Ronald McDonald House® New York Gala 2011

RONALD McDONALD HOUSE® NEW YORK GALA RAISES MORE THAN $3.5 MILLION

TO BENEFIT PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES

ABC News Anchor, Author And Talk Show Host Barbara Walters Serves as Master of Ceremonies at Charity Organization’s 19^th Annual Fundraising Gala

Held at New York City’s Iconic Waldorf Astoria Ballroom

New York, May 17, 2011 – It was bright lights, big city, and even bigger generosity as New York City, led by the retail and financial industries, came together to raise more than $3.5 million at Ronald McDonald House® New York’s 19^th Annual Gala. The evening’s total represented the highest amount raised in the history of the event. Held on May 16, 2011 at the Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom, the gala was hosted by legendary TV personality Barbara Walters, who served as master of ceremonies. The funds raised will support the organization’s mission of providing temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families while the child undergoing active treatment at one or more of 13 nearby partnering hospitals throughout the city. Ronald McDonald House New York is the largest RMH-facility out of more than 300 worldwide.

“We are very grateful and honored to have received such generous consideration from the community,” said Stanley B. Shopkorn, chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Board of Directors, and managing partner of Hilltop Park Associates LLC. “This year’s event was memorable not just for the records that were set, but for the hope that it will bring to our families who come here seeking a home-away-from-home while in crisis.”

This year’s Gala celebrated two very special honorees. Introduced by Ralph Schlosstein, his former partner and co-founder of BlackRock, the first honoree of the evening was Keith T. Anderson, chief investment officer for Soros Fund Management, LLC and its principal entity, the Quantum Fund.

VF Corporation’s Chairman, President & CEO Eric C. Wiseman was also honored, celebrating the achievement with his wife Susan and their two daughters. During his acceptance speech, Mr. Wiseman noted that VF Corporation’s private jet participates in the Corporate Angels’ program, flying families to Newark, NJ, weekly so that children with cancer might receive free transportation to treatment.

Other notable New Yorkers in attendance at the Gala included Tina and Terry Lundgren, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s; Nancy Shevell and Myron Shevell, the Shevell Group; Kenneth G. Langone; Joseph Gromek, Warnaco, Inc.; Louise and Vince Camuto, The Camuto Group; Milton Berlinski, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Jeff Gennette, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s; and Donna Karan made a brief appearance before the evening’s end.

Along with the honoree presentations and remarks from Barbara Walters, this year’s Gala also featured a moving performance by the Ronald McDonald House New York Chorus, comprised of children who are currently staying at the House. Led by Steven Reineke, music director of the New York Pops, the children were joined by their parents in singing, “I Will Always Be There,” an original composition written by Dylan and Cain Hartung, former residents of the House who put their story of fighting cancer to music. The song will soon be available for purchase via iTunes.

To view images and other highlights from the event, please visit: www.facebook.com/rmhnewyork. To learn more about the House or to make a donation, please visit www.rmh-newyork.org

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About the Ronald McDonald House New York

Ronald McDonald House New York provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive and caring environment which encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems. Ronald McDonald House New York is the largest facility of its type in the world. The House can accommodate 84 families, and it is filled to capacity almost every night. The House’s location in Manhattan, in close proximity to 13 major cancer treatment centers, draws children and families from across the country and the world, as well as from the metropolitan New York City area. Since its founding, more than 25,000 families have stayed at Ronald McDonald House New York. For more information, visit www.rmh-newyork.org.

2011 PEN Literary Gala

John Waters, Filmaker of Hairspray and many more, with Lisa Li, Executive Partner of Livents

On Tuesday, April 26, 2011, Livents had the honor in attending the PEN Literary Gala that was held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, NY. With 550 guests, the attendees ranged from writers to filmmakers to supporters, who helped raise $1,000,000 for the organization and its activities.

The PEN’s Freedom to Write Award honored Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human-rights lawyer and writer. An inspirational individual, who defended the opinions and beliefs of her clients, ranging from Iranian opposition activists and politicians. She was accused of activities against Iran national security and propaganda against the regime. Since her arrest, Sotoudeh has been held in solitary confinement and was denied to see her family. Sotoudeh continues to protest her detention and ill treatment by going on dry hunger strikes (refusal of both food and water). Her bravery becomes more and more admirable every day.

Additionally, Michael Ondaatje, Sri Lanka-born author of “The English Patient,” received the PEN Literary Service Award. His works include Divisadero, The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film, Anil's Ghost, The English Patient, In the Skin of a Lion, Coming Through Slaughter, The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, and his memoir, Running in the Family. His collections of poetry include Secular Love, The Cinnamon Peeler, and Handwriting. He has made two documentary films: Sons of Captain Poetry and The Clinton Special. His forthcoming novel, The Cat's Table, will be published in the fall of 2011. Ondaatje's devotion to literature has influenced individuals across the nation and around the world.

The event is one of the PEN American Center's largest source of unrestricted support. It provides crucial funding for their work to secure the liberty of persecuted and imprisoned writers around the world, to defend freedom of expression wherever it is threatened, and to promote literature and international cultural exchange. The PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award is granted to an imprisoned writer of conscience in particularly dire circumstances. Also presented to a writer is the PEN Literary Service Award for critically acclaimed work that illuminates the human condition in original and powerful ways.

For more information, visit: http://www.pen.org/