June
Green Shoe Gala Blues Ball Spring Auction Big Wig Ball Gift of Life Gala Rendezvous at the Dixon Q&A with Dwayne Spencer
2009
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CONTENTS
Contents June 2009
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Signature Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Dr. William E. Troutt The 19th president of Rhodes College just finished the spring semester, but he’s already smiling about the possibilities a new school year can bring.
Green Shoe Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Shelby Farms Park Conservancy supporters kicked up their green shoes for an ecofriendly affair in the park.
12 GREEN SHOE GALA Chris and Allison Webb
StreetSeens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 & 18 The leader of Memphis Thunder Racing swears that once you do a triathlon, you’ll be hooked. When he noticed a trend among those with drug-related offenses, this judge took matters into his own hands and founded the Shelby County Drug Court. StreetSeens highlight Lesley Brainard and Judge Tim Dwyer.
38 BIG WIG BALL Christopher Prest and Jessica Davis
Onsites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20, 22, 47 & 49 JUNE 2009
Gatherings that have earned an honorable mention.
RSVPeople . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 A trek across the city’s party landscape.
4 RSVP
Blues Ball Spring Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Blues Ball Spring Auction guests celebrated the warmer temps and Cinco de Mayo at The Warehouse.
16 STREETSEEN Lesley Brainard
Vox Popular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Q&A with Habitat for Humanity® of Greater Memphis executive director Dwayne Spencer.
42 GIFT OF LIFE GALA Shawn Carter and Camille Moore
Big Wig Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 No one could top the creative hairstyles on display at this soiree for Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center.
Gift of Life Gala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 The National Kidney Foundation of West Tennessee honored foundation supporters and beneficiaries at a black-tie party at the U of M Holiday Inn.
Rendezvous at the Dixon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 The Dixon Gallery and Gardens drew hundreds to its lawn for a family-style picnic.
RSVPhillippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
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Wedding Bliss Funnyman Phillippi doesn’t mind sitting in a church pew…that is, for a wedding.
BLUES BALL SPRING AUCTION Bill and Mona Sappenfield Cover Photo Adam and Karen Hamburger at The Gift of Life Gala Photo by Don Perry
44 RENDEZVOUS AT THE DIXON Bruce Campbell, Carter Campbell Sr. and Carter Campbell Jr.
Volume XIV
Number IX
June 2009 PUBLISHER
Roy Haithcock EDITOR
Leah Fitzpatrick CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ruth Cassin Jonathan Devin Dennis Phillippi Lesley Young ART DIRECTOR
Patrick Aker s PHOTOGRAPHERS
JUNE 2009
Roy Haithcock Don Perry Steve Roberts SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Toni Ander son ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Libby Huff
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ACCOUNTING
Ruth Cassin RSVP Memphis is published monthly by Haithcock Communications, Inc. First class subscriptions are available for $75.00 per year. Send name and address with a check to: Haithcock Communications, Inc. 2282 Central Avenue Memphis, TN 38104
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CLAY & LAND • CLAY & HOLLEY CLAY & WRIGHT • DONNAUD-CLAY GREAT SOUTH CONSTRUCTION AND BONDS
Everyday.
JUNE 2009
AUTO • BUSINESS • HEALTH • LIFE
Todd Dyson
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James McDonnell
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Louis Clay
George Edmiston
Dee Newman
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David Bradford
W
hile looking back through the editorial content for column topics, I realized that theme parties have gained a resurgence. From the Big Wig Ball to the Green Shoe Gala to the Blues Ball Spring Auction’s Cinco de Mayo celebration, event organizers increased the ante for party attire, décor and food…and attendees responded in a big way. Not only did I hear people talking about what outfits they were concocting for these occasions, but they were looking forward to events with, what I call, the wow factor, or that extra dose of something special. More importantly, these themes served as quintessential marketing tools to get people in the door for charity. The fresh approach to event planning proved quite appealing for this editor, who roughly attends three or four parties a week. Not only am I singing the event chairmen’s praises, but I think that to deviate from any standard, whether it be a party format or morning ritual, is bold and completely necessary to keep one’s interest peaked. So, out with the old, and in with the new! Speaking of new, the time has come for Memphians to focus on the beginning of summer. For those unaware, summer starts June 21, which also happens to be Father’s Day and the longest day of the year. Though I dread the fade of daylight hours after the 21st, I welcome the onslaught of weekends at the pool, making homemade ice cream, taking hikes, throwing in some change at any lemonade stand in sight and maybe planning an all-American road trip to the country’s best diners, an idea that’s been in the works for a while. Looking for a summer adventure of your own? Check out the Memphis Botanic Garden’s Live at the Garden concert lineup on page 23, or visit a thrift store (MIFA has a good one!) to get a Hawaiian shirt for a backyard luau. Just remember that an endless summer isn’t only reserved for the beach. Happy reading! Photo by Steve Roberts
Coverage you can count on.
From the Editor
Clay & Land • Clay & Holley • Donnaud-Clay Great South Construction and Bonds 866 Ridgeway Loop, Suite 200 Memphis, TN 38120 Phone (901) 767-3600 • Toll-Free (800) 489-7668 Life & Health Fax (901) 767-3655 General Fax (901) 763-2613 www.clayandland.com
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400 G 400 Grove rove PPark ar k • M Memphis, emphis, TTN N3 38117 8117 • 9 901.767.4640 01.767.4640 • 9 901.230.2417 01.230.2417 Marge Snipes • Tammy Earwood Marge Snipes Tammy Earwood
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President of Rhodes College/Past Chairman of the American Council on Education
Your mantra: You can count on me. Ideal vacation spot: Anywhere in Tuscany. Last book you’ve read: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. First concert: Peter, Paul and Mary at Ellis Auditorium in 1965. First job: Sacking groceries at Creekmore’s in Bolivar, Tennessee. Hobby: Carpentry and painting projects at our New Orleans home. Your greatest achievement: Persuading Carole Troutt to marry me. Movie you could watch over and over again: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Where you take out-of-town guests: Barret Library at Rhodes and Harbor Town. Personal hero: President Charles E. Diehl, who brought our college to Memphis in 1925.
photo by Steve Roberts
SIGNATURE MEMPHIS JUNE 2009 RSVP
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Dr. William E. Troutt
EVENT
Green Shoe Gala
GREEN SHOE GALA
Benefiting Shelby Farms Park Conservancy
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JUNE 2009
Bridget and Phil Trenary
Charles and Judy Burkett
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early 500 Shelby Farms Park Conservancy supporters kicked off an entire weekend of events celebrating our Mother Earth by attending the Green Shoe Gala. The event served as a fund-raiser for the group’s conservation efforts and gave guests a chance to wear fashionable shoes, gowns, cummerbunds and ties in the most earthfriendly of colors. Inside two enormous tents that allowed fantastic views of the Shelby Farms grounds and lakes, creative décor impressed, starting with tables draped in black with overlays of bright green and chairs adorned by matching oversized green bows. Distinctive touches of yellow were also present, from forsythia, daffodils and poppies entwined in clear glass lanterns to tiny twinkling lights ensconced in grapevine “globes” hanging from the tent ceilings. In the reception tent, a huge ice sculpture of a high-heeled shoe surrounded by masses of yellow roses was the centerpiece of a delectable all-organic cocktail spread provided by Whole Foods. Adding to the ambiance were lovely models sporting fashions inspired by 1940s couture, designed by Emannuelle Jones, and crafted with recycled materials, including tissue paper and plastic shopping bags. During the reception, a silent auction took place that had guests eagerly bidding on goodies like a private wine tasting accompanied by an organic menu of Tennesseemade cheeses, donated by Crown Winery, and a set of handcrafted fly fishing flies given by Dr. Mike Marshall. The dinner hour began when Channel 24 anchor Dee Griffin and Rick Masson, executive director of the conservancy, welcomed and thanked everyone for coming. The Honorable George H. Brown Jr. then delivered the invocation before attendees savored a sumptuous dinner, catered by Harrah’s Casino Tunica. After dinner, wellknown Mid-South auctioneer Jeff Morris presided over the live auction, where many vied for the chance to take home the 2009 Green Shoe art work, which was created by Kat Gore and inspired by vintage Ferragamo shoes and made of reclaimed decorative papers. Other items included an exclusive evening at Shelby Farms Park (a dinner for 16 by Harrah’s) and “adoptive trees,” on display in the main tent and intended for planting in the park. Green shoes must have been made for dancing because the wonderful evening culminated with guests “Dancing in the Starry Night” to the tunes of The Legends of Rock and The Summers. Calvin Anderson, chairman of the conservancy’s board of directors, was thrilled with the eco-conscious patrons, as were gala chairmen Judge George and Lillian Brown and Tom and Melissa Grimes.
