■ social lights / sally gerak ■ Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation’s VIP Rooftop Party
Here is the update on the social scene from the past month. Many more photos from each event appear online each week, and past columns and photos are archived on the website for The Paper.
Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation’s VIP Rooftop Party Instead of a patriotic spin, The Target Fireworks and The Parade Company’s Flip Floppin’ VIP Rooftop Party had a summer fun theme, and more than 1,800 guests ($175, $75 under six) got in the mood. Event sponsor Charter One’s Beach Party Zone set the stage near the entrance with sand dunes, a dune rider, and beach bag giveaways. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Get Fit Zone used popular Wii games to make a point, and Absopure’s Splish Splash Sports Zone offered interactive alpine surfer, rapid river, dual wave runners, dual hydro thunder speedboat racing and fish frenzy. Andiamo catering was also on theme with, in addition to standard picnic fare, spice rubbed barbecue chicken with mango sauce, roasted portabella mushrooms in balsamic glaze and chilled gazpacho shooters with garden garnish. Live music, especially when Alto Reed was playing his saxophone, made the dance floor jump. Fun giveaways, like flashing eyewear and entertainment celebrities, amused young and old before the 52nd annual Zambelli pyrotechnics began. Included in the audience was a special group labeled The Squid Squad. FYI: a “squid” is a fireworks term for a small ball of light emanating energy around it. Thus, the squad comprised the early and loyal event supporters that enabled it to raise more than $150,000 for the Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation. Speaking of which, the foundation’s spectacular Hob Nobble Gobble family event is moving from Thanksgiving Eve to Nov. 20, the Saturday night before Thanksgiving, and from the State Fairgrounds to the much larger Ford Field. The venue will enable the creative team at The Parade Company to double the number of attractions, including carnival rides for both kids and adults. For tickets ($1,000, $500, $350; $200 for children 6 and under), call The Parade Company at 313-923-7400, ext. 244 or go to www.theparade.org. Tickets are pricey, but the event is truly memorable and its proceeds help keep America’s Thanksgiving Parade rolling along Woodward Avenue. This year will be the 84th.
Cass Community Social Services’ Catch the Fireworks with Cass Left to right, top to bottom: Cheri & Joyce Pasko of Troy, Linda Orlans of Birmingham, Randy Waggoner of Royal Oak, Stephanie, Nick & Luke Orrico of Waterford. Sponsor Charter One’s Sandy Pierce (left) & her son Tommy of Milford with Patricia Mooradian of Bloomfield and Tom Pyden of Novi. Renee Abbuhl (left), Michele McNary, Mary Neimiec and Jenny Geiger of W. Bloomfield, Judy Dunn and Julie McInnis of Commerce, Maureen Unsworth of White LakeSuzy (left) & WJR’s Mike Feezey of Farmington Hills with Maggie Allesee of Bloomfield. Megan Pierce Janowski (left) with her father /honorary event co-chair Tom and sister Jessica Pierce of Milford, Patrick Kelleher of Novi and Ben Maibach of Farmingtopn Hills. Michelle Fent of Birmingham with Just Baked’s Rob Rancour of Farmington Hills. Clarice (left) and Parade Company President/CEO Tony Michaels of Rochester Hills with Tavi Fulkerson and Bud Deneker of Bloomfield. Cole, Scott & Lou Jacobson of Birmingham.
While parade aficionados were partying on the garage roof top, supporters of Cass Community Social Services, 270 strong, looked down on them from the air conditioned comfort of the Coach Insignia restaurant atop the adjacent GM Renaissance Center. They enjoyed fine wines and spirits and signature Matt Prentice comestibles like lobster “corn dogs,” bid $10,000 in silent and live auctions, and socialized big time while awaiting the fireworks show. They also anteed up nearly $4,000 at the Make-A-Difference station. This will help send at-risk kids to camp and provide nutritious meals for Cass residents. When the fireworks started, guests got an eye-level view of them from the 71st floor. The sixth annual event raised more than $155,000 for CCSS, whose programs are innovative and impressive under the direction of Rev. Faith Fowler. Check them out at www.casscommunity.org.
CARE House Supper Party for Partners in Mission Denise and Herb Abrash hosted an al fresco supper party around the pool at their Bloomfield Hills home for 80 CARE House loyalists. The friendly event, planned simply to say thank you for generosity, was superbly catered by Bill Roberts’ Town Tavern eatery in Royal Oak. Board president Cathy Weissenborn did give a capital campaign progress report — $2.9-million raised of the $4million needed for the new, enlarged CARE House facility where abused children begin the healing process. Ground breaking occurred in April. Seeds of Hope tours are staged each month. The next is a lunch tour on Tuesday, Aug. 17. Call 248-332-7173 to make a reservation.
Cranbrook House & Gardens Auxiliary’s Music in the Gardens Julie Ritter, Cranbrook House and Gardens Auxiliary chair, reports that even the forecast of thunderstorms accompanied by high temperatures and humidity did not deter a sold out crowd from enjoying the July 15 event. Guests strolled through the magnificent gardens before and after the storms. The decision to move the food and beverages indoors offered an additional perk to the evening, as many guests remarked on their appreciation of the beauty of 70
THE PAPER
SEPTEMBER 2010