Thalia Dondero honored at Chef for Kids benefit
Chefs for Kids celebrated 20 years of providing nutrition education to students in high-needs schools in the Clark County School District with their annual dinner and dance March 25 at Bally's Platinum Ballroom.
Chefs work with nutrition educators from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension to develop nutrition curricula for first- and second-grade children. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the annual dinner and auction fund the nutrition program for the school year.
The anniversary dinner honored longtime supporter of education Thalia Dondero. KLAS-TV, Channel 8 news anchor Dave Courvoisier served as master of ceremonies. Dondero was introduced by her son, Rob Dondero, and presented with a Waterford bowl and monogrammed chef's jacket by Chefs for Kids chairman chef Christopher Johns and event chair Sue Lednicky.
A silent auction for 60 items was followed by entertainment by Sergei Shapoval, owner and dance director of Sergei's Dance Studio. Shapoval's partner was Jami Jones and featured a special appearance by young dancers, Martin Rivas and Kaitlyn Paes.
Bally chef Eric Piston and staff prepared the five-course gourmet dinner enjoyed by Michael Ty, national president of the American Culinary Federation, and 400 guests, including Assemblywoman Marilyn Dondero Loop, Joyce Mack, Ann Michael, Barbara and Tom McDonald, Ana Wood, Jeanne Greenawalt and Irwin Kishner, Gae and Perry Basch, Jewel Brooks, T.C. Chatterjee, Isabel Pfeifer, Brendan Johnson, Sandy Peltyn, Mel Garraway, Jackie Garraway-Rau, Madeleine Sigman-Grant and Milt Grant, Christine Narciso and Chris Nolan, Carolyn Leontos, Bonnie Bryan, Sally Rycroft, Barbara Lee and Bruce Woollen, Laurine and Nick Tibaldi, Cristine Lefkowitz, Janice and Robert Anderson, Hope and Mark Stark, Shelley Brown, Joel Stelzner, Jan Allen, and Ellen and Ed DeAndrade.
Auctioneer Christian Kolberg conducted a live auction for 13 dine-in-your-home dinners by Las Vegas' top chefs.
Dancing to the music by Harbor Lights concluded the evening for Marla and Tom Letizia, Orlene and James McKellar, Ellen Whittmore and Jeff Patterson, Kelly and Brian Iriye and Tina and Brian Guthrie.
Paint The Town Red: The Junior League of Las Vegas presented its eighth annual gala on March 26 at the Bellagio. The formal affair honored two women, philanthropists Maria Quirk and Lovee Arum.
Following the reception and silent auction, Arthur Murray presented "Dancing in the Desert," starring KTNV-TV, Channel 13 news anchors Tina Patel and Lisa Remillard; Nate Tannenbaum of the Las Vegas Review-Journal; and Susie Monahan, who is Mrs. Nevada 2011, dancing competitively with Arthur Murray instructors.
Carolyn Sparks introduced Maria Quirk, who received the Junior League Lifetime Community Achievement Award. Elaine Wynn introduced Lovee Arum, recipient of the Florence Lee Jones Humanitarian Award.
Chairing the event was Calvert Collins.
Seen among the capacity crowd were Mayor Oscar Goodman and Carolyn Goodman, former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan and Bonnie Bryan, Dema Guinn, Ted Quirk, Bob Arum, Camille and Larry Ruvo, Susan and Irwin Molasky, Parvin Jacobs, Donna and Sheldon Cloobeck, Madeleine Andress, Becky Boman, Sue and Gordon Sarret, Joanne and Aubrey Goldberg, Pam and Joe Blasco, Dena duBoef and Jeffrey Roth, Heather and Todd duBoef, Betsy Rhodes, Linda Givens, DeDee Nave, Pam and Joe Brown, Francine Pulliam, Caty Crockett, Laura Fritz, Judy Beal, Nancy Gasho-Fromm, Nancy Houssels, Lois Zellers, Angela and Peter Becker, and Vivienne Morris-Ross.
