Summits, sitdowns, and special volunteers

Dinner in Astor Hall after the Chernow-Meacham discussion, at The New York Public Library's President's Council Fall Dinner.

More from this past Monday night's President's Council Dinner and discussion between Ron Chernow and Jon Meacham at the New York Public Library.

Gayfryd Steinberg (PC Co-Chair & NYPL Trustee), Louise Grunwald (PC Co-Chair & NYPL Trustee), Ron Chernow, Jon Meacham, Alice Tisch (PC Co-Chair), and Library President Paul LeClerc

Gayfryd Steinberg, Louise Grunwald, Ron Chernow, Jon Meacham, Alice Tisch, and Paul LeClerc

William Rayner, Sandy Meyer, Edward Meyer, and Katharine Rayner

William Rayner, Sandy and Edward Meyer, and Katharine Rayner

Thomas Renyi, Kate Niehaus, Robert Niehaus, and Catherine Marron

Stephen and Cathy Graham

Alyce Toonk

Sung Han-Andersen, Joan Picket, Joel I. Picket, G. Chris Andersen

Sung Han-Andersen, Joan Picket, Joel I. Picket, and G. Chris Andersen

Dr. Judith Ginsberg, Library President Paul LeClerc, Helen Bodian, Roger Alcaly, Jean Strouse

Dr. Judith Ginsberg, Library President Paul LeClerc, Helen Bodian, Roger Alcaly, and Jean Strouse

Claire Benenson, Lewis B. Cullman (NYPL Trustee) and Samuel C. Butler (NYPL Trustee)

Claire Benenson, Lewis B. Cullman, and Samuel C. Butler

Saul Steinberg and Liz Smith

Gayfryd Steinberg (PC Co-Chair & NYPL Trustee), Melville (Mickey) Straus, and Louise Grunwald

Gayfryd Steinberg, Melville (Mickey) Straus, and Louise Grunwald

Olga Votis, Alice Tisch (PC Co-Chair), and Elizabeth Rohatyn

Olga Votis, Alice Tisch, and Elizabeth Rohatyn

Sally Ketchum, William Caldwell and Andree Caldwell

Sally Ketchum, and William and Andree Caldwell

Elizabeth Rohatyn (NYPL Trustee), Felix Rohatyn and Lewis B. Cullman

Elizabeth Rohatyn, Felix Rohatyn, and Lewis B. Cullman

Carole Olshan, Cristina Alger, and Andrea Olshan

Milton Teicher and Jane Heffner

Kenneth L. Stein and Peter Stein

Lewis B. Cullman (NYPL Trustee) and Alexandra Stanton

Lewis B. Cullman and Alexandra Stanton

David Poppe and Cherie Henderson

Dave Offensend (Chief Operating Officer of the Library) and Thomas Renyi

Dave Offensend and Thomas Renyi

Jessye Norman (NYPL Trustee) and Arthur Mitchell

Arthur Mitchell and Jessye Norman

Sila M. Calderón (NYPL Trustee) and Luis A. Ubiñas

Sila M. Calderón and Luis A. Ubiñas

Joyce Cowin and Phil Buckner

UNDP kicked off the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) summit at the American Museum of Natural History on Monday, September 20, with super model and UN Environmental Ambassador Gisele Bündchen and actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador Edward Norton.

Catarina Furtado (Portugal), UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador (for maternal health); Paul Tergat (Kenya), WFP Goodwill Ambassador; Gisele Bündchen, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador (for the environment); Edward Norton, UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity; Anggun, FAO Goodwill Ambassador and Millennium Development Goals Champion

Patricia Bündchen, Carolyn Murphy, and Gisele Bündchen with Kuji Uyunkar Kaniras, and Andres Ordoñez (UNDP Equator Prize winners)

Ted Turner, United Nations Development Programme Administrator, Helen Clark, H.R.H. Prince Albert II, Crown Prince of Monaco, and Museum President Ellen Futter

Museum President Ellen Futter, Ted Turner, and Elizabeth Dewberry

Dinner and program in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life

Twenty-five grassroots groups from some of the world’s poorest countries were awarded the UNDP 2010 Equator Prize at the Museum. This high-level event illuminated the critical linkages between biodiversity conservation, healthy ecosystems, climate change, and MDG achievement, while highlighting the integral role of local and indigenous peoples to address these issues.

