SHARE Inc. Celebrates 65 Years Of Philanthropy With Annual Boomtown Gala

SHARE Inc. announced today that their annual Boomtown Gala will be headlined by The Righteous Brothers with additional performances by Martha and the Vandellas, Louis Van Amstel of "Dancing with the Stars" and the SHARE ladies. This year's honoree is Loreen Arbus, President of The Loreen Arbus Foundation and disability rights activist, philanthropist, producer, writer and author. The event's MC, a SHARE legacy, will be Natalie Lander (ABC's The Middle) - the daughter of famed actors David Lander and Kathy Fields and granddaughter of Hollywood agent Freddie Fields and actress Polly Bergen. The event will be held on May 20th 2018 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

"Boomtown is celebrating 65 years of phenomenal work on behalf of our community and we could not be more proud. This year's event will invoke old Hollywood glamour as we remember our founding members and the hardworking women who have helped make SHARE the organization it is today," said Corinna Fields, President of SHARE, Inc.

Loreen Arbus will be receiving the Shining Spirit Award for her tireless work to help those marginalized in our community, specifically through The Loreen Arbus Foundation, which provides scientific and medical research for those with disabilities, supports racial and gender minorities, and is active in environmental causes. Arbus is an industry trailblazer who earned the distinction of being the first woman to head programming for a U.S. network - a feat she accomplished twice- both at Showtime and Lifetime networks.

"I am honored to be recognized by the amazing women of SHARE Inc.," said honoree Loreen Arbus. "Their mission is in very close alignment with my own in terms of helping children who are marginalized as is their long support of children with developmental disabilities and other special challenges."

This year's star-studded event will include a red carpet, dressy Western attire, dinner, a live and silent auction, performances and more. The production team behind Boomtown includes Anita Mann of Anita Mann Productions, a five-time Emmy Award Winning Choreographer; Christine Wallace, Producer/First Vice President of SHARE's Boomtown show and former professional dancer/choreographer of stage and screen; and Executive Producer, Gary Smith, former producer of The Tony Awards and "The Judy Garland Show."

Celebrity attendees and honorees in recent years have included Jamie Lee Curtis, Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone, Sherry Lansing, Glorya Kaufman and more. Throughout SHARE's illustrious history, famous supporters and performers have included Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, John Wayne, Sammy Davis Jr., Jennifer Holliday, Lucille Ball, Ronald Reagan, Johnny Carson, Dean Martin, Bob Hope, John Ritter, and k.d. lang, to name a few.

About SHARE Inc.

One afternoon in 1953, seven women- some of whom were the wives of the famous Rat Pack- met for lunch with a mission: to passionately commit to improve the lives of children with special needs and members of the community who are less fortunate. Fast forward 65 years, and SHARE has now raised an impressive $65 million for multiple charities. Today, there are over eighty incredible women, including some of the Founding Members, who continue to "Share Happily and Reap Endlessly." These fearless volunteers are committed to helping children who are at risk and disabled by supporting treatment, research, prevention and vocational and independent living programs. Each member of SHARE comes to the fundraising table with unique and complementary skills. The members are businesswomen, community activists, and philanthropists.

SHARE was given the President's Volunteer Action Award in1988 by Ronald Reagan, the highest honor the President can award a charity for volunteerism. The organization also provided the first financial contribution for the now industry-leading Exceptional Children's Foundation, and early money for Stuart House a program at The Rape Treatment Center. SHARE has also provided critical support for research into developmental disabilities through the SHARE Child Disability Center at Cedars-Sinai, as well as vital funding for Ahead with Horses, Team Prime Time, CASA, The Sophia T. Salvin Center and many others.

About Loreen Arbus

Loreen Arbus is a disability rights activist, philanthropist, producer, writer and author She is currently the president of The Loreen Arbus Foundation, The Goldenson-Arbus Foundation and Loreen Arbus Productions, Inc. She holds the trailblazing distinction of being the first woman to head programming for a U.S. network, a feat accomplished twice (both at Showtime and Cable Health Network/Lifetime). She is the author of six books, and was twice nominated for an Emmy Award. Arbus is a renowned professional Argentine tango dancer and choreographer and a sought-after speaker at national and international conferences. Among her many appearances around the world is an acclaimed speech at TEDxWomen. Through her philanthropic activities, particularly the Loreen Arbus Foundation, she supports a broad scope of interests, including advocacy for women and girls, scientific and medical research, minorities, people with disabilities, gender and racial equality in media, the arts, animal rights and global peace. The foundation has established and funds many scholarships that both enhance and elevate social consciousness around key societal issues. She has been honored many times, including the Heart of Giving Award presented by President Bill Clinton in 2001. Most recently, she was honored with the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health Leadership Award and the Achievement Award by the UN Women for Peace Association, as well as the 2017 Ellis Island Medal of Honor presented by The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO).

The Loreen Arbus Foundation supports scientific and medical research; women and girls; people with disabilities and other minorities; gender and racial equity in media; the arts; the environment and world peace.

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