RPAF Staff and Board Host a Benefit Dinner Party and Arts Day for Youth, March 12th 2004. This two-part event consisted of an intimate dinner for thirty guests, and an after party. Both events were held at Tsunami in West Palm Beach. In addition to Rush Philanthropic, other beneficiaries included two local Palm Beach Charities: the Armory Art Center and Music Outreach Entertainment.
This event was made possible by the generosity and hard work of board member Shamin Abas and her husband Frank. In addition to Shamin and Frank, the event was co-hosted by Robert Johnson, Al and Nancy Malnik, Joseph Simmons, Donald Trump, and Russell and Kimora. The evening provided a perfect, intimate setting for friends of Rush to spend time together, and enjoy some warm weather. Guests included Phyllis Hollis, Brett Ratner, Morris and Jaci Reid, David Rosenberg, Roberta Shields, Ben Vereen, and Serena Williams, among others.
The following day, Russell and Rev. Run visited the kids from both organizations at an arts day held at the the Armory Arts Center. As you might imagine, the young people were all too excited to spend time with them. Shamin, Phyllis, and RPAF staff were all on hand to meet the youth and help them with art making.
Alvin Malnik-Nat King Cole Generation Hope-The Gala
The Cole twins, Timolin and Casey of Boca Raton, daughters of legendary Nat King Cole, have established Nat King Cole Generation Hope, Inc., a non-profit foundation to benefit music education in schools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
The Gala was chaired by philanthropist and international financier Alvin Malnik and his wife Nancy Malnik. The Forge, a Miami Beach restaurant and bar, has served as the institution of elegance and taste and was founded by Alvin Malnik in 1968 now owned by his son Shareef Malnik. The historic landmark and American icon has been the home of great music events throughout the years including performances by Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
The Gala featured visits from celebrity guests and star-studded entertainment including a performance by Siedah Garrett and 11 time Grammy nominated songwriter and producer Dennis Lambert. DJ Irie, a 2007 BET Award nominee and winner of Miami New Times’ 2005 Best Club DJ, lent his award winning musical talent during the cocktail reception and the After Party at the Glass bar inside The Forge. Guests included some of today’s hottest entertainers, the Cole Family and friends.
The Cole twins launched the Foundation after learning of budget cuts in South Florida public schools. The Foundation was created to provide funding for music education to children of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and diversities, including music instrument instruction, music composition and songwriting, technical instruction in the recording arts, music instruments and equipment, and music related seminars and field trips.
“Our father was a pioneer and music legend who transcended color and race. During his lifetime, the arts were an integral part of the educational curriculum; today’s youth are art starved,” said Timolin Cole. “By enriching students with the opportunity to enhance their musical talents and abilities, his legacy lives on.”
Twin sister Casey Cole added, “We believe our father, by right, has earned his place in history as a true American hero and legend through his contributions to the world of music. We hope that through the funds raised we can help inspire a new generation of youth through the power of music.”
Nat King Cole was one of the most popular singers ever to hit the American charts. A brilliant recording and concert artist during the 40s, 50s, and 60s, he attracted millions of fans around the world with a sensitive and caressing singing voice that was unmistakable. Cole had a rare blend of technical musical knowledge and sheer performing artistry topped off with an abundance of showmanship. In the 23 years that he recorded with Capitol Records, he turned out hit after amazing hit – nearly 700 songs – all the while managing to remain a gentle, tolerant and gracious human being.
Cole’s first mainstream vocal hit was his 1943 recording of one of his compositions, “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for the fledgling Capitol Records label. It sold over 500,000 copies, proving that folk-based material could appeal to a wide audience. Although Cole would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. Indeed, Bo Diddley, who performed similar transformations of folk material, counted Cole as an influence.
Beginning in the late 1940s, Cole began recording and performing more pop-oriented material for mainstream audiences, often accompanied by a string orchestra. His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as “The Christmas Song” (Cole recorded that tune four times: on June 14, 1946, as a pure Trio recording, on August 19, 1946, with an added string section, on August 24, 1953, and in 1961 for the double album The Nat King Cole Story; this final version, recorded in stereo, is the one most often heard today), “Nature Boy” (1948), “Mona Lisa” (1950), “Too Young” (the #1 song in 1951),[3] and his signature tune “Unforgettable” (1951). While this shift to pop music led some jazz critics and fans to accuse Cole of selling out, he never totally abandoned his jazz roots; as late as 1956, for instance, he recorded an all-jazz album After Midnight. Cole had one of his last big hits two years before his death, in 1963, with the classic “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer”, which reached #6 on the Pop chart.