Venerable Bun Saluth from Cambodia and Gisele Bündchen

Museum President Ellen Futter and Edward Norton

My Hanh Diep Thi from Viet Nam and Edward Norton

Chittiama Buguru from India and Gisele Bündchen

Kuji Uyunka Kaniras from Ecuador and Edward Norton

A week ago Wednesday at the Prince George Ballroom, more than 200 volunteers attended United Cerebral Palsy of New York City’s Special Volunteer Appreciation Event Celebrating 65 years of Volunteerism. Over 200 volunteers attended the event which celebrated and acknowledged the extraordinary efforts of women and men as volunteers for this important organization.

Rosanna Scotto, Co-Host of Fox 5 Television’s Good Day New York, a longtime and dedicated volunteer herself to United Cerebral Palsy (UCP/NYC), was host. She and Edward R. Matthews, CEO of UCP/NYC welcomed the volunteers. Donna Hanover, former First Lady of New York City, was the principal speaker discussing The Annual Women Who Care Luncheon which benefits UCP/NYC. UCP Volunteer Mike Woods, Meteorologist & Feature Reporter for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, joined Scotto as host. Actor Timothy Mandala announced the winners of a special painting auction. Ron Napal, Chief Development Officer, for United Cerebral Palsy of New York City, was honored for his years of dedication to the organization.

Ed Matthews, Rosanna Scotto, Mike Woods, Donna Hanover, and John Lombardo

“The mission of United Cerebral Palsy of New York City is to create opportunities for people with disabilities to lead independent and fulfilling lives,” said Edward R. Matthews, CEO of United Cerebral Palsy of New York City.

Volunteers come from all walks of life and ranged from dedicated housewives, enlisted officers, Wall Street executives, top athletes to hundreds of celebrities and VIPS including John F. Kennedy Jr., The Beatles, Muhammad Ali and several Former First Ladies Hilary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Betty Ford and Mamie Eisenhower.

United Cerebral Palsy is the largest healthcare charity in America for people with disabilities. Nearly 500,000 individuals in the United States and 35,000 people in the metropolitan New York area have cerebral palsy or a related disability.

David Tomassi, Jared Prudoff-Smith, James Grant, and Matt Flynn

Inan and William White

Tifany Townsend and Xochitl Gonzales

Timothy Mandela and Debi Joffee

Annmaria Mazzini

Anthony Bradford and Aryn Cole

Neftha Santiago and Anne Hoffmaiz

Steve McEvoy, Amy Bittinger, Houda Foster, and Sandra Charry

Jill Bragg, Laura Arnold, Matt Rosenfeld, and Becky Garson

James Hood and Dahlian Porter

Donna Hanover, Ed Matthews, and Rosanna Scotto

Rosanna Scotto, Timothy Mandela, and Donna Hanover

Jaime McGill and Rayan Laul

Marshall Carolan, Rosanna Scotto, and Jonathan D. Lovitz

Lea Wurster and Erin Kate McCarthy

James Grant and Christine Matava

Jonathan D. Lovitz, Linda Laul, Sheila Lennon, and Jared Prudoff-Smith

Ed Matthews and Rosanna Scotto

John Lombardo

Gloria Murray and Ron Napal

Calcie Coopeer, Nicole Wesctoo,, Mike Woods, and William White

Last Thursday, WOW (Women on the Web) hosted a breakfast and conversation "What's Beauty Got to Do With It? Everything!" at the Four Seasons, Grill Room. The event was underwritten by Estee Lauder. 100 women attended, breakfasting on fresh fruit and pastries while panelists Joni Evans, Judith Martin, Paulina Porizkova and Leslie Stahl held a conversation about beauty.

Among those attending were Dr. Lisa Airan, Melinda Anderson, Dr. Lisa Belzberg, Cathy Black, Kate Betts, Deeda Blair, Noreen Bjuckfire, Alva Chinn, Tiffany Dubin, Patericia Duff, Geraldine Fabrikant, Christy Ferer, Charisse Ford, Marjorie Reed Gordon, Jamee Gregory, Nina Griscom, Marjorie Gubelmann, Elizabeth Peabody, Aerin Lauder, Sharon Hoge, Tracey Jackson, Liz Peek, Daisy Soros, Felicia Taylor, Valerie Zilkha, Cynthia Lufkin, Jurate Kazickas, Gale Hayman, Sharon Hoge, Duane Hampton, to give you an idea.