Nickel & Nickel, Hall & Oates, Help V Foundation Raise the Bar for Cancer Research

Article Courtesy of Nickel & Nickel.  To see the original article on the Nickel & Nickel site, please visit http://www.farniente.com/eNewsletter/eNews_07_0816_HallOats.html

Nickel & Nickel was the site for the 9th annual V Foundation Wine Celebration on Saturday night, August 4, where icons of the sports, corporate and rock ‘n’ roll worlds joined forces to raise a record $3.9 million for The V Foundation’s cancer research efforts.

After bidding on silent auction lots in the barrel cellar, while enjoying Nickel & Nickel single-vineyard wines matched with hors d’oeuvres, the 430 guests ascended to the courtyard for dinner and the live auction. Guests rubbed shoulders with sports celebrities including UCLA basketball coach Steve Lavin, ESPN personality and Monday Night Football commentator Mike Tirico, Olympic Figure Skating gold medalist Peggy Fleming Jenkins, Steve Bornstein of the NFL Network, and V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano, whose brother, Jimmy Valvano, co-founded the organization shortly before losing his battle with cancer. Keynote speaker and celebrated sportscaster Dick Vitale shared stories of heartbreak and heroism in the face of cancer, and whipped up the crowd into a bidding frenzy, as they delved into a feast for the senses, prepared by Executive Chef Abi Martinez and his brigade of chefs.

Top live lots included the opportunity have dinner and ballroom dancing lessons with “Dancing with the Stars” champion and gridiron great Jerry Rice; a Super Bowl weekend; an Alaska travel package; dinner for eight and a cruise of the San Francisco Bay with Beth and Erik Nickel, and other exciting experiences.

The celebration was capped off by a rousing performance by rock superstars Hall & Oates, who played their greatest, sing-able, dance-able hits. Guests crowded the stage and danced the night away, reveling in a well-spent evening of good times and charitable giving.

The V Foundation will present the 10th Annual Wine Celebration in August 2008. Visit the Web site for more details: www.winecelebration.com.

- Photo by Thomas Gibbons