AIDS Assistance Project</p> AIDS Assistance Project

  • EUS24 BannersEvening Under the Stars  
    A garden party to benefit AAP - Food Samaritans

    On October 13, 2024, AAP – Food Samaritans will welcome champions of their nutritional support program to join in celebration of their resilience and continued service to the community. AAP is honored to also announce a special guest appearance by the legendary Debby Holiday. Community Impact Awards will be presented to Bonnie and Alan Cashman, Nino Eilets, and Ruta Lee.

    Tickets for the benefit include hosted bar, “heavy hors d’oeuvres” by Eight4Nine, entertainment, and valet parking.

    AAP – Food Samaritans provides nutritional support for low-income people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. AAP – Food Samaritans is a beacon of hope in our community, helping those among us who need it the most.

    Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 5:30 PM.

     
     
     
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    Emcee Brooke Beare 

    Brooke Beare is an Emmy winning journalist, marketing director and government communicator. After graduating cum laude from the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, Brooke began her broadcast journalism career at two NBC affiliates in Texas. During that time, she was fortunate enough to interview Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, a number of governors, and cover the breakup of the Space Shuttle Columbia from the ground. She moved to the desert near Palm Springs in 2003 to work for the CBS affiliate as a reporter and morning news anchor, and over the next 16 years, established herself as a respected investigative journalist working in San Diego and eventually as the evening news anchor in Palm Springs. In 2019, she won an Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Pacific Southwest Chapter. Later that year, she made a huge career change as the Director of Communications and Marketing for one of our desert’s largest cities, allowing for another opportunity to showcase stories and visions to the community by jumping into the world of communications, marketing, tourism, and public relations, which she continues in various capacities to do today. Brooke has been featured by the Desert Sun, HealthSmart Magazine, PM Magazine, the Daily Show, and other publications and programs for her work with individuals, organizations, nonprofits, the media, and businesses to realize their goals and aspirations. She is also a sitting member and former Board Chair of Desert Arc, on the Advisory Board for Old Town Artisan Studios, and has served as ambassador for nonprofits such as the Living Desert, Shelter from the Storm, AAP – Food Samaritans, and many others. 

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  • EUS History

    In the past years, 'Evening Under the Stars' has featured the talents of Nell Carter, Tyne Daly, Melissa Manchester, Jane Oliver, Lorna Luft, Suzanne Somers, Bea Arthur and our 10th anniversary spectacular highlighted Barry Manilow and his orchestra. Ms. Nancy Wilson headlined our 2004 gala with the Las Vegas Rat Pack & the Dry Martini Orchestra as our opening. 2005 showcased the legendary talents of Ms. Lily Tomlin, 2006 saw a return of Barry Manilow with his new Las Vegas Review, 2007 and 2009 showcased the legendary talents of Mary Wilson of the Supremes, and 2008 presented Pink Martini. Our 2010 event featured the music of ABBA performed by ARRIVAL (direct from Sweden) and featured some of ABBA's original musicians. Our 2011 event featured the B-52's, and the house rocked in 2012 with The Go-Go's! For 2013, the remarkable Cyndi Lauper helped us celebrate the 20th Evening Under the Stars. In 2014 we made history with The First Ladies of Disco: Alfa Anderson, Linda Clifford, Norma Jean, France Joli, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Luci Martin, Charlene Moore, Maxine Nightingale, Pamala Stanley, Jeanie Tracy, Anita Ward, and Martha Wash, while our 2015 event presented the phenomenal Darlene Love!  The 2016 event featured the world-famous Village People and 2017 was Martha Reeves and the Vandellas! For our big 25th Anniversary celebration in 2018, we featured the incomparable Gladys Knight. In 2019 we were thrilled to bring back to Palm Springs “the Music of ABBA” by Arrival from Sweden, who gave a spectacular performance!

  • Entertainment

    2024 Evening Under the Stars Entertainment

    Debby Holiday

    Debby Holiday, international singer/songwriter with 17 Billboard Top 20 Dance Chart hits, broke onto the dance scene with her #5 Billboard summer anthem Dive in 2004. Holiday followed with her power ballad Half A Mile Away, which shot into the Billboard Top 10, along with Debby's follow-up dance hit Bring It On. All of Debby’s subsequent dance singles broke into the Billboard Top 20 including Piece of My Love, Surrender Me (with the incredible Tony Moran), and Joyful Sound, featured in the hit show Sordid Lives: The Series.

    Debby experienced every aspect of the music industry early on while growing up in Los Angeles. Her father Jimmy Holiday was a passionate and soulful artist, topping the charts with several of his own singles before going on to co-write such hits as Understanding by Ray Charles, and Jackie DeShannon’s Put A Little Love In Your Heart. Another standard, All I Ever Need Is You, was a Top 10 single for Sonny and Cher and went on to be a huge country hit for Kenny Rogers and Dottie West.

