About Us News & Press Releases In the News September 1, 2008: A Message from the Chairman
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A Message from the Chairman
Bob Lloyd has been Chairman of The V Foundation since 1999. Bob and Jimmy V were best friends, college roommates, teammates, and served in the military together. Bob was among the group of Jim’s closest friends who promised him that The V Foundation would succeed and be instrumental in finding cures for cancer. Dear Friends, On behalf of the V Foundation Wine Celebration Board, I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the success of this year ’s 10th Annual V Foundation Wine Celebration in beautiful Napa Valley. Because of your generosity this past August, $3.9 million was raised in our fight to find a cure for cancer. You fully funded the $1M Pediatric Fund-A-Need grant at UCSF for neuroblastoma. Thanks again to everyone. Your donations are truly meaningful. Since the V Foundation Endowment has been fully funded, again thanks to your continued generosity, all of the funds raised in August 2008 will go towards grants so that we can help find cures for cancer. There are very few foundations that give 100 cents on every dollar towards research grants. We are pleased that The V Foundation can award these funds to the best and brightest researchers who the V Foundation Scientific Review Committee feel have the best opportunity to make an impact on curing cancer.
In the last ten years an enormous amount of happiness and goodness has been created because of the V Wine Celebration, and most of the credit goes to you, you who have so thoughtfully, altruistically and consistently shared your ideas, your commitment, and your generous donations to help find cures for cancer.
We are already planning the 11th Annual V Wine Celebration August 7-8, 2009. Please Save-the Date on your calendar, right now, because we are going to have another worthwhile and fun event in Napa next year. The V Wine Celebration, which began as a big idea, and with great expectations in 1999, by Julie & Andrew Constantin, has truly become an overwhelmingly fun and successful event for The V Foundation, and the fight against cancer. We hope you can join us again next year. I promise you, you will have fun among the friends of Jimmy V!
We’d like to again thank our Wine Celebration host, Robin Roberts, the popular Good Morning America host who has recently shared her own breast cancer experience with the world. Robin was glowing as she took our stage, citing her mother as her inspiration to share her own story by, "Making my mess my message." As a colleague of Jimmy V's at ESPN, she took the stage immediately after Valvano's now famous speech at the ESPY Awards, where he urged viewers to continue to fight to find a cure. "My proudest moment at ESPN was being there for Jim that night," said Roberts before encouraging guests to dig deep and raise their paddles to support the V Foundation Research Grants. Saturday evening marked the gala dinner celebration, which has been generously sponsored by Nickel & Nickel winery for the past several years. Michael Chiarello, this year ’s Wine Celebration Master Chef, created an elegant menu featuring wonderfully prepared local seasonal produce, and the legendary Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons entertained the crowd following the live auction, which was masterfully presided over by noted wine auctioneer David Reynolds - again, many thanks to everyone. We’d again like to thank our Wine Celebration Platinum Sponsors – ESPN and Nickel & Nickel, our Gold Sponsors – Michael and Carole Marks, Tracy and Lou Ann O’Rourke, Larry and Nancy Probst, Merrill Lynch Private Banking & Investment Group, Audi of America, and Everett Dowling and the Maluaka Resort in Maui. Special thanks go to the vintners who offered their wineries for our special Friday and Saturday dinners – Nickel & Nickel, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Del Dotto Vineyards, HALL Rutherford, The Napa Valley Reserve and Vineyard 29. Beth Nickel and the team at Nickel & Nickel and Far Niente were the 2008 Vintner ’s Grant honoree. This special grant allows Napa vintners, who have had personal experience with cancer, the rare opportunity to select the type of cancer research to be funded. Beth and her team designated thyroid cancer for their grant in honor of Far Niente winemaker Stephanie Putnam, who is a thyroid cancer survivor. Our thanks go out to the Villagio Inn and Spa and the Vintage Inn, our dedicated volunteers, our supportive vintners, our creative vendors, our valued contributors, our very generous guests, our Wine Celebration staff, and my fellow board members, and the members of the V Foundation Scientific Review Committee, who participated in this year ’s V Wine Celebration. While the fundraising at the V Wine Celebration was tremendously generous, it was exceeded by the emotion and passion displayed by the attendees for our ongoing fight against cancer. Thanks again to everyone.By virtue of our supporters’ generosity, and the generosity of others who have contributed to The V Foundation over the last 14 years, The V Foundation has raised over $70 million and awarded cancer research grants in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Sincerely, |
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