Nov 28, 2016 12:30 pm Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research raised nearly $3.7 million last night in support of blood cancer research at Angel Ball 2016.
Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, and Kris Jenner
The evening honored the work of Carl H. June, M.D., Director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania; the late Robert Kardashian and Heloise Pratt AM, Chair of The Pratt Foundation. This annual, black-tie benefit, hosted by Grammy-nominated songwriter Denise Rich and her daughters Daniella Rich Kilstock and Ilona Rich Schachter, took place at Cipriani Wall Street.
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The Angel Ball honors individuals who have made significant humanitarian and philanthropic contributions in support of cancer research and boasts attendees in the fields of business, philanthropy, and society alike for this annual celebration of life, music and the quest for a cure.
Tommy Hilfiger introduced his good friends, the Kardashians, and spoke about their strong commitment to carrying out their father’s work ethic and charitable core. Kris Jenner, Khloe Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian took the stage to honor their late husband and father, who passed away from esophageal cancer in 2003. Jenner shared how she had spoken to many survivors and cancer research doctors throughout the evening, and she found it remarkable how the Foundation’s funding was being used to make advances in a cure for cancer after hearing so many success stories. Specifically, that her ex-husband Robert Kardashian’s form of cancer would have been curable in today’s world with the advances in treatment that Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation has helped fund.
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“When I met Robert Kardashian, I was 17 years old, and he kind of raised me. One of the things he used to teach me and our four children was about philanthropy and about giving – and about doing it diligently, constantly, joyfully and generously. He taught me, and them, that no matter what we do in life, he would have been very proud of us. And what you make, you give back. And you do it without saying a word because that’s what the Bible said – and we did,” Jenner said through tears.
And the Kardashian family continued to do just that on stage at the Angel Ball, presenting a $250,000 donation to Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation in the name of their late husband and father.
Sir Bob Geldof and the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board Chairman Dr. Stephen D. Nimer presented the honors to Heloise Pratt and Dr. June, respectively.
“Done with care, celebrity philanthropy like tonight is an incredibly powerful force of good in this world, but we must always go bigger. The celebrity platform is a means to an end but not an end in itself. You told me that, Sir Geldof, and it is a lesson I will never, ever forget,” Pratt said.
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“What we have here is a Foundation that will take long shots and not just go for sure bets – and I really want to thank the Foundation for that and for promoting the careers of young scientists,” Dr. June said.
The evening’s performances included sets from Earth, Wind & Fire, CeeLo Green, Dave Stewart, Vanessa Amorosi, Jon Stevens and DJ Ruckus closed the show and had the audience dancing till night’s end.
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Additional supporters in attendance included Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness, Clive Davis, Sarah, Duchess of York; Star Jones, Toni Garrn, Donna Karan, Dee Hilfiger, Zuri Marley, Selenis Leyva, Jeff Gordon, Andreja Pejić, Anja Rubik, Brittany Daniels, Dr. Stephen Nimer, Ethan Zohn, Jonathan Batiste, Alina Baikova, Carol Alt, Christina Milian, Danielle Knudson, Donna D’Cruz, Jessica Strothler, Jill Zarin, Jocelyn Chew, Megan Williams, Montel Williams, Nadine Leopold, Scott Disick, Shanina Shaik, Suleika Jaouad and more.
The evening featured a cocktail reception, dinner, and a luxury live auction led by Simon de Pury. Popular live auction items included 18k blackened gold and purple sapphire earrings by Lorraine Schwartz that sold for $85,000 and an exclusive Porsche Panamera Turbo that sold for $140,000.
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The online auction, powered by Charitybuzz, runs through November 29th at charitybuzz.com/angelball.
Sponsors for the event included celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, Porsche Cars North America, Le Mētier de Beautē, with alcohol partners SVEDKA Vodka and Billionaire’s Row Champagne.
Gala Chairs included Lorraine Schwartz, Ofira Sandberg, and Camilla Olsson.
