About

The Annual Fundraising Dinner & Dance Gala is the single largest fundraiser for the Icla da Silva Foundation. It it is the time of the year where we celebrate the successful accomplishments and raise the needed funds for the year ahead.

Needless to say, the Foundation relies heavily on the support and contribution of those that, on this night, joined together to support our mission.

The gala will feature an emotional meeting between a former leukemia patient with her bone marrow donor for the first time, performances by a live band and a silent auction featuring fantastic prizes. The event will also include a premium cocktail hour, a special three courses dinner and dancing. All proceeds support the foundation’s patient services and bone marrow recruitment programs.

Your participation in this event would provide tremendous inspiration to the friends, families and supporters of those fighting the battle against leukemia and other diseases treatable by bone marrow transplants.

Click here to see invite

Master of Ceremonies

Jim Watkins joined PIX11 in 1998.  A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Jim began his broadcast career at WKPT-TV in Kingsport, Tennessee where he was an anchor and reporter before moving to Nashville (anchor, WTVF-TV), Boston (host, WBZ-TV's Evening Magazine), Los Angeles (correspondent, FOX Television's nationally syndicated Entertainment Daily Journal), Cincinnati (anchor, WLWT-TV) and Philadelphia (anchor, WPHL-TV). 

Watkins came to PIX11 from WNBC-TV (New York) where he co-hosted the Saturday and Sunday editions of "Weekend Today in New York" as well as the 6 and 11pm newscasts. Concurrently, Jim was the host of CNBC's newsmagazine Great Stuff.

Active in many charities and community events, Jim often emcees or hosts events around the Tri-State area, including the Ronald McDonald House, Project ALS, Special Olympics, Principal For A Day, The Leukemia Society, and The New York Center for Autism. 

Jim enjoys playing guitar and mandolin but his real passion is his family, currently he is patiently teaching his three children to play baseball.

LIST OF AWARDS:

National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS)

Emmy Awards 2007: Outstanding Single Newscast over 35 Minutes: “CW11 News At Ten:  Flooded Out”2005: Outstanding Single Newscast over 35 Minutes: “CW11 News at 10: 9/11 Day of Tribute”

2004: Outstanding Event Coverage: “9/11 America Remembers”

2003: Best Single News Cast over 35 Minutes: CW11 News at 10: “Crash of American 587”

2002: Outstanding Single Newscast: CW11 News at 10 “TWA 800 - 5 Years Later”  

New York State Broadcasters Association Awards

1999: Outstanding Newscast

Honoree

Stacey Ryan-Cornelius began her career as a staff auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”) in their Entertainment, Media and Communications Group. At PwC, Stacey performed and managed financial statement audits, mergers and acquisitions and IPO’s of major multinational advertising, TV/cable production and publishing clients such as Viacom’s MTV Networks, PBS’s Children's Television Workshop, Y&R and Ziff Davis Publishing. Craving more industry experience, Stacey joined Ogilvy & Mather in December 1999. Ogilvy & Mather is one of the largest marketing communications companies in the world serving an elite list of multinational clients such as IBM and American Express. Through its specialty units, the company provides a comprehensive range of marketing services including: advertising; public relations and public affairs; branding and identity; shopper and retail marketing; healthcare communications; direct, digital, promotion and relationship marketing.

During her almost 12 years at Ogilvy, Stacey has held various positions such as Director of Strategic Financial Planning and Regional Controller, North America. In the latter role, she managed and participated in large projects such as the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the conversion of the company's financial systems to SAP, and moving the Ogilvy & Mather New York Headquarters of approximately 2,500 employees.  Stacey is currently the Worldwide Controller of Ogilvy & Mather where she partners with the Worldwide CFO and CEO in managing and monitoring the financial health of the global organization.

Stacey is a Certified Public Accountant and received a BBA degree from Bernard. M. Baruch College. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) and the National Association of Black Accountants (“NABA”). Stacey has been featured in Black Enterprise Magazine twice, once in December 2007 in the “Executive Suite” and again in the February 2010 issue as one of the 75 Most Powerful Women in Business. Stacey currently resides in New York with her husband, mother and two young daughters.

Entertainment

It was 40 years ago that Alive N Kickin' was formed, and with the help of Tommy James recorded a song by the name of "Tighter And Tighter". In 1970, "Tighter And Tighter" climbed the Billboard charts on it's way to becoming a number one hit. The success of that smash single launched a career that has spanned four decades.

During the 70's, The group toured with some of the biggest names of that era, including Chicago, The Five Stairsteps, Frank Zappa, Seals and Crofts, Mott The Hoople, and Rare Earth. The band appeared on such national television shows as "Dick Clark's American Bandstand" and the "Mike Douglas Show". The band has played such major venues as Madison Square Garden, the Baltimore Civic Center, and the Steel Pier, in Atlantic City.

Silent Auction

Below are some of the items which will be featured on our silent auction:

• Coronado Resort (Panama) Gift Certificate for: Three rooms for a 3-night stay + pre-set menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner + one day complimentary golf for six + transportation to and from airport.
• Two Night Stay at the Waldorf-Astoria - NYC
• Four Round-Trip Tickets on JetBlue
• CitiZ & Milk Nespresso Machine
• Restaurant Gift Certitficates for Patina, Nobu, Bice, Etc.

Where to Stay

The San Carlos Hotel is a proud sponsor of the Icla da Silva Foundation 19th Annual Fundraising Dinner & Dance. As an attending gala patron, enjoy a Single/Double Deluxe Room stay at an exclusive rate of $289 per night during October 3rd - 6th.

Prime location on 50th Street between Lexington Ave and Third Ave, a pleasant 5-minute walk from the event venue.

Please refer to the group code of ‘ICLA’ to receive your special discount rate.

Check in: October 3, 2011
Check out: October 6, 2011
(extensions / early arrivals at the same rate are also possible)

Location: 150 East 50th Street., NY, NY 10022

Rate: $289 plus taxes (14.75% + $3.50 per room/night)
Rate is based on single/double occupancy and there is an additional $30 charge for extra person in the room - Children under 12 stay free with parents. Maximum occupancy per room: 4 people.

Rate includes: Accommodation in Deluxe Room with one queen bed or Deluxe Room with two queen beds, continental breakfast for all guests, wi-fi in the room and public spaces of the hotel, 24-hour use of business center and fitness center, newspaper delivery to the room daily Mon-Fri.

Reservation method: call in. Guests can call in directly the hotel and indicate the group code 'ICLA'. This will guarantee that they receive the special rate assigned to this event. They can call from now until September 19th. After that time, rooms will be available on a space and rate availability basis. They can call the hotel directly at 212-755-1800 or toll free 800-722-2012. They can also email at ' This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Form of Payment: Guests will be required to leave a credit card number with expiration date as a guarantee (card will not be charged at the time of making the reservation). Then the guests pay at the hotel directly upon checkout.