Brian Russel for President issued the following announcement on March 13.
Hours after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested that cities consider limiting large gatherings — more than 250 people — to curb the spread of coronavirus, a local dog-rescue charity said it is moving forward with a sold-out fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago expected to draw over 700 people including President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue, the nation’s largest cage-free, no-kill dog rescue based in Loxahatchee Groves, will not cancel its annual Wine, Women & Shoes fundraiser at the president’s private club on Saturday despite other charities calling-off events in Palm Beach and the town canceling four public meetings.
“The Maralago Club meticulously follows all CDC recommendations including cleaning and sterilization of guest areas,” event planner Chase Scott wrote in an email to The Palm Beach Post.
In addition to hand sanitizer stations and “as an additional precautionary measure, upon check-in guests will be encouraged to refrain from shaking hands, hugging or kissing,” Scott added.
Questions about the status of the event emailed to the event organizer were answered via an automatic response from the group’s CEO Christopher Kraus.
“Mar-a-Lago has not canceled this event or any events in the upcoming weeks,” Kraus wrote. “At this time, Palm Beach is NOT a COVID-19 ‘hot spot’ and we are fortunate that we don’t know of any suspected or confirmed community transmissions within Palm Beach County.”
Kraus said the organization is carefully monitoring the status of the respiratory illness in Palm Beach County. No ticket-buyers have asked for a refund, Kraus added. The annual event is the biggest daytime fundraiser at the club, with ticket prices at last year’s event ranging from $500 and $1,000.
Two cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Palm Beach County, the Florida Department of Health announced late Thursday. They mark the first local cases announced by state officials since the deadly outbreak spread.
In addition, a passenger on a JetBlue flight arriving from New York at Palm Beach International Airport was infected with the respiratory illness, according to airport officials. A Pennsylvania man who attended a conference at the Palm Beach County convention center has also tested positive.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s decision to move forward with the event came after news broke that a senior Brazilian official who dined and was photographed with Trump and Vice President Pence at Mar-a-Lago last weekend is infected with the coronavirus.
Trump said Thursday he was “not concerned” about their interaction. However, Florida GOP U.S. Sen. Rick Scott announced on Thursday that he was going to self-quarantine because he met with the Brazilian officials in Miami on Monday.
Original source here.
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