“Hey, let’s have a fundraiser,” was the line that started it all, according to Nancy Michael (VP of Marketing, The Chicago Market).  Next thing you know, there’s a $7,100 check with Gift for Life’s name on it.

A special silent auction was held during The Chicago Market’s “Shop Late Night” on Saturday, January 21, in an effort to raise funds and awareness for GFL. Attendees who visited the 13th and 14th floors of The Merchandise Mart that night were treated to Chicago-style street food and snacks while shopping the permanent showrooms…and bidding on silent-auction items.

As Nancy put it, “Most of our showrooms were on board, and we received some amazing donation prizes,” including everything from accessories to a fully outfitted Christmas tree with a retail value of $750. As if that wasn’t gracious enough, an additional portion of proceeds from the cash-and-carry showroom run by HCI was kicked into the donation.

Just goes to show a little idea can go a long way.

A huge thanks to everyone in Chicago that made this happen. Home run!

The feedback from Sunday’s Party for Life has been nothing but slam-bang fabulous, with lots of kudos…not to mention a slew of folks volunteering as sponsors for next year so they, too, can share in the spotlight. The night was a huge success, for which we thank our sponsors, volunteers, staff, and most of all—attendees. Party for Life truly rocked it this year!

It’s nearly here…Party for Life, our annual blow out fund raiser! Since Central Park (home to the Boathouse, where we’ll be kicking up our heels) is closed to traffic on weekends, here’s our handy dandy cheat sheet to getting to the big event:

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

For tickets (what? you haven’t bought yours yet???), click here; for details about the event, click here.

To see who our fan-tab-u-ous sponsors are, click here (another list you want to be on).

See you on Sunday night!

Twice each year, Gift for Life selects individuals who have had a significant, positive impact on the gift and home industries, then recognizes them with prestigious awards reflecting their 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 year’s first honorees will be celebrated at our annual winter fundraiser, Party for Life in New York on Sunday, January 29, 2012. The big evening is looming close, so we thought it might be nice to remind you who, exactly, these fan-tab-u-lous folks are that have us so impressed. Wrapping up our four honorees is….

Brandwise
Trailblazer Award

For more than 14 years, Brandwise has been driving the innovation of technology in the gift and home industry by listening to its needs and consistently creating and providing solutions and tools to help Suppliers and Sales Reps sell more, increase efficiencies and in effect, enhancing the retailer’s buying experience.

This journey began back in 1997 when Brandwise brought sales reps out of the stone-age of hand-written orders by introducing the convenience and efficiency of scanning technology.

Ever since, the company, led by Todd and Jannetta Litzman, Chief Technology Officer Randy Quade, and Vice President of Operations Karen Radcliffe, has continually added services and tools that help automate each step in the sales channel; from showroom floor to the road, from back office functions to executive business intelligence and online where the company’s revolutionary bwconnect™ service allows retailers, reps and suppliers to collaborate online to do business. Developing this online platform was a strategic, forward-thinking investment by Brandwise towards keeping the value of the rep/retailer relationship relevant online and for the health of the Gift & Home Industry’s future.

“Todd and I, through our work with Brandwise, have always been dedicated to the health of this industry,” according to Litzman. “But it has been most gratifying working with Gift for Life, which has been literally dedicated to the health and well-being, over the years, of so many in our industry and beyond.”

Please join us in honoring Brandwise, along with our other industry leaders, by attending Party for Life or by donating in their honor. Either way, your dollars will have a positive impact, supporting the work done by DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS)—one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk.

Twice each year, Gift for Life selects individuals who have had a significant, positive impact on the gift and home industries, then recognizes them with prestigious awards reflecting their 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 year’s first honorees will be celebrated at our annual winter fundraiser, Party for Life in New York on Sunday, January 29, 2012. The big evening is looming close, so we thought it might be nice to remind you who, exactly, these fan-tab-u-lous folks are that have us so impressed. Here’s the third of this year’s four Winter Honorees:

Jenny Hammons
Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award

As the recipient of this prestigious award, Jenny Hammons is recognized for her efforts in sustained philanthropic endeavors benefitting the entire industry, emulating GFL benefactor and award namesake, Bert Tonkin.

