And what a party it was…!

p1001763466-4It’s official. This year’s Party for Life raised more than $185,000, which is no small feat when you’re up against the Super Bowl and snow storms. Color us happy.

“No other industry event combines the fun, the networking and the generosity of the annual Party for Life,” said Stu Teller, Gift for Life chairperson. “Congratulations to our honorees and thanks to everyone for helping make this event a big success.”

The celebration featured numerous NYC-themed food stations, multiple bars and a short program honoring industry leaders: 

  • Kurt S. Adler, Inc. company was honored with the Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Clare Brett Smith, president emerita of Aid to Artisans, received the Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award
  • Norman Glassberg, founder of Trade Associates Group Ltd (tag), was honored posthumously with the Trailblazer Award, which in future years will be called the Norman Glassberg Trailblazer Award

In addition to recognizing industry legends, guests competed for a wide array of prizes at silent and live auctions including jewelry, home décor, vacation packages, market trips, marketing assistance, and much more.

Each year, Gift for Life hosts events throughout the U.S. benefitting DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS. The primary mission of Gift for Life and DIFFA is to eradicate the AIDS pandemic in the U.S.

Working together, Gift for Life and DIFFA will continue to raise funds for HIV/AIDS service and education programs, honoring those who came ahead of us, and those who follow next.

To view photos from the event:

  1. Visit thephotogroup.com website
  2. Enter: g4l2014
  3. Click on images to view
  4. Select “download” to open/save

To download the official press release, click here.

Party for Life: Cheat sheet

PFL-2014-logoIt’s here…Party for Life! So that you feel fully up to speed before sauntering through the door, here’s what a well-versed attendee should know:

Where and when
Tonight! (Monday, February 3, 2014)
6:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Central Park Boathouse
East 72nd @ Park Drive North
New York, NY

To the Boathouse from the Javitz
Free shuttle (check for signs, but this is probably going to be from the lower level)

To the Boathouse from elsewhere
The Central Park Trolley runs every 15-20 minutes, picking up from three spots along 5th Avenue:
- At 72nd Street
- At 80th Street, near the Metropolitan Museum’s garage
- At 90th (east side of the street only)

Leaving the Boathouse at the end of the evening
Two options:
- Central Park Trolley back to the three stops listed above
- Academy shuttle bus dropping off at The Plaza Hotel

We’ll be honoring….
Kurt S. Adler, Inc. (Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award), Clare Brett Smith (Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award), and Norman Glassberg (Trailblazer Award, granted posthumously). Want to know why we selected them? Click here.

Snag great swag
Silent auction items can be previewed (and bid on, ahead of time!) here. Use your smart phones to bid throughout the day and during the event, or simply use iPads provided at the event—proceeds support Gift for Life.

Share the joy
We’d love to hear and see Party for Life through your eyes. Please share comments, laughs, and phone pics on our Facebook  page (click here). The more, the merrier!

Now…what do you say we raise a little money for the cause? Party on!

Getting to Party for Life

PFL-2014-logoSo you’ve packed your party shoes, you’re already eyeing silent auction items…but you’re stumped about how to get to the big shindig on Monday night.

Stumpeth no more. Here’s the skinny:

To the Boathouse from the Javitz
Free shuttle (check for signs, but this is probably going to be from the lower level)

To the Boathouse from elsewhere
The Central Park Trolley runs every 15-20 minutes, picking up from three spots along 5th Avenue:
- At 72nd Street
- At 80th Street, near the Metropolitan Museum’s garage
- At 90th (east side of the street only)

 Leaving the Boathouse at the end of the evening
Two options:
- Central Park Trolley back to the three stops listed above
- Academy shuttle bus dropping off at The Plaza Hotel

It’s not too late to get tickets—click here to purchase online, then pick them up at the door.

Ready…set…BID!

GG_Logo_1

The celebration is days away (not that many days, so if you don’t have tickets yet, get cracking), but Party for Life silent auction bidding is already up and running.

Thanks to Gavel & Grand (who donated their auction services, by the way), we’ve entered the modern age of bidding. No longer will you need to lurk behind huge potted plants, then leap to the table just in time to scribble a final bid, mere seconds before staff whisks the sheet away. Oh, no…. Now, you can “go stealth,” outbidding the friend next to you while sharing cocktails at the bar.

Prefer to lurk–n–launch at the display tables instead? No sweat. There will be iPads scattered around the room, in addition to iPad kiosks, where you can bid by touchscreen, right up ’til the last moment.

As for a peek at the loot, well…here you go. Bidding has already opened online, showcasing treasures you’ll see that night (there are even more goodies on the way, so keep checking back).

