Visiting Nurses Assn. (VNA) hosted their inaugural
Holiday Spectacular Ball with celebrity power, compelling speeches, and a prodigious amount of talent in the newly renovated Grand Ballroom at the Riviera Hotel in Palm Springs.
After a lively cocktail hour sponsored by At&T California, Tito’s handmade vodka, Kendall Jackson, and Gold by Rondel champagne, nearly 250 elegantly attired guests entered the Riviera’s ballroom for a lobster and filet mignon dinner.
Honoree and Olympic diver, Greg Louganis, was presented with The Chairman’s Award in recognition of his groundbreaking support for the LGBT community. Louganis, who is also an author, actor, activist and humanitarian, as well as clothing and jewelry designer, has received a total of 5 Olympic medals, 5 world championship titles, and 47 national titles.
Louganis recounted his family’s experiences with VNA and shared some heart-wrenching moments to emphasize the need to support this service.
The Event chair, Art Silva stated, “Greg Louganis is one of the greatest athletes in his sport and someone who embraces the inspiration for VNA’s “Chairman Award”.
The evening also included a presentation of the 31st annual John L. Treadway Loving Care Award to actor George Hamilton, who will be starring in the senior centric film, Silver Skies. Hamilton created tears and laughter when he related his experience with an aging mother who was cared for by Visiting Nurses during her bout with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Vocalist Carmen Twillie, acappella singer Drew Tablak, a female trio from Taiko Center of Los Angeles on drums, and DJ Kitty Litter provided entertainment throughout the evening.
Celebrity guests included Lainie Kazan, Kaye Ballard, Jack Jones, Gavin MacLeod, Tristan Rogers, Omar Sharif Jr., Tab Hunter, Johnny Canizzaro, Peter Marshall, Bill Feingold, Dan Ball, Ruta Lee, and designer Kevan Hall.
VNA California has been providing skilled nursing for home health, rehabilitative, palliative and hospice patients in their homes or places of residences since 1931 and is the only community-based non-profit to offer a complete continuum of health care.
Visiting Nurses Association
42-600 Cook St., Ste. 202
Palm Desert, CA 92211
760-346-3982
www.vnacalifornia.org
Photography by Loretta Vlach