In 1965, Nat King Cole died tragically of lung cancer. He was only 45. Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919. He was the son of Baptist minister, Edward James Coles, and mother, Perlina Adams, who sang soprano and directed the choir in her husband’s church. Cole grew up in Chicago, met and married a girl in New York named Maria Hawkins, who was from Boston. They had five children and lived in Hancock Park in Los Angeles.
NKC Generation Hope, Inc. has been established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in South Florida. Its officers are Timolin and Casey Cole, both of Boca Raton. Honorary Board Members are: Mrs. Nat King Cole of Ponte Vedre, Fla.; Ms. Natalie Cole and Ms. Carole Cole, both of Los Angeles; Mr. Jimmy Cefalo of Pittston, Pennsylvania; Mr. Colin Cowie of Los Angeles; Mr. Anthony C. Gruppo of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Jones of Los Angeles; Ms. Leslie Linder of West Palm Beach; Mr. and Mrs. Al Malnik of Palm Beach; Ms. Marylynne Stephan McGlone of Palm Beach; Ms.Holly Robinson and Mr. Rodney Peete, both of Los Angeles, Ms. Madelyn Savarick of Boca Raton; and Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Zimmerman also of Boca Raton.
Make A Wish 15th Annual Ball – The People Behind It
Shareef Malnik Gala Chairman
Shareef Malnik, owner of The Forge restaurant in Miami Beach and the Gala Chairman for the fifth consecutive year, became involved as the Chairman to reinvigorate the image of the Ball. “I believe very strongly in what the Make-A-Wish organization stands for and I saw the opportunity to be able to use my expertise in events and marketing to increase the fundraising potential of this event. In my first year [as Gala Chairman], we broke every fundraising and attendance record in the event’s history!” Malnik’s motivation to continue his involvement comes from seeing the happiness that the Foundation is able to bring to deserving children’s lives. After experiencing the diagnosis of his younger brother with Leukemia and having him become eligible to receive a wish from the organization, Malnik was able to grasp the importance and the hope that a wish provides. Thankfully, his brother is now cancer-free, but Malnik continues to bring improvements to the event.
Robert B. Hill General Manager,
InterContinenal Miami Robert B. Hill, General Manager at the InterContinental Miami since September 2009 is a 20-year veteran in the hospitality industry and most recently comes from the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin where he served as General Manager since 2006. Prior to that, he served as Hotel Manager at the InterContinental Chicago and Executive Assistant Manager at the Willard InterContinental in Washington D.C. Robert returns to Miami where he previously held the position of Assistant Food & Beverage Director from 1996 to 1999. He has also held positions at InterContinental properties in Maui and London. Robert is a native of Limerick, Ireland and graduated from the prestigious Shannon College of Hotel Management.“Robert has proven his commitment to the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand, and his experience will be instrumental in continuing the success of one of our finest properties,” said Lew Fader, vice president of operations, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, North America. “We’re delighted that he has taken this next step in his career with us and know that he will be an asset to the InterContinental Miami.”
Wish Benefactors
Harvey & Roberta Chaplin
Stuart A. Miller, Lennar Corporation
Robert Press, Trafalgar Capital Advisors
Dream Catchers
Drs. Roger & Ginger Medel
E. Roe & Penny Stamps
Honorary Chairpersons
Jonathan Babicka
Karim Benyahia & Pascale Van Cleemput Benyahia
Jason & Haley Binn
Maxwell Blandford
Michael Capponi
Cynthia Carr
Wayne & Arlene Chaplin
Jeffrey & Linda Chodorow
Jeffrey & Michelle Eisenberg
Katherine Fernandez-Rundle
Barry Florescue
Willie & Gloria Gary
Ken Gorin
Austin & Sara Harrelson
Lady Monica Heftler
Patrik Hoffman
Courtland Lantaff
Laurence Leavy
Evan Lefferts
Donald & Judy Lefton
Clif Loftin
Peter Loftin
Andrew & Lisa Mandala
Dr. Frederick Miller & Sharon Barnwell-Miller
Eric Milon
Antonio Misuraca
Stephen & Sandra Muss
Adam Nathanson
Richard Polidori
Gail Posner
Jerry & Sandi Powers
J.R. & Loren Ridinger
Jerry & Joan Robins
Brad Rosenblatt
Jaime Rubinson
Rene Ruiz
David Scheiner
Jacqueline Simkin
Count Alan & Countess Claudine Smurfit
Ira Sochet & Sheree Savar Sochet
Bruce Sutka
Brian & Karyn Tageson
Bobby Yampolsky
Jordan & Denise Zimmerman
