Donors are Heroes 7th Annual Fundraising Party

While waiting for his life-saving heart transplant at Temple University Hospital during the spring of 2000, Don Freeman and his wife, Renee, realized, first hand, the need and scarcity of previous organ donations. A hero, someone who had the generosity and foresight to become an organ donor, saved Don’s life. Motivated by this experience, Don, Renee, and a group of dedicated friends founded “Donors are Heroes” in 2001. Since this time, they have committed themselves to raising public awareness around the importance of becoming an organ and tissue donor, dispelling myths about organ donation, and providing a means for people to share their donation wishes with family and friends. Renee and Don (L) with Nicole Cashman and Justin Wineburgh
On Friday night every one from Socialites to the clock watchers gathered to support a wonderful cause of organ donor awareness. The crowd was fiercely dressed, diverse and ready to party. Guests enjoyed open bar with top shelf liquors by Bluecoat, American Dry Gin and Penn 1681 Rye Vodka, great dance music, and tasty eats from Park Hyatt Philadelphia at The Bellevue, Waterworks, Estia, Mission Grill, Maggianos, all while supporting an extraordinary cause!
Renee Freeman and Joan Spain styling their black outfits. These two could be sisters.
Advisory committee members Brian and Steffi Freeman. Brian Freedman is a food and wine writer, wine educator, and food and wine consultant. He is Director of Wine Education at The Wine School of Philadelphia, contributing writer for many media outlets including http://www.UncorkLife.com. Recently he became the Acting Membership Chair of the Wine Media in NY.
Co-Chair of The Party and director of catering for the Four Season’s Philadelphia Daniel Briones with Liz Moskus.THE Party Co-Chairs: Daniel Briones, Domenic Gallelli, Founder and Exec Chairwomen, Renée D. Freeman and Keith Mayer, Sponsorship Chair give the opening remarks.
Ryann Richardson newly elected Miss Philadelphia 2009. Ryann’s platform is “Raising Awareness of and Combating HIV/AIDS in Young People”.
The “purse” she holds here has been passed down over the last 10 years from each Miss Philadelphia and is where she keeps her personal effects and collects the many business cards and items people give her along the way.
Danielle Poe has a new beau and he’s a charitable one serving as the Sponsorship Chair for “The Party” for the past 6 years, Keith Mayer.At 8PM the doors opened and a buffet dinner was served with tasty eats from Park Hyatt Philadelphia at The Bellevue, Waterworks, Estia, Mission Grill, Maggianos, all while supporting an extraordinary cause! The space was stunning with Eventine designing the space. It’s always so nice to see the many different ways the Rose Room can be arranged according to the party. Tonight’s party was light, airy and alive with all the beautiful colors and floral arrangements.
Dino Minnelli has landed as GM at Mission Grill, and the 400PTM president Jared Poe. Who tells me that big things are coming down the pipe. He’s always great at keeping me in the loop.
Andi Pesacov and Steve Rockman rock out.

The Park Hyatt’s GM Jeff Miller with Bob & Judy Spires. Judy is a real bags to riches story, rising to the rank of the president of Acme and starting as a bagger at the cash register; and one of the nicest, down to earth women you want to meet.
The lovely Dana Spain, who I wish I could photograph on more occasions, but she would be the first to tell you that she’s selective in her outings. Here she is with Frank and Molly Napolitano (who we last photographed with Dana Spain at table 31’s Girls Night Out back in February), and DA Candidate Brian Grady (who will be stopping by with the rest of the candidate’s tonight at the Philadelphian for a Q&A). Dana wants everyone to come out and support a cause close to her heart 5th Annual Chefs Dinner for PAWS on June 29th at The Hyatt. http://www.phillypaws.org/News/archive/37.aspThe party was really a lot of fun, good food, good people watching, I even saw Kelly Boyd in the crowd.

I even ran into my old friend Sheryl Levy from Berger Montague. Here she is with her husband Robert.
After awhile people didn’t need a dance floor. In fact right after this picture I put my camera down and cut a rug with Danielle, Stephanie and Erin.
Jill Rizen and Amy Gitlin. Jill was sans MSS that evening, but was on the arm of year long manfriend (boyfriend doesn’t sound serious enough) Andrew Hennig
Ran into a daily reader of PCC, which is always fun, Scott Lean with his friend from nursery school, Jenn Kaleck owner of Jennkboutique.com
As a reader I always ask for opinions, and Scott was right on the money about my spelling errors, which is ironic since proof reading is one of my jobs at work (paralegal). The problem is it’s always 3AM by the time I finish writing this blog and since it took me 3 hrs to write, I am less concerned with spelling and conjugating verbs then getting in bed. I do knowthat drives people crazy, like one of my co-worker who tells me everyday like a mother school teacher. Scott did say I should put in a few youse and Yo’s in my dialog, that I can work on.
Late night desserts included aron Chocolates, Night Kitchen Bakery, Prestige Chocolates, Swiss Haus Bakery, Teuscher’s Chocolates, The Painted Truffle, Truli Confectionery Arts and Famous 4th Street Cookie Company
http://www.donors1.org.

Donors are Heroes, in conjunction with the Gift of Life Donor Program, hosted ‘THE Party’ last Friday, April 17 at Park Hyatt Philadelphia at The Bellevue.