About Us
15th Annual Night For Life Gala and Casino Cabaret
03/26/2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Helen Tanner
Director of Development
Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS
(602) 307 - 5330, ext. 2221
Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS Announces the
15th Annual Night for Life Gala and Casino Cabaret: RED is the Night
Presented by The Apothecary Shops and Sonora Quest Laboratories
PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 2, 2010) - On May 8, 2010 Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS will host the 15th Annual Night for Life Gala presented by The Apothecary Shops and Sonora Quest Laboratories, featuring an after-party casino cabaret at Arizona Biltmore. The community is invited to Renew, Engage and Dedicate (RED) themselves to Southwest Center during the Gala themed, "RED is the Night."
The gala co-chair team includes Dr. Joel and Libby Cohen, Walt Danley, and Chuck Wasson, with Honorary co-chairs Robert Black and Marc Reid.
"Our 15th gala will offer a fresh new approach, combining our traditional gala, auctions, and awards dinner with a casino cabaret dance that brings in several hundred additional attendees and continues the fun later into the evening," noted Carol Poore, Southwest Center's president and CEO. "The second part of the evening will present a hip, red-themed party, providing many more people with the opportunity to support HIV/AIDS prevention, wellness and research through Southwest Center's work."
The anniversary celebration will begin with cocktails and a silent auction at 6:30 p.m., with dinner to follow at 7:30 p.m. Gala and casino entertainers include performances from the Phoenix Metropolitan Men's Chorus, singer Jeffrey Hattrick who performs at the Ritz-Carlton in Phoenix, and music directed by Dr. Jeffrey Kennedy, associate clinical professor in ASU's Division of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies, and students who are based at ASU's West campus.
To further honor the 15th year milestone, guests will be invited to a Casino Cabaret after party at 9:00 p.m. This new addition to the traditional gala will include a hosted bar from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., desserts, dancing and casino games with prizes. The after party will feature music spun by DJ Lucy Wrubel, listed in D Magazine as one of the top ten DJ's in Dallas, Texas. Guests who may be unable to attend the gala are encouraged to purchase tickets separately for the Casino Cabaret at $100 each.
Tickets for the Gala and Casino Cabaret are $350 per person. Tables of ten can be purchased starting at $3,500. Individual tickets for the Casino Cabaret-only portion of the evening are $100 per person. All tickets can be purchased online at www.swhiv.org or by calling (602) 307-5330 ext. 2249.
The following RED awards will be presented during the dinner ceremony to honor individuals and community partners:
RED Community Health Partner award to Maricopa Integrated Health System and McDowell Healthcare Center. For more than 13 years, Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS and the McDowell Healthcare Center, a health clinic operated by Maricopa Integrated Health System, have been strategically co-located, providing one-stop, seamless point of service for an underserved client population impacted by, or are at-risk for HIV/AIDS. The combined scope of work provides a broad, complementary service spectrum spanning healthcare, education and social services. A shared philosophy and service ethos exists to meet needs of underserved populations, recognizing the unique the conditions and expectations of HIV/AIDS patients.
RED Community Education Partner award to 1Voice Community Center. Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS is proud to work with 1Voice Community Center to provide HIV/AIDS testing, counseling, and health education programs that help 1Voice serve LGBT individuals and organizations. Established in 2005, the 1VCC vision is to help to create a strong community of LGBT individuals living without fear, shame, or isolation.
RED Man of the Year Leadership Award to Mark Howard, business owner of FEZ Restaurant & Bar and Lucky Dog Creative, for exemplar board, community, and creative marketing leadership.
RED Woman of the Year Leadership Award to Kelli Smith for board and financial leadership. Smith serves as Vice President, Foundation Operations, Barrow Neurological Foundation, St. Joseph's Foundation.
RED Community Champion Partners to Apollo's Lounge and Charlie's Phoenix for community-based support of Southwest Center's family camp, Camp Incredible.
Presenting sponsors include The Apothecary Shops and Sonora Quest Laboratories. Partner for Life Sponsors include Aetna/Schaller Anderson, Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Arizona, Jon and Jennifer Bohnert/Frank and Melissa Leonesio, International Printing, Molina Fine Jewelers, Wells Fargo and Wiseman & Gale Interiors. Humanitarian for Life Sponsors include Bank of America, Ogletree Deakins, Sky Engineering/Sky Renewable Energy, Snell and Wilmer, and SRP.
For more information or to get involved, call the Southwest Center at (602) 307-5330, ext. 2249 or visit www.swhiv.org.
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About Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS
Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS is Arizona's oldest and largest nonprofit AIDS service organization providing a combination of prevention, research and wellness support to serve 70 percent of Arizona's nearly 13,000 residents infected with HIV/AIDS who live in Maricopa County.
Since 1988, Southwest Center has been on the front lines addressing a steady increase in the demand for HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, prevention education, wellness support services, and clinical trials to help Arizona men, women and teens impacted by the disease.