P.A., Chicago, Palm Beach, and Houston Social Diary

Main Line Animal Rescue's second annual fund raiser, Wag 'n Train.

CHESTER SPRINGS, PENNSYLVANIA — Set on beautiful Pickering Meade Farm in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, home to Main Line Animal Rescue, tents were filled with more than 700 friends in support of the organization's second annual fund raiser, Wag 'n Train.

The event's western theme was denim casual and featured John Wayne movies showing in the background as Hugh Hildesley, Executive Vice President of Sotheby's, volunteered his time and successfully engaged live auction bidders to bid on dining experiences, unusual vacations and unique opportunities. A silent auction featured items donated by local businesses.

The event's proceeds will be used to support MLAR's medical expenses for the dogs and cats in their care. Each year, MLAR, rescues homeless and abused companion animals, to include hundreds of puppy mill dogs in need of extensive medical treatment, and works tirelessly to improve the lives of the animals by providing a new chance to be placed with a family to love them. An army of volunteers and a devoted board of directors and staff are at the heart of MLAR.

Ginny Simons with Mary Remer of What A Good Dog!, renown dog breeder and trainer

Jeff Bond and his wife Mary Ann, Chair of the Wag 'n Train Auction Committee

Harrise Yaron and Jodi Goldberg with their mother Selma Goldberg

Keeley Comstock

Ilonka Comstock with her dog Louie Prima

Betsy Moran Legnini, Ranney Moran, Betty Moran with Wag 'n Train Event Co-Chairs, Franny Moran Abbott and Caroline Moran

Winnie Atterbury and David Iams

Sabina Louise Pierce

Maddie Pierce, A very happy rescue

Max Abbott and Adele Carr

Sewell Gibbons-Neff Hornsey, Chandi Zeising Smith, and John Hornsey

Anne Hamilton

Paula Perkins and Sheena Bowa

Bill Smith, founder of mlar and mother Helen Smith, backbone of mlar

Tom Hickey and sister Kim Hickey with their father, Tom Hickey

Hugh Hildesey

Matt Hamilton and son, Sam Hamilton

Neil Davis and daughter, Andy Davis

Gloria Franklin

Jeffrey and Marsha Perelman with Cindy Brubaker (center), wife of PA Senator Mike Brubaker

The proceeds from Wag 'n Train will be used to support MLAR's medical expenses for the dogs and cats in their care. Each year, MLAR, rescues homeless and abused companion animals, to include hundreds of puppy mill dogs in need of extensive medical treatment, and works tirelessly to improve the lives of the animals by providing a new chance to be placed with a family to love them. An army of volunteers and a devoted board of directors and staff are at the heart of MLAR. Here are just some of the beauties that benefited from Wag 'n Train. There are many more that could use a little lovin' too. Click here [1] to learn more.

CHICAGO, IL — Sponsored by the Women’s Board of the Joffrey Ballet, the 2008 Joffrey Ballet Nutcracker Opening Party had a new format this year!

On Saturday, November 8 from 1 pm to 3 pm, families were invited to tea in the State and Grand Ballrooms of Chicago’s Palmer House. The youngsters attending had a unique opportunity to become well acquainted with the Nutcracker ballet and it was a new prelude to the opening December performances.


	Joffrey ballerina, Suzanne Lopez – reading the Nutcracker story

What was the tea? On arrival, the Ballroom was a sea of blue and pink. Tall cylinders of pink or blue gum drops topped with matching hydrangeas adored the pink or blue covered dining tables.

Nutcracker characters including Clara, toy soldiers, Fritz and Fairies greeted the guests. Little sandwiches and other goodies awaited the youngsters with tea (decaffeinated, of course) and champagne (or if preferred, tea) for the adults.

There were different stations about the area that offered a myriad of activities for the youngsters including a photo studio, a candy counter, a venue to decorate cupcakes or nutcrackers.

