Love and Hope Preview Party
November 17, 2011
Commencing their 38th season, the fabulous ladies of Love and Hope raised more than $600,000 for the cure-focused work of the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) at the Love and Hope Preview Party on November 17. Life Chairman Sonja Zuckerman welcomed nearly 200 guests to the Diplomat Country Club and extended heartfelt thanks to Isabel May for underwriting the magnificent evening for the ninth consecutive year. Executive Chairman Sandra Levy made an announcement regarding the group’s upcoming signature event.
“The legendary Barry Gibb will serenade us at the Love and Hope Ball on February 18 at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa,” she exclaimed. “It’s going to be a special year, one that you’ll truly remember.”
Along with his wife, Linda, Barry has served as International Chairman of Love and Hope for more than a quarter of a century. Though the couple could not be present, two of their sons, Ashley and Michael, along with their wives, Therese and Jenna, represented the Gibb family at the Preview Party.
The individuals and families who will be honored at the Ball were named, including: Grand Humanitarian Shirley Harris; Humanitarian Honorees Sheila Wohl and Family; Honorary Chairman Isabel May; Love Honorees Tova Leidesdorf and Family; and Hope Honorees Sandy and Senator Paul Steinberg and Family. Also announced was a bequest of almost $1 million by the late, beloved Florence Frank, longtime Silver Star. She and her late husband, Bernie, were members of Love and Hope since its inception, and they will never be forgotten.
Full of gratitude for the generosity of donors and the hard work and dedication of the Love and Hope committee, Coconut Grove resident Sabrina Ferris also addressed the crowd.
“We found great comfort at the DRI,” she said standing next to her husband, Scott, and young sons, Sage and Colby, who has type 1 diabetes. “Everyone there is so warm and welcoming. We truly feel like part of a family. We know…hope…believe the DRI will find a cure.”
Along with the aforementioned honorees, top contributors at the Preview Party included: Roberta and Harvey Chaplin, Penny and Robert A. Pearlman, Valerie and Dr. Marc Fishman, Sandra and Sid Levy, The Simkins Family, Linda Widrich Weitz, Jacci and Dr. Floyd Seskin, The Starr Foundation, Marilyn Fellman, Linda and Barry Gibb, Corrine and Maurice Greenberg, Sharon Gustafson and Barry Florescue, Janie and Ron Kupferman, Beverlee Shere, Drs. Carol and Morty Blumberg, Kelly Kronenberg, LLC, Eleanor Kosow, Jill and Robert Rosenhaus, and Barbara and Shelly Singer.
Before dinner was served, the Love and Hope family reunited in the cocktail reception among hues of sage and tangerine. Models bejeweled by Neiman Marcus sparkled, as did the traditional heart and rose ice sculpture. The Grand Ballroom took guests’ breath away with its dazzling, golden elegance, each detail of which was painstakingly arranged by the ladies of the Love and Hope committee, who have worked together for 38 years. Dancing ensued to the beat of the Steve Chase Society Band among a sea of flickering candles and a whimsical garden motif.
Tickets for the 38th Annual Love and Hope Ball are $600 per person. To be placed on the invitation list or for more information, call the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation at 800-321-3437 or visit DiabetesResearch.org.
The Diabetes Research Institute leads the world in cure-focused research. As the largest and most comprehensive research center dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to shrink the timeline toward the discovery of a biological cure for this disease. Having already shown that diabetes can be reversed through islet transplantation, the DRI is building upon these promising outcomes by bridging cell-based therapies with emerging technologies. The Diabetes Research Institute was created for one reason – to cure diabetes – which is and will continue to be its singular focus until that goal is reached. For the millions of people affected by diabetes, the DRI is the best hope for a cure. And for 38 years of dedicated support, the DRI is eternally grateful to the ladies of Love and Hope.
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Love and Hope Honorary Chairman
and Preview Party Hostess Isabel May
with Neiman Marcus GM Frances
Esquenazi (left) and models
displaying Neiman Marcus jewelry
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Grand Humanitarian Shirley Harris
with DRI Foundation President and
CEO Robert A. Pearlman |
Sheila Wohl, representing The Wohl
Family, Humanitarian Honorees, with
Life Chairman Sonja Zuckerman (right) |
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Executive Chairmen Sandra and Sid
Levy with National Chairman Kathy
Simkins (right)
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Tova Leidesdorf, representing The
Leidesdorf Family, Love Honorees,
with Chairman Marilyn Fellman |
Senator Sandy and Paul Steinberg,
representing The Steinberg Family,
Hope Honorees |
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Scott and Sabrina Ferris with their
sons Colby and Sage, and DRIF
COO Deborah Chodrow (right)
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Valerie and Dr. Marc Fishman |
Nicole and Michael Simkins,
representing The Simkins Family |
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Linda Widrich Weitz and Steven Cohen
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Jacci and Dr. Floyd Seskin |
Sharon Gustafson and Barry Florescue |
Beverlee Shere with Aida Politano
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Chairman and Life Trustee Eleanor
Kosow with Mira Gaines
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Jill and Robbie Rosenhaus |
Chairmen Barbara and Shelly Singer |
Jenna Gibb, Potashnick, Therese Gibb,
Ashley Gibb and Michael Gibb |
A romantic dance among dazzling,
golden elegance |