Truly, it was the hottest ticket in town for a very cool cause.
The 2006 Memory Ball drew more than 400 people to the beautiful Marriott Waterfront Hotel last weekend to benefit The Alzheimer?s Association?s Greater Maryland Chapter.
The black-tie gala featured a cocktail reception and dinner, where for the second year in a row Patricia J. Mitchell, as chairwoman, welcomed all the partygoers. At the VIP reception, we mingled with the prez of J.C. Mitchell and Associates, Jim Mitchell, along with Eileen Young of Pinnacle Care International, VP of PHH Mortgage Paige O?Neill, United Way?s Holly Joyce, St. John Properties? Jerry Wit, and Lifebridge Health VP Taylor Foss.
Legg Mason was well-invested in the evening with Jane and Sam Mace, Emilia and Joe Poiter, and Anne and Tim Scheve.
When the doors to the grand ballroom opened, there was a collective “Wow,” thanks to committee members Beth Bailey of Elizabeth Bailey Weddings, The Pleasure of Your Company?s Hannah Rodewald, Dulany Noble of Gala Cloths, and the talents of Perkins Productions, which transformed the Marriott into a Fire and Ice wonderland.
As guests dined and danced to the great music of Gazze, many gave the dancing pair of Dorothy Hamill and Davis Gaines a perfect 10 for their off-the-ice dancing. Speaking of fun, the “What Money Can?t Buy” auction had items not found at most events. One “item” was a day with Ravens coach Brian Billick that includes a tour of the new training facility, lunch, and maybe a little Xs and Os talk.
“Pretty cool” got even cooler when the auction ended. All the lights in the ballroom changed from icy blue to the orange and red of the Fire theme.
Also in attendance was Pizza Hut of Maryland founder Bob Schulze, who knows all too well the hardships of Alzheimer?s. His wife, Helen, started having memory problems in the 1990s. By 2001, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer?s disease.
Bob and his son, John F. Schulze, who is VP of Pizza Hut of Maryland, are proud supporters of Alzheimer?s research, and together they established an annual award in Helen?s name. This year?s recipient was Carl E. Tuerk Jr., president of the Greater Maryland Chapter of the Alzheimer?s Association. A gift of $5,000 in his name goes to the association to support research efforts.
Congrats to all involved in making this event a tremendous success, raising close to $245,000.
Anne Boone-Simanski is The Baltimore Examiner?s social columnist. E-mail her at [email protected].
