Members of the Music and Entertainment Industry group paid tribute to some of their notable colleagues who have demonstrated a commitment to fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. In the process, they raised more than $250,000 for City of Hope.

The homage was part of Songs of Hope VII, which took place Dec. 1, 2011, in New York and included a silent auction benefiting City of Hope.

The event, emceed by R&B performer and producer Ne-Yo, recognized the careers of four accomplished musicians. Desmond Child, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, received the Clive Davis Legend of Songwriting Award, while three-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles received the Martin Bandier Vanguard Award. Mark Mothersbaugh, co-founder and lead singer of the band Devo, received the Electronic Arts Composer Award, and rapper, disk jockey and producer Swizz Beatz received the American Express Award for Innovation Excellence in Music.

Songs of Hope VII took place at the Esquire Apartment and featured musical performances by Bareilles and Skylar Grey.

Auction items included original sheet music to “Lay, Lady, Lay” autographed by Bob Dylan, country musician Miranda Lambert’s autographed guitar and a visit to a Disney scoring session with composer Danny Elfman.

Songs of Hope VII music and entertainment sponsors include American Express, Clive Davis, Electronic Arts, Peer Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Spotify, Universal Music Publishing Group and VEVO. — Katie Kornfield and Darrin S. Joy

Celebrities nationwide grabbed pink pens to sign autographs in October 2011 — Breast Cancer Awareness Month — all to benefit City of Hope. For the second year, marker maker Sharpie invited famous actors, athletes, musicians, chefs and others to enlist in the fight against breast cancer through its “Ink It Pink” initiative.

For every pink autograph signed and submitted online to Sharpie during the month, $1 was donated to City of Hope, up to $10,000.

Sharpie has been a City of Hope partner since 2006 through the sale of its Pink Ribbon marker; a portion of the marker’s sales benefit City of Hope. Since 2006, Sharpie parent company Newell Rubbermaid has donated more than $1 million to City of Hope research and treatment programs.

Grace Potter from the rock band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals kicked off the effort during her band’s concert in New York City in September. Since then, hundreds of celebrities signed for the effort, including Grammy-winning recording artist Usher Raymond, Emmy award-winning journalist Cokie Roberts, and professional football player Kurt Warner, who has earned most valuable player awards for both the National Football League and the Super Bowl. — Katie Kornfield

John DiCiurcio got involved with the Chicago Construction and Real Estate Council (CREC) shortly after the group began its relationship with City of Hope in 1992, and he has never stopped. In November 2011, the longtime City of Hope supporter and executive vice president of Turner Construction Company was presented with The Spirit of Life® Award by members of CREC.

The combined efforts of DiCiurcio, event chairs Peter Davoran and Steve Fort and members of the dinner committee and council led to the most successful fundraising drive in the group’s history, generating nearly $525,000.

The evening included Fund-a-Need — bidding on research that is cumulative — to support the research of Karen Aboody, M.D., assistant professor in City of Hope’s Department of Neurosciences and Division of Neurosurgery. More than 700 CREC members contributed more than $70,000 to establish the Chicago Construction and Real Estate Council Neural Stem Cell Research Fund. DiCiurcio and his wife, Nancy DiCiurcio, also became founding guardians of City of Hope’s Midwest Regional Office through their personal major gift commitment. — Sarah Maraccini

John DiCiurcio, center, accepts his award from Steve Fort, senior vice president at Turner Construction Company, while Karen Aboody looks on.

City of Hope’s Apparel Industries Group recently honored a fashion industry leader — and garnered $1 million for the institution’s research and treatment programs. Gerard Guez, chair of apparel company Sunrise Brands, received The Spirit of Life® Award at the industry group’s annual gala in West Hollywood, Calif., on Nov. 20, 2011. The award is City of Hope’s highest philanthropic honor and recognized Guez for his outstanding contributions to City of Hope as well as his extraordinary business leadership and philanthropic achievements.

“I’m proud to continue Sunrise Brands’ support of City of Hope, an organization that has been making a difference in the lives of patients and communities everywhere for nearly 100 years,” said Guez. The Apparel Industries Group was created in 1995 through the merger of two of City of Hope’s oldest and most dedicated auxiliaries — the Merchants Club and Professions and Finance Associates. To date, the group has raised more than $40 million for City of Hope. — Katie Kornfield

Supporters can rest easy knowing they’re supporting a good cause with Serta by taking home a collectible, limitededition plush sheep toy.

