Category Archives: Event Coverage

Queens University Royal Society Dinner

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Hundreds of Queens supporters got together to celebrate the the 24th annual Royal Society dinner. The evening started off with a lovely celebration of the newly established Levine Center for Wellness and Recreation. President Pamela Davies thanked donors for their extraordinary generosity, and gave tribute to philanthropists Leon and Sandra Levine and Ravenel and Beth Rivers Curry for their great contributions to the project. The night continued into the Frances Young Dining Hall, where guests celebrated Queens’ progress, reflected on the school’s year-end achievements, and looked ahead to future goals. Guests rolled in laughter during an upbeat video tribute to the Levines, and tears couldn’t stop flowing after an incredibly moving speech from Queens University student athlete Alexys Taylor. It was a wonderful evening, and I take pleasure in sharing a few memorable moments from the event. Enjoy!

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Queens University Levine Center

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I had the honor of being asked to shoot the grand opening ceremony of the Queens University Levine Center, a brand new wellness and recreation facility. Things didn’t quite go as planned, however. The original idea to have the ribbon cutting outside was thrown out the window when a huge storm decided to roll in at the last minute. Rain didn’t damper anyone’s spirits, though. This building was astonishing and HUGE! The 145,000-square-foot building had no problem housing the hundreds that would show up indoors to celebrate it’s grand opening. Floor to ceiling lobby windows made for such a great first impression, and provided wonderful lighting for the event. Charlotte philanthropists Leon and Sandra Levine performed the official ribbon cutting as hundreds of onlookers and supporters cheered on. The three-story facility has an indoor basketball/volleyball court, a 5,000-square-foot fitness center, 33-meter stretch swimming pool, and indoor track! I can only imagine how happy these students are going to be enjoying this building. Enjoy this little recap of the event!

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Providence H.S. Prom

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Had the pleasure of working with Drew Parham and a few others members of the Audio To Go Entertainment team as they hosted Providence High School’s Prom at the Bank of America Stadium. I always love covering the short prom season and watching students cut loose. Providence was definitely ready to party, which made for some great footage!

North Carolina DJ Drew Parham rocks a Prom for Providence High School in Charlotte, NC from Audio To Go on Vimeo.

BusinessWoman of the Year

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Had the privilege of covering the 2012 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year luncheon last Friday. I was filling in for Kristen Hines Baker, who just gave birth to her beautiful baby boy, Wesley! Working with Whitney Combs and Katelyn Lauro at Queens University was wonderful, and they certainly put on a beautiful event. Looking forward to working with Kristen and the University in the future. Here are a few selects from the event:

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All images © Tricia Coyne 2013

Turtle Race

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At Dixie’s Tavern in Uptown Charlotte, turtles are a big deal. Every Monday night, patrons show up to pick their favorite little green reptile as they run for their lives across a carpeted mat. There are even police officers present to make sure things don’t get out of hand.

The way it works is each turtle is placed in the middle of a circular mat. When the box is lifted, the first turtle to completely cross the edge of the circle wins. At Dixie’s, the prize is a $50 bar tab every time your turtle crosses the finish line. We chose turtle No. 2 because of his size and overall ferocity. If he had a name, I’d imagine it’d be Diesel. By the end of the night, Team “Sports Journal” raked in $150 with No. 2. That turtle made us proud.

2007 NHRA Gatornationals

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Ok…so I haven’t been posting in awhile – I know. But, I’ve been working a lot in the past month. I got a full-time temporary job at The Gainesville Sun as their sports online/multimedia producer, and I’ve been filming and editing a bunch of videos ever since.
The first video I ever attempted to film and edit was Gatornationals — a four-day event that brings in about 100,000 specators every year. I was so nervous, but determined — for anyone that knows me, I’m head over heels about cars and racing, so i was driven to produce something good. I’d never been to an NHRA event, and apart from the crazy stories of how loud it would be from colleagues, I had NO IDEA what was coming. I was practically going into convulsions when the first two Top Fuel cars flew down the track. Unless you’ve been there, there’s just no way to explain how it feels to be six feet from a 300+ mph car when it launches. Freaking AMAZING. I hope I’ll be able to do it again next year.


