Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Breakfast fetes Opportunity Village benefactors

Elizabeth Foyt

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2000 | 9:45 a.m.

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

Offering a new perspective, Opportunity Village for the first time hosted its annual Awards Breakfast at its West Oakey Boulevard campus.

A salute to its benefactors, both individual and corporate, the morning gathering drew honorees including board member Carl Rowe (President's Award), Ramon Raby, representing the Veterans Administration of Southern Nevada (Employer of the Year), Ted Fifer (Good Samaritan), David Craft (Community Hero), Butch Lendzion (Man of the Year) and Deborah Agliam (Woman of the Year). At Your Service provided the delectable catered breakfast for the arriving supporters, among them: Billy Walters, Audrey Lightner, John Wasserburger, Laura Herlovich, Dale Rowe, Abby Grossa, Mike Meyers and Curt Anderson, president of Opportunity Village's board of directors. Table decorations were good enough to eat and courtesy of Lincoln Spoor of Krispy Kreme, a frequent benefactor, who showered the event with his scrumptious doughnuts.

Welcoming remarks were made by Ed Guthrie, executive director, and Rosemary Scalf, longtime client/employee, followed by presentations by Opportunity Village's development director, Linda Smith. Recognized were Ray Fell (Humanitarian), Production Resource Group (Corporation of the Year), Ralph Weise (Friendship), Greg Waldron (Lifeline Award), Virgen Advertising (Spirit) and Kurt Weinrich of the Nevada Food and Beverage Directors' Association (Distinguished Community Service), as well as Sara and Jessica Kishner (Angels), Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald (Benefactor of the Year), Paul and Betty Standish (Winnie Award for Volunteerism) and Nate Tannenbaum with Sue Manteris (Heart and Soul Awards).

Conveniently, a tour of Opportunity Village's multiple training centers and workshops followed, with guests invited to look in and see their efforts in progress. Glimpsed in the group tour were board members Gina Polovina and Al O'Neil, as well as Mike Meyer, Rino Armeni, Bob McDonald, George McCabe and Anne Kellogg.

Advocating arts

Clint Holmes, Harrah's headliner and a two-year Las Vegas resident, was keynote speaker for Nevada Arts Advocates' summer luncheon. He provided an insightful speech on his life working in the arts, and the joy he and his wife find in the rich offerings his children are enjoying at the Clark County School District's magnet programs for the fine arts. Holmes, in comparing previous educational experiences in both Los Angeles and New York, gave highest marks to our public schools.

Featured with him at this Arts Awareness luncheon were young voice students Harmony Rogers (Green Valley High School), Eileen Diskin (Las Vegas Academy) and Bill Sovich (a recent graduate of the Las Vegas Academy), all singing operatic selections which brought the audience to its feet in appreciation. Providing further splendor to the occasion were the talents of Eric Fleischer (choral director at Mahlon Brown Middle School) with his wife, Deborah Muhlenbruck-Fleischer (a private voice coach and accompanist at Green Valley High School), joined by Kimberly Barclay-Drusedum (choral director at Green Valley High School).

Dr. Marcia Neel, director of Fine Arts and Student Activities for the Clark County School District, speaking with great pride, revealed our public schools have more than 25,000 students in music classes, as well as a fine arts magnet program for children at all grade levels.

State Sen. Ray Rawson, chairman of the Nevada Legislator's Arts Caucus who led efforts to create the funding base for Nevada Arts Advocates' statewide programs, briefly drew an interesting parallel between the development of civilization and the flowering of the fine arts. Among those listening most attentively were Debra Jacobson of Southwest Gas, organization president Roger Peltyn, Eileen Hayes of Nevada Opera Theatre, Jack Henderson, Linda Shoemaker and Lise Arlt of American Dance Company. Others attending the luncheon at the Regent Las Vegas were Laurie Porter, Persia Golden, Betty Bunch, Sallie Wathen and Judi Steele, with School Board Trustee Lois Tarkanian. Nevada Arts Advocates will host its second annual gala on Aug. 26 at the Regent Las Vegas. U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan will be honored and presentations will be coordinated by Toni Tenille, Nevada's Ambassador for the Arts. Call 362-8885 for details.

Influential women

Few first events have the successful aura of last week's In Business presentation spotlighting "The Most Influential Women In Southern Nevada." Hosted by Carolyn Ashford, publisher of In Business Las Vegas, with Kitty Egger of Eastridge Group and Donny Borsack of El Portal, the ceremonies and most congenial breakfast were held inside El Portal's spacious store at Mandalay Bay. Keynote speaker was Elizabeth Mathieus, president/CEO of Neuberger Berman Trust Companies, which supervises a $3 billion portfolio. Her speech dealt with the increasing responsibilities of successful women, in particular their desire to make significant philanthropic contributions as well as help their children and families manage the effects of wealth and personal productivity.

Reflecting the diversity of our expanding economy and the multitalented women who inhabit the business community, the gathered honorees for the In Business awards included Laura Schulte (Wells Fargo), Nancy Houssels (Nevada Ballet Theatre), Claudine Williams and Jan Jones (both of Harrah's), Judi Woodyward-Suntic (Lee and Associates), Jackie DeLaney (Sprint), Kathleen England (Kummer, Kaempfer, Bonner and Renshaw) and Linda Lewis (Plant Works), as well as Fran Inman (Silverton), Kitty Rodman (Sierra Construction), Linda Harris (LF Construction) and Shauna Hughes (City of Henderson).

Equally honored in the well-planned ceremonies were M. Frances Spooner (Ascentra), Ann Lynch (Sunrise Hospital), Paula Francis (KLAS Channel 8), Joyce Haldeman (Community College of Southern Nevada), Fafie Moore (Realty Executives), Virginia Valentine (city of Las Vegas), Kathy Smith (V Point Engineers), Mary Ann Mele (R&R Partners), Marcia Rose (Sweetheart Cup Company) and Kara Kelley (Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce), whose award was accepted by her mother, Penny Kelley.

Jennifer Robinson, In Business Las Vegas' special editions editor, served as presenter with George Togliatti, Hilary Houston, Anita Peters, Seth Stein, Ann Linhart, Trish Williamson, Christy Hampton and Michelle Borsack, with her sister, Kay Gurell, seen in the attending audience. Upon departure guests were given In Business Las Vegas briefcases packed with cosmetic gifts from Neiman Marcus, as well as gift certificates for El Portal's fine travel, fashion and business accessories.