The national bedding manufacturer partnered with City of Hope for a unique promotion through the National Home Furnishings Industry and Spirit of Life® honoree Bob Sherman, president of Serta International. Consumers can support City of Hope by participating in the Serta Adopt- A-Sheep for the Fight Against Cancer program.

Customers at participating local retail stores will receive a complimentary sheep toy for every Serta iComfort Sleep System they “test rest” or purchase. Sheep also are available for purchase ($16.99) online at: http://serta.com/adopt.

Sheep “parents” can register their adopted sheep’s name on the Serta website and dedicate their sheep on the virtual Herd for Hope Honor Wall for a loved one who has been touched by cancer.

Through Dec. 31, Serta will provide a minimum donation of $1.50, up to $9, for every sheep adopted or purchased.

For more information about the promotion, please contact Aline Loustaunau at aloustaunau@coh.org or Sarah Winfrey at swinfrey@coh.org.

Limited edition sheep plushies have lavender eyes and a special logo.

With team names such as Split Happens, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Gutter and Roltorious B.I.G. — and costumes to go with them — the Midwest committee of the National Insurance Industry Council launched its second annual Strike Out Cancer event at Lucky Strike Lanes in Chicago. More than 200 members of the industry engaged in some friendly bowling competition during the October 2011 fundraising event. Chairs Casey Warnecke, chief operations officer at insurance broker Lockton Inc., and Lauren Knapp, Midwest sales manager of Insurance Journal, set the pace as the event raised $73,000, a 40 percent jump over its 2010 total. — Sarah Maraccini

Members of bowling team “On a Mission from God”.

National Office Products Industry (NOPI) supporters already have raised $94 million for City of Hope since the group was founded in 1983, but they are not stopping there.

With the support of key industry leaders, NOPI launched a three-year initiative to urge office products industry members to give generously to a $1 million endowment for City of Hope. Through personal giving, they already have raised $500,000 toward that goal, funding the work of Rama Natarajan, Ph.D., now the National Office Products Industry Professor in Diabetes Research. The effort is timed to commemorate City of Hope’s centennial in 2013.

The initiative builds on the momentum of the group’s highly successful $9.3 million 2011 fundraising effort. NOPI marked the culmination of its annual fundraising by honoring Staples senior vice president Jay Mutschler at its Spirit of Life® gala in September 2011 in Chicago.

Staples has donated more than $2 million to City of Hope’s education, research and treatment programs since 2009.

It is the national presenting sponsor of both Walk for Hope, an event that raises funds to defeat women’s cancers, and Concert for Hope, an annual music concert that raises money for City of Hope’s cancer programs.

Since it was founded in 1983, City of Hope’s NOPI group has been influential in the development of some of City of Hope’s most important entities, including its Center for Biomedicine & Genetics, which specializes in the production of materials for use in clinical trials and laboratory studies, and the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Cancer Immunotherapeutics & Tumor Immunology. — Alicia Di Rado

Jay Mutschler addresses members of the National Office Products Industry.

Hardware/Homebuilding Industry group executives and supporters celebrated three decades of commitment to City of Hope at their Spirit of Life® dinner in February.

Held in Orlando, Fla., the event honored Ace Hardware’s Ray Griffith with The Spirit of Life® Award. The president and chief executive officer of the Oak Brook, Ill.-based hardware co-op was recognized for his philanthropic dedication.

Griffith drew applause when he spoke about the importance of a social mission for all businesses. Corporations “should possess a soul and a commitment to leave something behind that has a chance to help make the world a better place,” he said.

The 30th anniversary event included appearances by many past honorees, as well as a special master of ceremonies: The Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus, who told the story of a former colleague whose life was extended by the work of doctors and researchers at City of Hope.

The event raised $770,000.

Honoree Ace Hardware’s Ray Griffith, left, and The Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus.

PHOTOS: STEVE PRUE; BELEN AQUINO, GERBER + SCARPELLI; MICHAEL KOVAC, WIRE IMAGE; BELEN AQUINO, GERBER + SCARPELLI; © 2011 KARINA PIRES PHOTOGRAPHY; CHRISTIE’S PHOTOGRAPHY