GreenShoe Gala
ONE Night Gala
Red Shoe Gala
1930 Chelsea Park Drive
2370 Carters Grove Lane
20 Ian Mercer Drive
Germantown, TN 38119
Germantown, TN 38138
Piperton, TN 38017
$559,900
$999,000
$610,000
Beautiful and immaculately maintained 5 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath home between Houston Middle and Houston High. Lots of updating with 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths down! Bedroom, bath and huge playroom up. Open kitchen to keeping room with fireplace. Plantation shutters up and down. Gorgeous hardwood floors, 9' smooth ceilings and handsome millwork. This is an awesome home! Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist ©
Bill Maury 901.751.4311 maury@ collins-maury.com
Spectacular location on a 1.39 acres estate in the heart of Germantown. This custom built home is nestled among mature trees and features 5 bedrooms, 5 full baths and 2 half baths. Private master suite and renovated luxurious master bath to get away. Open plan is perfect for entertaining. Beautiful windows and sunroom overlook the picturesque property, expansive patios and gunite pool. Other amenities include a game room, separate study and craft room in this 8300+ sq ft home. Call today to schedule a showing! Video Tour of this home at https://youtu.be/ar8cU_ZDOwk Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist ©
Quality built by Neal Homebuilders. Come enjoy this fabulous 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bath home situated in Twin Lakes subdivision in Piperton. Front porch, covered rear family size patio. Cedar post and shutters. Nail down hardwood flooring, shiplap ceiling in vaulted den carried down the fireplace façade with custom mantle. Upgrades galore. Call now for your private showing or inquiry on other floor plans we have available.
Jason Gaia
Mary Williams
901.338.6677
901-283-7795
jason@jasongaiateam.com
williams.mary@collins-maury.com
9420 Greyhill Cove
2938 Mallard Lane
2943 Tishomingo Road
Collierville, TN 38018
Germantown, TN 38138
Memphis, TN 38111
$565,000
$1,144,000
What a gorgeous oasis! Viewing this magnificence from your picturesque home at 2938 Mallard Lane, on this charming curved street in Germantown, will add life to your years or years to your life. Serenity superb. 5,000 feet of luxury living with wonderful updates!
Chickasaw Gardens at its finest! Beautiful total renovation with attention to details. Two luxury master suites. Finishes include Thassos marble vanities, Waterworks fixtures and custom lighting. Each bedroom with ensuite luxury baths. Exceptional guest house completely rebuilt with vintage beams and pine floors. Take a stroll around the lake to meet your neighbors and enjoy the lifestyle of Chickasaw Gardens.
$549,000
Vesta Award Winning Home 2003 in Upscale Gated Community, Unincorporated County Taxes Only, Large Open Floorplan with Circular Drive, 5 Bedrooms with Office and Playroom /Bonus and Entertainment Area with Wine Cooler, Sink, Large Open Kitchen that opens to Breakfast and Hearth Room overlooking Beautiful Backyard , Heated 8x13 Gunite Soaker Pool, Putting Green, Outdoor Built In Gas Grill, 3 Car Garage & Handicap Design Downstairs with Walk in Shower 3.0 Doors. Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist ©
Nancy Huddleston 901.484.9494 huddleston@ collins-maury.com
Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist ©
Alta Simpson
Milleigh Pearson
901.484.6040
901.550.1517 Pearson@collins-maury.com
alta.simpson@ collins-maury.com
Collins-Maury.com 5865 Ridgeway Center Pkwy Ste. 105 Memphis, TN 38120 901.259.8550
3276 Goodman Rd. Southaven,MS 38672 662.548.2000
968 Civic Center Drive Ste. 103 Collierville, TN 38017 901.259.8500
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CONTENTS
Features
Events Signature Memphis • 12
StreetSeen • 16
Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell
On-air lifestyle correspondent works with some of the best in the business
Continuing his father's musical legacy
May 2018
JJ Keras
StreetSeen • 18
RSVPhillippi • 49
Sharon Moore
Dennis Phillippi
Fostering a new way to look at food - as medicine
Don't tempt the fate of your superstitions
Ron and Marianne Walter
Steve Basar and Brenda Solomito-Basar
Memphis Moments • 14, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 44, 45 & 46
GreenShoe Gala • 20
Samantha and Mark Towne
Pete and Karen Viotti
Red Shoe Gala • 36
ONE Night Gala • 42
Supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis
Get Down to Save Lives
Benefiting Shelby Farms Park + Shelby Farms Greenline
Cover Photo Claire and Sy Wilson at the GreenShoe Gala Photo by Don Perry
Table of Contents Photo Fishing on the Mississippi River Photo by Roy Haithcock
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Sunny Meadows Safe Haven for Pets is the largest no-kill rescue in the Mid-South. We are lucky enough to have a large facility where we house most of our animals until they find a new forever home.
Please help us find our forever home
RSVP Staff Volume XXIII • Number V
May 2018 Publisher Roy Haithcock
Chris Pugh
Account Executive
Abby
Lady
Must be adopted with Lady
Chris has been exercising his talent in the advertising world since 1999. He joined the RSVP team in 2009 and brought with him a love for laughter and creativity. Originally from New Albany, Mississippi, Chris has settled in Memphis and enjoys being active in the fashion community.
Editor Emily Adams Keplinger Copy Editor/Accounting Ruth Cassin Contributing Writers Bill Bannister Virginia M. Davis Dennis Phillippi Gaye Swan Rebekah Yearout Art Director Kim Coleman Photographers Don Perry Steve Roberts
Must be adopted with Abby
Account Executives Chris Pugh Carter Davis RSVP Memphis is published monthly by Haithcock Communications, Inc. First class subscriptions are available for $55.00 per year. Send name and address with a check to:
Bridgette
Sassy
Casey
Ollie
Carter Davis
Account Executive
Carter is native Memphian and a veteran of the broadcast industry, and magazine publishing. He is also a freelance voiceover talent and can be heard on WKNO 91.1FM on Sundays. Carter is an avid animal lover and likes to work with aquariums as a hobby. He enjoys his East Memphis home with his wife and 2 dogs, and 6 cats.
Haithcock Communications, Inc. 2282 Central Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 For advertising information contact:
Roy Haithcock Phone: (901) 276-7787, ext. 101 Fax: (901) 276-7785 publisher@rsvpmagazine.com Visit us online at:
www.rsvpmagazine.com For editorial information or to request coverage of an event, please contact RSVP Magazine one month prior to the event:
Buster Trey
Call: 901-276-7787, ext. 105 Fax: 901-276-7785 editor@rsvpmagazine.com Follow us on:
Kim Coleman
Bruno & Gilbert Finn Bonded pair
At the core of Sunny Meadows, there is a small staff of hard working people just trying to help all the animals we can. We take pride in knowing all we can know about our current furry residents so we can help match them with the ideal family and make that transition as smooth as possible.