The party culminated with the children congregating about a stage in the Ballroom to hear the music and listen to an abbreviated story of the Nutcracker Ballet told by Joffrey ballet star, Suzanne Lopez.

Then there were dance demonstrations of this ballet by students of Pierre Lockett, the Joffrey Director of Education Community Engagement after which Mr. Lockett taught the Nutcracker’s Russian Dance to the young guests. As a finale, Goody Bags containing wondrous presents were distributed and the guests also received tickets for the Nutcracker Performance at the Auditorium Theatre that opens on December 18th.

Room décor

The Nutcracker Ballet was conceived by Joffrey founders, the late Gerald Arpino and the late Robert Joffrey. The Tchaikovsky score includes the Waltz of the Snowflakes and Waltz of the Flowers. A timeless holiday classic, the story tells the tale of the young Clara who enters a dream world and goes on an enchanted journey that transforms her small Nutcracker toy into a life-size doll. Clara enters a magical land of battle mice, toy soldiers, a Snow Queen, a King and a handsome prince. In the finale, Clara departs this dream-land and returns to her home. The ballet has dozens of dancing and singing children – several of whom are children of Women’s Board members.

City mothers and their children included Sophie Bross with Avery and Parker, Elizabeth Ryan with Charlotte and Alexandra, Lydia Ryan with Elle, Cynthia Ballew with Zoe, and Shawna Montgomery with Meredith and Knox. From Lake Forest were Grace Glyman with Peter and Mary Jo Basler with Michael. From Hinsdale were Courtney Waters with Dean and Natalie and Hollye Jacobs with Finley.

Whitney Lasky and Shawna Owen of Chicago chaired the event. The president of the Joffrey Women’s Board is Kathleen Klaeser of Glenview. Proceeds of the Tea will go to the Joffrey’s outreach programs and operating expenses. For further information, please call 312.266.8729.

Elizabeth Ryan with Alexandra and Charlotte

Tea Co-chairs, Shawna Owen and Whitney Lasky

Sophie Bross with Parker and Avery

Mary Jo Basler with toy soldier

Knox Montgomery, Meredith Montgomery, Blake Lasky, and Liam Lefebvre

Hollye Jacobs with Finley

Courtney Waters with Dean and Natalie

Victoria and Diana Makowski

Jennifer Oslain, Shauna Montgomery, Mary Lasky, and Barbara Kizziah

Lydia Ryan and Cynthia Ballew with Elle Ryan and Zoe Ballew

Whitney Lasky, party co-chair, with her son, Blake

Nutcracker characters at the Tea

Rowan O'Scanlain and Meredith Montgomery

William and James Keeling with toy soldier

Proud Fathers: Jonathon Bross, Matt Anderson, Jay Owen, and Harry Pfaff

PALM BEACH, FL — For over 2 decades, CAP, the Comprehensive AIDS Program of Palm Beach County, has been helping the thousands of area residents either infected, affected or impacted by the ever growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Not surprisingly, Florida ranks high on the list of number of cases, although great strides have been made to reduce the number of HIV-positive births and help those battling the disease to manage it and lead productive lives. CAP is recognized among its peers as offering gold standard services in the areas of educational outreach and testing, substance abuse counseling, case management, food and housing assistance and basically offering a hand to hold through the typically nightmarish navigation of the medical system.

Each fall, CAP mounts the CAPPY Awards gala, an evening of hope and celebration to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the battle on HIV/AIDS in Palm Beach County, which, as many know, is a geographically daunting area stretching from Boca Raton to Jupiter and from the coastline far west into the tumbledown towns surrounding the sugar fields and the Everglades beyond.

The Voices of Pride.

