Benefiting United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia & Vicinity
PHILADELPHIA—United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia & Vicinity hosted the Seventh Annual UBS Motor Cars Under The Stars on Wednesday, June 23, 2010, in the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts located at 128 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia. The event raised over $200,000 for United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia & Vicinity and attracted 360 people. The event presented a curated collection of privately owned classic cars and vintage motorcycles. Guests enjoyed cocktails and dinner amongst the cars. All guests had the opportunity to view PAFA’s exhibitions including The Vogel Collection of Fifty Works for Fifty States and Andy Warhol Polaroids and B&W Prints. Attendees received a collector’s poster from Michael Furman.
The event marked the first time in Philadelphia that classic automobiles were displayed inside an art museum, although the concept had been successfully executed in other cities ("Curves of Steel," Phoenix Museum of Art, 2007; "Speed, Style and Beauty: Cars from the Ralph Lauren Collection", Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2005; "8 Automobiles", Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), 1951). The show also featured collector motorcycles as was done at the Guggenheim in 1998. Renowned automotive photographer Michael Furman and long-time Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance Car Selection Committee Chair Phil Neff curated the exhibition.
A special tribute was paid to event founder, Ken Catanella, Senior Vice President of UBS Institutional Consulting. The event was chaired by Frank A. Roccisano of UBS Financial Services Inc. and Michael Smyth of The Great Britains and Jaguar Land Rover Main Line. Roger Ballou served as Honorary Event Chair, John Colabelli as Journal Chair and Sabrina Tamburino Thorne served as Young Friends’ Chair. CBS 3 Anchors Susan Barnett, Chris May, along with Traffic Reporter Bob Kelly served as the evening’s emcees. Philadelphia Magazine and CBS 3 were both Media Partners.
Tickets were priced to start at $250. Young Friends’ tickets (age 40 and under) were $150.
Since 2004, United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia & Vicinity has held the UBS Motor Cars Under the Stars fundraising event to support programs that make a difference in the lives of children and adults living with physical and developmental disabilities. This unique event showcases the artistry of classic vintage automobiles and has become known city-wide not only for the spectacular collection of cars on display but for its ability to expose an audience of car enthusiasts and corporate and philanthropic leaders to UCP's work.
UCP builds on the success of the 2009 event, held at the Simeone Foundation Museum, which raised $250,000 for UCP and attracted close to 450 supporters. UBS Motor Cars Under the Stars is presented by UBS Financial Services Inc. The Great Britains and Jaguar Land Rover Main Line were the Automotive Sponsors of the event. Bernie Robbins Jewelers is a Sparkling Sponsor. Bacardi USA and Origlio were Beverage Sponsors.
About UCP:
United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia & Vicinity (UCP) works to positively affect the quality of life for children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, head trauma, spinal cord injuries, or any condition that severely limits an individual's independent functioning. Located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, UCP offers a variety of social, vocational, residential, recreational, therapeutic and educational services to individuals and their families living in the Delaware Valley. Each year, UCP of Philadelphia & Vicinity provides direct services to over 3,000 children and adults with disabilities and responds to more than 6,000 requests for information about UCP services, resources for living with disabilities, and referrals to other agencies. To learn more about UCP of Philadelphia & Vicinity, please call Lola Bungeroth at 215.248.7609 or visit www.ucpphila.org.
About This Year’s Featured Car:
The Simeone Museum’s 1956 Maserati 300S won the Judge John North Trophy at the recent Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. The trophy is presented annually to the “Most Outstanding Race Car.” The Maserati 300S is considered to be one of the finest sports racing cars ever built and was favored by drivers like Stirling Moss for its excellent balance. This 300S was driven by numerous racers, including Moss and Jean Behra.
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