This year’s Gala Co-Chair Committee included Giselle Aboud, Dori Cooperman, Bonnie Pfeifer Evans, Kira Faiman, Amy France, Michele Herbert, Pamela Johananoff, Star Jones, Mary Kitchen, Louise Kornfeld, Norah Lawlor, Heather McDowell Levin, Allison Lutnick, Jackie Martin, Danielle Merollo, Brooke Milstein, Cynthia Ott, Donna Poyiadjis, Michele Rella, Lauren Roberts, Alisa Roever, Paola Bacchini Rosenshein, Charleen Sacks, Catherine Saxton, Susan Shin, Stacey Silverstein, Tina Storper, Felicia Taylor, Jo Vickers, Marcy Warren and Jill Zarin.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Chrissie Hynde is using her band’s concert in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to call for the release of Louie and Tommy, two chimpanzees who are apparently being kept in solitary confinement at the controversial DeYoung Family Zoo.
“I am on tour this month in Michigan and was saddened to learn from PETA that the chimpanzees Louie and Tommy remain in solitary confinement at the DeYoung Family Zoo,” she wrote. “I may not be a social person, but chimps are — I urge you to release them to a sanctuary with access to their own kind. In the last few years, several small zoos have chosen to release solitary chimpanzees to accredited sanctuaries, where they can roam and enjoy life more as nature intended. Chimpanzees aren’t native to the Upper Peninsula. Won’t you release them to a sanctuary like Save the Chimps in Florida, where winters aren’t so harsh?”
The Pretenders play Van Andel Arena on Wednesday with Stevie Nicks. Hynde’s appeal is part of PETA’s campaign to free Louie and Tommy from their cruel conditions at the DeYoung Family Zoo, which you can read more about here.
Taking place on Thursday, December 1, on the Ellipse at President’s Park (White House), the special event wraps the National Park Service Centennial year and celebrates the launch of a second century of discovery and stewardship. Through a partnership with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, the National Christmas Tree Lighting will be televised exclusively on Hallmark Channel on Monday, December 5.
Dates to note:
• December 1: National Christmas Tree Lighting takes place on the Ellipse in President’s Park
• December 5 at 7 p.m. ET/PT: National Christmas Tree Lighting telecast exclusively on Hallmark Channel
An American holiday tradition started by President Calvin Coolidge in 1923, the National Christmas Tree Lighting is a great example of the countless ways there are to #FindYourPark. Launched in March 2015, Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque is a public awareness and education movement to inspire people to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks and community-based programs. Celebrating the National Park Service Centennial and setting the stage for the Service’s next 100 years, Find Your Park invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation’s natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.
Nov 28, 2016 09:00 am
A plethora of stars attended the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation Celebrity Poker Tournament with PokerStars Helping Hands at The Avalon last weekend.
Tommy Lasorda and Don Cheadle attended the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation Celebrity Poker Tournament with PokerStars Helping Hands at The Avalon
Credit/Copyright: Tiffany Rose / Getty Images
The event helped the families of LAPD Officers who have been injured or killed in the line of duty.
Don Cheadle hosted the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation Celebrity Poker Tournament with PokerStars Helping Hands at The Avalon
Credit/Copyright: Tiffany Rose / Getty Images
Tito Ortiz and Beau “Casper” Smart attend Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation Celebrity Poker Tournament with PokerStars Helping Hands at The Avalon
Credit/Copyright: Tiffany Rose / Getty Images
The Memorial Foundation is the cornerstone of the Los Angeles Police Departments employee wellness program and has granted over $16 million without any direct taxpayer money.
The evening included red carpet arrivals, a celebrity poker tournament, casino games, great food, cocktails, music, photobooth, raffles and auctions. Along with dozens of unique and priceless items in the auction, guests had the chance to win a 2-seater ride with the legendary IndyCar champion Mario Andretti at the 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with tickets, pit passes and stay at Renaissance Long Beach, spend the day with MMA fighter Tito Ortiz in training & tickets to BellatorMMA Ortiz vs. Sonnen Fight at the Forum, a stay at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, tour of Jay Leno’s private auto/motorcycle collection, LAPD airship ride, LAPDSWAT Training Day, Training at the Emergency Vehicle Operation Center to learn pursuit & pit maneuvers etc.
Nov 28, 2016 09:00 am
Tony Martell, who founded the TJ Martell Foundation for leukemia, cancer and AIDs research in honor of his son T.J. who died after battling leukemia at the age of 19, has died.
