On The Town: Toasting chamber’s 100th birthday
The “Celebration of the Century” was held Thursday on the Americana’s Green. More than 320 supporters partied in black ties and gowns from twilight to midnight under a clear sky of sparkling stars in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber President Rich Roche welcomed his audience and introduced incoming chamber President Rick Lemmo.
An opportunity drawing attracted generous shoppers, dinner attracted the hungry and dancing to the music of California attracted the light of foot. VIPs taking advantage of all three included Rep. Adam Schiff, Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian and wife Darlene, and former Glendale Mayors Frank Quintero and wife Jani, Carl Raggio and Sheldon Baker; and City Manager Jim Starbird.
More VIPs included Chamber Executive Vice President and former President Judee Kendall, Morre Dean, presiding over the Glendale Adventist (Centennial Sponsor) table, wife Katrina and children Tyler, 13 and Jill, 10; and newly installed president of Glendale Beautiful Doyle Kutch, nattily attired in black tie.
More VIPs included man-on-the-run Sunder Ramani, Glendale Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, Police Chief Ron De Pompa, Glendale Community College Supt./President Dawn Lindsay, Supt./President Emeritus John Davitt, board President Tony Tartaglia, Glendale school board President Greg Krikorian, Supt. Michael Escalante and incoming Supt. Richard Sheehan.
Just about to turn 100 years old, Genevieve Sultenfuss was honored as the first female chamber president of 1977.
A toast was held in honor of the chamber’s next 100 years.
More than 200 art lovers “Indulg[ed] in the Arts” at Porto’s Bakery, where hors d’oeuvres, sweets, coffee and wines from the Wine Cave in Montrose were the order of the evening Sunday. Glendale Arts was the beneficiary of proceeds from the entry fee of $50 and silent auction organized by Glendale Arts Board member Marcia Hanford. A frequently bid item was a two-night stay at the Residences Luxury Apartments at the Americana. A dinner for four prepared and served in the winners’ apartment was tossed in for good measure.
Eschewing the second game of the Lakers’ Finals, those tapping into their inner epicurean included Glendale Arts’ Barry McComb, Elissa Glickman and Randy Carter. More art connoisseurs from Glendale included Glendale City Councilwoman Laura Friedman and her ever-lovin’ Guillaume Lemoine, man-about-town Dave Greenbaum, Bruce and Debbie Hinckey, Monica and Jose Sierra, Paula Devine without her Art, John Simpson, and Minna Stanley, more than generous with her silent auction bidding.
All agreed the high point of the evening was the tours of the bakery led by owner Betty Porto.
Money for the arts was also raised at Glendale Community College’s Spring Ceramics Sale on Saturday. Hundreds of college faculty, administrators, students and the community attended the sale between 1 and 5 p.m. at the campus center.
There was a large selection of handmade functional and decorative items made by students in stoneware, porcelain, raku and majolica art works. Budding student artist Marion Held showed off her small ceramic dishes including a tattoo-inspired candy dish. Held was a former special effects artist who enrolled in the college Ceramics Department to teach ceramics in her own studio.
Sale proceeds will go toward equipment and supplies for the ceramics department, as well as bring guest lecturers and workshops to the college’s Ceramics Studio.
Damon’s Steakhouse was the setting for the retirement party for Glendale Community College professor Joe Denhart on Saturday. More than 45 students from Denhart’s long-standing “Joy of Living” class and Encore classes honored Denhart for his 31 years of service to the college.
VIPs included Supt./President John Davitt and wife Gael Davitt; retiring Jane Di Lucchio, division chair of Continuing Education Business and Life Skills; and current Division Chair Elizabeth Fremgen.
Denhart and wife Barbara will move to Bar Harbor in Washington to enjoy their retirement and grandchildren.
A “Walk with Sally” was the theme of a fundraiser at Pinkberry at the Americana. More than 200 sweet lovers raised more than $2,000 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday for the nonprofit organization that provides mentoring programs and services to children whose parents or siblings have cancer.
Burbank residents who preferred Pinkberry’s original flavor, no-fat yogurt were Diana Anderson, her mother Sarah Tsaturyan and children Richard Egoyan, 6; and Rosette Egoyan, 2. Word has it that the chocolate Pinkberries with shaved milk chocolate is to die for.
Pinkberry General Manager Jason Hopkins said he was excited to be part of this first event at the sweet shop.
The “Walk with Sally” mentoring program is free of charge to all children between the ages of 1 and 17.