Guest
enjoy
great
conversation,
appetizers
and
cocktails
during
the VIP
Reception
at the
Annual
Kidney
Ball
fund
raiser
presented
by the
National
Kidney
Foundation
of
Michigan.
(Photo
by HB
Meeks/Tell
Us
Detroit)
Annual
Kidney
Ball
raises
over
$600,000
for
National
Kidney
Foundation
of MI
Live
Auction
included
surprise
items of
two
“Detroit
Tigers
Manager
for a
Day”
packages
DETROIT,
MICH. -
Nearly
600
guests
enjoyed
the
“most
fun
black
tie
event in
metro
Detroit”
on
Saturday,
December
2 and
raised
over
$600,000
to help
the more
than
900,000
people
in
Michigan
with
chronic
kidney
disease
and the
many
more at
risk. At
the
annual
National
Kidney
Foundation
of
Michigan’s
13th
annual
Kidney
Ball,
guests
were
transported
to
Morocco
in the
1940s,
specifically
Rick's
Café
Américain
from the
iconic
film
“Casablanca.”
Held at
the
MotorCity
Casino
Hotel,
the
evening’s
program
included
the
presentation
of two
awards.
NKFM
President
and CEO
Linda
Smith-Wheelock
presented
the
first
Kidney
Crusader
Award to
Jerry
Yee, MD,
a
nephrologist
with
Henry
Ford
Health
System.
Dr. Yee
and his
wife
Virginia
Romano
have
given
their
time,
money
and
expertise
to
support
programs
and
services
of the
NKFM.
Dr. Yee
is also
past
chair of
the NKFM
Scientific
Advisory
Board.
NKFM
President
and CEO
Emeritus
Dan
Carney
presented
the
Cynthia
H.
Shannon
Award to
Kidney
Ball
Committee
Co-Chair
Jon
Krebs,
President,
Madison
Heights
Glass
Company,
Inc.
This
award is
given
annually
to an
individual
with
outstanding
character
and
amazing
generosity.
The
award is
named
for
Cindy
Shannon,
who
started
the
Kidney
Ball in
2005 and
chaired
it for
many
years.
“The
Kidney
Ball is
our
largest
fundraising
event
and
takes
over 100
wonderful
staff
and
volunteers
to make
it
happen.
The
community
has
again
shown us
their
great
support
for
those
living
with
kidney
disease
and for
our
evidence-based
programs
to
prevent
kidney
disease,”
states
NKFM CEO
Smith-Wheelock.
After a
delicious
dinner
prepared
by the
MotorCity
Casino
Hotel
culinary
staff,
WDIV-TV’s
Steve
Garagiola
started
the
program,
which
included
remarks
by
Kidney
Ball
Committee
Honorary
Co-Chair
Duane
McLean,
Detroit
Tigers
Vice
President
of
Business
Operations;
Jon
Krebs;
and Jeff
Chandler,
Kidney
Ball
Committee
Co-Chair
and
Executive
Vice
President
–
Surety,
VTC
Insurance
Group.
The
event
included
a silent
auction
with
over 250
eclectic
items
and a
children’s
toy
auction.
Live
auction
items
were
promoted
before
the
Ball,
including
two
18-person
suite
packages
at the
new
Little
Caesars
Arena,
one to
see
entertainer
Katy
Perry,
and one
for a
Detroit
Red
Wings
hockey
game.
During
the live
auction,
Duane
McLean
surprised
the
audience
by
offering
an
experience
to be
the
Detroit
Tigers’
“Manager
for a
Day”.
Bidding
was so
enthusiastic
that
McLean
doubled
the
offer
and two
lucky
bidders
will go
to
Lakeland,
Florida
for
Tigers’
spring
training
to meet
the
team, be
in the
dugout
and
enjoy
other
activities.
After
the
auctions,
guests
danced
to Your
Generation
in
Concert
featuring
Fifty
Amp Fuse
in the
Sound
Board
and
enjoyed
the
sweet
candy
and gum
“bar”
sponsored
by Mars
Wrigley
Confectionery.
The
2017
Kidney
Ball
Honorary
Co-Chairs
are
Duane
McLean,
Executive
Vice
President,
Business
Operations
–
Detroit
Tigers;
and Ed
Peper,
U.S.
Vice
President,
General
Motors
Fleet.
The
Kidney
Ball
Co-Chairs
are Jon
Krebs,
President,
Madison
Heights
Glass
Company,
Inc; and
Jeff
Chandler,
Executive
Vice
President
–
Surety,
VTC
Insurance
Group.
The 2017
Kidney
Ball is
sponsored
by
Madison
Heights
Glass
Company,
Inc;
Lear
Corporation;
Meijer,
General
Motors
Fleet;
Mars
Wrigley
Confectionery;
and E. &
J. Gallo
Winery.
For
more
information
about
the
National
Kidney
Foundation
of
Michigan’s
programs
and
services
throughout
the
state,
please
go to
www.nkfm.org
or call
800-482-1455.
About
the
NKFM:
The
mission
of the
National
Kidney
Foundation
of
Michigan
is to
prevent
kidney
disease
and
improve
the
quality
of life
for
those
living
with it.
The NKFM
is
widely
known
for
providing
more
programs
and
services
to more
people
than any
other
region
or
state.
The
organization
was
recognized
for its
success
in sound
fiscal
management
by
receiving
a 4-star
rating,
10 years
in a
row,
from
Charity
Navigator—the
nation’s
leading
charity
evaluator.