Miracle House Celebrates Tenth Anniversary of Cocktails by the Bay in Sag Harbor

(Long Island, N.Y.) Supporters and contributors of Miracle House congregated at the Sag Harbor home of Board President Gerry Logue and Vice President and Creative Director Oxygen Network to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Cocktails by the Bay on Saturday July 31, 2010.

Miracle House provides temporary occupancy, food, and advocacy to critically ill patients and their caregivers traveling to Manhattan for severe medical treatment.

This year Miracle House has reached a tremendous milestone celebrating their 20th anniversary.

Miracle House was Founded in 1990 as an organization dedicated to providing help, housing and support for critically ill patients and their families in response to the AIDS dilemma. The non-profit organization began as a single apartment in midtown Manhattan where overwhelmed sick individuals could stay during critical intense medical treatment. While the AIDS community was suffering from a pandemic and social stigma, Miracle House remained a sanctuary free of judgment, where caregivers of people living with AIDS could stay and support each other.

Today, Miracle House operates a Client Facility that includes five three-bedroom apartments situated in midtown Manhattan serving over 1,000 clients each year.

This is the last year for Gerry Logue serving as President on the Board of Directors for Miracle House. Gerry has had over twenty five years of media marketing experience in the entertainment industry.

Logue has overseen numerous successful launches and premieres for notable new brands including The W Hotel, InStyle Magazine, Disney’s The Lion King, and Capitol Records The Beatles Anthology.

He has established popular launch campaigns for many hit TV series and films for ABC, The WB and Lifetime Television as well as developed creative marketing solutions and out of the box ideas for Bravo, TNT, TBS, Food Network, Travel & Leisure Magazine, Time Warner Cable and numerous Broadway productions.

Logue also markets, contributes and creates one-of-a-kind single-family homes for second-home buyers by focusing on capturing and then selling the entire lifestyle experience. Currently he is negotiating with Empyrean Homes about developing a project with their Dwell Homes brand.

Gerry Logue has held respected positions at top networks such as CNN, NBC, President of Grey Entertainment (division of Grey Global Group) and SVP Executive Creative Director, Lifetime Networks.

During our interview he conveyed, “This is my last year as President of Miracle House and this has been our best year ever, It has been a tough year for non-profits, but we service 1200 clients a year, we still have our five bedroom apartments, we provide food, we provide support services so this has been a terrific year for us and we want to keep the momentum going.”

While enjoying the evening I was introduced to TV Personality Libby Langdon. Libby Langdon is an interior designer and an expert commentator on HGTV’s hit show Small Space, Big Style. Libby is also Rachael Ray’s go-to interior design “buddy”, and frequently appears on The Rachael Ray Show doing design makeovers.

Libby often pops up doing makeovers on shows such as The View, The Early Show, BetterTV, and NBC’s Open House NYC. Her designs have been featured on magazine covers of Hamptons Cottages and Gardens, New England Home and Decorating Spaces. She is a contributor and big supporter of Miracle House. Ms. Langdon revealed, “It’s great to be here, this is such a beautiful night and such a great event, it’s so much fun that everybody is coming together to support and celebrate Miracle House. As an interior designer it’s so important that people feel comfortable in their surroundings and that is what Miracle House is all about, making it comfortable for people when they have to be away from home because someone is sick or they are going though some sort of surgery, this is a stressful time. Miracle House gives them a home away from home.”

At the event I had the chance to also chat with Jesse Ramos, Chief Operating Officer who revealed in a mission statement, “The goal I dream of is to see Miracle House grow into having a home of its own. Nan Sweetser, a dear friend and a founder of Miracle House would always say to me, “Just put it out in the Universe, miracles happen all the time.”

I strongly believe Miracle House is one of New York’s most vital and truly amazing charities supported by people who instinctively know that there is no substitute for hope. Miracle House understands the importance of hospitality, the role of the caregiver, and we know of the generosity that comes with a caring spirit.

Miracle House was built through one hundred million miracles and we want to know about yours. We want to hear from you. Tell us your story. Email, write, or telephone us and share it with us.”

Actress Ms. Joan Allen was originally suppose to host the event but due to personal issues was unable to attend. Emcee for the event was Bill McCuddy former Entertainment News Reporter for Fox News.

McCuddy’s career began in advertising before embarking into broadcasting. In 1994 Bill McCuddy won a talk show host contest on CNBC featuring unknown participants. His prize was a contract to host a program that would air on America’s Talking, a CNBC spin-off cable channel that would launch immediately. After a short run as a TV Host for Wake Up America on the fledgling network, McCuddy joined Fox News in 1996 as a regular contributor to various programming on the network. He now works as a voiceover for many commercials and is a frequent comic at Carolines’s Comedy Club in Manhattan.

We talked at the event and he confessed, “It’s tough, I emcee a lot of benefits and fewer and fewer people are coming out and spending the kind of money that is needed to support causes like this. This year bounced back a little and so more people are able to do what they can. This is a much lower key kind of thing, it’s not $1,000 a seat or $5,000 a seat at a huge table, it’s a backyard cocktail party, It’s also one of Joan Allen’s favorite events because it’s so relaxed.”

Miracle House offers over 14,000 meals annually to guests staying at their facility. All registered patients and caregivers are invited to join a Miracle House volunteer at a nearby diner for breakfast and/or dinner. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share stories and gain support from other guests. In addition, each apartment’s kitchen is fully furnished with modern appliances, cookware, and utensils. The cupboards are stocked with dry goods and spices for guests to share and prepare meals at their ‘home away from home.

Miracle House clients come to them with a wide range of ailments at various stages of progression. In an effort to better comprehend their patients and caregivers, Miracle House maintains extensive demographic records of those utilizing their humanitarian services. This information remains anonymous and in no way determines eligibility.

For more information about Miracle House and how you can contribute please visit www.miraclehouse.org.