Party fundraiser for student pianos

MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 6, 2013) — What does it take to donate 88 pianos to 88 hospitals in Minnesota and around the country, giving hundreds of sick children a healthy dose of hope, art and music?

Head downtown to join the coolest crowd with the warmest hearts at SEVEN’s Sushi Ultralounge and Skybar with Keys 4/4 Kids and The Ellen Project (Not “Ellen” as in the comedian) on Friday, Aug. 23, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. for cocktails, food stations and concert at 700 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis. www.7mpls.com

Tickets for The Ellen Project’s “Release Party” are $88 (There are 88 keys on a standard piano), which includes a custom-crafted event cocktail, generous assortment of fresh sushi, signature steak and pasta dishes served at food stations all evening, and a piano concert. Dress code for guests is cocktail casual, black or white with a splash of color. All proceeds from ticket sales, silent auction and donations will benefit The Ellen Project.

The Ellen Project Release Party, a stylish, black and white-themed cocktail party and dinner fundraiser, will feature SEVEN’s world-class steak, pasta and fresh sushi menu. After dinner, guests can enjoy a concert by local singer Bjorn Briel and renowned Minnesota pianist Don Irwin, who started touring with Willie Nelson when he was 14, and has entertained audiences all over the world.

As an event highlight, Irwin will be tickling the ivories of a grand piano designed by Minnesota artist and portrait painter Anthony Welihan, whose commissions include the NFL, Super Bowl, Nascar, Disney and many celebrities in film, music and theatre.

Why raise money for pianos for children battling diseases like cancer?

“We’ve seen that bringing pianos and music into hospitals and even into the hospital rooms of these kids who are sick, gives hope to people, helps them feel good about their situation and their future,” said Keys 4/4 Kids Founder and Executive Director Newell Hill. “Without the help of others, we can’t bring smiles and healing to these hurting children here and across the nation.”

It’s called The Ellen Project and Hill says the August 23rd fundraiser celebrates the release of a new heartwarming video outlining Keys 4/4 Kid’s efforts.

“The Sushi Ultralounge and Skybar, part of SEVEN’S 3-level premier dining and entertainment facility, is the perfect destination to bring the community together for this wonderful cause,” said David Koch, Seven’s Chief Manager.  “It’s a special evening for us, for a special reason and we hope to see Twin Citians open their hearts to these kids.”

The Ellen Project was inspired by two young girls, 10-year-old Ellen and her sister Molly, who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of six.  Keys 4/4 Kids brought a piano to the hospital for the sisters to paint together and The Ellen Project was born. Watch the new video of the girls’ story and see the joys The Ellen Project can bring by visiting http://youtube/lRy2hl-7ax0.

Keys 4/4 Kids is a non-profit organization located in St. Paul whose mission is to inspire young people to believe in themselves through the arts. The organization achieves its mission by helping to fund music education programs through the sale of donated pianos.

Keys 4/4 Kids grew out of a need to provide sustainable, long-term funding to educational programs in arts and music.  Newell Hill, Keys’ Executive Director, began an after-school music and arts program in North Minneapolis known as MUSE to fill a gap in music and arts education created by budget cuts.

For more information, go to www.keys44kids.com. Find out more about The Ellen Project Release Party at www.theellenproject.com.