Cigar PEG Raises Over $25,000 for National Speakers Association Foundation and Other Charities

INDIANAPOLIS, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cigar PEG (the charity with a funny name) recently raised $25,000 to help support the National Speakers Association Professional Speaker Benefit Fund, which provides financial assistance to speakers in times of emergencies, the National Hereditary Disease Foundation's Laura's Hope Project, Cardiac Arrhythmias Research & Education (C.A.R.E.) Foundation's work in alleviating the Long QT Syndrome, and the ongoing work of the American Cancer Society.

Since its founding in 1999 the Cigar PEG had raised more than $400,000. This year's party puts the Cigar PEG over the $400,000 giving milestone.

"We are proud to support our fellow speakers who have fallen on hard times and other causes that are near and dear to our hearts," said Ed Rigsbee, CSP, CAE, executive director of the Cigar PEG, Inc. 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity and a strategic alliance keynote speaker who addresses audiences worldwide on the benefits of business collaboration. "We have a great time and raise money to make a difference for those with lesser luck -- we call it philanthropy through fun."

The Cigar PEG's main fundraising activity is a dinner party and celebrity auction in which six top professional speakers are auctioned. The celebrity speakers provide services and donate their time to the charity. The charity keeps all the money.

The top celebrity fundraiser was Ford Saeks, president of PrimeConcepts.com, a business growth specialist who helps find, attract and keep customers, who raised $10,000. Peter Sheahan, corporate change agent, raised $6,500. The next-highest fundraiser at $5,000 was Dan Janal, president of PR LEADS, which provides publicity services to speakers, authors and professionals who want to be thought leaders in their industry. Other celebrities auctioned were $6,500, Dale Irwin, a humorist, who raised $3,500; Mikki Williamson, who raised $3,500; and Jeff Korhan, social media expert, who raised $2,000.

General Cigar Company's most popular brand, Macanudo, was the party's corporate sponsor. Visit http://www.cigarworld.com/ for more information about the Macanudo family of fine cigars.

"We are pleased to be associated with such a generous company that wants to help our members. I'd like to thank General Cigar Company for their twelve years of continued sponsorship," said Rigsbee.

For information on sponsoring the Cigar PEG or to attend future events, please go to http://www.CigarPeg.com  

About Ed Rigsbee

Ed Rigsbee, CSP, CAE is known as the ROI Guy, helping corporations to get more ROI (return on investment) from the strategic alliances they develop and helping trade associations and professional societies to deliver more ROI to their members. Info at www.rigsbee.com  

SOURCE Cigar PEG, Inc.