Sharon Gardner and Paul Carroll
Photo
by Chance Yeh |
YWCA OF NEW YORK
Generous
Socialites Mark
Rebirth
of an Institution
By Roger Webster
 WCA-NYC’s
first annual spring gala in the National Arts Club on Gramercy Park
was all about art and helping others, especially women helping
women. They called it Renaissance to represent the 132-year-old
institution’s rebirth.
About
$125,000 was raised for such programs as the Center for Arts and
Culture, Center for Workforce Development, Center for Children and
Youth, and the Angela Perez Center for Persons with Disabilities,
representing just a few of the ways they touch the lives of so many.
The
evening was put together by chairs H. Hartley du Pont, Joelle
O_Reilly-Hyland and Steven H. Miller along with the
YWCA’s board of directors including president Constance Tate,
chair Patricia Geoghegan, vice president Anne Davidson
and staff members Jennifer Lopez and Pam Palmer. Polly
Onet and Jill Fischer did a great job of event planning.
Janis and Charles
Cecil |
The
honorary chairs were Holly Solomon, the amazing art dealer
who, sadly, died last month; Jane Seymour, who had to miss as
she was playing a real life medicine woman in equatorial Africa
helping treat children in the middle of a dangerous measles
epidemic, and Kimberly Rockefeller, who was there shopping
with her mother Jackie Eckles and George Gumina, the
husband of her husband Steven’s cousin Rachel.
The
honoree was B. Smith, who was with her husband Dan Gasby
and their daughter Dana.
B.
Smith received the Legacy Award for her support of the arts in all
its many forms and long time advocacy of the YWCA.
“We are the wind beneath the young girls’ wings,” she
said, and to demonstrate, she sang a sweet song about a child’s
heart.
The
National Arts Club, of course, is itself a major work of art in
itself. The party was held on the very grand second floor with NAC
president Aldon James making sure everything went smoothly.
The
gallery was filled with pieces donated by some of the city’s most
famous artists and including Peter Max, Colette, James Rosenquist,
Al Hirshfeld, Alice McAdams, Kenny Scharf, Laura Lee Ross, Marnie
Pomerantz, Andrew Bush and Leith Rutherford Talamo.
Hartley du Pont (left) presents
crystal bowl to B. Smith. |
Hugh
Hildesley of
Sotheby’s led a live auction of original works donated by maestros
such as Hunt Slonem, Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude,
George Rodrigue, Betsey Johnson, Hedy Klineman, Nicole Miller and
Rachel Hovnanian.
One
of the highlights was the bidding on a very special boxed set of
19th Century hand-crafted hair combs donated by Laurance
Rockefeller; they once belonged to his late wife Mary French
Rockefeller.
Among
those buying art, sipping delightful Veuve Clicquot champagne and
eating a delicious dinner were committee members Jill Brooke,
Jennifer Creel, Grace Hightower, Richard Torrenzano, Mark
Gilbertson, and Dr. Howard Sobel, who donated a spa day
from his Skin & Spa salon.
Jill Brooke and
Dr. Howard Sobel |
Among
the 325 guests were Tim Schifter, playwright Jason Grant,
Janis and Charles Cecil, Sharon Gardner and Paul
Carroll, art dealer Thomas Knapp, PR whizzes Amy Rosi,
Heather Carnevale and Christine Shaw, CeCe Cord, R. Couri Hay
and Heidi
Albertsen,
Cynthia Lufkin, Alexandra Lind Rose and
Barbara and Glen Fief.
Everybody
seemed unusually happy (art and helping others can do that) and the
YWCA-NYC is certainly deserving of all the attention. Since its
inception in 1870, it has been a pioneer for social and political
change by founding revolutionary programs for girls,
women,
families and communities.
|
