Holiday Fundraiser To Benefit Rehabilitation Hospital Event to be Held at Historic Hudson River Estate
November 5, 2009The Helen Hayes Hospital Foundation will host a “Holiday Pretty Penny Social” on Sunday, December 6, 2009 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Pretty Penny in Nyack, New York. The Victorian home located on the Hudson River is the former estate of famed actress Helen Hayes MacArthur. The event is a fundraiser for Helen Hayes Hospital, a leading specialty physical rehabilitation hospital serving individuals with catastrophic injuries and debilitating illnesses.
Guests will enjoy an elegant cocktail and dessert reception by noted chef Peter X. Kelly, along with entertainment and tours of the landmark home. An art and antique sale will be conducted by Arader Galleries of New York City and will feature a special collection priced for holiday giving, including historic maps and city views and botanical, bird and animal prints. A Silent Auction will feature dinners, spa treatments and merchandise from some of the Hudson Valley’s leading purveyors and a Grand Raffle offers the opportunity to win a trip for two to Las Vegas or San Francisco, a large flat screen television and other prizes.
Sponsorships, tickets to the event and raffle tickets are currently available. Event tickets are $110 or two for $200 and are available through the Helen Hayes Hospital Foundation.
Helen Hayes MacArthur and her husband, the noted writer Charles MacArthur, purchased the Hudson River estate in 1932 for $25,000. When a friend remarked that it cost a “pretty penny,” the couple agreed, resulting in a name that has stayed with the home ever since.
In 1944, Helen Hayes was appointed to the hospital’s Board, which she served on until she passed away in 1993. In recognition of her service, the hospital was renamed in her honor in 1980. This Tony, Grammy and Oscar winning actress once stated, “I’ve seen my name in lights on theater marquees and in letters 20 feet tall on Broadway billboards, but nothing has ever given me greater sense of pride and satisfaction than my 49 year association with this unique hospital.”
The current owner of Pretty Penny, W. Graham Arader III, comments, “It gives me tremendous pleasure to open my home and host this event to benefit the rehabilitation hospital which was so close to Helen Hayes’ heart.”
For additional information on the event, or to purchase tickets, contact the Helen Hayes Hospital Foundation at 845-786-4365.
