Among the 800 guests at the Oakwood Healthcare Foundation’s Wine for the Spirit fund-raiser Dec. 7 are Dr. Iqbal Nasir (left), chief of staff at Oakwood Southshore Hospital in Trenton, and Dr. Ladan Amini-Oroumi and her husband, Dr. Reza Rahmani, Oakwood Healthcare medical staff members. The event, held at the MGM Grand Detroit, raised $430,000 for heart and vascular initiatives and services for the needy in the Oakwood Healthcare service area.
Wine for Spirit raises $430,000 for programs
Fine wines flowed at the Oakwood Healthcare Foundation’s annual Wine for the Spirit benefit Nov. 7, and spirits were elevated by the news that the event raised more than $430,000 for heart and vascular ini-tiatives and healthcare programs for the needy in the Oakwood Healthcare service area.
Approximately 800 guests visited 18 food stations offering vintages from around the world with comple-mentary culinary specialties of represented countries. The longest food lines formed for the Kobe beef meat-loaf, which was accompanied by mashed potatoes.
In addition, a fine wine tasting room lured aficio-nados with such labels as Opus One, Lafitte-Rothschild, Dominus and Beringer Private Reserve with a charge per sample.
A highlight of the event was a silent auction offer-ing nearly 300 items, including sculpture, paintings, jewelry, wine, dinner certificates, sports memorabilia, concert tickets and travel opportunities.
Ron Moran was chairman of the benefit, Doug Welday executive sponsor and Mary Zatina auction chairman.
Wine for the Sprit has raised more than $4.1 mil-lion over the last 13 years, according to Oakwood Healthcare spokeswoman Judith McNeeley.
Former mayor roast subject
Approximately 300 guests gathered Nov. 15 to roast and toast Norma Wurmlinger, who retired Nov. 17 as mayor of Southgate — for the second time — at a dinner at Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate.
She previously had served as mayor from 1990 to 1999.
Edward Zelenak was master of ceremonies for the event, which was arranged by Audrey Holmes, Bev Sunday, Jan Ferencz and city and county offi-cials, as well as representatives of numerous organi-zations in which she has been active, spoke . . . and two actually sang, a cappella . . . about Wurmlinger’s accomplishments and presented her with gifts, proc-lamations and flowers.
The former mayor, well known for her remarkable singing voice, reminisced about her long-time asso-ciation with the Southgate Community Players and spoke with pride about her 26 years of public service and her success in making Southgate the dining capi-tal of Downriver.
Holiday music to be featured
“Hollywood Holidays” will be the theme of the Seaway Chorale and Orchestra’s 34th annual Christ-mas concerts at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and 5 at the Flat Rock High School Community Auditorium, 28100 As-pen Drive
Songs from movies including “White Christmas,” “Scrooge” and “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” will be featured in the concerts, to be conducted by Mike Begian, music director of the Downriver organization.
Tickets are $15, adults; $12, seniors; and $9, students. For more information, call (734) 676-9504.
Coming up . . .
Dec. 2 — Fair Lane Music Guild concert by the Cut Time Players performing holiday favorites; 7 p.m., desserts; 7:30, performance; at the Henry Ford Estate – Fair Lane; for tickets, $15 ($14, senior citizens; $9, students), call 313-593-5330 or go to www.umd.umich.edu/fair_land_music_guild.
Dec. 4 — Rock ’n’ Roll Culinary Road show featuring Food Network star Guy Fieri; 8 p.m. at the Masonic Temple Theatre; Iron Chef and Roast restaurant owner Michael Symons will participate; tickets, $28, $35 and $50, are available at all TicketMaster locations, www.TicketMaster.com and by calling (800) 745-3000.