ORANGE PARK – It was an unforgettable evening of empowerment and festive art on Sept. 25 as Challenge Enterprises hosted their annual Revealing Abilities Gala.
The Thrasher-Horne Center was filled with guests dressed to the nines, celebrating and unmasking the talents and strengths of local individuals with different abilities.
Challenge Enterprises, a nonprofit established in 1972, is dedicated to providing adult day training, residential services and employment to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The event acted as a fundraiser, seeking to raise money for the nonprofit’s community programs, which help these individuals develop work and career skills, earn income, become homeowners and achieve social independence.
Currently, the nonprofit operates two day-programs: Adult Day Training in Green Cove and Club Challenge in Orange Park.
“In these programs participants pursue personalized goals such as volunteering, developing life skills, gaining job experience, advocating for themselves and enjoying social and recreational activities,” said CEO Katie Vineyard.
Within the crowd sat local and state officials, including U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean and County Commissioner Jim Reninger.
Since 1988, the nonprofit said they’ve distributed nearly $50 million in wages to individuals with disabilities, including almost $3.6 million in 2024. The jobs are made possible through a variety of contracts with janitorial services, lawn maintenance, warehousing, document shredding and more across Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia.
Special pieces of artwork created by members of the nonprofit were showcased at the event during a live auction by Bean. The final piece auctioned off was a group painting that guests had a hand in creating, courtesy of local artist Beth Haizlip, who hosted a pop-up studio during the event’s cocktail hour.
To round out the night, the nonprofit also successfully raised an additional $10,000 to support its new facet of the Adult Day Training program, which is set to launch in 2026.