{"id":1470,"date":"2019-04-07T18:04:20","date_gmt":"2019-04-07T18:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/?p=1470"},"modified":"2019-04-07T18:04:22","modified_gmt":"2019-04-07T18:04:22","slug":"aap-food-samaritans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/?p=1470","title":{"rendered":"AAP – Food Samaritans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

26 Years of\nGiving Back to the Community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Michael Heinrich<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1991 AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans was founded (originally called AIDS Assistance Program) with the goal of helping the most at-risk\nmembers of our community \u2013 people who are low-income and compromised by health\nissues \u2013 by providing nutritional support to men, women and children living\nwith HIV\/AIDS. In 2015 it expanded its mission to serve others in the greater\nPalm Springs community who are living with chronic illnesses such as cancer,\nM.S., and heart or liver diseases. As it expanded its services, it also updated\nits organization name to AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since its\ninception, AAP has distributed more than $10 million in direct client service\nto more than 2,300 clients. Its important to note that these clients get by on\nan annual income of less than $18,090, and most AAP clients rarely, if ever,\nmake it off of the client list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAAP \u2013 Food\nSamaritans could not fulfill our mission without the dedication and support of\nthe incredible people and organizations that support us,\u201d said Mark Anton,\nCEO\/Executive Director of AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans. \u201cWithout their caring and\ninspirational leadership, we would not be able to support the nutritional needs\nof those low-income individuals living with HIV\/AIDS and other chronic\nillnesses in our community. We are so very grateful for their unyielding\nkindness that they exhibit on a daily basis not only for AAP, but for many\nother organizations across the entire Coachella Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evening\nUnder the Stars is the largest annual fundraiser for AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans. Gala\nfestivities will begin with a \u2018definitively Palm Springs\u2019 sunset cocktail hour\nat 5:30 PM on the grounds of the O\u2019Donnell Golf Club against a backdrop of the\nmajestic San Jacinto Mountains, widely regarded as one of the most festive\ncocktail receptions of the season. A short awards program will recognize the\ninspirational honorees, followed by a delicious dinner, and dancing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event\nwill feature a performance by ARRIVAL From Sweden, an ABBA show band that\nincludes some of ABBA\u2019s original musicians. ARRIVAL From Sweden looks and\nsounds so much like the original ABBA it\u2019s no surprise that they are the only\nABBA tribute band officially sanctioned by the four original ABBA band members.\nARRIVAL formed in 1995, and since then the band has toured in 60 countries, and\nhas sold out arenas and venues all over the world. ABBA, one of the best-selling\nmusic artists of all time, is experiencing a renewed surge in popularity due in\npart to the 2008 film \u201cMama Mia\u201d and its recent sequel \u201cMama Mia, Here We Go\nAgain\u201d which features a cameo by Cher. Just recently Cher has released an album\nof covers of some of ABBA\u2019s greatest hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evening\nUnder the Stars has featured the talents of a wide variety of entertainers. In\n2014, an electrifying performance by the First Ladies of Disco \u2013 Linda\nClifford, France Joli, Evelyn \u201cChampagne\u201d King, Maxine Nightingale, Pamala\nStanley, Anita Ward, Martha Wash, and the ladies formerly of Chic: Alfa\nAnderson, Luci Martin, and Norma Jean \u2013 had everyone on their feet with an\namazing night of 70\u2019s dance music. Over the years, headliners Nell Carter, Tyne\nDaly, Melissa Manchester, Jane Oliver, Lorna Luft, Bea Arthur, Barry Manilow,\nNancy Wilson, Lily Tomlin and the entire remaining cast of Laugh In, Mary\nWilson of The Supremes, Pink Martini, The B-52s, The Go-Go\u2019s, Cyndi Lauper,\nDarlene Love, Village People, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, and Gladys\nKnight have all taken the stage in support of this very worthy cause. And this\nyear back by popular demand ARRIVAL from Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARRIVAL from\nSweden was founded by Vicky Zetterberg in 1995 in Gothenburg, Sweden and very\nsoon became one of the world\u2019s most popular and most selling ABBA show band.