Celebrities Attend amfAR Gala, Kiehl's Liferide

by Carole Zidouemba · July 24, 2012

[Chris Salgardo, Kevin Frost, Bill Gates] [Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, Milissa, Marguerite Moreau]

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and GBCHealth honored Bill Gates at a benefit event at the Kennedy Center on Saturday. The event, titled “Together to End AIDS,” paid tribute to the spirit of global collaboration that has underpinned the world’s progress in the fight against AIDS. The event opened with a performance by world-renowned opera singer Jessye Norman, who floored the crowd with her rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

[Kenneth Cole, Bill Gates, Anderson Cooper, Sharon Stone] [Lydia Hearst] [Eve]

Guests of the gala included: Sharon Stone, Anderson Cooper, Jessye Norman, John Corbett, Tyson Beckford, Eve, MAC AIDS Fund Chairman John Demsey, The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, The Honorable Barbara Lee, The Honorable Ed Markey, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost, GBCHealth CEO John Tedstrom, Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, Milissa, Lydia Hearst, and Marguerite Moreau.

[Gala photos by Paul Morigi/Getty, Jason Kempin/Getty via]

Gala write up by Sophie Pyle

Kiehl's Liferide [More Photos]

The night before the gala, Kiehl's Georgetown hosted the more casual Kiehl's LifeRide for amFAR party. The party marked the culmination of a ten-day philanthropic motorcycle ride along the Eastern Seaboard to raise awarness for HIV/AIDS research and resources.

[Gilles Marini, Tyson Beckford, amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost, Sharon Stone, Kiehl's President Chris Salgardo]

M street was blocked off so the celebrity motorcyclists could ride up to the Kiehl's store. As they arrived, they entered the store to much fanfare. Guests were treated to music by DJ Neekola and to motorcycle themed hors-d'oeuvres and drinks provided by chefs RJ Cooper, Mike Isabella, Robert Wiedmaier, David Guas, Georgetown Cupcakes, and AriZona beverages. Although the event was open to the public, only members of the media and early arrivals were inside.

Guests included: Sharon Stone, Chris Salgardo (who presented a $115,000 check to amFAR on behalf of Kiehl's), John Corbett, Tyson Beckford, Gilles Marini, Mike Isabella, Kevin Robert Frost (amFAR CEO), Katee Sackhoff, Teddy Sears, Grant Reynolds, Tricia Helfer, Marguerite Moreau, Judy Kurtz Altscher, Susan Ostrowski, DJ Neekola, Barbara Martin, Jayne Sandman, Angelica Talan, Elizabeth Fassbender, Lindsay Kin, Ashley Gaga, and GofG's Sophie Pyle and Carole Zidouemba.