On the Town: Fundraiser serves up London theme for a good cause
From the palace to Piccadilly, the West End to Westminster, and all around the Thames, members and supporters of the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center Guild came as close to spending a day in jolly ol’ London as possible without actually making a trip across the pond.
“No security lines, no packing and no jet lag; this is the way to do London,” Julie McArdle, guild president, said jokingly as she welcomed the assemblage of close to 400 to the organization’s annual spring fashion show and luncheon presented under the theme “Passport to London” at the Sheraton Universal Hotel this past Saturday.
Emceed by George Pennacchio, entertainment reporter for ABC Channel 7 Eyewitness News, the event was chaired by Kathleen Marsden who was assisted by her committee composed of Maureen Walsh, Donna Mahoney, Marian Enos, Karen Barragan, Kristen Reiter, Judy McDowell, Jill Allen, Erika Mayer, Rhoberta Kerr, Pamela Shriftman, Patricia Scully, Patricia Cimo, Sharon Reid, Gabrielle Cochran, Terry Campbell, Dee Call, Lucy Brown, Maria Balke, Ollie Vick and Lori Riela.
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Along with the professional models who strutted the catwalk under the direction of Couture Production’s fashion director Lucinda Miedema, the day’s main event also featured “celebrity” models including Providence St. Joseph Medical Center interim chief executive Kerry Carmody, chief financial officer Glenn Bales and physicians Dr. Raul Mena, Dr. David Sato, Dr. Stephen Kishineff, Dr. Daniel Eisenberg, Dr. Stuart Steinberg, Dr. George Orloff and Dr. Christopher Lee.
During the past 70 years, the guild’s fundraising efforts have supported the medical center’s Disney Family Cancer Center and the Hycy and Howard Hill Neuroscience Center.
Proceeds from the event will go toward the work of the Cusumano Family Outpatient Center, the medical center’s new emergency medicine and outpatient care facility.
Among those who enjoyed the day’s royal treatment were members of the Burbank-based La Providencia Guild of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles including Sharon Terranova, Janet Puchlik and Deborah Spang.
Other notables in attendance were executive members of the PSJMC Guild board including Patricia Cassidy, Jo Massimini, Chick Amaldino, Jackie VanBeveren, Sharon Grooms and the eternally young 103-year old “Amazing Grace” Paz, who serves as the guild’s parliamentarian and who handled reservations and seating for the event.
DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