\nSince the start in 1995 the band has toured in 60 countries and has appeared in\nseveral TV and radio shows all over the world. Since 2005 ARRIVAL from Sweden\nhas made 56 successful tours in the USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARRIVAL from Sweden in the production \u201dThe Music of\nABBA\u201d has sold out arenas and venues all over the world since 1995 and is the\nabsolute best and most authentic ABBA show there is. Hits like: Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, Does\nYour Mother Know, Take A Chance, SOS, The Winner Takes It All, Super Trouper,\nMoney Money Money, Waterloo, Honey Honey, Fernando, Chiquitita, Knowing Me\nKnowing You, Thank You For The Music, Lay All Your Love On Me, Gimme Gimme\nGimme and many more are delivered with such accuracy that it\u2019s hard to believe\nthat it\u2019s not the real ABBA on stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARRIVAL From\nSweden has also played with more than 60 symphony orchestras throughout the\nworld. Successful shows with some of the finest orchestras in the USA such as\nBoston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony\nOrchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARRIVAL from\nSweden is the only group that has been given a previously unreleased ABBA song\ndirectly from Bj\u00f6rn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA. The song \u201cJust A\nNotion\u201d will be due for a worldwide release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\nproduction has all the features a great ABBA show needs: lovely costumes,\nextremely talented musicians and breathtaking singers. Millions of people all\naround the world celebrate this show as the best ABBA show in the world; in\nfact this is the only ABBA show the world needs. This production is the closest\nyou will ever get to see ABBA!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition\nto providing a stellar night of entertainment, Evening Under the Stars is an opportunity\nfor AAP to recognize those amazing individuals and organizations that have\nworked tirelessly on AAP\u2019s behalf throughout the last 25 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is with\ngreat pride that each year AAP is able to acknowledge the dedication of these\nwonderful, caring people who have supported AAP and other Coachella Valley\nnonprofit organizations. Without them, AAP would not be where it is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each year,\nAAP designates several award recipients and acknowledges them on stage at the\nevent. There are several award categories, including the Jeannette Rockefeller\nHumanitarian Award, the Gloria Greene Inspiration Award, the Herb Lazenby\nCommunity Service Award, the Joanna Jakway Community Hero Award, and the Frank\nJurczyk Volunteer Award.  In 2016,\nAAP created a new Corporate Angel Award category. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About The\nAwards And This Year\u2019s Honorees<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruta Lee <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeannette\nRockefeller Humanitarian Award<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certainly\none of Hollywood’s most glamorous ladies and actresses, Ruta Lee is also one of\nits most multifaceted and top-notch civic contributors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lee is\nhighly acclaimed for her leadership role in The Thalians, a charitable\norganization that is committed to good mental health from pediatric to\ngeriatric. She has been either chairman or president for more than 45 years. Ruta\nhas been a very staunch supporter of AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans for decades. She has\nserved as Commissioner on the Los Angeles Board of Environmental Quality and as\na member of the Economic Development Board, acted as a national spokesperson\nfor the American Cancer Society, was honored Woman of the Year by B’nai B’rith,\nreceived the Humanitarian Award from the Beverly Hills Business Women’s\nAssociation as well as top honors from the City of Hope. She is also the proud\nrecipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which added to her stars on\nthe Palm Springs Walk of Stars and the Celebrity Walk at the Thalians Mental\nHealth Center, Cedars-Sinai, makes it a Triple Crown for a super gal. More\nrecently, Ruta was honored as a “Woman of Achievement” by Northwood\nUniversity, joining a roster of some of the most prestigious women in America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the\naward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeannette\nRockefeller was the founding president of AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans. Established in\n1997 to honor the humanitarian efforts of outstanding community members such as\nJeannette, this award recognizes individuals who have contributed their energy,\ncommitment, and influence to raise awareness and funding for important issues\nincluding HIV\/AIDS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glenn\nJohnson And Michael Melancon <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gloria\nGreene Inspiration Award<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glenn\nJohnson and\nMichael Melancon have been long time supporters of AAP – Food Samaritans and\nEvening Under the Stars. Glenn has had a long and successful career with Alaska\nAir Group and has served most recently as President of Horizon Air. Mike has a\n30-year background in human resources management and is the Effectiveness\nPractice Leader for The Washington Firm and is also an ordained Zen Buddhist\nchaplain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition\nto AAP – Food Samaritans, Glenn and Mike have been involved with numerous\ncharities and philanthropic organizations including the Swedish Medical Center\nFoundation, where the couple supports the organization through annual gifts and\nhas included it in their estate planning. Mike is also a member of the\nFoundation\u2019s board of governors and serves on its community health advisory\ncommittee. They also donate their time and financial support to several other\ncommunity organizations, including the Bailey Boushay House, where Michael\nvolunteers with seriously ill and