RUSSELL MEDICAL FOUNDATION GALA

STORY BY BETSY ILER

Russell Medical Foundation is putting the finishing touches on the benefit event at The Mill Two Eighty scheduled for Feb. 26. The venue will be staged in the setting of New York City’s iconic Rainbow Room. The gala will feature the return of NY NY Dueling Piano performers, Mike and Mark, to benefit the UAB Medicine – Russell Medical Cancer Center.

The black tie optional evening will recreate the famous restaurant and Bar SixtyFive on the 65th floor at 30 Rockfeller Center with silhouetted landmarks in mock floor-to-ceiling windows, a spectacular chandelier and lots of glitz and glamour, said event designer Jenny Luttrell. Fine details for the elegant affair will include black tablecloths with white chairs, white china rimmed in gold, silver and white flowers, a Rainbow Room styled menu and spotless glass everywhere.

Hors d’oeuvres for the 6 p.m. cocktail hour before dinner will feature classic gourmet New York bites – mini bagels, hot dogs, pretzels and the like. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m., and the evening’s entertainment will begin as dessert is served, Luttrell said.

“NY NY Dueling Pianos were here two years ago, and it was so much fun; everyone was asking us to bring them back,” Luttrell said. “There’s a black baby grand piano and a white baby grand piano on the stage, and these two guys come in, who are absolutely amazing piano players. They play a wide variety of music. They also take requests, and they sing. They are so much fun. When we had them here two years ago, people were up and dancing and singing. They pulled people up on stage. We were all just having so much fun, and we are excited about bringing them back again. They were fantastic.”

The goal for the annual gala event is to raise $200,000 for the purchase of stereotactic body radiotherapy equipment, providing state-of-theart, precisely focused radiation treatment for tumors in the lungs, spine, liver, neck, lymph node and other soft tissues, said Russell Medical Foundation executive director Tammy Jackson. SBRT uses three-dimensional imaging to target high doses of radiation beamed to affected areas, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy issue.

“Our objective is to upgrade with the top equipment, so patients can get their radiation and chemo right here and not have to travel outside of our city for the best cancer care,” Jackson said.

“We are so excited to bring the gala back. The community loves a fun dress-up affair, and we are ready for fun again. Two years ago, this was the last event we had at The Mill Two Eighty for

a long time, other than drive-thru vaccines and testing. It also will be the last event held in The Mill Two Eighty for at least a year, as construction is set to begin in early March on the Legacy project. That project will work out of The mill Two Eighty building. Plus, with construction going on in that area, we don’t need the public in the construction zone.”

Gala guests will enter the venue through a recreation of the marquee at 30 Rock and will find themselves at the mezzanine level lobby prior to entering the setting of New York’s historic restaurant.

Rainbow Room opened in 1934 as the pinnacle of New York’s nightlife scene. The restaurant closed from 1942 to 1950, as the nation’s resources were vested in the war effort. In 1964, Rainbow Room hosted the opening-night cast

A Taste of the Big Apple

Above: Previous Gala party for the Broadway production of “Funny entertainment; NY Girl,” starring a 21-year-old Barbara Streisand. NY Dueling Piano In 1987, a two-night black-tie gala celebrating a performers, Mike and renovation of the restaurant was attend by such Mark. big names as Brooke Aster, Samuel Peabody, Liza Minnelli, Michael Douglas and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Rainbow Room was declared a New York City landmark in 2012 and underwent its most recent renovation in 2014. The event committee also includes Chairperson Sherry Henderson, Emily Williams, Tamie Story, Sarah Clegg, Judy Ireland, Joanna Vines, Kelly Adams, Lisa Peace and Courtney Baker. For ticket prices, details and invitation information, contact Tammy Jackson at 256-2157459 or email her at tjackson@russellmedcenter. com.