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LIVE SUNSMART FOUNDATION WILL HONOR BILL COWHER WITH APOLLO AWARD
We are excited to be presenting the Apollo Award to Bill Cowher for his outstanding support and continued advocacy for skin cancer awareness and its preventative measures. As a true testament to his hard work and dedication to this very personal and important message, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell will introduce and present the award to Coach Cowher.
Our expert Master of Ceremonies, CBS News Anchor, Jim Axelrod will repeat his role this year and promises to move the evening along with the finesse and grace of a true host.
Our Places in the Sun Gala will be an evening like no other with fantastic entertainment and delicious food in a spectacular setting overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Guest will have the opportunity to mingle with our honoree as well as other celebrities on hand for the evening to act as hosts of your table and will share stories of their career.
The cocktail party begins at 6:30p and with all of the fun and interactive entertainment will last until 8p. We are featuring our Roll to Win Wheels dice game where you will have the chance to WIN A MODEL YEAR 2014 smart cabriolet compliments of smart center Englewood! Simultaneously, there will be a roving magician, the fabulous Michael Chaut, and a silent auction with unbelievably unique experiences. For those who like the look of being tan but are SunSmart enough not to bake themselves, ULTA is setting up a Bronzing Bar to splash you with a refreshing touch of bronzers to give you that "sunkissed" glow. Fedway will set up a Whiskey Bar hosted by a Whiskey Master to explain the intrigue and mystery behind every blend. What better accompaniment to this then to have a custom hand-rolled cigar. Fume Cigar Shop and Lounge of Montclair, NJ will be there to impart their cigar wisdom and answer any questions you have for these cigar aficionados.
Sharply at 8p, we will welcome the crowd and launch right into our Apollo Award presentation to Bill Cowher. We are honored to be recognizing Mr. Cowher for his demonstrated support of the same message the Live SunSmart Foundation conveys. Like the Festa family, Cowher learned first-hand about the devastating impact melanoma can have on a family when he lost his wife, Kaye, to the disease in 2010. Ever since then, Bill has made it his personal mission to educate the public about melanoma and its risk factors, and to encourage people to take a more active role in their skin health. Through his work with Melanoma Exposed, a partnership program with Bristol-Meyers Squibb and other melanoma groups, he is helping to bring awareness of melanoma to the NFL and its fans by sponsoring free skin screenings at stadiums across the country.
The National Football League has been an avid supporter of the skin cancer screenings as well as Bill Cowher's efforts. As both a colleague and friend, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell seemed the natural choice to present the Apollo Award. We were thrilled when Mr. Goodell made time in his busy schedule to spend the evening with us in honoring Bill.
If that isn't enough, we will cap the evening with two performances that will first have us rolling with laughter with one of the country's premier comedians, Johnny Lampert, who has made regular appearances in New York City and LA's best comedy clubs. Finally, Vicci Martinez will take the stage and enchant us with her nods to soulful folk and classic rock with an immortal R&B groove beneath everything. Touring the country for almost a decade with Sting, Annie Lennox and others, it was in 2011 when NBC's The Voice came calling and opened doors for the next phase of her career beginning with her forthcoming Universal Republic Records debut album, VICCI. Musical performance provided courtesy of our Honorary Chairs, Monte and Avery Lipman of Universal Republic Records.
CELEBRITIES SCHEDULED TO ATTEND (in alphabetical order - subject to change)
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Jim Axelrod
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Larry Berra
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Yogi Berra
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Johnny Campbell
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Rick Cerone
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Bill Cowher
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Don Criqui
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Bruce Harper
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Gil Hodges, Jr.
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Frank Isola
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Brian Kelley
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Phil Linz
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John MacLean
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Grant Marshall
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Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling
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Joe Nolan
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Bart Oates
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George Oliphant
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Mickey Rivers
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Spencer Ross
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Al Santorini
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Art Shamsky
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Roma Torre
ABOUT THE APOLLO AWARD
The Apollo Award recognizes the contributions of individuals who advance the message of the Live SunSmart Foundation and serve as role models to the public for leading a SunSmart lifestyle. The Greek God Apollo, recognized as the god of light and sun, was an oracle who delivered wise counsel to his followers and embodied the ideals of truth and prophecy. As such, the award recipient serves as an ambassador for educating his/her community about the importance of the prevention and early detection of melanoma and other skin cancers. Through lifestyle modeling, public activism and unwavering commitment to the cause, this individual's primary concern is to make a significant impact in the reduction of occurrences of melanoma and other skin cancers.
If you would like to nominate someone for a future award, please email info@rayfesta.org with your suggestion.
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO FROM LAST YEAR'S EVENT
2012
THANKS EVERYBODY FOR A WONDERFULLY SUCCESSFUL EVENING.
We would like to extend a sincere thank you to all those who joined us or supported 
us at our first Celebrate Living SunSmart! Gala on June 7th. The evening was a true success and the air was buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm.
Though the clouds were scattered at first, a beautiful rainbow appeared on the horizon creating an awe-inspiring backdrop against the skyline of lower Manhattan. With the new World Trade Center visible behind him, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was charming in his tribute to Carnevale Spirit Award honorees Yogi and Carmen Berra and presentation of the award to their son, Larry Berra. Master of Ceremonies Jim Axelrod not only amused the audience, but also kept our program on track.
Throughout the evening, many celebrities from the sports world delighted guests with stories of their career wins. And, of course, gala attendees were treated to top-notch entertainment from the hilarious Tom Cotter who had everybody rolling on the floor with laughter, and the extremely talented singer Jermaine Paul, recent winner of The Voice. Tom Cotter is one of three finalists on this season's America's Got Talent. We wish him lots of luck! Our Honorary Chair Avery Lipman fondly reminisced about his days in Montclair and with the Festa family.
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Jermaine Paul, winner, Season 2 of The Voice |
Guests walked away from the event with a smile on their faces and, more importantly, with the awareness that by living a sun smart life and increasing awareness about melanoma, we can save lives.
We hope you will join us again next year!
Click here to see photos of the gala.
Click Here for Photos from NJ.com
JUST ANNOUNCED! The winner of NBC's The Voice, Jermaine Paul, will be performing! Also, Tom Cotter will be providing the comedic talent fresh off his appearance last week on America's Got Talent. Get your tickets now for the unique opportunity to see these two unbelievable talents up close and personal.
DEADLINE FOR FERRY RESERVATION IS MONDAY, JUNE 4TH. CLICK HERE FOR RESERVATION
Places in the Sun Gala promises to be a magical evening with lively entertainment, celebrity appearances, gourmet cuisine and spectacular views of the
The highlight of the evening, however, will be the presentation of the awards of distinction. The Carnevale Spirit Award will be presented to Carmen and Yogi Berra for their outstanding lifetime commitment to various charitable organizations.
We can’t wait to see you there.
Maritime Parc
Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ
To become a sponsor, please contact sponsorship@rayfesta.org
Click Here for Sponsorship Package Info Click Here to Download Invitation Click Here for Ferry Reservation
We are grateful for the generosity of the following sponsors:
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