Tony Martell speaks at this years T.J. Martell Foundation New York Honors Gala held in October
Martell died in Madison, New Jersey at his home on Sunday, November 27, 2016. He was 90 years old.
Tony Martell was a music industry senior executive from the 1960s to the 1990s working with musicians who covered a wide range of musical styles including jazz, rock, soul, pop, blues and heavy metal. His experience as an A&R Director, Record Label Vice President and Record Label Head could not eclipse his profound commitment to honoring the promise he made to his son many years ago – to find a cure to help others.
Founded in 1975, the T.J. Martell Foundation has raised over $270 million dollars for innovative scientific research at flagship hospitals in the United States. Under Martell’s leadership the foundation has become the music industry’s largest foundation which funds innovative research focused on finding cures for leukemia, cancer and AIDs. Memorial plans will be announced soon. He is survived by his daughter Debbie Martell of Florham Park, NJ.
IfOnly (www.ifonly.com), America’s leading marketplace for experiences, announced today a round of funding from Sotheby’s (www.sothebys.com), the renowned global art business.
The partnership between the two brands is aligned around the pursuit of the world’s greatest treasures and experiences, as well as enriching the experience of existing customers and reaching beyond to new audiences.
IfOnly will use the funds to fuel further expansion of the company’s experiences marketplace model into new markets domestically as well as internationally. While signing up world renowned, A-list talent (known on IfOnly as “luminaries”) remains a core objective, IfOnly is also investing in technology to better enable locally talented individuals and venues to easily sell any type of experience in a number of different ways: from the traditional buy-it-now model to auctions to sweepstakes for very rare experiences.
“Those who come to Sotheby’s seeking the finest works of art, jewels, cars and wines are also interested in unattainable, extraordinary experiences,” commented David Goodman, Executive Vice President, Digital Development & Marketing for Sotheby’s. “IfOnly not only creates an opportunity to welcome new audiences to Sotheby’s, but provides our existing clients with access to unique events that amplify their interests and passions.”
“With recent stats showing over seventy-two percent of people would rather spend their money on experiences than things, it’s easy to see that the long-predicted ‘Experience Economy’ has arrived and continues to strengthen. This investment enables us to realize the full potential of this trend, locally and across the globe, ” said IfOnly CEO and Founder Trevor Traina.
Sotheby’s to Debut First-Ever “Experiences Auction” November 28th
The first step of the IfOnly-Sotheby’s partnership will launch next week with the “IFONLYPRESENTS: The Experiences Auction” featuring a selection of approximately 25 unique adventure, culinary and athletic experiences created by IfOnly. In keeping with IfOnly’s philosophy, a portion of the selling price of every item goes to worthy causes around the world. The auction opens on CyberMonday – November 28, 2016 – and runs through December 9th. Featured lots in the auction include:
• London “Star Wars” Premiere: Attend the “Rogue One” debut and meet the film’s star Forest Whitaker, along with attending the VIP after-party.
• Winemaker dinner with Screaming Eagle at Meadowood Napa Valley for six Guests – a rare opportunity to taste wines from the acclaimed Cabernet producer paired with cuisine from Michelin-starred chef Christopher Kostow accompanied by winemaker Nick Gislason.
• Private tennis lesson with former pro and Olympic medalist Brad Gilbert, who has also coached such tennis stars as Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, in addition to serving as an ESPN host.
This announcement comes on the heels of a recent B round last fall including several notable VC firms and angel investors, including Advance Newhouse, Digital Garage, XB Ventures, Dropbox founder and CEO Drew Houston, and Yucaipa Capital chief Ron Burkle. Other previous investors include American Express Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, Nirav Tolia, Marc Benioff, Yuri Milner, Marissa Mayer and Jeremy Stoppelman. Fueled by these investments, the site has added several new regional markets in recent months, delivering a deeper selection of local offerings in Los Angeles, New York and Boston, with plans for expansion into 20 cities by the end of 2017.
Nov 28, 2016 05:00 am AIDSLIFE was founded in 1992 to raise funds to support HIV+ and people living with AIDS. The annual Life Ball is the organisation’s main source of income.
It also promotes awareness and public consciousness about AIDS.