    Debby has written with a wide range of today’s top songwriters including Jeffrey Steele, Marty Fredrickson, Billy Steinberg, Erik Brazillian, and Clif Magness (Avril Levigne). Debby has shared the stage with legendary recording artists such as Rod Stewart, Joe Walsh, John Waite, and Kiss, appearing on several television programs including The View and The David Letterman Show. Debby starred in the film Blues For Willadean written by the award winning Del Shores and co-starring Beth Grant, Dale Dickey, and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer.

    Debby continues to pump up the volume on the dance floors – live with her rock/soul band and on television. Her placements have included, NBC’s The Office, E! Entertainment’s How Do I Look, FX Network’s Dirt, Showtime’s hit The L Word, and MTV’s the Pick Up Artist. Queer As Folk, another Showtime hit, used two of Debby’s tracks including Dive and Half A Mile Away in its episodic finale.

    In 2012, Debby hit the Billboard charts twice. Never Give Up with the amazing San Francisco based DJ Phil B soared to #9 and her next single, Key To Your Soul (co-written with DJ John LePage & Jeff Fedak) hit #21 and includes an anti-bullying themed video for the song (directed by Del Shores). In 2015 her single I Like You with Grammy Winning Producer/DJ Tony Moran hit #5 on the Billboard dance charts. Debby’s next single Lift with Indie label “Dirty Disco” hit #5 on the Billboard dance club play charts.

    2017 brought the release of Debby’s Double Album ‘Free2B’ (half rock/half dance), which allowed her to fully embrace her two musical sides. In 2020 Debby hit the Billboard charts again as the #1 breakout in the country with her latest original song with Brett Oosterhaus Living For the Music. 2021 saw her Love & Beats with Brett Oosterhaus hit the Beatport charts and remain at the top of sales. In 2022 Debby’s latest release was another international success with her version of the Tina Turner song I Can’t Stand the Rain with Russ Rich on the Swishcraft label. Her latest original dance single Find A Way with Dirty Disco landed at #1 on the House of Pride Radio chart and stayed there for three weeks. Debby has 2 new singles dropping in 2024 and has started work on her next full length album. For more information on Debby Holiday including performance dates and photos please visit her website: www.debbyholiday.com Her music is available on all streaming services.

     

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  • 2024 Sponsors

     

    Presenting Sponsor

    Eisenhower Medical Center


    Major Sponsors

    The Auen Foundation
    Grace Helen Spearman Foundation
    Glenn Johnson & Michael Melancon
    Desert Tennis Association
    Ronald Gregoire
    Jim Knauss Rob Fickel
    State Farm/Gleeson Insurance
    Scott Histed
    Lampley-Lomeli
    Imagine It! Media


    Presenting Media Sponsor

    The Desert Sun


    Media Sponsors

    CV Independent
    The Standard
    Palm Springs Life

  • 2024 Community Impact Honorees

     

    Bonnie and AlanCommunity Impact Award Honorees

    Bonnie and Alan Cashman

    Bonnie and Alan Cashman have been married for more than 52 years. They met at Seattle University in 1971. Working together for over 27 years in financial services they built successful businesses which they ultimately sold to a national firm.

    In 1975 they attended an insurance convention in Palm Springs staying at the old Rivera Hotel on Vista Chino. Falling in love with Palm Springs they would vacation here at least annually thereafter.

    While visiting Palm Springs to celebrate their wedding anniversary, they purchased their first part-time vacation home in the Movie Colony in the summer of 2000. In 2016, they moved to their current home in Old Las Palmas where they are active in the community hosting many different organizations and corporate events. The Cashmans made Palm Springs their full-time and permanent residence in 2022 after selling their award winning condo in Seattle that they developed and completed in 1987.

    The Cashmans have been members of the O’Donnell Golf Club since 2001. Alan was the Co-Founder of the Old Las Palmas Neighborhood Organization and Bonnie currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Eisenhower Foundation. Both are dedicated supporters of the 24/7 program.

     
     
     

    Nino EiletsCommunity Impact Award Honoree

    Nino Eilets

    Nino Eilets will receive the Community Impact Award. He has been a steadfast supporter and advocate for AAP and our community for many years. After leaving his native Puerto Rico, Nino served in the Air Force for twelve years and has been a resident of Palm Springs since 1996. He is a generous, gentle soul with a big heart who has helped elevate many community organizations by donating his platform for outreach and education through advertising and editorial coverage. His involvement in the community started in earnest during his 12-year tenure as General Manager of The Bottomline Magazine and has continued for the past 11 years as the owner/ publisher of The Standard Magazine.

