This upcoming Saturday marks the 25th Annual Leukemia Ball. The black tie event will be held at the Washington Convention Center, featuring the band Foreigner, Comedian Sinbad, as well as live and silent auctions.
The Ball plans to raise $3 million towards Leukemia and Lymphoma research. Find more about the 2012 Leukemia Ball and how to sign up your company here.
Our final 2012 Leukemia Ball leader interview is with Sandra Evers-Manly, Vice President for Corporate Responsibility and President of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. In her interview with WashingtonExec, Evers-Manly discussed Northrop Grumman’s participation with this year’s “Salute to the Military” segment of the evening, why your organization should become involved, as well as her favorite aspects of the event.
WashingtonExec: How is Northrop Grumman involved with the Leukemia Ball and how are you personally involved?
Sandra Evers-Manly: Northrop Grumman is one of the presenting sponsors of this year’s Leukemia Ball for “Salute to the Military”. This is the 25th Annual Leukemia Ball and we have been very active for some time. One of our executives, Mr. Steve Movius, has served and volunteered on the planning committee for the Leukemia Ball for several years. We are joining a host of different companies in the DC area to support this great event.
WashingtonExec: Could you talk more about the “Salute to the Military” aspect of the Leukemia Ball and Northrop Grumman’s involvement?
Sandra Evers-Manly: One of the highlights of this year’s Ball is that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of the National Capital Area will recognize active duty military doctors and nurses who have dedicated their careers to treating service men and women along with their families in the war against cancer. At Northrop Grumman, we felt that this was a key opportunity for us to support our military and veterans in another way. We can’t thank enough the doctors and nurses who have given their lives to help military families who are battling cancer.
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“There are a lot of great events and if we take a look at the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society clearly I think every person, no matter their race or gender or their disability or ability knows some family or person who has been impacted by this disease.”
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WashingtonExec: What makes this particular event important to the Washington DC community compared to other events?
Sandra Evers-Manly: There are a lot of great events and if we take a look at the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society clearly I think every person, no matter their race or gender or their disability or ability knows some family or person who has been impacted by this disease. What we want to do is help to be a part of the cure, help to be a part of improving lives. We are a part of the community. We have a responsibility to help in many different ways and this is just one of those ways that we are able to help because the mission of what the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is doing is critical.
WashingtonExec: What is your favorite aspect of the actual event?
Sandra Evers-Manly: I think first of all the mission is important. I think the fact that this year with the added benefit of honoring the military doctors & nurses is important but I think just the overall of bringing people of all diverse backgrounds together for one night, for one mission is important. We are expecting close to 2,000 people. Clearly it is one of the largest events in the area and I think it just brings people together for one mission. I think oftentimes we don’t see that, so this is something great to see.
WashingtonExec: How much money are you all planning to raise this year?
Sandra Evers-Manly: There is an expectation of hopefully more than $3 million. One of the highlights also is that this particular Ball is considered one of the largest non-political black tie events in the area. I think that is great as well.
WashingtonExec: Is there anything else that you would like for me to cover in your interview?
Sandra Evers-Manly: I think a couple of things about the Ball are that they’ve got in addition to recognizing the military doctors & nurses who we will have some of those individuals at the dinner and sponsoring them. They are also going to honor several key individuals in the community; one of those is Kevin Fay who has been a long time volunteer of the organization and he will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. He has just done a tremendous amount of work to support the society. They will also be honoring the Human Genome Sciences which is a pharmaceutical company and they will be receiving a special award also that night for its great support. They are the 2012 Titans of Business & Philanthropy Awardee. There will be great entertainment. The entertainers are Sinbad and Foreigner. It will be a night of celebration, a night of recognition but most of all it will be a night that will allow us to get one step closer to finding a cure so that one day we can celebrate the true victory.
