State Sen. Larry Taylor takes time out from his busy schedule to serve as a “waiter” at the 30th annual Clear Lake Panhellenic Style Show Luncheon. Here, he serves up champagne to Style Show Chairman Judge Holly Williamson, center, and Co-Chairman Sandy Records.
ONE OF THE highlights of every fall in the Bay Area is the Clear Lake Area Panhellenic Fall Fashion Show, which not only spotlights what’s new in fashion but also raises funds for the Crawford-Zbanek Foundation that helps send local women to college.
And, this year was no exception, with excitement from start to finish.
Such as State Sen. Larry Taylor serving as one of the Panhellenic stewards, offering champagne to the arriving crowd before jetting off to Nashville to see for the first time his first granddaughter, Lila Rose Abel, daughter of the Taylors’ daughter, Carly, and her husband, Carter Abel.
Other guys serving as champagne stewards were Dave Barker, Dick Beecher, Jon Ebbeler and Dan Reason.
Judge Holly Williamson was chairman of the Panhellenic Golden Anniversary style show with Sandy Records as her co-chairman.
Judy Raiford, left, and Lisa O’Brien were among the many attending the Panhellenic Style Show Luncheon at South Shore Harbour Resort.
Got some good help putting on what has become a first-class extravaganza from Kathie Wiley, Sue Broughton, Barbara Dickey, Judy Raiford, Diane Overman, Lisa O’Brien, Kelli Baliker, Jennie Hampton, Debby Reichert, Claire Peters, Laurie Vaughn, Ellen King, Jill Reason, Michelle Richardson, Kathryn Vernau, Greta Mee and Connie Zieba, who worked behind the scenes programming the event.
Then it was up to models Kathy Akins, Denise Beakey, Peggy Clause, Emmeline Dodd, Judie Fergueson, Jenny Frantz, Becky Hensley, Cyndi Hollman, Sue Ellen Jennings, Janet Jones, Robbie Kimbrough, Kim Krist, Kari Long, Christy Lovoi, Courtney Myers, Marcy Ortega, Claire Peters, Jill Reason, Wendy Shaw, Laurie Vaughn and Karen Weber, who showed off a wide array of fall and winter fashions from Dillard’s at Baybrook Mall with the very talented Lenny Matuszewski Jr. as producer of the style show.
Much to the delight of Belva Dewey, who came from Baton Rouge for the event; Panhellenic President Kim Barker, Linda Landreth, D’Lisa Johnston, Ann Gay, Suzie Rogers, Joan Burt, Ann Brady, Carolyn Dunshie, Ruth Beecher, Virginia Balano, and a host of others, including Judge Louie Ditta, who conducted the live auction for the sorority alumnae organization.
Prom Night an evening of fun
WHO’D EVER thought we could enjoy Prom Night twice? Chairman Lea Bodie did as she began planning the annual Bay Oaks Country Club Women’s Association Gala.
The crowd cheers as Murry and Sandy Lantz are voted Prom King and Queen at the annual Bay Oaks Women’s Association Gala which featured a Prom Night theme.
Of course, she told her husband, Jason, last year’s Dinner on the Titanic would be hard to top. But from a fun standpoint, Prom Night is hard to beat.
Some borrowed prom dresses, others worked to get the right look. A few even arrived looking like they were at their high school prom with guys in white evening jackets and some in gowns such as that worn by Judge Holly Williamson, who arrived in a billowing gown similar to those worn years ago with her husband, Dr. Danny Williamson, only to find it difficult to sit down. Finally she mastered it. Leaving some of us to chuckle at what we went through years ago.
Stacy Bush Davis and her fiancé, Scott Lyon, Peter and Pam Culpepper Cronk, John Gay and his wife, Becky Reitz, and BOWA President Annette Dwyer and her husband, Pat Monks, were among the early arrivals, and quickly began admiring each other’s outfits and enjoying champagne cocktails before sitting down to a tenderloin dinner.
Before long, Andy and the Dreamsicles were filling the country club with music from the 50s, bringing many in the crowd to the dance floor, including Becky and Phillip Hensley, Jenny and Mark Frantz, Jim and Janet Greenwood, and John and Melissa McKinnie, where they did The Twist and jived to the music made famous by Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and Chubby Checker, such as Johnny Be Good, La Bamba, even some more modern tunes.
Stacy Bush Davis and her fiancé, Scott Lyon, right, stop for a photo with John Gay and his wife, Becky Reitz as they arrive at Bay Oaks Country Club for the annual Bay Oaks Women’s Association Gala.
Toward the end of the evening, Murry and Sandy Lantz were elected Prom King and Queen with the crowd voting them the honor – much to the delight of Sharon and Dr. Howard Dillard, Kathryn Manning, Ann and George Lyon, Ondi and Eric Lyon, Curt Taylor and Kristy Kirk, Sue Broughton and Jon Ebberle and Bill and Carol Bobo.
Assistance League members honored
A TOTAL of 57 Assistance League of the Bay Area members qualified this year for the President’s Volunteer Service Award and received a congratulatory letter from the President of the United States for their many hours of community service.
Five members – Kim Barker, Lisa Holbrook, Carol Latimer, Jill Smitherman and Vicki Tallman — have been honored with the Lifetime Award for accruing 4,000+ hours of service to the community since 2010.
Others may join them in the future. Brunella Altemus, Gail Ashby, Kim Barker, Katheen Courville, Lisa Delhomme, Sarah Foulds, Jennie Hampton, Lisa Holbrook, Yvonne Perrin, Elaine Rister, Cindy Senger Lewis, Vicki Tallman and Barbara Weitenhagen were recipients of the Gold Award for accumulating 500 hours community service this year.
Clear Lake Area Panhellenic members gather around to prepare holiday cards to be delivered to a VA nursing home in appreciation of services rendered. Taking part are Sheryl Williams, President Kim Barker, Peggy Clause, Emmeline Dodd, Laurie Vaughn, Lisa O’Brien, Michelle Richardson, Marjo Richmond, Kay Lee Benoit, Diane Overman, Jo Cat Bruce, Kathie Wiley, Kathryn Vernau, Sue Broughton, Jo Nell Hunter and Jill Reason.
Silver Award recipients for 250-499 hours service during the past year were Joyce Alderman, Katy Bastedo, Peggy Clause, Dee Cover, Ann Marie Doolin, Mary Gibson, Shirley Lang, Carol Latimer, Jennifer Maxwell, Cathy Miller Thornton, Badiha Nassar, Valerie Piercy, Georgia Piwonka, Jill Smitherman, Betty Suagee, Cathy Wolfe and Amy Wortham. Another 27 members who had from 100 to 249 hours service also were cited.
“The President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation was established in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service,” Brunella explained.
