Party Pictures 11/21/06 - NYSD lands in Connecticut, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Chicago

NYSD lands in Connecticut, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and Chicago

The crowd on the patio of The Saddle & Cycle Club for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago's Safari Ball.

The Audubon Society of Connecticut presented Dan Lufkin with the Connecticut Environmental Leadership Award at their Dancing with Nature Fall Dinner Dance at the Belle Haven Club in Greenwich. Tom Brokaw presented the award. The gala evening raised over $750,000 for the Long Island Sound policy, conservation, and education programs of the National Audubon Society work through Audubon Connecticut and its Audubon Greenwich Center. This is the most raised in a single night for any one Audubon program in Connecticut.

This is only the second time that this Environmental Leadership award has been presented. Mr. Lufkin has a long and successful business career, first as co-founder and chairman of Donaldson, Lufkin, & Jenrette (DLJ) to co-founder of Questor Partners Fund I & II. His record led the Wall Street Journal to list him among the most significant “100 Men in the World: People Who Influenced Our Daily Business. His true passion, however, is for the environment. In 1970 he was a member of the organizing group of the first Earth Day.

For more than 40 years he’s been deeply involved in the protection and restoration of Connecticut’s environment, the Long Island Sound, and the world’s natural resources. In 1971 he became Connecticut’s first Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Under his watch, Connecticut was one of the first states in the nation to establish inland wetland regulations and the first to create a private enterprise, Resource Recovery Authority. He also personally donated a gift of $100,000 towards the campaign to Restore the Sound.

Katie and Donal O’Brien were Honorary Chairs. Jeffrey Kauffman of Northern Trust was the Corporate Chair. Holt Thrasher and Elizabeth Geske were the State and Greenwich Chairs.

Tom Brokaw with Cynthia and Dan Lufkin

300 guests gathered for the event, including Arthur Rocque, former DEP Commissioner Leslie Caruthers, Chris Beck, Wendy Carduner, Elaine and Ken Langone, Adria de Haume Dr. George Roush, Grace and Chris Meigher, David Tundermann, Sharon Handler and Ambassador John Loeb, Doug Costle and Kari and Carl Tiedemann, gathered for cocktails, There were magic tricks performed by Bill Herz and Audubon’s Scot Heth was there with Sophia the Barn Owl, who charmed guests with her beauty and almost human nature. Also in attendance with Heth were a kestrel and a hawk named Chip.

The evening’s Master of Ceremonies was Audubon CT State Board Chair, Holt Thrasher, who said, “By definition, Conservation is “Humanity caring about the Future.”Gina McCarthy, current DEP Commissioner spoke on the legacy Lufkin and his team has provided the state.

In his acceptance, Lufkin then focused his remarks on the battle to save The Long Island Sound. “If we put our shoulders to it, we can make a significant difference in this body of water,” he said. “At this moment we have the potential to change the downward course of its life. It is our duty,” he added.

Holt and Juliet Thrasher

Rita Bowlby and David Tundermann

Matthew Kolk and Tamara Ketler

Leading the applause were Juliet Thrasher, Anne Flinn, Bart Peters, Dick Barlow, Frederica Brenneman, Steve Thompson, Steven Lerangis, Tamara Ketler, Will Grose, Zell Steever, Katherine Nixon, Lolly Prince, Gail and Bill Mapel, Meaghan and Don Henry, Marianne Dickinson, Stephanie and David Hazard, Carol and Rusty Mather, Justina and Jean-Pierre Gagne, and Sarah Horne and Will Grose Matthew Kolk, Rani Newman, Rita Bowlby and Sandy Breslin. Peter Duchin and his orchestra played and kept the dance floor jammed..

Among the Stewards, Patrons and Committee members helping to make this evening a success were: CEO of National Audubon Society John Flicker, Nicole Miller, Howard Stern, Sabrina and Carl Forsythe, Fay Vincent, Louise and Edgar Cullman, R. Couri Hay, Sandy and Tony Halsey, Richard Jenrette, Nancy and Robert Friedman, Suzanne and Richard Hogan, Catherine and Philip Korsant, Susan Lynch, Charles Ellis, Robert Fiske, Lisa D’Urso, George Gould, Maryann and Robert Marston, Maria and Matthew Popp, Ann Colley, Nat Reed, Hugo Thomas, Robert Marston, Joe Boren and Barry Tobias of The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation.

Audubon Connecticut is the state office of the National Audubon Society. Its mission is to further the protection of birds, other wildlife and their habitats through science, education, advocacy and conservation, for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. Audubon Connecticut envisions a state with a rich and diverse natural heritage, where there is ample habitat for birds and other wildlife, where a majority of its people appreciate and participate in their natural environment, and whose children are educated and motivated to become the conservation leaders of tomorrow.

