12.10.12: Celebrate the Neighborhood

Celebrate the Neighborhood

Christopher Spitzmiller, Emily Leonard, Cindy Ketchum, Heather Georges, Dana Schiff, Kamie Lightburn, Margot Takian, Kathy Prounis, and Kristen Swenson at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House's Associates Committee "Celebrate the Neighborhood" annual benefit.

Last Wednesday evening, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Associates Committee held its "Celebrate the Neighborhood" annual fall benefit. The evening kicked off with cocktails at Armani, 5th Avenue and 56th Street, followed by dinner and dancing at the Racquet and Tennis Club.

Heather and Andrew Georges; Cindy and Stephen Ketchum; Emily and Richard Leonard; Kamie and Richard Lightburn; Kathy and Othon Prounis; Dana and Scott Schiff; Christopher Spitzmiller; Kristen and Michael Swenson; and Margot and Randy Takian served as the evening's Chairmen.

Jennifer Powers, Susan and Michael O'Neal, and Ashley Whittaker

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, widely recognized as one of New York’s premier nonprofit organizations, is a 118-year-old settlement house that provides an extensive array of effective and integrated human services—social, educational, legal, health, housing, mental health, nutritional and fitness—which significantly improve the lives of 20,000 people in need each year, ages 3 to 103, on the East Side of Manhattan.

Othon and Kathy Prounis

Cindy Ketchum, Heather Georges, and Dana Schiff

Redmond Ingalls and Missey Condie

Geoffrey Bradfield and Emily Leonard

Kathy Angele and guests

Othon and Kathy Prounis

Cindy Ketchum, Heather Georges, and Dana Schiff

Redmond Ingalls and Missey Condie

Christopher Spitzmiller and David Duncan

Romaine Orthwein, David Gutterman, and Fawn Galli

Justin Concannon and Roric Tobin

Stewart Manger and Kristen Swenson

Mary Van Pelt and John Royall

Barbara and Peter Regna

Henry and Whitney Topping

Scott and Aleksandra Cragg

Mark Gilbertson and Vicky Ward

Randy and Margot Takian

Caroline Dean

Lindsey Harper and friend

Allison and Robert Hennessy

Lydia Tower, Lucy Phillips, and Alison Minton

Suzanne Johnson and Oliver Brown

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012, the Young New Yorkers for the Philharmonic gathered for their annual Winter Benefit. 240 guests attended and more than $87,000 was raised for the Philharmonic. The evening began with a cocktail reception and a raffle drawing at Milly and concluded with dinner and dancing at Doubles.

Philharmonic Executive Director Matthew VanBesien welcomed guests and introduced Philharmonic musicians Philip Smith and Joseph Alessi who gave a festive chamber performance.

Benefit Committee Chairmen for the event were Jason and Mary Dillow, Christopher George, Sarah Jane and Trevor Gibbons, Laura and Ben Harris, Sandra L. Kozlowski, Blair and Edouard Métrailler, Stefan Nowicki, Mae R. Rogers, Stephanie A. Sirota, and Jill Yankaskas and Christopher Wight.

Alice Campbell and Stefanos Kasselakis

Barbara and Peter Regna

Andre Kelleners and friends

Ben Stapleton, Connie Brown, and Jason Dillow

Blair Metrailler, Chris Breck, Edouard Metrailler, and Tatiana Perkin

Catherine Saunders, Matthew VanBeisen, Alexandra Porter, and Alexandra Wagle

Chappy and Melissa Morris with NYP Timpanist Kyle Zerna

Christopher Wight, Jill Yankaskas, and Courtney Benenson

Christopher and Merrill Mahan

Courtney Gerwin and Brandon Parks

Elyse Kim, Justin Kush, and Andrea Kim

Kate Bradbury and Lindsey Harper

Mae Rogers and John Heywood

Kelechi Odu and friend

Kirby Taylor and Henry Bodmer

Mark Castellano, Bernard Markey, and Mark Gilbertson

Mary Dillow, Jason Dillow, Mike Roth, and Nikou Zeller

Matan Eden and Fatima Sanandaji

Michelle Smith

Matthew VanBesien with NYP Musicians Joseph Alessi and Philip Smith

Miller Gaffney, Kate Harpootlian, Keith Connor, and Amy Connor

Miller Gaffney and Tatiana Perkin

Sandy Kozlowski and Dan Entwistle

Sarah Jane Gibbons and Stephanie Sirota

Sarah Jane Gibbons and Stephanie Sirota announce the winners of a raffle drawing

The Fifteenth Annual Food Allergy Ball took place on Monday, December 3, 2012 at The Waldorf=Astoria. The Ball, which attracted nearly 400 supporters, is a signature event for FARE, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to food allergy research and education. FARE was formed by the recent merger between the nation’s leading food allergy organizations, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI), which has sponsored the Ball since 1998.