Can’t make it to the party? We’ve got you covered. Register online, then keep bidding right up until 9:30 p.m. EST on Monday (night of the event) with the rest of us.

To bid online:

  1. Visit http://gavelandgrand.com/auctions/giftforlifesign_up 2014-01-29 1500
  2. Scroll through the photos, then when you find one you like, click the photo for more info
  3. Click Register for a New Account

 

To bid at the event:

  1. Register when you arrive at the event
  2. Use the supplied iPads to bid throughout the evening

(Of course, if you fall into the aforementioned “stealth” crowd, register online now, bookmark this link on your phone, then bid on the sly, right up until 9:30 p.m. EST that night.)

Let the bidding begin!

Honoree profile: Norman Glassberg (posthumous)

NormanGlasbergOur third and final profile is bittersweet, honoring a  man who was larger than life…then left this life too soon.

Norman Glassberg
Trailblazer Award 

As founder of Trade Associates Group Ltd (tag), Mr. Glassberg is being honored posthumously with the Trailblazer Award (in future years, to be called the Norman Glassberg Trailblazer Award). Glassberg founded a company called tag while a sales representative firm in the Chicago Merchandise Mart in 1975; today tag is recognized as one of the leading designers and distributors of quality giftware, tabletop, home décor items, furniture and seasonal accessories. In addition to his business accomplishments, Glassberg was a noted philanthropist, who served dozens of local and national organizations, foundations, and public service groups. And he blazed an important trail in design and manufacturing standards that are responsible, sustainable and earth-friendly, through utilization of recycled and renewable materials. The company also practices ethical, fair trade policies and prioritizes manufacturing resources that preserve cultural traditions, encourage hand crafts, and provide a living wage to craftspeople and artisans.

Please join us in celebrating all three Honorees at Party for Life, held on Monday, February 3, 2014 in New York.

Honoree profile: Clare Brett Smith

ClareBrettSmithToday, we’re pleased to introduce you to the second of our three Winter Honorees:

Clare Brett Smith
Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award

President emerita, Ms. Smith was a craft importer for 15 years before joining the nonprofit Aid to Artisans, where she served as president for more than 20 years and helped to create economic opportunities for low-income artisan groups around the world. Believing in “trade not aid” – she brought Honduran cornhusk flower makers to Williams Sonoma’s Pottery Barn in the 1980s; Peruvian ceramics to Jonathan Adler in the ’90s; and then items such as Salvadoran hammocks, Macedonian rugs, Haitian metal angels and more to homes in the U.S. and Europe. Today, as an independent crafts professional based in Farmington, CT, Smith continues to be active in the industry – working with programs such as the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, hosted by the Aspen Institute; and the HAND/EYE Fund and magazine.

Please join us in celebrating all three Honorees at Party for Life, held on Monday, February 3, 2014 in New York.

Honorees profile: Kurt S. Adler, Inc.

KurtAdlerFamilyTwice each year, Gift for Life selects individuals and organizations who have had a significant, positive impact on the gift and home industries, recognizing them with prestigious awards reflecting those unique contributions. It’s a pretty exclusive club, including industry luminaries, visionaries, and creatives that raise the bar high with their generosity of heart and kindness of spirit.

This is the first of three updates, showcasing our 2014 Winter Honorees.

Kurt S. Adler, Inc.
Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award

Founded in 1946, Kurt S. Adler Inc. has been a leading importer of holiday decorations for more than 60 years. Its well-known lines include Steinbach and Hollywood Nutcrackers, Noble Gems and Polonaise blown-glass ornaments, Fabriché Santas, Snowfall lights and many more. With headquarters in New York City and showrooms around the country, Canada and Hong Kong, the business continues today to be run by Kurt Adler’s children – Howard, Clifford and Karen. A one-stop source for all holiday needs, Kurt Adler and the Santa’s World brand showcase talented designers and iconic licenses with products from some 200 factories in 15 countries.

Please join us in celebrating all three Honorees at Party for Life, held on Monday, February 3, 2014 in New York.

Kurt S. Adler, Inc. to Donate Proceeds from Hollywood Nutcracker to Gift for Life

Crystal Celeste Gaurd Nutcracker by Kurt AdlerKurt S. Adler, Inc. delivered their own holiday gift to GFL, announcing that a portion of wholesale sales from its Crystal Celeste Guard Hollywood Nutcracker will be donated to Gift for Life, starting with orders placed during the 2014 winter gift and home markets nationwide.

The 17″ tall turquoise and white nutcracker is from the whimsical Hollywood Nutcrackers collection designed by renowned artist Holly Adler, who designs exclusively for Kurt S. Adler, Inc.

