The Little Baby Face Foundation held its first annual fall benefit on Wednesday, November 19th at the glamorous Sky Club in the Metropolitan Life Building. Lucie Arnaz, Dylan Baker, Jaid Barrymore and a crowd of over 400 turned out to raise over $100,000 for the Foundation, which was created to empower and give hope to facially disfigured children and their families.

The Honorary Committee Members include Actress Lucie Arnaz, who became interested in the LBFF when her drummer, Steve Samuel’s son, was born with a cleft chin, Actress Hunter Tylo, Chicago Hope's Mandy Patinkin, Jaid Barrymore, Grammy Winning Violin Virtuoso Joshua Bell, WB11 TV Star Adam La Vorgna, Recording Artist Phoebe Snow, Famed Photographer Francesco Scavullo, Model/author Jillian Shanebrook, Joan Van Ark, Elli Wallach, Gena Lee Nolan, Fox 5 Reporter Ernabel Demillo, Yakov Smirnoff, MSNBC Anchor Alex Witt, People magazine’s Steven Cojacaru, Designer Donald Pliner, Author Sydney Biddle Barrows, Former Miss USA Julie Hayek and CEO of KMR Communications Katherine Rothman, who played a vital role in organizing this important event.

Diane Romo was the Benefit Committee Chairman and the Board of Directors include: Thomas Romo III, M.D., President; Frederick Valauri, M.D.; Ian Jarvis, Laura Louise Duffy; Lawrence May and Jack Wazen, M.D. The crowd bid on fabulous live and silent auction prizes such as a Laser Teeth Whitening by Dr. Larry Rosenthal, an Aveda gift basket, a fireworks display, a signed guitar by "Journey" and a myriad of restaurant and concert tickets.

The Little Baby Face Foundation (LBFF) is a national, nonprofit organization founded by Westchester Resident Dr. Thomas Romo III. It seeks to foster knowledge of the causes and treatment techniques for microtia, atresia, cleft lip/cleft palate, facial paralysis and other disfigurements to families, the medical and surgical community and the general public. LBFF shares knowledge of the effect of such defects on the communicative skills of disfigured children, particularly hearing and speech deficits, and the solutions that are available through reconstructive surgery and rehabilitative therapy. Nationally and internationally, LBFF addresses the medical, psychosocial, emotional and educational concerns relating to facial deformities in children and provides financial assistance to families with children who are afflicted with these symptoms, so that they may have access to state-of-the-art procedures and treatments. More information can be found at www.littlebabyface.org.

The three-day shopping event opened with a preview party for 500 New Yorkers including Annette de la Renta, Tobie Roosevelt, Judy Peabody, Audrey Gruss, Kenneth Lane, Sydney Shuman, Susan Mortimer, Michele Geber Klein, Katherine Rothman, Barbara Cates, Richard Torrenzano, Helen Benedict, Martha McLanahan, Renée and Carl Landegger, Wiggie Bitter, Bunny Williams, Fernanda Kellogg and Kirk Henckels, Alexandra Kotur, Courtney Arnot, and Leslie Heaney.

The honorary chairs were John Rosselli, Julia Wallace, and Gracious Home's Nancy Wekselbaum. The cochairs were Eva Dillon and Andrea Donahue and the underwriting chair was Nancy Baker, who was there with her husband Harold.

They all strolled down the boulevard of shops, stopping to chat with Diana Quasha and look at her Empress, Duchess & Tart baubles; Kelley Farish, who flew in from Kentucky with her partner Lisa McLean and their adorable children's clothes at Bella Bliss; and Susan Gubelmann, who was there with her daughter Marjorie and tables of fabulous gift items. Other shops included Quadrille, Arader Galleries, Ruzzetti & Gow, Vineyard Vines, Muse Couture Linens from Boston, and Caroline's Cakes from Maryland.

Lenox Hill Neighborhood House's executive director Warren Scharf was there as well with many staff members, including Virginia Pittman, Lucia DeRespinis, Lynn Appelbaum, and oodles of red aproned volunteers. They all worked hard to help people gain the skills to strengthen themselves and their community.

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