When “545,786 euros” flashed up on the screen late at night, STELP founder Serkan Eren could hardly believe his eyes. “We hadn’t expected such a high final total,” he said in disbelief as he looked at the screen.
A guest from the front row even went one better by rounding up to 550,000 euros. 550,000 euros – that’s the amount raised by the 4th STELP fundraising gala for the Stuttgart-based aid organization. It includes all income such as ticket sales, donations and the raffle.
An evening between two worlds
The gala in the Kursaal in Bad Cannstatt was once again an evening between two worlds. Serkan Eren and his team did not spare the guests, but took them into their work in Ukraine, Turkey and Afghanistan. They showed pictures of people who are starving, on the run or fighting for their lives in the war.
On the other hand, Eren’s wife Giulia Cardascia and her father Romano, who run the Bottega da Giulia in the west of Stuttgart and the Oggi on the small Schlossplatz, treated the guests to a delicious Italian gala menu. Master chocolatier Kevin Kugel conjured up a delicious dessert, while Marcel Wanek set the mood for the evening with his “Holy Taste” catering and extravagant finger food.
Large donation from VfB Stuttgart
There was great jubilation when the representatives of VfB Stuttgart appeared at the gala after their 2:0 win against Werder Bremen and presented a donation check for 93,000 euros. Last season, they donated 1,000 euros per goal to STELP and launched a charity heritage collection together with SPSR.Studio in the summer. At the gala, VfB board member Alexander Wehrle ceremoniously presented the check. They also had a corner flag from the first game of the season and four coveted special “StuttgART” jerseys, one of which was even matchworn directly from the stadium, in their luggage for the auction. It was Kevin Kurànyi, who was invited on stage by CEO Alex Wehrle, who turned the 93,000 euros (VfB was founded in 1893) into a round sum and rounded it up to 100,000 euros.
The gala reached its climax when comedians Fabi Rommel and Assane Badiane performed late at night and the guests laughed together. Berlin rapper Chefket, originally from Heidenheim, crowned the evening with a stage dive from the stage. “Something like this really only happens at STELP,” said Serkan Eren, happily bidding farewell to the after-show party, which went on until five o’clock in the morning.
