Folks looking to cool off from the South Florida heat this month can head to the Aventura Mall, which has been turned into a winter wonderland.
An indoor ice rink was erected in center court this week and will remain up through Aug. 21.
The mall, at 19501 Biscayne Blvd. in Aventura, contracted Ice Rinks Inc. in Texas to set up the 44-by-52 foot rink. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 7 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6 per person and includes skate rentals.
All proceeds from the admission fees and sponsorships will go to the Children’s Brain Trust. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to raising awareness about brain cancer as well as money to finance a comprehensive pediatric brain tumor center at Miami Children’s Hospital.
Laura Nichols, special events manager at Aventura, said the mall is very excited about being involved with the organization and promoting the event, Miracles on Ice.
“It’s wonderful,” she said. “It’s a great charity.”
Mall staffers came up with the idea for the ice rink after being approached by Paul Hale, one of the founders of the Children’s Brain Trust.
“He wanted us to help create awareness about the charity,” Nichols said. “We were looking to do a Christmas in July-type of theme. Someone mentioned the ice rink at one of our marketing meetings.
“The group just embraced the idea and we were off. It gives people the opportunity to cool down and help a good cause.”
Hale thought it was a terrific plan.
“I thought, what a super idea to let kids cool off during the hottest days of summer,” he said.
Hale, who lives in Coral Springs, helped establish the Children’s Brain Trust after his son, Bret, 14, died from a brain tumor last year.
If the organization succeeds in creating the comprehensive pediatric brain tumor center at Miami Children’s Hospital, Hale said, it would be first of its kind in Florida.
The trust has set a goal of $7 million to bring the required state-of-the-art technology to the hospital, Hale said.
The rink at Aventura is its first major, public fund-raising event. The next event will be during the holidays, he said.
“Once we get the awareness out there, the money will start to come in because the cause does speak for itself,” said Hale, who is scheduled to attend the rink’s opening ceremonies, from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at the mall.
Florida Panthers mascot, Stanley C. Panther, along with officials from the Children’s Brain Trust and the city of Aventura will be on hand.
The opening ceremonies will be one of several special events planned for the upcoming weeks. These include disco nights, skating lessons, ice hockey clinics sponsored by the Florida Panthers, a sock hop and performances by professional skaters.
The skating lessons and ice hockey clinics require advance registration. There will be no additional charge for any of the special events, however.
A complete schedule of events will be available at the rink or any of the mall’s customer service desks. Events also are posted at the mall’s Web site:
In addition, volunteers are needed to serve as ice rink safety monitors and greeters, staff ticket booths and do cleanup. Ice rink monitors must have skating experience and be age 17 or older.
