On Sunday, October 27, 2019 nearly 1,000 guests including children and families joined hospital clinicians and leadership dressed in Halloween costumes at the 30th anniversary of NewYork-Presbyterian’s Light Up A Life. This fun-for-all-ages Halloween party benefits NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital was held at the Field House at Chelsea Piers. The event, sponsored exclusively by Saks Fifth Avenue, raised a record-breaking $525,000 to benefit pediatric patient care programs.
The festive atmosphere featured games and activities including laser tag, gymnastics, rock climbing walls, face painting, DJ station, batting cages, ambulance karaoke, and other terrific activities.
Notable guests in attendance included Founder and Co-Chair Kathleen Ingrid Burns, in addition to Event Co-Chairs Amanda Goldworm, Samantha Miller Lawi, Stacey Lowenberg, Lizzy Quick, and Christina Teagle. Saks Fifth Avenue Executives Tracy Margolies and John Antonini. They were also joined by Arielle Charnas, Adam and Brette Ottavino, Sana Clegg, Gretchen Englander, Sari and Haro Keledjian, Breanna Khoury, Helen and Roman Martinez IV, Marcie Pantzer, Dara Quinlan, and Erica Samuels.
On November 4th, KidSpirit celebrated its annual Awards at Capitale in downtown Manhattan with friends, supporters, and youth from around the country and abroad.
As the only youth-led platform for building community through life’s big questions, KidSpirit builds bridges of mutual understanding among kids of all backgrounds and traditions. With approximately 80,000 readers from 180 countries and hundreds of contributors annually, KidSpirit provides youth with a unique forum to become world citizens with strong inner grounding.
During the event, awards were presented to the youth contributors whose works have been selected by their peers for special recognition. The young editors read excerpts from these pieces, all of which can be found in The Best of KidSpirit Vol. VI, which launched at the event.
These teenagers were joined by Dr. Anil Seth, winner the PerSpectives Award, the only section reserved for adult authors. Dr. Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex and Founding Co-Director of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science.
KidSpirit also honored two outstanding individuals who embody the exemplary leadership KidSpirit’s participants aspire to: Craig Hatkoff, Co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival and Disruptor Foundation, and Rick Segal, Chairman and CEO of Seavest Investment Group. Mr. Hatkoff and Mr. Segal each gave remarks and were presented awards by KidSpirit youth contributors.
In her remarks, Elizabeth Dabney Hochman, Founder and Executive Director, said, “The annual Awards is a window into what is most inspiring about our world today — a view through which we can see creativity, curiosity and commitment in myriad forms and faces.”
The not-for-profit animal rescue organization, Rescue Dogs Rock NYC (RDRNYC) hosted their 2nd annual gala at 583 Park Avenue, New York City. The cocktail and dinner reception gala raised funds and awareness to help animals in need, and was co-chaired by Georgina Bloomberg and Lara Trump. The gala was produced by Robin Lathrop of By Robin who also donated fabulous décor and DJ. TV personality Bill McCuddy was the emcee for the evening.
Notable attendees included: RDRNYC co-founders Jackie O’Sullivan and Stacey Silverstein, co-chairs Georgina Bloomberg and Lara Trump, Eric Trump, Emcee Bill McCuddy, Jean Shafiroff, Elizabeth Shafiroff, Lizzie Asher, Pamela Morgan, Leesa Rowland, Randi Schatz, actress Sean Young, Meredith O’Connor, Dana Tycher Reisman, Sydney Sadick, RHONY Sonja Morgan, Justina Valentine,Jesse Watters, and Ray Mariscal. The real stars of the evening were the RDRNYC dogs as well as guests who brought their own.
The 2nd annual gala commenced with a cocktail reception and silent auction held in the lower lounge. Afterwards, guests were brought upstairs for the main presentation and dinner. Emcee Bill McCuddy formally opened the evening, welcoming guests and introducing RDRNYC co-founders Jackie O’Sullivan and Stacey Silverstein, who in-turn thanked everyone for being there and introduced guests to the mission of the RDRNYC.
After dinner and dessert, Bill McCuddy introduced co-chairs Georgina Bloomberg and Lara Trump who spoke about the importance of RDRNYC and what it means to them personally. After their speeches, a video was played appealing to guests of the gala to help grow RDRNYC and help animals in need, followed by a live auction.
Rescue Dogs Rock NYC is a 501(c)(3), volunteer and foster based animal rescue.
Photographs by Eyes Photography/Kellie Walsh (Light Up A Life); ©Patrick McMullan (Rescue Dogs).
