Senoras of Excellence honored during a gala at Wynn Las Vegas Saturday include Anita Laruy Zurzolo, from left, Liliam Lujan Hickey and Irene Bustamante Adams. PHOTOS BY MARIAN UMHOEFER/review-journal Senores of Distinction honored at the party include John Mendoza, from left, Otto Merida and Eddie Escobedo. Co-chairs of the Senoras of Excellence, Senores of Distinction gala are Isabel Perera Pfeifer, left, and Sandy Colon Peltyn. Mrs. Nevada Juliette Kimoto, from left, Lisa Heck, Monica Heck and Chelsea Heck welcome guests to the Derby Day Fashion Show and Luncheon May 5 at Green Valley Ranch. Regina Pikulinski, from left, Iris Keels, Betty Ellison, Judy Royer and Yvonne Cloutier gather near the horseshoe sale booth during the Derby Day Fashion Show and Luncheon sponsored by the St. Clare of Assisi Women's Guild of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Henderson. Dominican sisters from St. Rose Dominican Hospitals attending the Catholic gala include Sister Charlotte Moser, from left, Sister Monica Stankus and Sister Thomas Michael Watson. Showing off their hats during the Derby Day Fashion Show and Luncheon are Monica Fuller, from left, Sandy Frank, Teri Eden, Margie Conway and Gayle Anderson.

Senoras of Excellence, Senores of Distinction were honored Saturday at Wynn Las Vegas.

The event recognized women and men of Hispanic descent who have excelled in their professional careers as well as contributed to the enrichment of the community.

Senoras of Excellence included Irene Bustamante Adams, director of diversity relations for MGM Mirage; Liliam Lujan Hickey, who has been active in the community and is the first Hispanic woman to have a school named after her; and Anita Laruy Zurzolo, director of the North Las Vegas Library District. Zurzolo is the first Hispanic female director of a library district in Nevada and the first Hispanic chairwoman of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission.

Senores of Distinction included Eddie Escobedo, publisher of the Spanish newspaper El Mundo and builder of the first Hispanic professional plaza, Escobedo Plaza; former District Court Judge John Mendoza; and Otto Merida, president and chief executive officer of the Latin Chamber of Commerce. Escobedo will have a middle school named in his honor in 2007. Mendoza had an elementary school named after him in 1990.

A silent auction and reception began the evening for 500 guests including former Sen. Richard Bryan and Bonnie Bryan, Justice Nancy Becker, Stephen and Linda Montoya, Parvin and Ted Jacobs, Elaine Newton, Toni Hart, Jack Weinstein, Johnann and Phillip Pepple, Lulu Bubion, Jon Tullis, Shana Brown, Carlos Collado, Carolina Griffin, Ed Wolfe, Isie Pfeifer, Angie Wallin, Eva Garcia, Fran Martinet, Loring Jacobs, R.J. Peltyn, and Lou and Fred Schwager.

Later, as guests were seated, Miguel Alvarez and Dance Charisma dancers performed the tango. Mariachi Plata De Las Vegas, a 13-piece mariachi band made up of Clark County School District band teachers, entertained. Grammy-winning guitarist Willy Chirino and his wife, Lissette, an international recording artist, also entertained and were joined by entrepreneur Aner Iglesias in presenting the event's awards.

The gala was co-chaired by Sandy Colon Peltyn and Isabel Perera Pfeifer. Proceeds will benefit the Latin Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund and the Hispanic Museum of Nevada.

Derby Day: The St. Clare of Assisi Women's Guild of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Henderson presented a Derby Day Fashion Show and Luncheon May 5 at Green Valley Ranch.

The event's honorary chair, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, invited women to don their finest hats and gloves in Kentucky Derby style to support the second annual fundraiser for the construction of the San Damiano Parish Center of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

During the reception, guests including Gene Segerblom, Marjorie Fields, Karen Gordon, Cindy Doumani, Monterey Brookman, Barbara Lee Woollen, Merle Berman, Angie Wallin, Sandy Frank, Donna Sparks, Teri Eden, Rhonda Cameron, Kris Donnelly, Anita Laruy Zurzolo, and state Sen. Joe Heck with daughters, Monica and Chelsea, participated in a silent auction and horseshoe sale.

The popular horseshoe sale consisted of buying a handmade stained-glass horseshoe for $20. The numbered horseshoes went with a matching box containing a prize worth $20 to $50, but one contained a grand prize ribbon, which was won by Shari Sevens. She won a two-night stay at Harrah's Las Vegas, two tickets to see Celine Dion, dinner for two at McCormick & Schmick's and limo service.

Spring haute couture was modeled by Margie Conway, Phyllis Haley, Gayle Anderson, Lisa Heck, Natalee Simmons, Trish Nash, Rebecca Chura, and guild President Karen Binder. All models wore one-of-a-kind hats fashioned by Aaron Arrington.

The Rev. Gregory Gordon, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, spoke about the church's vision for the future before delivering the invocation.

Emceeing the event were Monica Simmons and Mark Osterhaus, who also conducted the live auction. During lunch, film clips of previous Kentucky Derbys were shown and winners of the hat contest were announced. Monica Fuller won for most original hat, Phyllis Haley won for most elegant hat and Eleanor Rumbold won for most festive hat.

Derby Day was chaired by Lisa Heck and co-chaired by Bev Anderson.