Golden Rainbow celebrated 27 years of service to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada at its 27th annual “Ribbon of Life” fundraiser at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday.
“Ribbon of Life” raised more than $152,000 and drew in a crowd of 1,424 attendees. The extravaganza’s lineup included world-renowned, two-time Grammy winning singer Jon Secada, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” star Michael Grimm, and cast members from the Las Vegas Strip’s premier shows. TV personality Chris Saldaña and Edie of Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity hosted the spectacular that featured special tributes to legendary artists Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Billy Joel, The Bee Gees, Stephen Sondheim, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Liberace, Kenny Kerr; NBC’s “America’s Got Talent;” films “Dirty Dancing,” “The Lion King,” “Funny Girl,” “Nine;” and Nkosi Johnson, a South African child who made a powerful impact on public perceptions of HIV/AIDS and its effects before his death at the age of 12. Aside from Secada and Grimm, this year’s acts included performers Clint Holmes, Josh Strickland, Wes Winters, Frankie Moreno and Reva Rice; vocal groups Mo5aic, The Las Vegas Tenors, Human Nature and Celebrity City Chorus; members from Jubilee! and VEGAS! the Show; and many more.
In addition to the fundraising spectacular, Golden Rainbow hosted a silent auction with exclusive prizes including tickets to some of Las Vegas’ top shows, dinner at the city’s best restaurants and trips to premier destinations. The celebration continued at Mingo, Kitchen & Lounge for the official “Ribbon of Life” after party where cast members and guests came together to honor the success of the show. For every “Sweet Sensation” drink purchased, Mingo, Kitchen & Lounge donated $2 back to Golden Rainbow.
All proceeds from “Ribbon of Life” benefit the nonprofit’s efforts in providing housing and direct financial assistance to the Southern Nevada HIV/AIDS community. As a result of the last year’s fundraising efforts, Golden Rainbow provided 8,184 nights of shelter, 527 days of utility assistance, 1,054 days of transportation and medical and dental assistance to more than 500 households in 2012.
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