The Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families held its 3rd Annual Gala Dinner and Auction at Cipriani’s on 42nd Street, which completed the ARTrageous Children’s Expressions Project, raising over $850,000 for foster children. Earlier this year, children from the ARTrageous Kids Committee and children residing in foster care collaborated with over 50 artists to help create artwork at the ARTrageous Children’s Day Carnival. The original artwork was unveiled during the gala and auction, which also included solo artwork by participating artists.

Participating artists who attended the event included Jeff and Justine Koons, Hunt Slonem, Craig Banks, Sally Albermale, Jon James, Marco and Michael Albert. Among the committee and co-chairs that attended the creative black tie event were Beth Rosenthal, Allison Weiss, George A. Weiss, Robert and Jill Zarin, Daniel and Sheila Rosenblum, Vincent du Vigneau, Alan Wilzig, Julia Krupa and Elizabeth Fekkai. The guests included Janis and Charles Cecil, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Peter Brant, Marissa Berenson, Debbie Bancroft and Serena, Beth Rudin DeWoody and Debbie Dickinson.

Guests by the sounds of New York’s number one society DJ Tom Finn and the featured works of Jeff Koons, Hunt Slonem, Romero Britto, Steven Mesiel, and Will Cotton, which lined the walls. The cocktail reception, which took place in the Chapel Annex, also displayed art including pieces by Michael Albert, Marco, and Linda Mason. The Grand Room was transformed into an art gallery including works by Craig Banks, Sally Albermale, Jon James, Peter Beard, Diane von Furstenberg, Chris Beckman, Juciani Abait, Donna Summer, John Torreano, Andrei Petrov, and Kristopher Stillwell. The dining area was decorated in traditional motif, complementing the Italian renaissance architecture.

CBS Chanel 2 reporter Kristen Cole emceed, thanking the patrons and artists for their support of the foundation. Video presentations of the honorees Jeff and Justine Koons, Sheila Rosenblum and Beth Rosenthal followed. Guests were treated to a spectacular aerial performance by Tatyana Petruk during intermission.

Among the live auction highlights, which Bradford Bentoff of Sotheby’s conducted, was Peter Brant’s purchase of Jeff Koons collaborative piece, which depicted a larger than life pirate titled “peg leg”, for $65,000. Allison Weiss won the coveted Jets training camp package, Peter Demarchelier’s one hour photo shoot raised $12,000 and Steven Meisel’s photo of Audrey Hepurn sold for $9,000.

May was national Foster Care Month. Proceeds will benefit the Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families, a nonprofit organization serving and protecting children and adolescents who have been separated from their families.

Most of the children are victims of child abuse, domestic violence, neglect or abandonment. For more than 65 years EGSCF has changed the lives of children and families alike, by providing them with love, safety and permanent homes. The essential services provided include foster care and adoption, residential care, medical and mental health care and preventative services. Visit http://www.egscf.org for more information.

More than 500 enthusiastic New Yorkers helped Bette Midler and a star-studded group celebrate the opening of two newly renovated Community Gardens on East 114th Street, across the street from Thomas Jefferson Park and around the corner from the famed New York Landmark, Rao’s Restaurant.

The Honorary Co-Chairs Glenn Close and Robert De Niro were in attendance as were Co-Chairs Fernanda M. Kellogg, President of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation; Ardath Rodale, Chairman of the Board of Rodale, Inc.; Maria Rodale, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Rodale, Inc.; and Frank Pellegrino, owner of Rao’s.

Maria Rodale, Ardath Rodale, and Bette Midler

Jai Rodriguez, from Queer Eye for The Straight Guy, was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s program which included a Mariachi Band, the Son Café Salsa Band, and Glenn Close reading Ms. Midler’s favorite piece, The Gladness of June by 19th-century gardener and author, Gertrude Jekyll.

John Loring, Tiffany’s internationally acclaimed designer, was responsible for the design of the Family Garden, taking his inspiration from Thomas Jefferson Park which is just across the street. He has created a beautiful and historical respite from the wear and tear of the city by replicating the Jefferson head that is on the nickel, as well as reproducing some of the landscape of Monticello.

The Rodale Pleasant Park Community Garden, designed by the renowned landscape architect Billie Cohen in conjunction with the Community Gardeners and Organic Gardening's Editor, Scott Meyer, is tended to by the mothers in the neighborhood who carefully plant and nurture the garden with the help of Hannah and the Little Sisters of the Assumption who are always there with their wisdom and guidance. The garden yields 1800-2000 pounds of produce annually which is shared by the neighborhood and underserved communities via food pantries and soup kitchens.

A live auction included a personal organic garden consultation or makeover with master gardener Scott Meyer, editor of Rodale’s Organic Gardening, a stainless steel Tiffany Atlas Hunter watch and an 18kt white gold Tiffany Atlas open bangle (designed by John Loring), and dinner for four at Rao’s in 2006, an item that is priceless.

The evening ended with a sing-a-long led by Midler, and there was a lot to sing about as the evening raised more than $500,000 for New York Restoration Project.

NYRP carries out founder Bette Midler’s dream of a cleaner, more beautiful New York. NYRP, celebrating its 10th Anniversary Year, restores, develops, and revitalizes underserved parks, community gardens, and open space in New York City. They invest in the communities they serve by providing on-going maintenance and programs because they believe that every individual has the right to a beautiful neighborhood and the responsibility for contributing to its care.

Graham Windham held its Literacy at the Lighthouse event honoring John Sargent, CEO of Holtzbrinck publishing. The evening featured a short reading by Tom Wolfe.

Guests included: Jane Hanson, John Dockery, Michael Golden, Brian and Heather McVeigh, Peter Wild and Peg Fitzpatrick, Georgia Wall and Donald Gogel, Jim and Tracy Rutherfurd, James Reniere and Sydney Reynolds, Alan and Jill Rappaport.

Founded in 1806, Graham Windham is New York City's oldest nonsectarian child welfare agency committed to giving disadvantaged children and families the highest quality care and services. Literacy is their signature mission, believing that all children deserve to read and learn in order to lead productive, self-sufficient lives.

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