Lillian and Judge George Brown
Barry Yoakum and April Norris Yoakum
Story by Ruth Cassin Photos by Roy Haithcock See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP Jon Mikulski and Erica Humphreys
Rick and Carla Masson
Sherry Brooks and George Higgs
Gayle Schoettle, Wynoka Terry and Jeanette Jones
Laura and Steve Harris
EVENT GREEN SHOE GALA JUNE 2009
Don and Alexandra Young
Dr. Marko and Cynthia Puljic
Judith and Roger Stone
Anne Piper White and Carroll White
Dr. Autry and Denise Parker
Ethelle and Ernie Hilliard
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Barbara Williamson and Pat Kerr Tigrett
David and Stacie Wadell
Donna Wolf, Thomas the Buffalo and Sarah Jane Dillard
Penny and David Williams
Chris and Linda Mathis
Phyllis and Gary Harris
Wayne and Sharon Lichliter
6060 Primacy Parkway, Suite 200, Memphis, Tennessee 38119 901.761.4620 www.totaleyecarememphis.com
STREETSEEN
Lesley Brainard Multisport Master
JUNE 2009
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he swims. She bikes. She runs. Meet Lesley Brainard, a local triathlete who participated in the Age Group World Triathlon Championships in 2006 and most recently competed in New Orleans’ Ochsner Ironman 70.3 in April. Though her athletic feats are inspiring, she confesses that her students sparked the triathlon bug. “When I was teaching an indoor triathlon training course at the Schilling Farms YMCA in Collierville, I thought if they could do it, then I could do it,” she recalls. Brainard began preparing for her first triathlon nine years ago knowing nothing about biking. As a high school track/cross country competitor and collegiate swim team member, she had spent most of her youth in pools or on running trails, but she wasn’t going to let her lack of biking experience get in the way. Instead, she purchased a used bike, discovered a new love for cycling and put her training to the test when she biked 40 kilometers, in addition to a 1.5 kilometer swim and a 10 kilometer run, at her Memphis in May Triathlon debut. She finished in a respectable 2 hours, 20 minutes. By 2003, she and a few other local athletes had started a triathlon team called Memphis Thunder Racing, named after the swim club Brainard coached with Cory Horton. The group opened the club to all ages and abilities and began training for various sporting events. However, tragedy soon struck Memphis Thunder’s core. “We had just gotten started when Cory was killed in Fayette County while riding his bike...it made us all band together and keep going,” she shares. And keep going the club did, as Brainard can attest. Now the club’s president, she’s seen Memphis Thunder Racing grow from a handful of members to more than 100 people, whom she describes as “friendly, motivating and exciting.” The team has also won the Southeast Regional Club Series Championship for five consecutive years, purchased “Share the Road” signs that promote a safer cycling community and gotten nonprofit status so the group’s Thunder Cares program can accept taxdeductible donations for charities. Brainard adds, “In the beginning, I remember ordering uniforms so we’d look like a team, and now we have a board of directors and a Web site where you can find new info every day, like training tips, nutrition and a classified section for athletic equipment.” A team is only as strong as its weakest link, but with the strong support network in this bunch, a member would only be weak if he didn’t try. Brainard promises, “There’s really a family atmosphere at events, and they’re not as intimidating as you would think. Lots of people are out there just to be healthy and cross the finish line.” Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts
STREETSEEN
Judge Tim Dwyer Ruling in Favor of Recovery
JUNE 2009
“A
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virtuous name will never be annihilated; have a care for your name, for it will stand by you better than precious treasures.” Judge Tim Dwyer has posted these words of wisdom in a very strategic spot—above a box that contains photos of Shelby County Drug Court participants. These pics not only help the judge remember his current 281 “clients” by their first names, but the images help clients see the drastic difference between their physical appearances before and after the year-long program. A proponent of specialty courts, Judge Dwyer founded the Shelby County Drug Court 12 years ago after noticing drug users making repeat visits to his courtroom. He knew the cycle would continue if these individuals’ addictions weren’t dealt with properly, so he developed an alternative sentencing for nonviolent adult offenders with drugrelated criminal charges. Instead of probation or jail time, people meeting the program’s criteria are placed into an intensive outpatient or inpatient program and are required to report to court every week for progress updates, in addition to attending treatment sessions, undergoing mandatory random drug testing and other life-changing programs the court deems necessary for full recovery. Participants enter the four-phase program on a voluntary basis and return to jail if tested positive for drugs. “At first, people feared the court would coddle drug offenders and be too lenient, but they’ve realized this is a very tough program,” he says. Those in the legal system have become believers in the court since a University of Memphis study showed that participants had a 30 to 32 percent recidivism rate compared to 80 percent for those nonviolent drug offenders not in the program. According to Judge Dwyer, the city’s taxpayers are also saving money because it costs $80 a day to keep someone in jail, but only $9 a day for treatment. The real reward for the judge and his team of six counselors and drug court coordinator is witnessing recovered drug users reunite with their families and becoming productive citizens. He adds, “The most important component is accountability. Before, a judge wouldn’t see an offender until they got rearrested, but now I see someone every week.” Since the Shelby County Drug Court’s inception, more than 1,200 people have graduated from the program, and of those graduates, 102 have earned a GED. Judge Dwyer says that on any given day one of his graduates might pop in the courtroom to say hello and share personal and professional success stories, giving him reason to continue assisting with recovery efforts. “If the good Lord takes you to it, he’ll get you through it,” he says. Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photo by Steve Roberts
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RUSSELL WILSON AND FRIENDS A TRIBUTE TO BOB M C DOWELL
I I X
D A R Made possible in part by: Ground Zero • Davis-Kidd Booksellers • Fastsigns • Mid-South Jazz Foundation • Jocelyn Wurzburg - Meditation Services
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GPAC Guild Tea “Angels Among Us” Art Sale Taste of Jubilee
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JUNE 2009
Sunny, Eleanor and Mikki Duffey at GPAC Guild Tea
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20 Cindy Green, Ann Schmitt, Faye Fletcher and Joyce Bess at GPAC Guild Tea
he home of Mikki Duffey resembled an elegant tea room during the Germantown Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) Guild Tea. Dressed in spring attire, attendees sipped hot and cold teas and sampled an assortment of finger foods like heart-shaped cucumber sandwiches, mushroom quiche and sugar cookies resembling hats and tea kettles, which were all prepared by guild members. When not perusing homemade wares set up by vendors throughout the house, guests Anna Cathryn Gay and Abby Delisi enjoyed Katherine Wildy’s display of antique tea servicat Taste of Jubilee es and her talks on the history and importance of tea. This event served as a fund-raiser for the GPAC Guild, an organization that helps bring noted artists to the GPAC stage. Zombies may have been wandering around outside for the Memphis Zombie Walk, but angels dominated inside the gallery space at 387 South Main during the “Angels Among Us” Art Sale. Hosted by Grace House of Memphis, the sale boasted 220 works, ranging from stoneware to watercolors, which predominantly featured angel-related themes. Donaldson’s Catering, Buckey’s Special Events and Jason’s Deli supplied the edibles as guests chatted with some of the participating artists about their donated pieces. After the two-day affair ended, $10,000 had been raised to help offset the Father Maurice Nutt, Dr. Mary McDonald and Ray Quiles at Taste of Jubilee operating expenses at Grace House, a long-term residential alcohol and drug treatment center for women. The fifth annual Taste of Jubilee event attracted 700 people to the Pink Palace Museum for an evening of savory goodness. For this occasion, 15 area restaurants set up tasting stations, and Buster’s Liquors and Wines offered a wine tasting. Entertainment included guitar stylings by James Katzenberg and music on the terrace by Nick Pagliari. Cindy Dorian and Kim Fracchia co-chaired the festivities that helped raise $50,000 for the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit providing financial assistance to students attending any of the eight Jubilee Schools of Memphis. Story and photos by Leah Fitzpatrick Kim Fracchia and Lynell Harber at Taste of Jubilee
