The Young Friends' First Event Exceeds Expectations
On November 27, 2009, more than 400 revelers packed Rosy’s Jazz Hall for An Evening on the Avenue to benefit St. Andrew’s Village. Hosted by the Young Friends of St. Andrew’s Village, the event raised more than $55,000.
“I am proud to say that this event exceeded all of our goals and expectations,” says J. Christopher Zainey, Jr., who served as an event co-chair and is a founding member of the Young Friends. “An Evening on the Avenue was the very first Young Friend’s event, and thanks to the overwhelming support we received from our sponsors and patrons, it certainly won’t be our last.”
Anxious bidders ogled the 120 items up for grabs at the silent auction including jewelery by David Yurman, artwork by Max Ryan and Terrence Osborne, autographed sports memorabilia from the New Orleans Saints and Hornets, and a host of hotel and dining packages including those from the Ritz-Carlton, Lowe’s Hotel, Clancy’s, Antoine’s and Commanders Palace. Those taking a break from the bidding wars grazed upon the bountiful buffet courtesy of The Bon Ton Café, Jacques-Imo’s, Byblos, New Orleans Catering, and McAllister’s Deli among others, while other guests crowded the dance floor and boogied to live music by the Mixed Nuts.
Sponsors for “An Evening on the Avenue” included Adams and Reese LLP; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Callahan; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Donald Evans & Family; Gauthier, Houghtaling & Williams, LLP; Dr. & Mrs. Robert Grieshaber; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lentini & Ms. Dawn Barrios; Mr. and Mrs. John Litchfield; Stephen Litchfield; Lupo Enterprises, LLC; Ravi K. Sangisetty; The Secret Gardens Tour®; Judge and Mrs. Jay Zainey; Bob and Jackie Zainey; and Mr. and Mrs. Michael Zainey. Additional sponsors included Mr. and Mrs. Paul Aucoin; Deutsch, Kerrigan, & Stiles, LLP; Paul Fleming; Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Fontana; Janet L. Frischhertz; Mr. and Mrs. Pat Gootee; Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc.; Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre, LLP; Les Amies Du Jardin; Liskow & Lewis; Dr. and Mrs. Richard Marino; Nancy M. Marsiglia; Ilene and Art Petranek; Phelps Dunbar; Diane Reich; Ryan Gootee General Contractors, LLC; Sheriff Newell Normand; SquareFour Web Design; Southern Abstracts, Inc.; Law Offices of St. Martin & Bourque; Style Editor Designs/ Margaret Zainey Roux; Waveland Services, Inc.; and Williams Law Group, LLC.
See photos from the event in our photo gallery.