Contact: Frederic Klein
646-627-9328 | media.gny@redcross.org
GREENWICH, CONN. (April 10, 2024) – The American Red Cross Metro NY North Chapter will celebrate The 2024 Red & White Ball on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at the Riverside Yacht Club. Connie Anne Harris and Lauren E. Walsh are the co-chairs of the event. The 2024 Red & White Ball honorees are: Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland, 61st Superintendent, U.S. Military Academy at West Point; Greenwich Police Chief James J. Heavey; and Suzanne Packer, American Red Cross Metro NY North Chapter Board Member and Philanthropist. For tickets and more information visit www.redcross.org/mnynball.
“We are so excited to celebrate The Red & White Ball in just a few weeks! The evening brings together community leaders, supporters and friends to celebrate our inspiring honorees and provide vital support for our mission to provide care and comfort to neighbors in need after disaster strikes,” said Stephanie Dunn Ashley, CEO of the American Red Cross Metro NY North Chapter. “We are grateful to our Ball Committee members, our sponsors, and everyone working together to create a spectacular and memorable evening in support of the American Red Cross.”
The Red & White Ball is the signature fundraiser for the American Red Cross Metro NY North Chapter, serving Greenwich, Conn., Westchester and Rockland counties, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The event will feature cocktails and live music by Vali Entertainment, as well as dinner, dancing, and a live and silent auction.
The 2024 Red & White Ball honors three individuals who reflect the core values of the Red Cross and its humanitarian mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering. This year’s honorees are:
ABOUT THE HONOREES
Exceptional Service Award: Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland, 61st Superintendent, United States Military Academy at West Point
Lieutenant General Steve Gilland commissioned into the United States Army upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1990 and served in a variety of tactical assignments in Air Assault, Armor, Mechanized Infantry, Ranger, and Special Operations units. He has commanded at multiple levels throughout his career, most recently as Commanding General of the 2nd ROK-U.S. Combined Division in Korea and has participated in numerous operational deployments to the Middle East, Africa, and Afghanistan. He holds a Master’s Degree in Military Operational Art and Science from the Air Force Command and Staff College and has received awards including the Distinguished Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters) and many others. Lieutenant General Gilland has been happily married to his West Point classmate Betsy for more than 32 years and is a proud parent of three children.
Lifetime Service Award: Chief James J. Heavey, Greenwich Police Department
Jim Heavey was born and raised in Greenwich, where his father Bart was a 10-gallon blood donor and his mother Debbie still volunteers at Red Cross blood drives. Jim joined the Greenwich Police Department after graduation from Northeastern University and has served as Chief for the past twelve years. He served as a military police officer prior to commissioning in the U.S. Army Reserve and is a veteran of Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and he also served as a battalion operations officer in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Jim’s 50-year relationship with the Red Cross began at age 14 when he took an Advanced First Aid course, and he is now certified as a First Aid and CPR Instructor for the Red Cross and recently donated his 100th pint of blood. Jim also volunteers with the Glenville Volunteer Fire Company, the Boy Scouts, and American Legion Post 29. He has been married to his wife, Kia, for almost 28 years and they have two children, Ana (a registered nurse in Boston) and James (recently commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve).
Humanitarian Award: Suzanne Packer, American Red Cross MNYN Chapter Board Member and Philanthropist
Suzanne Packer has served on the Board of Directors of the Greenwich / Metro New York North Chapter of the Red Cross for over 20 years. She has organized the Red Cross Ball to raise funds for community activities, served on committees to teach preparedness, honor military families, and raised vital funds for the Red Cross. She has been involved in fundraising for the original purchase of the Red Cross Building in Greenwich (2002) as well as for its renovation project 20 years later (2022). Suzanne has been deployed on Red Cross missions to aid with humanitarian and hurricane relief in Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Suzanne is involved in many organizations including Memorial Sloan Kettering, the Mayo Clinic, Greenwich Hospital, the Bruce Museum, the Junior League of Greenwich, Antiquarius, Greenwich Library and Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. Suzanne is the Co-Chair of the Advisory Board of Kids in Crisis and a former member of the Greenwich Academy Parent Board. Suzanne began her career as a marketing account executive at Chase Manhattan Bank before joining Ogilvy & Mather as a management supervisor for the IBM advertisement campaign. Suzanne graduated from Kenyon College, where she was a varsity athlete, and received an MBA from the University of Connecticut. Suzanne moved from Manhattan to Greenwich in 1999 and has spent the last 20 plus years raising four children. Suzanne is the proud wife of Craig Packer and the mother of Kaitlyn, Sarah, Samantha, and Ben. Continuing her Red Cross legacy, her three daughters joined the Red & White Ball Committee this year, with Samantha as the Co-Chair of the Junior Committee.
The Red & White Ball Committee
The 2024 Red & White Ball Committee is chaired by Connie Anne Harris and Lauren E. Walsh. Committee members are: Amy Andrews, Suzanne Armstrong, Sarah Bamford, Peter Barhydt, Sondra Barlow, Ted Berenblum, Tina Broccole, Christine Calzolano, Bob Capazzo, Anna Cappucci, Peter Carlson, Laura Cody, Lisa Cooper, Geri Corrigan, Jill Coyle, Carolyn Crabtree, Jen Danzi, Alexandra DeBourcy, Carolyn Dewing-Hommes, Kathleen Dyke, Morgan Edge, Katie Fortunato, Jennifer Freda, Patti Glassford, Kia Heavey, Colleen Hempleman, Leila Horn, Jackie Hvolbeck, Denise Eagan Jewell, Janine Kennedy, Olivia Walker Lemieux, Whitney Marciano, Alec Miller, Andres Moreira, Billy O'Shea, Kaitlyn Packer, Sarah Packer, Suzanne Packer, Pamela Pagnani, Tatiana Reeves, Natalie Stein, Chrissy von Oiste, Sonia Waters, and Michele Wolfram.
For the first time, The Red & White Ball also brought together a Junior Committee, led by Charlotte Ashley and Samantha Packer. Junior Committee members are: Bella Adams, Anneliese Ashley, Grace Brandes, Reese Clark, Maggie Crabtree, Olivia Dogan, Jemma Goodman, Jordan Goodman, Hariette Hedvat, Michael Ji, Morgan Kennedy, Steffi Khine, Isabel Pol, and Maggie Ybarra.
The Red & White Ball Sponsors
As of April 4, 2024, sponsors of The Red & White Ball include:
Diamond Sponsors: Brescome Barton, Inc; PURE Insurance
Ruby Sponsors: Abbey Tent & Party Rentals; Crabtree Motor Group; Mariano Rivera Automotive Group; Shreve, Crump, & Low; Webster Bank
Gold Sponsors: Pologeorgis; Patty and Jim Read; Ruthanne Ruzika
Patron Party Sponsor: Kim Nichols, M.D. and Chris Cabanillas
For a full list of sponsors, visit www.redcross.org/mnynball.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.redcross.org/mnynball.
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