| Fabulous
Photos! |
Click here for fabulous photos of our magical evening!
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| Photo
Contest Winner Selected! |
|
click
to see larger image
Congratulations to Mr.
Joe Brennan, winner of our photo contest! Above
is Joe's winning photo selected by our professional
photography partner, Arising Images (www.arisingimages.com).
Thank you to Joe, and he will win a special prize
package. A big thank you, as well, to Prem and
Cheridy Mukherjee of Arising Images for their
partnership in our contest. |
| Attention
Attendees! |
|
Attendees who turned in a camera for the photo
contest will be receiving a CD with their photos
very soon!
|
Second Annual Dinner, Dancing and Diamonds Gala:
Dancing the Night Away to Find a Cure
 The
Scleroderma Foundation Michigan Chapter held its Second
Annual Dinner, Dancing and Diamonds gala on Saturday,
November 3, 2007 at the beautiful Royal Park Hotel in
downtown Rochester, MI raising over $80,000 and welcoming
over 240 guests to celebrate our mission of support,
education and research.
The gala began with a fabulous VIP reception from 5-6
pm with champagne, appetizers and a diamond giveaway
generously sponsored by edmund t. AHEE jewelers. Ms.
Ilene Ringle, a board member and generous supporter
of our Chapter, won the giveaway featuring a ladies
18k white gold butterfly pin set with yellow sapphires
and diamonds and a pair of ladies 18k yellow gold Roberto
Coin earrings. Congratulations again to Ilene!
Guests then enjoyed a cocktail reception from 6-7 pm
featuring a champagne pass, silent auction filled with
extraordinary items and surprise giveaways including
a complimentary massage at Revitalize Day Spa in Birmingham,
MI.
 During
the reception and throughout the evening, guests helped
support the gala by purchasing 50/50 raffle tickets.
Our all-attendee diamond giveaway was featured through
the evening, which was a beautiful custom-made circle
of life pendant in 14kt white gold with 44 round stones
in 1 carat total weight with an 18-inch franco chain
valued at $3,100 generously donated by Prlanta Fine
Jewelry and Timepieces in Troy. This piece was won by
Marian Minauro, a longtime supporter of our Chapter,
who was so happy and surprised to have won.
Jay Towers, feature reporter
and week-end anchor with Fox 2 News, served as emcee
and our guests just loved Jay! While giving our welcome
address, Jay expressed his enthusiasm for helping our
cause and his personal hope for finding the cure for
scleroderma. As guests enjoyed dinner and dessert, he
announced our photo contest, which was held in conjunction
with each guest’s favor – a black and white
camera.
Guests were asked to take fabulous photos of our magical
evening and turn in their camera before leaving. The
Chapter will be developing all film, sending each guest
a CD of photos from their camera and one lucky photo
will be selected as the winner by our professional photography
partner, Arising Images. The winner will receive an
array of gift certificates to area restaurants valued
at over $200.
An awards ceremony followed honoring remarkable people
who have contributed to our mission and to our Chapter
in extraordinary ways. Honorees included:
VALLERIE V. MCLAUGHLIN, M.D.
Spirit of Leadership Award
RICHARD GREEN, CPA
Lifetime Achievement Award
SHARON NOECHEL
Spirit of Hope Award
GRANDBERRY FAMILY
Spirit of Inspiration Award
ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS
Distinguished Corporate Service Award
Click here for more information
about our honorees.
Special thanks were also extended to our generous corporate
and individual sponsors including:
Thanks were also given to the Chapter’s board,
gala committee, honorary gala committee, volunteers
and donors who provided outstanding support making the
event such a wonderful success.
Exciting and awe-inspiring dances followed the awards
ceremony by dance professionals from the Arthur Murray
Dance Studio of Royal Oak, MI. Melissa Grabow and Scott
Bailey danced a romantic rumba and super-fun swing!
It was then time for the audience to participate in
a hustle line dance and a swing lesson later on –
the dance floor was packed and stayed that way throughout
the night as Chateau Band played live music til midnight.
Jay Towers conducted our live auction featuring a week-stay
at the gorgeous Marriott Desert Springs Villas II, a
romantic trip to the Inn at Bay Harbor, a helicopter
ride with Denise Lutz and an incredible 2008 Masters
Tournament Package. Ms. Barb Lerner was the winning
bidder of the priceless Masters package, which sold
for $15,000. Thank you, Barb, for your generous support!
