VFP chapter presidentand Army vet Paul Moriarty, whoserved during the conflict in Bosnia,hosted along with event chair Al Marinoand his wife, Marti. Mark Foreman, Willie Williams, Patty andBill Voeltner and attorney JeralynWendelberger were among the dozens of attendees.
Park Party: Nearly 1,400 Planned Parenthood ofWisconsin employees and friends descended upon Washington Parkfor the first of numerous events celebrating the organization’s 75th anniversarythis year. Entertainment included a band-shell performance by Chester French,whose lead vocalist is Milwaukeenative D.A. Wallach. The groupfeatured its hit, “She Loves Everybody,” an ode to safe sex.
Wallach’s mom and bestfan Rochelle Lamm cheered him on,along with pals Barbara Edwards andMargery Sinclair, the latter being the etiquette expert and author of A Year of Good Manners.
The Jazzy Jewels, sevenyoung-at-heart lovelies such as ViHawkins and Vivian Williams, whose ages ranged from 60 to 80, performedfoxy dance routines. There was also a staff “flair” contest, with employees’creative juices creating outlandish costumes. Amy Doczy, as the “Contraceptive Fairy,” edged out Susan Odegaard dressed in a Bjork-likeswan dress.
Among the PlannedParenthood team was President Teri Huyck;Chris Williams, business initiativesVP; development and communications VP LindaNeff; Amanda Harrington fromPP’s media relations; Laura Emir, amajor gifts officer, there with husband Mustafa;plus recently retired Patty Blommerand her husband, Tim Wallis. Manystaff sported T-shirts designed by board member Bela Roongta Eitel.
Circulating were Milwaukee first lady Kris Barrett, the always-dapperMilwaukee Public Health Commissioner BevanBaker, state Rep. Leon Young,hard-working Feingold folks DavidCrowley and Ann Taylor, DJ WillieShakes, a community organizer extraordinaire, plus Juli Kaufmann and her son Frederick.
Town Pride: The 10th “Made in Milwaukee” bash, a hip, multifaceted, daylongevent held at Cathedral Square,lucked out with decent weather and a great turnout. Vendors and artists showedand sold artwork, jewelry, designer clothing and other eclectic offerings.Sales were brisk, according to FredGillich, designer of the fab “Milrockee” T-shirt, and Fair Trade for Allowners Allen Christian and GailBennett-Christian, who were helped in their booth by their 10-year-old son Jacob.
Vanessa Andrew, from Madam Chino's Look Nook in the Fortress Building, was helped by Rachel Muza. Pal Marcus Doucette hung around, enjoying time off from his 88Nineduties. Other artists included JudyTolley with her attractive collage art and James (Jimbot) Demski, whose work is also shown at Hot Pop Gallery.Lauren Peterson, the operationsmanager of Sweet Water Organics, kept busy selling produce and explaining thecompany’s urban food mission.
An excellentlyorchestrated fashion show featured more than 60 models on the runway. Aaron (MC Oneself) Smith did yeoman’sduty as the day’s emcee by keeping the show moving and introducing such groupsas the Rusty Ps and the red-hot Kings Go Forth. Madison Medical sponsored thepark’s bustling beer and wine stalls, which were manned by staff, including PA Mary (Mimi) Hayes, there with herhusband, Tom, along with Dr. Christopher Drayna, ExecutiveDirector Kevin Behl and more than 40others.
Food vendors were alsokept hopping, including the gang at the Nessun Dorma booth, where the O’Tooleclan stocked up: parents Pat and Kevin;their daughter Kelly, her husband, Dave Zierden, with kids Cardine and Brendan; and their son Ryan and Jamie O’Toole. Their friends Pat and Peggy Farrell and their son Jack also joined them. Richard Thieme, author of Mind Games and a frequent Defconspeaker, and his wife, Shirley,checked out the crepe-maker’s technique.
Filmmaker Brooke Maroldi, with her hairtemporarily dyed purple, has taken up acting and improv after she and husband Greg Ryan took an acting class. Ryanhas also become a licensed wedding officiator and will execute the upcomingnuptials of ArtSource’s Maggie Smithand fiancé Scott Solda, of On theLevel art installation.
Enjoying the eveningwere Monica McElroy, celebrating 18years of her Milwaukee Pulse, a media distribution company, and hervideographer husband, Kurt Denissen;Ginger and Dave Klug, whose postalservice route is in the area; and notable blues harpist Jim Liban.
“Made in Milwaukee” founder Chuck Watson, assisted by Peter Adams from the East TownAssociation, must have been pleased.
