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Hudson Valley Hospital Center's Gala a Huge Success and Great Fun
Tony Aiello, WCBS-TV correspondent, Mike Balduzzi, (Sr. VP of Entergy Nuclear Operations in the Northeast) of Cortlandt Manor, and John Federspiel, President & CEO of Hudson Valley Hospital Center at "An Aegean Affair," a gala to benefit the Hudson Valley Hospital Center, held on October 20 at the RyeTown Hilton. The event raised over $500,000 for the hospital's $20 million Capital Campaign. John Vecchiolla Photography.
Opa! Hudson Valley Hospital Center's Annual Auxiliary Ball, held at the Hilton Rye Town was "An Aegean Affair" that raised over $500,000 for the hospital's capital campaign. Stuffed grape leaves, hummus, lamp chops, crudités, goal cheese, babaganouj, pita, ouzo ... and that was only the cocktail hour.
While sixty people crowded into the VIP party, Greek dancers linked arms and wended their way through 600+ partygoers intent on bidding in the silent auction, downing the scrumptious hors d'oeuvres, and admiring their gorgeous togas, tunics, and draped gowns. A helmet or two surfaced; overall, this was far from a Spartan affair. Hellas!
In the dining room, tables were lit by the ice cubes. Blue ice. In each glass. No candles on the tables, just gorgeous yellow roses and blue freesia atop glass capitals (Corinthian or Doric?) and that amazing ice; when you lifted it out of your glass, the light went out!
Honorees were: Drs. Uma and Shanker Krishnamurthy (much loved and respected in the medical community); Carol Kane, of Putnam Valley, a tireless volunteer for the Hospital Auxiliary, Barr & Barr, Inc. Builders, who are spearheading the construction of the new patient tower.
Also present were WCBSTV's correspondent Tony Aiello of New Rochelle and his wife Liz and Mike Balduzzi, Sr. Vice President of Regional Operations for Entergy and his wife.
If John Federspiel, CEO and President of HVHC looked like he was having the time of his life it was because he was! It was a great evening and the generosity of attendees helped put more beds into the future patient tower (all private rooms, no less). "We're building the hospital of the future," he said. It's true. And the $100 million project is probably the largest north of New York City right now (hospital-wise, that is).
Radiologist Elliott Sumers abandoned in his white jacket and CAT scans for the red and gold tunic of a Spartan general. He wore helmet and leather straps to boot; wife Anne tossed a red charmeuse shawl over her white and gold gown, and voila!
Assemblyman Vinnie Leibell swept his wife Helen around the dance floor all night. They loved the music of the Robert Mitchell Orchestra.
What about the good old red, white and blue? Debby Fay, in charge of Government Relations at Entergy, and Kathy Webster, VP of Nursing and the winner of the New York Times Award for Nursing, looked quite patriotic (from the Greek word patriôtikos 'relating to a fellow countryman')
It was a night to remember!
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