According to the
Organization For Economic Co-operation and Development, The United States led the world last year in charitable donations, a whopping $28.67 billion dollars worth. So it is no wonder that one of the largest, wealthiest and most respected charity galas, the
Power Of Love, in Las Vegas also netted quite an amount last year, for a one-night celebration: $28M, with $8M from a single donor. This year, actually, this Saturday, they are expecting to do even better, due to the dazzling, over-the-top auction prizes, even for Las Vegas.
On Saturday, February 26,
Keep Memory Alive (KMA) will host its 15th annual Power of Love Gala at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Along with an evening of live entertainment, Power of Love guests will enjoy a significant auction bidding experience with impressive, one-of-a-kind items to benefit
Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Cleveland Clinic's Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health provides state-of-the-art care for cognitive disorders and for the family members of those who suffer from them. It is a substantial treatment center in Las Vegas, opened in July of 2009, where many substantial donations have helped the center thrive. A recent
Luxist piece was written on Steve Wynn's commission of a
James Rosenquist painting for the Clinic.
The live auction on Saturday evening will have items (see images next page) and experiences that are both pricey and priceless -- a private lunch with
Lee Iacocca, and the opportunity to win the I-Legacy, one of 45 limited edition Mustangs.
Luxist wrote about this unusual opportunity recently. Then, there's an eight night wine tour of Italy for four people, curated by
Michael Mondavi, another wine trip to Australia, ownership of a new
Fisker Karma, time in the Los Angeles recording studio with
Kenny 'Babyface" Edmonds, and more. The silent auction will have ownership experiences like winning the Mercedes
2012 SLS AMG Roadster, and original Blue Dog art by
George Rodrigues and others. There are many more entertainment, travel, and cultural adventures, jewelry giveways from Tiffany's and Harry Winston, to high end shopping sprees.
Some auction items are listed on the next page. A complete listing is on the
Keep Memory Alive website.