The 23rd Annual Race To Erase MS Gala raised over $1.6 Million on April 15 at the Beverly Hilton. Money raised will benefit the Race to Erase MS and its Center Without Walls program, a collaboration of top MS research centers working together as a team on ground-breaking research with the goal of treating and, ultimately, finding a cure for MS.
Celebrity guests in attendance included musical performers KISS, Eric Benét and musical director David Foster; presenters Randy Jackson, LL Cool J, Jaime Pressly, and Ashley Tisdale; along with Garcelle Beauvais, Carmen Electra, Kat Graham, Annie Ilonzeh, Katherine McNamara, AJ Michalka, Aly Michalka, Naya Rivera and Diane Warren.
The 23rd Annual Race to Erase MS Gala included a live auction, which was introduced by Jaime Pressly. Lucky bidders walked away with items including a Hawaiian vacation for two, tea at the Peninsula Hotel with Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, and an 8-day African SkySafari. The big item of the night was a private yacht tour of the Bahamas, which went for an incredible $30,000.
Following the auction, musical director David Foster brought Eric Benét onstage for a moving tribute to a longtime supporter and friend of the cause, the late Natalie Cole, with a rendition of “Unforgettable.” Randy Jackson then introduced iconic band KISS, who performed hit songs including “Deuce,” “Calling Dr. Love,” “Cold Gin,” and fan-favorite “Rock And Roll All Nite.”
In what has become a Race to Erase MS tradition over the past 23 years, an uplifting rendition of “Lean On Me,” was performed as the finale of the evening, led by Emblem3, who were joined on stage by Nancy Davis, David Foster, BC Jean, David Foster, and more.
Each guest received a coveted Race to Erase MS gift bag, bursting at the seams with an amazing selection of items including gifts from MAC Cosmetics, ALEX AND ANI(R), and Peter Thomas Roth, to name a few.