Cecil Andrus, Chris Beck, and Doug Costle

Ambassador John Loeb and Sharon Handler

Steve Thompson and Rita Bowlby

Justina Gagne and Dan and Cynthia Lufkin

Carol and Rusty Mather with Anne Flinn

Tom Brokaw and Dan Lufkin

Elaine and Ken Langone with Mrs. Vincent Banker

Tom Baptiste and Dan Lufkin

Kari and Carl Tiedemann

John Hannon, Rani Newman, and Bart Peters

Wendy Carduner with Chris and Grace Meigher

Adria de Haume

John Flicker, Jane Swanson, and Elizabeth and David Geske

Schuyler Hazard, Cynthia Lufkin, and Sophia the Barn Owl

Jill and Geoffrey Raker with Lolly Prince

Leslie Caruthers

Gina McCarthy and Arthur Rocque

George Rousch and Adria de Haume

Schuyler and David Hazard

Lisa Torell and Mark Finerman

Justina and Jean-Pierrre Gagne

Sandy Breslin and Gina McCarthy

Meaghen and Don Henry

The 38th annual Meridian Ball, a longtime Washington tradition, was held was held last month at the Meridian mansion. The evening was an occasion to introduce Meridian’s new President, Ambassador Stuart Holliday, and his wife, Gwen. Ambassador Holliday succeeds Ambassador Walter Cutler, who led the institution for the past 17 years.

First Lady Laura Bush was Honorary Chair of this year’s Ball. Chief of Protocol Donald Ensenat was Honorary Sponsor, and Mrs. Anthony Williams Honorary Benefactor. Co-chairing the event this year were Mrs. Lilibet Hagel, wife of Senator Chuck Hagel (R, Nebraska), Mrs. Debbie Dingell, wife of Congressman John Dingell (D – Michigan), and Mrs. Diane Nelson, wife of Meridian Trustee Daniel Nelson, who directs the Washington office of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Ball guests dined at some 30 embassies before coming to Meridian for dessert and dancing. A pre-Ball dinner for the Linden Circle, Meridian’s group of young professional members, was held at the elegant White-Meyer House, co-chaired this year by Mr. and Mrs. Leland Baldwin Bishop III. Among guests at the Linden Circle dinner were young members of Washington’s diplomatic corps.

The annual Ball is Meridian’s largest fund-raising event. The lead sponsor for this year’s event was Exxon Mobil Corporation. Proceeds of the annual Meridian Ball make it possible for Meridian to continue to offer vital educational and cultural programs and services in support of its mission to promote international understanding. This year’s event had 900 guests from whom they raised over $700,000.

Nermin Fahmy, Debbie Dingell, Ambassador Stuart Holliday, and Ambassador Nabil Fahmy

Meryl Chertoff, Michael Chertoff, and Ambassador Stuart Holliday

Clockwise from above, left: The Hon. David Bohigan, Martin and Julie Wittmer, and The Hon. Neil Patel; Kristin Silverberg, Dina Powell, and Michael Chertoff; Ambassador Stuart Holliday and Anita McBride; Alphonso Jackson and HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal.

Nikki Haskell hosted a luncheon at her Beverly Hills apartment for Clive Davis and Barbara (Mrs. Marvin) Davis, the day after Mrs. Davis' Carrousel Ball which honored the great music mogul himself.

Nikki and Clive

Nikki and Michael Hollingsworth

Lois Aldren, Nikki, Linda Thompson, and Jacqueline Bissette

Eva and Michael Chow with Nikki

George and Jolene Schlatter

Richard Perry and Taylor Dane

Nikki with Seth Baker, Mickey Berke, and Richard DuPont

Nikki and David Niven

Wolfgang Puck and Gelila Affefa

Virginia Loving and Ken Roberts

Brett Ratner and friend

Ryan Tatz

Clive with Barbara Davis and George Schlatter

Army and Selma Archard with Clive

Richard Perry, Clive Davis, and Diane Warren

Clive with Billy Davis and Marylin McCoo

Wolfgand and Nikki

Alana Stewart, Lori Radkin, and Denice Rich

Nikki and Mickey Berke

Clive and John Sterling

Records and photos of literarally hundreds of benefits and parties cross the NYSD desks over the course of a year and it is very rare that we miss one or that it gets misplaced or waylaid. But the The Guild Board of Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) is a significant exception.

The Guild Board hosted their annual summer gala, The Safari Ball, on July 28, at the Saddle & Cycle Club in Chicago. This festive summer evening dinner dance was attended by 250 of Chicago’s philanthropic and community leaders. All proceeds from The Safari Ball went to benefit BGCC.

As one of the premier sponsors, Tiffany & Co. graciously donated 25 exclusive prizes for the evening. During the cocktail hour, glass vitrines will display “Tiffany Blue” boxes filled with diamond, silver and crystal treasures. Each vitrine, secured with a golden padlock, will open with only 25 lucky keys. To participate in Keys for a Cause, keys had to be purchased in advance. The evening raised $58,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago.

The 2006 summer gala was sponsored by JP Morgan, Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP., Pighin, and St. Francis Winery & Vineyards.

And so, as they say, better late than ...