The Partnership at Drugfree.org’s 25th Anniversary Gala Raises $1,980,000

From left to right: Steve Pasierb (President and CEO, the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids), honoree Irwin Gottlieb (CEO of GroupM), Patricia Russo (Chairman, the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids), Roy J. Bostock (former Chairman, the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids)

This past Tuesday, the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids hosted our 25th Anniversary Gala at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City, an annual event that allows us to gather and show gratitude to those who support us and have been instrumental in helping us reach families in need.  In attendance were more than 550 distinguished guests and friends, and $1980,000 was raised for our cause.

Hosted by CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, our honorees included The New York Times Company, Home Box Office (HBO) and Group M’s Irwin Gottlieb.  Actor and author Melissa Gilbert, the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids’s national spokesperson, also spoke at the event.

“Substance abuse and addiction are not wars to be waged, but a problem that we can help families solve,” said Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.  “The support shown at this year’s Gala was extraordinary and will allow us to better help families solve the problem of teen substance abuse.  We thank all those who attended for helping us stand up for progress, for solutions and for hope.”

Country artist Hannah Michelle Weeks at the event

Along with Major League Baseball, we recognized 16-year-old Carlos Umana, an exemplary student athlete and Susan Mayberry, a softball coach from Kansas, for their embodiment of the spirit of teamwork and healthy, drug-free competition.  The pair was honored with the second annual Commissioner’s Play Healthy award.

The evening concluded with a special musical performance by Hannah Michelle Weeks, a country artist who is an impassioned champion of our important cause.

Scott Pelley, Anchor of "The CBS Evening News," interviews Melissa Gilbert on stage