OUR SHINING STARS GALA 2009
Hosted by Joe Mantegna
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Beverly Wilshire Hotel
9500 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
5:00pm – Cocktails, Silent Auction & Rockstar Photobooth
7:00pm – Dinner, Entertainment, Live Auction & Awards
Please join us for Our Shining Stars Gala 2009 on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at the beautiful Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. Joe Mantegna, Tony Award-winning actor, producer, writer and director will host, so it will surely be a night to remember. And back by popular demand, comedian Chris Fonseca will entertain our guests. The Shane’s Club Children’s Choir will also perform. Rockstar Photobooth will be available during the silent auction. We are honored to recognize the contributions of these shining stars:
The Inspiration Award
Cody Unser has raced nonstop to raise awareness and find a cure for Transverse Myelitis (TM) since she was paralyzed by this spinal cord inflammation when she was in 6th grade. As the daughter of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., Cody dreams of walking on the racetrack one day. When she was just 13, she and her mother, Shelley, formed the Cody Unser First Step Foundation, which is dedicated to providing quality-of-life programs for those suffering from paralysis. Over the past decade, Cody and her foundation have formed a TM research consortium spearheaded by Johns Hopkins Hospital, and after becoming scuba diving certified, formed “Cody’s Great Scuba Adventures,” which buddies children and adults of all abilities with divers to get certification, and “Operation Deep Down”, a military diving program that introduces wounded veterans to scuba diving as a way to rehabilitate through recreation. Cody is a political activist who has testified before Congress and lobbied nationwide for stem cell research, following in the footsteps of her friend, late actor Christopher Reeve. Today, this 22-year-old Redlands college student is working on a video diary/documentary for PBS that chronicles her inspirational day-to-day life. For her extraordinary commitment to others and her limitless energy and determination, Shane’s Inspiration is thrilled to honor Cody Unser with our 2009 Inspiration Award.
The Visionary Leadership Awards
For their unyielding commitment to serving children of all abilities we honor Jon Kirk Mukri, General Manager, and Barry A. Sanders, President of the Board of Commissioners, of the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks. These two visionary leaders have earned the city of Los Angeles the title of “the most playable city in the world for children with disabilities.” Working in partnership with Shane’s Inspiration, Jon and Barry have championed this mission as far away as Washington, DC and Ireland. For their tireless dedication to creating places of honor for all children, which stands as a shining beacon and challenge to cities across the nation, we are proud to honor them with the Visionary Leadership Award.
The Community Leadership Award
Truly a shining star in Los Angeles, Neil L. Papiano is the Senior Managing Partner at the law firm of Iverson, Yoakum, Papiano & Hatch. Neil is a dedicated leader in our community who has worked with countless organizations to improve the quality of living in Los Angeles. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Music Center Operating Company, American University, U.S.O., World Senior Games, Orthopaedic Hospital, Los Angeles Opera Company, and California Committee on Welfare Reform, to name just a few. He has endowed numerous scholarships at both Stanford University and the University of Utah. Neil provided the full funding for Shane's Inspiration’s Neil Papiano Play Park located inside the Los Angeles Zoo. He also established the Ida Cotton Children’s Park in his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. Neil is currently working with Shane’s Inspiration and the City of Los Angeles to establish additional Universally Accessible Playgrounds for underserved children in our community. We are thrilled to shine a light on this devoted community leader.
Neiman Marcus Topanga and Rosalina are pleased to donate a special raffle package for the Shane’s Inspiration Gala 2009. Meet precious jewelry designer Rosalina for lunch at the NM Café and have her custom design an exclusive piece of jewelry for your wardrobe. Winner will be announced the night of gala and need not be present to win. Tickets are $50 or 3 tickets for $100. Please see below for sponsorship, ad, ticket and raffle information.
For more information about Our Shining Stars Gala, please contact Marci Moran at (818) 988-5676 x105 or marci@shanesinspiration.org. Thank you in advance for your support!
Click Here to view RSVP Form - Gala 2009
Click Here to view Tribute Book Pricing, Specs & Order Form - Gala 2009
To purchase tickets by phone or email, contact Marci Moran at 818.988.5676 or marci@shanesinspiration.org.
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