Social Scene

Georgetowner • July 2, 2014

A powerful, emotional slice of America was on display June 17 at a naturalization ceremony at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and presentation of the Smithson Medal to designer Ralph Lauren. On hand was Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and potential 2016 presidential candidate, along with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the Smithsonian’s Wayne Clough and John Gray and Sarah Taylor of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Also on hand were Lauren’s family and 15 new Americans. [gallery ids="101791,140766,140763,140769" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society celebrated the close of the National Capital Area Man & Woman of the Year Campaign June 21 with a Grand Finale Gala. Gary DePreta, Director of Civilian Agencies at Cisco, and Evelyn Smallwood, General Manager at Ted Britt Ford, were the night’s big winners. Through 10 weeks of fundraising and relentless dedication to the mission, DePreta and Smallwood led 20 candidates who together raised $1.63 million, a new record for the National Capital Area Chapter of the LLS. [gallery ids="101793,140756,140754" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird • June 30, 2014

“Washington’s black-tie gala for the four-on-the-floor crowd” was a sellout at the Washington Hilton June 14. Washington Humane Society President and CEO Lisa LaFontaine said more than 1,000 two-footers were attending and that they lost count after 550 dogs. “Voice of the Washington Redskins” Larry Michael was master of ceremonies and called the evening the “the Super Bowl of dog events.” All proceeds will support the critical WHS programs and services that benefit thousands of homeless, lost and abused animals in the District of Columbia. [gallery ids="101777,141116,141111,141107,141103,141098,141095,141090,141086,141118" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney • June 27, 2014

Actress Tea Leoni — a UNICEF ambassador and star of the upcoming CBS drama, “Madam Secretary” — headlined a June 5 fundraiser, hosted by Samar and Will Langhorne at their Georgetown home to benefit UNICEF’s education programs for Syrian children.

Leoni spoke movingly of her visit to the Za’atari camp — the world’s second-largest refugee camp — in Jordan during an interview with Lynn Stratford of U.S. Fund for UNICEF at the Langhorne home.

For Samar Langhorne, the benefit was personal. Her father was in a Palestinian refugee camp, she told the crowd, and got an education through UNICEF. She, herself, lived in a refugee camp for a time.

Displaced by the civil war in Syria, many Syrians have gone from a well-to-do life to living in a box on the street, Leoni said. At the refugee camp in Jordan, she was struck by the amount of children — “70 percent under the age of 11.” There, “the teenage boys are angry,” she said. “There is no life.”

“Getting kids back in school is urgent,” she said. “There has to be a safe place for children. … We are looking at the potential for a lost generation. … These children may grow up without a country.”

As the humanitarian crisis in Syria enters its fourth year, children continue to be the most vulnerable. According to UNICEF, “the conflict has affected 5.5 million Syrian children, including 1.4 million children living as refugees in the surrounding countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.”

The one uplifting about the crisis is that “the partnerships are wholly impressive,” Leoni said. She was including, of course, UNICEF — her grandmother was one of the co-founders of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Leoni has been a UNICEF Ambassador since 2001 and a national board member of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF since 2006. UNICEF stands for United Nations Children’s Fund, formerly United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.

We will be seeing a lot more of Leoni in D.C. this fall — at least on television. As a actress, Leoni will be in a lead role that is decidedly Washingtonian. She plays the Secretary of State in “Madam Secretary,” a new CBS drama, set for a September debut.
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Mary Bird •

The spring gala of the D.C. Chapter of Room to Read, a global organization seeking to transform the lives of millions of children in Asia and Africa through a focus on literacy and gender equality in education, took place at the offices of Jones Day May 22. The event, which raised a record $750,000, included a reception, gala and dinner featuring Room to Read founder John Wood and Ambassador Frank G. Wisner.
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Robert Devaney •

The Friends of Volta Park completed its annual festive get-together at Georgetown Visitation Prep June 6 with food and drink from 1789 Restaurant and the added fun of a live auction, called by Griff Jenkins of Fox News. It is one of the best neighborly parties in town. Local politicians stopped by as well, including Mayor Vincent Gray and councilman Jack Evans. The group is near its annual goal of $50,000 for Volta Park maintenance and improvement. [gallery ids="141064,141068,141059,141075,141073" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Guests at Carderock Falls Manor, Robin Phillips’s in-home stage in McLean, were transported to the ambiance of an old French music hall June 7. The evening of wine, delicacies and song supported International Eye Foundation’s blindness prevention programs in developing countries. The multi-talented Phillips choreographed and sang her heart out, as she brought to life Colette, Maurice Chevalier and other great early 20th century Parisian artists.

Mary Bird •

Ambassador of Italy and Mrs. Claudio Bisogniero hosted a reception at the embassy on June 2 to celebrate Italian National Day. The record crowd brought traffic on Massachusetts Avenue to a virtual halt. Guests clearly admired the embassy’s striking architecture as they enjoyed the best of Italian cuisine. The event highlighted next year’s universal exposition that will be held in Milan: Expo 2015 Milano “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” [gallery ids="101781,141024,141021,141027" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird • June 20, 2014

Ambassador of France François Delattre was the honorary chair at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens on June 3 for an elegant dinner and preview of the current exhibit, “Cartier: Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Dazzling Gems.” The extraordinary jewels provided an insight into the collector’s commitment to “finest craftsmanship, historical significance, and true splendor.” Post’s granddaughter Ellen Charles is stepping down as board president after ensuring that the house museum will continue to be the well run venue that it is today. [gallery ids="101779,141058,141046,141051,141055" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Dominican Ambassador Aníbal De Castro hosted a reception honoring the professional success in the United States of Mino Lora, Manuel Méndez and Robert Abreu as well as American William Headrick for his legal contributions to the Dominican Republic. On behalf of the late Dr. Luis Heredia Bonetti, his widow Maureen Tejeda accepted a national flag and a presidential decree. The event was planned by the organizing committee of Dominican Week in this country and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic. Dominican rum, cigars and chocolate set the stage for the cocktail reception and dinner buffet following the garden ceremony. [gallery ids="101783,141010,141007" nav="thumbs"]