Hammons is a gift industry veteran and owner of Jenny Hammons/Company, which consists of West Coast-based sales organizations servicing the gift and home-décor markets in Northern California and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. She is a former Chair of the board of Gift for Life and tireless fundraiser on GFL’s behalf; her ongoing contributions and enthusiasm for our cause continues to inspire us all today.

Please join us in honoring Jenny and our other industry leaders by attending Party for Life or by donating in their honor. Either way, your dollars will have a positive impact, supporting the work done by DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS)—one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk.

Twice each year, Gift for Life selects individuals who have had a significant, positive impact on the gift and home industries, then recognizes them with prestigious awards reflecting their 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 year’s first honorees will be celebrated at our annual winter fundraiser, Party for Life in New York on Sunday, January 29, 2012. The big evening is looming close, so we thought it might be nice to remind you who, exactly, these fan-tab-u-lous folks are that have us so impressed. Here’s the second of our four Winter Honorees:

George Kacic
Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award

Presented to a special recipient who’s had an abiding impact on the industry through leadership and generosity, George Kacic’s career within the gift and home-décor industry consists of thirty-five years of standout examples, including Ganz USA and Russ Berrie—two powerhouse companies in the gift industry.

As Vice President of Takara USA, Kacic was instrumental in establishing the Japanese-based company within the United States. His industry activities are as deep-rooted as his corporate leadership.  Kacic is serving as the Advisory Board Chairman for AmericasMart; is a member of the Gift for Life Board; has served six years on the Gift & Home Trade Association’s (GHTA) Board, acting as President, Chairman Emeritus and, most recently, an ICON Honors founding partner; and is the current co-chair for the GHTA Annual Conference.

Please join us in honoring George and our other industry leaders by attending Party for Life or by donating in their honor. Either way, your dollars will have a positive impact, supporting the work done by DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS)—one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk.

Twice each year, Gift for Life selects individuals who have had a significant, positive impact on the gift and home industries, then recognizes them with prestigious awards reflecting their 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 year’s first honorees will be celebrated at our annual winter fundraiser, Party for Life in New York on Sunday, January 29, 2012. The big evening is looming close, so we thought it might be nice to remind you who, exactly, these fan-tab-u-lous folks are that have us so impressed. Here’s the first of our four 2012 Winter Honorees:

John C. Portman, Jr.
Legend for Life Award 

The Legend for Life Award is being presented for the first time in celebration of Gift for Life’s 20th Anniversary,  recognizing Mr. Portman’s five-plus decades of entrepreneurship and service to several industries, including gift, home, and apparel.

In 1957 he founded Atlanta Merchandise Mart (now AmericasMart)—the largest trade mart/trade show complex of its kind in the world. Across its sprawling 7.0 million-square-foot facilities, AmericasMart’s specialty product takes center stage as the chief attraction for the more than 548,000 attendees who each year participate in its 15 annual markets. Its product mix and essential service standards regularly bring retailers from every U.S. state and more than 80 countries worldwide.

By stimulating trade and tourism, Portman was the catalyst who established Atlanta as one of the nation’s premier convention cities. Three major downtown hotels Portman designed and developed—the Hyatt Regency, Westin Peachtree Plaza, and Marriott Marquis—anchor the convention district.

Following up on his initial success, Portman began an unmatched record of commercial and hospitality development and design in downtown Atlanta and then across the United States in cities including San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York City. During this period, he was noted for his innovative atrium hotel form used in projects including the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles and the Renaissance Center in Detroit. He is perhaps best known for his urban mixed-use complexes, large-scale developments that integrate open spaces and public art into the function of the space.

