State Dinner: Diplomatic Reception Rooms Fine Arts Committee

Event co-chairs Melody Sawyer Richardson (left) and Dr. M. Donald Hayes welcome distinguished guests Gail F. Serfati, curator of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, and Patrick Kennedy, ambassador to the United Nations (right). (Philip Groshong photos)

River High, the East Walnut Hills home of Cincinnati arts patron Melody Sawyer Richardson, was site of an official State Dinner to benefit the Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the U.S. Department of State. Ms. Richardson and her co-chair for the evening, Dr. M. Donald Hayes, are members of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms Fine Arts Committee.

Eighty guests enjoyed cocktails and dinner and the opportunity to meet the evening's guest speaker, Patrick Kennedy, ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform.

Ambassador Kennedy recounted his six months in Baghdad, where he was detailed as chief of staff of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Also attending were Gail F. Serfati, curator of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms, Department of State, and Susan Klein, chairman of the Fine Arts Committee, Department of State.

The gathering raised more than $31,000 to benefit the 18th century-style Diplomatic Reception Rooms in the Main State Department building in Washington, which are used for entertaining leaders of the world. The evening also was a prelude to the State Department's touring exhibition, Becoming a Nation, which will be at the Cincinnati Art Museum (CAM) March 2-April 25.

CAM director Timothy Rub, who attended the dinner with his wife, Sally, spoke enthusiastically about the exhibition, which showcases the best craftsmanship and artistic talent of the Golden Age of American decorative and fine arts, from approximately 1750 to 1825.

Casino night: StarShine Hospice

Guest emcee Rob Williams of Channel 19 gets some pointers from "Lady Luck," Jennifer Meyers.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's StarShine Hospice held its fifth annual gala, a casino night, which helped kick off StarShine's campaign to raise $1 million for the endowment fund. It was a fun-filled evening at Paul Brown Stadium's East Club Lounge, overlooking downtown. The crowd of 400 enjoyed cocktails, dinner, live and silent auctions, raffles and casino-style games. J. Karp of Main Auction Galleries was guest auctioneer. James M. Anderson, president and CEO of Children's Hospital, presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to the family of Jack Sherlock and Lynda Tucker. Lauren Faulkner was recognized for her fund-raising efforts for StarShine.

The evening raised $65,000 to support StarShine's care for terminally ill children and solace for their grieving families.

Sail Away: Good Samaritans gala

Sail Away, the 20th annual Good Samaritans gala, welcomed aboard more than 600 guests to downtown's Millennium Hotel. Guests were greeted by captain and crew and presented with sunglasses and a frozen cocktail. The festive sounds of Sol Caribe's steel drums provided the perfect background during the cocktail hour.

The firing of 15 confetti cannons and the sounding of foghorns summoned guests to dinner. Following a feast created by chef Jim Adams, guests danced to the sounds of Rumplestilskin.

Chairwoman of Sail Away was Danya Karram, president of the Good Samaritans Board of Directors. Co-chairs were Leslie Baggish and Jennifer Reilly.

Good Samaritans is a volunteer organization dedicated to the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation.

This year's gala raised a record $306,000.

Sponsors included Cardiac, Vascular & Thoracic Surgeons Inc.; E. Kenneth & Esther Marie Hatton Foundation; Phillips Supply Co.; SC Ministry Foundation; and the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.