Look To The Stars News: Nick Buoniconti

Destination Fashion Attracts Big Names For Charity

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Destination Fashion 2009, presented by Stewart Rahr, was a memorable night of music, fashion and philanthropy under the stars at South Florida’s Bal Harbour Shops on Saturday night, March 7, when more than 2,000 of Miami’s finest came out for the star-studded fundraiser to benefit The Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis and raise in excess of $3.8 million.

Multi-platinum recording artist Seal delivered a rockin’ show and The Pointer Sisters performed on the same stage earlier in the evening and wowed the crowd. American iconic designer Michael Kors treated the fashionista crowd to a spectacular runway presentation of his newest collection that was straight from New York’s Fashion Week, with a little Miami fine-tuning. The runway extravaganza was presented by Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour.

Highlights of the evening included The Barth A. Green Spirit Award presented to golf legend Jack Nicklaus and The Buoniconti Fund Award given to Stanley Whitman of Bal Harbour Shops. Event presenting sponsor Stewart Rahr thrilled the crowd as he announced a donation of $1 million to the Buoniconti Fund. Also included in the evening’s program was the presentation of the Women of Substance & Style Honorees, introducing 40 of South Florida’s most notable women.

The list of notable attendees is an impressive line-up that included honorary co-chairs Tommy Lee Jones and wife Dawn and event chairs Nick Buoniconti, Marc Buoniconti, Dr. Barth Green, M.D., Gretchen Jordan, Suzie Sayfie and Stephanie Sayfie Aagaard. Other celebrities and special guests included Gloria Estefan, Anna Kournikova and Jerry Rice among others.

Destination Fashion 2009 guests partied through the “Decades: 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and Today” in the dazzling Bal Harbour Shops and enjoyed international cuisine, delicious libations, live music and interactive entertainment, which included a stunning silent auction offering and the Tiffany & Co. “Chances for a Cure Wall” loaded with luxury items. Some memorable auction items that were the big –ticket draws were Saks Fifth Avenue package for 2 to attend Michael Kors show at New York Fashion Week with 2-night stay at The Plaza and a one-of-a-kind white crocodile Fendi bag.

The Buoniconti Fund is the fundraising arm of The Miami Project.

Tommy Lee Jones Sets His Sights On Destination Fashion

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Tommy Lee Jones made a visit to the Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour store in South Florida this week to help sell tickets to a charity event he is honorary chairman for.

Destination Fashion is an annual event presented by Stewart Rahr to raise money for the Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis, the national fundraising arm of The Miami Project that generates awareness and funds to research treatments and a cure for spinal cord injuries.

“When are we gonna cure paralysis?” said Jones, who has been honorary chairperson of the event for the last seven years. “I don’t know. Will we cure it? Hell yes!”

Destination Fashion will take place on March 7 at Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, Florida. Musical entertainment for the night will be Seal and Grammy Award winners The Pointer Sisters. There will be a fashion show in which designer and style icon Michael Kors will showcase his exclusive Fall 2009 Collection, and the event will also include the announcement of the 2009 Women of Substance and Style Awards, with each honoree being presented by a sports or entertainment celebrity.

“We are thrilled to have the preeminent American Designer Michael Kors show his fashions and Seal as our entertainment headliner for Destination Fashion this year, along with the dynamic Pointer Sisters,” said NFL great Nick Buoniconti in a news release. “Their involvement will certainly drive turnout for this important event, which will in turn raise much-needed funds for our efforts to cure paralysis.”

Tickets to the event are limited and are available here.

Sports Stars To Raise Money To Cure Paralysis

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Sports luminaries and philanthropy icons will be recognized when they gather at the 23rd Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on Monday, September 22, at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Bob Costas has been named the Master of Ceremonies for the event which will benefit the Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis, a nonprofit organization that serves as the national fundraising arm of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis – the world’s largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center.

This spectacular annual event is expected to sell out to over 1,300 guests and raise millions of dollars for spinal cord injury research. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by dinner, which will include a live auction of one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and other unique items.

