PITTSBURGH, Oct. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation held a
black-tie gala last night in celebration of the 125th anniversary
of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, and announced that
more than $11.9 million has been
raised to date during the anniversary year campaign.
The 125th Anniversary Gala was held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with more than 900
supporters in attendance, including celebrities, athletes, and
business and government leaders. The event celebrated all of the
community support that has enabled Children's Hospital to maintain
its mission since 1890.
"This celebration recognizes 125 years of caring by our
community and the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have
given their time and support to ensure that every child in this
region has access to the care they need and deserve," said Greg
Barrett, president, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Foundation.
The honorary chair for the evening was actor and Pittsburgh native, Joe
Manganiello. Emcee for the gala was KDKA-TV anchor
Ken Rice. Other celebrity guests
included former Pittsburgh Steelers Brett Keisel and Troy Polamalu; Mario
Lemieux, founder, Mario Lemieux Foundation; and Stephanie McMahon, chief brand officer, WWE.
"The dedication, commitment and generosity of the people of
Pittsburgh and the surrounding
communities has been and will continue to be the driving force
behind Children's," said Christopher Gessner, the president of
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
of UPMC. "This tremendous community support enables our expert
physicians, nurses and other staff members to provide the best
pediatric health care in the world every single day."
The 125th Anniversary Gala honored Beacon of Hope recipients
Eat'n Park Hospitality Group and Howard Hanna Real Estate Services,
which collectively have raised nearly $20
million for the care of children. Legacy of Hope recipient
John G. Rangos Sr. is a renowned
business leader and member of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Foundation Board of Trustees. He has donated more than $9.5 million to Children's, including a
significant gift in 1989 that helped to found the first Children's
Hospital research building.
Denise Pampena and Ramsey Lyons, who serve as trustees of the board
of Children's Hospital Pittsburgh Foundation, co-chaired the event
and helped make the Gala one of the most successful nights in
Children's Hospital fundraising history.
Music was provided by West Coast Music and featured 26
performers including a Motown vocal quartet and a 10-piece string
section creating a unique sound and look for the event.
Children's Hospital began its 125th celebration with a kickoff
celebration on June 4, 2015 that
launched the "Give Kids a Chance to be Kids" campaign—celebrating
125 years of caring and the important role of community support for
the clinical and research advances at Children's.
The "Give Kids a Chance to be Kids" campaign also features an
interactive mobile story booth, called the "Giving Booth," that has
been traveling to special events throughout the region. The Giving
Booth encourages individuals to share their childhood memories, a
memory about Children's Hospital, or to make a donation. The
anniversary year will culminate on June 4,
2016, with Walk for Children's, a new grassroots community
fundraising event.
Pictures of the event and additional information are available
upon request. For more information, please visit
www.givetochildrens.org.
Contact: Andrea
Kunicky
Phone: 412-692-6254
E-mail:
Andrea.Kunicky@chp.edu
Contact: Marc Lukasiak
Phone: 412-692-7919
E-mail:
Marc.Lukasiak@chp.edu
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SOURCE Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation