Tuxedos and ball gowns will adorn the MGM Grand Detroit as medical and corporate professionals gather for an elegant evening to support heart health. On April 13th, the American Heart Association will celebrate its 26th annual Detroit Heart Ball at the MGM Grand Detroit located at 1777 Third Street in Detroit. The evening begins with a reception and silent auction at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and a program at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $1,000 each and corporate sponsorships begin at $10,000.
The black-tie affair is designed to increase funding for research, education and community programs while paying homage to the Association’s donors and volunteers. Since its inception, the campaign has raised over $18 million in funding for community programs, education and cardiovascular research. Leading this year’s campaign is Mark O’Halla, chief executive officer of McLaren Medical Center–Macomb. The campaign goal is $1.2 million.
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“We can put an end to heart disease,” said Kathy Kauffmann, executive director of the southeast Michigan American Heart Association. “When business leaders understand how curtailing heart disease can improve the quality of life for metro Detroit, it’s a compelling reason to get involved.”
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The evening kicks off with a memorable circus style performance from Detroit Fly House followed by an enlightening program emceed by Carolyn Clifford, news anchor for WXYZ-TV. Attendees will also hear a heroic story from David Charlton, who saved Bill Van Vianen’s life through CPR after he discovered Van Vianen unconscious and not breathing. Charlton will join Van Vianen at the event and be honored for his courageous actions.
“Through life-saving stories like Bill’s, we hope the community continues to fund the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association,” said Shelley Rusinek, vice president of Development for the southeast Michigan American Heart Association. “Thanks to our donors, CPR education is one of the many programs we continue to offer the community,” said Rusinek.
Additional evening highlights include a gourmet dinner, sounds by Elysium Entertainment and illustrious auctions items.
The Heart Ball is presented by McLaren Macomb Medical Center and Chevrolet. Other sponsors include: ABIOMED, Inc., ADP Dealer Services, Inc., Apriso Corporation, AT&T, Beaumont Health System, BorgWarner, Compuware Corporation, Emerald City Designs, Ferndale Electric Company, Hewett-Packard Company, Henry Ford Health System, Information Services Group., ITC Holdings Corp., , Kelley Blue Book, M.J. Electric, LLC, Magna International, Inc., Marketing Associates, Medstar Ambulance, Morley Companies, Inc., MYR Group Inc., Oracle, Palace Sports and Entertainment, Quicken Loans Inc., St. John Providence Health System, Symantec Corporation, Tata Consultancy Services, TEKsystems, Utility Lines Construction Services, Inc., Utility Supply and Construction, and VisionIT.
For tickets and sponsorship opportunities contact Shelley Rusinek at (248) 936-5806 or Shelley.Rusinek@heart.org. Follow the event online at @DetHeartBall #DetHeartBall.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Our mission is to build healthier lives by preventing, treating and defeating these diseases – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health. To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org
