As recent events in Nepal have shown, disaster can strike anywhere at any time, and the Red Cross is always there when it matters most. This is what Santa Monica business and community leaders had in mind during the 9th Annual Red Tie Affair, one of the American Red Cross’s major fundraising events in the Los Angeles Region to support disaster relief in America and around the world.
Emceed by Christine Devine of Fox11 news, this year’s Red Tie Affair on May 9 offered a unique evening to more than 200 attendees. Julie Thomas, Executive Director for the Red Cross of Santa Monica Bay, said, “this year we aimed to create an environment that recognized the serious business of disaster relief, while giving a fun spin to the evening”.
By adding a special “Surviving in Style” theme, the live auction offered one-of-a-kind celebrity survival packages. Red Cross supporters such as Jada Pinkette Smith of Gotham, David McCallum of NCIS and surfing legend Greg Noll were asked to help by answering one question: what special items would you include in your emergency kit to “survive in style”? Their answers inspired an exciting auction that kept guests on their toes.
During the evening’s activities, attendees had a chance to listen to the moving story of home fire survivor Holley Dexter, who shared a personal account of what families experience when losing everything to a fire. Departing Fire Department Chief of Santa Monica, Scott Ferguson, joined her afterwards, giving a heartfelt thank you to the American Red Cross for years of collaboration.
Guests also enjoyed enticing dishes from food stations by local Santa Monica area restaurants — featuring AN’s Catering delights-, and crafting their own cocktails at an interactive Muddle-Your-Own- Mojito Bar, hosted by Patron.
This year’s Red Tie Affair was possible thanks to support from Herbalife, Health Net, Mattel, UCLA, Farmers, Fox 11, An Catering, Stroock, Stroock & Levan, Patron Spirits Company, Emergent Medical, Avanti Hospitals UBS, Wells Fargo, and Disney.
Proceeds will benefit Red Cross local and international disaster relief.
