World AIDS Day Luncheon 2017
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| Co-Chair Caroline Starry |
Co-Chair Jeff Gremillion |
Keynote Speaker Greg Louganis |
Seats for this event and the Sing For Hope Tribute Underwriter Party are sold out. A notice will be posted on this page if they become available.
December 1, 2017
Location: Hilton Post Oak
11:30 AM Champagne Reception
12:00 PM Luncheon
This year, the World AIDS Day Luncheon will be benefitting two agencies: AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc. and Avenue 360 Health & Wellness. Both organizations play a vital role in ending new infections while supporting those who are HIV positive by offering comprehensive care. Care that only a strong strategic alliance can offer. By combining the Human Side and the Medical Side of HIV Care, the whole person is served. Your support of the 2017 World AIDS Day Luncheon: Mission Undetectable will help provide housing, food, neighborhood outreach, prevention through education and testing, behavioral health, biomedical prevention such as PrEP, dental care, life skills, case management, and many other supportive services.
"I try to live by example -- being gay, being HIV-positive -- you know, life goes on. HIV taught me that I'm a lot stronger than I ever believed I was. Also, not to take anything for granted. I didn't think I would see 30...I never know what's going to be around the corner. I don't think of anything really as a failure; you're just learning lessons, and I've learned a lot of lessons already." ~ Greg Louganis, Olympic Gold Medal Diver, speaking during a 2016 interview with ESPN.
Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis
As part of the alliance between AIDS Foundation Houston and Avenue 360 Health & Wellness, this year's underwriter party will include an Avenue 360 Sing for Hope Tribute. Sing for Hope has a 20+ year history of raising funds to provide health and social services to underserved families in Houston. It is one of the most anticipated and heartfelt celebrations of the social season. In addition to an evening of amazing music, underwriters will have the opportunity to meet world diving champion and World AIDS Day Luncheon Keynote Speaker Greg Louganis. A limited number of individual tickets will be available for the underwriter party at $100 each. Visit the ticket page to become an underwriter or to purchase an individual ticket to the underwriter party. The SING FOR HOPE tribute underwriter party will take place on Thursday, Nov. 30th, 6-8 p.m. The location will be provided to ticket-holders via email prior to the event. Light bites and drinks will be provided courtesy of Cordua Catering and Stoli Vodka. Complimentary Valet.
Underwriter Level Invitations
- Four (4) invitations to the Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis included with $10,000 luncheon underwriting
- Four (4) invitations to the Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis included with $5,000 luncheon underwriting
- Two (2) invitations to the Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis included with $3,000 luncheon underwriting
- Individual Ticket for underwriter party only - $100 per guest; availability limited.
World AIDS Day Co-Chairs
Caroline Starry and Jeff Gremillion are the co-chairs of the World AIDS Day Luncheon.
Caroline Starry - Freelance Writer & Editor - Caroline Starry has supported Houston arts and artists since having served 3 years as membership manager at CAMH starting in 2005. She is current board president of The Catastrophic Theatre, sits on committees for CAMH and the Menil Contemporaries and the board of Lott Entertainment. An HGO Ovation Award recipient, she has chaired many events and worked countless more as Becca Cason Thrash's assistant for 2 years. More...
Jeff Gremillion - Editor, Houston CityBook - A Louisiana native and a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York, he moved to Houston in 2005 to help launch Houston magazine, where he served as editor-in-chief until 2016. Before that, Gremillion was an editor at Entertainment Weekly and Columbia Journalism Review magazines, among others. He has written for Readers Digest, TV Guide, Cooking Light, Time Out New York and many other publications. He lives in Montrose. More...
Keynote Speaker Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis is simply the greatest diver in history. You would be hard pressed to find a person who watched either the 1984 or 1988 Olympics who was not enthralled by the poetry that was Greg Louganis: the beauty and power of his diving captured the world.