Mary Miesse and Pat McCaleb at GPAC Guild Tea
Karen McCarthy Clifton and Andrew Prislovsky at “Angels Among Us” Art Sale
Lisa Shaffer, Michael Maness and Stephanie Stroupe at “Angels Among Us” Art Sale
Deidre Smith and Sharon Trammel at “Angels Among Us” Art Sale
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Thursday, June 11 Friday, June 12 Saturday, June 13
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“A Fresh Start” Auction Acorn Auction “Fix the Problem” Fund-raiser Entrepreneur Awards Presentation Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival
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JUNE 2009
Kate Gassaway and Janet Traylor at Acorn Auction
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22 Judy Goldberg and Dana Agranov at “A Fresh Start” Auction
Amy Keller, Shannon Crafton and Amy Kalkbrenner at “Fix the Problem” Fund-raiser
emphis Recovery Centers debuted its first silent aucA tion to benefit patients. Appropriately themed “A Fresh Start,” the auction occurred on the first day of spring at the Memphis Botanic Garden. Attendees enjoyed food and a gourmet coffee bar, while listening to the live music of Howard and Beverly Vance. Emcee Joe Birch charmed the crowd and encouraged everyone to “dig deep into their pockets” to support such a worthy cause. The Bodine School, which is the only school in the Memphis area dedicated to working with dyslexic children, recently hosted its major annual fund-raiser, the Acorn Auction. Debbie Litch served as the honorary chair for the event at the U of M Holiday Inn. In addition to carnival games, activities included an Elvis impersonator and bidding on goodies from more than 600 live and silent auction items. This year’s auction boasted nearly 400 attendees and raised more than $110,000, the most in the auction’s history. A “Fix the Problem” Fund-raiser was held at the Madison Hotel to benefit Mid-South Spay and Neuter Services, formerly known as the Animal Protection Association. Star Distributors, D. Canale Beverages, Hollywood Feed and the Madison Hotel sponsored the event, with musical entertainment provided by Hank and Nora. During the evening, board president Debbie Merino defined the organization’s mission and announced the clinic’s intention of supporting the community’s increased demand for spay and neuter services. The Society of Entrepreneurs and Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South celebrated local professionals making a difference at the 17th annual Entrepreneur Awards Presentation and Dinner. The black-tie affair, held at the U of M Holiday Inn, highlighted the induction of new members Dick Gadomski, Frank Inman, R.E. Linkous and David Wedaman, as well as the 2009 Master Entrepreneur Award recipient, Harold E. Crye. Crawfish lovers took over Wagner Place for the 17th annual Porter-Leath Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival. Variety Children’s Charity presented the “everything crawfish” affair, which included entertainment by Louisiana’s own Bayou Boys and Roy Carrier and the Night Rockers. Admission was free, but proceeds from event vendors benefited Porter-Leath, a nonprofit assisting at-risk children and families.
Jenny, Jack and Ellis Haddad at Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival
Mary Jones, Gwen Price and Alexandria Price at Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival
Harold E. Crye and Pat Lawler at Entrepreneur Awards Presentation
Story Submitted and by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos Submitted
Maggie Brown, Susan Schatz and Dana Farmer at “Fix the Problem” Fund-raiser
Doug and Gloria Marchant with Susan and Tom Stephenson at Entrepreneur Awards Presentation
David and Marie Wedaman at Entrepreneur Awards Presentation
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A Trek Across the City’s Party L andscape 2009 Masquerade Ball “Unmask a Cure”
Brenda Johnson, Ellen McHone, Denice and Jim McMahon and JoEllyn and Dave Slott. Story and photos by Lesley Young
Ladies bedecked in glorious gowns and men in stately suits filled the Grand Ballroom of The Peabody hotel to support the West Tennessee Branch of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at the 2009 Masquerade Ball. Though they wore vizards in proper masquerade fashion, the purpose of the evening was to “Unmask a Cure” for Type 1 diabetes.
Memphis Gridiron Show, Inc. benefiting the U of M Journalism Scholarship Fund
JUNE 2009
Autumn Freidel and Henry Rothenberg
Caroline Bickley with Amanda and Skylar Bolton
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24 The evening began with a cocktail hour and silent auction, which offered close to 200 items for any occasion. During this time, festooned funmakers nibbled on fig dumplings, beef tenderloin bruschetta and other hors d’oeuvres, while students of Fred Astaire Dance Studio brandished their ballroom expertise. As the dinner hour proceeded, the foundation and its board recognized the event’s honorary chairman, Maurice Wexler of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell &
had the opportunity to contribute to the foundation and its search for a cure during the live auction, which included such desirables as tee time for four at the legendary TPC Sawgrass Pete Dye course in Florida, a week’s getaway at Lake Tahoe and a front row seat to watch the legendary B.B. King perform in his own club on Beale, complete with a signed Lucille guitar. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation was founded in 1970 by parents of children with diabetes with a mission to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.
Charlane Lane, Paul Boyd, Lucy Davey and Donna Derryberry
Jim and Denice McMahon with JoEllyn and Dave Slott
Bill Handel and Marty Prine with Betty and John Crowe
Berkowitz, PC, and awarded him with the Living and Giving Award for his “unwavering support of JDRF and the families of those living with Type 1 diabetes in the West Tennessee area.” Then, supporters
For once, political pundits and their punches were the source of entertainment rather than anxiety as the Memphis Gridiron Show, Inc. took the stage with its presentation of “Willie or Won’t He?” at the Al Chymia Shrine Temple in Bartlett.
Through the years, the organization has contributed more than $1.3 billion to diabetes research around the world. Some of those in attendance supporting this cause were Caroline Bickley, Amanda and Skylar Bolton, Michelle Gurley, Grace Hanks, Calvin Flint, Jordan and Scott Overstreet, Julian Urquiola, Courtney Street, Gene Ray, Bill Handel, Marty Prine, Betty and John Crowe, Autumn Freidel, Henry Rothenberg, Summer and Cecil Godman, Elizabeth Murphree, Anna Humerickhouse, Kris and Mike Peters, Gloria Whitehead, Monica White, Doris Lawless, Nina Riethmaier,
The Memphis Gridiron Show is comprised of local journalists who annually make light of local government through song and dance. This year’s show included such musical numbers as “Give My Regards to Willie,” “Bye-Bye Mumpower” and “A Spoonful of Merger Helps Fiscal Medicine Go Down.” Jean Drumwright, Shirley and Wayne Henderson, Barbara and Jimmy Moore, Jimmy Hammers, Hal Block, Virgie and George Moore, Debbie and Don Putnam, Bill Gillon, Adrienne Pakis-Gillon and Mickey and Dick Klenz laughed along with the comic lyrics, as did the few politicians who braved the evening with good sportsmanship like Reid Hedgepath, Steve Mulroy and Mayor A C Wharton. WMC-TV 5 anchor Joe Birch emceed the event, and Calvin Anderson and George Flinn served as honorary chairs. Local rockers, The Dempseys, supplied oldies like “Ain’t No Cure for the Summertime Blues,” while guests Heidi and Carl Shafer, Beverly and Tommy Davis, Christi and Terry Roland, Rita and Richard Hodges, Donna Thompson, Frank Stewart, Charlane Lane, Paul Boyd, Lucy Davey and Donna
Derryberry took in cocktails and a feast of chicken and steak. Tables were adorned simply with black linen and gold sashes with carnations floating in brandy snifters, but the remarkably detailed miniature Memphis skyline, which served as a backdrop to the show, could have come straight from Broadway.
important as it ever was, if not more so.” Said scholarship recipient Matt Germany in a letter printed in the program, “I hope that this program will continue for years to come and that I may some day be able to contribute to the development of young journalists as you have done.” Esteemed sponsors who helped make the evening possible included Hicks Convention Services, Total Concept Graphics, WREG Channel 3, FOX13 and the Commercial Appeal.
