On
Tuesday, December 3rd, Children’s
Oncology Support Fund (COSF) Founder,
Thomas Pierce and Board Member and Media
Executive, Monica Elias hosted a Giving
Tuesday Holiday Dinner for its
Benefactors to kick off the holidays. An
Aspen inspired intimate evening of
conversation, celebration, dance and
culinary excellence, dedicated to
supporting the fight against pediatric
cancer. The dinner was held at the
exclusive members club Coco’s at Colette
on 5th Avenue in
New York City.
To kick off the Holidays COSF
benefactors were offered a curated
dinner , guests enjoyed a cocktail
reception, serving as a prequel to the
culinary experience that embodied
generosity and community, curated by the
team at Coco’s, headed by Executive Chef
Philippe Oricco,
and curated entertainment.
Among the guests in attendance were COSF
board members and supporters including
Muffie Potter-Aston, Isabelle Bscher,
Janna Bullock, Candace Bushnell, Sabrina
DiMaggio, Monica Elias, Ivey Getty,
McKaelyn Guirdy, McKinley Guirdy, Kobi
Halperin, Nikki Haskell, Couri Hay,
Orital Karelic, Courtney Leavitt, Adrien
Lesser, Dr. Shirley Madhere, Isiah
Magsino, Janet Mandell, Jeremy
Merrifield, Michael Orcutt, Thomas
Pierce, Julian Polak, Dolly Pratt,
Kimberly Rockefeller, Kayla Rockefeller,
Steven Rockefeller, Peter Thomas Roth,
Kristine Santayana, Michael James Scott,
Keni Silva, Jamie Ticsch
and Ashley Wyndham.
Following the cocktail hour, the guests
were seated for dinner at a beautiful
table adorned with silver and white
frosted candles and floral arrangements
with fur pelts draped over the chairs,
evoking an ethereal Aspen scene. As a
special surprise, the guests were
treated to an intimate performance from
the ballerinas of Youth America Grand
Prix, who performed three musical
selections, including “Ave Maria”, and
“Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy”.
Prior to the dinner service, Elias and
Pierce took the floor to thank their
guests and speak about COSF’s mission.
Elias spoke about her father’s battle
with cancer and the final days she spent
with him as the driving force behind her
inspiration to join COSF. “When he was
suffering, I was by his side at Sloan
Kettering. I vividly remember watching
the commercials for St. Jude's, which
deeply moved him, as he was a
physician. He would often say, ‘I'm 81
years old. I have lived a full and
beautiful life, but these children... I
wish there were some way I could help
them or that you could help them.’ She
continued by thanking her guests and
explaining, ‘When I met Thomas a year
ago, the mission of the organization
really resonated with me. My father's
words about giving back and helping
others still echo in my ear, especially
when I think of those children. As the
founder of a global multimedia company
with a career spanning over two decades
in video production and television, I
deeply believe in the importance of
sharing stories and shining a light on
the vital work of COSF. I am committed
to using my resources to inform and
engage the media and key donors,
ensuring that COSF’s impact is
recognized and supported. That’s why I’m
here tonight and why we’re hosting this
dinner—to raise awareness for COSF and
bring everyone together for this
important cause.’”
Pierce spoke about his journey to
founding COSF, which was sparked by the
loss of his late friend, Pamela Johnson,
who bravely fought her battle with
cancer. “I started this foundation just
three years ago and since its inception
we have raised five million for wellness
programs. I launched my marketing agency
PMA in 2015, and when Covid hit, I was
evolving in entertainment as a filmmaker
and thought, ‘what do I do with this
Rolodex that I built in New York over
the last 13 years?’ It was then that I
uncovered white space that these
hospitals all have the same pain points,
and that these children didn't have
access to very simple activities we call
programs that allow them to have access
to what resembles a normal childhood
while in treatment. It's not just the
diagnosed child that suffers, it's their
siblings, their friends, their parents,
their community. We think about the
whole family unit.” He went on to say
that COSF focuses on creating spaces for
children and families to come together
to enjoy art, music, therapy, sports,
theater, peer-to-peer programs and even
field trips. Their aim is to provide
children with real exposure and make
happy memories outside the hospital
walls, so they can continue to develop
as children in these very critical
years.
It was then time for Executive Chef
Philippe Oricco to announce the dinner
service, a decadent four-course tasting
menu, which featured Venison Terrine,
Bouillabaisse, Canard a L'Orange and a
magical dessert course, Ornaments of
Wonder, a stunning red chocolate
ornament filled with delicate hand-made
mini chocolates. The menu was paired
with fine wines, expertly curated by
Sommelier Thomas Beauchamp.
At the third course board member and
author Keni Silva shared her passion for
the foundation's work and a personal
story about her daughter's cancer scare
and how it rocked her family. COSF Vice
Chair Michael Orcutt then took to the
stage alongside jeweler and board member
Julian Polak. Polak founded luxury
natural diamond brand, Maison Spoiled,
and created a special bracelet for COSF,
with all proceeds going to the
foundation’s core mission to provide
research for less toxic treatments and
access to wellness programs and artistic
activities. Julian stated, “I joined the
COSF team two years ago because our
visions really aligned with their
philanthropic work. This year, we
partnered on a silver beaded bracelet
tied with a turquoise string that
features aquamarine to go with the snow
ball theme for Aspen
this year.”
Pierce then went on to speak about the
mission of Giving Tuesday and the annual
Aspen Snow Ball coming up in February
2025. “Four years ago, we had our first
cocktail event with the Aspen
community, with the help of Founding
Board Members, Scott and Carly Weber. Forty
guests attended and we raised $200,000
to bootstrap our foundation. We keep
overhead to a bare minimum to ensure
maximum impact. The first few years were
tough, and it still is, this work isn’t
easy, but we have dedicated board and
committee members, whose support is
unwavering. Each year for Snow Ball we
partner with 60 businesses, work with
celebrity entertainers and artists,
blending together fashion,
entertainment, art, and philanthropy.”
He went on to announce that this year’s
third annual Aspen Snow Ball would be
hosted by Jay Leno, honoring Christie
Brinkley and the late Rollie Jordan. The
three day event is filled with special
performances by Carlita, Luke K. Chloe
Jane, Robin Thicke and Zara Larsson.
The evening concluded with record
breaking award-winning actor and
recording artist Michael James Scott
commanding the room with two spectacular
holiday performances from his holiday
album
“A Fierce Christmas. ” Scott is
currently starring as the Genie in
Aladdin on Broadway.
About Children's Oncology Support
Fund (COSF): Children’s Oncology
Support Fund’s mission is to fund the
development, research, and programs of
less toxic therapies for pediatric
cancer patients across the nation. COSF
supplies grant funding, and pledge
funding to donor dependent patient
programs across the nation. COSF works
directly with hospitals and established
non-profits to build partnerships with
its core values in mind; Transparency,
Community, and Relevancy. www.cosffoundation.org
About Aspen Snow Ball:
Aspen Snow Ball Gala turned into Aspen
Snow Ball Week; it attracts influential
philanthropists, powerful brands, and
entertainers in the pursuit of one
common goal to eradicate pediatric
cancer. The gala boasts celebrity
performances and celebrates honorees
making humanitarian and philanthropic
contributions aligned
with our mission.
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