New York — Samsung held its fourth annual Four Seasons of Hope charity dinner which raised more than $800,000, honored the efforts of its philanthropic partners — Boomer Esiason, Magic Johnson, Jon Bon Jovi, Arnold Palmer and Joe Torre — and welcomed two new members to the lineup — former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and hockey great Wayne Gretzky.
Last night’s gala was hosted for the second time by TV’s Regis and Joy Philbin, also featured appearances by luminaries such as sportscaster Bob Costas, Forbes’ editor and former Presidential candidate Steve Forbes and a special video by former President Bill Clinton.
The 550 attendees who crammed Gotham Hall, an old Greenwich Savings Bank, here, were also treated to a special performance by legendary rock band The Who, featuring Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, for their only U.S. appearance this year.
Industry luminaries were also in attendance, such as Four Seasons of Hope retail partners Brad Anderson, vice-chairman/CEO, and Ron Boire, executive VP/general merchandising manager of Best Buy; Alan McCollough, chairman/CEO, and Phil Schoonover, president of Circuit City; Dan Laughlin, senior VP/home, and Tasso Koken, VP/general merchandising manager of home electronics for Sears; and via a special video CompUSA’s COO Tony Weiss.
D.J. Oh, president/CEO, and Peter Weedfald, senior VP, sales and marketing of CE and North American corporate marketing for Samsung Electronics, noted that Four Seasons Of Hope contributions will be more than $5 million by the end of 2005. The program began in 2002.
The charities that benefit from the Four Seasons of Hope program are as follows: The Magic Johnson Foundation, dedicated to improving life for people in urban communities; Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation, which deals with the issue of domestic violence; the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women, located in Orlando, Fla.; the Boomer Esiason Foundation to Benefit Cystic Fibrosis; and the Wayne Gretzky Foundation which is dedicated to help young people exercise and learn hockey. Rudy Giuliani’s charity is St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers of New York City, and Jon Bon Jovi’s charities of Philadelphia include: action aids, the state’s largest AIDS service organization; 2nd Floor, a free phone helpline for troubled children and teens; Inn Dwelling, a charity focused on homeless families; and the youth programs of the Police Athletic League (PAL).
For more about Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope, visit www.fourseasonsofhope.com.
