7.10.07: Fundraising and film | New York Social Diary

Fundraising and film

The scene at the Rare Time Club at the Timeo Hotel during the Taormina Film Fest.

The National Urban Technology Center held its Annual Fundraising Gala at Capitale. The event raised over $600,000 and was attended by Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Senior Managing Director of Lazard Freres, Hugh Price, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute, Former NY Mayor David N. Dinkins; Arthur Barnes, as well as Oscar winning actress Tatum O’Neal and actress, Callie Thorne of Rescue Me and Richard Kind of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Spin City who served as the evening’s live auctioneer.

The event was attended by over 400 guests who participated in a silent auction and cocktails prior to dinner. The dinner was a celebration of Innovation and Technology and honored Carol Sutton Lewis and William M. Lewis Jr., co-chairman of Investment Banking for Lazard Ltd., with Humanitarian Awards for Leadership in Education for making a significant investment in the education of minority students. Patrick Gastino, President of Verizon Foundation accepted the Education Innovation Award which was presented by Pat Bransford, Founder of the National Urban Technology Center to Verizon Communication. In addition, 22 graduating seniors from the Frederick Douglass Academy II in Harlem were presented with educational scholarships.

Jenny Bransford, Pat Bransford, David Dinkins, and Kathy Bransford Zukerman

Carol Sutton Lewis and William M. Lewis, Jr.

Tatum O'Neill

David Dinkins, Andrea DuBois, Patricia Bransford, and Maurice DuBois

Pat Bransford, Latasha Greer, Principal of Frederick Douglass Academy II and Scholarship recipients

Vernon E. Jordan and Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana

Aurthur Barnes, David Dinkins, Vernon Jordan, and Hugh Price

Vernon E. Jordan, Kathy Bransford Zukerman, Senator Evan Bayh, Jeff Zukerman

Pat Bransford and Patrick Gaston

On a beautiful night last mid-June, 230 New Yorkers gathered under a giant tent for the Queens Botanical Garden’s 12th Annual Rose Ball.

They honored Daniel Tishman, Chairman and CEO of Tishman Construction Corporation and a leader sustainable building; and Lynden B. Miller, a very popular New Yorker (her son was City Council president Gifford Miller) was honored for her work as director of the New York Conservancy Garden.

The party was held in a festive tent stationed with the Rose Garden on one side and the almost completed Visitor & Administration Center on the other. Catering was provided by Abigail Kirsch with plants by Keil Brothers, flowers by Anna Blossoms and music by Gerard Carelli Orchestra.

They raised $230,000 which comes at a pivotal time in the Garden’s history as it was preparing to open a new public center. The new building is the centerpiece of an ambitious $22 million capital improvement program. In looking to the future, the Garden has propelled itself into the front ranks of its field as the first botanical garden in the country devoted to sustainable environmental stewardship.

Joan Krevlin and Ashok Bhavnani

Patrick Cullina, Lynden B. Miller, Catherine Redd, and Scot D. Medbury

Nicholas DeCicco, Daniel R. Tishman, Renee Ring, and Yung Duk Kim

James Loveall and Emily Lin

Revelers enjoy the party

Daniel R. Tishman, Russell Unger, and Frank Macchio

Dinner at the Rose Ball

The almost completed Visitor & Administration Center

Michael Lee, Michael Meyer, Steve Blank, and Carol Conslato

Howard Graff and Kathy Donovan

Councilmember Katz and Daniel Tishman

Catherine Redd, Lynden Miller, and Leigh Miller

The Third Annual Summer Solstice Celebration took place on a Friday in late at B. Smith’s in Sag Harbor, and raised over $100,000. Proceeds benefit the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Through the funding of innovative research, grants, information and advocacy, the foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury as well as improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis.

Alexandra Reeve, Matthew Reeve, Kelsey and Camille Grammer were this year’s Honorary Co-Chairs. Marnie McBryde, Terri Eagle and Jeff Pfeifle were the Celebration Hosts and Mark Consuelos, Alec Baldwin, Kim Cattrall, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick were all members of the Host Committee. Live music was provided by the Lone Sharks.

Bernadette Murray and Randy Fertel

Peter Wilson and Scott Sanders

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundationis a national, non-profit organization dedicated to curing spinal cord injury through the funding of innovative research and improving the quality of life for those living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. The organization was founded in 1982 as the American Paralysis Association by a group with the firm belief that through research and neuroscience, spinal cord injuries could be repaired and damaged nerves and cells could be regenerated. Following his injury in 1995, Christopher Reeve became passionately involved with the organization, which is now known as the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Alexandra and Matthew Reeve

Marnie McBryde and Jeff Pfeifle

Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comley

Faith Popcorn and Jackie Simon

Tatiana and Campion Platt

Laura Scott, Tom MacNiven, and Lorraine Berger

Also in mid-June on Taormina. Sicily, the House of Ruinart was invited by Harry Winston to be the champagne of choice at its famous Rare Time Club on the main terrace at the Timeo Hotel during the Taormina Film Fest.

This year, the 53rd festival ran from June16-23rd, preceding the Nastri d’Argente, the Italian Oscars. Each evening of the festival, VIP guests were invited onto the terrace with a spectacular view overlooking the sea and set against the ancient Greek amphitheater where the films are screened. There they could indulge their passion for cinema with Ruinart’s signature champagne, Blanc de Blancs. Guests such as renowned directors André Téchiné, Terrence Davies, Giuseppe Tornatore and actors such as Eric Bana and Robert Duvall (from Lucky You).

In the next few days, also joining Ruinart were Matt Dillon, James Franco,Kerry Kennedy, MaestroEnnio Morricone and director Michael Bay along with the cast of the Transformers such as Shia LaBoeuf. The most anticipated film of the summer, which has since opened to record-breaking grosses.

Transformers celebrated its worldwide premiere on the terrace with magnums of ... what else? ... champagne. Earlier in the evening, Harry Winston presented the Taormina Arte Award for Cinematic Excellence to Transformers director Michael Bay and Margherita Bui. The prize, which is awarded each night of the Film Fest to an exceptional cinema personality, is a rare Harry Winston timepiece.