Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Doll Tea a success for Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary

Elizabeth Foyt

Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999 | 9:42 a.m.

Elizabeth Foyt's social column appears Wednesdays. Reach her at elizabethfoyt@ prodigy.net.

Joe and Linda Wilcock recently played generous benefactors to the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary and hosted the organization's annual Doll Tea at their home in the very private Fountains at Green Valley. Guests were received into the beautifully decorated home by Linda Wilcock, Lt. Col. Maude Sullivan and Mary Bucholz, the auxiliary president. Dolls of every style and description, selected for the needy children of our community, were presented by guests and members and placed below the Christmas tree. Helping with dolls were twins Courtney and Samantha Thornton, granddaughters of Libby Law.

A rare social gathering for the many members of this hardworking organization, this event is a favorite among members and their many friends. A crowd of 150 ladies attended the tea, providing nearly 200 dolls and an additional $700 in donations earmarked for toys to be purchased for needy boys.

Presiding at the tea table were past presidents including Alice Pearson, Joanne Vaughn, June Eckenroth, Janet Kennedy, Sandy Butler and Lillian Pekrul. Phyllis Noblitt served as chairwoman for the afternoon gathering and helped to welcome Cherry Behmer, Norlyne King, Phyllis Roberts, Sara Southard, Marilyn Hohn, Doris Rovito and Rose Serayddarian.

Christmas Cleavage

Good times often come from the concerted efforts to accomplish larger tasks. Such was the case with Shenandoah Merrick and hubby Ed Janov when their brainstorming last year led them to create a fund-raiser for the printing of the new Junior League cookbook. While looking for descriptive words with the letter "C" for the invitation, they tossed about "cocktail," "couple" and "cigar" before pausing with humor on the word "cleavage." The net result was a successful fund-raiser which has now expanded to an annual event, with four couples jointly hosting the 1999 Christmas Cleavage party. With Shenandoah and Ed were their friends and fellow hosts, Theresa and Michael Minden, Dr. Jennifer Mallinger and Dr. Chen Young and Debbie and Jim Herman.

Held at the Merrick-Janov home, the "cleavage" element was optional, but added to the hilarity of the evening, particularly with the awarding of a trophy for the "best cleavage" won by the lovely and quite shapely Wendy Ward. The "booby prize," after an round of serious lobbying behind the scenes, went jointly to Doug and Laurie Bohn-Magnant. Men were seen squabbling over "cleavage judge" buttons but calmed down under the direction of Milo and Margaret Terzich, who organized the pageant. Cheering was definitely encouraged and laughter ran wild.

On the menu for this delightful party were canapes and shrimp dishes, all served with a delectable array of wines and champagne and the most carefully prepared Cosmopolitan martinis. Delighted to be included in the entertaining program were Jim Marsh, Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany, Steve and Gladys Comer, Dallas Sisolak, Doug Puppel, Deborah Clayton with hubby Paul Bundtrock, Allison Copening with John Futrell, Natalie and Ben Ross, and Martha and Igor Drohobyczer, as well as Kathie and Al Faccinto, Dr. Burce Handelman, Tom Gibson, John and Sydney Knott and Drew and Debbie Levy.

Giving the party "top marks" for a roaring good time were Lorena and Rick Korbel, Kim Sherwood, Cristen and Tom McCormick, Dr. Bruce and Carole Shapiro, Denyce Tuller, Chuck Swieterman, Louis Tavano, Dr. Paul Stewart and his bride, April, and P.J. and Rick Aniello. Mingling on the patio near the toasty glow of four wood-burning fires were many of the cigar lovers and their accepting friends, among them Tom and Mary Lott, Paul Dino, Lisa and Brian Welborne, Dr. Peter and Kim Perron, Bill Brown, Angie Jester, Shelley and Geoff Gorman, John and Nancy Restrepo and Ann and Troy Trobough, as well as Lisa and Tony Barras, Shelley and Geoff Gorman, Donna and Mike Levy, Tricia and Michael Shields, and Drs. Caroline Sobota and Roman Schwartsman.

Open house

Following their family tradition at Christmas, Judge Mark and Alice Denton, with their extended family, hosted a holiday open house. As in previous years, the party embraced old friends and neighbors, many of them who have children who attend school and church with the Dentons' children, Leslie, Marianne, Jacqueline and Patrick. Assisting were close friends Robin and John Boyer, who helped prepare and decorate the home, as well as in-laws Mike and Julie Foley, who assisted with the creation of the delectable buffet and kept the liquid libations flowing. On hand as well were Judge Denton's parents, Ralph and Sara Denton, his brother, Dr. Scott Denton, and niece, Sara Kate Denton.

