Lace up your sneakers and slip on your stilettos in support of Red Sneakers for Oakley’s Annual Food Allergy Awareness Benefit. It returns for its 8th year at Club Colette in Palm Beach on November 24th, 2025. The atmosphere is ever-festive as the red-decked dining room packs with friends and champions.
In November 2016, Oakley Debbs passed away suddenly after consuming an unknown nut substance. In the years since, the Debbs’ family, Merrill, Bobby, and Olivia, has turned pain into positive action by becoming trailblazers in food allergy awareness and education and helping those affected by food allergy navigate everyday life and stay safe from anaphylactic encounters.
The proceeds from the benefit fund support this essential mission.
This year, Hilary and I are delighted to co-chair the event with our good friends Jack Lynch and Wilder Regalbuto. We are eagerly anticipating our return to Club Colette for this lively event, which signals the start of the holiday season and will be expertly and creatively decorated by Meg Braff Designs.
One of the highlights of the evening is Tom Quick commanding center stage as Ringmaster of the Auction (his coaxing skills are legendary!). The crowd is always energized by the cause created so close to home as paddles were raised with heartfelt enthusiasm.
The brightest red Moke, donated by Wilder to the Live Auction, creates great excitement, enhancing the entrance to Club Colette.
Host & hostess extraordinaire, Tom and Danielle are generously gifting the VIP reception with “Docktails.”
Olivia Debbs has created her own following as she spearheads the work of the organization among her friends and at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas where she is a student. Pony up!
Which brings us to the all-important query: What to wear to this evening of charity and camaraderie? This is a wonderful event to shop for a new LBD (Little Black Dress) to fashion the holiday season both north and south. Each frock in this collection offers something special, from bows to feathers to ruffles. Red shoes are de rigueur (and we discovered 3 perfect pairs to delight!), while stunning complete the festively adorned ensembles for all of your seasonal engagements and celebrations.
Hilary’s ties to the organization are heartfelt and longstanding. “I have known Bobby and Merrill for as long as I can remember. The entire Palm Beach community went into shock and mourning at news of the loss of Oakley. And we all are so incredibly proud of what Bobby and Merrill, along with their daughter Olivia, have achieved in honor of his memory.”
Hilary puts her own spin on the shade. A red shoe or accessory adds a bit of spark to every ensemble. They can be worn any time of year but are of course very festive during the holiday season. A pump, a sandal, a sneaker or a clutch … all are such a fun touch but are especially meaningful for this special evening.
Red Sneakers for Oakley has reached millions worldwide through its RSFO Days program, digital outreach, and International Red Sneakers Day, which alone engaged over 10 million people this past year. There are countless letters of appreciation to the organization for saving lives. You can read them here.
Red Sneakers for Oakley has created the Food Allergy Awareness Handbook to help educate, inform, and advocate for greater understanding of food allergies.
Merrill Debbs sums the mission up so poignantly. “Our goal is that no family experiences the excruciating loss of a loved one due to lack of knowledge of anaphylaxis.”
