Photo Flash: National Meningitis Association Celebrates Starry GIVE KIDS A SHOT Gala

A glittering crowd filled the baronial halls of the landmark New York Athletic Club at the National Meningitis Association annual "Give Kids a Shot" gala on April 23 to salute those on the front line in the fight against meningitis, a vaccine preventable deadly disease that has taken the lives of thousands of our children and cost many to lose limbs.

Lenore Cooney and Gary Springer co-chaired the Gala; Matthew Klarberg and Errol Rappaport were auction co-chairs and Honorary Chairs were Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr, and Sharon Handler Loeb with Nick Springer.

Emmy Award winning actor Richard Thomas emceed the event at which two time Tony Award winner James Naughton performed. Also helping to spread the word, Honorary Committee member Charlie Sheen in Los Angeles on set tweeted about the event and gala all weekend to his 7+ million followers.

See photos of the starry gala celebration below!

Activists Jeri Acosta & Jeri Greenwell received the Moms on Meningitis Award. Actress, model & philanthropist Sara Herbert-Galloway and her fiancé sports & entertainment business manager Barry Klarberg of Monarch Wealth & Business Management whose clients include Justin Timberlake, Russell Simmons & Charlie Sheen received the Nancy Ford Springer Inspiration Award for their long standing support of NMA. Chad Hoover of Sanofi-Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi- Aventis Group, the largest company in the world devoted entirely to human vaccines accepted NMA's Health Achievement Award on behalf of his company.

Among the guests were Carol Alt, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, James & Kedakai Lipton, Christine Delisle, Berry Brown, Joe Sirola, Monique Van Vooren, Daisi Sepulveda Mrs. Ethnic World International 2012, Danielle Doty Miss Teen USA ( ) Peter Thomas & Noreen Roth, Kenyetta Lethridge, Diana Zollicoffer, Bonnie Pfeifer, Mary Sliwa, David Hryck, Rod & Judy Gilbert, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Ida Liu, Dr Howard Sobel & Gayle Perry Sobel, Cassandra Seidenfeld, Jean Shafiroff, NMA Board Members, Lynn Bozof, President, Lori Buher, NMA director & Leslie Maier, Secretary, NMA.

Honorary Committee included Carol Alt, Michael Badalucco, Lynn Grossman & Bob Balaban, Steve Buscemi, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Judy & Rod Gilbert, Adam Graves, Amy Madigan & Ed Harris, Lainie Kazan, Felicity Huffman & William H. Macy, Mark Messier, Congressman Michael Michaud, Lauren & Dave Mirra, BMX Moto Cross Champion. James Naughton, Bart & Michelle Oates, Heather Randall, Susan Sarandon, Daisy Pollard Sepulveda, Mrs. World Ethnic International 2012, Joe Sirola, Charlie Sheen, U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe and Liv Ullman.

Medical Committee included Richard Besser, ABC News; Paul Offit M.D. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Nancy Snyderman, M.D.NBC News; Dr. Roger W. Yurt Chief of Burn Surgery, NY Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center.

See photos from the April 23rd event below!

Photo credit: Steve Mack