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Art Director
Kim oversees all visual aspects of the magazine — advertising and editorial. Her career encompasses working with both print and digital media for magazines, newspapers and e-publications. Kim and her husband are raising their two children in the Cooper-Young area where their family enjoys the artistic atmosphere and entrepreneurial spirit of Midtown.
RSVP Memphis Magazine
Copyright 2018 Haithcock Communications, Inc.
From the Editor
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his issue is definitely a colorful one, what with the Red Shoe Gala, the GreenShoe Gala, the Think Pink Luncheon and the Blue Pump Gala among fundraisers we have covered. Some of these events have become annual traditions, others are just getting started. Either way, it’s exciting to see people in our community turning up, time and time again, to support the various causes and organizations that benefit from these philanthropic endeavors. Even though the last few months of the year are often referred to as the “Giving Season” for the nonprofit sector, we can be proud that, in Memphis, the giving goes on year-round. However, the outlook is not all rosy. Memphis-based nonprofit organizations are facing some of the same challenges that are being felt nationally. As more and more nonprofit CEOs retire, this means our work to hone the skills of emerging leaders in the nonprofit sector is vitally important. Helping to guide and offering resources to area nonprofit organizations is Momentum Nonprofit Partners (formerly named the Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence). According to Kevin Dean, the organization’s CEO, “We exist to build the momentum of the nonprofit sector to drive equitable, measurable, and lasting change. Momentum Nonprofit Partners offers a wide range of training, including classes that address community engagement, continuity planning, developing a network for CEOs and Executive Directors, facilitating meetings and managing volunteers. Additionally, we offer a Nonprofit Storyteller's Workshop that is a half-day learning lab designed to help fundraising and communications staff develop storytelling skills to tell their organization’s essential stories, and use those storytelling skills to create community buy-in, raise awareness, and raise funds for their organization.” Dean continues, “And it is imperative that there is increased collaboration between agencies as competition heats up for the same dollars/donations. We need more collaboration, innovation and collective impact. And, we have to be more diligent about educating emerging leaders about the complexity of nonprofit administration and the community challenges they seek to solve.” So the call to action here is to ask you to put on your thinking caps. Think about the organizations you support and others that you know about in the Memphis community. See if you can define any areas of overlap where a collaborative partnership might be benefit to all parties — then champion that cause.
Beautiful and lasting memories are as simple as
Of Note: In our April issue, we published a photo of a class of little ballerinas in our RSVPast feature. We really knew nothing about the photo, except for the year, 1958, and the photographer, Nadia Price. We were pleased to hear from The Reverend Alexander H. Webb II, Rector, Church of the Holy Communion, who let us know that the picture was taken on the steps of the church. Then we heard from Ms. Marion Hammer, who is an alum of St. Mary’s Episcopal School for Girls. Ms. Hammer’s sister is in the photo and she recognized it immediately. Traditionally, St. Mary’s students were required to take ballet. Each May, the students participated in the school’s annual May Festival and showed off the dancing skills they had learned. For many years, including 1958, the ballet instructor at the school was Mrs. Derek Rook. Thank you, Father Webb and Ms. Hammer for helping us out!
www.rsvpmagazine.com More pictures than would ever fit in a magazine are online and available on our website. If you’re looking for a photo that one of our photographers took at a major social event and is featured in our magazine, that photo may be readily available through our web address. Just go to our site, click on the event, and remember the password: rsvp.
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Emily Adams Keplinger editor@rsvpmagazine.com
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• May Signature Memphis
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Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell Co-owner/Manager of Royal Studios Hometown: Memphis Favorite Song: “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green Your Lucky Charm: My family Your Best Quality: Helping others A Nonliving Celebrity/Role Model You Would Invite to Dinner: My father, Willie Mitchell Your Favorite Memphis “Thang”: Music Favorite Place to Travel: Japan Best Memphis Hangout: Bar DKDC in Cooper-Young First Car You Owned: Toyota 4Runner Place You Go to Think: I tend to go inward. I don’t have a
physical place, I just tune the world out and get lost in my thoughts.
Favorite Southern Idiom: “Bless his heart” Best Advice You Ever Got: From my dad, “Believe in yourself” Your Most Annoying Habit: Probably making a parody out of every song
The Highlight of Your Day: Going to Royal Studios Proudest Moment of Your Life: The day my kids were born Who Would Play You in a Movie: Childish Gambino Something You’ll Never Live Down: My nickname “Boo” contribution that Memphis Music has had on the world common knowledge to all people of all ages and especially future generations
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Photo by Steve Roberts
One Goal You’d Still Like to Accomplish: Making the
Memphis Moment
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Rock the Ribbon Benefiting Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth Mississippi
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usan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth Mississippi invited guests to “Rock the Ribbon” at its 7th annual dance party fundraiser. Guests dressed to “get their groove on” danced to the lively sounds of G3: The Garry Goin Group. The Great Hall in Germantown was festively decorated with twinkling flower lights set off by black tablecloths. The evening included a silent auction, photo booth, beer and wine, and delicious food provided by Bonefish Grill, Donut Hutt, Huey’s, IPOP Gourmet Popcorn, Marco’s Pizza, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Nothing Bundt Cakes and One & Only BBQ. “This event is a fun way to raise money and awareness,” said Elaine Hare, CEO of Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth Mississippi. “We will raise over $50,000, 75 percent goes to community grant programs to provide the best healthcare possible for uninsured and under-insured women and 25 percent of the proceeds supports cutting-edge research.” Story and Photos by Gaye Swan Annaleigh Bagley and Will Mischke with Lisa and Phil Mischke
Mariah Albertson, Melissa Surles and Pam LaCroix
Dr. Lindi VanderWalde and Lorraine Wolf
Paris Moss and Sharita Martin
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Leslie and Jeff Herington
Janice Nazario-Pope and Todd Pope
Dr. Lauren and Chris King with Dr. Mary Gupta
Stacey Sears and Stephanie Simpson
Dimple and Jatin Kumar
Julie and Steve Maroda
Sharion and Raphael McInnis
GERMANTOWN COLLECTION / 7820 POPLAR AVE #3 / GERMANTOWN TN 38138 / 901.754.0018
On-air Lifestyle/ Entertaining Correspondent
Story by Emily Adams Keplinger Photos by Steve Roberts
JJ Keras
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J Keras grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis. After attending college at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she met her husband, Jay, she went to law school at the University of Denver. “We were college sweethearts and I like to say I became a Memphian by marriage,” said JJ. “We returned to Jay’s hometown for him to finish his last year of law school at the University of Memphis. He wanted to have a career in his family’s automobile business.”
