FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON RECEIVED FIRST EJAF FOUNDER’S AWARD
SANDRA LEE, HOWARD ROSE, AND RONALD O. PERELMAN HONORED
SIR ELTON JOHN RECEIVED HARVARD AIDS INITIATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD
EVENT RAISES $3.45 MILLION FOR THE FOUNDATION
Photos by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images and Kevin Mazur/WireImage
On Tuesday night, October 15, Sir Elton John continued his humanitarian efforts to raise money for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and awareness programs across the United States, the Americas, and the Caribbean at the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF)’s 12th annual benefit An Enduring Vision held at Cipriani Wall Street (55 Wall Street). American Airlines, Frank Guistra, Robert K. Kraft , and Wells Fargo served as the Presenting Sponsors of the benefit, and the star-studded evening raised over $3.45 million for the Foundation.

David Furnish, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Elton John pose on stage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 12th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street on October 15, 2013 in New York City.

Founders Award Honoree Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks onstage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 12th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street on October 15, 2013 in New York City

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Elton John attend the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 12th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street on October 15, 2013 in New York City.
As part of the evening’s program, EJAF Founder Sir Elton John and Chairman David Furnish presented EJAF’s very first Founder’s Award to former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Secretary Clinton’s ground-breaking speech in Geneva declaring that “gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights” and the bold plan for an AIDS-free generation she presented at the International AIDS Conference epitomize EJAF’s concept of “an enduring vision of a world without AIDS.”
John and Furnish also presented Enduring Vision Awards to three outstanding Foundation supporters. Multiple Emmy Award-winning television host and magazine editor-in-chief Sandra Lee is a long-time supporter of EJAF and other HIV/AIDS and LGBT civil rights organizations, as well as serving as the national spokesperson for the No Kid Hungry campaign and a founding board member of UNICEF’s Los Angeles chapter. Devoted EJAF supporter Ronald O. Perelman , Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings, is a major philanthropist who has made numerous multi-million dollar gifts to health, education, civic, and arts organizations across the country. Founding EJAF Board member Howard Rose has generously assisted the Foundation in all areas of its work since its inception, from the initial and continued development of a variety of fund-raising events to building individual and corporate relationships.
- Sandra Lee and Governor Andrew Cuomo
- Ricki Noel Lander, Robert Kraft, and Ronald O. Perelman
- Alec Baldwin, Hilaria Baldwin and Elton John
- Ann Wilson, Elton John, Billy Joel and Nancy Wilson
- Billie Jean King and Judith Light
- Elton John, Robert Kraft, Ricki Noel Lander and David Furnish
- Hilary Rhoda (L) and Allison Williams
- Michael Lockwood and Lisa Marie Presley
- Host Matt Lauer
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Billy Joel
- Nancy Wilson (L) and Ann Wilson of Heart perform onstage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 12th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit
- Nancy Wilson (L) and Ann Wilson of Heart perform onstage at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 12th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit
- Michael Lockwood and Lisa Marie Presley
NBC Today Show host Matt Lauer stepped in for CNN anchor Anderson Cooper to emcee the gala dinner. The previous evening Cooper had been sent to Washington, DC, to cover the debt ceiling crisis, and the Foundation was most grateful to Lauer for gallantly filling in at the last moment. The legendary band Heart performed. Also, guest auctioneer Jamie Niven conducted a live auction featuring such one-of-a-kind items as photographs by artists Matthew Pillsbury, Ed Ruscha, and Terry O’Neill; a private one-hour tennis lesson with Novak Djokovic; a four night vacation at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort; lunch with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper; tickets to Howard Pinter’s Betrayal on Broadway and a backstage meet-and-greet with star Daniel Craig; a five day vacation at Elton John and David Furnish’s Venice apartment, including an art tour with their Venetian guide, and dinner for two at Harry’s Bar and Harry’s Dolci; and a tour of Tamara Mellon‘s office and showroom culminating in a head-to-toe look styled by Ms. Mellon. Continue reading