Dan's Papers - August 24, 2007 - Jill & Cliff Viner Pay For An Entire Fundraiser

For the second year in a row, Quogue residents Jill and Cliff Viner have generously underwritten An Evening Under the Stars - an event that will include a performance by superstar Diana Ross - to benefit The Diabetes Research Institute, a cause close to Ms. Viner's heart. Her brother, Craig Silver, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was ten years old, and her family has been involved in hoping to find a cure for the disease ever since.

While attending the University of Miami, Ms. Viner actively supported diabetes research and remembers attending the Love and Hope Ball with her parents, but said she has really reconnected with the cause over the last few years. "I wanted to increase awareness and help the New York chapter grow," she said, explaining that the chapter was developed only three years ago. "The DRI foundation is based in Miami, but they need strong support here."

Last year, the Viners hosted An Evening Under the Stars at their oceanfront Quogue residence, which featured a performance by Grammy Award-winning soul singer Patti LaBelle - who has lived with diabetes for over a decade. But this year, due to an increased outpour of interest and support, the event will be held on Saturday, August 25 at Stony Brook Southampton, accommodating 500 guests -double the capacity of last summer's affair.

"We came up with the idea last year as a way to raise awareness, but this year it's being held as a fundraiser," Ms. Viner said of the overwhelming response, adding that the stellar and compelling atmosphere will again be designed by Barton G., an international leader in the events production industry and supporter of the DRI.

"Everything will be perfect," Ms. Viner said confidently.

Originally from Boca Raton, Florida, the Viner family has been visiting the East End for almost five years. "Our daughters were attending Boston University and University of Pennsylvania and we thought it would be an easily accessible place to meet up," Ms. Viner said of the decision to purchase their Quogue home. When she's not hosting lavish charity events in the Hamptons, Ms. Viner enjoys sitting on her deck, staring at the ocean, water skiing on the bay and bike riding along Dune Road. "It's beautiful here," she said contentedly. "I love it."

Ms. Viner, who serves on DRI's National Board of Directors, chose to concentrate her philanthropic efforts on the Diabetes Research Institute because of the foundation's recognition as a world leader in cure-focused research. "DRI pulls researchers from all over the world," she said. "And a significant amount of funds go straight to research." She also noted that some of the proceeds from An Evening Under the Stars will go to children who can't afford insulin pumps and family therapy, so they can understand how to maintain healthier lifestyles while living with the disease.

"When my brother was first diagnosed, it was almost like a freak thing," she recalled. "It was very odd to see a young boy testing himself with a needle." But since it's inception in the early 1970s, the DRI has been an innovative force, making significant contributions to the field of diabetes research and pioneering many of the techniques used in islet transplantation - a promising treatment for type 1 diabetes. This treatment transplants healthy, insulin-producing islet cells from donor pancreases, which could potentially restore the ability to produce insulin and cure the patient's disease. "DRI has made great strides, but we still need to help scientists find a cure," said Ms. Viner, adding that DRI has a four-star charity rating in the Charity Navigator, the nation's largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities.

"We're excited and pleased to have the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation as the beneficiary of such a high-profile and special event. We're thankful to Jill Viner and Cliff Viner and Barton G. Weiss of Barton G. for their effort and support in putting this great evening together," said Robert A. Pearlman, president and CEO of the DRI Foundation. "The willingness of such extraordinary people to give of themselves is further evidence that the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is truly the organization of choice for people searching for a cure for diabetes."

Ms. Viner's personal connection, the most powerful motivator, allows her to truly speak from the heart. Her brother, Craig, 38 years after his diagnosis, is doing great. "He will be at the event," she said lovingly. "He is so touched and so appreciative."