Once they moved to Memphis, JJ found work as a contract attorney for AutoZone. To get better acquainted with her adopted hometown, she volunteered her time and efforts to help organize and chair a number of community events, including Cirque du CMOM in 2013, Junior League of Memphis Merry Marketplace and the 2017 Krewes for Kids event at Crosstown Concourse. For the past 10 years she has been the director of the 100 Club of Memphis, an organization that supports and raises funds for the firefighters and police of Memphis and Shelby County. All of these volunteer endeavors created a new career path for JJ. When she was chairing Cirque du CMOM, she was asked to do a spot about the event on WREG Channel 3. “I had never aspired to be on TV, but I hit it off with Mary Beth Conley, and was asked back to do a Valentine’s segment and then an Easter segment, to show how to host special holiday events,” explained JJ. That exposure led to an opportunity to work with NBC local affiliate, New York Live, which is like a feeder station for the Today Show. “I was asked to do a series of Lifestyle segments and there I met Amy Rosenblum, founder of the fourth hour of the Today Show (She put Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb together),” said JJ. “Amy media trained me, teaching me how to address the show hosts and how to work with timing and transitions for an on-air, 5-minute lifestyle segment. She
“It’s a chance to work with some of the best people in the business.” also taught me how to recognize what’s exciting and what’s boring, in terms of presentation and content. Most of all she taught me what it takes to work in a national market.”
JJ’s first segment on the Today Show was on New Year’s Eve 2015. “It was with Natalie Morales and the idea was to give a quick visual presentation for party-planning,” recalled JJ. “It started with a specialty drink, then food, then decor. There were ‘clocktails’ (a specialty champagne drink) and a clock-designed cake to help carry out the midnight count-down theme. The other foods played to a breakfast-after-midnight with French toast skewer bites, cookie dough shots, and tuxedo crackers and cheese. There were even dried black-eyed peas for party favors. And the decor included a Kissing Ball made with burgundy carnations.” JJ said that spot led to building a relationship with the producers of the Today Show. Her next assignment was a segment for the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl. Now almost three years later, she goes to New York City about 10 times each year to do the Entertaining segment for the show. To get these gigs, JJ has to compete with other stylists, like the style director of Good Housekeeping and the editor of Good Housekeeping. About once a month, she flies to NYC the day before the segment for a 1 to 2 night stay. “It is super competitive, but I love it,” said JJ. “It’s a chance to work with some of the best people in the business. And I’m thrilled to be a part of the New York work scene, but so happy that I’m still able to raise my family here in Memphis.”
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SHARON MOORE Changing Lives Through Food
Story by Emily Adams Keplinger Photos by Steve Roberts
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haron Moore has seen Church Health transformed over the last 14 years that she has served as Manager of Nutrition and Wellness Education. “We relocated from Peabody Avenue and clinics across the city to a consolidated location in Crosstown Concourse,” said Moore. “But our growth is so much more than our physical space. There has been a vast increase in scope for our focus on nutrition. And now everything we offer comes from evidence-based research.” “We recently celebrated our one-year anniversary in our new facility,” continued Moore. ”Our message is that food IS medicine. We think it is as important as seeing the doctor or taking your medicine as prescribed. And we want our local community to realize that eating healthy is affordable.” When Church Health opened its Nutrition Kitchen, they began offering a number of classes and programs devoted to helping people achieve and maintain better health through a new way of looking at food — Culinary Medicine. Moore and other staff members are now licensed to teach the culinary medicine curriculum developed at the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane. Moore explained, “We are here to teach students in all healthcare disciplines to talk to their patients about nutrition in real ways that will help change eating patterns. Also, we offer continuing medical education (CME) programs to teach healthcare practitioners to talk with patients about using food as medicine. And, we provide free classes in a sixweek format, two hours once a week, to teach anyone in the community how to cook and eat a healthier diet.” Using social media to promote the community classes, participants are coming from across the Greater Memphis area, and the majority are not Church Health patients. “In our teaching kitchen, participants cook together just like they are cooking at home,” said Moore. “Then they eat what they’ve cooked as a family style meal. Also, they discuss the nine principles of the Mediterranean Diet, which has over 30 years of evidenced-based research showing this diet can prevent or help manage diseases like diabetes, hypertension, chronic arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol, and obesity — all major health issues in our community.” The last component is the research piece. Moore and her staff conduct a pre-and post-survey for every participant to capture information about significant behavioral changes. These statistics help them understand how well they are doing, in terms of teaching. Since the community classes began last June, findings show that the large majority of program participants are now reading food labels
“Our message is that food IS medicine.”
and using a simple technique to modify their eating patterns. “The My Plate approach asks participants to re-allocate their food choices,” explained Moore. “Thinking of their dinner plates like divided plates, we ask them to place fruits and vegetables in the largest compartment, and use the two smaller compartments for meat and starch.” Other simple, practical instructions advise to use food choices to create a colorful plate, thereby maximizing different nutrients, and to do most of your grocery shopping from the perimeter of the store. “That’s where everything is located that is
likely to be in its unaltered form (i.e., fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, fish, etc.),” said Moore. “The food items in the middle of the store have been modified, so buy as little as possible from center aisles. However, there is something to be said for frozen fruits and veggies. They can be better for you than fresh because they have been flash frozen at the peak of flavor and have the most nutrients. But in any case, if you can’t read and pronounce the food label, then you probably don’t need to buy that product.” “We believe that we are changing lives and not only in terms of health,” concluded Moore. “When you break bread together there is a commonality that is so real, so authentic. Something magical happens and we see that we are also building a sense of community from strangers.” For more information or to sign up for classes, visit churchhealth.org and click on the Nutrition page.
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GreenShoe Gala •
May
GreenShoe Gala Benefiting Shelby Farms Park + Shelby Farms Greenline
I Craig and Linda Brashear
Kim and Moe Denbow
t felt like the luck of the Irish was in the air as more than 300 guests were greeted by a beautiful sunset over Hyde Lake as they gathered at the FedEx Event Center for the 2018 GreenShoe Gala. The evening started with cocktails and conversation, along with the saxophone stylings of Kreston Smith, as supporters donning green shoes and neckties came together to raise money to benefit Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline. Supporters sipped the featured signature cocktail, “The Shamrock,” as they lined up to roll the dice for a chance to win $30,000 in cash. They also browsed a table of treasures for purchase including Day of Play packages that featured passes for a Hyde Lake bike or boat rental, gift cards for the Kitchen Bistro and buffalo window decals. The book “Shelby Farms Park, Elevating a City” by Tom Jones was available to purchase, as was the chance to sponsor a park bench. A foyer table carried out the green theme with green candied apples created by Miss Birdsong. Also adding to the night’s coffers were proceeds from a wine pull and the opportunity to adopt a park buffalo for $100. Adopters received a plush buffalo as a memento. Dinner was created by master chef Jimmy Gentry of Paradox Catering, and See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
began with a terrarium garden salad of fresh greens, citrus and petals. The entrée was a modern, deconstructed version of traditional Irish stew. Dessert followed with Luck of The Irish stout cake featuring Jameson Irish Whiskey. After dinner, the fun-filled party got under way outside in a garden tent. Things heated up as guests danced the night away to music by the Brennan Villines Band and indulged in signature GreenShoe donuts by Gibson’s Donuts and other savory treats by Paradox Catering. The 2018 GreenShoe Gala was presented by First Tennessee Foundation. Emcees for the event were Ron Childers and Joyce Peterson. The host committee included Calvin and Belinda Anderson, Charles and Judy Burkett, JW and Kathy Gibson, Pitt and Barbara Hyde, Bryan and Kim Jordan, Alla and Nathan Lubin, John and Laura Morris, Tim and Catherine Nicholls, Demetri and Lane Patikas, Bill and Amy Rhodes, David and Michelle Scully, Gary and Glenda Shorb, Diego and Cynthia Winegardner, and Kent and Susan Wunderlich. Supporting sponsors included Montgomery Martin Contractors, Baker Donelson, BrightView, Fairwood Capital, Financial Federal, nexAir, Oak Hall, Pickering Firm, Inc., Rotolo Consultants, Inc., and Watkins Uiberall, PLLC.
