Social Circuit

The Franklin Institute celebrated the opening of its new exhibition, "Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt," on Thursday. More than 500 guests attended the cocktail reception and buffet dinner, which was chaired by Lauren and Don Morel, Kim and Ed Garno, Esther and Michael Schwartz, John and Maureen Fries, Christine and David Martinelli, and Sarah and Thomas McCabe. The exhibition comprises 150 artifacts from Cleopatra's time, including jewelry, everyday items, coins, and statues. The artifacts, on display in the United States for the first time, were excavated from the temple of Taposiris Magna, about 30 miles west of Alexandria, and from the Mediterranean Sea off Alexandria. "Cleopatra" continues through Jan. 2.

Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was one of three honorees at the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia's 42d annual Award Dinner, held May 11 at the Sheraton City Center Hotel. The dinner also honored Denis O'Brien of Peco and Maureen Rush of the University of Pennsylvania. More than 1,300 guests attended the event, chaired by Tracy Carter Dougherty of Lockheed Martin and Ronald Rabena of AlliedBarton Security Services. The evening raised $900,000 for PAL, which annually provides educational and recreational programs for 26,000 inner-city children, age 6 to 18.

The Philadelphia chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce held its 20th annual Fete du Printemps May 21 at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. The black-tie event for 135 guests honored Frank Baldino Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Cephalon, a biopharmaceutical firm based in Frazer with a subsidiary in Maisons-Alfort, France. The evening raised more than $80,000 for the chapter, founded in 1989 to strengthen ties between French and Philadelphia-area companies.

City Year Greater Philadelphia, a youth corps dedicated to community service in Philadelphia's public schools, held its eighth annual Tribute Dinner May 27 at the Convention Center. Lynn L. Elsenhans, chairman and chief executive officer of Sunoco Inc., received the nonprofit's Idealist of the Year award. The benefit for 600 guests was chaired by Karen Buchholz of Comcast, Ed Hazzouri of Cozen O'Connor, and Tara Weiner of Deloitte L.L.P. The dinner raised more than $555,000 for the nonprofit.

More than 450 children and adults attended the Public Citizens for Children and Youth's 28th annual Super Party, honoring Estelle B. Richman, chief operating officer at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The event, held May 6 at the Please Touch Museum, recognized Richman's service from 2003 to 2009 as Pennsylvania secretary of public welfare. The party also honored Sarah Martinez-Helfman and Eagles Youth Partnership; and Kevin Rodgers and members of the High School for Creative and Performing Arts' band. This year's Super Party, the most successful since PCCY's founding in 1980, raised $80,000 for the child-advocacy organization.