In the throng of holiday well-wishers were Staci Devinto, Joe Lopez with Eve Buckingham, Prentice and Joanne Mercer, Jim Shetakis, Rick and Marilyn Loop, Jim and Mari Germain, and neighbors Richard "Tick" and Sharon Segerblom, who attended with his mother, Assemblywoman Gene Segerblom. Making a rare social appearance was dear friend Bette Sawyer, former first lady of Nevada, who arrived with daughter Gail for a lovely round of welcome by many guests. Mingling easily in the crowd, which included many young children, was Denton's cousin, Marie Noonan, as well as Nino Perez, McRae and Melody Pinks, Lorraine Tashiro, Lillian and Lilly Sondegroth, Nick and Jeannette Jones, noted watercolorist Lucy Foley and Ruby and Clifford Garland.

Also seen were Dr. Charles and Nancy Vinnik with daughter Suzanne, who seems to be on the shuttle to Los Angeles often these days as she pursues her singing and modeling careers. Catching up on the news with friends were John Lambrose and wife Laura Fitzsimmons, Karin Rodgers, Judith Hernstadt on a short visit from New York, and Edythe and Gil Yarchevener, attending with Edythe's son, Dr. Barry Katz.

Brunch time

Dennis and Judy Hetherington, both accomplished hosts and delightfully talented chefs, recently treated their close friends to a Christmas brunch at their home at the Lakes. Joining them for the first time were in-laws Bob and Paula Beran, Judy's brother and his wife, who moved here early in the year from Nebraska. Present as well was State Controller Kathy Augustine, who has hired Judy to open and run her office in Las Vegas.

Enjoying the bounty of the midday party were Dave and Ev Dahl, Jim and Dimi Jefferis, John and Bette Holmes, Sandy and John Massicotte and Joyce and Bob Toth, as well as George and Doree Dickerson, Selma and Sol Steiner, Sheri and Fred Randle and Karen and Jeffrey Smith. Others filling the lovely home to brimming included Paul and Margo Pesek, Clark and Karen Coleman, Rich Whitney, Judith Harriman, Bill and Mary Laub and Kathy and Gary Fehr. Guests found a special treat in the display of the Hetheringtons' extensive collection of nativity scenes, each purchased on their many travels across America and Europe.

'Colors of Christmas'

One of the season's best holiday events is a musical evening, "The Colors of Christmas," hosted by the Riviera hotel-casino in the new Riviera Royale conference and entertainment pavilion. An occasion for the entire family, the performances by Dionne Warwick, James Ingram, Peabo Bryson and Deniece Williams were masterful and gave the audience a chance to fully enjoy both Christmas classics and each artist's best-loved hits.

Several of the musical sequences included participation by children from the audience, among them Chris Vannucci, son of Riviera executive George Vannucci, who was on stage with Bryson and Williams. Also delighting the audience was a surprise appearance on stage by Southern Nevada resident Gladys Knight, who was in the audience to cheer on her friends.

In conjunction with the holiday concert, the Riviera hosted a special party for convention planners, community leaders and others in the glorious new sky boxes which sit atop and overlook the massive Riviera Royale Pavilion. Guided into the ultra-convenient parking garage, designed to smooth the way for conference attendees, these invited guests were whisked by speedy elevators to the private level where the comfort of the sky boxes awaited them.

Restful and spacious, the sky boxes offer the best in creature comforts, among them ample seating and serving areas, quiet phone and business areas and an intimate setting for "conferences within conferences," easily giving vendors and others the type of networking and privacy so favored in the midst of large gatherings. Overlooking the conference center, additionally these sky boxes offer comfortable viewing seats and additional vantages for security monitoring.

On the evening of the "Colors of Christmas," guests including Bob Fowler, County Commissioners Mary Kincaid and Yvonne Atkinson-Gates, Edie Barlow, Roosevelt Toston of the Las Vegas Convention Authority, Jeff Ortwein and Sandra Horvath, as well as Vinnie Montaldo, Lou Palazzo, Dan and John Riordan, Gail Render of the Las Vegas Tourist Bureau and Eddie Montoya enjoyed a lavish buffet supper which featured the many selections of the hotel's restaurants. During a short intermission in the entertainment, guests were treated to an array of French pastries and other temptations, fine coffees and liqueurs.

Seen enjoying the hospitality were Ken and Dee Ladd, who gave us an update on Dee's work with the Sunrise Hospital Children's Foundation, which will present its next gala April 14 and 15. Present to keep this evening a sparkling, informative event were many Riviera executives, among them Craig Erlanger, Duane Krohn, Ed Coffey, Bob Nickels, John Neeland, Bob Vannucci and George Staresinic, who greeted their guests including Jackie Brett of the Nevada Commission on Tourism with Mel Carter, Karen Gordon of Activity Planners, Margee Butto of Creative Talent and Maria Privitra of Meeting Planning Plus, and both Don and Bob Adams of Allstate Tours, to name just a few.

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