Wednesday, July 30, 2003 | 8:13 a.m.
Baby showers are rarely enjoyed to the degree experienced by guests attending Saturday's party honoring Sandy Allred DiGiacomo.
Hosted by sister-in-law Natalie Allred, wife of Sandy's brother Lance, the gathering for 60 women was a luncheon at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Henderson. Assisting were Sandy's nieces Haley, Jade and Sydney, along with grandmothers-in-waiting Mary Allred and Pat DiGiacomo, her aunt Pat Sheldon and family friend Nancy Wood, who took photos at the shower.
Adorning the luncheon tables were balloon bouquets anchored by baby bottles filled with gourmet jelly beans and tiny blue lollipops and candy cigars bearing the inscription, "It's A Boy!"
Baby Nicholas, due to make his appearance in mid-September, will arrive with a decidedly legal foundation, as he will be the firstborn child of Marc and Sandy DiGiacomo, both Clark County deputy district attorneys.
Many of the guests were drawn from colleagues in the legal community, including Kathy Karstedt, Cheryl Kosewicz, Cara Campbell, Erika Turner, Susan Pate, Becky Goettch, Pam Weckerly and Tess Driver, along with Tammy Peterson, Susan Benedict, Donna Rosenberg, Teresa Moch, Paleen Panduchkt, Kelly Rafalsky, Teresa Pesci, Kristin Kellam, Pam Koovert and Julie McCauslin.
A native Nevadan who attended Bishop Gorman High School before earning degrees at Loyola Marymount for both undergraduate and law school, Sandy enjoys a richness of lifelong friends, including guests Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod and her sister, Erin Bilbray-Kohn. Bilbray-Kohn, formerly with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the national headquarters for the American Diabetes Foundation, has just joined the Andre Agassi Foundation in Las Vegas.
Other dear friends included Lydia Hantout Zeller, Julie Fertitta, Deneen McLean, Rhetta Wengert, Leona Iglinski, Peggy Guisendorf, Barbara Klein and Pam Radke. Adding a male presence were brief appearances by grandfather-in-waiting Jerry Allred with grandson Lance Jr., as well as pediatrician Dr. Noah Kohn with baby daughter Riley. Announced during the serving of the Italian-flavored meal was the news of still another Allred grandchild, baby Kiley, born at St. Rose Dominican Hospital's Sienna campus, the new daughter of Don and Michelle Allred, also of Las Vegas.
Recognizing women
A local celebration was held recently marking the 155th anniversary of the birth of the Women's Suffrage Movement in the United States.
The Las Vegas gathering at the Las Vegas Art Museum recognized historical figures and a cadre of Nevada women who have served as leaders, pioneers and visionaries across many fields of endeavor. Joseph Palermo, executive director of the museum, was host and stood to greet arrivals with Susanne Forestieri and Roberta Baskin Shefrin, both nationally acclaimed artists currently exhibited at the museum in a special collection titled, "Revealing Women."
Emcee Paula Francis of KLAS Channel 8 gave an insightful speech on the historical significance of the suffrage movement and early leaders before starting the awards program with a presentation to Rep. Shelley Berkley.
Each individual recognized was asked to stand as their contributions to the expansion of choices for women were announced. Included in the day's honors were Barbara Agonia, Nancy Becker, Kitty Boeddeker, Lori Lipman Brown, Alissa Davisson, Patricia Duncombe, Carol Ewing, Mary Gafford, Marilyn Gillespie, Diana Glomb, Teri Kunz, Florence McClure, Lillian McMorris, Pat McNutt, Maya Miller, Bernadine Schneider, Alicia Smalley, Kay Thompson, Dina Titus, Amanda Vertner, Lynn Vertner and Sue Wagner.
All attendees and honorees were gifted with selected books and a video, "Sojourner Truth," donated by the Las Vegas Art Museum and Women of Diversity Productions. Following the program a showing of the video, "Nevada Women's Voices," by Dr. Marlene Adrian of Women of Diversity Productions was shown and a docent-directed tour of the museum's exhibitions was offered.
Sounding the call
Busy people are known for arranging time for worthy endeavors, as was evidenced at last week's early morning meeting of the Nevada Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Keynote speaker for the breakfast event at the Red Rock Country Club was Karla Perez, chief executive/managing director of the soon-to-open Spring Valley Hospital. Her speech, directed at representatives from business, civic organizations, churches and schools, urged participation in the Oct. 11 Walk to Cure Diabetes.
Perez, who will serve as recruitment chair for the annual walk, will work closely with Bill Houghton, owner-president of Horizon Business Systems, who will be the 2003 event chair for the Walk to Cure Diabetes event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Attending the informative breakfast were Marco Herrera, Jerri Merritt, Dave Murgatroyd, Dr. Michael Bass, Neil Friedman, Matt Sheeler, Sidra Kain, Polly List and Kimberly Cimini. Other community and business representatives included Wayne Carsburg, Jan Richardson, Jeff Warnick, Mike Keaton, Dawn West, Rick Plummer and Denise Styles.
Last year's walk resulted in more than $400,000 in direct funding for research, with a goal of $500,000 this year. For details on how to participate or volunteer, please call 732-4795.
A friend is waiting
Saturday, Station Casinos will assist the Animal Foundation by hosting the Dog Days of Summer Adopt-A-Thon at Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Rancho Road. Open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the occasion is the perfect time to find a pet for your family and home.
A wide array of dogs and cats of all ages will be available for immediate adoption, each already spayed or neutered and having current vaccinations. The Animal Foundation operates the Lied Animal Shelter for the City of Las Vegas, sheltering lost and unwanted animals. For further information on their services, opportunities to volunteer or animal adoptions, call 384-3333.
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