National Meningitis Association Gala 2013, Hosted by Richard Thomas, Set for Today

Tonight, April 22, 2013, National Meningitis Association will hold its annual Give Kids a Shot Gala. The event takes place at the New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park South, New York tonight, April 22, 2013. Cocktails & Silent Auction begin at 7:00 PM followed by dinner & the NMA Awards. Master of Ceremonies is iconic actor Richard Thomas, a longtime supporter of NMA and winner of the organization's Nancy Ford Springer Inspiration Award.

Entertainment will include the band Current Affair, singing troupe Incognito Artists and the wild Delirious Hair Design who will be making custom coifs on the spot for guests. As always, there will be a silent auction of one of a kind experiences and luxury items. This signature fundraising event will help NMA continue and expand its vital work in the fight against meningitis.

Honorary Chairs are Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr. & Para-Olympic Gold Medalist Nick Springer; Gala Chairs Lenore Cooney, Cooney/Waters Group, Sara Herbert-Galloway & Gary Springer, Springer Associates PR; Vice Chairs, Joanna Goldenstein, KPMG,LLP; Barry J. Klarberg Monarch Wealth & Business Management.: Ulrika "Red" Nilsson, Redcircle International, Inc. & Heike M. Vogel, Arent Fox LLP; Auction Chairs, Matt Klarberg, Monarch Wealth & Business Management and Errol Rappaport.

2013 Honorees are William Schaffner, M.D., Health Achievement Award; Cindy Krejny, Moms on Meningitis Award; Massachusetts State Senator Jack Hart, Nancy Ford Springer Inspiration Award; Samantha and Kyle Busch, The Kyle Busch Foundation, Community Leadership Award.

During the 1990's, there was a significant increase in the number of adolescents and young adults killed or disabled by meningococcal meningitis; young people who were seemingly healthy, vibrant and often athletic. Most of the families were unaware of a vaccine that could have saved their children's lives or anguish. The National Meningitis Association (NMA), a non-profit organization, was formed in 2002 by parents whose children were killed or disabled by meningitis. Since then, NMA has created educational programs that reach millions of people each year with information about available immunizations and disease symptoms and thoughtful, comprehensive support programs for families devastated by the ravages of the disease.

Honorary Committee includes Michael Badalucco, Susan & Hon. James A. Baker III, Lynn Grossman & Bob Balaban, Steve Buscemi, Victor Calis, Commissioner Disabilities, Mayor's Office, City of New York, U.S, Senator Susan Collins, Judy & Rod Gilbert, Adam Graves, Amy Madigan & Ed Harris, Lainie Kazan, Felicity Huffman William H. Macy, Congressman Michael M. Michaud, James Naughton, Congresswoman Shelly Pingree, Heather Randall, Susan Sarandon, Joe Sirola, U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Liv Ullman and Logan West, Miss Teen USA 2012.

Medical Committee includes Richard Besser, ABC News; Paul Offit M.D.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Nancy Snyderman, M.D.NBC News.; James C. Turner, M.D., Professor of Internal medicine, University of Virginia and Dr. Roger W. Yurt, Chief of Burn Surgery, NY Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Committee members include Norma Abbene, Jeri Acosta, Eileen Boyle, Lynn & Alan Bozof, Peggy & Mike Bressler, Prographics, ElizaBeth Browning, Lori & Curt Buher, Lorraine C. Cancro, Elizabeth Cier, Terry M. & J. Price Corr, M.D. Rita Cosby, Christine Delisle, Jamie deRoy, Bonnie Pfeifer Evans, Robert Farber, Laura & Jack Fitzpatrick, Jeri Brooks Greenwell, Laura & Ken Hartwig, Charlotte & Harvey Hodges David Hyrcyk, Lucia Hwong-Gordon, Susan James, Marcie L. Kammel Jam/Kammel, Nikki Klarberg, Josh Klein, Monarch Wealth & Business Management, Jeffrey Kramer, Donna & Michael Laforgia, Lucy Jane Lang, Marian Koltai-Levine & Dan Levine, Kedakai & James Lipton, Corcoran Real Estate & The Actors Studio,, Ida Liu, Citi Private Bank, Barbara & Earl Magdovitz. Leslie Maier, Kevin McGovern, Sherri Michelstein, Alembic Health Communications, Jennifer Mocbeichel, Jan & Michael Planit, Planit Management, Susan & Peter Purdy, Frank Recchia, News 12, April Sandmeyer, Cassandra Seidenfeld Lyster, Jean & Martin Shafiroff, Allison Strassberg, LaForce + Stevens, Carol & Gerald Tufano, Carolyn & Rick Waghorne and Mr. & Mrs. John Wukovits III.

Leadership Packages: Heroes for Tomorrow: Forty Top VIP Tickets & Listing in Scroll of Honor $100,000; Life Ambassadors: Thirty Top VIP Tickets & Listing in Scroll of Honor $75,000; Children's Champions: Twenty Top VIP Tickets & Listing in Scroll of Honor $50,000; Guardians of Life: Ten Top VIP Tickets & Listing in Scroll of Honor $25,000; Patrons of Hope: Ten Tickets & Listing in Scroll of Honor $15,000; Youth Benefactors: Ten Tickets & Premier Listing in Scroll of Honor $10,000; Humanitarians for Health: 4 Tickets & Premier Listing in Scroll of Honor, $5,000; Wellness Sponsors: 2 Tickets & Premier Listing in Scroll of Honor $2,500; Ticket & Friend Listing in Scroll of Honor $1,000 & One Ticket, $500

For Leadership Packages, Sponsorships and tickets contact Susan Shattuck/ Laurie Krotman, Special Events Unlimited, 212-244-7333 or email gala@nmaus.org. For more information about NMA's life-saving work, visit www.nmaus.org.