Story and photos by Jonathan Devin
The Duration Club, Inc. Spring Fund-raiser Jean Drumwright with Wayne and Shirley Henderson
appropriate silent auction displayed front and center. Several group members went the extra mile for the cause by donating paintings and a condo in Destin for a beach getaway. Other items included gift certificates courtesy of Oak Hall and Holloway Furs. For a small donation, guests could also purchase
JUNE 2009
“Gathering and disseminating the type of information people really need requires skill, good judgment and a strong sense of ethics,” said Gridiron president Blake Fontenay, noting that all proceeds supported college scholarships for journalism majors at the University of Memphis. “That’s the kind of training that college journalism majors receive. And that’s why the Memphis Gridiron Show’s mission remains at least as
The Duration Club, Inc. members and special guests sampled a taste of Italy for a second year at the group’s Spring Fundraiser. Held at Carrabba’s Italian Grill, the luncheon supplied the best in food, wine and company, as attendees gathered to show sup-
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tickets for door prizes that were awarded several times throughout the event. Hungry for the main attraction—a Ed Parramore and three-course Italian meal—E the Carrabba’s staff began serving Caesar salads and fresh-baked bread. Chicken marsala and penne pomodoro comprised the main course, which was accompanied by white and red wine donated by John Barzizza. Sogna di cioccolata, a light chocolate dessert served in small glasses, rounded out the delicious
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Inc. Felicia Willett, owner of Felicia Suzanne’s, once again opened her restaurant for the festivities, however she welcomed other area restaurants to support her favorite charity. This year, United Liquors donated beverages, and other participating eateries included Automatic Slim’s, The Blue Monkey, The Butcher Shop, Itta Beena, Majestic Grille, McEwen’s on Monroe, Rendezvous and Sole Restaurant & Raw Bar. And boy, did the menu deliver, with everything from fresh lump crab cakes
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While guests relaxed after lunch, Cathy Hurdle began the entertainment portion. A vocalist who injects a lot of soul into her songs, Hurdle opened by saying, “I think it’s important to recognize our faith every day, so I’m going to sing a song that means a lot to me.” That song was “My Savior Lives,” which was followed by other meaningful ballads like “P.S. I Love You” and “You Raise Me Up.” Others enjoying the spring day with The Duration Club were Marilyn Elliott, Bobbi Templeton, Gerry Thomas, Mary and Steve Nelson, Ann Welch, Ann Wheaties, Becky Entrekin, Hilda Mullen, Faye and Donn Southern, Gladys and Ralph Hamilton, Betty Lu and Warren Jones, Lola Llewellyn, Phyllis Pollard, Jo Orman and Dee Davenport. Story and photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
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to shrimp and scallop lollipops to smoked salmon wonton crisps being served according to a predetermined cuisine schedule that was supplied to guests upon arrival. Willett’s contribution was short rib grilled cheeses and an assortment of colorful cupcakes, fresh from the “The Three Cupcakes Wish Factory,” the name she’d given her kitchen that night as a tribute to three Make-A-Wish recipients who helped her prepare and serve the goodies. Steve Conley and Karen Perrin of Classic Hits 94.1 emceed on the patio, where Willett joined them to toast the occasion. Willett also asked the
Dishes for Wishes benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-South, Inc. In what has become one of the city’s finest culinary fund-raisers, Dishes for Wishes served up numerous artful and delectable hors d’oeuvres to a
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crowd of 300 hungry patrons at Felicia Suzanne’s. Now in its fourth year, the event exceeded event organizers’ goal by raising more than $100,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-South,
three girls who had their wishes granted after the first Dishes for Wishes to accompany her as she thanked the generous donors. The chef then encouraged guests to fill the girls’ buckets with donations, so the girls could have future wishes donated in their names. Auctioneer Joe Birch of WMC-TV 5 soon kicked off the live auction, which offered tickets to a UT vs. Memphis football game, tickets for the opening night of Wicked at the Orpheum Theatre and a Red Sox vs. Yankees package, to name a few. To help increase the bidding, Birch told attendees about the heartfelt experience he had running the
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JUNE 2009
St. Jude Memphis Marathon in honor of Caroline Turns, who was one of the young ladies Willett had recognized earlier. Other ways guests could chip in some change for Make-A-Wish included buying plates decorated by Make-A-Wish children and donating money for signature pours of wine, served in painted glasses by Bella Vita. Those who helped make wishes come true for children with life-threatening medical conditions were chairmen Linda and Dean Underwood, Stacey and Todd Watson, Joey Stem, Kim and Bill Martin, Hugh Crafton, Carolyn Lotterhos, Susan Bryan, Mindy and Philip Johnson, Bonnie and David Thornton, Jennifer Glover, Kristi Collins, Brooke Ehrhart, Miranda Harbor, Liz Larkin, Anne and Pat Halloran, Linda and Andy Kelly, Patty and George Alvord and Janine and Joe Lammel.