Joyce Peterson and Ron Childers
Sandra and Augusto Titarelli
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Gary and Libby Wunderlich
Story by Bill Bannister Photos by Don Perry
Valerie and Jeff Morris
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Judy and Charles Burkett
May 2018
Marc Robinson and Jen Andrews with Shannon and Richard Bomar
Hugh Thompson and Edith Kelly-Green
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Dave Evans and Toni Boland-Evans
Sandy and Harvey Kennedy
Kelsey Hamilton and Kenn Gibbs
Kathy Simonetti and Russell Anderson
Jordan and Allyson Harwell
Neal and Joey Beckford with Karen and Ned Canty
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Alena and Lee Harris
Susan and Brian Groppe
Mike Adams and Casey Condra
Cathy and Terry Lynch
Woody and Cara Martin with Catherine and Mike Pohlman
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Karin White Patrick and Tommy Patrick
Will and Alexis Lynn
Kate Basar and Natalie Wilson
David and Shanea McKinney
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Irene Manzanet and Earle Augustus
Lisa and Jim Todd
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Bebbie and Michael Rolloson
Willie Brooks with Belinda and Calvin Anderson
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P.J. and Jenny Koltnow
Christine Donhardt, John Charles and Susan Wilson with Sue Skaer, Becky Anderson and Marilyn Kain
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Memphis Moment
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Soup Sunday A Tasty Fundraiser
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pproximately 50 Mid-South restaurants served up soups and specialty dishes at the 29th annual Youth Villages Soup Sunday. The event, sponsored by Konica Minolta, returned to the FedExForum and attracted more than 2,500 patrons. Radio personalities Ron Olson and Karen Perrin, co-hosts of the morning show on WRVR, served as this year’s bell ringers and kicked off the event with Youth Villages CEO Pat Lawler. The Memphis Doctors Dance Band provided musical entertainment with their brand of Big Band jazz. This family friendly event also had plenty to keep youngsters entertained: an Oreo stacking contest, face painting, inflatables, and Mr. Nick lit up the Kid Zone with his magical theatrics. This year’s Soup Sunday was organized by more than 300 volunteers. Over the past 29 years, Soup Sunday has raised more than $1 million for Youth Villages. The proceeds from the 2018 event will benefit the Youth Villages Mentoring Program. Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger Markova Reed and Chris Anderson
Shayne Dotson and Christina Morgan
Jonathan and Amber McCauley
Catherine Barganier and Chloe Serca
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May 2018
Charles Fletchinger and Allison Heirigs with Jim and Alissa Heirigs
Joey and Carol Hagan
Lauren Volpe with Steve and Susan Vescovo and Paul Volpe
Barbara Tucker and Ken Southerland
Marty Brooks and Erin Hatley
Darrel and Mimi Wilson
Memphis Moment
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May
Cognac, Cars and Cigars Making Wishes Come True
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mellow mood suffused the Cognac, Cars and Cigars presented by Make-AWish Mid-South. Those who bought tickets and provided sponsorships knew that proceeds were to help youngsters diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions realize their sweetest desires during coming months. Guests sipped Martell Cognac as they strolled the Pink Palace Museum grounds, socialized and sampled dishes prepared and served by local restaurants and caterers. Fragrant smoke from cigars handed out by BeLeaf Cigar Co. wafted as singers Guordan Banks, Devin Crutcher and Keia Johnson entertained. A bevy of snazzy vehicles was on display, courtesy of Steve Jones Chrysler Dodge Jeep. Bumpus Harley-Davidson of Memphis, Collections by T. Dish, Enfield’s Detail, GGI Janitorial Inc., King Status, Mahaffey Tent & Event Rentals, Metro PCS, Mid-South Gastroenterology Group, Preferred Title & Escrow, Reaves Law Firm and The Chiro Place contributed sponsorship support. Story and Photos by Virginia M. Davis
Wade Evans, Robert Clayton, Jr., Emeka Buck-Clayton, Reginald Clayton and Robert Clayton, Sr.
Brian Hall and Cortez Heaston
Evelyne Malone
Brandon Lee and Arthur Lemons Jr.
