Ball for Life

Annie Banno's account of attending this fundraiser for the Good Counsel Homes

"Real Hope"

Comments

[Ian]

Amy,

I was there - it was a great time and Annie gives a pretty good description. One thing I would strongly disagree on is her quotation

"Yet, there I was, sitting amidst Manhattan’s elite and “beautiful people”—and they were, the wealthy, the tuxedoed, the floor-length-ball-gowned and some even sporting exotic, expensive jewelry and probably Manolo Blahnik shoes (if I knew what those looked like)..."

It was a black-tie event, so (almost) all of the men had to wear tuxedos and the women classy dresses. I rented a tux for the night. But I talked to a lot of people and this wasn't some night for the 'aristocracy' of New York: It was an economically diverse crowd including priests, engineers (like my girlfriend), lawyers (like my friend Dennis), etc. If you go out in New York to anyplace other than a greasy-spoon, you need to dress well.

I had a chance to chat with Peggy Noonan and thank her for her participation in the meeting with the bishops a year or two ago. She was really cool. Then Peggy asked me if I was single! :) Heh, she was trying to introduce the "Brucci girls" (sp?) that Annie mentioned to the younger guys there. How many people can say that Peggy Noonan tried to set them up with someone?! LOL Inasmuch as I was there with my girlfriend it wasn't to be. :)

I saw Rich Lowry there from National Review, as well as John Sullivan, and Kathryn Lopez there too. Of course Kudlow and Noonan were there, and Maggie Gallagher, and James Taranto (WSJ) was there too. Didn't have a chance to talk to most of them. It was definitely the "conservative prom." :) LOL The media was there - the NY Post and the NY Sun were taking photos and interviewing.

Those in the New York area (and I mean Philly to Allentown to Poughkeepsie to New Haven) should definitely go next year. It was a great time and it supports such a great cause. The testimonials of the girls who are at the Good Counsel house in Staten Island were so moving... This charity is absolutely indispensible. There should be a Good Counsel house in every city.

[KH]

Oh, darn, I knew I shoulda gone to this this year. I went, maybe, the year before last? And it really is a fun time, especially if you go with a group. The NYSun did a "celebrity" photo spread on its back page a couple days post-ball; y'ain't gonna see that in the NYTimes. I agree with Ian in that this isn't really only a gathering of major NY players; it's more the usual crowd, meaning that if you're in the tri-state area and are involved with Catholic &/or pro-life groups, the members often overlap and you will always always see someone you know. This world in NY is smaller than you'd think; I always say we're all two degrees to Fr. Groeschel!

[Annie B.]

Thanks for that clarification, Ian, and thanks to Amy for the link (just wish I'd had sitemeter installed beforehand, oh well!) I didn't mean to imply that it was "just" aristocracy there, it's just that it seemed that way to me and from listening to Kudlow talk.

Just to be at the same function as those mentioned (and James Taranto was there? Cool.) was what gave me the sense of being in a world quite different from mine. And to see those well-known and powerful all together with the regular folk like you and me, Ian, with no snobbery on their parts of any sort, well, I didn't convey my awe and appreciation for that as well as I could have!

[Hunk Hondo]

Was Annie B. fishing for compliments about her photo? If so, she's got a bite. Weight gain or no, she looks OK to me.

[Ian]

Amy:

BTW, if I wasn't clear, you can always donate to Good Counsel - check out their website. It's just more fun if it's the Ball for Life. :) They really need all of our support.

I don't read the Sun - if anyone has pics from the Ball please contact me! Thx!

[Annie B.]

Hunk, if you knew me, you'd know I'm not fishing for compliments, that I've always been sensitive about my appearance (hey, we all have to have some flaws, right?)

8)

But thanks. Your comment helps put my self-image in better perspective (as in, "get over it, babe"), but my health is also at some risk if I don't lose the weight so there's that issue too.

[J. Mark English]

Amy,

Thank you for your warm review of the Ball for Life ran by our firm, Political Capital.

Obviously the BFL will never carry the attention of Hollywood Mogul parties in the Hamptons, or in LA...

But those parties will never have the courageous characters that the BFL had.

Every person in attendance is a difference maker in their own right in the fight to help women and save human lives.