SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Tues, February 17, 2026) — The American Red Cross of the Bay Area proudly announces the distinguished honorees for its 31st anniversary Red Cross Gala, taking place on March 21, 2026 at The Conservatory at One Sansome in San Francisco. This year’s celebration will recognize Visionary Partner of the Year Metallica and its foundation, All Within My Hands, Red Cross volunteer of 31 years, Diane St. Denis and a heroic lifesaver, Malik Osman. Co-chaired by Kenzie Ferguson and Michelle Woods, this signature gala raises critical support for the organization’s mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
“This gala brings together the very best of our community,” said Gala Co-chair, Michelle Woods. “It is a room full of people who step up, give back and truly change lives. This event honors the extraordinary individuals and partners who show compassion in action every day, whether through innovative philanthropy, decades of dedicated service or the courage to save a life in a single moment.”
The Red Cross is proud to recognize Grammy Award winners Metallica and their foundation, All Within My Hands, with the Visionary Partner of the Year Award for their exemplary leadership in philanthropy and commitment to strengthening communities across the country through lifesaving Red Cross services.
Metallica and their foundation, All Within My Hands have become transformative partners to the American Red Cross, inspiring thousands of fans nationwide to roll up their sleeves and donate lifesaving blood. Through large-scale initiatives like the Red Cross × Metallica blood drive series—which surpassed 1,000 donations in its first month—and the Give Where You Live campaign, they have mobilized both longtime and first‑time donors across the country. Their commitment to strengthening communities is further reflected in AWMH’s longstanding support of disaster relief efforts, funding responses to wildfires, hurricanes, and other crises.
The Red Cross will recognize dedicated, longtime volunteer Diane St. Denis with the Red Cross Humanitarian Volunteer of the Year Award.
Diane St. Denis is a distinguished American Red Cross volunteer of 31 years who is being recognized at this year’s gala with the Humanitarian Volunteer of the Year Award for her extraordinary commitment to the Red Cross mission. A veteran of the United States Navy who served during the Vietnam War, she has long dedicated her life to the value of service and the well-being of her community. As a registered nurse, she has deployed to over 30 natural and manmade disaster responses, both locally and nationally. Her decades of compassion and medical expertise earned her the prestigious Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international distinction a nurse can receive. Her leadership as a Disaster Response Operation Director has made her a cornerstone of the Northern California Coastal Region’s efforts to provide hope and resilience.
This year’s gala will also include a special recognition for Malik Osman, who will receive a Red Cross Lifesaving Award for his heroism.
A Senior at Junipero Serra High School, Malik has long paired his athletic drive with a commitment to service. Since eighth grade, when he completed the grueling swim from Alcatraz, Malik has demonstrated a rare level of physical and mental endurance—a trait further sharpened by his training as a Red Cross lifeguard and his recent completion of the San Francisco Marathon.
Malik used these critical skills and demonstrated remarkable courage two years ago when he was at a pool party and recognized the signs of a child in distress. Noticing a child exhibiting the instinctive drowning response, he quickly entered the water, brought him safely to the pool deck, and began lifesaving care without hesitation. Amidst a crowd of anxious adults, Malik remained calm and focused, directing others to call 9-1-1 while administering abdominal thrusts and CPR that helped the child regain consciousness. His swift, skilled response reflects the very highest standards of preparedness and compassion, making him truly deserving of the Red Cross Lifesaving Award.
SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS Hosted by Co-chairs Kenzie Ferguson and Michelle Woods, the 2026 Red Cross Gala will feature a cocktail reception, a three-course dinner curated by Componere Fine Catering, an awards presentation, a live auction, dancing and an afterparty featuring Fast Times. Since its inception, this fundraiser’s purpose has remained steadfast: to celebrate and sustain the lifesaving programs and services of the Red Cross. All proceeds raised through this event will support Red Cross Disaster Relief.
The Gala is made possible by Pearl Sponsor, Delta Dental; Gold Sponsors, Carolyn W. Mervau and the extraordinary support of two anonymous donors; Silver Sponsors, Google Cloud, HP, Lowe’s, TMG Partners and Visa, and Bronze Sponsors, Deloitte, Oportun, Members of the Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region Tiffany Circle, Waymo, Lisa & Joe Allanson, Juan Benitez, Katie Colendich, Kenzie Ferguson, Ingrid Swenson, Diane B. Wilsey, Michelle Woods and LeeAnn & Eric Woodward.
This year’s Pearl Sponsor, Delta Dental, has been a proud sponsor of the Red Cross San Francisco Gala since 2019 and has partnered with the organization to support disaster relief efforts for more than 30 years. “Our partnership not only underscores our commitment to building resilient communities but also amplifies the efforts of the Red Cross in times of need,” said Kevin Ryan, Director of the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation.
To view event details including tickets, sponsorships and our full list of Gala committee members, please visit redcross.org/redcrossgalasf.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org/norcalcoastal.
About Metallica and their foundation, All Within My Hands
Formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich and including guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo, Metallica has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, selling nearly 125 million albums worldwide and generating more than 17 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents—more than 1.3 million of whom belong to the band’s fiercely loyal and consistently growing Fifth Member fan club.
Metallica’s catalog of multi-platinum studio albums includes Kill ’Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, …And Justice for All, Metallica (commonly referred to as The Black Album), Load, ReLoad, St. Anger, Death Magnetic, Hardwired…To Self-Destruct, and most recently, the Grammy-winning 72 Seasons, released April 14, 2023, on the band’s own Blackened Recordings label.
Metallica’s awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, a 2009 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Sweden’s Polar Music Prize.
In 2017, Metallica established their foundation, All Within My Hands, to give back to communities that have supported the band. To date, All Within My Hands’ collective efforts have helped raise over $29M to support its mission, and provided grants of $15.3M to career and technical education programs through its Metallica Scholars Initiative, $8.4M to combat food insecurity, and $5.6M to disaster relief and other critical local services worldwide. Metallica covers all administrative costs, so 100% of donations go directly to the organizations supported by the Foundation. Visit allwithinmyhands.org to learn more.
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