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PALM BEACH (February 13, 2007) – The 50th International Red
Cross Ball began with a receiving line for the ambassadors and
istinguished guests followed by a red carpet procession with
each dignitary escorted by a Marine outfitted in dress blues.
“A return to the simple traditions was a perfect way to
celebrate this significant golden anniversary,” said Nancy
Ellison Rollnick, who along with her husband, William D.
Rollnick, was this year’s co-chair.
In a fitting tribute to 50 years of tradition and support of
the local Red Cross Chapter, 450 distinguished guests
luxuriated in the surroundings: tables accented by Battenberg
lace overlays, six-foot gold candelabras, r ed floral
arrangements and wall-to-wall white carpeting —all emphasized
by the soft glow of amber and coral lighting and the charming
sounds of the Peter Duchin Orchestra.
The Rollnicks celebrated the grande dames of the Ball,
Marjorie Merriweather Post and Sue Whitmore. Two awards were
given in their honor, with Post’s daughter, Dina Merrill, and
May Bell Lin, Whitmore’s personal assistant, as the
recipients.
For the first time in Ball history, there was an Honorary
Marine Corps Chairman, Leo Albert, who accompanied the 4th
ANGLICO Marine Unit Color Guard into the Grand Ballroom.
Celebrating the anniversary gala at the head table were
Honorary Anniversary Committee Chairman, Pierce Brosnan and
his son Sean; Ivanka Trump, Junior Chairman; Melania Trump,
Ambassador of Good Will; and Donald Trump, Chairman of
Ambassadorial Arrangements.
The Ball’s Grand Benefactor’s were Mr. and Mrs. Howard
Kessler, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence DeGeorge and Ambassador Bonnie
McElveen-Hunter. Grand Corporate Benefactor was David Morris
International and Grand Corporate Patron was NetJets.
Guests included: Senator and Mrs. Bill Nelson; Mr. and Mrs.
Dominick Telesco; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gordon; Countess
Henrietta De Hoernle; Mr. and Mrs. Lowry Bell; Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Raquet; Mr. George Lindemann; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Volpe; Mr. and Mrs. Chris Meigher; Ms. Lois Pope; The
Honorable Per-Olof Loof and Mrs. Loof; Senator Ron Klein and
Mrs. Ron Klein; Ms. Diane McNeel; Mr. Peter Plotkin; Mr. and
Mrs. David Morris; Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Fisher; Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Krakoff; Mr. and Mrs. James Meany; Mr. Frank Chopin;
Mrs. Henry Ford II; Mr. and Mrs. William Tiefel; Mr. and Mrs.
James Keenan; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pilotte; Mrs. Herme de Wyman
Miro; Mr. and Mrs. Martin Gruss; Lt. General Bradley; Mrs.
Leslie Ginn; Mrs. John Castle; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Johnson; Mr.
and Mrs. William Told; Ms. Anka Palitz; Mr. Michael Collins;
Mrs. T. Suffern Tailer; Mr. Robert Reveley; Col. and Mrs.
Charles Bowden; Mrs. Gertrude Maxwell; Mr. and Mrs. David
Chase; Mrs. Brownie McLean; Mr. George Cloutier and Ms.
Tiffany Spadafora; Mr. David Miller; Mrs. Helen Boehm; Mr. and
Mrs. Braddock Alexander; Mrs. A. Putnam Humphreys; Mrs. Nancy
Sexauer Walsh; Ambassador Nancy Brinker; Ambassador Pekka
Lintu and Ms. Laurel Colless; Ambassador and Mrs. Said Tayeb
Jawad; Ambassador Daniel Ayal; Ambassador and Mrs. John
Lowell; Ambassador and Mrs. Virasakdi Futrakul; Ambassador and
Mrs. Luis Benigno Gallegos Chiriboga; Ambassador and Mrs.
Marion Smoak; Ambassador and Mrs. Samuel Zbogar and his
Excellency Nasser Bin Hamad Bin Mubarek Al Khalifa.
Smoked Scottish salmon, beef tenderloin, an International
cheese course and poached meringue in vanilla crème anglaise
delighted everyone’s palates, and each course was served on a
different pattern of China to reflect the clean white, red and
gold lines—including a stunning red, white and gold Martinique
set for the first and dessert courses.
The Red Cross International Ball was started by the venerable
Marjorie Merriweather Post. After serving at American Red
Cross stations during World War I and donating thousands of
dollars over the course of several years, she established the
first International Red Cross Ball in 1957. And for the last
50 years, the Ball accomplished its powerful goal of
underscoring the American Red Cross’ humanitarian efforts.
About the Red Cross
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization led by
volunteers who provide relief to victims of disaster and help
people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. For
more than 80 years, the American Red Cross Greater Palm Beach
Area Chapter, which includes Glades, Hendry, Okeechobee and
Palm Beach Counties, has been providing shelter for families
during a hurricane, flood or fire, and teaching First Aid,
CPR, AIDS Prevention and Water Safety. |