Social Circuit
A look at the social events, galas, functions and fund-raisers in the area.
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High society
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Daniel M. Rooney received the
Pennsylvania Society
's Gold Medal Award at its 110th annual dinner Saturday at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. Among the 1,600 movers and shakers were Gov. and Midge Rendell; Mayor Nutter and his wife, Lisa; former governors Tom Ridge and Dick Thornburgh; Sen. Bob Casey; Sen. Arlen Specter and his wife, Joan; and Pennsylvania Society president Roy Zimmerman. The program included a speech by Rooney and performances by the Pennsylvania Girlchoir and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan.
House party
The Chestnut Hill Historical Society held its annual
Preservation Potpourri
benefit Dec. 6 at the Crefeld Street home of Nancy and Michael Verruto. The historic home, with its sweeping views of Fairmount Park, was once owned by Eleanor Widener Dixon. The black-tie evening for 250, which featured dinner by Bacchus Catering and dancing to the 11-piece John Hoey Orchestra, raised more than $27,000.
Sound of music
Girard College
celebrated its 160th anniversary at a benefit dinner and Philly Pops holiday show Dec. 7 at the Kimmel Center. During the concert, Girard president Dominic M. Cermele gave the school's Corinthian Award to Philly Pops conductor Peter Nero. The concert featured a performance by the von Trapp children, the four great-grandchildren of Capt. and Maria von Trapp. The Girard gala for 200, chaired by Carol Tinari and Salvatore M. DeBunda, raised $65,000 for the inner-city boarding school for children from single-parent families.
Family time
More than 500 guests, including families with their children, attended Cradles to Crayons' first-ever benefit,
A Family Time to Give
, Nov. 22 at its warehouse in Horsham. The guests sorted donated toys, games, books, clothes, shoes and baby equipment for poor and homeless children. Founded in 2007 by Jennifer Case, Cradles to Crayons collects and distributes new and gently used items, which are stored and processed by volunteers at its warehouse and delivered to children in need through 143 area family service agencies. The event raised $120,000 for the nonprofit, which has served more than 10,000 children to date.