LaPortas honorees for 51st annual Mardi Gras Ball

Elayne and Lou LaPorta of Henderson were the honorees for St. Rose Dominican Hospitals' 51st annual Mardi Gras Ball on Saturday at the Bellagio Tower Ballroom.

Following World War II, the LaPortas returned to Henderson to raise a family and run a business. The LaPortas' first son, Peter, was the first baby to be born at the Rose de Lima Campus. Lou is a former Henderson City Council member and Clark County Commissioner, and he served as first chairman of the St. Rose Hospital Board of Directors. Elayne is a biblical folk artist who was recognized with the Mother Teresa Award in 2005.

This event marked the hospital's 61 years of providing health care. President/CEO of Southern Nevada Market Area of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, Rod A. Davis, and his wife, Cathy, greeted the 480 black-tie guests.

The theme for the 2008 Mardi Gras Ball -- Hope, Health and Happiness -- showcased an Asian flair. A Chinese contortionist entertained on a circulating pedestal above the silent auction tables during the hosted reception, where Chinese appetizers were passed.

Guests Tina and Calvin Tyler, Diane Carlson and William Freyd, Donna Curry, Kevin Buckley, Jeanne and John Kilduff, Rene O'Reilly, Denise and Gustav Mauler, and Jay Barrett and son, Brian, admired the decorative entrance of flowers, stones and a waterfall as they entered the dining room. Dining tables were covered in orange silk with Chinese symbols, and centerpieces were unique-shaped vases filled with different colors of orchids surrounded by votive candles. Chinese lanterns covered the room's crystal chandeliers.

John O'Reilly served as the evening' master of ceremonies. Rod Davis introduced a video narrated by Beth Fisher on the growth of the hospital's three campuses: St. Rose de Lima, Siena and San Martin.

Special recognition was given to the Adrian Dominican Sisters, who arrived in June 1947 to a federally governed project in Henderson, which was a small community of 5,000 people. Bishop Joseph A. Pepe delivered the invocation.

During dinner, guests bid by Embarq cell phones on 11 interactive auction packages as they enjoyed a dinner of Asian pear and cambozola cheese salad, mango or raspberry sorbet, and an entree of five-spice filet and jumbo prawns, followed by a trio of desserts.

Dan Nelson conducted a live auction for a backyard lobsterfest, won by Heather Murren for $9,000. Donna Ruthe purchased three giclees by artist Jerry Blank for $2,000. Val Baciarelli bought a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts every month for a year for $1,000. The Rolling Stones autographed guitar went for a bid of $6,000 to Phillip Manno. A shadowbox of golf balls signed by Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer sold to Matthew Frazier for $1,600. Modern mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim will personally outfit a home bar and host a cocktail party/demonstration for 12 friends for Gregory Walch, thanks to his bid of $1,250.

More masqueraders were Vicky VanMeetren, Laura Fritz and Mike Weber, Tiffani Tonkinson, Teri and John Daly, Kay and Bruce Spotleston, Cheryl Samlaska, Shawn Hughes, Felicity LaRue, Mary Kay Peck, John Lee, Evelyn Sayre, Robert Merrell, Debi Walsh, Stephen Hoer, Tonya and Al Namey, Mary Lou Anderson, Charli Carter, Kathlyn Mowbray and Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson. Harbor Lights played for dancing.

Silver Tea: The Mesquite Club, a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs that has served the Las Vegas Valley since 1911, honored their past presidents at a Silver Tea at the Mesquite Clubhouse on St. Louis Street on Friday.

The tea's chairwomen, Jeanne Greenawalt and Laurie Porter-Hartig, planned a lovely afternoon amid table and ceiling decorations of red hearts with bouquets of red roses and white hydrangeas on the tea tables. Porter-Hartig introduced the past presidents (the club's sweethearts) in attendance, and GFWC Nevada State President Connie Macauley distributed pins to longtime members.

Attending the tea and given special recognition were Luciana LaGrange, 50 years; Eleanore Jolly, 45 years; Ruth Vogiotti, 40 years; Mary Longley, Virginia Longley and Agnes Phillips for 35 years; Joan Doubrava, Mary Ellen Gallagher and Evelyn Phelps for 30 years; Margaret Black, Barbara Hunter and Grace Smith for 25 years; Marion Kohler, Sandra Sheets and Barbara Goodwin for 20 years.

A walk down memory lane was experienced when the ladies viewed a video of the past presidents and their accomplishments.

Scrapbooks and photographs were on display for the ladies to peruse.

Silver Tea committee members were Bette Ault, Dianna Bassett, Peggy Broxterman, June Clark, Elaine Fish, Geraldine Jennings, Mary Longley and Jan Medchill.