Chris and Erin Stuart
Karicha and Eric Tate
Katrina Lee-Gordon and Tanjara Benson
LaKersha and Damon Nelms
Marlon Williamson and Kendrick Westbrook
Tammy and Marvin Shackelford
Lela Hoskins and Veda Hoskins
Keia Johnson
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May 2018
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Memphis Moment
A Taste of CBHS Feast for the Fine Arts
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Carly Pratt and Celeste Autry
wenty-eight of the our city’s finest eateries came together at Heffernan Hall at Christian Brothers High School for one the biggest food event of the year. A Taste of CBHS brought out famous names like Huey’s, Blues City Café, The Butcher Shop, The Half Shell, Soul Fish Café, The Grove Grill, Coletta’s, Automatic Slim’s, Bangkok Alley, Corky’s, Ubee’s and The Dirty Crow Inn. Guests dined on everything from steak and chicken to seafood, Cuban sliders, salads, pizza and everything in between to the sounds of music from the Frank Grisanti Performance Café. Additionally, Brothers of Faith, Walnut Groove and Amro Music serenaded diners as they filled their plates with mouth-watering goodies and fine libations from Old Dominick Distillery, Tennessee Good Life Wines and Spirits, Wiseacre Brewery and Buster’s Liquors. CBHS art students contributed a variety of ceramic pieces, which guests could take home and the Linkous Silent Auction offered many other treasures. Story and Photos by Bill Bannister
Janet Hill with Amelia and Fred Stuckey
Stephanie and Rusty Linkous
Jeff and Robin Wallace
Mia and Tom Bowen
Brooke and David Herig
Terry and Anne Fortwengler
Sandra and Marshall Kleiser
Gloria and Troy Ramsey
Kerri Blair with Dusky Norsworthy and Marley Gill
May 2018
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Memphis Moment
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May
Temple Israel Presents Robert Klein An Evening of Music and Laughter
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or more than 40 years, Tony Award winning comedian and actor Robert Klein has entertained audiences and has an acclaimed career in comedy, on Broadway, on television and in film. Born in the Bronx, he was a member of the famous Second City theatrical troupe in Chicago. Temple Israel proudly presented “An Evening of Laughter and Music with Robert Klein!” at the beautiful Halloran Centre for Performing Arts. The unforgettable evening of entertainment began with a VIP sponsors reception featuring cocktails and a fabulous presentation of delightful eats by Simply Delicious Catering. Wild mushroom tartlets were passed around, along with mouth-watering mac and cheese bites, as guests filled their plates with sweet and sour meatballs, turkey sliders with cranberry chutney and crispy seasoned potatoes. Dessert included such decadent delights as key lime tartlets, bananas foster cheesecake bites and dark chocolate mousse cups topped with amarena cherries. It was truly an evening to remember. Story and Photos by Bill Bannister
Rudi and Honey Scheidt
Rabbi Micah Greenstein with Sheril Greenstein, Tammy Myers and Lee Schwartzberg
Stephen and Kathleen Manley
Jackie and Alex Evans
Jennifer and Jeff Kollath with Aaron Kanowitz
Buddy and Jean Ballin
Bill and Patti Weiss
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Betsy Saslawsky and Elkan Scheidt
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Laurie Scheidt and Stacy Alpert
May 2018
Jean and Nick Morton
Diane and Lewis Reich
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Memphis Moment
Josephine Circle Luncheon at Tiffany’s
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s members of Josephine Circle and their guests stepped off the escalator at the Memphis Hilton to attend the organization’s annual fashion show luncheon, they were greeted by music performed by students under the direction of James Weil from the Overton High School CAPA Orchestra. This year’s fundraiser, “Luncheon at Tiffany’s,” was overseen by event co-chairmen Rita Garrigan and Andrea Weaver and their committee members Linda Ashmore, Marsha Cayce, Eula Horrell, Pat McCaleb, Tommie Pardue, Linda Photopulos, Annette Poole, Kathy Smith and Mary Shaw Shulte. Students from Overton High School provided musical entertainment. Ron Children served as Master of Ceremonies and Courtney Neal was the fashion show coordinator. Fashions for the show were provided by Saddle Creek. Proceeds will support the loans and scholarships program for college students from the Mid-South. Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger
Suzy Kemker and Judy Adkins
Peggy Larkin and Carole Pruett
Andrea Weaver and Rita Garrigan
Annette Poole, Tommie Pardue and Marsha Cayce
Ellen Meyer, Patti Russell and Norann McManus
Debra Timanus and April Shamoun
Brenda West and Carole Hinely
Laura Taylor and Lee Lindsay
May 2018
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Memphis Moment
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May
Madonna Circle Making Memphis Memorable
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adonna Circle’s inaugural “Making Memphis Memorable Afternoon Tea and Awards,” held at the Memphis Botanic Garden, honored women in the Memphis community who strive to make the city a better place. Katelin Walker, event chair, said about 270 women attended the tea. “Our intent was to celebrate the purpose of Madonna Circle’s service to the Memphis community, as well as to honor those outside of Madonna Circle who work to make Memphis a better place,” Walker said. The women of Madonna Circle presented their $5,000 annual sweepstakes to Neighborhood Christian Centers, Inc., and honored four women, including Ephie Johnson, president and CEO of Neighborhood Christian Centers. Also honored were Brittany Spence, who founded the Forrest Spence Fund; Darlene Winters, president and artistic director of Company d; and owner of Sweet LaLa’s Bakery, Lauren Wilson Young, for her work with juveniles entangled in the court system. Story and Photos by Rebekah Yearout Anna Shelton, Pat Ellis, Mary Ellen McDow and Cissy Shelton
Nancy Shellenberg and Jennifer Reginelli
Julie Wright and Katelin Walker
Jess Wilkins and Elena Ross
Patti Russell, Carole Pruett, Laurie Nelson and Nancy Nelson
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May 2018
Kelly Thompson and Tami Manes
Gloria Dahlman and Andrea West
Donna Lucchesi and Libby Hudman
Megan Dickey, Lauren Wilson Young and Jordan Scott
Nancy Ryall, Carol Scarberry and Susie Hudson
Susan Carr and Cathy Walsh
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Memphis Moment
Half Pints for Half Pints Pouring Support for a Neighborhood School
P Allison Hotz, Brittany Lewis and Shelton Gandy
Eric Plumley and Zac Ives
eabody Elementary School in Cooper-Young has lots of fans. Dozens of supporters attended Memphis Made Brewing Co.’s Tap Room to eat, drink and be merry to help the school’s Parent Teacher Association raise money for arts and technology programs. Half Pints for Half Pints was a tight squeeze of a fundraiser, but the chumminess enhanced the experience. It included food provided by Cooper-Young mainstays Aldo’s, Celtic Crossing, Central BBQ, Mulan and Sweet Grass, pouring and quaffing of Memphis Made beer and the sounds of finger-snapping music spun by Goner Records DJ Zac Ives. Christian Brothers University, Cooper-Young Business Association, Cooper-Young Community Association, Good Golly Photography, InCity Realty, Ray Rico Freelance and State Farm Agent Steve Womack provided sponsorship assistance. Story and Photos by Virginia M. Davis
Damien and Jeremie Klingberg
Laura Daum, Peter Owen and Lurene Kelley
Derrick Passero, Elizabeth Blondis and Ken Kanzaki
Greg Dickey and Sean George
Erika Guyton and Stephanie Gonzalez
Maggie Althoff and Joseph Campbell
May 2018
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Red Shoe Gala
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May
Red Shoe Gala Supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis
A June Barbas and Kim Beck
Vicki and Charles Fioranelli
pproximately 400 guests turned out for The Red Shoe Gala benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis (RMHC). This chic affair had people kicking up their heels in black tie attire and their choice of red footwear. The gala, held at the FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms, was presented by McDonald’s/Century Management. The evening began with a cocktail hour and fashion showcase sponsored by Laurelwood Shopping Center. Male and female “freeze models” were attired in fashions for the coming warmer weather from stores in the East Memphis shopping mecca. Paradox Catering prepared the meal for the event, starting off with fresh green salad. A dual entree included New York strip steak and oven-roasted salmon, with smoked squash and asparagus. Dinner music was provided by McKenna Bray (vocalist) and Susan Marshall (keyboardist). During the evening, guest speaker Brittany Hebert, founder and CEO of Sky High, spoke about her organization’s commitment to “providing comfort, funding research and saving lives of children fighting pediatric cancer and other lifethreatening conditions.” Since 2007, Sky High has donated over $6 million to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Guests were invited to support those families See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
fighting alongside their children at St. Jude by making donations to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. Jeff Morris served as auctioneer for the live auction portion of the event. One of the live auction items was a unique Paradox Underground Experience. This exclusive dining experience offered the high bidder and 11 guests a sort of culinary speakeasy opportunity — a fivecourse meal with libations prepared by Jimmy Gentry and his Paradox team in an obscure location around town. Other live auction items included floor seats to a Justin Timberlake concert, a ruby and diamond bracelet from Sissy’s Log Cabin, and trips to Las Vegas, Blue Mountain Beach and Park City, Utah. Morris also announced that in support for RMHC, Renasant Bank donated a new car for use by the RMHC staff to assist families. The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis is to provide support services and a “home-away-from-home” for St. Jude families and their children receiving treatment, at no cost, for cancer and other catastrophic childhood illnesses. After the live auction, guests were invited to “step out in their red shoes” to the dance tent. The DMP Band, with band members decked out in red sequined jackets, provided the evening’s musical entertainment.
