Russell Simmons, Danny Simmons, and Rush Philanthropic
Arts Foundation raised over $575,000 at their 1st Art
For Life
Miami Beach Gala. The Event honored Grammy®Award winning
artists John Legend and Wyclef Jean,, TV personality
Suze
Orman and Real Estate Developer R. Donahue Peebles at
The Bath Club for their efforts in helping to improve
the lives of others
and in support of youth arts education. The event’s
Platinum Sponsor was R. Donahue and Katrina Peebles;
Hennessy,
Anheuser-Busch, and Wal-Mart were Silver Sponsors. Chip
and Allison Brady, Tracy Wilson Mourning and Loren
Ridinger
served as event chairs and welcomed celebrities
including Miami Heat players Dwyane Wade and Alonzo
Mourning, NFL star
Larry Johnson; director Brett Ratner, Creed’s Scott
Stapp and his wife Jaclyn, singer Paulina Rubio and
comedian Pauly Shore.
Emmy®Award winning ABC journalist John Quinones served
as the night’s auctioneer helping to raise over $200K
during the
live auction. Packages included a 1-on-1 with Alonzo
Mourning, which Suze Orman bought for her nephew, a trip
to the
Vatican, two tickets to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion
Show and a a”Happy Birthday” rendition by John Legend.
The most important
auction item however, was when guests pledged $1,000 to
sponsor a child to participate in the foundation’s arts
education
program for a year. Anjelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
couldn’t be there in person but surprised honoree Wyclef
Jean by sponsoring 5
Rush Kids in his honor; Dwyane Wade, Larry Johnson &
Julissa Bermudez and John Legend each sponsored 10 Rush
Kids; as
did Amber and Loren Ridinger, and event Honorary
Chairman P. Diddy.
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