Casita Maria Fiesta Kickoff Party, New York | People & Parties With Panache

Casita Maria Fiesta
Kickoff Party

Jacqueline Weld Drake, chairman of Casita Maria with Peter Bacanovic, president of Fred Leighton.

Deborah Norville and Gala co-chair Aileen Mehle.

On Tuesday, October 6, 2008, Fred Leighton hosted a Kickoff Party for Casita Maria's upcoming Fiesta 2008 fundraising gala. Guests enjoyed champagne, marveled at the glittering jewelry and toasted to Fiesta, which is taking place on October 14th. The evening also honored Fiesta chairs Jacqueline Weld Drake, Aileen Mehle and H.R.H. Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia and the Fiesta committees. 20% of the proceeds of all Fred Leighton's sales during the event benefited Casita Maria.

Guests Included: Peter Bacanovic, Mario Buatta, Violaine Bernbach, John Bernbach, H.R.H. Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Ann Dexter Jones, Jacqueline Weld Drake, Gaetana Enders, Ralph Esmerian, Somers Farkas, Emilia Fanjul, Pamela Fiori, H.R.H. Princess Firyal of Jordan, Barbara Gollust, Toni Goodale, Aileen Mehle, Peggy Siegal, Daisy Soros, Paul Soros, Adrienne Vittadini, Gianluigi Vittadini, Deborah Norville and Karl Wellner.

Casita Maria is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create a gateway of opportunity through after school education in the Arts, Literacy and Job Readiness while addressing critical needs for youth, families and seniors in predominantly Hispanic communities in the South Bronx and East Harlem.