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Rainbow Gala
Glammed to the hilt, the Hilton ballroom exploded in five dazzling quadrants of color and fun as in toys, games, recess (everyone's favorite), children's books and art. Each was marked with a matching activity that was suspended on high. Think hula hoops, giant paint brushes, basketballs, Tinkertoys, Monopoly and Twister boards.
Even the centerpieces, linens and chair covers changed with each activity. Gorgeously so. Creative Affairs' party wiz Bonnie Walker-Chirigos (with Ed Stein) went all out (and all free, the darling) to create the knockout ambience.
More fun than a barrel of monkeys? You betcha. A favorite was the live blond Barbie doll who delighted during the cocktail mingle while guests bid at the silent auction and played nicely together.
The menu's entree was a tasty grilled filet mignon and pan-seared salmon paired with a yummy desert of white-chocolate bread pudding.
Because everyone there has a connection to a loved one battling the dread disease, they turned their pockets inside out and bid with their hearts. Especially for the Burton Morris triptych that the famed pop artist created with JD youngsters that brought $30,000 in the live auction. The successful bidder then generously donated it to our Children's Hospital. Hold on to your Slinky, Sally, because the live auction and Fund a Cure bidding raised a double rainbow of $519,000. Shelving fun and games for a moment, the eve raised a staggering $1.3 million all in!
But the gala's driving force, as always, is JDRF's determination to find a cure for diabetes. Just ask honoree and great guy Dr. Stan Marks, director of clinical services at UPMC Cancer Centers and co-founder of JDRF's regional chapter. Stan showed with lovely Nikol Snee and his sons Jason and Jordan Marks (who has the chronic disease). The $300,000 pot of gold from Fund a Cure will indeed be directed to funding a cure through Stan's new, local signature research grant studying regeneration, one of JDRF's five cure therapeutics.
Then it was dancing to the irresistible Gary Racan and the Studio E band, as much a Vegas floorshow as a tip-top dance band.
Giant lollipops to chairs Heidi Brandon, Mary Beth Allegretti and Nan DeTurk (with hubbies Darryl, Jon and Steve) who turned this hugely successful gala every which way but loose. With good cause, since each has a child who is coping with the daily challenges of JD.
A peek at the guest list: Tracy and Dr. Ken Melani; JDRF chapter prez Mark Gleason, with daughter Erin, and director David Donahue, with Pauli; Julie and Jason Lichtenstein; Pam and Scott Kroh; Athena and Frank Sarris; Celesta and Kendall Simmons of the Steelers; Peggy and Steve Snavely; Dennis and Judy White; Mary and David Maxwell with daughter Leah; Adrianne and Curtis Aiken; Jeanne Caliguiri; Maureen and Gary Barunas; Barbara and Dan Shapira; emcee Sally Wiggin of WTAE; and Orlando Antigua.
As well as Susie Franklin; Amy and Philip Elias; Barbara and David Burstin; Sara and Ahmie Baum; Drs. Leslie Soloshatz and Jeffrey Cohen; Nancy and Eric Anderson; Neal and Dot Pollan; Marsetta and Rich Schweiger; Mary Jo Tambakis; Susan and John Albrecht; Carol and John Oxenreiter; Kathy and Ed Gallagher; Tara and John Lewis; Susan and George Stewart; Linda and Russell Rice; Candace and John McTiernan; and Constance and Larry Manypenny.
-- JoAnne Harrop and J.H.
| Oodles for 'Noodle' |
It took two theaters to contain the capacity crowd of moviegoers at Thursday's showing of "Noodle," which launched the Pittsburgh Jewish-Israeli Film Festival at SouthSide Works Cinema. Celebrating Israel @ 60, the PJIFF chose this heartwarming story of a mother and son separated by borders but whose love knows no boundaries ('til April 13). After the film, more than 400 guests enjoyed folk dancing to the spirited music of Ishtar, and delicious hors d'oeuvres by Michael Lench, especially his spicy noodles.
When the lights came up, we spotted PJIFF director Kathryn Spitz Cohan; event chair Nachum Golan with Steve Hough; committee chair Dodie Roskies with Ralph and daughter Tammy; Richard Rauh; Suzi Neft and David Sufrin with son Alex Byers; Ela Zingerevich; United Jewish Federation CEO Jeff Finkelstein; Sandi and Bernie Pinsker; Roberta Weissburg and Richard Fox; Dan Shapira; and Nanette and Ira Gordon.
-- JoAnne Harrop
| Fashion Ticket |
Models strutted down the runway in spring's hottest fashions at Macy's in Ross Park Mall. Looks went from day to night in hip, colorful numbers from INC International Concepts, the store's exclusive collection. Macy's teamed with Whirl Magazine for Fashion, Art, Culture to benefit Tickets for Kids Charities, which provides tickets to cultural and sporting events to underprivileged children.
Thursday was a time to spring forward for more than 130 fashionistas, including Macy's Linda Decker; TFKC director Vera Marelli; Christine Tumpson and Leslie Hoffman of Whirl; Thanh Hong, a senior at Art Institute of Pittsburgh who designed the winning T-shirt to commemorate the night; Aylesa Stevenson; Anji Corley and niece Jordan Reese; Julie Docherty; Karen Ovadia, owner of Bling It On in Shadyside; Adam Bies; Ruth Allen and mom Grace Moritz; Ashley Viviano; Marcia Coren; Leah Gally; Mary Ann Miller; Denise Sertich; Timothy Rozetar; and Zach Lambert.
-- JoAnne Harrop
| Austrian Ball |
Eight young women in gorgeous white gowns and sparkling tiaras bowed Saturday at the elegant Austrian Ball in the Grand Hall of the Priory to benefit Pitt's Austrian Room Scholarship Fund. On the arm of their white-tied escort, these lovelies waltzed before 230 black-ties who applauded their dedication to community service.
Debuting were Claire Elizabeth Fleming; Chelsey Marie Frisch; Heidi Theresa Goeller; Abbey Rose Kernick; Megan Ann McDowell; Alexis Katherine Schaming; Elizabeth Konzier Shields; and Victoria Konzier Shields.
From the balcony, we spotted Helen Semethy with Bill; Elisabeth and Georg Mandl; Carol and Bill Shields (whose four daughters took part); AACS prez William Burgunder Jr.; Pittsburgh's honorary consul of Switzerland Dr. Heinz Kunz with Nancy; emcee Frank Weiss; Anne-Carol and Tom Tawoda with son Tommy; Heidi Novak; Jackie and Wilhelm Dorfner; Theresa and Richard Goeller and son Richard III; scholarship winners Julia Finch and Zachary Moir; and Sister Mary Traupman.
-- JoAnne Harrop
