Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Boys and Girls Clubs' benefit party goes tropical

Balmy weather, matched with exotic drinks and Caribbean music floated across the crowd at Bahama Breeze as the restaurant hosted a benefit party for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas.

Planned as a special night to welcome singer Bertie Higgins and his lively musicians to Las Vegas and their two-weekend run at Bahama Breeze, the party was made magical when Higgins and his group appeared onstage in their trademark pirate garb to sing their celebrated hits "Key Largo," "Just Another Day in Paradise" and other rousing favorites.

Welcoming party guests and restaurant patrons was Bahama Breeze President Gary Heckel, who is a longtime supporter of Boys and Girls Clubs across the United States. Heckel, who serves on the national board for the charity, recruited Higgins for this concert and underwrote the party expenses, as he has done previously for other clubs in cities where Bahama Breeze restaurants have been built.

Dancing and dining while supporting the charitable event were Julie and Rick Tuttle, Mark and Lola Stirble, Christy and Stewart Hitchens, Mark Owens with Lisa Underwood, Ted Quirk, Guy Robert Deiro, David Griego and Laura Fritz.

Hi-tech home

It was quite a party when Las Vegas builders James Beasley and Paul Trudeau completed their first-of-its-kind project, the dotCOM dreamHOME inside the exclusive Spanish Hills community.

A two-year project, the spacious home's basic premise was to build a custom residence from start-to-finish by utilizing resources from the Internet, including all supplies, materials and permits. Involved from the beginning was Craig Savage of BobVila.com and iSHOW promoter Darin Harris, who rigged the property with a Web cam to project live shots 24 hours a day showing the progression of the project at dotcomdreamhome.com.

Interior designer Joy Bell, noted for her beautiful home and office settings in our community, gave all the lush finishing touches to complement the home's Old World-style architecture.

Flying in for the wrap party was home improvement guru Bob Vila, who visited easily with arriving guests while builders Beasley and wife Joan, and Trudeau with fiancee Dorothy Deltenre basked in a shower of compliments about the spacious residence. Present as well were Bruce Johnstone and Cheryl Mohr of Markman Gallery, joined by John Clayton, interior designer Bell, and Ben Spano.

Sprinkled through the crowd were celebrity guests NFL player Randall Cunningham and wife Felicity, J.D. Nicholas of The Commodores, boxer Floyd Mayweather with his manager, James Prince, former NFL running back and Las Vegas native Napoleon McCallum with wife Yvonne and artist William Schlesinger and wife Janet. Present as well were Joe and Alana Vassallo, Don Deltenre, Emmitt Maubreck, Steve and Marsh Bottefiled, Diana and Anthony DellaIocona, Ben Faulk and Sheryl and Steven Levine.

Prior to touring the home guests enjoyed a cocktail reception under the porte cochere and listened to a short program including proclamations commemorating the day in honor of Beasley and Trudeau from Mayor Oscar Goodman and County Commissioner Erin Kenny.

Opera luncheon

The Nevada Opera Theatre Guild recently hosted its annual International Friendship Luncheon in great style at The Stirling Club. Opening with a hosted champagne reception, the fashionable crowd gathered on the verandah of the club to relax while bidding on silent auction treasures.

Opera supporters including Linn and Daryl Thome, Sue Richard, Isabel Colon, Mary Shaw, Gloria Lewicki, Rose Dominguez and Jeanne Greenawalt met and mingled in the bright sunshine. Table sponsors, among them Sondra Lynch, Lisa Heck, Elisa del Prado, Karen Scherer, Dr. Heather Allen and Denny Weddle with Gretchen Chalmers, had previously arrived with flowers and special decorations to create a distinct mood at each table.

In the spirit of the occasion Margie Conway and Monica Fuller, sponsors of the Ireland table, served shamrock-green tinted champagne to their table guests. Mary Ann Hantout, with an Up, Up and Away-balloon motif, was seen welcoming Suzie Chenin, Lorene and Howard Connell, Shelley Stepanek, Marion Kohler, Sandi Gibson and Joan Braun, joined by Patricia Martinelli-Price and daughter Dominque. Nearby were Dottie and Don Kemp, attending with Dottie's mother, Adele Kadans.

The luncheon, with a delectable selection of musical performances by Nevada Opera Theatre artists Suzanne Farace, Heidi Bauer, Anthony Barton, Catrina Compos and Jerry Morgan, was well received. Dr. Morton Hyson, president of NOT, while performing songs from "Gigi," gave a most gracious reminder of the June 8-9 production to be staged by NOT at Paris Las Vegas.

David Griego was master of ceremonies for the program honoring attorney Robert E. Clark and Dr. Howard Hoffman, for their many years of dedicated service and philanthropy to the organization. Adding their support to this fund-raiser for the Tove Allen Opera Scholarship Fund were Carolyn Sparks, Persia Golden, Elaine Fish, Isabel Pfiefer, Gwen Den Dooven, Ann Nichols, Caroline Grant and Judy Dawson.

Chefs fund-raiser

Chefs for Kids, one of the city's most anticipated evenings, will be held May 10 in the ballroom of Four Seasons. This single evening, a shining example of what's best about Las Vegas, funds an extensive nutritional program helping high-needs children learn to make good food choices.

A joint venture of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Fraternity of Executive Chefs of Las Vegas, the Chefs for Kids team creates monthly breakfast events at nine high-needs elementary schools, teaching nutrition by taste and example. Further efforts made possible by the dinner include classroom instruction and support materials, in addition to holiday food baskets for these students' families.

The special dinner, with a Taste of Louisiana theme, will begin with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. Details and reservations are available by calling 940-5428.

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