The place to be to support an incredible cause? According to our Lance Avery Morgan, the Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater is where we’ll be to support the 12th Annual Andy Roddick Foundation Gala that has country music recording star Jake Owen headlining. Since the proceeds of the night’s events benefit the foundation’s after school and summer learning programs, we’re on board to encourage involvement in this worthy cause that happens Monday, October 30, 2017, at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater.
We caught up with Andy recently, when he was being fitted by Liz Brown at Knot Standard for a suit for the gala, to discuss his deep involvement with the cause. It all began with Roddick’s personal relationship Andre Agassi, who confided that he didn’t feel he started his foundation early enough, which inspired Roddick to take action at a young age in creating his own foundation. “We’ve gone from an event in a make-shift tennis clinic in a parking lot to what we are doing now. I’ve been lucky to have been around people who wanted to make change and I learned from Elton John, with the event he does with Billy Jean King that we also support, keep your fundraising local when you can,” Andy Roddick told us.
Roddick’s foundation is the leading Central Texas organization enriching the lives of children through high quality after school and summer learning programs, investments in community innovators and awareness-building activities. “We have an open-door policy with the kids we work with and we’re in three Austin schools: Pecan Springs, Hart and Harris and we serve about 1500 children a day that includes our camps, too,” says Roddick.
The gala brings together approximately 2,000 supporters, friends, partners and concert-goers for an evening of celebration and music. The evening features a cocktail reception, an extensive live auction, an elegant dinner and live concert. The event has attracted the biggest names in music and entertainment, like Elton John, Lionel Richie, John Legend and a laundry list of top talent, raising $7 million since 2012 to support the foundation’s afterschool and summer learning and enrichment programs. Since 2000, when Roddick’s vision for the foundation began, it’s raised a whopping $20 million to improve the lives of children with its mission to help kids by promoting education and creating positive experiences for children.
Tickets for the ARF Gala concert are available from http://acl-live.com/calendar/arf-jake-owen and if anyone is interested in dinner tables or sponsorship to contact Natasha Millar-Willet at natasha@arfoundation.org