SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK years later she was hired to work in the program. Following her presentation, WJLB’s Coco cajoled guests to pledge $17,800 in the service auction. This brought the event total to more than $95,000. For more information about the organization, go to www.voami.org.
Volunteers of America Holidays of Hope
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2 1. Andrew McQuiston (left) of Birmingham with Detroit Lion Ndamukong Suh of Royal Oak and VoA president Alex Brodrick of Novi. 2. VoA board chair Eddie (left) and Gloria McDonald of Canton with 95.5 FM’s Shannon Murphy of Birmingham. 3. Ann and host committee member Bob Shaffer of Birmingham with sponsor O’Brien Construction’s Dan and Lynn Ross of Washington. 4. 97.1’s Courtney Olbrich of Allen Park and WWJ TV’s Steve Ryckman of Birmingham.
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Family Night/Gingerbread Brunch
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1. Event co-chair Mia Materka (left) of W. Bloomfield with committee member Virgina Antakli of Bloomfield. 2. Annette (left) and PB president Mike Dul with event co-chair Sue Nine and committee member Agnes Andrews of Bloomfield. 3. Committee member Julia Sosa and her mother, co chair Carol Shaya of Bloomfield. 4. Lauren Rakolta Fitzgerald of Birmingham and her daughter Dylan. 5. Eileen Kiriluk and Paige Frisch with their mother Terry Rakolta of Bloomfield. 6. Marlene Soieaux-Edwards of Birmingham with her grandma / committee member Gail Barget of Bloomfield. 7. Nicholas, Lisa and Lucy Kelley of Birmingham with grandma Cecelia Kelley of Bloomfield. 8. Committee member Tina Stonisch (left) with Jennifer Margherio and Patti Chinonis of Birmingham. Photo credit: Carroll DeWeese.
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8 DOWNTOWN
Family Night/Gingerbread Brunch Preservation Bloomfield, which is preserving for educational use the 1832 Barton House that it moved to the Bloomfield Hills School District’s Bowers Farm five years ago, staged its annual two-part Gingerbread fundraiser at Oakland Hills Country Club. Both events sold out. Some 180 attended Family Night, including three generation groups like the Oliver Baers, Case Koremans, Ed Andersons, Cecelia Kelley, and Terry Rakolta. Amusements included piano music by Alice Haidostian, a grand buffet dinner, visits with Santa and child-centered activities, notably decorating, instead of gingerbread houses, little log cabins constructed of pretzel rods. Santa Claus was formally presented with the “Key to the Hearts of the Young People” by Bloomfield Hills mayor Sarah McClure and Bloomfield Township supervisor Leo Savoie. Savoie noted his police department had confirmed that all 80 of the children in attendance had been “very good”. The next morning more than 200 attended the Gingerbread Brunch. Highlights were the performance of renowned violinist Sonia Lee, who was toting a new state of the art violin case featuring GPS Tracking and temperature and humidity control systems; music by Bloomfield Hills students; a raffle; and the outstanding displays of wreaths, trees, centerpieces and gingerbread houses for sale. Gingerbread House judges were Lois Hennessy and Donna Rorabaugh. The local DAR Piety Hill Chapter won first place in the NonProfessional Competition for its replica of Wing Lake School. Having excused herself from judging her own category, Rorabaugh, a nationally renowned gingerbread house baker, won first place in the Professional Competition. Fox-2’s Monica Gayle emceed. Sister Bridget Bearss blessed the food. Michigan Lottery’s Aggie Usedly drew the raffle winners’ names. PB president/landscape architect/city commissioner Michael Dul, often the only male at the meetings, profusely thanked co-chairs Carol Shaya, Mia Materka, Sue Nine and their committee for the success of 02.13