After 20 years, the American Red Cross, Western New York Chapter proudly announced today that it is handing the annual BASH event to its partners at Mercy Flight, Inc.
Mercy Flight will continue the trauma-themed “Party of the Summer” at Buffalo RiverWorks on Friday, June 7, 2019, while the Red Cross will host the inaugural Western New York Real Heroes Breakfast, sponsored by Mr. John Yurtchuk and Calspan Corporation, at Park Country Club in Williamsville on May 16, 2019.
“We are so proud to have hosted The BASH for 20 years, an event that the Western New York community circles on their calendars the first Friday every June,” said Alexandra Murello, Executive Director of the American Red Cross, Western New York Chapter. “We’re thrilled that a great community partner like Mercy Flight will keep the party going, and we’re excited to highlight the best and brightest Western New York has to offer at our Real Heroes Breakfast May 16.”
The Real Heroes Breakfast concept grew out of a desire to host an event closely related to the Red Cross mission of helping people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The event will honor ordinary people who have stepped up and taken extraordinary action to help others in their time of need. A Real Heroes nomination form, as well as ticket and sponsorship information, are available at www.redcross.org/wnyrealheroes.
Thanks to Mercy Flight, Inc, fans of The BASH will continue to be able to enjoy food and drink from Buffalo’s best restaurants, as well as live music from Nerds Gone Wild, VIP packages, a Mercy Flight helicopter flyover, and a new addition this year –a fireworks display for attendees to enjoy. Last year, more than 3,000 people dressed in their best military gear marched on Red Cross headquarters for the 20th Annual BASH. This year, Mercy Flight command is moving base camp to Buffalo RiverWorks.
“People were disappointed when they heard that last year was going to be the ‘Last BASH’, and we’re proud that the Red Cross has entrusted us to carry on The BASH tradition,” said Kate Glaser, Director of Marketing and Public Affairs of Mercy Flight. “We’re looking forward to continuing the ‘Party of the Summer’ at a great location like RiverWorks, and that Nerds Gone Wild will once again have everyone dancing the night away. This event will be used as a way to not only raise critical funds for our nonprofit cause, but also to educate the community about our emergency medical mission that is nearly four decades strong saving lives here in WNY.”
Tickets for the BASH will be available starting January 2019. For more information, visit www.mercyflight.org.
