Camaraderie
Apple Bytes!
“A Night of Celebration … to honor community pillars” was the invitational beckoning for the Good Apple Gala 2022 that focused on “Justice, Opportunity, Education” and people who shine in those areas. Kenn Barnes and Kimberly Silas co-chaired the event that first unfolded in The Sazerac House on the corner of Canal and Magazine streets and then moved to the nearby Windsor Court for the after-party. At the first venue, Dickie Brennan’s Catering and Martin Wine Cellar purveyed.
Hats off to the honorees! The Community Good Apple honorees were Cashauna Hill of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, Edgar “Dooky” Chase III, of Dooky Chase Restaurant, and Warner Thomas, of Ochsner Health Systems. As Pro Bono Good Apple honorees, the celebrated names were Courtney Nicholson, Sarah Faris, Alicia Hall and Brittany Dennis, of Entergy; Charles King, of Herman Herman and King law firm; and Thomas Mitchell, Texas A&M Law School/MacArthur Fellow. Most were joined by spouses or special guests.
Thanks aplenty tapped the sponsors. In the Diamond category, the names to know were Jones Walker and Entergy, while in the Gold, it was Jeanine Sullivan. Forming the patron host committee were Gayle Benson, Bourgeois Bennett, LLC, Judge Paula Brown, Christy and Michael Harowski, Carlos and Kerii Thomas, Hope Spencer, and Sharonda Williams. Adrienne Wheeler is the executive director of Louisiana Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, which orchestrated the gala, and Wilmer J. “Wil” Jacobs Jr. is the 2022 board president.
Among the many noted, along with quite a few of the above, were Stephen and Judge Karen Herman, William and Rhonda Shea, Nyka Scott, Ben and Sweet Dupuy, Kennard Davis, and Susan Margaret Floyd. All ascribed to the motto of the organization, “Solving problems at their root cause.”
Ahoy!
The Southern Yacht Club held its 2022 Commodore’s Ball recently, hailing Robert D. “Duff” Friend in the titular position. Board member Richard D. Provensal, also answering to commodore, passed the Commodore Flag to Duff Friend, who then passed it back to Provensal to honor the latter’s two years of leading the yacht club through COVID, multiple hurricanes and signature victories in Gulf Yacht Association and the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. Making history, Southern Yacht Club is the only U.S. club to win the Invitational twice.
More business was the passing of the Vice Commodore and the Rear Commodore flags, in turn, to Tim Molony and James R. “Rocky” Sanchez Jr., who will now answer to those titles. Nathan P. Adams III holds the position of secretary/treasurer. Joining their husbands were Wendi Adams, Regina Molony and Christy Sanchez.
To embellish the premises, the doorways were draped in dark blue and gold balloon arches; each table featured a floral display set in some of SYC’s most historic trophies; and, showcased on the piano, were pictures of the Friend family.
The food tables spanned the length of the Grand Dining Room with a dessert station standing in the center. Choice delectables were roasted mini crabcakes, sushi and sashimi, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, and grilled swordfish medallions. Desserts included berries with crème anglaise, and home-baked macadamia nut cookies.
Much of this was enjoyed by current board members, such as William Christian Gambel Jr. with Rachael, Robert M. Hughes with Alice, Robert M. Kotler with Jenny, Joseph O. Kuebel III with Michelle, Mamsie Manard with John, Daniel “Danny” J. Sullivan with Mary Frances, and the above outgoing Commodore Richard D. Provensal with Angie.
Making rounds, too, were former commodores, starting with Arthur S. Mann III, 1998-1999, who was accompanied by Alice. Still other past commodores were Fabian K. Fromherz III with Susanne, William E. Wright Jr. with Alice, Ewell C. Potts III, James C. Wade with Joy, J. Dwight LeBlanc III with Karey Haslauer, Julian S. Richards Jr. with Cheryl, Merlin R. Wilson Jr. with Mary Ellen, Scott J. Sonnier with Wendy Weatherly, and, with Pam, Guy P. Brierre, the 2018-2019 commodore.
Additional “ball and all” attendees were Natalie James, whose late husband was Commodore Phil James, and Carol Gambel, widow of Commodore William C. Gambel, who mingled with dozens of the above, as well as with Ric and Bootsie Smith, and Tom and Lynn Long. The latter twosome had a trip to France on their minds.
Four-time Olympian Johnny Lovell won the silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He also skippered SYC’s winning team in the 2021 New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, arguably the world’s most prestigious amateur sailing regatta. (Again, SYC is the only U.S. club to win the Invitational twice.) Noted as well was Marshall “Potter” Ballard, Captain of the SYC Cruising Class, the largest boat class at Southern Yacht Club.
Of course, there had to be music and Andre and the Giants rose to the aural occasion. They thrilled the “Commodore” crowd with a variety of sailors’ favorites from Parrot Head classics to reggae.
Black and White Gala
The event was bittersweet. Honored was the Rev. Pedro Nunez, who was retiring after 45 years of service to the Hispanic community and was recognized for his many accomplishments therein. This occurred at Magnolia Plantation during the Hispanic Apostolate Black and White Gala, which was co-chaired by Maria Bonilla and Maria Esther Cisneros. Blanca Rosa Maldonado spearheaded the auction, which featured more than 50 articles. All received lively bidding and were sold.
In observance of the gala’s title, black and white themed the décor. The tables were draped in the two colors, and accented with silver centerpieces and votive candles. Passed appetizers, followed by an abundant series of buffet offerings, and those from an open bar, sated the party appetite for food and drink.
From the Hispanic Apostolate came the Rev. Sergio Serrano, who also answers to Padre; the above Father Pedro Nunez, retired director of Mensaje; and Hispanic Apostolate assistant director Sheyla Saballos and her husband, Sergio. Then there were Casey Cowley, Max Moreno, Marvin and Gisella Saborio, Marla Donovan, Mariana Montero, Salvador Caputo, and Alfredo and Sofie Botero.
In the earlier part of the evening, Julio y Cesar played traditional background music. As the night went on, so did the beat. Dancing then dominated.
