With Help From Lexus, Cedars-Sinai Gala Breaks Fund-Raising Record
It might have been an unlikely year for it, but Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's board of governors gala vastly surpassed its past fund-raising success. The gala on Wednesday night at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza raised more than $2.6 million for the Board of Governors Heart Stem Cell Center through event revenue like sponsorships and ticket sales (which began at $500 for individual tickets, or $2,500 for packages). The Cedars events team, led by senior event specialist Stacy Seligman Kravitz and senior event coordinator Ken Hudson, oversaw the production, and the honorees were Justin Timberlake; SBE head Sam Nazarian and his father, Younes, and brother, David; and financier Larry Post and his wife, Sandy.
Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the program, which included cocktails and a silent auction followed by dinner and the entertainment. R&B artist Brian McKnight and up-and-comer Charice performed for the crowd, which included Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Ben Silverman, and Andy Garcia.
Lexus sponsored the event, donating a 2010 Lexus LS 600h L Luxury Sedan—a hybrid car valued at roughly $120,000—for a drawing. "The Lexus relationship is pretty extraordinary," Kravitz said. "At a time when those types of donations are becoming a non-possibility, we were really grateful to have them again."
This year's guest count swelled to about 1,200, from about 850 last year (when the take was $1.2 million, over a goal of $1 million). Although the gala took place in the same ballroom, the silent auction moved outside the space to make more room for the additional guests. Auction Cause coordinated an additional big-ticket online auction to keep the fund-raising going after event night. Decor was simple and straightforward, and organizers eliminated take-home gifts for guests.
"These were strategic decisions. We were looking at completely exceeding last year's revenue while keeping the expenses the same or lower," Kravitz said. "We often talk about, what does it look like? What does it feel like? How tight was the show? But the other piece of it is the inspiration behind the event. [What the Board of Governors Heart Stem Cell Center] is doing, it just means the future is really bright. This evening is going to expand [what we can do with] medicine."
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