our local neighbors who are in need of food and other social services.”

According to CCMI, the amount of the $125 event ticket provides either one month of Montessori preschool education to a child of a working poor family, three months of emergency food to a family of four who is struggling, one month of hot meals to a homebound senior citizen or a weekend backpack filled with food for a student during an entire school year.

For the second consecutive year, Finemark National Bank & Trust has signed on as the presenting sponsor. The first 75 ticket purchasers will receive special access to Finemark’s VIP Lounge at the event. Additional sponsors include: BB&T-OTC, Chico’s, the Diamond District, Dixie Buick GMC, FPL, Deanna and Wesley Hansen, the Law Firm of Scott T. Moorey, Scanlon Lexus, Gulfshore Life Magazine and Florida Weekly.

Sponsorships are still available and range from $1,000 to $10,000. Donations for the event’s silent auction are also being accepted.

CCMI is an innovative nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end homelessness and hunger in our community. The agency provides more than 15,000 meals each month through its Everyday Cafés and Marketplaces and Meals on Wheels programs. CCMI also educates 35 children in its Community Montessori, offers homeless and comprehensive life coaching services through its United Way Resource Houses, oversees an emergency mobile food pantry and supplies school pantries and weekend backpacks full of food to more than 1,500 children and their families each school year.

CCMI serves Fort Myers and the greater Lee County area, including Bonita Springs, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres. CCMI works in partnership with United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades, Harry Chapin Food Bank and various community foundations as well as collaborating with fellow community and service groups including The School District of Lee County and numerous churches, businesses and community support organizations.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 239-332-7687 or visit www.ccmileecounty.com.