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Story and photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
The Josephine Circle, Inc. “Walking in Memphis” Luncheon and Fashion Show More than 600 women spent their lunch hour mingling and catching up on the latest trends at The Josephine Circle, Inc. Luncheon and Fashion Show. Themed “Walking in Memphis,” ” the group’s largest annual fund-raiser attracted those ready to help deserving college students receive scholarships and interest free loans. Pat McCaleb and Bunnie Olivere organized the festivities at the Hilton Memphis, and Gretchen
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Reaves and Jean McDonald oversaw the large-scale silent auction, which spanned the entire length of the hallway outside the ballroom. With nearly 70 silent auction contributors involved, the options were endless, and The Shops of Laurelwood even donated a $500 gift certificate to any of their shops as one of the door prizes. In addition, members sold sweepstakes tickets for $1 each for a chance to win one of the following: a condo in Navarre Beach for one week, a $500 necklace from Kittie Kyle, a $900 David Yurman
Mary Pat Custer and Tommie Pardue
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30 bracelet from Mednikow Jewelers, one hour in a FedEx flight simulator and a Tiffany’s sterling necklace and bracelet. Billie Jean Tobias, the Josephine president, welcomed everyone to the luncheon, which was quite colorful thanks to innovative table decorations of galoshes spilling with flowers and bright green grass in ceramic pots, as well as table markers that resembled Memphis street signs. Rev. Billy Harris gave the invocation before guests dined on assorted finger sandwiches served on a bed of
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greens and pastries surrounded by strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Debbie Litch served as mistress of ceremonies and kicked off the fashion show with a musical act. The Shops of Laurelwood sponsored the show that featured models of all ages walking the runway in ensembles from Laurelwood’s various boutique stores. Guests could be heard oohing and ahhing as they contemplated future wardrobe additions. Gracious attendees included Mary Pat Custer, Tommie Pardue, Doris Hill, Pat Massengill, Jean Mathews, Mary Miesse, Josie Howser, Kathy Cockroft, Sharon
JUNE 2009
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JUNE 2009
BLUES BALL SPRING AUCTION
EVENT
Blues Ball Spring Auction Cinco de Mayo Celebration
F Jon Hornyak and Dr. Susan Murrmann
Susan Boyer and Tim Lepard
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or years, Americans have adopted Cinco de Mayo as a holiday of their own, and there’s no better example of this practice than at the Blues Ball Spring Auction. Partygoers took a trip south of the border for a fourth time to support the Memphis Charitable Foundation and their love of everything español. The Warehouse off of South Main provided the perfect ambiance for the occasion, as event organizers had turned the space into the ultimate destination hotspot. At the entrance, a giant “Hip, Hip, Ole” sign beckoned guests to put their cares aside for the evening and sip a margarita. Inside, balloons in red, green and yellow and cobalt blue bottles brimming with festive wildflowers added some authentic color to the party. And what evening would be complete without a Patrón Tequila ice luge and cowboy hat-wearing monkeys riding border collies? Look out Ripley’s Believe It or Not! As with any Mexican party, chips and salsa (from Happy Mexican) were aplenty, but so were many other theme-appropriate eats, like Earnestine & Hazel’s jalapeño soul burgers, Flying Fish’s fish tacos and Mexican shrimp cocktail, Playita’s chicken enchiladas and El Mezcal’s beef flautas. Felicia Suzanne’s cooked up chocolate bread pudding with cinnamon anglaise sauce for dessert. The Half Shell supplied bartenders, who served beverages courtesy of Delta Wholesale, Athens Distributing and D. Canale Beverages. Amidst the celebration, guests could be seen bidding on silent auction items, including two VIP tickets for Jennifer Hudson’s show at the Orpheum, a weekend at the Madison Hotel and dinner for two at Flight. Jeff Morris manned the live auction that followed on stage, where Rev. Al Green’s Tabernacle Choir kicked off the entertainment portion. Al Kapone, Muck Sticky and Jason D. Williams rounded out the musical acts who brought down the house. Pat Kerr Tigrett spearheaded the muy caliente affair that raised funding for the Memphis Charitable Foundation’s beneficiaries, like NARAS/MusiCares, the Madonna Learning Center, the Baddour Center and the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, to name a few. This foundation also benefits Memphis musicians by helping with health care costs and providing music scholarships.
See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Henry Nelson and John Oros
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EVENT
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BLUES BALL SPRING AUCTION
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Vox Popular Q&A with Dwayne Spencer
T
o date, Habitat for Humanity® of Greater Memphis has built 324 houses for low-income families and isn’t about to slow down, in spite of the current economic situation. Not only is Habitat’s Memphis affiliate breaking ground on its first planned community, but executive director Dwayne Spencer says his office is currently in talks to rehab foreclosed homes for 40 families in the Hickory Hill area. Quite the community-relations guy, Spencer also shared with RSVP editor Leah Fitzpatrick that he and his staff are planning several “Coffee and Conversations” meetings throughout the year to give donors a bare-bones explanation on the inner workings of the organization, which has some 1,500 affiliates in the United States and Canada.
Spencer: I was a very small volunteer and took some beverages out to a build site. When the volunteers are out building, you have to provide water or Gatorade or something like that for them. Then my first work experience ended up being with Habitat International. I took a fund-raising job, because really that’s my background, with Habitat International down in Americus, Georgia. After three months, I came back to Memphis and started doing fund-raising for Hope House until I took the executive director position at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis in 2001.
JUNE 2009
RSVP: Did you have any previous construction experience when you came on board at Habitat?
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Spencer: No, not at all. You know with Habitat affiliates, there are occasionally people who have worked in the construction industry who come in and lead an affiliate, but not typically. As the executive director, it’s mostly fund-raising and administration. For us, it’s not just about building houses, but creating home ownership. Back in the summer of 2001, I saw this posting and thought, “This sounds interesting.” A lot of the emphasis was on what was necessary for fund-raising. I sort of threw my hat in the ring on the last day they were accepting resumes, and I honestly had no idea that I would get called. We still struggle with fund-raising, and I think that’s where we were back then, which was almost eight years ago, so the focus was how are we going to get to the next level. There were some government dollars that had been provided to help the organization build a number of homes that was about to go away, so I knew we really had to get serious about fund-raising. RSVP: Isn’t there about to be a groundbreaking on Habitat Memphis’ first subdivision? Spencer: Yes, it’s called Trinity Park, and it’s something very different. What Habitat has been doing for many years is a lot of infill building, where we’ll take a lot that we can get very inexpensively, a lot of times from the government or a donor will supply it, and we’ll do a little infrastructure work and then put a house on it. If we’re ever able to acquire a piece of land where six or 10 houses can be
built at one time, we also like to do that. Trinity Park is really unique in that it was one of the larger parcels of land that we’ve had donated—almost nine acres. We basically carved it up and are able to put 38 homes in this community, so it’s our first real planned development, and it’s going to be a green community, which we’re very excited about. We wanted to put more homes in, but we really had to bargain with City Council and the folks in the neighborhood to control the density of the homes. About two and a half years ago, we started the fund-raising in earnest, and Phil Chamberlain of Chamberlain & McCreery Homes actually led the fund-raising efforts, and pretty much raised the first $100,000, which helped us hire a developer, Terry Smith. We also hired just last year a new director of construction, who came from the for-profit world, so he brings his expertise to the table as well. Generally, what we would do as a builder is take a small piece of land, prep it and get the foundation in and put a house up. This is very different because it’s a planned development, and we have to go through all the approval processes with land use control, through the City Council, and now we’re at the point of negotiating with MLGW rates, etc. It’s all infrastructure development that’s about to take place, which includes streets, lights, utilities and that sort of thing. RSVP: You mentioned that Trinity Park will have ecofriendly homes, so just wondering if that is a first for Habitat Memphis? Spencer: It’s not the first time. We’ve built several ecobuild homes, and the ecobuild program is one that is specific to MLGW and their guidelines. They’ve supported us by supplying dollars to help us make the eco-build homes possible. Then they come back and do an assessment of the property to make sure we’ve done everything correctly and that we’re going to meet the end result, which is lowering the home owner’s utility bill. We’ve also been fortunate enough to be part of something called the Building Sustainable Communities Initiative from the Home Depot Foundation. We were selected as one of 30 pilot affiliates across the country to participate in the first year of the Building Sustainable Communities Initiative, so they actually provided us with some additional dollars to help us go even further. Photos by Don Perry
RSVP: How did you first become involved with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis?
RSVP: What is Trinity Park’s estimated cost? Spencer: It’s a little less than a million dollars, and again that’s all infrastructure. What happens after the infrastructure takes place
Scott Street. We see anywhere from 25 to 30 folks at each of those sessions. Out of seeing maybe 50 families a month, we may qualify one or two of them. Many times a family will come in and they think—like many in the community—that it’s a free house. You’re going to have a mortgage, but you won’t have an interest rate. You’re going to pay taxes. You’ll have insurance. Primarily, because you don’t have that interest rate, and because the community comes together and helps pay for a lot of the materials and does a lot of the physical work at the site it really makes it affordable. For low-income families, home ownership really is one of the only ways they can create wealth.
RSVP: Have the families who are going to live in Trinity Park already been selected?
Spencer: Pretty much. That’s the published sponsorship amount if a company or organization wanted to come in and build a house, but that’s really a marketing number because if you have to fill everything in, the cost would probably be more like $90,000. However, we look for other ways to supplement the sponsorship through our own general fund-raising. We also apply for funds from something called the Affordable Housing Program through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati. That’s a program that supplies dollars to local housing providers in a particular region, and those dollars help supplement the sponsorship dollars we get in.
