Nell Nolan: Eden House, Boys Hope Girls Hope Gala, Jefferson Chamber 25th, Lighthouse Louisiana Circle - NOLA.com

-

Cause and Social Effects

Eden House

"A perfect night for an indoors-outdoors party," commented a guest, who added, "And I like the nip in the air."

Nip, sip, fillip all blended when the Eden Center for Hope and Healing, a rebranding from Eden House, presented the twofold to-do titled "Ball Gowns and Blue Jeans." Heeding that heads up, the sartorial selections ran the gamut from Chanel finery to denim and cowboy hats. As for the levity's layout, it was a short walk from the patron party at the home of Jennifer and Fred Heebe, where a three-piece ensemble played classical music, to the main event at the home of EH founder and board chairman Kara Van de Carr and her husband, Daryl Bird. There, the music kicked into country, thanks to Ted Hefko and the Thousandaires. At both, the gussied-up guests savored catering by Nolavore, which is owned by Anne Lloyd. "Elegance" was played up in the bubbly sipping at the Heebes', while the barbecue donated and cooked by Chris Roos (with Rebecca) and Louie Freeman (with Courtney), along with the Bourbon Room, tipped a figurative hat to the best of the West.

Teamed to chair the bash were Stacy Head, Holly Gordon and Katherine Raymond, who were joined by their spouses, Jeremy, John and Beau. Led by Stacy, flowers were made from neighborhood greenery and donations from Trader Joe's. Donating "green" of another kind was First Horizon Bank, the Rhinestone Cowboy Signature Sponsor.

Mingling among the many — several, board members — were Greg and Sarah Feirn, Sally and Ron Forman, Carroll Suggs, Anne and Edmund Redd, Ayame and Carling Dinkler, Dana Hansel, Winnie Brown, state Sen. Beth Mizell, Emily Palit, Susie Allen, Erin Luetkemeier, Gina Rachel, Judge Joy and Jay Lobrano, Kathy Singleton, Judith Oudt, Deana Blackburn, Kim and Neil Abramson, and, with husband David Indest, Peggy Babin Indest, interim executive director. All supported Eden House, "a movement to eradicate the trafficking and selling of human beings" and "the recovery and reentry services for victims, including long-term shelter." Thus, hope and healing underscored the creative and lively "BG & BJ" levity.

Garden Gallivanting

Benefitting Boys Hope Girls Hope and under the chairing of Brittany Whitsell, The Garden Gala held forth al fresco and festively for four hours in City Park Gardens. Patrons arrived first for Kitchen in the Gardens featuring "a live demo by James Beard Award Winning chef, Alon Shaya" and a special performance by scholar Keshaun. Attendees relished the beef kebabs with tahini and butter bean tzatziki before second lining to the gala in the gardens of the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. Midday feasting continued, thanks to eight generous caterers.

Embellishing the areas were floral centerpieces from Herbivore Floral Designs, the Distressed Rentals furniture, signs and backdrops by Brittany Whitsell and Angelina Knister, and the buoyancy of the huge balloons by Bubble Lady Linda. Eighteen raffle options included top Saints tickets, a private sushi dinner for 20 by Benny Basquiat, and a live painting by Torregrossa Art. A "Fund the Need" also supported BHGH.

Noted within the gathering of at least 350 were Presenting Sponsor, Oak category, and board member Rick Flick (Banner Ford Banner Chevrolet) and wife Tina; sponsor and board member Sally Duplantier; and from BHGH, executive director Chuck Roth, development director Cydne Shipley, and program director and BHGH alum Daniella Portillo, along with board chair Chris Kenny with Kim, and vice chair Jason Maurin and Kellie, a member of the 20-person gala committee. Others were Tom and Connie Kitchen, Eddie and Julie Ann Connick, Caryn Rodgers-Battiste and spouse Todd Battiste, and Eddie and Marianne Koehl. For the music making, the notable names were The Preservation Hall All-Stars, Knockaz Brass Band, and Delachaise Ensemble with a classical take on modern hits.

A Sterling Salute

The Jefferson Performing Arts Center was the site for the night when the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce held its 25th Anniversary Gala, titling it "Sterling Moments." OnPath Federal Credit Union, with Jared Freeman as president and CEO, was the Presenting Sponsor. More CEOs attending were Dr. Shondra Williams (InclusiveCare), Beth Walker (Ochsner Baptist), Guy Williams (Gulf Coast Bank and Trust), Suzi Swoop O'Brien (Peoples Health), Lee Giorgio (Select Properties Ltd.) and John LeBlanc (Metairie Bank). Also present were Jefferson Parish Coroner Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich, as well as Parish Council members Ricky Templet, Scott Walker and Marion Edwards.