In 1982, sensing global opportunities, Portman expanded his vision of thoughtful design into Asia. First in Singapore, then in Malaysia and China, he created signature projects that have graced the skylines of some of the most important cities in the world.

He has served as a board member of the Atlanta College of Art, and is Trustee Emeritus of the Atlanta Arts Alliance. He has also served as a Director of the Atlanta High Museum of Art. The Georgia Institute of Technology (his alma mater) presented him their highest honor, the Exceptional Achievement Award, in 1986.

Please join us in honoring Mr. Portman and our other industry leaders by attending Party for Life or by donating in their honor. Either way, your dollars will have a positive impact, supporting the work done by DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS)—one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk.

Less than three weeks until Gift for Life’s annual knock-out fundraiser, Party for Life. To mark the occasion, we’re releasing a few tidbits about Live Auction items available that night. Check ‘em out:

V.I.P. Yankee Stadium Tour led by a World Series Champion
Get inside access to the new Yankee Stadium with this amazing tour led by a former World Series Championship Player. Tour includes on field experience, locker room tour, and photos in the dugout.

Whistler B.C. Ski Getaway Package
Enjoy a getaway for two to British Columbia, Canada for four days and three nights at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Nestled at the base of the Blackcomb Mountain, this Fairmont defines luxury. To assist your getaway, you wil receive a $150 Fairmont gift card to use on lift tickets, spa treatments, or even the fine dining available at the hotel.

Behind the Scenes at the U.S. Open
Four people will enjoy courtside seats at Louis Armstrong Stadium to watch some great tennis action, along with tickets to see matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the jewel of the USTA. A choice of days is available but limited to early rounds (up until quarterfinals). You just might catch some of tennis’ best: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Venus Williams, and Serena Williams. This priceless experience includes a V.I.P. behind-the-scenes tour, conducted while the Open is going on,  including stops in the pressroom, player’s lounge, V.I.P. dining room, and more. Photographs are allowed; all visitors for the V.I.P. tour must pass FBI clearance (this is the same tour Presidents, dignitaries, and other athletes get).

Music’s Biggest Night Awards
(We can’t call it by name due to copyright restrictions, but think: Major music awards ceremony everyone has heard of, acknowledging talent from Frank Sinatra to Elton John)
Fly to Los Angeles to see Music’s Biggest Night and Concert in person. Package includes roundtrip airfare for two to LAX, accommodations at a luxury 4-star hotel, two Bronze Level tickets to the show, and two tickets to the official V.I.P. After Party. Sweeeeeeeet.

So bring your mojo, folks. It’s gonna be one stellar auction, and the winners take all.

It’s just around the corner—Party for Life 2012, our annual knock-your-socks-off fundraiser. Last year’s theme and location shift to the Boathouse in Central Park really ramped up the vibe; this year promises to be just as much even more fun.

We’re showcasing four stellar honorees who have had a major impact on the gift, home, and stationery industries: John C. Portman, Jr. (Legend for Life Award), George Kacic (Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award ), Jenny Hammons (Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award), and Brandwise Brandwise (Trailblazer Award). That doesn’t mean you’re in for a dull, dry night of podium speeches—think of this as a lively evening of well-deserved applause, cheers, and energy instead, guided by our return emcee, Tom Sullivan.

A special thanks goes to our list of stellar Sponsors, each of which makes our work possible. Don’t see your name listed? Well…then get on board, by clicking here.

For single ticket sales, click here.

This isn’t the party you want to hear about after the fact, wishing you’d shown up. Jump in today so you, too, can be someone recounting great stories on Monday morning at the Javitz.

Party for Life, our biggest fund raiser of the year, is fast approaching. Is your company on the list? (And are you willing to have your competitors appear but not you?) Time to pony up, folks—Gift for Life is the sole charitable entity representing the gift, home accessory, and stationery industries. Here’s your chance to do some serious good, fighting HIV/AIDS. Click here for info about joining this stellar group of Sponsors: