On December 2nd, Russell Simmons, joined by Tangie Murray, the Executive Director of his non-profit Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, dined with Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Scott
Stapp, his wife Jaclyn Stapp, and American Idol Season 10’s Brett Loewenstern at a private residence in Miami to raise over $100,000 for Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Joining them were some of UPENN’s most distinguished alumni and supporters including Diane N. Weiss, who has a Medical Chair at PENN for research in FOP, Jill Viner, Cheryl and Jaime Peisach of Passion Growers, Chip Brady of LSN Partners, LLC, who is an Overseer at Penn’s Engineering School, Rosy and Daniel Levy, Stacey and Howard Shoer, Michele and dermatologist Joshua Berlin, who was just appointed as an Overseer at Penn’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), Marc J. Leder, Hillary and Rodger Krouse, Stuart and Jill Siegel, Amy Rosenberg, David & Jamie Rosenberg, Ed Turco, Molly Kent, Faquiry Diaz Cala and Amelia Balonek, Candi Dalipeco, Andrew M. Heller, Jose Mallea, Marty Keane and Sharyn Bush, Jennifer Diliz, Shannon Ford, and Bob Rook and more, where guests were wowed by the amazing talent of singer/songwriter Brendan O’Hara.

To the delight of the guests, Creed lead singer Scott Stapp and his wife Jaclyn Stapp arrived at the event with a guitar signed by all the members of Creed, and offered VIP tickets to their upcoming show and pre-concert sound check access for the winners.  The auction prize was scooped up by Marty Keane, who is planning on attending the show next year in Chicago with Event Co-Host Chip Brady.  Russell Simmons liked a photograph by film director and photographer Wyatt Neumann so much that he crossed out all of the bids and purchased it for the highest amount in the bid sheet.

Auction item donors included Russell Simmons, Scott Stapp/With Arms Wide Open Foundation, Dr. Leslie Baumann, polo players Marc Ganzi and Melissa Potamkin-Ganzi, GEE Beauty, Emack and Bolio’s ice cream, The Local Craft Food & Drink, the pop and animation art gallery www.AnimationArtGallery.com, multimedia artist Eleazar Delgado, Seth Jason Beitler Fine Arts, Dermatology Associates, PA, of the Palm Beaches, and the Berlin Center of Medical Aesthetics, Wyatt Neumann/Keyes Art, New York, headbands and belt By lilla, the Colorado Rockies/Walter Sylvester, Agua Spa at the Delano, and creative agency tamzdesigns, and jewelry designer Caroline Streep/VISUAL ARTS.

Russell Simmons, Jaclyn & Scott Stapp, with Co-Hosts Allison & Chip Brady

Event sponsor and Boca Raton-based jeweler Rosenberg Diamonds and Co. created an exclusive gold and diamonds necklace and pin that the store will be selling on an on-going basis to benefit charity.

The gorgeous necklace, inspired by the structure of DNA called a double helix, is available in yellow or white gold with diamonds and was quickly scooped at the event by Jill Viner, Diane N. Weiss, Natasha Bravo, and Allison Weiss Brady.  The necklace retails for $1,800, with a percentage of sales benefiting select medical-based non-profits including Penn Medicine and Gene Spotlight, a Miami-based charity, and more.  For further information on how to order the necklace, please contact Rosenberg Diamonds & Co, at 561-477-5444 or visit www.RosenbergDiamonds.com.

Also participating in the intimate dinner party was Loro Piana, featuring exclusive items from its 2011 men’s and ladies lines.  Following in the footsteps of this mega-successful event, on Wednesday, December 21 from 6-8PM, Loro Piana will be hosting a holiday party at its Village of Merrick Park store (342 San Lorenzo Avenue, #1045, Coral Gables) where the retailer is donating a percentage of sales from the event to once again benefit Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  Please email WeissPR@aol.com for further information on the December 21st event.