This year’s event honored Heather Bresch, CEO of Mylan Inc., for her profound commitment to the safety of food allergic children nationwide. Ming Tsai, the renowned chef and food allergy advocate, received FARE’s Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to an outstanding restaurateur who has demonstrated compassion for the food allergic community.

“Up to 15 million Americans have a food allergy, including one in every 13 children—or roughly two in every classroom,” said FARE’s CEO, John Lehr, as he thanked the audience for their support. “The need for a cure—and for increased education about the impact of this potentially life threatening condition—is urgent.”

Julia Koch, Sharyn T. Mann and Todd J. Slotkin were the Gala Dinner Chairs. David H. Koch was the Corporate Dinner Chair. Liana Silverstein Backal and Arthur Backal, Abbey and Steven Braverman, Patricia and James Cayne, Nina Rennert Davidson and Mitchell Davidson, Roxanne and Dean Palin, and Stephanie Winston Wolkoff and David Wolkoff were the Benefit Dinner Chairs.

Guests enjoyed a peanut , tree nut , and shellfish free dinner inspired by Ming Tsai, as well as a special performance by Lilla Crawford and Anthony Warlow, stars of the Broadway musical Annie. The festivities for this black tie Gala began at 7:00 PM.

Alain Sailhac, Alfred Portale, Ming Tsai, Drew Nieporent, and Daniel Boulud

Founded in 2012 as a result of a merger between the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative, FARE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to food allergy research and education with the mission of ensuring the safety and inclusion of individuals with food allergies while relentlessly seeking a cure. Food allergies are potentially life threatening and affect as many as 15 million people in the United States, including 5.9 million children. FARE funds world class research that advances treatment and understanding of food allergies, provides evidence based education and resources, undertakes advocacy at all levels of government, and increases awareness of food allergies as a serious public health issue.

Sharyn Mann, Stephen Mann, and Tamara Mann Tweel

David and Julia Koch

John Lehr, Ming Tsai, Heather Bresch, David Koch, Sharyn Mann, and Todd Slotkin

Leslie Cornfeld and Bill Etkin

David Jaffe and Helen Jaffe

David Koch, Lilla Crawford, and Anthony Warlow

Abbey and Steven Braverman

Nina Rennert Davidson

Lori Stokes and Nicolette Thompson

Carol Schrager and Bruce Gitlin

Liana Silverstein Backal and Arthur Backal

Reverend Raymond Kahng, Inja Kim Kahng, Roslyn Jaffe, and Elliot Jaffe

Stephen McKenna and Amie Rappoport McKenna

Florence Fabricant and Richard Fabricant

Dr. Hugh Sampson, Dr. Rosanna Mirante, Dr. Neil Minikes, Nancy Minikes, and Amie Rappoport McKenna

Todd Slotkin, Judy Slotkin, and Matthew Slotkin

Mary Jane Marchisotto and John Lehr

The Junior Council continued its 2012 2013 season on Wednesday, December 5, with a private viewing of the Museum’s new exhibition Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture, remarks by Curator Mark Norell, and a cocktail reception in the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth.

Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture explores the complex and intricate food system that brings what we eat from farm to fork. With opportunities to taste seasonal treats in the working kitchen, cook a virtual meal, view rare artifacts from the Museum’s collections, and peek into the dining rooms of famous figures throughout history, visitors will experience the intersection of food, nature, culture, health, and history—and consider some of the most challenging issues of our time.

Guests sample food in the exhibition’s kitchen

Christy Corgan, Doug and Eva Heyman, Holly and Martin Okner, Lori and Zachary Pomerantz, Robin and Brad Roberts, Gaelin Rosenwaks, Heather and Ross Schulman, Zoe and Iain Wilson served as co chairs.

The American Museum of Natural History’s Junior Council is one of New York City’s most stimulating membership groups for young philanthropists. Founded in 1994, the Junior Council supports the Museum’s mission to discover, interpret, and disseminate–through scientific research and education–knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe. Each year, Junior Council Members participate in specially arranged events that offer them an intimate view inside the Museum’s collections, activities, and exhibitions. Junior Council Members go behind the scenes at one of the world’s preeminent museums, meet some of the nation’s most distinguished and engaging scientists, and preview the latest exhibitions.