Jewels glimmer at awards luncheon
Four courageous women were crowned as “Jewels,” smack dab in the middle of our Jewel City.
More than 250 supporters gathered to honor Liza Boubari, Debra Collins, Camille Levee and Melina Thorpe with Women of Courage Awards Thursday at the Embassy Suites. All four have a history of overcoming obstacles and succeeding in their chosen fields.
The sixth annual “Jewels of Glendale” Awards Luncheon presented by the Glendale Commission on the Status of Women was the setting in which these sparkling jewels shown. Commission Chairman Paula Devine introduced the women to the receptive audience. Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian extended congratulations to the “Jewels” and the commission. Program emcee was broadcaster Suzanne Whatley.
Also honored was Lyolya Hovhannisyan, 17, with the first Gem Scholarship Award. Hovhannisyan is a senior at Glendale High School. Her Gem $1,000 scholarship will come in handy when she attends UCLA next year as a biology major.
Also for the first time, the commission gave a Special Chair’s Recognition to 99-year-old Genevieve Sultenfuss, soon to celebrate her 100th birthday. Among other honors, Sultenfuss was the first women’s president of the Glendale Board of Realtors in 1968. Daughter Julie Shermer was by her side as Sultenfuss was presented with an early birthday cake by commission Vice Chairwoman Linda Goodman Pillsbury.
More commissioners present were Grace Walker, Karine Garsevanyan and Vatche Tasjian. The commission’s mission is to advance social justice and equity of rights and opportunities for all women and girls in Glendale.
“Art Noir Sweet 16” showcased the pop art work of 17-year-old Kinley Winnaman during a benefit auction Saturday at the Willardson Gallery in Glendale. Beneficiary of the expected evening proceeds of $15,000 is the Dream Foundation that grants wishes to terminally ill adults.
Marilyn Shatz, the mother of deceased Allison Cole, described Cole’s wish to see Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Representatives from Disney studios delivered and operated a projection system and screen to show the movie in Cole’s home — all courtesy of the Dream Foundation, represented at the auction by foundation founder Thomas Rollerson.
Kinley, a senior at La Cañada High School, began painting two years ago when she asked her grandfather, gallery owner and artist David Willardson, for some drawing tips. Proud grandmom Sandy Willardson commented that the family’s artistic talent “skipped a generation.” Winnaman’s works, many of which she painted when she was 16, sell from $900 to $1,500.
Celebrity auctioneer Brad Garrett deftly auctioned off Kinley’s series of portraits of Madonna and Princess Diana, among others.
The evening of art and chat also included cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and music by Twin, featuring Jesse and Ryan Collins.
The Women’s Committee of the Glendale Symphony installed their officers at the Glendale home of doyenne Martha Feutz Sunday afternoon. “Salute to Summer” was the theme of the casual, but musical event attended by about 30 supporters.
Installation Officer Jean Cassidy gave long-stemmed roses to the officers present. They were President Jennifer Horine; Recording Secretary, and Horine’s mother, Cindy Dailey; Corresponding Secretary Lucille Mellon; and Parliamentarian Mary Margaret Smith.
The Women’s Committee brings music to Glendale elementary schools through 10 visiting instrumentalists each year.
Taste of Glendale on May 12 featuring samples from 20 of downtown’s most popular restaurants brought out more than a thousand hungry folks. Porto’s was a popular choice.
There, Glendale residents April Bernas and Timothy Lee were joined by Bernas’ sister Thea Bernas, visiting from Boston. Porto’s meat pies were their favorite freebies.
Proceeds from Taste of Glendale will benefit Glendale Healthy Kids and the Glendale Assn. of the Retarded.
The Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A. celebrated its Centennial with a Gala Banquet on Sunday at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills. Honored were the accomplishments of generations of women who gave service through the Relief Society. A special memory book dedicated to countless women was published for the occasion.
Just outside the perimeters of the happy return of the Farmers’ Market, taking over several blocks of West Kenneth on Saturday, was another entrepreneurial operation. Six-year-old Glendale resident Desiree Cooper set up her lemonade stand with the help of mom Kellie Cooper. The five-hour sale went through gallons of homemade lemonade and vanilla bean cookies, custom-made by grandma.
Desiree is a student in a combined first- and second-grade class at the Montessori School in Glendale. The school had challenged its students to engage in fundraisers to help engendered animals in rain forests. Desiree’s contribution will be sales from the lemonade stand. Her concern is that animals “might be losing their homes.”
By the fourth hour of the sale, Desiree said gross proceeds were “53 bucks.”