This past week, supporters gathered in the lush gardens of Palm Beach's Colony Hotel led by Honorary Chairmen Barbara and Michael Crimi, Chairmen Tom Miller and Allan Reyes and a committee that included Tom Quick, Anjette and Fred Scheiman, John Tatooles and Victor Moore, Lydia Crozier, Donald Burns and Gregory Connors, Donald and Patricia Mintmire and the Reynolds Family Foundation, Dan and Elizabeth Clark, Dr. Rik Pavlescak and Brad Mann, John Herrick, Lee Bierly and Chris Drake, Shari Winkelman of UBS Financial Services, Carolyn Alper, James Leen of UBS Financial Services, Daniel Hall, James Tigani and Herme de Wyman Miro.

Volunteer of the Year Barnette Druskin

The Ketel One Sculpted Ice Vodka Bar

Award recipients were Volunteer of the Year, Barnette Druskin, Fundraiser Extraordinaire The Town of Palm Beach United Way, Medical Achievment of the Year designee, Dr. Larry Bush, and CAP Person of the Year recipient Tom Liberti, the State of Florda's HIV/AIDS Czar.

There: Cabaret star Marianne Challis, Betsy and Wally Turner, Alex Snyder, Jimmy Tigani and Mark Bennett, Earl Crittenden, Anjette and Fred Scheiman, CAP's heart and soul Lydia Crozier, Kenn Karakul, Rob Cornell and Tom Pilecki, who conducted the Voices of Pride in a rendition of "Over the Rainbow" that had the entire ballroom in tears.

Wally and Betsy Turner with Chris Drake

Brett Price, Alex Snyder, and Tom Quick

CAP CEO Yolette Bonnet with State of Florida HIV/AIDS Czar Tom Liberti

John Tatooles, Victor Moore, Barbara Crimi, and Chad Renfro

Benefit Chairmen Allan Reyes, and Tom Miller

Steven Stolman and Earl Crittenden

Lee Bierly, Wally and Betsy Turner, and Tom Samet

Honorary Chairmen Barbara and Michael Crimi

Tom Samet, Michael Crimi, and Jimmy Tigani

Chad Renfro, Sandra Saladrigas, and Terrance Harris

HOUSTON, TX — Legacy Community Health Services hosted their 6th Annual Luncheon last month and was unfazed by the change of date due to hurricane Ike and the day-of cancellation of featured guest speaker Ivana Trump. The underwriter party the night before was held at the beautiful home of Joan Schnitzer and Irv Levy. The luncheon did not skip a beat with Channel 2 news anchor Jerome Gray serving as emcee.

Chair for this event was Melissa Mithoff. Legacy Executive Director Katy Caldwell gave a brilliant talk, educating the community on the life-saving programs of Legacy. This year’s honorees were Monsour Taghdisi and Neiman Marcus’s General Manager Bob Devlin.


	Pat Breen

Faces in the crowd included: Michael Mithoff, Legacy Chief Development Officer Chree Boydstun, Courtney Hopson, Pat Breen, Debra and Mark Grierson, Shara Fryer and Barry Silverman, Ginni Mithoff, Brian Teichman and Paul David Van Atta, Astrid Van Dyke, Becca Cason Thrash, Elizabeth Petersen, Kathryn and Jeff Smith, Mark Sullivan, Bruno Brady and Maureen Hackett.

Legacy Community Health Services is a full service Federally Qualified Health Center that provides comprehensive, primary healthcare services to all Houstonians in a culturally sensitive, judgment-free and confidential environment.

Each year Legacy provides low-cost or no-cost primary healthcare services, all on a sliding fee scale, to over 20,000 Houston area men, women and children who would not otherwise have access to quality healthcare. For the convenience of patients, Legacy operates from three Houston area clinics and has an onsite Walgreen’s pharmacy at its main clinic location.

Legacy employs a full-time staff of physicians and healthcare professionals who provide services that include specialized care for men and women, podiatric care, family planning services, eye care, psychiatry, and wellness services including physical therapy, personal training and nutrition services, as well as specialized healthcare for HIV/AIDS. Legacy conducts community outreach activities that promote various health issues to underserved communities and also operates the Legacy Advocacy Project, which advocates at the city, state and federal levels for fair and effective healthcare related policies.