Jul 2, 2007

Wining and dining led to bed buying

By Janet Duca Norton / Society Columnist

Fine wines, fabulous food and the largest attendance ever were highlights of the ninth annual Sequoia Hospital Foundation Wine Auction on June 21.

More than 300 wine collectors and hospital supporters turned out for the party Sue Burns hosted in her recently expanded Atherton garden. Burns continued the tradition of hosting, which she and her late husband Harmon established for the first auction.

The evening featured silent and live auctions, music by the Charlie Bulanti Trio, and pairings of vintners with award-winning restaurants. Pairings included: Fogarty Winery with Chantilly Restaurant; Blue Cellars with Tony Flier’s Avenir Restaurant; Monticello Vineyards with Events Etc. Catering; Sonoma Coast Vineyards and Arguello Catering; Michael Martella Vineyards with John Bentley’s; and Domenico Wines with Whole Foods Market.

The results were spectacular — with the event raising more than $160,000 toward the purchase 13 high-tech beds for the award-winning Sequoia Hospital Birth Center. These new Affinity 4 beds allow mothers-to-be to stay in the same room through birth and recovery. OB/GYN Dr. Beverly Joyce gave such a convincing testimonial to the advantages of the beds that the auction raised enough funds to purchase all of them.

The great news is these state-of-the-art beds will be installed later this summer. Bed purchasers included hostess Burns, auction committee member Al Cleary, Kathy and Andy Cresci, and new grandmother Bonnie Addario, who named her bed Charlotte after her first grandchild Charlotte Parks, who arrived at Sequoia Hospital two weeks earlier. Larry Baer, general manager of the San Francisco Giants, guaranteed the first bed purchase by a making a matching donation of $7,500 in memory of Harmon Burns.

“This was a formidable wine auction,” Jeff Brock, winemaker for Blue Cellars said. Wine Auction Committee members Henry Duvalsaint, Dick Sponholz, Ernie Ulibarri and Cleary assembled the prized vintages. Dr. Don Keating, Paul Allbright, and Jerry and Shirley Carlson were among the successful bidders.

With help from Bill Conklin and Bonnie Addario, professional auctioneer Frank Bizzarro once again lived up to his reputation for creating excitement and competition. Don and Nancy Hack were two of the successful bidders on the hotly bid upon library of Shady Oak wine, donated by John and Andrea Ross.

Wine dinners were some of the auction’s big-ticket items. Paul Fields purchased a weekend package at the Santa Rosa Hilton, which included a limousine ride to a six-course, wine-pairing dinner at the home of Dan and Jett Gulbronsen. A dinner prepared by master chef Sean Conry to be served in the winner’s home was such a popular auction item that Bizzarro sold it twice, one each to Dr. Keating and Joan Ulibarri.

The tradition of passing on the famous “good luck bottle” of 1987 Pinot Noir from the Redwood City Sunflower Festival continued. In keeping with the event’s baby theme, the bottle was presented in a bassinet by last year’s winner, Dr. Roger Winkle, who autographed it and urged everyone “to bid hard.” After 10 years, the bottle has raised more than $11,000 for the foundation, and is usually won by a physician. Gloria Kennett made the winning bid in honor of her late husband, Dr. William Kennett.

Host committee members Bob and Nadine Franceschini, Huguette Bartels and Dr. Denise Brown congratulated Marie Zahn on winning the raffle prize, a diamond and amethyst grape cluster brooch, donated by Christensen & Rafferty Jewelers.




DIVAS ENTERTAIN FOR RELAY FOR LIFE

For the third year, Peninsula theatrical luminary and Los Altos native Molly Bell produced her “Divas for Life” benefit concert for the American Cancer Society.

More than 380 people attended the sold-out June 18 cabaret show at Los Altos High School’s Eagle Theater, featuring leading ladies singing their signature songs. The audience gave a standing ovation to the 13 divas, including two male “divos” and three “divas in training.”

Bell brought together Bay Area theatrical colleagues and some of her talented students to perform a variety of songs from hit Broadway shows. Divas included Angela Gunter, Riette Burdick, Carrie Madsen, Meghann May, Kristin Stokes, Kathryn Foley and Diana Torres-Koss.

Katherine Von Till flew in from New York and received rave reviews for her “Alto’s Lament” performance. Students Megan Putnam and Molly Murphy, who have performed in Peninsula Youth Theater productions, sang “I’d Rather Be Sailing” from “A New Brain.”

Bell shared the spotlight with Annmarie Martin on “Three Bedroom House” from “Batboy: The Musical” and performed “This is My I Want Song” from “Becoming Britney,” which she and divo David Curley are writing together.

Young “divo in training” Julian Hornik sang “Seasons of Love” from “Rent,” and was such a hit, Relay for Life founder Jeanne MacVicar asked him to sing the song at the Relay for Life opening ceremony on June 23.

“I don’t know how I can top this next year,” Bell said.

“The public loves this event because our positive energy really shines through and our intentions are genuine. Every one of the actresses’ lives has been touched by cancer, and they have a vested interest in putting on a great show. I’m so proud that word has really gotten out about this event,” Bell said. “You know what that means for next year? Buy your tickets early!”

Partygoers at the post performance VIP reception at Maltby’s Restaurant, who had the opportunity to meet the divas, included Anne Hambly, Nicole and Mariana Chahrouri, David Hornik, Jodi Murphy and her son Jonathan, Ann Putnam, Becky Bell, Duncan and Jeanne MacVicar, Steve Von Till, Marykay Breitenbach and actress Aimee Barile (Spiderman III).

The Los Altos Relay For Life has achieved national recognition as last year’s first-place rated relay in online fundraising. Chairman Alan Russell said 63 teams participated and raised a total of $380,000 to date, but donations will continue to come in until August.