Rick Powell’s charity "Concern Foundation" - Block Party Raises $1,200,000 for Cancer Research Worldwide

Furniture World Magazine

Concern Foundation’s premier fundraising event, entitled The Wonderful World of Sports – An Olympic Effort to Conquer Cancer, was held on Saturday evening, July 14th, on the back lot of Paramount Pictures. More than 2,100 people attended the fundraiser, which raised more than $1.2 million for cancer research in a single evening. The celebrity-studded evening honored Dr. Tony Daly, a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and the Team Physician for the Los Angeles Clippers. Dr. Daly was honored for his humanitarian efforts throughout the community and especially for the time and effort he has devoted to the fight against cancer. The party, set on a three-block New York street scene, featured gourmet cuisine from 36 of LA's finest restaurants as well as three different live bands, street entertainment, casino gaming tables and celebrity bartenders. Dozens of exciting trips, fine wines and collectibles - even a 2002 Corvette convertible - were offered at silent and live auctions throughout the evening. Frankie Avalon and James Darren surprised the guests as they got on the stage for an impromptu set. The legendary singers, fresh from tours in Las Vegas and Europe, had the audience on their feet and added to the great party atmosphere. Rick Powell of the Powell Company was introduced at the event as Concern’s newly elected president. Rick Powell has been involved since his parents, Joyce and Larry, co-founded the organization 33 years ago with 13 other couples. Rick and his sister, Nancy, started a young professional division in 1981 that raised millions of dollars for pediatric cancer research. "Thanks to the incredible support of our corporate sponsors and the generosity of our local restaurants and hundreds of contributors, Concern will continue to fund critical cancer research at high quality laboratories around the world," according to Concern’s president-elect Rick Powell. "Since 1968, Concern Foundation has raised over $25 million for cancer research worldwide." Concern is noteworthy for having an extremely low overhead, allowing over 90% of every dollar the charity raises to go directly to cancer research. An international panel of scientists reviews the grant applications and awards the money to only the most deserving and promising researchers in the field.