Button up your overcoats as, once again, the Nordic-like winds are swooping down upon us. Of course, this does not stop revelers from supporting their favorite cause while having a good time doing so. This week, it was all about the evening to benefit the Visiting Nurse Services of New York, which hosted their Investing in Children, Strengthening Families Gala at the Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom.
Over 500 nurses, health care professionals, families and friends were in attendance to honor Douglas D. Broadwater, a retired partner of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and member and former chair of the board of VNSNY, and Tara I. Stacom, executive vice chairman of Cushman & Wakefield. Introductions by the master of ceremonies, the ever so talented actor Joel Grey, and a special, delightful performance by the Children’s Aid Society Chorus were entertainment in its purest form.
To really understand how significant VNSNY is, you have to go back in time to its very beginnings. The year was 1893, when a nurse by the name of Lillian D. Wald secured financial aid from philanthropists Warburg, Schiff, Loeb and the John Crosby Browns for her work in caring for people then living on the city’s Lower East Side. Wald, through her dedication, passion and commitment to the well-being of the general population, made the term public synominous with nursing.
Wald became known as a pioneer and public health nurse, having established the necessity for a public school nurse, the first school lunch program in 1905 and making study halls an integral part of the New York City school system. Wald was elected the first president of the National Organization for Public Health Nursing in 1912, and continued to work tirelessly on behalf of public health until her death Sept. 1, 1940, after a long illness.
Today, more than a century later, the staff of VNSNY continues in the spirit of Wald by presenting the Lillian D. Wald Award “to those who have made a significant contribution to the health and welfare of others.” Last year’s awardees were Frank J. Branchini, chairman and CEO of EmblemHealth, and Claire M. Fagin, PhD, RN, FAAN, member of VNSNY’s board of directors. Fagin, in addition to contributions to VNSNY, was also the first female president of an Ivy League school. Stepping into the present, this year’s honorees have made significant contributions toward the enhancement of a broad range of services and furthering their reach.
According to Mary Ann Christopher, MSN, RN, FAAN, president and CEO of VNSNY, “In his 15-year tenure as board chair, Doug Broadwater oversaw VNSNY’s expansion into Staten Island, Nassau and Westchester counties as well as the opening of the VNSNY Early Steps Family Center in Rockaway, Queens, and the launch of the Nurse-Family Partnership and Bronx Fatherhood programs.”
Stacom has been ranked among Cushman & Wakefield’s top producing brokers worldwide while at the same time working to improve the lives and rights of girls. For over 25 years, she has been a board member and spokesperson for Girls Inc., an organization with the mission statement: “Giving them the right tools to succeed in both business and life; to be strong, smart and bold.” Thanks to her efforts, girls were finally admitted take part in the Right to Dream initiative, a residential academic program and soccer academy based in Ghana that provides talented children from all over West Africa with opportunities to either play professional soccer or come to the U.S. for private schooling.
This year’s benefit raised $1.43 million for the group’s myriad of services, and with the reminder that wherever they are needed, VNSNY is there helping those most in need.
Happy 20th wedding anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. Stanley and Julie Ross. Happy birthday to Jemel Crumes, Cynthia Coldwell, Lanny McCallister, Ralph Robinson, Robert “B.J.” Johnson, Naomi Diane Brown and Krishna Tarter.
Condolences to the family of Dr. Clement A. Price. Among his many outstanding achievements, Price chaired President Barack Obama’s transition team for the National Endowment for the Humanities ,as well as served as vice chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Price was noted for having “an encyclopedia-type” knowledge of both Black and Newark history. He was a Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor at Rutgers University, which is one of the highest faculty honors at the university.
Born Clement Alexander Price in 1945, Price was a history professor. A true Jersey boy, his love for Newark led him to hold many leadership roles with many organizations in New Jersey, including the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the Fund for New Jersey, the Newark Public Schools, the Newark Black Film Festival, the Newark Public Library and the Newark Education Trust, among others. Funeral services were held at the Paul Robeson Campus Center’s Essex and Bergen Rooms. RIP.
Condolences also go to the family and church family of Canon John Andrew. Born Jan. 10 1931, Canon died Oct. 17. His obituary noted him as being one of the great New York City churchmen of our time—social, sociable, brilliant and devout. He was highly respected among his parishioners as being a “cool guy.”
Meanwhile, on the celebrity scene: Tyra Banks has a new beauty line that reveals more than a few of her beauty tricks to take you from here to there. Jennifer Lopez has a new book titled, “True Love,” a project that she admits to jumping into after her divorce from Marc Anthony just to keep it moving. Seems as though JLo is a love bug as she loves to love, baby.
It girl Hannah Bronfman was spotted in the sexiest of sexiest pink gowns at the Pink Agenda’s annual gala. Pharrell Williams actually gets engaged in his tweets, and if you’re not careful, time will just slip right by. While I refuse to say “Merry Christmas” before I say “Happy Thanksgiving,” Oprah Winfrey’s 2014 holiday guide has hit the stands in the latest edition of O. Oh my.
Until next week … kisses