|
Cristian Rivera Foundation 2019
October Newsletter
As the leaves start to fall, we can’t help but look forward to our 11th Annual Cristian Rivera Foundation Celebrity Gala on Wednesday, November 13th. We are weeks away from the fantastic evening we have planned to help save the lives of beautiful children and cure DIPG. The theme of this year’s gala is STARS which holds a lot of meaning for us because the progress we make towards curing DIPG gives children the opportunity to fulfill their potential and become the stars they were meant to be.
We have an exciting night planned that starts at 6pm with a glowing, star-studded red carpet followed by cocktail hour and a sit-down dinner prepared by a Michelin-star chef. This year we’ve taken the gala to the next level as a black-tie affair with an open bar from 6-11pm. Throughout the evening we’ll be presenting awards, holding a live and a silent auction of rare items, and we’ve saved plenty of time to dance the night away.
We always reflect on the importance of the work we do by honoring the brave children whose lives were senselessly taken by DIPG. At this year’s gala, DIPG Angel Lucas Harashima is the 2019 recipient of the Cristian Rivera Foundation Golden Wings Award. His loving parents, Hide and Sansan, will grace us with their attendance in honor of their beloved son.
This year Dr. Mark Souweidane will be presenting Dr. Kathy Warren with our 2019 Vision & Hope Award for her determination to define new ways to deliver therapy to tumors that are tolerable for pediatric brain cancer patients. Dr. Warren is an internationally recognized expert in pediatric neuro-oncology from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA.
Last year’s recipient of the Cristian Rivera Foundation Humanitarian Award, actor Ramon Rodriguez, will present this year’s award to Richard “Crazy Legs” Colon for his humanitarian efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. “Crazy Legs” is a hip-hop pioneer, breakdancing legend, and a proud Bronx native. His partnerships with Red Bull and other local organizations have aided him in providing substantial hurricane relief effort.
Finally, last year’s winning committee members, Jesse Allison and Jarrad Seuferling, will present our beloved committee member Aldo Marin with the 2019 Cristian Rivera Foundation Outstanding Service and Dedication Award. Aldo is a respected music producer and former DJ whose phenomenal service to our foundation this year earned him this well-deserved award.
Another exceptional member of our board is our Committee Friend, Maggie Meehan. This month she is The Cristian Rivera Foundation highlighted Member of the Month for her incomparable passion towards our foundation’s mission.
Who is Maggie Meehan?
Maggie Meehan is a hospice social worker who wears many different hats but one of her most unique qualities that makes her shine above the rest is her unrivaled passion to help people and live life to the fullest. Maggie has been living in Belmar, NJ for the past two years since she obtained a job there at the Visiting Nurses Association. She is one of 6 girls in her family and her passion to help others came from the life-altering experience of losing her father at the young age of 16. Since then, Maggie has had a remarkable determination to advocate for those who need help in every way that she can.
What made you decide to get involved with the Cristian Rivera Foundation?
Maggie was inspired to work with CRF 2-3 years ago when she was offered a job with the foundation but pursued another work opportunity. Despite following a different path, Maggie and our founder, John “Gungie” Rivera, immediately developed a strong relationship and she felt motivated by John to help make a difference. “I loved the mission and how passionate John is in everything that he does. I wanted to continue to be involved with something really incredible and so I continued to volunteer and attend fantastic events, eventually I had the pleasure of becoming a Committee Friend,” – said Meehan.
How has the Cristian Rivera Foundation impacted your life?
Maggie said, “Being a part of the Cristian Rivera Foundation has given me many opportunities to meet other dedicated and passionate people with a similar mindset and to attend awe-inspiring events like the gala. The foundation has given me another sense of community with an additional group of fantastic people in my life,”.
How do you feel about the progress we’ve made as a foundation?
“We continue to go above and beyond supporting the children and families affected by DIPG but there’s always room for us to do more and I feel extremely excited for what the future has to hold for all of the incredible events, opportunities, and engagements we have planned for the future,”- said Maggie.
You don’t have to become a committee member to help fight against DIPG. There are so many things you can do that could potentially save lives today:
Become a Sponsor –
There are many different levels of sponsorship in order to match your giving capability. We’re incredibly proud to partner with amazing companies like Goya Foods, B&A Food Brokers, Patrick B Jenkins and Associates, Bronx Dems, PNC Bank, Dr Jacquie Smiles, Supermarket Italy, Joule Ent, Perfect Smile Dental and more. Check out this link to view our sponsorship options. All proceeds go towards research and clinical trials to find a cure for DIPG.
cristianriverafoundation.org/sponsorship.html
Purchase an Ad for the Gala’s Program –
Are you unable to attend this year’s gala but you or your family would like to give a personalized message of hope? Would you like to promote your personal business AND raise money that’s supports our mission at the same time? You can either purchase a half or full page ad that will be displayed in the programs printed for our gala at
cristianriverafoundation.org/programads.html
Purchase Tickets –
There’s still a window of opportunity to purchase tickets to our 11th Annual Cristian Rivera Foundation Celebrity Gala on Wed, November 13th at Capitale in NYC but that window is closing very, very soon. We have a handful of tickets left as the gala is only weeks away. Please purchase tickets at the following link cristianriverafoundation.org/gala-table-tickets.html
Make a Donation –
Every dollar counts when it comes to saving lives! Even donations in small amounts are tax-deductible and can create ripple effects in our groundbreaking research. Visit cristianriverafoundation.org/donation.html and click on the red Donation tab where you can send money via PayPal or make a check payable to the Cristian Rivera Foundation.
Please forward all of our happenings and giving opportunities to your families, friends, and colleagues and we look forward to seeing you at our gala in November! Full steam ahead! |
