Event on February 12 to benefit Wolfson Children’s Hospital
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 23, 2025) – The Florida Forum Speaker Series, presented by The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital, will welcome Floridian, Journalist and Novelist Carl Hiaasen on Feb. 12, 2025. The program begins at 7 p.m. at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts. The moderator for Hiaasen’s program is Florida Times-Union Columnist Mark Woods.
Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida. He has published 11 national bestsellers, including Strip Tease, Stormy Weather, Lucky You, Sick Puppy, Basket Case, Skinny Dip, Nature Girl, Star Island, Bad Monkey, Razor Girl, and his latest, Squeeze Me. Hiaasen’s book, Bad Monkey, has been turned into a series starring Vince Vaughn on Apple TV. Hiaasen has also written several popular novels for young readers: His first, Hoot, won a Newbery Honor and was made into a feature film starring Brie Larson, Luke Wilson and Logan Lerman.
Hiaasen's books have been published in 34 languages. His nonfiction work has appeared in many magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Playboy, Time, and Esquire. Hiaasen began writing a regular column for The Miami Herald in 1985, covering everything from local issues like polluted rivers, the criminal justice system, and animal welfare, to national stories like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Trayvon Martin case, Bernie Madoff's trial, and Florida's presidential election woes. He has received numerous honors for his incisive journalism and commentary, including three Pulitzer Prize nominations, the Damon Runyon Award from the Denver Press Club and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.
Tickets to the Florida Forum event start at $85 each for general seating, $115 for preferred seating, $150 for one reserved Bronze level ticket, $300 for two reserved Bronze level tickets, $750 for two reserved Silver level tickets and $1,500 for four reserved Gold level tickets. The purchase of a Silver or Gold ticket package includes invitations to the private reception honoring Carl Hiaasen following the lecture. Patrons under the age of 30 may purchase Young Subscriber tickets for $50 each. To purchase tickets, visit www.thefloridaforum.com, call 904.202.2886, or email womensboard@bmcjax.com.
The series is made possible by long-time partners and generous sponsors Landstar, Wells Fargo and Florida Blue.
The Florida Forum raises awareness and funds for Wolfson Children's Hospital, supporting its mission to ensure the finest available pediatric healthcare for all children. The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital is committed to raising $1.5 million for two new Kids Kare Mobile Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and other Wolfson Children’s Hospital programs. The Kids Kare Mobile ICUs are part of Wolfson Children’s Hospital’s Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care Transport fleet and include necessary life-support equipment for the transportation of critically ill and injured infants and children. Kids Kare vehicles and helicopters safely transport nearly 3,000 infants and children a year to Wolfson Children’s Hospital for emergency neonatal and pediatric critical and trauma care. For more information, visit womensboardwch.com.
Photography:
- Floridian, Journalist and Novelist Carl Hiaasen on Feb. 12, 2025
About The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital:
Established in 1973 by Ellen Cavert, the ongoing mission of the all-volunteer Women’s Board is to raise community awareness and fund state-of-the-art infrastructure, programming and services for Wolfson Children’s Hospital—the only dedicated children’s inpatient healthcare facility in the region. Since its inception, The Women’s Board has raised more than $36 million in support of Wolfson Children’s Hospital to ensure the advancement of first-rate medical care for all children. Two annual fundraisers, the First Coast Design Show (formerly the Art & Antiques Show) and the Florida Forum speaker series, enable The Women’s Board to donate almost $1 million a year to Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
About Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville
Nonprofit Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, is a part of Baptist Health, Northeast Florida’s most comprehensive health system serving every stage of life. Wolfson Children’s is the only children’s hospital in Northeast Florida and serves as the pediatric referral center for North Florida, South Georgia and beyond. Staffed 24/7 by pediatric nurses and other healthcare professionals specially trained to work with children, the 281-bed, patient- and family-centered hospital features the latest pediatric medical technology in a welcoming, child-friendly environment. At Wolfson Children’s, nationally recognized pediatric specialists representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty work with pediatricians to provide care for children of all ages with congenital heart conditions, cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and endocrinology disorders, orthopedic conditions, behavioral health conditions, traumatic injuries, and more. Wolfson Children’s collaborates with pediatric organizations, including Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, the University of Florida College of Medicine — Jacksonville, Emergency Resources Group, and Mayo Clinic Florida. A Magnet™-designated hospital since 2010, Wolfson Children’s Hospital has been named among the U.S. News & World Report 50 Best Children’s Hospitals year after year, and in 2023, was selected as one of only eight children’s hospitals in the country as a Leapfrog Top Children’s Hospital, a recognition of patient quality and safety. For additional information, please visit wolfsonchildrens.com.
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