Tremendous thanks go to Mr. Jonathan Rye, honorary
gala committee member and generous supporter of our
Chapter, who made it possible for us to receive the
package.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back again for
our Third Annual Dinner, Dancing and Diamonds gala,
which will be held in November 2008 – more details
will be announced soon.
All proceeds from the Dinner, Dancing and Diamonds
gala benefit the Scleroderma Foundation Michigan Chapter.
For more information on next year’s gala including
corporate sponsorship, table or ticket reservations,
contact Jennifer A. Viano, Executive Director, at 248.865.7259/
800-716-6554, jviano@scleroderma.org
or visit
www.scleroderma.org/chapter/michigan.
More
on this year's honorees:
VALLERIE V. MCLAUGHLIN, M.D.
Spirit of Leadership Award
This award is given to an individual
who, through extraordinary dedication to our mission,
has demonstrated unparalleled leadership through tireless
efforts to advance the treatment of scleroderma and
related conditions.
About this Honoree
Dr. McLaughlin, Director of the University of Michigan
Pulmonary Hypertension Program, is a world leader in
pulmonary hypertension and has played a pivotal, important
role in the development of effective modern therapies.
Dr. McLaughlin’s program supports care through
all of Michigan and is recognized for its exceptional
clinical care. Her work has directly benefited people
with scleroderma both in Michigan and also worldwide.
RICHARD GREEN, CPA
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award is given to an individual,
couple or family who, through extraordinary dedication
to our mission, has given significant support, time
and resources over a lifetime to advance our mission.
About this Honoree
Richard Green has served the Scleroderma Foundation
Michigan Chapter as a board member and Treasurer for
many years and has been active on the Chapter’s
Finance, Walk and Gala Committees. Rich’s inspiration
for involvement is a dear friend of his who lost his
battle with scleroderma. His many years and countless
hours of hands on work with our Chapter make him a most
deserving candidate for this extraordinary award.
SHARON NOECHEL
Spirit of Hope Award
This award is given to an individual,
couple or family who, through extraordinary dedication
to our mission, gives a sense of ongoing hope in our
fight against scleroderma.
About this Honoree
Sharon Noechel is a dedicated, passionate and beloved
supporter of our Chapter. When Sharon received a diagnosis
of scleroderma in the prime of her life over thirty
years ago, Sharon made it her mission to do as much
as she could to help herself and people affected by
scleroderma. Sharon is a support group leader, Chairperson
of the Chapter’s walk and run and she also serves
on the Chapter’s Board of Directors as Co-President.
She is involved in nearly every event, activity and
campaign of our Chapter’s throughout the year
giving hope to everyone she meets along the way.
GRANDBERRY FAMILY
Spirit of Inspiration Award
This award is given to an individual,
couple or family who, through extraordinary dedication
to our mission, serves as a tremendous inspiration to
others.
About this Honoree
The Grandberry Family is one of our Chapter’s
most treasured families and has been involved with the
Chapter for many years. In memory of Naydine P. Grandberry,
a loved one the family lost to scleroderma, the Grandberry
family has been a true inspiration to fellow supporters
by offering their time, talent and resources in many
ways. Family members help our Chapter increase awareness
and funding for scleroderma through their family’s
foundation, the NPG Foundation, formation of one of
our largest walk and run teams each year and attendance
and support of our events and campaigns.
ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS
Distinguished Corporate Service Award
This award is given to a corporation
that has demonstrated outstanding dedication and support
to advancing our mission.
JAY TOWERS, EMCEE OF SECOND
ANNUAL DINNER, DANCING AND DIAMONDS GALA!
Jay Towers has worked on the radio since he was
14 years old working in Atlantic City, Grand Rapids,
and Philadelphia before making Detroit his home.
He hosted the morning show at WDRQ for 7 years
and most recently hosted the Motor City Middays
show at WKRK. Jay works the Foxbeat every weekend
on Fox 2 and can heard often doing commercial
voice overs. He has a 5 year old daughter named
Ava and he resides in Troy Michigan. |
About this Honoree
Actelion Pharmaceuticals is a generous and involved
corporate supporter of the Scleroderma Foundation
and the Michigan Chapter. This
global biopharmaceutical leader produces Tracleer®,
a drug used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension,
a condition associated with some forms of scleroderma.
With their financial support and personal involvement
in our events and with those we serve, we are proud
to honor Actelion Pharmaceuticals with this award.
Please click here to learn
more about details from the 2006 gala!
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