Prostate Cancer Foundation Raises $4 Million in the Hamptons

By Sara Herbert-Galloway

Watermill, N.Y. The Prostate Cancer Foundation ( PCF ) raised a record breaking $4 million at its annual event during the Hampton's weekend of August 28-30th at the Parrish Art Museum in Watermill, N.Y. PCF is the worlds leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research was founded by Mike Milken in 1993. The organization has raised more that $615 million, provided funding for over 2,000 research programs at nearly 200 cancer centers and universities in 19 countries.

Michael Milken, Stewart Rahr (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

In 1988, Charles Evans founded the Charles Evans Foundation to carry on his wide range of charitable interests. Bonnie Pfeifer-Evans, Charles Evans widow, teamed up with Mike Milken and the PCF to form the Charles Evans PCF Pro-Am Tennis Tour which hosts four exciting weekend-long events each year in Indian Wells, CA., Westchester, N.Y., the Hampton's weekend is always on the calendar near Labor Day and the U.S. Open. Palm Beach, FL will be the final stop for the tour on the weekend of November 6th thru 8th.

The gala was hosted in support of the 11th Annual Charles Evans PCF Pro-Am Tennis Tournament, named after the successful entrepreneur who constantly turned tragic events throughout his life into philanthropic causes.

Michael Milken (Photo Credit: Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com).

The gala evening, catered by Robbins Wolfe, was a celebration featuring cocktails, dining and special performances from Natalie Cole and David Foster with special guests including American Idol Winner Ruben Studdard. One hundred percent of the funds raised throughout the evening went to supporting groundbreaking discoveries in cancer research.

Bonnie Pfeifer Evans, David Foster (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

The night began with a short quiz by the Founder of the Prostate Cancer Foundation Michael Milken , who asked questions about magic to the crowd of gala guests such as what caused Famous Illusionist Harry Houdini's Death, Peritonitis, and what was the first book of magic called, The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584). Fellow performer David Foster then introduced the first performer Natalie Cole, with whom he had just wrapped up an Asian tour.

Frank Luntz, Lori Milken (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com) .

Once she got onto stage, she began her set by telling the audience, "This is going to be one of the shortest sets I ever did, so listen carefully." She began her set with her song "Almost Like Being In Love" and did a couple of covers including Renee Olstead's "What A Difference a Day Makes."

David Foster and Sara Herbert Galloway. Photo courtesy Millennium Magazine.

Then she performed "Unforgettable," her Grammy award-winning duet with her father, legendary singer Nat King Cole, which was also the first song she had produced by fellow performer David Foster, which was received with loud applause. As she performed, video of her father singing along to the song played on TVs behind her and were interspersed with images of her and Nat while growing up. She closed her set with her father's famous track "L.O.V.E."

Cynthia Ott, James Coleman (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

Following Cole's set, Milken discussed the young investigators program and the funding the Prostate Cancer Foundation is doing on their behalf. As he defines them, these young investigators are young scientists in their 30's who have received all of the advanced degrees and research experience to run their own labs, however they lack the funding. It is these investigators, he said, that are leading to groundbreaking advancements in cancer research.

Richard Kind (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

Currently, PCF works with 153 of these young investigators who are currently researching 22 candidate molecules for cancer research, and these investigators have impacted the creation of six different FDA-approved prostate cancer drugs.

Natalie Cole (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

Following the presentation and quiz questions discussing these young investigators, Milken asked gala attendees to pledge $75,000 over the course of three years, then $75,000 for one year and then $25,000 for one year. At the conclusion of the fundraising portion, he said, "next year we will tell you how each of our young investigators changed the world."

Joe Torre (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

After a video introduction, David Foster began his set, during which he invited many of his friends to the stage to perform as he accompanied on the piano, first being Emily West , a runner-up on Reality TV competition show America's Got Talent.

John Paulson (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com)

She performed a couple of songs including "Nights In White Satin," a song she performed while competing on the show. David Foster & Emily West performed The Prayer , a song David Foster wrote for Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, and halfway through the song, David Foster cut her off and said that this is meant to be a duet and introduced Forte , another top competitor on America's Got Talent. Forte participated in a contest to see who could hold the longest note with Foster and Nathan Gunn , a baritone opera singer in the crowd that evening.

Jennifer Myles, Glenn Myles (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

At the conclusion of Forte's set, Foster brought Shelea Frazier to the stage, who performed two songs from The Bodyguard including a cover of Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You." Halfway through the performance of I Will Always Love You, American Idol winner Ruben Studdard joined them on stage.

Former Governor David Patterson (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com).

David Foster said "Ruben Studdard has a talent, he can write a song on the spot. So let's write one for tonight's event." The crowd names the song, "A Cure Is On the Way" and Studdard improvised the words as he sang. The show ended with a group rendition of Hey Jude, then Michael Milken thanked David Foster and asked everyone to go to the other stage. At the other stage, guests danced the night away to Super Diamond , a Neil Diamond cover band.

Elaine Wynn (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com) .

Notable attendees included: Michael & Lori Milken (Founder), Natalie Cole (Performer), David Foster (Performer), Jim Coleman & Cynthia Ott (Host), Bob & Deanna Adler (Host), Seth & Marie Bernstein (Host), Jeff & Mei Sze Greene (Host), Mitchell Modell (Host) ,  Glenn & Jennifer Myles (Host), Bonnie Pfeifer Evans (Host; Chair, Charles Evans Foundation), Stewart Rahr (Host), Artie & Selma Rabin (Host), Dean Palin (Host), Dr. Joel Pashcow (Host), Leon & Leeza Wagner (Host), John Paulson, Joe Torre, Marla Maples, Jason Binn, Frank Luntz, Richard Kind, Former New York Governor David Patterson, Dr. Jonathan Simons (CEO, Prostate Cancer Foundation), Larry Leeds, Jerry Cohen, Brian Reynolds, Chris Oberbeck, Don Marron, Mark Philippoussis (Pro), Robert Kendrick (Pro) ,  Danny Govberg, Barry Sternlicht, Arik Kislin, Elaine Wynn, Neal Sroka, and Jackie Rogers.

Ruben Studdard (Photo Credit: Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com) .

Weekend hosts and sponsors of the Charles Evans PCF Pro-Am Tournament include: Bill & Karen Ackman ; Bob & Deanna Adler ; Seth & Marie Bernstein ; Jim Coleman & Cynthia Ott ; Larry Gagosian & Chrissy Erpf ; Bonnie Pfeifer Evans ; Jeff & Mei Sze Greene ; The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. ; Tom Lee & Ann Tenenbaum ; David & Julia Koch ; Bill & Phyllis Mack ; Richard Merkin, MD. ; Mike & Lori Milken ; Modell's Sporting Goods ; Glenn & Jennifer Myles ; Dean Palin ; Mickey Palin ; Joel Pashcow ; Artie & Selma Rabin ; Stewart Rahr ; Jonathan & Sheryl Sokoloff ; Lady Sheila Stable ; Leon & Leesa Wagner ; and Mort Zuckerman.

By Sara Herbert-Galloway .

About Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, PCF has raised more than $615 million and provided funding to more than 2,000 research programs at nearly 200 cancer centers and universities. The PCF global research enterprise now extends to 19 countries. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds for transformational cancer research. Its efforts has helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer.

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