2016 marked the 40th Anniversary of Greg's first Olympic win--a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, in platform diving, at the tender age of 16. Eight years later he became the first male diver to get double gold in springboard and platform in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and again in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He has earned a total of 5 Olympic medals, 5 World Championship titles and 47 national titles — more than any person in U.S. history. His records remain unbroken. In 1988 Greg Louganis also tested positive for HIV. Coming out as a gay athlete in a time when it simply was not done, his 1995 autobiography, Breaking the Surface, spent five weeks at Number One on the New York Times bestseller list and his PGA and Emmy nominated Documentary Back on Board is receiving rave reviews nationwide and can now be seen on HBO. In 2016 General Mills announced that Greg would receive a Wheaties Box for his achievements, and that development was so significant it warranted a New York Times exclusive. He had the honor of being included in ESPN's 2016 annual Body Issue, and in January 2017, was the first openly gay Grand Marshal of The Rose Parade.
In April of 2017, Red Bull announced that Greg Louganis would be the new Sports Director for their high profile Red Bull Cliff Diving brand.
Greg regularly speaks to important nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies alike, including recent engagements with HSBC, Sageworks, Exelon, Gift Of Life (Adoption), Visa and many others to be announced over the next few months. There are also several major film and television projects to be announced shortly.
The story of Greg’s life, is a story that has inspired millions. Today, as a speaker, author, actor, activist, humanitarian and designer, he continues his tradition of excellence in every field he touches.
Greg will hold a signing of his autobiography at the Post Oak Hilton immediately following the luncheon. AIDS Foundation Houston is immensely grateful to Brazos Bookstore for organizing the signing.
Shelby Hodge Vision Award Honoree
The Houston Health Department Bureau of HIV/STD and Viral Hepatitis Prevention, is the 2017 Shelby Hodge Vision Award Honoree for their innovative prevention programs, including Molecular HIV Surveillance.
Molecular HIV Surveillance (MHS) is the collection of HIV genetic data to support local and state health departments in monitoring trends in HIV transmission and antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance. MHS can be used to assess prevalence and trends in HIV drug resistance; evaluate HIV genetic diversity; and describe HIV transmission patterns. Health departments use MHS to identify and investigate clusters of HIV infections in order to guide public health strategies. Health departments can also use the information to examine the impact of HIV prevention strategies, guide public health action, and enhance our understanding of the burden of HIV in an area or within groups.
Marlene McNeese, Bureau Chief, Bureau of HIV/STD and Viral Hepatitis, Prevention Community Health Services Division, Houston Health Department, will be accepting the award. McNeese will be discussing Molecular Surveillance’s impact on HIV infections with Ernie Manouse, Houston Public Media, during the luncheon.
The Shelby Hodge Vision Award is given each year to an individual or organization that exhibits extraordinary vision in addressing HIV/AIDS.
See photos from last year's VIP reception and luncheon on our Facebook page!
Underwriter Opportunities
Compassion - $10,000
- Prominent table seating for ten guests with best view of the luncheon
- Ten invitations to the VIP Reception
- Four invitations to the Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis
- Logo and name priority placement on event signage*
- Logo and name listed on website and printed materials*
- Logo and name displayed on event webpage
- Recognition during CEO remarks and on-screen during luncheon
Love - $5,000
- Distinguished table seating for ten guests
- Ten invitations to the VIP Reception
- Four invitations to the Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis
- Logo and name placement on event signage*
- Logo and name listed on website and printed materials*
- Name displayed on event webpage
- Recognition on-screen during luncheon
Tribute - $3,000
- Preferred table seating for ten guests
- Ten invitations to the VIP Reception
- Two invitations to the Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis
- Name placement on event signage*
- Name listed on website and printed materials*
- Recognition on-screen during luncheon
Honor - $1,500
- Reserved table for ten guests
- Two invitations to the VIP Reception
Celebration of Life VIP Ticket - $500
- Best available individual seat
- One invitation to the VIP Reception
Celebration of Life Ticket - $150
- Individual seat (special seating requests unavailable)
Individual ticket to the Sing for Hope Tribute Underwriter Party with Greg Louganis - $100
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Individual ticket. Availability limited. Time and location details coming soon.
| Presenting Sponsor |
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