Welcome to RMH-NY’s Virtual Gala
Ronald McDonald House New York is proud to bring our gala right to your home in support of children battling childhood cancer. This year’s gala featured a number of celebrity appearances, recognition of our honorees and entertainment.
2020 Honorees + Award Recipients
Thank You For Your Service
We are proud to announce our 2020 Honorees and Legacy Award Recipient. Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to our mission and the families we serve.
2020 Legacy Award Honoree
Richard O’Reilly, MD
Claire, L. Tow Chair in Pediatric Oncology Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering, RMH-NY Founding Board Member
I have worked with the Ronald McDonald House New York for over 30 years. The House has made it possible for thousands of children with cancer from far away to come to our center for new therapies, many now widely used for cancer in kids. The House provides a level of “home-ness,” comfort and support that makes me very proud.
2020 Playing for Hope Music Award
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalisis a world-renowned trumpeter, bandleader and composer, and a leading advocate of American culture. He presently serves as Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and Director of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School.
He has received honorary doctorates from over 25 of America’s top academic institutions and his creativity has been celebrated the world over.
Wynton Marsalis’ core beliefs and foundation for living are based on the principals of jazz. He promotes individual creativity (improvisation), collective cooperation (swing), gratitude and good manners (sophistication), and faces adversity with persistent optimism (the blues). When you hear Marsalis play, you’re hearing life being played out through music.
28th Annual Gala Honoree
David Preiser
CO-President, Houlihan Lokey
My work with the House over the past dozen+ years has been extraordinarily rewarding. I have lost both a nephew and a cousin to pediatric cancer, so our work hits close to home; helping families come to New York for the best treatment for their children is both important and highly gratifying.
28th Annual Gala Honoree
Daniel S. Glaser
President and CEO, Marsh & McLennan
Daniel S. Glaser is President and CEO of Marsh & McLennan, the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people. The Company’s 76,000 colleagues provide services to clients in more than 130 countries, generating annual revenue of $17 billion
28th Annual Gala Honoree
Kevin H. Kelley
Executive Advisor, Aquiline
Kevin Kelley is currently the Executive Advisor at Aquiline. He is a long-time insurance industry executive, most recently served as Vice Chairman, Global Risk Solutions at Liberty Mutual Insurance before he retired at the end of 2019. Mr. Kelley joined Liberty Mutual following the company's acquisition of Ironshore Inc., where he was Chief Executive Officer. During his 40-year career in the insurance industry, Mr. Kelley also held a variety of executive and leadership positions at AIG, including Chief Executive Officer of the Lexington Insurance Company.
November 16, 2020 – 7:00PM EST
What Happened
Introduction by Amy Poehler
Amy touched our hearts last Christmas when she came by to spend the holiday with our families. She spent Christmas day doing arts, crafts, and cookie decorating with the kids and gifted our playroom with some new XBox game consoles and video games. We're grateful to Amy for opening our Virtual Gala and appreciate her generosity.
Performance by Tony Award Winning Star Audra McDonald
Special Message from Chris Pratt
For years, Chris Pratt has been a friend of the House and often stops by to bring gifts, smiles and joy to families staying at RMH-NY. Tune in for his special message in honor of our families.
Guest Appearance by Liam Neeson
Guest Appearance by Wayne Brady
Performance by Broadway Inspirational Voices
Guest Appearance by Anthony Mackie
We are very grateful to Anthony for coming by to visit the House and spend time with our kids and families. They loved getting the special signed Avengers toys and photos with Falcon! Thanks to Anthony for filming a special message with Sebastian for our first ever Virtual Gala and for helping to remind others about the importance of teamwork.
Guest Appearance by Taylor Kitsch
We are grateful to Taylor Kitsch for his continued support through MDC's Face Off to Fight Cancer charity hockey event which raises money for our children and families. It's a great event which brings our families together with many of our biggest community supporters, celebrities, and NHL hockey players for a day of fun and happy memories. Taylor has always gone above and beyond for our kids; make sure you tune into the virtual Gala for a special appearance with Taylor and Dynamic Dylan!
Guest Appearance by Sebastian Stan
Sebastian has been a big supporter of Ronald McDonald House New York over the years and we are grateful for his generosity. He has attended many events in support of the kids including Super Hero Day, Face Off to Fight Cancer, and other surprise visits to the House where he has come bearing gifts and spends quality time with our families.
Guest Appearance by Mike Greenberg
ESPN’s Mike Greenberg is host of the morning show Get Up, host of the ESPN Radio show Greeny, and also host of Bettor Days with Mike Greenberg, a character-driven reenactment show bringing to life the true stories of unforgettable gambling adventures on ESPN+. Greenberg joined ESPN in September 1996 and has been a key voice across the company including ESPNews, ESPN Radio with the long-running Mike & Mike show and on SportsCenter. Greenberg is also a New York Times’ best-selling author.
Guest Appearance by Chuck Scarborough
One of the most iconic names in New York television, Chuck Scarborough has anchored WNBC newscasts for nearly half a century. He is also active in the community and lends his time to support a number of Tri-State non-profits who aid and support animal welfare, the environment, arts and education. .
Guest Appearance by Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo supports the incredible work the Ronald McDonald house has done for over 40 years creating a safe, nurturing and inspiring home for children to heal and families to thrive. Be sure to tune in as Mark makes a special appearance and tribute to the real heroes of the house.
Guest Appearance by William Moseley
We're grateful to William Moseley for always having kinds words to say about the House and for his visit with Liam Neeson during our Chronicles of Narnia movie marathon, a movie they starred in together. William sent a message of support for our families and well wishes for our Gala, and we are very grateful for his continued support.
2020 Virtual Gala
VIP Experience
Thank You to Meagan Celeste & Chris Drozdowski, MDC Productions for dedicating your time, talent, creativity, resources, video production services and so much more. We are forever grateful.
