April 1, 2014

Evening on the Diamond

: Jake Owen electrifies the crowd

: Infielder Aaron Hill and pitcher J.J. Putz

: Miguel Montero bids enthusiastically in the live auction

: Martin Prado and his wife

: Shortstop Cliff Pennington and his wife

: Catcher Miguel Montero and his wife, Vanessa

: Honorary chairs Aaron Hill and his wife, Elizabeth

: Pitchers Joe Thatcher and Josh Collmenter

: Pitcher Patrick Corbin and his wife

: Pitcher Wade Miley and his wife

: Diamondback players with Jake Owen

: D-backs Aaron Hill, Tony Campana and Chris Owings

: Diamondback wives with Jake Owen

: Entertainer Jake Owen

: First baseman Paul Goldschmidt

: Outfielder Cody Ross bids on an auction item

: Derrick Hall and Ken Kendrick present Linda Hunt with the Lee T. Hanley Community Leadership Award

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The fundraiser to support Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation was Thurs., March 27 at Chase Field. This year’s event was dubbed Denim on the Diamond as the more than 700 guests donned Western attire and later enjoyed the music of country recording artist Jake Owen performing live.

D-backs President Derrick Hall and owner Ken Kendrick presented Linda Hunt of Dignity Health Arizona with the Lee T. Hanley Leadership Award. The award is named in honor of Lee Hanley, who received the award shortly before he lost his battle with cancer.

Susan and Mike Ebert, Red Development president, were the event chairs, and Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill and his wife, Elizabeth, were the honorary chairs. University of Phoenix was the presenting sponsor. The evening raised a record $1.9 million for the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation.

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER STEWART/ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

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Evening on the Diamond

: Sanderson Ford’s Andrew Kimmerle and Cindy Brunson, former ESPN anchor and wife of Berthiaume

: Diamondbacks player Martin Prado

: Ken Kendrick, Dbacks managing general partner; Sen. Jon Kyl; Nancy Hanley; and Derrick Hall, Dbacks president and CEO

: Kirk Gibson, Diamondbacks manager

: Diamondbacks broadcasters Bob Brenly and Steve Berthiaume

: Diamondbacks player Cody Ross

: Ken Kendrick, Dbacks managing general partner, and Derrick Hall, Dbacks president and CEO, with the band Chicago

: Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt

: Chicago performance

: The silent auction

The sold-out Arizona Diamondback fundraising event drew 700 guests and raised a record $1.8 million to benefit the Arizona Diamondback Foundation. The seventh annual dinner at Chase Field on March 28 attracted a host of baseball fans and players – all to help Arizonans who are less fortunate.

Dinner was followed by a live performance by multi-platinum band Chicago, who started the night with “Make Me Smile, ” the band’s first Top 10 record, peaking at No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970.

Sen. Jon Kyl received the Lee T. Hanley Community Leadership Award from the foundation for his philanthropic endeavors to assist Arizona charities and the community throughout the Valley. Hanley was the CEO of Vestar and received the award last year before he lost his battle with cancer shortly after the 2012 Evening on the Diamond. His wife, Nancy, was on hand for the dinner.

The live auction featured one-of-a-kind experiences including a trip for two to Florence and Venice, Italy; a trip for two to Buenos Aires, Argentina; a 2013 Mustang GT courtesy of Sanderson Ford and more. The auction generated $800,000 for the foundation coffers. In 2012, the Diamondbacks and the Diamondbacks Foundation gave back more than $4 million, including support to build Aaron Hill Field in Parker, Ariz., the 33nd field in the “Diamonds Back” field-building program.

The theme of the gala was “delivering dreams for kids who need us.” Ron Goodson, Pepsi Bottling general manager, and his wife, Anita, served as dinner co-chairs. Dr. Bill Pepicello, University of Phoenix president, and his wife, Kris, welcomed guests. The event was sponsored by University of Phoenix.

Since its inception, the Diamondbacks and the Diamondbacks Foundation have made charitable donations totaling more than $33 million to nonprofit organizations throughout Arizona.

Photos: Jordan Megenhardt/Arizona Diamondbacks

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Evening on the Diamond

The sold-out fundraising dinner at Chase Field to benefit Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation raised $1.7 million. Since 2007, the event has raised $8.2 million for Arizona charities and nonprofit organizations.

Ken Kendrick, Diamondbacks managing general partner, said, “We are humbled by the efforts of so many who made (the evening) such a success, and we are grateful that so many people, including our entire team and coaching staff, took the time to be a part of it.”

The theme of the March 30 gala was Teaming Up for Education. The University of Phoenix was the presenting sponsor, and the school’s president, Dr. Bill Pepicello, co-chaired the event with his wife, Kris. A portion of the program geared specifically toward education raised $100,000 from the attendees, with the University of Phoenix matching an additional $50,000, for $150,000 total in funds.

Lee Hanley, chairman and CEO of Vestar, received the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation Community Leadership Award for his philanthropic endeavors throughout the Valley.

The event’s live auction raised more than $680,000, and featured a South African hunting/photographic safari and a James Bond experience in London, among others.

More than 700 guests attended the dinner on the infield of Chase Field. A live, hour-long performance by Natalie Cole followed dinner, concluding with her famous video duet on dbTV with her late father, Nat King Cole.

Photos by Jordan Megenhardt/Arizona Diamondbacks

Evening on the Diamond

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Evening on the Diamond

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Evening on the Diamond

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