    Nino has been involved with several local organizations and charities including AAP – Food Samaritans, American Cancer Society, DAP Health, Harvey Mill Diversity Coalition, PS Pride, and The Trevor Project, to name a few. Nino also is the co-producer & owner of the International Bear Convergence, an event that helps encourage several thousands of visitors to Palm Springs that helps bolster our local tourism.

    His life has brought him a wealth of experience and passion that he uses to raise awareness of advancing equality, promote diversity, and celebrate the strength and talent of the LGBTQ+ community.

     

     

    Ruta LeeCommunity Impact Award Honoree

    Ruta Lee

    Certainly, one of Hollywood's most glamorous ladies, Ruta Lee is also one of its most multifaceted and top-notched civic contributors. Ruta has been a very staunch supporter of AAP – Food Samaritans for decades.

    A celebrated actress, Lee has appeared in many films, including “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Funny Face,” “Witness for the Prosecution,” and as Frank Sinatra's leading lady in “Sergeant's Three.” She has appeared on more than 2,000 television shows, including “Perry Mason,” “Twilight Zone,” “Murder She Wrote,” “Hogan's Heroes,” “Love Boat,” and “Roseanne.” She has also headlined around the country in many musicals as “Dolly,” “Annie,” “Peter Pan,” “Mame,” “Irene,” “Nelly,” “Irma,” “Rose,” “The Woman of the Year,” in “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Unsinkable Molly Brown,” and “Goodbye Charlie.”

    Ruta is highly acclaimed for her leadership role with The Thalians –Hollywood for Mental Health, an organization committed to good mental health from pediatrics to geriatrics. She has been either chairman or president for more than 50 years, roles she regularly exchanged with best pal and sister in charity Debbie Reynolds. Recently The Thalians refocused attention to the dire need of mental health services for our returning Vets and joined with UCLA’s Operation Mend. OP MEND heals broken bodies, the Thalians heal broken minds and spirits.

    She has served as Commissioner on the Los Angeles Board of Environmental Quality and as a member of the Economic Development Board, acted as a national spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, was honored Woman of the Year by B'nai B'rith, received the Humanitarian Award from the Beverly Hills Business Women's Association as well as top honors from the City of Hope. She is also the proud recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Palm Springs Walk of Stars and the Celebrity Walk at the Thalians Mental Health Center at Cedars-Sinai. More recently, Ruta was honored as a "Woman of Achievement" by Northwood University, joining a roster of some of the most prestigious women in America.

    Her memoir "Consider Your Ass Kissed" is a treasure trove of wonderful personal stories and anecdotes with rare first hand and authentic memories of the entertainment industry.

     


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Dr. Timothy Jochen and Lee Erwin

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Jeannette Rockefeller Humanitarian Award

Dr. Timothy Jochen and Lee Erwin are great examples of giving back to the community they love. They are major contributors to more than 40 non-profit organizations in the Coachella Valley including AAP – Food Samaritans, which they have supported for more than thirteen years. Other charitable organizations they support include American Cancer Society, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Desert, Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley, Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert, Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine, Desert AIDS Project, Desert Cancer Foundation, Gilda's Club Desert Cities, Guide Dogs of Desert, Jewish Family Service of the Desert, Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Palm Springs Women in Film & TV, Shelter from the Storm, The Living Desert, Well in the Desert, and many more. Dr. Jochen and Lee Erwin were recently honored as business visionaries and philanthropists with the 411th star on Palm Canyon Drive.

Dr. Jochen, a board certified dermatologist, founded Contour Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery Center (now the largest dermatology practice in the Valley with offices in Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs). Dr. Jochen serves on the Board of Trustees at Palm Valley School and is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.  He has been named “Teacher of the Year” several times and has been voted a Top Doctor by his peers in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Lee Erwin is the Executive Director of Contour Dermatology. A graduate of the University of Florida with a BS in Computer Engineering, Lee was a computer consultant before joining Contour Dermatology. He was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of Jewish Family Service of the Desert. Dr. Jochen and Lee Erwin have lived in the Coachella Valley since 2001 and have a twelve-year-old daughter, Ashley, who attends Palm Valley School.

The Jeannette Rockefeller Humanitarian Award honors Jeannette Rockefeller, the founding president of AAP – Food Samaritans. The award was established in 1997 to honor the humanitarian efforts of outstanding community members and recognizes individuals who have lent their energy, commitment, and influence to raise awareness and funding for important issues including HIV/AIDS. Previous recipients include Earl Greenberg, R. D. & Joan Dale Hubbard, Michael Leppen, Tim Hanlon, Helene Galen, James Houston, Harold Matzner, Betty Francis, and Senator Barbara Boxer.