SocialEyes: It's time for the fundraising parties to go full swing

Posted Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009 Comments   (0) Print Share Share Reprints

Topics: Cultural Arts

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By Melinda Mason

Dim the jack-o-lanterns! Full speed ahead into the pumpkin pie and twinkle-light season! I don’t know what it is about turning back the clock that puts that zip . . . no, I don’t mean nip . . . that zip in the air, but it’s energizing! And that’s a good thing . . . because we’ll need it for all the parties and celebrations coming up for the holidays. So, spit-shine your patent leathers, Windex your sequins, let out or take in your cummerbunds . . . depending on how your year went . . . and dust off those checkbooks. Fun and fundraising are upon us!

Libiamo! I think that’s Italian for "Let’s drink!" which is your first clue to what’s in store at this Nov. 14 partito hosted by the Opera Guild of Fort Worth. Join event chairwoman Berlene Milburn, along with committee members Jan Aziz, Jackie Taylor and Sandy Cook, for a buffet dinner at Villa de Leon with music, a cork pull and silent and live wine auction. Wine connoisseurs Whit Smith, John Williams and Ray Raney recommended the vintages. Tickets are only $75; just call Cook at 817-732-0048 or e-mail sandcook@yahoo.com. Proceeds will support Opera Guild programs.

And one of the chief programs of the guild, besides supporting the Fort Worth Opera, is the Marguerite McCammon Voice Competition, May 13-15, 2010, also chaired by Milburn. The McCammon competition has become noted worldwide for spotlighting new opera talent. Judges in 2010 include Fort Worth Opera general director Darren Woods; Gayletha Nichols, director of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; Jonathan Pell, artistic director, Dallas Opera; and Nicholas G. Russell, director of artistic operation, Boston Lyric Opera. For more info, go to www.fwopera.org.

Baby Love: Diana Ross wasn’t singing about the diapered kind of baby when she sang "missed kissin’ ya," but chef Tim Love and a host of other area chefs, will be cooking for the love of babies at the Signature Chefs Auction on Nov. 15 at the historic Hilton hotel. This unique event benefits the March of Dimes and its programs to prevent birth defects, premature births and infant mortality.

Led by Love, chefs Keith Hicks, Jon Bonnell, Lou Lambert, Tom Perini, Bobby Albanese, Kenzo Tran, Catherine Ruehle, Jamie Samford, Donatella Trotti and Michael Thomson and more will offer up their signature dishes for tasting and some unique chef packages for auction. Event chair Lisa Grubbs says the event raised more than $259,000 last year and invites all to help them surpass that number. For ticket info, contact Sara Wilson at 817-451-9174 or scwilson@marchofdimes.com.

PLEASE SEND NEWS RELEASES TO MASON@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM.

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