Rihanna took the stage at Barrington High School moments ago for her much-anticipated visit. Her fans greeted her with wild applause and Beatlemania-type screaming.

“Thank you guys for coming and waiting,” the Barbadian signer said, before paying tribute to the school’s charitable works.

The school won the visit with Rihanna – hours before she’s due to perform at the United Center – after winning a contest she sponsored. She invited schools to produce videos set her “Diamonds” single that would highlight charitable work. Barrington High’s video, produced by students of the BHS-TV class, is a montage of shots that shine a light on several different philanthropic initiatives in which the school participates. Among many other service projects both local and nationwide, the school has assisted tornado victims in Joplin, Mo., and Natives American who live on a reservation in South Dakota.

“With a whole lot of polishing and collaboration, we can all shine bright like a diamond,” says the narrator of the video.

Rihanna’s website said the contest was intended to honor the “most creative and inspiring lipdub or video that includes a giving back to your community (and world!) message.”

About 2,500 people assembled in the gymnasium of the northwest suburban high school awaiting Rihanna’s arrival.

A school official announced that someone in the crowd will win an autographed Rihanna CD and tickets to her show tonight at the United Center.

Before the visit: Barrington Students Talk of Contest, Rihanna Visit (Peter Chung everybody!)

Winning video

Source: Chicago Tribune

The Clara Lionel Foundation, a humanitarian foundation formed this year in honour of Barbadian international superstar Rihanna, has donated in excess of $1.75 million in equipment to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) for its radiotherapy department, which now bears the name of the late Clara Brathwaite.

Speaking on behalf of the Foundation, Rihanna said that the donation was her way of giving back to the country of her birth and to assist the QEH in its continued modernisation efforts.

“I believe that this will have a huge impact on the people of Barbados. This was all done in effort to save lives or at least extend it and I thank you all for being a part of it,” she said.

In a statement to E! News, the singer said, “This was my way of giving back to Barbados, in a form of philanthropy, by assisting the QEH in its continued modernization program…I believe that this will have a huge impact on the people of Barbados. This was all done to save lives or at least extend them.”

At the renaming ceremony yesterday morning for the department, Chief Executive Officer of the QEH, Dr. Dexter James, said that the renaming of the department as ‘The Clara Brathwaite Center for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine’, demonstrates the significant role that philanthropy plays in the financing arrangement of health systems.

The Chief Executive Office revealed that negotiations began with the Clara Lionel Foundation in early July, when the Foundation approached the management of the hospital requesting ways in which they could support the health facility and it was determined that a donation of equipment in support of patients who require treatment for various forms of cancer was most prudent.

Dr. James told those gathered that at the end of that meeting it was agreed that the Foundation would donate three major pieces of equipment – an Equinox External Beam Therapy System and related equipment at a cost of US $905 767; a Brachytherapy Treatment Planning System and related equipment valued at US $638 000 and a Gamma Camera valued at approximately US $350 000 to assist in the care of such patients.

“The donation of this oncology equipment is very timely for it was only about two weeks ago that we launched our equipment prospectus [for] 2012. The prospectus presents a list of equipment of the highest priority that would have the greatest impact on patient care and improvement to quality and good outcomes,” he said.

The CEO reported to those gathered, including the family of the late Clara Brathwaite, that the already-purchased Equinox External Beam Therapy System, is expected to be shipped by mid-January 2013, and it is anticipated that it would be in operation by early March. The remaining equipment to be delivered within one year after that installation.

Once the equipment is in use, it will allow for faster turnaround times for setup of treatment. As a result, patients can expect that the backlogs will be reduced.

Moreover, he gave those present the assurance that the necessary preventative maintenance contracts would be implemented on each installation and that the hospital would uphold the terms of the grant agreement with the Foundation in its entirety.

Via The Barbados Advocate.

Rihanna wowed her fans Friday by turning up at a Manhattan club where hundreds were grooving to her new album — and delivering supplies to the Daily News hurricane relief drive.

“Rihanna! Rihanna!” the fans began chanting when the sultry siren suddenly arrived at Jay-Z’s 40/40 club in Chelsea.

“I’m so excited,” Rihanna told a reporter from The News as she embraced fans and shook hands. “I didn’t know all these people were coming, but it’s all for a good cause.”

Stunned Rihanna fan Darylin Rae Payton said, “She gave me a hug.” “My friends lost houses,” said Payton, 20, of Jamaica, Queens. “I like that she took time to do this. It wasn’t even just her. She got everyone in here to give back.”

Rihanna rocked her fans’ world after she sent out a Mayday message urging them to bring “tools to move forward from this terrible tragedy” with them to her listening party at the W. 25th St. club.

“Hurricane Sandy has deeply affected the lives of millions all across the Eastern Seaboard,” RiRi wrote in an email to The News. “Many are still without power, heat, and the basic supplies necessary to rebuild in the aftermath of such a horrific event.”

