Tickets Still Available for Red Ribbon Foundation Gala

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (formerly Mayor of Stamford) and longtime U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, have confirmed appearances at the Red Ribbon Foundation’s SAFE Gala, this Saturday, April 6.  Both are longtime supporters of the fight against AIDS.  Red Ribbon is honored to have these two esteemed politicians join in raising awareness of the continuing need for HIV/AIDS education and treatment.

The historic Capitol Theatre—a nationally known “Rock Palace” in Westchester County where Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones have played—will be the venue for this exceptional night of food and entertainment. Greenwich residents Gary and Mary Dell’Abate, longtime champions of the AIDS cause through work with the AIDS awareness organization Lifebeat: Music Fights HIV/AIDS, will be the evening’s honorary chairpersons, with Mr. Dell’Abate receiving the Jonathan Scharer Lifetime Achievement award.   Dell’Abate has served as the producer of the iconic Howard Stern Show since 1984 (“Ba Ba Booey”), and is the Board President of Lifebeat.  SAFE will be chaired by Red Ribbon board member Jen Danzi.  World renowned AIDS researcher Dr. Jeffrey Laurence, of amfAR and Weill Cornell Medical College, will receive a Visionary Award for his pioneering work on a cure.

Best-selling artist Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray will take the stage and perform many of his top 20 Billboard hits from the '90s and early 2000s, including “Fly,” “Every Morning,” and “When It’s Over.”  McGrath and his band Sugar Ray recently finished up its sold out Summerland tour, which featured Marcy Playground, the Gin Blossoms, and other hit-makers from the era.  In addition to his career as a musician, McGrath is also known for his news work on VH1 and EXTRA. 

SAFE features, as an emcee, A.J. Hammer, host of HLN’s Showbiz Tonight and CNN Entertainment anchor.  Hammer is based in CNN’s New York bureau where he has hosted the show since its launch in 2005. As one of VH1's most recognizable personalities, Hammer hosted the network's Top Ten Countdown, special events and live awards show coverage as well as a daily music and entertainment show. His radio career includes longtime stints at New York City's Z100 and WPLJ as well as Sirius Satellite Radio. Hammer has also served as an entertainment correspondent for Good Day New York.

In addition to the live concert, the evening will also include an exceptional silent and live auction, with:

• Kilimanjaro Climb for Red Ribbon.  Operated by PRIVATE JOURNEY’S with Diane Terry, this climb scheduled for August 9-18, 2014  to the roof of Africa offers unparalleled adventure with every amenity covered—porters for each climber, world class cuisine, and exceptional guides.   This is a non-technical climb (no prior mountaineering experience required) so anyone age 17 or over can bid on this experience of a lifetime.  2010’s climb raised over $32,000 for Red Ribbon.
• Live like James Bond: The winner will receive 5 flight lessons (courtesy of Performance Flight) with Fox News chief meteorologist, Nick Gregory.  The winner will also receive the use of an Aston Martin for a weekend from Miller Motorcars.
• Sail Away on America’s Cup: The winner and 9 guests will get to experience the speed and power of an actual retired America’s Cup yacht, donated by the 12M Yacht Development Foundation.

After jamming to some of the best '90s and 2000s hits, guests will dance the night away with the Kunjan Collective.  Kunjan Collective, named Best of the Gold Coast in the DJ category, is led by Kunjan Patel, who began his DJ’ing career with Moby, and now plays music venues and festivals worldwide. The Collective Performance consists of two DJ’s, Atom & Kunjan, alongside improvisational musicians:  the walking legend Carlos “GoGo” Gomez on percussion, Nyke Van Wyk, violinist, and Kory, background female vocal. While Kunjan spins, dinner guests will also have a chance to take home memories with a photostrip, courtesy of the Photobooth Lounge.  Allegra Dance Studio of Greenwich will make a special appearance to kick off the night.

The evening’s theme, SAFE sex, drugs, and rock n’roll, revisits the dawn of the AIDS epidemic.  Downtown music scenes in big cities like New York and LA were among the first areas to experience the epidemic’s impact, and with their hard-driving, fast-living ethos, continue to be haunted by the virus.  The deaths of well known musicians like Freddie Mercury of Queen and Easy-E of NWA persist as culture touchstones of AIDS in America.

With the return to the Capitol Theatre, Red Ribbon revisits a golden age in its parties for AIDS. The Theatre has been home to successful Red Ribbon galas that featured the B-52s, Three Dog Night, and Yerba Buena, each netting as much as $500,000 for Red Ribbon’s grants programs. The Capitol has been restored to its original art deco glory and has recently undergone a multimillion dollar renovation; SAFE is the only private event the Capitol has scheduled this year, nestled among high profile concerts for Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, and Blondie.

Tickets for SAFE are $400 (VIP), $1,500 (patron), with tables $10,000 and up.  Late night admission tickets ($125) at 8 p.m. offer access to the Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray concert, light fare, open bar, and dancing.  Buy online at https://redribbon.ejoinme.org/safetix .

Located in Greenwich, The Red Ribbon Foundation is one of the leading HIV/AIDS fundraising organizations in the Northeast.  Since its inception in 1994, it has granted over $2.3 million to premier organizations working here and abroad to advance HIV/AIDS research, prevention education initiatives and compassionate care programs. Red Ribbon is known throughout the tri-state area for its chic, colorful events that celebrate life, with a spectacular musically-themed biennial as its brand signature.  Please visit RRF’s website www.redribbonfoundation.org  to learn more about the extraordinary organizations supported by its special events.