| Q & A 10.16.08 9:00 AM |
|
Cathy Brown Is Planning Halloween Events in Three Cities and Bracing for the Next Administration
|
 | Cathy Brown
Photo: Courtesy of Children Affected by AIDS Foundation |
|
Cathy Brown has spent more than 10 years as president of Children Affected by AIDS Foundation (CAAF), and for her, October always seems to be particularly busy. From her base in Los Angeles, Brown oversees the foundation's annual Dream Halloween event, a production-heavy affair that brings family activities set in a Trick or Treat village to three American cities. This year, the event comes to Chicago's Windy City Fieldhouse on October 18, New York's Roseland Ballroom the next day, and Barker Hangar in Los Angeles on October 25. The event is expected to draw 1,200, 700, and 2,200 guests, respectively.
Along with planning the three-city event, Brown spent the past year facilitating a surrounding campaign, which launched October 1. The campaign aims to raise funds and awareness for CAAF and features everything from specially designed Dream Halloween costumes to an interactive e-card available on the CAAF Web site and a promotional video starring Jamie Lee Curtis. We recently spoke with Brown about these efforts, building relationships with corporate sponsors, and working at a nonprofit in the current economy.
Give us some background on Dream Halloween.
Halloween is the second largest retail holiday, and it's a time of fun and celebration for both children and adults. Fifteen years ago, CAAF decided to capitalize on this and celebrate Halloween in a fashion that would also enable us to raise funds. This last year, we have expanded the event into a full-blown campaign that involves corporate partners, a Halloween e-card, and a text-message campaign.
MORE >>
RELATED TOPICS
Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, Toys R Us, Mattel, American Airlines, Nickelodeon, Resnick Automotive Group, MySpace, Facebook, Disney, Jamie Lee Curtis, James Gandolfini, Melina Kanakaredes |
 |
| NEWS 05.22.08 4:05 PM |
|
Carousel of Hope Preview: Earth-Minded Ball to Bring a "Fantastic Surprise"
|
 | Usher at the 2006 ball
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images |
|
You know there's been a sea change in the event world when even a veteran of the social circuit like the Carousel of Hope decides to go entirely eco-friendly. At Tuesday's kickoff lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel, gala founder and social maven Barbara Davis announced that the benefit for children's diabetes is going with the ecological flow, from the decor to the gift-bag T-shirts, at its 30th anniversary event on October 25. The ball returns to its longtime home at the Beverly Hilton hotel, where Pauletta and Denzel Washington will receive honors; Sir Sidney Poitier, Quincy Jones, and Clive Davis will appear onstage; and Josh Groban and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds will perform.
Also joining the entertainment lineup is someone who's “a fantastic surprise,” Davis said, wryly adding, “It's only a fantastic surprise because I'm waiting to see if they cancel.” M.C. Jay Leno, music director David Foster, and producer George Schlatter return for the umpteenth year. Mercedes-Benz, which will donate a car for the live auction, will be the presenting sponsor for the third year. Major sponsors include Guess Inc., American Airlines, Lifescan, Leviev, and the Beverly Hilton. —Irene Lacher
RELATED TOPICS
Carousel of Hope, American Airlines, Guess, Lifescan, Leviev, Mercedes-Benz |
|
 |
|
|
