Mesquite Club gathers for the changing of the guard

Mesquite Club welcomed new officers at its season-ending luncheon May 23 at its facility on East St. Louis Avenue.

Outgoing President Vera Knox thanked her board members and noted their accomplishments.

Joan Doubrava installed the 2008-09 officers: Betty Rumford, president; Carol Hale, first vice president; Phyllis Norblitt, second vice president; Joan Powell, recording secretary; Nancy Zangl, treasurer; Sue Churchill, financial secretary; and Mary Ann Hantout, corresponding secretary. (Hantout also is the newly installed state president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.)

Guests included Bette Ault, Marilyn Essex, Marion Kohler, Jeanne Greenawalt, Doris Wartman, Mary Ellen Gallagher, Peggy Casey, Mary Lowman, Bernice Fischer, Margo Pesek, Lois Freeman, Jerri Pearson, Barbara Hunter and Lori Hartig.

The club presented a donation to Kathleen Boutin, founder and director of the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth. Curtiss Robinson, who was helped by the partnership, also attended the luncheon.

Girls day out: Four years ago, Larry Hart and Michael Flach launched a floral and event design business called Botanica. To celebrate the anniversary and in a belated nod to Mother's Day, they hosted a "Girls Day Out" luncheon recently in the Crown Room at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The 40 female guests were treated to "MAMAtinis" and "MOMosas" and serenaded by a string quartet.

Parvin Modaber Jacobs, Toni Hart, Sandy Peltyn and Nevada first lady Dawn Gibbons had no idea they would be the guests of honor. Larry Hart and Flach chose to honor them as "Mothers of 2008."

Among the guests were Fran Dwek, Susan Molasky, Susan Houston, Jody Ghanem, Sharyn Prieto, Patty Rose, Jaki Baskow, Phyllis Schwartz, Eleanore Doumani and Gayle Anderson.

The room decor was fashion themed in pink and white, featuring dress form topiaries of hydrangea and miniroses, mannequins dressed in handmade sundresses and Barbie doll table decorations.

Betsy Johnson sling-back pumps were used as napkin holders, and handmade silver handbags served as place card holders. Each table also was decorated with silver julep cups with roses. In all, 2,000 roses and 350 stems of hydrangea were used in the design.

The fun began when the ladies started searching for the mate to their pair of Betsy Johnson shoes, which were one of their gifts.

Other guests included Leslie Jacobs, Isabel Pfeifer, Annee Nounna, Karen Ruiviar, Lou Schwager, Isa Colon, Beth Schwartz, Debbie Bingham, Jill Schneider, Gwen Pivarov, Debbie Holgate, Carol McCullough and Leah Schwartz.

Awards are in order: The Junior League of Las Vegas had its annual May luncheon on May 10 at Green Valley Ranch.

Tisha Overman and Krista VanDusen introduced the new class of active members.

Presentations were made by Britta Carlson and Krista Darnold to Ann Richard for the First Year Active Member of the Year Award, and to Jennifer Brinton for the Provisional Member of the Year Award. The Heart of Gold Award went to Kori Zwaagstra. Jim Begley was presented with the Man of the Year Award.

Sustainer President Deni Conrad introduced the new sustaining members, and presented the Sustainer of the Year Award to three members: Judy Beal, Madeleine Andress and Mary Blake.

President Stephanie Vogel installed the Junior League 2008-09 President Patti Wippel and members of her board of directors. Conrad installed the 2008-09 sustaining officers of Junior League, with Carole Terry as incoming president.

Coaches versus Cancer: In mid-May, University of Nevada, Las Vegas men's basketball coach Lon Kruger welcomed several of the country's elite coaches for the Coaches versus Cancer Las Vegas Classic, raising $152,000 to benefit research, education and treatment programs within Nevada Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.

Among the participating coaches were Tim Floyd of the University of Southern California; Mark Fox of the University of Nevada, Reno; Jim Boylen of the University of Utah; Norm Stewart, retired from the University of Missouri; Bill Grier of the University of San Diego; Tim Jankovich of Illinois State University; and Bobby Lutz of the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

The coaches created foursomes with several Las Vegans and spent the first day of competition at TPC Summerlin. That evening they mixed and mingled at the Hardwood Suite at the Palms where former UNLV coaches Jerry Tarkanian and Charlie Spoonhour joined in the celebration.

The second day of play commenced at Southern Highlands Golf Club and concluded with an awards luncheon featuring Mayor Oscar Goodman. Las Vegans Cliff Findlay, Rob Martinez, Mike Lunch and Bill Russell were the tournament winners, with Stewart's team in second place, followed by Lutz's foursome.