By Maggie Downs
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The planning team for tonight's Heart's Desire gala includes Deanna Powell (from left), Michael Lee, Monique Hewan and Puja Sehgal. They gathered at Lee's home in Mount Adams over the weekend to finish details. (Craig Ruttle photo)

DOWNTOWN - Charities from the American Cancer Society to the American Heart Association have discovered the fund-raising power of young professionals.

They are willing to donate time and money for a good cause - if you toss in fun.

"They definitely have a lot of power in raising money," said Lori Fovel, communications director for the local American Heart Associationchapter. "But they're having a blast while doing it."

For example, FunRaisers, a singles organization, raises money for hematology/oncology research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center through parties, happy hours and special events. More than $390,000 has been donated to help find a cure for pediatric cancer.

The Young Professionals of the American Cancer Society raise about $40,000 each year through two social events, the World's Largest Office Party and the Creative Black Tie/Mad Hatter event. Money goes to the Hope Lodge, which houses cancer patients and their caregivers.

Even clubs are getting in on the action. On Jan. 30, Club Clau hosted "Fashion on the Rocks," a fashion show and auction, for the Hearing Speech & Deaf Center of Greater Cincinnati. It raised $30,000.

Tonight, it's the Heart's Desire party, a multicultural extravaganza of dancing, speed dating, a silent date auction and food. In just three years, the event has raised more than $13,000 for the Cincinnati affiliate of the American Heart Association. Last year, 800 people came out to party and raised $6,000.

"Honestly the first year, we thought 'Sure. Sounds great.' But we didn't really think it would take off," said Fovel. "We really take them seriously now."

The young professional groups cultivate a whole new market of people to attend functions, volunteer and serve on boards. Many have disposable income.

There are no specific figures available on the amounts generated by events specifically geared to younger people. Still, the volunteers are well-connected.

Some are already filling the shoes of the older generation.

"Frankly, (the people involved with Heart's Desire) have become an integral part of the Heart Association," Fovel said.

P.J. Long, 32, has seen the power at work in his role as co-chair of the Young Professionals of the American Cancer Society.

"Young professionals are all of a sudden becoming this commodity," he said. "They've never been tapped for charities before, because people assume they don't have a lot of money. But if you get the loyalty now, you end up getting them on the board or becoming donors later."

In some cases, the young professionals have uncovered new resources. Heart's Desire volunteers already have $5,000 in door prizes and $10,000 in corporate sponsorship lined up.

"Some of the sponsors they've gotten have really amazed us," Fovel said. "Because we've gone to some of them, and they've never given us money."

Like generations before them, they pick their cause of choice for personal reasons.

Long helped establish the Young Professionals of the American Cancer Society in 2000 after losing his mother and grandmother to cancer. After getting involved, he also had a bout with cancer.

"This work is kind of a passion now," he said.

Deanna Powell, 24, an enthusiastic Heart's Desire volunteer, lost a friend two years ago to heart-related complications. Another friend received a heart transplant seven years ago.

"Obviously, the heart association is a very near and dear organization to me," she said. "It's fun to help, but to have it benefit a cause - that's an extra bonus."

There are drawbacks in engaging the young professional crowd, however, like high turnover. Volunteers get married, have babies, move away for jobs.

"We're not the most stable demographic," Long said. "But on the flip side, we have a lot of people who are new to the city and are looking to get involved with something."

Like Stacey Schield, 26, a Heart's Desire volunteer. The University of Cincinnati student has spent the past several weeks gathering donations and making 34 dozen cookies to accompany the party's press packets.

The Heart's Desire party was the brainchild of Puja Sehgal, 28, of Oakley and Michael Lee of Mount Adams. The simple idea - to throw a big bash that also was good for the community - has had almost a 50 percent increase in attendees each year.

Involved are members of the Asian community, young black professional organizations, and UC students. But making it enjoyable didn't hurt either. "That's how you get young people to your event," she said. "Fun is the essential component."

The fun at this week's Heart's Desire includes a buffet at midnight and four DJs spinning hip hop, club, trance and world music. The party, which runs 7:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. at Red Cheetah, downtown, includes a twist on the typical bar scene. Everyone who walks through the door gets tagged with a glowing pin - one color distinguishes those who are single, another color means someone is attached, and another indicates the undecided.

"I feel like this city is an ecosystem," Lee said. "At some point you have to think about what you can return to the system to perpetuate it."

E-mail mdowns@enquirer.com