The proceeds from the sixth annual Pink Tie event went towards the Stony Brook’s Children Hospital.
This year’s celebrity guests included Tony nominee and Greek-American actor and singer Constantine Maroulis who performed with Bernie Williams (former New York Yankee and musician), veteran professional hockey player Ron Duguay (New York Rangers), former Yankee Cecil Fielder, wrestling manager Jimmy Hart, professional wrestler and entrepreneur Hulk Hogan, former Yankee and baseball world champion Jimmy Leyritz, as well as retired basketball player John Starks (New York Knicks), among others.
A few of these aforementioned professional athletes (Jimmy Leyritz and John Starks), and entertainer Constantine Maroulis, took some time out of their schedule to chat with Digital Journal on the “pink carpet” at Eisenhower Park.
Jimmy Leyritz
“It’s great to be here,” Leyritz said. “As a spokesperson for Pink Tie, for the past couple of years, I have watched this event grow and grow. We are excited to be at a new venue at The Carltun at Eisenhower Park, and we are raising money for a new charity, the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. It is a brand new hospital and they are building some wings for the kids. One of our biggest things is to give back for kids. It should be a great night, since there will be plenty of people coming in, and supporting the cause.”
Leyritz told his fans to continue to come out to support them. “Get out there and root for the Yankees, since they did pretty good this year. I think it is going to be an exciting year for the Yankees, and an even more exciting year for Pink Tie, and for 1st Equity.”
John Starks
John Starks noted that it is a “great” feeling to be a part of the 2018 Pink Tie event. “I have been coming for the last couple of the years. My mother, grandmother and my sister all died from breast cancer, so this is a very important event to attend.”
This year’s event benefits the Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “Doing something to help children at Stony Brook’s Children Hospital is definitely incredible to support,” Starks said, prior to telling his fans to continue to lend their support to Pink Tie, and “what it stands for” and “to continue to help other people.” The professional basketball player defined the word success as “being happy with everything that you are doing in life,” thus having a “fulfilled life.”
Constantine Maroulis
Lead performer Constantine Maroulis also discussed the importance of Pink Tie. “It feels awesome to be here,” Maroulis said. “It is so cool to be in a position like this to help out. I am a young father, and now my daughter is seven years old, and she’s going to be in second grade. We are just so grateful that she is healthy, and it breaks my heart to see what some of these young families go through. I am happy to be a small part of raising awareness and raising some money that goes directly to them, to help those kids out.”
Maroulis also opened up about the digital transformation of the music business. “These are modern times we are living in,” he said. “You have to go with it, and prepare yourself, especially if you are putting music out there. You have to recognize that in a way, you have to give it out for free now, and hope that people will come and see you play, and but tickets to your concerts. It all works out. Everybody is getting a hold of it, and artists are still getting recognized, and the live music industry is thriving. Theater is also bigger than it has ever been this year. It was the biggest year on Broadway ever. I am glad to be working, thriving and hustling as usual.”
For his fans, Maroulis told that the “Pink Tie is so wonderful.” “I am so psyched to be able to be here and give back a little bit. This is a first-class venue and a first-class organization. I am a young father, and I sympathize so much with what these young parents are going through.”
Background on Pink Tie
Mike Cave, CEO of 1st Equity Title and Closing Services, founded Pink Tie after he lost his aunt to breast cancer. The mission of Pink Tie is to help other local organizations in the communities that they serve.
For more information on Pink Tie, visit its official homepage.