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Amy and David Carson
Cory and Meg Prewitt with Nick and Andie Ray and B.Scott Duke
May 2018
Drs. Rye and Jeremie Estepp
Story by Emily Adams Keplinger Photos by Don Perry
Tamara and Daryl Hodges
Diana and Mickey Foster
Lora McGill and Jovie Bridgewater
Micah Renfro and Lindsey Dinges
May
Michael and Kristy Catlin
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Kimberly and Elpertis Robertson
Elizabeth Ennis, Savannah London and Victoria Busse
Elizabeth and Salvador Martinez
Michael and Landi Bohner
Mark and Traci Strickland
Claire Brulatour and Courtney Fowler
May 2018
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Red Shoe Gala
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May
Dan and Colleen Mignogna
Rob and Maria Dannemiller
Eddie Golden and Kristin Smith
Miller and Thelma Riley
Lindley and Chad Jackson
Chris and Danny Melton with Debbie and Gary Melton
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May 2018
Jason and Rose Heckendort
Kim and Lavernon Dickerson
Daniel Reid and Alice Higdon
Mickenzie and DeQuan Seely
Trinh Tran, Ada Diaz, Melissa Low and Ellen Munoz
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May 2018
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Red Shoe Gala
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May
Lynn and Chris McDermott
Jana and Brian Thompson
Chad and Amy Arterburn
Anna Francis and Jeff Morris
Sarah and Beck Barnes
Jim and Jeanne Larkin with Jenny and John Campbell
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May 2018
Phillip and Robin May
Todd Tillman and Mariel Oyuela
Stefanie and Chris Taylor
Kimberly and Nick Sowell
Jeff and Katherine Graham with Kelsey and Ryan Taylor
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ONE Night Gala
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ONE Night Gala
M Terry and Cathy Lynch
Suzana and Michael Lightman Jr.
Get Down, Save Lives
ore than 900 attendees turned out to support the 2018 ONE Night Gala. The “see and be seen” event was held at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, with Holly Craft and Madelyn Gray co-chairing this fundraiser to benefit the Regional One Health Foundation. After a video presentation about Regional One Health, Dr. Reginald Coopwood, President and CEO of Regional One Health said, “You saw it. We do the tough stuff. Our Health System cares for some of the most traumatic and challenging cases, often with the highest profile and highest risk. We’re the only Level 1 Trauma Center, the only verified Burn Center, the designated Perinatal Center for the MidSouth, and one of the oldest Newborn Intensive Care programs in the country. This year we’re celebrating the 50th birthday of our NICU.” A second video was shown, featuring patient Max Courtney, son of Bill and Lisa Courtney. Max’s family retold the emotional experience of almost losing him and how his life was saved. After the video, Max’s sister, Molly Courtney, took the stage to recognize Dr. Louis Magnotti and Dr. Jerry Jones. The ONE Night dinner menu included a first course salad of grilled green tomatoes and jerk shrimp with corn relish and cilantro pesto. The second See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
course featured a classic filet atop wild mushrooms in a pool of saffron sauce with Boursin au gratin potatoes, broccoli, carrots and red peppers finished with a demi-glace. Dessert was a chocolate lava cake with whipped cream and a berry sauce. The dinner sponsor was Revere Meat Co. Michael Detroit led the pledge portion of the program. Donation cards were collected from attendees and guests added to the evening’s coffers by bidding on a guitar and albums autographed by Kenny Loggins. After dinner, ONE Night invited guests to be “Footloose” and enter the “Danger Zone” as Kenny Loggins performed his chart-topping hits. After Loggins, The Bar-Kays performed until the evening wrapped up around midnight. The event was hosted by Regional One Health Foundation and was presented by Signature Sponsors the Arney/Scheidt Family Foundation, FedEx, Radians, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and Provident. Entertainment was provided in part by Southeastern Asset Management and SunTrust. The proceeds from the gala will be used to purchase state-of-the-art medical technology, provide advanced medical training for caregivers, and initiate programs to combat community health issues.
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May 2018
lmad and Fanta Abdullah
Story by Emily Adams Keplinger Photos by Don Perry
Chris Anderson and Markova Reed
Trene and Dr. Andrew Wilner
Joy and Dejuan Bowen
Harold and Dawn Graeter
Wennie Rush, Dr Peter Fischer and Feff Rush
Tim and Sherry May
May
Debra and David Aquadro
Sharon and Dr. Clifford Posman
Sara and Alejandro Ordonez
Dr. Chad and Monica Patel
Carol and Kim Halladay with Rachel and David Harvey
Mark and Kim Ward
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ONE Night Gala
Rena and Michael Montgomery
Madelyn Gray and Holly Craft
Shannon and Lloyd Finks
Girlie Brewer and Jerome Hines
Eric and Catrina Tate with Leslie and John Daniel
May 2018
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Memphis Moment
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May
Think Pink 10th Annual Luncheon
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pproximately 300 guests gathered at the Holiday Inn - University of Memphis for the 2018 Think Pink Memphis Luncheon, Fashion Show & Auction. The event was the 10th annual fundraiser presented by Zeta Tau Alpha Memphis area alumnae to benefit breast cancer education and awareness and to celebrate local breast cancer survivors. Karen Perrin, of 104.5 The River, served as the Mistress of Ceremonies. The luncheon included a fashion show with models, all breast cancer survivors, wearing ensembles from local boutiques. This year’s keynote speaker was breast cancer survivor Geralyn Lucas, who served as ABC editorial producer at the ABC News newsmagazine 20/20 and as the executive director of public affairs/programming at the Lifetime Television cable network. She is also the author of two books about her cancer experience. At the end of the event, breast cancer survivors were honored with a “Survivors’ Parade” around the room.