RSVP: Do Habitat families’ mortgages go into the “Fund for Humanity?” Spencer: Yeah, the “Fund for Humanity” is sort of the benchmark for the Habitat for Humanity model. The homeowners pay a zero interest mortgage over 30 years, and those dollars come back to us, as say a couple of hundred bucks a month. Since we have 300-plus families in the pool, that’s anywhere from $35,000 to $40,000 a month that comes back to the organization. We use those dollars to implement the program and really be here and exist every day for the next family. RSVP: Does Habitat actively recruit new families, or does it only accept referrals? Spencer: We do both. A lot of leg work is done by our family services department. We are also partnering with elementary schools and having the parents come and hear us give an overview of the program. We work with the RISE Foundation and other low-income housing providers, like Estival Place at MIFA. We’re a part of the local CDC, Community Development Council, and all those folks are concerned with the local communities, housing, economic development, etc. We do get a lot of referrals from families who have gone through the program, and we have a public application drive that takes place the first Monday of each month at noon and 6 p.m. at our office at 169
RSVP: What has been your favorite memory since working with Habitat? Spencer: There have been so many, but I think that when I have deep conversations with families and hear what a family was dealing with prior to coming to this program and then seeing the change in their children is my favorite. One woman was so excited she had a sink to wash dishes in. Prior to that, she was just using a big bowl of some sort to do that. We had a family that lived in the rural area of the county who complained about having snakes in the wall of their house. Those might be extreme cases, but those you remember, especially if a child is living in the house. In Memphis, we go from poor community to rich community, and it’s only a little street that divides them, and it’s appalling the way some families live in what you would consider some of the wealthier areas of the city. There are slumlords who are taking $500 or $600 a month from families who are living in little shacks and don’t have plumbing. That really still exists in Memphis, and of course, what we mostly see is folks living in apartment complexes that are in terrible condition. Then the wage issue, making only $7 or $8 an hour, is really tough. We’re trying to do some more affirmative marketing to tell people what Habitat really is. We are planning a mass application drive because we’d like to see 400 or 500 people at one setting to tell them how the program works. At the end of the day, it’s a three-way partnership between Habitat, the family and the community partner that comes to the table. We kind of see ourselves as the liaison to bring this family who needs a home and the sponsor entity together to make it happen.
JUNE 2009
RSVP: I’ve read that the average cost to build a Habitat house is $60,000. Is that correct?
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Spencer: No. We do have a waiting list of 15 families, who are just waiting to be approved for the program. We do a preliminary approval, and then they have to work with us throughout the course of many months to do their financial education and put in sweat equity, which is 350 hours that usually plays itself out during the build process— they’re helping build, painting, nailing or taking care of their hundreds of volunteers who come out to help build a house—or they can volunteer with other agencies.
VOX POPULAR
over the next six to eight months is then we’ll start actually building and that will be our site, rather than having one lot here or there. We’ll have the opportunity to put 38 families in one community, and that’s important for us because our families lean on each other. This happens after we send them through their financial education course, which we call Financial Peace—it’s Dave Ramsey’s model—for 15 weeks. Thirteen of those weeks, we spend teaching straight from the Dave Ramsey book, and the other two weeks really involves information we want to impart to them, like weatherizing your house, or how to select the right insurance company and how to work with your insurance company. The public often sees the Habitat house, and thinks about the house as the end product, but the program is really about home ownership—first time ownership for low-income families, who could never be able to purchase a house any other way.
EVENT
Big Wig Ball
BIG WIG BALL
Benefiting Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center
“W
JUNE 2009
Liz Salton and Michelle Stubbs
Joannie Taylor and Malia Downen
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hat is it about wearing a wig that makes you feel like you have a new personality?” asked one Big Wig Ball guest. That sentiment rang true for more than 320 partygoers, who outfitted themselves in wigs of every hue, style and era and developed alter egos for the Young Adult Le Bonheur Leaders’ (YALL) second annual fund-raiser. This year’s festivities moved to Minglewood Hall, a concert and event venue with lots of space for some over-the-top dos. Attire called for cocktail cool or whatever fits your wig, so guests ran with their imaginations by sporting ‘80s rock star hair, redneck mullets, Renaissance-style pigtails tied with ribbons and beehives. A Wig Bar offered guests even more faux hair selections, which could be worn for a donation of attendees’ choice. The disguises worked, and as emcee Tom Prestigiacomo put it, “Where else can you go and see eight Homer and Marge Simpsons and 17 Michael Donahues in one night?” The décor seemed to play off the dress code, with blindingly bright colors at every turn. From hot pink Gerbera daisies on the tabletops to purple, green, red and blue lights shining across curtained walls, the vibe was disco-centric. Even the bottomless margaritas glasses, available for $20 donations, had neon LED lights blinking from the stems. The color chaos worked perfectly for the dance floor, a space occupied for hours by fans of Ronny Raygun, an ‘80s cover band out of Nashville. Local restaurants got in on the fun-filled charitable affair by donating special dishes, like cheese ravioli from Lucchesi’s, chicken supreme pizza from Memphis Pizza Café and The Kooky Canuck’s Nanaimo Bars, to name a few. In the midst of the delectables, YALL members had set up a model of the new Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, scheduled to open in the summer of 2010. Called “Light Up Le Bonheur,” the model had lower level and upper level windows that could be lit up for $25 and $100 donations, respectively. As an added incentive, guests who contributed $25 donations were entered in a drawing to nab tickets to the SunTrust Suite at AutoZone Park, and guests who gave $100 could win a two-night stay at The Roosevelt New Orleans. “This 88-member strong group made a commitment to build a 12-story hospital on their own,” added Prestigiacomo. Reason enough to throw in some change, which totaled $30,000 for the new facility by the night’s end. See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Abby Hawkins and Robert Ledbetter
Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Don Perry
Anna Halford and Cal Montgomery
Michael McLaughlin and Jessica Sarno
Guy and Leigh Guasco
Joshua Purcell and Sheila Jacobson
Bill and Missy Williams with Sarah Cate and Emily Johnson
Don Perry and Tom Prestigiacomo
EVENT Cristen Hoag and Marcy Vickery
Wendy Travis and Sunny Hill
Desiree Baucum and Britney Lee Christie
JUNE 2009
BIG WIG BALL Sarah Lavacki and Nick Sinquefield
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DINOSAURS Lauren Galloway, Amy Herrington and Amanda Hodges
SEA MONSTERS JUNE 13 THROUGH
Sept 20 PINK PALACE MUSEUM 901.320.6320 At the
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Emily Tribo and Jonathan Frazer
Linh and Nathan Crossett
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EVENT BIG WIG BALL
Melanie and Tony Gattas
Daphne and Cary Baucum
Erica Smith and Amanda Mauck
JUNE 2009
Ashley Colotta and Kimberly Marston
Lindsay Ford and Jim Joesel
Jason Hunter and Lacy Morris
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Nancy Adair and Kini Kedleigh Plumlee
Amina Dilawari, Katie Wassmer and Christie Rutherford
Tiffany Brimhall and Molly Fitzpatrick
Jamie and J.D. Conn
Shawn and Lana Danko with Taylor Cole
EVENT BIG WIG BALL
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Jeff and Becca McGoff
Claire Frisby and Claire Boyd
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Amy Oakes, Sarah Little and Karen Burks
JUNE 2009
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Steven and Angela McCarter
Heather and Scott Owen
Jonathan Ellis, Bryan Humphreys, Melissa Hoffman and Jon Sorenson
EVENT
Gift of Life Gala
GIFT OF LIFE GALA
Benefiting the National Kidney Foundation of West Tennessee
