Join Radio’s Jack Harris At Casino, Auction Night For ACS Funds
By Carisa Biesecker
Continuing its mission to protect the sanctity of life, the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) 2010 Celebrate Life Gala perfectly echoes the hope of the nonprofit. Allocating $3.4 billion in funding towards cancer research since 1946, the American Cancer Society’s gala is one event that aids in this endeavor, bringing in $41,000 at 2009’s event alone, with some 200 in attendance. 2010’s gala, taking place on Friday, May 7, from 6:30-11 p.m. at TPepin Hospitality Center, located at 4121 N. 50th St. in Tampa, is hoped to raise $50,000 amongst more than 300 guests when everything is said and done. Residents will enjoy the antics of emcee Jack Harris, dinner, dessert, casino games, a silent and live auction, live entertainment and a performance by members from Leonard’s Academy of Dance. According to Area Executive Director Andrew Kramer, the gala is held “to fund the mission of the American Cancer Society and save lives.” He continues, saying: “We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.” To date, the ACS has a “hand in nearly every major cancer breakthrough of the last century,” mentions Kramer, from mammography screening and new treatments to validating the connection between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. All in all, the organization’s research has attributed to helping 15 percent of cancer victims from the early 1990s to 2005 have a chance at life, sparing the lives of 650,000 from being taken by cancer. Recognized as the official sponsor of birthdays, the ACS has spent every day since 1913 battling on behalf of cancer victims to help them see another year, with some 11 million cancer survivors within the United States celebrating a birthday in 2010. “At the American Cancer Society, we’re working to create a world with more birthdays where cancer never steals another year from anyone’s life,” adds Kramer. If you are interested in furthering this effort to make more birthdays a reality, then plan on attending the gala. Tickets are $75 per person. Those who would like to provide a sponsorship or volunteers are welcome to do so by calling chairwoman Liz Brewer at 299-6745 or the ACS office at 685-0670, ext. 5451, both of which are also taking reservations for the gala.
You must be logged in to post a comment.