Drew Barrymore has probably had a better April, what with the tabloids jumping all over her divorce from Will Koppelman, but a recent award (maybe better than an Oscar!) should help cheer her up.
Barrymore so loves animals that the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) honored her considerable work and dedication to helping improve their welfare.
Martha Stewart presented the award at a glittery black-tie fete, the Bergh Ball, which also celebrated the ASPCA’s 150th Anniversary. Barrymore, wearing a Tory Burch gown (the same one Kate Middleton wore to meet the King and Queen of Bhutan) gave a well-received acceptance speech, citing how she has been working to improve animals’ lives since she was 19.
She said the hardest chapter for her to write in her latest book, Wildflower, was the one about her adopted dog. “You have a relationship with pets that is unspoken; it is without words. And sure we could all deal with a little less words in a relationships sometimes. We should just follow the dogs!” Barrymore joked. “There is such profoundness in connectivity and energy and altruism that we have with our animals, especially rescue animals, and they feel it back. And there is some level of symbiotic gratitude because you do save each other.”
Two-time Tony Award Winner Nathan Lane did MC honors. Grammy Award winner Mark Ronson DJ’d for guests including Georgina Bloomberg, Jessica Hart, Margo and Jimmy Nederlander, Christian Siriano and Brad Walsh,Jill Rappaport, Arriana Boardman, Ellen and Chuck Scarborough, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Rikki Klieman, Paul Arnold and Wes Gordon, and Scott Sartiano.
Sotheby’s senior auctioneer C. Hugh Hildesly hosted the live auction portion of the evening, which featured several high-end items and experiences, including a trip to Turks and Caicos, which sold to Barrymore and two other supporters for $19,000 each, and a Chopard watch, which sold for $20,000. (Chopard was a major supporter of the gala. In addition the company will be releasing a small retail collection at their Madison Avenue Boutique.in support of the ASPCA on May 3rd For information contact Katie.Landow@aspca.org)
In celebration of its 150th anniversary, the ASPCA began a campaign which encourages animal lovers to visit ASPCA.org/150days and pledge at least 15 minutes of their time to helping animals in need. Their campaign works toward an ultimate goal of 150,000 acts of compassion through September 7, 2016. Suggested actions include volunteering at a local shelter, fostering and/or adopting homeless animals, and advocating for stronger animal welfare laws. Those who log their actions on the campaign website will be encouraged to enter their favorite shelters or rescue groups in a grant contest in which one of these organizations will receive a $150,000 grant from the ASPCA.
The “150 Days of Rescue” campaign is supported by a short video conceived and directed by photographer and filmmaker Dewey Nicks. Celebrity participants in the film, who speak on behalf of animal well being, include Jason Schwartzman, George Lopez, Adrienne Moore, Julie Bowen, Krysten Ritter, Miles Brown, Beth Behrs, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Jennifer Coolidge, Kesha, Edie Falco, and Keith Stanfield. The soundtrack for the short film is provided by composer and musician Owen Pallett.
For more information, visit http://www.aspca.org/150days.