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JUNE 2009
Tonya Burress and Charles Holmes
Karla Lipford and Elizabeth Sweet
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ransplant patients, donor families and specialists alike had the opportunity to mix and mingle in their finest attire to celebrate life at the National Kidney Foundation of West Tennessee’s 20th annual Gift of Life Gala, held this year at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn. While perusing the plethora of silent auction items, which were divided up into categories catering to ladies, gentlemen or kids, hitting the town, sprucing up the abode, hitting the road or entertaining at home, ladies in their little black dresses and men in their black tie best nibbled on cocktail shrimp and cheese to tide them over until the main course and the main event. “This is a wonderful event,” said Zola Burgess, the community outreach coordinator for the Mid-South Transplant Foundation. “We don’t get to see each other all the time, so this is a great way to come out of our uniforms, show the beauty of everybody and have the opportunity to visit.” The Gift of Life Award was presented to three recipients for their outstanding work through the years with the foundation. These honorees included Dr. Bettina Ault, associate professor of pediatrics with the Division of Nephrology at the University of TennesseeMemphis; Michael T. Clary, who donated a kidney to his brother in 2000 and has served as a board member for the foundation for six years; and Joyce Thomas, manager for Cummins, Inc., a major foundation sponsor. Not much visiting was to be had while celebrators savored the salad, salmon, steak and assorted berries with chocolate brownies served for dinner. But, they had the opportunity to catch up on the dance floor to the hearty sounds of the Soul Shockers. Also on display were two quilts from the Patches of Love campaign, a memorial of 32 panels of quilts made with patches created by 2,000 donor families throughout the country in honor of their loved ones who passed away. “This is a way for donor families and recipients to celebrate the giving and receiving the gift of life,” Burgess said. See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Paul and Tiffany Bozoudes
Story by Lesley Young Photos by Don Perry
Susan and Edwin Smith
Elaine and Mark Stegman
Bob Johnson and Carol Casey
Dr Omar and Shawnelle Davis
Dr. Bettina Ault, Mike Clary and Joyce Thomas
Ivan and Anne Cook
EVENT GIFT OF LIFE GALA Drs. Wesam and Lama Ballouk
Dr. Luis and Corina Campos
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Debbie and Carlos Webb with Nimmi and Surgit Kamra
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Dorothy and Lawrence Griffin
Vanessa Alsobrooks and Price Bullock
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Ila McDonald, Sandy Powell and Dena Hays
JUNE 2009
RENDEZVOUS AT THE DIXON
EVENT
Rendezvous at the Dixon Family Picnic
A Brandon and Emilee Herrington
Sissy and Eddie Kendall
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t an ordinary picnic, you might eat watermelon and cold chicken and play horseshoes, but, then again, Rendezvous at the Dixon isn’t your average picnic. Rather, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens’ annual spring fund-raiser offered musical entertainment, art activities and an al fresco dining experience filled with diverse food and beverages. Not a cloud in the sky, the weather proved agreeable for an afternoon of pure unstructured bliss on the Dixon’s expansive lawn. As guests set up shop with their coolers, umbrellas and lawn chairs, others wandered throughout the picturesque gardens, attempted the rock climbing wall or ventured inside the museum for a view of the latest exhibit, Regional Dialect: American Scene Paintings from the John and Susan Horseman Collection. On the Canale Terrace, a plethora of art projects, including a sun hat station, a kite assembly line and a flower pot decorating table, as well as a costume photo op, tempted youngsters to use their creativity. Brattonia, a huge botanical balloon display, made its event debut this year in the Hughes Pavilion and seemed to garner the most attention. Museum director Kevin Sharp said, “Chris Bratton and his crew worked on this display for a long time, and it’s great because it looks like an installation piece with balloons.” The celebration of warmer temps had officially begun according to the picnic’s crowd, and the change of season was definitely represented in the menu. Drinks like Java Coast’s strawberry, orange and mocha java freezes lent a refreshing touch, as did Just for Lunch’s white gazpacho soup with toasted almonds sprinkled on top. Places like Just in Thyme Catering cooked up grilled chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and zucchini over orzo pasta, and, of course, Rendezvous contributed its signature barbecue fare. Malco Theatres reprised its role as event sponsor for Rendezvous at the Dixon, which continues to bring out all the stops for family fun.
See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
Peyton and Mary Kate Brandon
Story by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos by Don Perry
Bill and Camilla Wilson
Oliver and Robert Philips
Carole Williams and Julie Scarpace
Danielle Lambert and Melanie York
Nick and Jenny Vergos with Cole Mallery
Tyler and Lydia Jacobus
Kim Motschman, Lauren Moore and Ron Cribb
RENDEZVOUS AT THE DIXON
EVENT J.T. Pitner with McKenzie, Allie and Natalie Watson
JUNE 2009
Kris and Chuck Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kelly
Eden and Tracy Eaves with Sienna Vernetti
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Robin and Dallas Stark
EVENT RENDEZVOUS AT THE DIXON JUNE 2009
Mary Markus and Glenn Overall
Linda Rhea, Judith Campbell and Tasia Vergos
John and Sarah Tashie
Katie, Dan and Sam Marks
Judy Kimberling with Sondra and Susan Fondren
Natalie and Steve Williams
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Bravo Memphis Opera Night Go Red for Women Luncheon Spirit of Giving Awards Women’s Foundation Tribute Luncheon
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Mary Singer, Stacie Waddell and Dee Griffin at Women’s Foundation Tribute Luncheon
Laine and Kevin Berry at Go Red for Women Luncheon
Story and photos by Leah Fitzpatrick Alla Olswanger, José Guitterez and Mona Sappenfield at Go Red for Women Luncheon
Anna Humerickhouse and Julie Felton at Spirit of Giving Awards
Rick Bartl and Kathy Simonetti at Spirit of Giving Awards
Rabbi Adam Grossman, Celia Mutchnick, Elizabeth Rouse and Kevin and Farran Levy at Bravo Memphis Opera Night
JUNE 2009
Brittany Montgomery and Charlotte Richardson at Go Red for Women Luncheon
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Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr. and Sheila Whalum at Women’s Foundation Tribute Luncheon
ravo Memphis partnered with Opera Memphis to showcase a final dress rehersal performance of Gounod’s Faust. The evening began with a cocktail reception in the Broadway Room at the Orpheum Theatre, where more than 100 attendees mingled as they savored champagne, wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres. This event also functioned as a Bravo Memphis membership drive for young professionals, aged 21 to 40, interested in supporting and raising funds for the community arts scene. Nearly 230 women and their special men donned red at the Go Red for Women Luncheon to raise awareness for the prevention of heart disease. Throughout the morning, guests enjoyed educational breakout sessions, including a health Q&A sponsored by Saint Francis Healthcare and Sutherland Cardiology Group, a heart healthy cooking demo by Chef José Guiterrez and sponsored by Memphis Heart Clinic and a fashion consultation courtesy of Macy’s. During lunch, Karen Perrin of Classic Hits 94.1 served as the emcee, while Mrs. International, Laine Berry, spoke about her battle with heart disease. Mona Sappenfield chaired the event, which was held at the Memphis Botanic Garden and raised $115,000 for the Go Red for Women campaign. Volunteer Mid-South recognized Mid-Southerners with noted volunteer service at the organization’s 33rd annual Spirit of Giving Awards at the Hilton Memphis. Rick Bartl, president of the board of directors for Volunteer Mid-South, welcomed some 80 award nominees to the lunch, which was attended by 430 area nonprofit supporters. Miss Collierville, Anna Humerickhouse, lent her singing talents to the occasion, which was co-chaired by Melanie Carter and Lisa Harris, as well as honorary chair Chris Thomas. The Memphis Cook Convention Center housed the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis 11th annual Tribute Luncheon. Anita Vaughn chaired the event that included the introduction of the first Legends Awards. The theme “W Women Leaders Ascending” certainly applied to awards honorees Minerva Johnican, Susan Sanford, Maxine A. Smith, Dr. Jane Walters, Happy Jones and Jeanne Varnell.