Cathy Clark, Vicki Clark and Susye Sisk
Story and Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger
Jackie Scoby and Sara Clark
Ang O’Brien and Rebecca DeRousse
Ava Jett and Cheyenne Clanton
Frances Cox and Debbie Capps
Diana Simpson and Stephanie Simpson
Carla Burke and Rosalee Thompson
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May 2018
Roxana Parada, Chelsea Cranford and Tyler Napier
Tracy Trotter and Jennifer Baker
Becky Bowman and Molly Meisenheimer
Melissa Still and Michele Spears
May
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Memphis Moment
Blue Pump Gala Women in Transportation Majors at the University of Memphis
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he Southeast Transportation Workforce Center hosted the fifth annual Blue Pump Gala at the Memphis Hilton. The evening combined a fun networking reception followed by an awards ceremony. “Everyone wears their best blue shoes in support of women pursuing post-secondary degrees in transportation majors at the University of Memphis,” said Meredith Powers, Associate Director of the Southeast Transportation Workforce Center. Guests mingled and chatted as they enjoyed the sounds of the Will Lange Trio during the reception. A heavy hors d’oeuvres buffet featured a variety of cheese and fruit, and the main course station offered delicious beef and chicken dishes. Southeast Transportation Workforce Center Director Dr. Stephanie Ivey welcomed partygoers and presented the evening’s awards, including those to Robin Colwell, named Industry Professional of the Year by the Society of Female Transportation Professionals, and Sean Healy, who won the individual Friend of the SETWC – Moving the Needle Award.
Dan Pallme and Karen Leathers with Lendon and Sean Ellis
Story and Photos by Gaye Swan
Janice and Albert Glenn
Brandico Barr and Zoe Harrison
Alexis Warren and Joshua Washington
Patrick Spruiell, Stuart Leslie, Adriana Clark and Brandon Musso
Brian Powers and Tim Taylor with Jon and Denise Luna
Dr. Stephanie Ivey, Rebecca McHann and Frances Gutt
Sean Healy and Robin Colwell
Alia Burrows, Kayla Hill and Stephanie Miranda
Sam Jordan, Ted Townsend and Meredith Powers
May 2018
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Memphis Moment
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May
Les Passees Cabaret A Venetian Masquerade
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arty-goers in festive masks enjoyed a beautiful Venetian Masquerade Ball at Memphis Botanic Garden to benefit Les Passees. Now in its 97th year, the Les Passees Cabaret featured a silent auction with items ranging from gift baskets to diamonds. Guests sipped wine and nibbled on hors d’oeuvres as they mingled and bid on items. Elegantly decorated in black and gold, with Venetian masks and small candelabras as table centerpieces, the dining room evoked the intrigue of a masquerade ball. The sit-down dinner was catered by A Moveable Feast, and Jamie Baker and the VIPs provided entertainment. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of Living Ads, high school seniors chosen to represent corporate sponsors. The 2018 Living Ads were Kelsey Douglas, Katelyn Elmore, Kaitlyn Keppen, Regan Lee and Anne Elizabeth Matheny. Les Passees’ mission is to provide advocacy and support to enhance the quality of life for children and their families. Story and Photos by Gaye Swan
Kelsey Douglas, Katelyn Elmore, Anne Elizabeth Matheny, Kaitlyn Keppen and Regan Lee
Alanna Oliphant with Suzanne and Alex Oliphant
Kim Flynn and Annie Taylor
Emmy Whitley, Madison Lovelace, Georgia Sink and Madeline Matheny
Patricia Posey and John Michael Posey Judy and Stephen Ashby
Carmen Vincent and Leslie Darr
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May 2018
Jules and Bill England
David Pickering and Connor Matheny
May
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After Hours
AFTER HOURS Coldwell Banker Collins Maury Awards Presentation Dinner
F Bill Maury and Tiffany McLemore
Marla Pennington and Doug Collins
ounded in 1987 by Doug Collins, Coldwell Banker Collins Maury is one of our city’s premier full service real estate firms. This dynamic group gathered in the grand ballroom of the Butcher Shop Restaurant for their annual awards presentation and dinner. 150 guests mingled with cocktails and wine to the classic sixties and seventies rock sounds of the band Feel Free. Dinner began with a fresh garden salad featuring a choice of dressings followed by a choice of scrumptious entrees of including filet mignon, New York strip, fresh Atlantic salmon and char-grilled chicken breast. Desserts were a choice of New York cheesecake with strawberry sauce and a sinful chocolate thunder brownie topped with ice cream. Sponsors included Wendy Thompson with Brighton Bank, Ann Bell with Mortgage Investors Group, Christy Stokes with First American Home Warranty, Hal Stanley and Tim Rainey with Stanley and Rainey P.C. and Andy O’Fee of Crump Mortgage. Story and Photos by Bill Bannister
Wendy Thompson and Sean Blankenship
Sissy and Jay Vaughan
Paula Miller and Hal Jaffe
David McLemore and Lori Henry
Barbara Weir and Larry Lemon
Sheri and Russell Haas
Joy and Albert Goodwin
Jim and Alta Simpson
Louis and Vicki Rosenberg
Meribeth LaBarreare and Milleigh Pearson
SPECIAL PROMOTION
May 2018
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Crossword
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RSVP Crossword Edited By Ruth Cassin
ACROSS 1 Open handed smack 5 Secure 9 Turn over 13 Mexican snack 14 Bale 15 One of the Great Lakes 16 Put on ___ 1
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ACROSS 1 5 9 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 23 24 25 28 31 32 34 36 37 38
Open handed smack Secure Turn over Mexican snack Bale One of the Great Lakes Put on __ Evidence Was looked at Religious term, brothers Abominable Cry like a cat Dry Capital of Lesotho Thrust forward Sign of boredom Attempts Net North northeast Entire Wrath
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17 Evidence 64 Remain 18 Was looked at 65 Lone 19 Religious term, brothers 66 Glen 21 Abominable DOWN 23 Cry like a cat 24 Dry 25 Capital of Lesotho 1 Jab with a sharp object 28 Thrust forward 2 Den 31 Sign of boredom 3 Land measurement 32 Attempts 4 Mail males? 7 8 9 10 11 12 34 Net 5 Mean woman 1 Jab with a sharp object 15 36 Memphis to Detroit dir. 6 Long time period (var.) 2 Den 37 Entire 7 Famous NYC toy store 18 3 Land measurement 38 Wrath Schwarz 21 22 4 Mail males? 39 Totals 8 Attempts 41 Precipitous 9 Left over 5 Mean woman 24 43 Place for time coins period (var.)10 Brand of sandwich cookie 6 Long 29 30 44 Measured NYC toy store 11 In ___ of 7 Famousheaviness 46 Mythical part 12 Telescope viewer 34 35 Schwarz men, part horses 14 Germinate 8 Attempts 38 48 Guide 20 She 9 Left over 49 Tricky (var.) 22 Leadership position (abbr.) 42 43 Brand offacial sandwich 5010Removed hair 24 White poplar 46 47 cookie 53 Light-colored rock 25 Asian bird In __ of 11 57 Earnings 26 Root Beer Brand 49 58 12 Narcotic madeviewer from Telescope 27 Stockholm native 54 55 56 dried juice of the poppy 28 Lubricated Germinate 14 plant 29 "Our ___ bread" 60 20 She 6022American _ _ _ Leadership position 30 Goof (up) 63 61 Make less distinct 33 Graded (abbr.) 62 Outerwear 35 Fish catchers 66 White poplar 63 24 Snaky fish 40 Argent 25 Asian bird 26 Root Beer Brand 39 Totals 27 Stockholm native 41 Precipitous 28 Lubricated 43 Place for coins 29 "Our ___ bread" 44 Measured heaviness 30 Goof (up) 46 Mythical part men, part 33 Graded horses 35 Fish catchers 48 Guide 40 Argent 49 Tricky (var.) 41 Shades 50 Removed facial hair 42 Sacred songs 53 Light-colored rock 43 Puzzled 57 Earnings 45 ___ whiz! 58 Narcotic made from 47 Gone by dried juice of the poppy 49 Two seater automoble plant 50 Certain compass dir. 60 American ___ 51 Stop 61 Make less distinct 52 Content of rio 62 Outerwear 53 Action needed to open 63 Snaky fish combination lock 64 Remain 54 Notion 65 Lone 55 Fee 66 Glen 56 Otherwise 59 Club golf or tennis DOWN instructor
