One-of-a-Kind Corvette among Amazing Auction Items Featured at Karmanos Cancer Institute's 30th Annual Dinner, April 28

Online Bidding Available Through 5 p.m., April 26

DETROIT, April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Join the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute as it celebrates its 30th Annual Dinner and place your bid to win a one-of-a-kind, custom 2012 Corvette, or another fabulous auction item, to benefit the advancement of cancer care. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20071106/KARMANOSLOGO )

The Karmanos Cancer Institute's 30th Annual Dinner will take place Saturday, April 28, from 6:30 p.m. – midnight, at the General Motors Vehicle Engineering Center, 30001 Van Dyke (at the General Motors Technical Center), in Warren. Annual Dinner Chairs Mary Barra, senior vice president, Global Product Development, General Motors Company; and her husband Tony Barra, president, Filament Consulting, have an exciting evening planned. The event will include a cocktail reception, an elegant seated dinner, brief program, entertainment, an exciting raffle, and some incredible live auction items. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Karmanos Cancer Institute – one of only 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country.

"Tony and I are honored to serve as chairs for Karmanos Cancer Institute's 30th Annual Dinner," said Mary Barra. "There isn't a family who hasn't been touched by cancer. It just seems fitting that we, along with the General Motors family, support Karmanos' excellent patient care and cutting-edge cancer research, so that all those battling this disease will have the best possible options to survive it." 

Spanky Assiter, founder of Assiter & Associates and National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame inductee, will serve as auctioneer at the April 28 Annual Dinner. Six exciting live auction items will be offered at the event, three of which will be available for absentee bidding at www.karmanos.org/annualdinner  up through 5 p.m. April 26. They include: 

• One-Of-A-Kind 2012 Corvette Grand Sport Coupe
  Unique 2012 Corvette. Provided by Chevrolet.
• Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch Driving Experience in Nevada
  You and seven guests will experience two exhilarating days of private, Corvette high performance driving instruction and race track team challenges. Guests will be assigned to one of two teams, each led by a celebrity team captain. Package includes ground travel and accommodations in on-site condominiums. Package provided by Chevrolet.
• Indy 500 Experience
  Motor Sports enthusiasts will race to this unique all-inclusive package. Four guests will be treated to the VIP Indianapolis 500 experience including suite passes, tickets to the Snakepit "Ball", a ride in the Grand Marshall car and the pace car, a foursome in the golf tournament, tickets to the Indy 500 Hall of Fame and special access passes. Hotel, parking, and ground transportation will be provided. Package provided by Chevrolet.

Other wonderful VIP packages offered to guests during the live auction at the April 28 Annual Dinner will include:

• VIP World Movie Premiere Package
  Here's a chance to bid on an exciting world movie premiere that will take place in early 2013. The package for four will feature a chance to walk the red carpet, hotel accommodations, and much more. Package provided by Chevrolet.
• VIP Package for Super Bowl XLVII
  Get your game tickets early with the one-of-a-kind package for two to the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans. The package includes tail gate passes and hotel accommodations for a four-night stay. Package provided by Chevrolet.
• VIP Package for the Ultimate Barrett-Jackson Experience.  
  Experience a Barrett-Jackson auction like you never have before! The winner of this package will have their choice of city. Experience your exclusive VIP treatment for two at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Orange County, CA. (June 2012), Las Vegas, NV. (September 2012), or Scottsdale, AZ (January 2013). You will be treated to reserved seating, VIP parking, Sky Box access, admittance to the Muscle Lounge, and a private tour of the Auction grounds and green room. Package provided by Barrett-Jackson Auction.

Host Sponsor for the Karmanos Cancer Institute's 30th Annual Dinner is Chevrolet; Presenting Sponsor is Compuware Corporation; and Executive Sponsors are Lil and Alex Erdeljan and Johnson Controls. Dinner Sponsors include: AVL Americas, Becker Ventures, Credit Union ONE, The Delphi Foundation, Edw. C. Levy Co., The Ferrantino Foundation, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, JMC Steel Group, Kenwal Steel Corp., Lear Corporation, and Trott & Trott.

General Motor's outstanding support also includes the General Motors Foundation's donation of $400,000 to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute for cancer research, bringing GM's and the GM Foundation's total support of Karmanos to almost $6 million over the past 15 years.

"The commitment that GM, the GM Foundation and Chevrolet have made to Karmanos' 30th Annual Dinner and our patients is unprecedented," said Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Karmanos. "We are incredibly grateful for this outstanding support and we encourage all those attending the event, as well as others bidding online, to give generously so we can continue to provide the best possible care and outcomes for cancer patients."

Tickets for the Annual Dinner are $750 per person for benefactor level tickets, which includes priority seating and recognition in the program book. Patron level tickets are $525 per person and also include recognition in the program book.

For information on Karmanos' Annual Dinner or sponsorship opportunities, contact Lisa Koltunchik at (313) 576-8106 or [email protected]. You can also visit www.karmanos.org/annualdinner for additional information or to make a reservation online.

About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
Located in mid-town Detroit, Michigan, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is one of 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Caring for nearly 6,000 new patients annually on a budget of $216 million, conducting more than 700 cancer-specific scientific investigation programs and clinical trials, Karmanos is among the nation's best cancer centers. Through the commitment of 1,000 staff, including nearly 300 physicians and researchers on faculty at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, and supported by thousands of volunteer and financial donors, Karmanos strives to prevent, detect and eradicate all forms of cancer. Its long-term partnership with the WSU School of Medicine enhances the collaboration of critical research and academics related to cancer care. Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., is the Institute's president and chief executive officer. For more information call 1-800-KARMANOS or go to www.karmanos.org.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About the GM Foundation
Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to deserving American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates.  Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM.  The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2000. For more information, visit www.gm.com/gmfoundation.

SOURCE Karmanos Cancer Institute