Sharing Awards: Community Shares celebrated “Champions of Change” at its 22nd annual Commitment to Justice Awards at Potawatomi Casino. The evening began with a stellar reception in the beautiful Tribal Room. Greeting guests were board President Patricia McFarland and VP Peter Coffaro from MMSD, along with Community Shares Executive Director John Jansen with his wife, Annie Jurczyk, and event chair Marshall Chay and committee, including Don Albinger and Holly Roge. The presentation was lively, with quips by emcee Mark Sabljak and words from the honorees: Jim Marks of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation; activist Vel Phillips; the Urban Ecology Center's Ken Leinbach; Outpost Natural Foods' Pamela Mehnert; and Patrick Schrank from the Hope House. Community Shares' Elysse Wageman and Celeste Jantz helped host. On hand were CS fund recipients Barb Blick from the Bicycle Federation; Joan Janus, representing the Sierra Club's Great Waters Group; and Lynn Olenik and Liz Petershack from the Humane Animal Welfare Society.
That same evening, more than 200 revelers joined festivities at the Pfister for the Gilda's Club “Show of Support Celebration.” Major Gilda supporter Stan Kass was there with his family, including rescue dog Reggie, in honor of his late wife, Lee. Receiving the first Lee Kass Memorial Award was Mark Shapiro, executive director of the Jewish Community Center. Wife Sharon, daughters Carli, 13, and Sophie, 11, cheered him on, along with his mom Nancy, a cancer survivor. The evening highlight was a Show of Support fashion show that included a standing ovation for stunning-in-emerald-green Jacqueline Wilks and her mom Noreen, with caregiver Annemarie Bretz. Fox 6's Kim Murphy emceed the event. The evening concluded with the kickoff of Gilda's Challenge Grant Campaign.
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Enjoying Gilda's VIP reception in Blu were honorary event chairs Janice and Steve Marcus; Johnson Bank's Ann Homstad, Gilda's board president; and program coordinator Justine Lucore; Elyse and B.J. Cohn; Rachel and Paul Greenspan; and Suzy Ettinger and Arlene Zuckerman. Photographer Dan Zaitz recorded it all. Volunteer Jean McAndrews recalled that her poem “The Apple” was published in the old Crazy Shepherd 25 years ago.
Bottom's Up: Great Lakes Distillery celebrated five years of retail sales with a blowout at its facility. Mooncusser, made from its Roaring Dan's Rum and Sprecher's Cream Soda, was a runaway hit. Yummy food samples included Scott Buer's Bolzano Fumetti and Indulge chocolates. Joe Gilsdorf and Robb Kashevarof poured Valentine Coffee. Owner Guy Rehorst and his wife, Leigh, circulated, as the two Rachels—Rachel Fell from YELP and Rachel Moon, Great Lakes' marketing director—lent support. Spinning vinyl were the Wax Addicts' Mickey Comerford and Sam Brown. Having a girls' night out were Susie Siettmann, Kim Quetschke and Heather Vaughn, backed up by husband Jim, acting as chauffeur. Other partiers included restaurateurs Sarah Jonas and Cammie Roberts; Eileen McGee, Rishi Tea's marketing coordinator, with her sister Rosemary Walzer and her husband, Joe, and friend Laura Hilt; Peter Coffin and Teresa Dickert; Capitol Husting's Geda Mattner; and Patrick Burns, in from Orlando with Mary Mok, seen dancing with artist Liam Maltz.
On the Hunt: Friends of the Monarch Trail gathered near the Milwaukee County Parks Department offices on Watertown Plank Road, hoping to glimpse monarch butterflies en route to their winter vacations. Leading tours of the 1.25-mile trail was the tireless Barb Agnew, founder of the Monarch Trail and co-owner of Barb and Dick's Wildflower Florists, with Dick Hanson. Ceol Cairde provided musical background, with Sue Van Dyke, Harry Seaman, Ed Miller, Al Liebsch and Kristina Paris performing Celtic folk tunes. Helping out were volunteers Luanne Washburn, Pat Schermerhorn and Fred Retzlaff. Enjoying the beautiful evening and looking for the fluttering of Danaus plexippus were Janine Arseneau; Carolyn and Vic Vargo; and Chris and Heidi Lange, with their daughters Rachel and Sarah.
Art Scene: Creatives came out in force to the Portrait Society Gallery to see “Men of Leisure,” a stunning new collaboration by two Milwaukee icons, photographer (and the birthday boy) Francis Ford and Milwaukee's one-and-only Jack Eigel. Artist Carri Skoczek flew in from NYC and met up with four generations of her family: mom Jilan Glynn and sister Danti Skoczek, there with her daughter Danti Reyes and her 8-day-old daughter Charlotte Evelyn Reyes. In the packed halls were Fred Graber from Madison; actress Flora Coker; architect Scott Jackson; designer Barb Paulini; Barbara Smith; John Garey; Nick de Stephanis; Jill Schwartz from Verde Eco Boutique in Mequon and her daughter Gabriella Schwartz; Dan Saal; Gareth Stevens; Jack Lake; and Amy Underberg.
Helping the Homeless: A benefit for homeless veterans on 9/11 jammed the Coffee House, with David Kaye and Jeremy the Comedian (Jeremy Eineichner) warming up the audience before Iraq vet Jason Moon took the stage. Applauding were Mark Foreman and Bill Christofferson, both Homeless Veterans Initiative board members; Kaye's fiancée, Natasha Mortazavi, and her friend Joanna Amos; and poet JoAnn Chang. Mary Gaar and Brett Kemnitz guarded the perimeter while photographer Paul Anderson archived the event.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Oct. 6 issue of the Shepherd.