“Each year we are honored by the presence of the most elite athletes in sports,” says Nick Buoniconti, founder of The Buoniconti Fund and defensive captain of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. “This year’s group of honorees represent such a high caliber of sports, we are truly thrilled that they will be joining us for yet another spectacular event. We have made significant steps this year towards finding a cure for spinal cord injuries. That’s why we keep doing this.”

The 2008 Great Sports Legends that will be honored at the event and are expected to attend are: Andre Agassi – former world-ranked #1 professional tennis star, Jerry Rice – named All-Pro 10 times in his 20 NFL seasons, Scottie Pippen – seven-time NBA All Star, Joe Gibbs – Hall of Fame NFL coach and NASCAR Championship team owner, Helio Castroneves – winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2001 and 2002, Richard “Goose” Gossage – former New York Yankees pitcher, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini – World Boxing Association lightweight champion for two years in the 1980s, Angelo Dundee – boxing cornerman who has worked with 15 world boxing champions, and Gabrielle Reece – American professional volleyball player, sports presenter and former fashion model.

Over the past two decades, the Great Sports Legends Dinner has honored 337 of the world’s greatest athletes and individuals. They are recognized for their contributions to the world of sports and acknowledged for their commitment to high ethical standards, to their community, worthy causes and achievements as positive role models. Their participation has helped raise more than $40 million for The Miami Project’s spinal cord injury research programs. Former honorees include Magic Johnson, John Elway, Mark Messier, Gary Player, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Jack Nicklaus, Gloria Estefan, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Patrick Ewing, Walter Cronkite, Mia Hamm, Dan Marino, and Joe DiMaggio.

In 1985, Barth A. Green, MD, and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti helped found The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis after Nick’s son, Marc, sustained a spinal cord injury during a college football game. Today, The Miami Project is the world’s largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center, housed in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, a Center of Excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The Miami Project’s international team of more than 200 scientists, researchers and clinicians take innovative approaches to the challenge of spinal cord injury. Committed to finding a cure for paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury and to seeing millions worldwide walk again, the Buoniconti family established The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis in 1992, a non-profit organization devoted to assisting The Miami Project achieve its national and international goals.

Tickets start at $850 per person. Sponsorships and opportunities to sit with Legends are available. Tables and tickets can be purchased by phone at (305) 243-4656, (212) 245-6570 or online at http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu/x1415.xml.

The Blues Mobile Comes to the Beach

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:24:40 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

The Blues Brothers gave a live, oceanside performance last week at the Celebration Of The Sea Music & Film Festival. Jake and Elwood Blues, the only performers officially sanctioned by original Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd and the John Belushi Estate, arrived in the Blues Mobile and performed hits from the Briefcase Full Of Blues album on Miami Beach to raise money for the Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis.

The Buoniconti Fund seeks to raise funds and awareness for The Miami Project, the world’s largest spinal cord injury research center. Both orgaisations were co-founded by NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti after his son Marc’s football accident paralyzed him from the neck down.

“One day I was a normal kid thinking about school, sports and girls,” says Marc Buoniconti from his wheelchair. “The next thing you know I’m out there talking to people about paralysis.” Having raised over $150 million through the Buoniconti Fund, he says, “My goal is to get everyone out of these chairs.”

The April 26 Blues concert, put together in conjunction with the Miami Beach Polo World Cup and The Setai restaurant, began with a fashion show and a presentation by Judy Belushi Pisano, widow of the original Blues Brothers co-creator, John Belushi. The Blues Brothers act followed with a guest performance by sax man Alto Reed of Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet band, and then a silent auction that included Blues Brothers memorabilia donated by Ms Belushi Pisano.

“The Miami Project holds tremendous promise for people who are spinal cord injured,” Marc says. “In 1985, the Miami Project was a dream. Today, it’s reality.”

Look To The Stars News: Nick Buoniconti

Destination Fashion Attracts Big Names For Charity

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