SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK
Junior League 60th Anniversary Gala
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1. JLB president Amy Dolliver Louwers (left) and Gala director Linda Krause of Birmingham. 2. Event co-chairs Lisa Krueger (left) of Birmingham and Merrily Seranian of Royal Oak. 3. JLB founder the late Betty Williams’ family: Bill (left) and Wendy Williams Powers and Rick Williams and his wife Karen of Bloomfield and award-winning architects Tod Williams and his wife Billie Tsien of NYC. 4. A founding member Eleanor Paton (left) with Toni Johnson of Bloomfield. 5. Maggie Allesee (left) of Bloomfield and pioneer member Ginny O’Brien of Birmingham. 6. Mark (left) and 2011 president Michelle St. Andrew of Beverly Hills, 2010 president Katie Marinelli of Royal Oak, 2006 president Keri Boyd of Birmingham with Allen Talbert of Grosse Pointe. 7. 2002 president Alice Currier (left) of W. Bloomfield, 1995 & 2009 president Susan Foley of Birmingham and committee member Heather Gillespie of Bloomfield. 8. Dr. Tom Varbedian of Bloomfield with his daughter Susan Lucken of Birmingham. 9. 1998 president Patty Ghesquiere (center) of Bloomfield with Cheryl Hall Lindsay (left) of W. Bloomfield and Renee Godin of Farmington Hills.
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Humane Society Bow Wow Brunch
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Humane Society Bow Wow Brunch More than 600 animal lovers gathered at the Dearborn Inn for the 24th annual Michigan Humane Society fundraiser. They were greeted by co-chairs Denise Lutz and Linda Axe and MHS CEO Cal Morgan. They sipped champagne as they socialized, browsed the large silent auction ($32,000), schmoozed the seven four-legged adoptables hoping for new homes, and made donations to get some good guys out of the virtual doghouse. Quicken Loans’ Jay Farner garnered the most “bail” donations, $11,219 of the $39,102 pledged. The others were Mark Reuss, Sophia Yauck, Jennifer Hammond, Jean Jennings, Les Gold, Jim Johnson, the 97.1 FM Morning Show Hosts and an MHS rescue dog named Dorothy. The highlight of the brunch program was a very spirited live auction of 11 items conducted by Joe Walker. The most dollars, $7,000, were bid for the opportunity to put your pet’s picture on the cover of the 2014 MHS Calendar dollar. In all, the live auction raised $37,350, bringing the event gross to $340,000. And four of the adoptables found new homes. Project SEARCH Benefit Project SEARCH, a one year school-to-work internship program at Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield, provides employment and job skills training for individuals with disabilities. Sally Mezey, mother of one of the interns, rides the unique bikes at Real Ryder Revolution in Birmingham and was pleased that owner Leslee Blatnikoff said “yes” to staging a Project SEARCH fundraiser there. “We had nearly 50 participants, a DJ and refreshments. The three instructors donated their time so all the money collected (nearly $4,000) will go directly to Project SEARCH,” said Mezey, adding, “It has been a wonderful year for our son, Carl, and we are very happy that this program is now available in our community.”
3 1. Judy Anderson (left) of Bloomfield with event co-chair Linda Axe of Grosse Pointe. 2. Robert (left) and Carole Wendzel of Bloomfield with board members Marianne Endicott of Grosse Pointe and event co-chair Denise Lutz of Versailles, KY. 3. Ray (left) and Rita Dallavecchia of Bloomfield with Tim Turner of Brighton. 4. Laura Yauck (left) of Novi with her daughter Sophia of Birmingham. 5. Judge Wendy Potts (center) of Birmingham with Wendy Silverman (left) and Rosemary Cotter of Bloomfield.
Junior League 60th Anniversary Gala Diamond-shaped crystal decorations accented the party scene at Oakland Hills Country Club for the Junior League of Birmingham’s celebration - “Still Sparkling after Sixty Years.” It attracted a capacity crowd (250) to the very place where the league’s charter had been signed 60 years ago. A large photo collage contained memories for many, like Tom Varbedian, whose late wife and two of their daughters smiled from it at onlookers. A large silent auction set up in the grill attracted attention during the champagne splashed reception hour, as did the veranda, thanks to welcome mild weather. During the program, JLB president Amy Lowers noted that the league had raised $7.8 million and contributed 1.15 million volunteer hours in the past 60 years, and Rick Williams spoke about his late mother Betty, who founded the Birmingham league. Noting that she was a consummate volunteer, an incredible fundraiser and Australian, he imitated her putting the squeeze on friends - “It’s time to lighten your wallet,” he said with her accent. “She would be proud (of this evening),” he concluded. Many finished the evening on the dance floor with DJ Roland Calip, Jr. of DEFTMIX making the music. The party proceeds ($75,000 gross) will support the league’s current projects aimed at combating childhood obesity.
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Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390. 06.13