Good Samaritan debuts new ambassador, Thai official at Ebell, party at Los Altos

| November 2, 2012 | 0 Comments

GOOD SAMARITANS. Charles Munger, chairman of the board, Good Samaritan, and Susan Blumenthal, trustee and hostess of Donor Appreciation dinner.

Chairman of Good Samaritan Hospital’s board of trustees Charles T. Munger invited fellow trustees, donors and supporters to the California Club for a gourmet, four-course meal Oct, 10. The evening, dedicated to the midtown mainstay began with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as the dapper Charles Witt, Jr. tickled the ivories.

“Choosing to give to this great cause—that was an easy decision. It is what Good Samaritan does every day that is hard,” said Munger before introducing Neal McDonough.
The actor, father of four, and resident of our hood has taken on the mantle of Inaugural Ambassador of Good Samaritan Hospital’s New Infusion Program for supporters age 55 and younger.
Cheering on her husband was stunning wife, Ruve’ McDonough along with Good Samaritan’s president and CEO, Andrew B. Leeka, and wife Melinda; hospital trustee and the evening’s hostess Susan Blumenthal with husband Jack, Laurie and Dr. George Stoneman, Charles Witt’s wife, Collette, Dr. and Mrs. Hasung S. Lee, Dr. Alexis Hoen, Becky Smith, Mrs. James Neville, and Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Adams.

DINNER FOURSOME, Neal and Ruvé McDonough joined Good Samaritan president and CEO Andrew B. Leeka and his wife Melinda at the Good Samaritan’s event.

The following evening The Ebell of Los Angeles and the Junior League Sustainers joined forces to present His Excellency Kantathi Suphamongkhon, 39th Minister Of Foreign Affairs, Thailand and visiting professor of law and diplomacy at UCLA.
The Ebell Club’s Art Salon was the gathering place for a dinner with wine pairings. Dr. Suphamongkhon’s mesmerizing speech revealed first-hand accounts of the Julian Assange dilemma in London and his meeting with the ruler of North Korea after accepting his invitation to visit this otherwise most-isolated country.
“I was told to bring a gift, a very big gift, the largest possible gift. They had warehouses full of ‘these gifts’.” Among the 70 attendees were event chair Ginger Barnard and husband John, Kelly Martin and Tom Patterson, Kelley and Bill Nelson, Janna and Jim Harris, Mickey Bodek, Consul General of Thailand Jesda Katavetin and his wife Parichart, Cassie Nelson, and Junior League Sustainer co-chair Miranda Schultz along with other JL members Cheryl van Tassel, Joan Prestine, Marian Banning, and Tracy Young.

CONSUL GENERAL of Thailand Jesda Katavetin and his wife Parichart talking with Ebell member Cassie Nelson.  Photo by Lee Lawrence

Many continued to party well into the wee hours on the same evening at the historic Los Altos Hotel and Apartments just  three blocks east on Wilshire Blvd. Lederhosen-clad trumpeters and accordion players came at the behest of its alliterative owners, Arax and Allan Gross, who entertained 500 guests with German ale in signature Los Altos steins, bratwurst, and pounds of explosive confetti for this year’s beneficiary: Heart of Los Angeles (better known as HOLA) to support the organization’s after-school programs for low income children in the Mid- Wilshire area.

ARAX AND ALLAN GROSS at Octoberfest at Los Altos.

Later the host and hostess opened the second floor William Randolph Hearst Suite where a magnificent array of desserts lay under a bower of autumn roses. Guests sipped cognac and smoked cigars. As the night wore on traditional German music shifted to disco, and the crowd danced the night away on the inlaid teak dance floor in the soaring lobby. Among the HOLA supporters and area neighbors were noted artist Scott Forrest, Jack Bretton, Danny Lemos, Roger Anderson, Amy Vuckovich, Geri and Wulf Kupa, Ally Maki and Colton Haynes.
And that’s the chat!

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Category: People

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