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Black Tie International:
The 2nd Annual National
Meningitis Gala
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Honorary Chair
Ambassador John L.
Loeb, Jr.,
Co-Chair Gary
Springer and Nick
Springer |
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Alana Galloway, Barry Klarberg, Front Nick Springer,
Sara Herbert-Galloway, Justin Galloway |
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Rita Cosby, Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane
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Errol Rappaport and Ulrika 'Red' Nilsson |
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Carol Alt and Alexei Yelshin |
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Tito Puente Jr Performs |
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Master of Ceremonies Richard Thomas
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It was an honor for me to Chair the 2nd
Annual National Meningitis Gala in New York
City on Monday, April 26th, having chaired
with Gary Springer last year as well. As I
spoke to the crowd on the evening of the
event I pondered the fact that we had nearly
a full house on a rainy Monday night in
Manhattan. I gazed around the beautiful room
at the New York Athletic Club, noticing
familiar faces who were at our first event
last year and many new faces as well. There
was a general sense of comradery in the
room. These guests could have been anywhere
in the world but they chose to be with us
and support our cause that there IS a shot
to prevent meningitis. I am grateful to each
and every one of them.
In attendance were, Honorees New York
Rangers Hockey Legend Adam Graves, Dr. Roger
Yurt, Vice Chairman of the Department of
Surgery Weill Medical College and members of
the Center for Disease Control. Returning
for the 2nd year as Master of Ceremonies was
beloved Richard Thomas with his family,
Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. our Honarary
Chair, Olympic Gold Medalist and meningitis
survivor Nick Springer, June and Olivia
Springer, Heather Randall, actor Joe
Sirolla, Barry Klarberg of Monarch
Management, Lenore Cooney of Cooney/Waters
Group, Rita Cosby, Tony Award winning
producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley,
Errol Rappaport, Lucia Hwong Gordon,
newlyweds Cassandra Lyster Seidenfeld and
Robert Lyster and many other familiar faces.
Some new faces in attendance were the lovely
super model and author Carol Alt accompanied
by Russian hockey star Alexei
Yelshin, 3 time Super Bowl Champion Bart
Oates, actor Tony Plana, Hans Amell our
corporate chair, Patrick Tremblay and
colleagues from RSM McGladrey, Honarary
Chair Liv Ullmann sent her regards as she
had to be in Norway and Justin Timberlake
helped to support our cause by donating a
901 Silver Tequila Bar.
It was my pleasure to have two very
important guests accompany me, my children
Alana and Justin Galloway. They are my
motivation and inspiration. My past
experience as a Trauma ICU Nurse, a mother,
fund raiser and the text books I have read
could not have explained the devastation
that meningitis causes. I learned first hand
how life altering this tragic illness is
from Gary and Nick Springer. Gary, my
co-chair is a dear friend; he and Nick are
the reasons I became involved with this
amazing organization. Nick was stricken with
meningitis within 4 seconds of drinking from
a water bottle that someone else had shared
during summer camp. Meningitis moves at a
rapid rate; mimicking the flu, usually
taking the limbs, life or something
important from its victims within hours of
onset. Without a vaccine and without
antibiotics the end result of meningitis is
definitely death, most likely within 24
hours. This is the reason why so many of us
braved the rain in NY the evening of the
event. This is also the reason why I am
dedicated to the mission of this cause. The
more people who become educated and aware of
the effects of this illness the more lives
we can save.
Before attending the event I got a call from
Barry Klarberg. He said that he just
received a call from a client who's
friend's son at Pace University contracted
meningitis two weeks ago. That person just
lost the battle and passed away. I would
like to acknwledge those loved ones and
their families who have lost the battle to
meningitis. Our founder, Lynn Bozof and her
husband lost their son Evan many years ago.
Evan is Lynn's motivation for fighting the
battle against meningitis every day through
this organization.
I would also like to acknowledge that there
are many courageous families like the
Springer family who have managed to battle
this deadly disease and pick up the torch to
help us forge ahead in the fight to stop
meningitis.
These families are my heroes.
To learn more about the National Meningitis
Association go to
www.nmaus.org
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Sincerely,
Sara Herbert-Galloway
www.herbertcollection.com
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To list an upcoming event
please contact:
joyce@blacktiemagazine.com |
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