PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, Jan. 22, 2006 - More than 400 of Palm Beach County’s most prominent residents joined His Royal Highness The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and his wife, Her Royal Highness Countess of Wessex at ORBIS International’s extraordinary ORBIS Global Ball held on Saturday, January 21, 2006.

Renowned as “predictably the event of the year,” the ORBIS Global Ball was orchestrated with stunning finesse and sophistication by Gala Chairman Audrey Gruss with Honorary Chairmen Judith Murat Grubman, Trish Donnelley and Stephania Conrad. Benefactor Chairmen were Leslie Ginn, Dina Merrill Hartley and Margaret P. (Peggy) Lord. Dinner Chairmen were Luce and Winston Churchill; Gifts Chairman was David Miller, and Judy Oppel served as Protocol Chairman. Benefactors were Rhoda and David Chase, Florence and Lawrence DeGeorge, Samuel and Connie Frankino, Martin Gruss, Susan Lloyd, Billie and Peter Mullen, Vera and Julio Serrano and Barbara Wainscott.

The much heralded gala more than lived up to its reputation as famed event designer Bruce Sutka created the “ORBIS Pavilion” on a private tarmac at Palm Beach International Airport. He transformed a room-quality tent into a spectacular art deco supper club adorned in stunning silver, soft white and classic black fabrications and luxurious textures along with opulent lighting and dramatic arrangements of oversize white cala lilies throughout. Adjectives used to describe the scene and entire evening included “magnificent,” “impeccable,” “breath-taking,” “a 10!”

Parked beside the Ball was the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital, a highly sophisticated medical facility constructed onboard a converted DC-10, which was brought in especially for the Ball. The evening’s highlights included a unique opportunity for guests, including HRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex, to personally tour the impressive hospital aircraft which travels the globe. The following morning Sunday, January 22nd, the plane departed for a sight-saving mission to Jamaica.

Back in the ballroom, guests enjoyed delectable culinary creations, fine wine and the legendary music of Peter Duchin and his 14-piece orchestra which kept the dance floor packed all night long.

Culminating this very grand gala was the presentation of the 2006 ORBIS GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD to HRH The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex for his extensive humanitarian efforts worldwide. A symbolic sculpture custom crafted and donated by local artisan Stephania Conrad served as the “royal” award.

Contact:

Brooke Johnson: US Public Relations, ORBIS International, +1(646) 674-5532, brooke.johnson@orbis.org