OC Pops’ ‘Summer Serenade’ attracted quite a crowd
Written by Cathy Finnegan Tuesday, 13 September 2011 15:03
Almost everyone turned out to support the eminent orchestra
It was a beautiful warm sunny day when guests arrived at the Greate Bay Country Club for the 22nd Annual Friends of the Ocean City Pops’ “Summer Serenade” luncheon.
Jean Ridgway waved to me in the parking lot as I walked in. Marie Knight had a great assistant in 10-year-old Olivia Krusinski as they greeted guests when they arrived and gave them their table number. Pint-sized dynamo Amelia Batastini, who chaired the luncheon, looked great in a shocking pink sweater outfit as she was a whirlwind of activity tending to last-minute details. Barbara Parsons, Lois LeBlanc, Edna Cellucci and Mary Ann Gabel were lined up at a table selling raffle tickets, where I caught up with Helene Keys and Bob Scheible purchasing an ample supply of tickets to bid on the great gift packages.
As promised, Loretta Stewart sported a lovely chapeau she got in Canada on a bike trip, of beige straw with turned-up brim tilted to one side. Loretta admitted to having over 60 hats in her large collection.
I caught up with Mary Anne McGrath enjoying cocktails in the lounge with her friends, Mary Giblin from Palermo, Joan Rooney from Glenolden, Anna Millison from O.C. and Yvonne Kerner from Corbin City. Mary was looking forward to the luncheon as her son, Joe Giblin, is one of the chefs at Greate Bay.
I thanked Betty Brady for the delicious peaches she sent Jim and I from the farmer’s market. Vivian Schroeder, Mary Beth Leonard, Rae Nickey and Connie Smedley took time out from selling raffle tickets to Bette Kehoe to pose for a picture. Joan Phillips promised to make this columnist a winner if I bought raffle tickets from her.
Schuy Wood, Marie Shafron and Mary Ann Mazzoni told me all about the Little Black Dress Dinner Party they attended at the Yacht Club Wednesday night. Jackie Lewis even shared pictures of this fun night.
Schuy was hosting a Marlin & Tuna Club fundraiser, “Flip Flops on the Deck” (a special ladies night out while the guys fish) at her home that evening. I was sorry I couldn’t attend due to a conflict.
Joanne Budnick relaxed at the luncheon after spending most of the summer entertaining family at her lagoon home. I enjoyed catching up with Mahara Nahan who told me daughter, Kelsey, is in her senior year at a university in Tokyo.
Jean Robinson, Arlene Minnick and Pat Donohoe gave up their Thursday golf outing to attend the Pops luncheon. Arlene told me she was a fashion director while Pat was a guidance counselor in Atco.
Sue Phillips enjoyed the luncheon with her sister-in-law Gen Flanagan, who told me her husband Jack said I had nice gray hair (then Gen told him it was blond). Laura Ravitch lives in the Chelsea section of Atlantic City and has been a season ticket-holder of the Pops for more than 25 years.
Alice Halpern looked great in an abstract-print designer top from Donna/Gay Dillon Boutique and she was one busy lady as she designed 48 individual signs on her computer for the raffle gift packages. Winnie Piriano chose a cool white cotton dress she got in Florida that was made in the USA. Winnie topped off her outfit with mother-of-pearl drop earrings.
Roz Lifshin said summer flew by too fast and felt everyone in town should support the Pops luncheon. Don Smedley arrived in time to have lunch with his wife. Don is busy these days helping to train volunteers at Shore Memorial Hospital.
Marion Talese is looking forward to a relaxing vacation at a B& B in the Berkshires with two of her classmates from O.C. George Ingram, who handled the publicity for the luncheon, took more pictures than this columnist for the Pops’ upcoming newsletter.
I usually pass Bill Sundermeir and Elliot Gross biking the boardwalk early in the morning or enjoying coffee at Oves with their buddies, but that day they enjoyed the Pops luncheon with their wives, Kay and Alice.
Jean Jacobson made sure she got a good picture of this columnist while Judy Perkins reluctantly posed for a picture as she worked hard on the Pops luncheon. I caught up with Sandy Simpson, Carolyn Lothian and Shelly Towers bidding on the silent auction items.
Friends of the Pops Chairman Ken Hoover had his work cut out for him as he stood at the podium and tried to get 240 guests to take their seats for lunch.
I chatted with Bert DeVries, Jane Friel, Gerry DiPersia, Barbara deMauriac and Terri Horner, then took my seat where I enjoyed lunch chatting with Pat and Roy Gillian, Mike Dattilo, Bill and Sally Scheible, Jeffrey Halili, Jeffrey Uhlig and Jackie and Inna Nedorezov. Pat and Roy are looking forward to getting back to Florida to get started with the renovations of their new penthouse condo.
Inna, who was born in Russia and lives in Philadelphia, plays the violin with the Pops while her daughter, Jackie is a communications student at Ithaca College. I enjoyed chatting with Jeffrey Halili, popular tenor with the Pops, who is from Canada while his family is originally from the Philippines. Jeffrey is 33 and resides in Phila. with his wife of 6 yrs. Jennifer and their two children.
During lunch Bud Knight, Ken Hoover and Bill Scheible called raffle ticket numbers for the gift packages while Joan and Dave Phillips, Jerry DeLapp, Melinda Mayne, Phyllis Hoover and Jean Jacobson, who wanted to be Vanna White, delivered gifts to the lucky winners.
When Schuy Wood won fine china she admitted she’d rather have a Chippendale. While guests enjoyed dessert Jeffrey Halili entertained and was accompanied by Jeffrey Uhlig who has been with the Pops for 23 years.
Peggy Lloyd, who is still going strong at 98, introduced me to all the guests at her table. John Gideonse looked sharp in a navy and maroon silk-print shirt and Bud Knight thanked him for grants he wrote for the Pops when he worked for the city. While awarding more prizes, Ken Hoover announced that Marie Dugan was the winner of an evening with Bill Scheible (without Sally). That got the crowd’s attention.
Cathy Caraballo and Jim Mallon ducked out early to get back to work and when Mike Dattilo left I promised to check his numbers and pick up any prizes he would win. Mary Anne McGrath was the lucky winner of the 50/50. Each guest received a gift package of Shriver’s salt water taffy that Bill Scheible and I couldn’t wait to sample.
The centerpieces were bright color bouquets of flowers in glass bowls compliments of Mark Videtto at The Spinning Wheel that went to the oldest person at each table. I won the flowers at our table by default as Roy Gillian left early. While winners of the Silent Auction lined up to pick up their gifts, I headed for the parking lot and passed Rita Stauffer, Sylva Bertini and Rose Haas waiting to get their cars at valet parking.
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