hospice patients; the Swedish Ballard Teen\nCenter; the Loving Work Foundation in Vietnam; and Central Washington\nUniversity, where Glenn is a trustee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the\nAward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great\nmovements often begin with one person\u2019s simple inspiration \u2013 such as when\nGloria Greene began handing out food to those with HIV\/AIDS from the back door\nof one of her restaurants right here in Palm Springs. Since 1999, The Gloria\nGreene Inspiration Award has celebrated Gloria\u2019s insight, commitment and\npassion, illustrating the difference that can be made in a community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ron\ndeHarte<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greater Palm\nSprings Pride <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herb Lazenby\nCommunity Service Award<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ron deHarte\nhas been the President of Greater Palm Springs Pride since 2012. Under his\nguidance, Pride has steadily grown, bringing in an estimated 100,000 visitors\nthis year, who contributed $22 million to the local economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ron is a\nrecognized human rights and diversity champion and currently serves as chairman\nof the City of Palm Springs Human Rights Commission. Ron\u2019s long history of\ninvolvement in the LGBT community includes a primary focus on supporting LGBT\nyouth and youth related programs. He serves as President of Greater Palm\nSprings Pride, President of Safe Schools of the Desert, Co-President of the\nUnited States Association of Pride and is a member of the board of the\nConsolidated Association of Pride and InterPride, the international association\nof Pride organizers. Prior to moving to the Coachella Valley, Ron was the\nExecutive Director of San Diego Pride for five years. In 2011 he teamed up with\nSafe Schools to secure the Palm Springs Art Museum as the venue for the annual\nLGBT Prom, which now hosts 500 students. As founding chairman of the Harvey\nMilk Diversity Breakfast, Ron led the way to adopt youth programs as its\nbeneficiary. Over the last seven years, $124,000 has been raised to directly\nsupport area GSA and LGBT youth driven activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the\nAward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Herb\nLazenby Community Service Award was created to recognize an individual\u2019s\noutstanding commitment to service within their community. The award carries the\nname of its inaugural recipient, Dr. Herb Lazenby, whose name became synonymous\nwith Community Service here in the Coachella Valley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tickets for\nthe benefit, priced at $395 and $500 per person, are available for purchase and\nindividual VIP seats and sponsorships are also available. Congratulatory\ntribute ads for the honorees in the gala program are available until March 29. To\nattend or for more information, call\n760-325-8481 or visit aapfoodsamaritans.org.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IF YOU GO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Date:\nSaturday, May 4, 2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location: O\u2019Donnell\nGolf Course<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arrivals,\nCocktails, Silent Auction: 5:30pm <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinner,\nAwards & Entertainment: 7:00pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attire:\nCreative Festive Attire <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

26 Years of Giving Back to the Community By Michael Heinrich In 1991 AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans was founded (originally called AIDS Assistance Program) with the goal of helping the most at-risk members of our community \u2013 people who are low-income and compromised by health issues \u2013 by providing nutritional support to men, women and children living with HIV\/AIDS. In 2015 it expanded its mission to serve others in the greater Palm Springs community who are living with chronic illnesses such as cancer, M.S., and heart or liver diseases. As it expanded its services, it also updated its organization name to AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans. Since its inception, AAP has distributed more than $10 million in direct client service to more than 2,300 clients. Its important to note that these clients get by on an annual income of less than $18,090, and most AAP clients rarely, if ever, make it off of the client list. \u201cAAP \u2013 Food Samaritans could not fulfill our mission without the dedication and support of the incredible people and organizations that support us,\u201d said Mark Anton, CEO\/Executive Director of AAP \u2013 Food Samaritans. \u201cWithout their caring and inspirational leadership, we would not be able to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1471,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[1771,2047,148,2046,112,147,1777,2049,1030,1032,1028,1034,2045,339,2048],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1470"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1470"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1470\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1472,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1470\/revisions\/1472"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestandardps.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}