" Reach for the Stars," a gala benefiting the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, raised the roof — and more than $102,000 — at the association’s sixth-biennial event.
Held Oct. 14 at the Doubletree hotel in downtown Rochester, more than 230 attendees enjoyed the event’s sit-down dinner and silent auction before rocking out to the Brian Kinney Band. The legendary Twin Cities’ band brought their high-energy rock, funk and R&B — and no small amount of dancing on tables in glittery shoes — to the downtown ballroom.
In addition to the gala’s expansive silent auction — which included bidding for the opportunity to sing with the band — one lucky raffle winner walked away with a tanzanite and yellow gold pendant courtesy of Hight & Randall Personal Jewelers, and two raffle winners added Buddy Scooters to their garages courtesy of Cycle City.
Local sponsors included Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union, Lincareand Rochester Magazine.
"The gala was a great success, measured not only by the generous financial support from this community and the sponsors, but also in raising awareness about this devastating disease," says Bonnie McGoon, co-chair of the event. "We are grateful and humbled by the willingness of our community to support pediatric PH research and PH patient needs through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association."
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Pulmonary Hypertension is a rare blood vessel disorder of the lung that currently has no cure, and the PHA galas raise much-needed money for research.
"Pulmonary hypertension respects no one," says Dr. Michael McGoon, the event’s co-chair. "It affects women and men, all races, adults and sadly, children. Research has enabled great strides in improving the outcome of adults with PH, though we still have far to go."
