Push Ultra Lounge in St. Petersburg Partners with the Red Cross

ST. PETERSBURG - The tornadoes and destruction in Missouri have prompted Push Ultra Lounge to partner with Red Cross for a charitable effort to encourage patrons to donate money.

"Ultimately, the goal is to spread awareness," said Lucy Watkins, part owner of Push.

Watkins and her crew at Push Ultra Lounge did something similar back in 2010, when Haiti endured a catastrophic earthquake. Push joined with organizations like the Red Cross to benefit people in need.

The original idea was to stage an event, but the decision was made to keep things simple for guests by giving them an incentive to give. "They can do it on their own time," said Watkins. "With a click of the mouse, they can make a difference."

Lucy Watkins knows firsthand of the devastation of catastrophic events. Along with her family, Watkins endured Hurrican Andrew in 1992 while living in Miami. "The aftermath of extreme weather is dangerous, miserable and scary," she said.

At a young age, generosity was instilled in Watkins. "I was raised to believe that we are to help one another," she explained. Her compassion shines through as she says that a video of an elderly woman who had lost everything in the recent tornado was the final straw before taking action.

So, how does it work? Simple. Just follow these three steps:

1. Donate $25 (or more) by going to www.redcross.org
2. Print a receipt of your donation
3. Present the receipt to a Push Manager and receive your $25 Gift Certificate

The offer was set to end June 30, 2011, but with the vast need for donations, Push Ultra Lounge has extended it until the end of the year. There is a limit of one per customer, per month, and the certificate applies to drinks from the bar and toward bottle service.

The Red Mesa Cantina is a separate business and will not accept the voucher.