May 2018
41 Shades 42 Sacred songs 43 Puzzled 45 ___ whiz! 47 Gone by 49 Two seater automoble 50 Certain compass dir. 51 Stop 52 Content of rio 53 Action needed to open combination lock 54 Notion 55 Fee 56 Otherwise 59 Club golf or tennis instructor
WHY TEMPT FATE? May
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s I write this it is Friday the 13th, which is several days past my deadline, which is way past my deadline, and I know a lot of people By Dennis Phillippi who are very superstitious about this day. I have a friend who rearranged her vacation schedule one year specifically to avoid flying on Friday the 13th. Mind you, she also believes that it’s unlucky to wear matching shoes, but that’s not important here. Thirteen has always been my favorite number for some reason, maybe because it’s supposed to be unlucky. I also own a black cat. Generally speaking, I’m not a superstitious person. Okay, that is a huge lie. I have all kinds of superstitions, just not those two. It took years for my wife to stop making fun of me for the salt over the shoulder thing. I have no idea where I got it, but if I even touch salt, even on a potato chip, I unconsciously toss a grain, possibly even an imagined grain, over my left shoulder, even if someone happens to be sitting or standing behind me. I think the original reasoning was that salt was such a precious resource you should remind yourself not to waste it. I’ve also heard that it has something to do with throwing it in the face of the Devil, which I would certainly do, given the opportunity. I mean, he’s the Devil for crying out loud. I also compulsively pick up pennies that are lying face up. If it’s lying face down I won’t come near it, but if Lincoln’s mug is showing it goes in my back pocket. The only reason I can imagine for this habit is I’m kind of an idiot. There are plenty more, mostly coming from my days in theater, and once I started realizing how many of these I have accumulated, I decided to make myself feel better by asking others on social media about their superstitions. I do, in fact, feel better about myself. A lot of the responses were standard things, like carrying a St. Christopher medal when traveling, knocking on wood when being overconfident, never wearing socks to bed because you’ll get worms. So…the first two of those I’ve heard a million times, but the third is when I started to notice that my friends on social media are at least as weird as me. One woman said that she has to have every thing in all of her kitchen drawers in the exact same place every time, including the spatulas
being face down, and if someone else empties the dishwasher and put things in the wrong place she has to reset everything or she can’t sleep. I’m not sure if that's superstition or possibly a condition that can be medically treated.
One friend of mine doesn’t shave on Tiger football off days; he only shaves after the game. Considering how the Tiger’s football team has been in recent years, I think we all encourage him to continue this tradition. A disturbing number of people invoked superstitions that require spitting. One person’s grandfather felt so strongly about the black cat thing that if he encountered one he would take off his hat, spit in it, and wear it backwards. There has to be a superstition related to what to do if you happen to spit in your own hat. Another said that if someone mops or sweeps over your feet you have to spit on the mop or broom head to counter
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the bad juju just placed on your feet. I’d like to be around him at closing time in a bar, I’m not sure the staff cleaning up would be all that cool with being spit at. One friend of mine doesn’t shave on Tiger football off days; he only shaves after the game. Considering how the Tiger’s football team has been in recent years, I think we all encourage him to continue this tradition. Not surprisingly, numbers played a big part in people’s superstitions, particularly the mark of the beast. One guy won’t let his fitbit, whatever that is, stop on any number combination that involves 666. Apparently it’s unhealthy. Another said that if his bill is $6.66 or he is given a bill or table that is numbered 13, he will ask for another seat, or ask to buy another item to fix the total, then he apologizes for being mentally ill. That’s not my joke, that’s what he actually does. Another said he has to keep pumping gas until the total amount is divisible by a quarter. I can see being obsessed with round numbers, I’m guilty of that, but not to the point where I pour gas on my feet. I love this one. A woman I know said that she cannot go to bed without showering first, which isn’t that odd, but she has to shower before bed because otherwise she’s certain she will get sick. If she does, heaven forfend, get in bed without showering she will eventually have get up, change the sheets, and take a shower before getting back into bed. She described this condition as “stupid.” I describe it as hygienic. Someone said that she has to have all of her Christmas decorations completely down by midnight on December 31st. That’s not a superstition, that’s a rule. It was put into place so lazy people like me don’t leave our Christmas lights up until June and think well, hey, it’s already halfway to Christmas, I think I’ll just leave them up. There were plenty of gambling superstitions, all of which involved doing something silly when someone else does something different. Gamblers have a lot of superstitions because they’re gamblers. By definition they are already tempting fate. One of my friends said he gets nervous around people who unexpectedly start swinging an ax. This begs the question, are there times in this man’s life when people expectedly start swinging an ax? We all know these things are goofy and pointless and shouldn’t be taken seriously, but nonetheless I won’t be driving today. I mean, it’s Friday the 13th for God’s sake. Oh, and this column always has to come out to exactly 1,000 words or else.
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RSVPast CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY
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he American Legion baseball team from Memphis, sponsored by Bill Speros, captured the American Legion World Series title 50 years ago in Manchester, New Hampshire. The close-knit group of players continue to hold reunions to celebrate their glory days. Pictured above, from left to right are: Front row – Al Andre, Bobbie Goodman, Lynn Alford, Paul “Skeeter” Gowen, Richard Daughtery and Mike Dempster. Second row – Coach Bob Camp, Duane Donahoo, Batboy Jack Long, Bob Stolarik, Ron Majkrzak, Jimmy Conn and David Hazelip. Back row – Sponsor Bill Speros, Coach Homer Phillips, Terry Dan, Donnie Castle, Ross Grimsley, Charlie Blanchard, Jim Evans, Farrell Vincent and Coach Tony Gagliano. Photo courtesy of Bob Phillips If you have a past photo you would like to share with RSVP readers, please contact Emily Adams Keplinger 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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