Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera provided the title and the dress code for the annual wine tasting and auction fundraiser hosted by the Women’s Committee of the Washington Ballet at Meridian House. (Pictured: Leilane Mehler, Leanne Boland, and Pat Skantze.) The liveliest guests donned some memorable masks, including lots of black feathered ones and some with colored plumage. Carole Randolph matched her dress with a royal blue satin number, complete with a sweeping blue plume, while Mary Kopper opted for red, gold, and white for her domino.Fine food matched the excellent Italian wines, and there was an all-the-glasses-you-want Veuve Clicquot table for $50, poured generously by Steve Bellman of Paul’s Wines and Spirits, who donated the bubbly.
Among the guests: Septime Webre, the ballet’s artistic director, Kay Kendall, its president, and Barbara McConaghy Johnson, the president of the Women’s Committee. Also seen: Annie Totah, in a red-plumed headdress, David Keller, and Debbie and Don Sigmund. The evening benefited the ballet’s community outreach programs.
A Celebration of Hope was the inspirational title for a fun evening with a serious purpose. The benefit was for The Wellness Community, a quiet but effective charity that provides emotional support, educational programs, and stress-reduction classes to people with cancer and their families.
The TWC’s new center, on Grosvenor Lane in Bethesda, offers programs free of charge, thanks to donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. One of the largest contributors is the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, which supports local organizations and services.
After excellent hors d’oeuvres and a very good dinner, Bob Madigan, WTOP’s “Man About Town” host, was a genial master of ceremonies. Paul Quinn, of Quinn’s Auctions, proved adept at raising funds painlessly and with humor as he auctioned valuable trips and restaurant splurges.
Caryn Steakley and Hal Vasvari co-chaired the benefit, and TWC’s energetic CEO, Paula Rothenberg, kept the evening on course. Guests included Mary Bird, Dr. Ziad Deeb and wife Leila, Richard de Sonier, and three fashionista stylists: Sharon Glickman, Barbara McConaghy Johnson (with husband Robert) and Marcia Nelms (with spouse Dr. Rafik Muawwad).
The high point of the evening came when the Johnny Esquire Band took the stage. The seven-member group is totally dedicated to classic rock and blues―and to helping charities. The band has one strict rule: You can’t pay them! They play for the joy of playing, and to help others. They include six suits, meaning five attorneys and an architect―plus one mom―and they are terrific. Here is a sample song list, with some audio clips.
The Johnny Esquire Band has helped raise more than $1 million for charities as diverse as Habitat for Humanity, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes. And the band members not only perform for local benefits for free, they’ll even pay for a professional light and sound company to ensure a great show.
Making up this remarkable group: Len Mitchard, Esq., on the keyboards, Jonathon Reavill, Esq., drums, Karen Vartanian, M.O.M., vocals and flute, Tom Vartanian, Esq., guitar, Brian Harvey, Esq., guitar and vocals, Dean Brenneman, A.I.A, vocals and guitar, and Jack Gordon, Esq., bass.
Guitarist Tom Vartanian, who also handles the bookings, was named a 2008 Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine for his charitable work. In addition to being a musician and a top banking and e-commerce lawyer, he co-founded an over-40 baseball team that competes around the country. Each year, the All Stars team presents the Special Olympics with a check for about $25,000 raised by Vartanian from friends and colleagues.