Mikkel Jensen, Lauren Boyer and Nathan Berry at Bravo Memphis Opera Night
RSV PHILLIPPI
By Dennis Phillippi
WEDDING BLISS
JUNE 2009
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ere’s something you don’t often hear a middle-aged, straight, married guy say; I love this time of year because I love weddings. There are a lot of things I admit I like that my peers insist on being stereotypes about. Christmas, babies, dancing and people getting hitched are at the top of my list. There’s just nothing like seeing a woman at her very prettiest, wearing a white dress that everyone accepts, smiling like a crazy person as her dad hauls her down to the nervous cat in the rented tux. Part of it, of course, is that I’m happily married. A lot of guys my age have already made a couple of trips down the burgundy indoor-outdoor, and they can be a little on the jaded side about the process. Me, I get to sit there next to my slamming hot wife musing on how grand love can be. Having never had to divvy up the CDs and books, we don’t have that dark cloud to make the whole thing threatening. In fact, and this is admittedly unusual, all of my five older siblings are also still on their original marriages. And, all of them have been with their respective spouses longer than my wife and I. Between the six of us, we have well north of a 150 years of community property. And most of them even have kids. My wife and I just got back a week or so ago from attending a friend’s wedding in a town named, impossibly for a wedding, New Hope. This wasn’t just a wedding either, this was a Quaker wedding. In the likely event you haven’t attended a Quaker union, here’s how it differs from, say, a Presbyterian one: there’s no preacher, no choir, no organist, no set script and no repeating of vows you’ve heard a thousand times before. Everyone sits silently for a predetermined period of time, and if someone, anyone, feels moved by the spirit he is encouraged to stand up and say what’s on his mind. Honest, that’s how it works, and it’s amazing. At first the congregation, comprised almost entirely of non-Quakers, kind of squirm nervously, and then out of the blue someone stands up and says how much he loves his spouse and he hopes that the bride and groom will be as happy. Before you know it, folks that never stand up in public, much less in church, are tearfully playing their part in the wedding. No one has planned what he’s going to say, so it can be awkward or
rambling, but it’s so sweet no one cares. Of course, I got up and said something. If there’s an audience and an agreement that anyone who wants to can get up and perform, you know I’m going to be springing up to get my laugh. I was in the wedding party, so there wasn’t just an audience, there was an audience already looking at me. What I said is unimportant, but I’ll tell you this, it was teary, sincere, and yes, I got my laugh.
If there’s an audience and an agreement that anyone who wants to can get up and perform, you know I’m going to be springing up to get my laugh. I love all weddings, even doomed ones. You know what I mean. All of us have sat in a pew or two knowing full well that the till death do us part we’re watching will fall apart faster than a purse bought off of a sidewalk card table, but it’s still fun to pretend for that half an hour. Sure they’re going to have too much champagne at their own reception and have a straight up brawl, but the service will still be beautiful. One that sticks out in my memory, and understand my wife and I have probably been to 40 or 50 weddings, was one in which each of the bride and groom’s parents had divorced and remarried. The immediate family took up the first four rows. The ushers were as confused as immigrants watching NASCAR. This is that time of year. Most wed-
dings take place in May and June. There’s a gamble on the capricious Memphis springtime weather, but if it plays out, you get flower-filled memories to last a lifetime. We got married in June. I’ve written about our wedding in various places before, so I’ll keep this part brief. We were married in my in-laws’ living room, and they have a regulation living room. It was packed to the walls with folding chairs, and our guess is there were maybe 25 people there. It was a hot day in a crowded room, I was nervous and damp, no one thought it would last, and my wife was absolutely breathtaking. We would run back into a burning house to get that wedding video. We watch it every once in a while and are astonished that people allowed those children to get married. We don’t look old enough on that tape to buy a used car without a co-sign. We know a couple who came to us as a package deal, they were married before we met them, but their anniversary is on Christmas Eve. That always surprises me. I can only imagine that at least some of the attendees were the tiniest bit resentful that during that period, when they were already shelling out the green for gimmes to ingrates, they had to pony up another pile of smackers for a wedding gift. And you know they knew the hitchees were going to resent that gravy boat if it was wrapped in Grinch paper, too. Weddings are always about hope, and there’s nothing more wonderful than that. The promises, the crying, the trembling women with gigantic smiles, the determinedly polite father of the bride, it’s all so, well, nice. And nice is almost always a good thing. Marriage should be about being nice. That could be the whole ceremony as far as I’m concerned. “Do you promise to be nice to this person even when you want to strangle them? Yes? Do you? Good. We’re done. Go be nice to each other for the rest of your lives.”
Our happily married humor columnist, Dennis Phillippi, is no wedding crasher, but he comes pretty close. He loves to solicit invites to distant relatives’ and long-lost friends’ weddings, so if you fall into one of those categories, ignore his calls before the big day.
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“Puttin’ on the Glitz” Fashion Show Project Green Fork Spring Supper “Rockin’ on the River” Fund-raiser Bob Williams Photography Exhibit
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JUNE 2009
Celine Croce, Mac Carrier and Carmen Bond at “Puttin’ on the Glitz” Fashion Show
e Bonheur Club ladies were “Puttin’ on the Glitz” with a capacity crowd at the Hilton Memphis. An inspiring message from Gail Pittman, creative director of Southern Living, was the highlight of the day that also featured two auctions, a delicious lunch and a spring-themed fashion show courtesy of The Shops of Laurelwood. Event proceeds benefit Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center. Project Green Fork’s (PGF) Spring Supper at Tsunami marked the nonprofit’s inaugural fund-raiser. Colleen Couch-Smith with Ann and Robin Smithwick Community members from across the city, including at Project Green Fork Spring Supper fellow chefs from Café Eclectic, Central BBQ, Fratelli’s and Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, enjoyed organic wines and cuisine prepared with locally grown foods by Tsunami Chef Ben Smith, who is also the PGF board chairman. The sold-out event raked in $7,000, which will support PGF’s quest to help local restaurants reduce waste, lower overhead and decrease their environmental impact. Even though it was a rainy night, 200 people showed up at the “Rockin’ on the River” Fund-raiser to support the Shelby County Drug Court Foundation. Jason D. Williams entertained the crowd with his musical repertoire as guests sampled food from Germantown Commissary, Ciao Bella, Fork It Over Catering and Spindini. The event raised more than $13,000, which will go toward the foundation’s Chef Michael Hudman, Chef Ben Smith and Chef Andrew Ticer Mothers At Risk Program and to place some of its at Project Green Fork Spring Supper clients, who don’t have stable housing, in transitional 49 living. Memphis Heritage, Inc. and the Lewis Center Cameraderie Club presented an opening reception for Bob Williams’ Passion for All Things Photography Exhibit. Fans of the noted artist attended the opening reception at Howard Hall inside Memphis Heritage headquarters for an exhibit of antique and rare cameras and to see highlights from Williams’ work at the Commercial Appeal from 1949 to1982. RSVP
Debbie Florendo and Gail Pittman at “Puttin’ on the Glitz” Fashion Show
Story Submitted and by Leah Fitzpatrick Photos Submitted and by Roy Haithcock
Bob and Jo Williams at Bob Williams Photography Exhibit
Donna Mulhern and Barbara Hodges at “Puttin’ on the Glitz” Fashion Show
Angela Parkerson, Belynda and Judge Tim Dwyer at “Rockin’ on the River” Fund-raiser
Bobby Plyer, Jane Giovannetti, Jason D. Williams and Lee Giovannetti at “Rockin’ on the River” Fund-raiser
Bob and Shirley Geiger at Bob Williams Photography Exhibit
RSVPAST
The Little Ones’ Last Class
JUNE 2009
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he 1956-1957 East High School (EHS) kindergarten class, which was the school’s last kindergarten class, gathered on the front steps of EHS in the fall of 1956 to show off Halloween costumes. Out of the 200 senior graduates of 1969, approximately 50 classmates attended kindergarten at EHS. Mrs. Cameron Trenor is in the center of all the kindergarten teachers standing on the back row. This June, some of the students from the 1969 graduating class will gather to celebrate a 40th reunion. PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHY WILKINS MCMATH If you have a past photo you would like to share with RSVP readers, please contact Leah Fitzpatrick at 276-7787 ext. 105 or e-mail the photo and caption to editor@rsvpmagazine.com All photos will be returned promptly.
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