Glenn Epps, of Plantation, sports a mohawk at the 2007 Gatornationals Sunday afternoon. Epps said that he’s been coming to the event as often as he could since 1982.

Mike Bell warms up the tires in a burnout before racing in the 2007 Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway Friday afternoon.

Denise Mills, from Orlando, covers her ears as two funny cars blast down the track Friday afternoon during the 2007 Gatornationals. This was Mills’ first time at Gatornationals. Lining the track, the bleachers vibrate from the sheer intensity of the sound resonating from many of the top division class

Drag racer Ashley Force, daughter of 14-time NHRA funny car champion John Force, speaks to members of the media about moving up into the funny car division and competing against her father this year at the 2007 Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway Friday afternoon.

Ashley Force, daughter of funny car driver John Force, screams down the track in her 2006 Ford Mustang in the 2007 Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway on Saturday. Ashley Force ending up with an ET of 4.832 at 306.67 mph in the quarter mile.

Startled by the sound, Jennifer Schooler, of Gainesville, reacts with excitment while Johnny Diamond, of Pensacola, shields his ears from the sound of a funny car roaring down the track.

Jim Head warms up the tires in his 2007 Toyota Solara before racing down the track.

Crew members prepare Mike Ashley’s 2007 Dodge Charger during the funny car division race at Gatornationals Saturday afternoon.

Funny car driver Scott Kalitta does a burnout in his 2007 Toyota Solara before racing at Gatornationals Saturday afternoon. Kalitta ended up finishing with a 4.919 ET at 257.87 mph in the quarter mile.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite! 02.18.07

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The decorative tale of William Hernandez’s kite flickers in the wind during the 15th Annual Kite Day Festival at Haulover Park Sunday afternoon. Families and kite enthusiasts from all over the nation took part in the event, hosted by Miami-Dade Parks and Skyward Kites.

A dolphin-shaped kite sails high in the sky during the 15th Annual Kite Day Festival at Haulover Park Sunday afternoon. More than 200 kite enthusiasts came to enjoy the weather and take part in the event.
Seven-year-olds Diana Ruiz, left, and Kamaile Luciano, right, entertain themselves on an inflatable slide at the 15th Annual Kite Day Festival at Haulover Park Sunday afternoon.

Step Back in Time 02.13.07

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Naples Park Elementary student Tyler Daugherty, 11, studies a World War II rail car that was used by Nazis to transport Jews during the Holocaust. “It breaks my heart to see it,” Daugherty said about the rail car. “I can’t believe that they actually stuffed people in this – it makes me sad.”

Henry Eisenberg, 84, is comforted by Merle Saferstein from the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, Inc., during an emotionally touching speech by Auschwitz survivor Leo Schneiderman. Hundreds gathered in the Broward County Convention Center Tuesday afternoon for the unveiling of a World War II rail car acquired by the HDEC.

Leo Schneiderman, an Auschwitz survivor, captivates the audience with chilling stories about his experiences during the Holocaust.

The eerie sight of a World War II rail car looms in the background as the audience listens to Holocaust survivor Leo Schneiderman.

Shooting in Luxury 01.14.07

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A model sets the tone in “Evening on the Med” – the grand opening ceremony of Acqualina’s new spa, ESPA, and eatery, Costa Grill. The hotel/condominium’s event also included a beachside buffet and silent auction hosted by Celebrity Chef Rocco DiSpirito and Law and Order Actress Diane Neal – benefiting Safe Horizon, a victim assistance organization.

Acqualina, a luxury hotel/condominium in Sunny Isles Beach, celebrates the grand opening of its new 20,000 square-foot spa, ESPA. The new addition features 11 treatment rooms, an outdoor spa veranda with a Jacuzzi and pool.

A Pucci outfit shimmers onstage during an Emilio Pucci fashion show at the grand opening ceremony at Acqualina.