“We are delighted to support Gift For Life by donating a portion of proceeds from wholesale sales of our Crystal Celeste Guard Nutcracker’,” said Karen Adler, CFO, of Kurt S. Adler, Inc.  “We all know people who have been affected by this disease, and we are glad to be associated with an organization that has helped thousands of people in a compassionate manner.”

Kurt S. Adler, Inc. will be honored with Gift for Life’s “Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award” at Gift for Life’s 22nd Annual Party for Life, benefiting DIFFA, on Monday, February 3, 2014, at The Boathouse in New York City’s Central Park. Individual tickets are $125, and sponsorships ranging from $500 through $25,000 are available. For details, click here.

Original press release can be found here.

Wanna peek at the Party for Life auction items?

PFL-2014-logoThat’s right. The Party for Life bounty of goodies has been announced, and oh, it’s something special, including twelve one-of-a-kind items donated by eight leading artisanal importers in connection with the presentation of Gift For Life’s 2014 Bert Tonkin “Gift of Giving Award” to Clare Brett Smith (President Emerita, Aid to Artisans).

Feel like jumping the line? No sweat. A new, online, auction service allows viewing and bidding on  items beginning January 20th (two weeks before the big bash).

Here’s a taste of what’s coming:

  1. Alpaca Throw from Creative Women. This alpaca throw, handwoven in a Fair Trade workshop in La Paz, Bolivia, combines the traditional herringbone design found in many South American textiles, with a contemporary use of color.
  2. Three Jewelry Pieces from Faire Collection. The Carmen Cascade–dark and light açaí and pambil seeds add dimension and variety to a stunning classic. Polished Tagua Bracelet–the natural texture and gleam of tagua is highlighted in this polished bracelet. Moon Sliver Earrings–the tagua in these highly polished earrings is carved into a soft, organic shape reminiscent of raindrops illuminated in the moonlight.
  3. “Sittiein” by Hudson Beach Glass. Made by casting hot glass into a reverse hand carved 3 piece graphite mold. On top of the three separate figures sits a centrifugally spun glass bowl. These colors are Smokey Quartz base with Citrine bowl in Beach finish
  4. Swahili Imports’ Haitian Obeche Wood Scalloped Salad Bowl and Servers
  5. Tesoros Trading Company®’s Glass Display w/ Multi Hearts. This is a collection of replicas of Old Italian Exvotos, which are handmade in India.
  6. A coat from The joannajohn Collection. The coat is a riff on the classic Chesterfield. Artistically designed and executed, it is one-of-a-kind, cotton quilted, and reversible.
  7. Pendant necklace from Tribalinks: an antique silver Moroccan (Berber) pendant, crafted from antique rare sherpa coral colored glass beads, silver and a silver “hand cuff” clasp.
  8. Bamboula’s Turkana Baskets: traditional storage baskets hand-woven from doum palm fiber by semi-nomadic women living in the Turkana region of northwestern Kenya.

Honoree Clare Brett Smith was a craft importer for 15 years before joining the nonprofit Aid to Artisans, where she served as president for more than 20 years and helped to create economic opportunities for low-income artisan groups around the world. Believing in “trade not aid” – she brought Honduran cornhusk flower makers to Williams Sonoma’s Pottery Barn in the 1980s; Peruvian ceramics to Jonathan Adler in the ’90s; and then items such as Salvadoran hammocks, Macedonian rugs, Haitian metal angels and more to homes in the U.S. and Europe. Today, as an independent crafts professional based in Farmington, CT, Smith continues to be active in the industry – working with programs such as the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, hosted by the Aspen Institute; and the HAND/EYE Fund and magazine.

The Party for Life auction will be administered by Gavel & Grand (Paddle 8) auction services, providing advance viewing of these one-of-a-kind auction items online before the event.  Take a gander, pre-register as a bidder, and submit your best shot by clicking here, starting January 20.  Gavel & Grand uses mobile technology to notify bidders of their bid status, and alert them to competitive bids against items in which they are interested.

 For the official press release, click here.

Umbra’s Little Red Dress continues to benefit GFL

Little_Red_Dress_GiftForLife_UmbraGift for Life has received nearly $4,500 so far from sales of Umbra’s Little Red Dress jewelry organizer – for which a portion of each sale benefits the organization. Designed by Matt Carr, Umbra’s director of design, Little Red Dress provides jewelry storage with 39 clear pockets on the front and 24 hook-and-loop closures on the back, measuring 18″ x 42″ (retailing at an affordable $20.00).

“Umbra’s stylish products are matched by a tremendously generous spirit,” says Gift for Life Chair Stu Teller. “We are pleased to partner with them in order to support HIV/AIDS education and care across the U.S.”

To see the item up close, click here.

For the original introduction of Little Red Dress, click here.

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