Rihanna, who has already pledged 1,000 new sleeping bags to The News’ ongoing storm relief drive, added: “Now is the time for us to come together and do whatever we can to aid those in need.” That message was received loud and clear as Rihanna fans flocked to the club with supplies in their hands.

First in line was Helen’arlenecq Testamark, 21, of Harlem, who brought T-shirts, a blanket and an extra coat.

“I just wanted to go somewhere and give back,” she said.

Shanique Robinson, 23, of Mount Vernon dropped off a pair of fuzzy socks — and sang Rihanna’s praises.

“It shows that she actually does care,” she said. “She’s not like some other artists.”

Cameron Stewart, 19, of The Bronx, said Rihanna set a great example for regular folks.

“We as a people should come together and do it, not just artists,” said Stewart, who donated a mop, disinfectant and detergent.
Courtney Paige brought baby wipes, scarves and bleach.

“I love Rihanna, I respect that she is one of the celebrities that care,” she said.

But Paige, who is 26 and lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, also showed The News some love for organizing the drive.

“I think it’s great what the Daily News is doing,” she said. “I read it every day on my way to work…I just wanted to do my part.”

The items collected at the Rihanna bash were loaded on a Daily News truck and will be delivered to hard-hit parts of the city on Saturday.

Also on the News’ truck will be 3,000 badly needed blankets, courtesy of Modell’s Sporting Goods.

The News began running relief trucks on Sunday. First stop was the storm-ravaged Rockaways. Since then, The News has delivered supplies to Coney Island, Staten Island and Sea Gate.

On Wednesday, a News truck braved the nor’easter to help out critters left homeless by the storm, ferrying hundreds of pounds of pet food to Sean Casey Animal Rescue in the Kensington section of Brooklyn.

Meanwhile, other New Yorkers have stepped up on behalf of Sandy victims.

NYC-TV’s legendary Joe (Tuna) Centrone will cook up a storm of his own Saturday on the wrecked Rockaways. On the cookout menu: 1,500 hot dogs, 60 pounds of potato and macaroni salad — and chicken soup. Lunch will be served at noon at Bullock’s Gas Station on Beach 129th St. between Cronston and Newport Aves. in Belle Harbor.

The News got the relief drive rolling Saturday with a $100,000 donation from Publisher Mortimer B. Zuckerman.

Since then, the fund has more than doubled thanks to generous contributions from “The X Factor” judge Simon Cowell; Z-100′s Elvis Duran; Mets honcho Jeff Wilpon; the Manhattan Institute; Porschla Kidd, wife of Knicks guard Jason Kidd; and hundreds of readers.

To make giving easier, The News has set up a PayPal account that will enable readers to donate online at nydn.com/sandyappeal. You can also donate by scanning the square bar code on this page with a smartphone.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

What you can do to boost the Daily News Sandy disaster relief fund. All the money raised will go directly to those in need. Make checks out to our long-running Daily News Charities.

Specify in the memo field of the check or in a note that the donation is for the Hurricane Sandy Relief fund.

Mail to:
New York Daily News
4 New York Plaza

New York, NY 10004

Cleopatra’s, oops, Rihanna’s Facebook page has been updated with over 130 photos from the Robin Hood Benefit gala in New York City earlier this month. There are photos from rehearsals, performance and backstage. Love them!

Pictured: Rihanna with Jay Brown, her manager.

The event raised over $57 million, watch a video after the jump!

Check out more professional pictures of Rihanna while she performed at Manhattan venue Jacob K Javits for the charity event. It is told that the Robin Hood Foundation raised over $57 mln during the event!

UPDATE: Added some pictures of RiRi leaving her hotel and heading to the event.

Watch below fan videos of Rihanna performing “We Found Love” and “Only Girl”:

Check out one more picture of Rihanna leaving the venue after the cut.

The Robin Hood Foundation gala, Wall Street’s largest single-evening fundraising event, had Rihanna onstage and took in $57 million tonight (May 14) at its annual New York dinner.

Check back in a few hours for professional photos! To see more fan photos, make sure to follow @RihannaDaily on Twitter. Earlier today, she was photographed leaving her hotel and heading to rehearsals:

Founded in 1988, the Robin Hood Foundation raises money for 200 of New York’s poverty-fighting organizations. Its board — which includes Paul Tudor Jones II, Greenlight Capital’s David Einhorn, SAC Capital Advisors LP’s Steven A. Cohen, film producer Harvey Weinstein and actor Gwyneth Paltrow — covers the gala’s cost so that all proceeds go to the beneficiaries.

Watch Rihanna singing Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” at Women’s Cancer Resarch Fund charity gala in Beverly Hills last night (April 18).

Rihanna has performed the same song on Oprah a couple years ago, watch here.