The Valley Line: Bingo Boy and ‘Roxy’ enliven USC Verudgo Hills Hospital fundraiser
A love for the game of bingo drew 120 guests last Friday evening when the Verdugo Hills Hospital Women’s Council gathered at the La Cañada Thursday Club to play the game of chance and socialize.
Emcee for the evening was Jeffery Bowman, who is known around Los Angeles as Bingo Boy. Bowman was assisted by an exotic drag queen nicknamed Roxy. Roxy was all decked out in a come hither form-fitting dress that was split “up to here.” Her beautifully coiffed hair was enhanced by her colorful and creative makeup. Pulling the whole look together were her shiny, silver high-heeled sandals. I don’t know how she could have stood in those “tower of terror” high heels all evening without ending up as a patient in the hospital.
The fun, raucous evening was a fundraiser for the soon to be tiniest hearts in the hospital who will be patients in the hospital’s neonatal ward that is slated for opening soon.
Before the bingo numbers were called, a buffet of finger foods were served and catered by Sodexo, the company that provides food service for the hospital.
Christina Arcaris was celebrating her birthday that evening and all attending sang “Happy Birthday” to her.
A special international guest for the evening was Mattia Stoppino, a foreign exchange student from Rome, Italy. He was there with his hosts Paolo Sacca and Ken Merrick.
Tiffany Ajaryan is chairman of the Women’s Council and Purnima Panchal was event chair. Among Women’s Council committee members and hospital VIPs coordinating and supporting the fun evening were Cindy Sawyer, Ban Neesan, Becky Happach, Kate Kaneko, Ruth McNevin, Hassie Ramath, Wanda Sellers,Toni Williamson, Veronica Spencer, Pauline Hendricks, Sonia Baghdasarian, Angie Mandujano, Kerri Yoder, Teri Rice, Deborah Weirick and Stephanie Van Sickel.
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Some 85 guests attended Hillsides’ Jan. 30 gala sponsor reception at a chateau-style estate in Pasadena. The evening featured a replica of the Eiffel Tower, a French specialty cocktail and French-styled appetizers to match the theme of this year’s upcoming gala, La Nuit des Rêves (The Night of Dreams), which will be held on Feb. 24 at the Langham Huntington, Pasadena.
The event was as an opportunity for Hillsides to thank the many generous gala sponsors. The proceeds of the gala, which is the charity’s largest fundraiser of the year, will go toward benefiting 14,000 children, youth and families that Hillsides serves throughout Southern California.
During the evening, Joseph M. Costa, Hillsides’ president and chief executive, introduced the gala co-chairs, longtime supporters La Cañada Flintridge resident Joan McCarthy and John Gong, thanking them for their leadership in the organization.
The gala committee includes Armida Baylon-Stelzer, Cathy Brennan, Kelly Chamberlain, Donna De Mond, Shelly and Mario Fiumani, Megan Foker, LCF resident Donna B. Ford, Gina Guerra, Stacey Hoppe, Dr. Judith Oh Kim, Ana Maarse, Pamela Mahon, Judy Kenyon Martin, Susan Noce, Susan Pinsky, Courtney Saavedra, Robert and Deborah Simpson, Sara J. Simpson, Maureen Staley, Rebecca Trail and Kim Weleba.
Tickets to La Nuit des Rêves are $300 and can be purchased by contacting Bernie Gore at bgore@hillsides.org.
JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event.