Villere Florist's white-flower centerpieces, creative lighting, silver window "clings" with the names and photos of sponsors, Albrecht Ice Sculptures "25th" ice sculpture, and a custom 25th Anniversary logo medallion were among the decorative features. The food ones, all delicious, came primarily from Rock-N-Sake Bar & Sushi, Pigeon Catering, and Drago's Seafood Restaurant. Further features were cigar rolling demonstrations by Cigar Factory of New Orleans and Angel's Envy's bourbon pouring.

Early in the "Quarter Century" evening, Jefferson Chamber President Ruth Lawson extended a Champagne toast. Gathered, too, among the 300 celebrants were Donna Austin, Al Galindo, state Rep. Polly Thomas, and Westwego Mayor Robert Billiot Sr. As the evening progressed, Jazzman Entertainment purveyed the scintillation, even luring a few for a spin on the floor.

Gratitude

Lighthouse Louisiana celebrated Visionary Circle donors at the LL headquarters, where seasonal yellow chrysanthemums decorated the courtyard. More floral arrangements in fall colors came from Shirley Randon of White Oaks Farm. Feeding the flock were Mirepoix Event Catering (with a tasty hors d'oeuvres array) and The Cupcake Collection. Sarah Douglas Photography snapped party looks, and a jazz trio from Loyola, Evs Alexander, Lue Herrick and Izzy Chase, entertained the likes of LL president and CEO Dee Bridgewater, board chair Charlie Marts and wife Tabby George, board member Cameron Currie, Jenice Heck, Ted Haefele, Shawne Favre, Joyce Ridgeway, Peggy and Capt. John White, and Elaine and Ben Haney.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

All In The Family: Maine Mother & Son Charged in Massive Drug Bust

-
Image
corso dog :: Article Creator Woman Hospitalized After Attack By 2 Dogs At Same Edmonton Home Where Boy Died: Lawyer UPDATE: On April 15, 2024, the City of Edmonton provided an update on the fatal attack. It said that prior to the deadly incident on April 1, "the city had no lawful basis to remove the dogs from the home." The city added that "all prior complaints about the dogs involved in this incident were investigated thoroughly and appropriate action was taken in accordance with the applicable legislation." The city also said a review found that its staff "acted appropriately in accordance with our standard practices and in compliance with the relevant legal constraints given the nature of past complaints and reports." A woman was hospitalized after being attacked in February by two large Cane Corso dogs at the same home where an 11-year-old boy was killed last week, the woman's lawyer told Global News. "I...
Read more

Rare Frogs And Illegal Drugs - Palisades Hudson Financial Group

-
Image
Colombian conservationist Ivan Lozano has hit on a brilliantly promising strategy to protect his country’s rare and endangered amphibians. His plan: Flood the market with them. Lozano is not hunting rare frogs in Colombia’s Andean forests. He is raising them himself and selling them at prices designed to undercut poachers and smugglers. If he can raise the frogs cheaply enough, and in large enough numbers, he might manage to drive down the market price to the point that poachers no longer find it worthwhile to harvest and smuggle the creatures onto the black markets. Lozano told The Associated Press that his company also encourages collectors to breed their own frogs. Picture yourself as a poacher. If the government toughens the legal penalties and steps up enforcement, you will shrug your shoulders; legal risks are a basic cost of doing business. Since the demand for your product already exists among foreign collectors and other buyers, tougher enforcement merely reduces supply a...
Read more

Burn scars, winter storms threaten rare and endangered species in San Gabriel Mountains - The Bakersfield Californian

-
Image
LOS ANGELES — Up until a few weeks ago, the West Fork of the San Gabriel River was one of the most abundant wildlife habitats in Los Angeles County, a secluded and rugged area defined by its steep peaks, lush canyons and mixture of rare and endangered species. Recently however, a team of federal biologists and forest rangers was aghast when it visited the stream following the Bobcat fire, which has burned more than 115,000 acres in the heart of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Terrain that once resembled a High Sierra granite gorge now looked like ground zero after a nuclear explosion, and the usually clean mountain air was sharp with the stench of smoke. Particularly unsettling were the bare and ashen slopes that were now primed to dissolve under pounding winter storms. A heavy mudslide, experts said, could reverse decades of conservation efforts by inundating the last outposts for such federally protected species as the Santa Ana sucker fish and Southern California m...
Read more