The Palm Beach Habilitation Center has joined the list of charities exiting President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club.
After reaching out to its far-flung board members -- many of whom are still away for the summer -- and the officers of its Hab-a-Hearts women’s auxiliary, the decision was made to move the 27th annual Hab-a-Hearts luncheon to another venue.
The newly chosen venue is “still pending,” according to CEO David Lin.
“But we’ve decided to move because we want to keep the focus of the event on our mission, which is to help adults with physical or mental challenges live the best lives possible,” Lin said, according to the Palm Beach Post.
The event, which was scheduled for Feb. 19, is sponsored by the auxiliary and usually draws upwards of 400 guests, most of them women. It includes a social hour and silent auction, lunch, live auction and music.
The Habilitation Center becomes the 24th charity to move or cancel events planned for Mar-a-Lago this season. Eighteen of those organizations made their decisions since Trump’s comments after violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. The others made decisions earlier this year.
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Last season’s luncheon earned a surprise visit from the President, who dropped in on the event and was greeted by applause, screams and squeals on the level of a Justin Bieber sighting. He spoke briefly, posed for a few photographs and headed back upstairs.
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