A
private dinner was held at the National Arts Club on April 21, 2009
in honor of Pastors Joel Osteen and his wife, Victoria. One hundred
people came to meet the founders of Houston's famed Lakewood
Church, the largest in America. The Church is celebrated for
its global humanitarian efforts.
The Osteens were in town to lead the "Historic Night of Hope" at
Yankee Stadium. It was the first non-baseball event in the new stadium.
Over $60,000 was raised at the dinner to help the Osteen's ministries,
in cooperation with Feed The Children, deliver food, clothing and medical
supplies to local families in need. Also, 5,000 free tickets to the “Historic
Night of Hope” event were distributed.
Co-chairs of the event were Sharon Bush, Aldon James, Jean Shafiroff,
Margo Langenberg and Diane Bernhard. Rita Cosby was the Mistress
of Ceremonies. Tomaczek Bednarek sang “Amazing Grace” and
artist Peter Max, whose works can be seen at the new Yankee Stadium,
announced that he will be unveiling a portrait of the Osteens.
The Benefit committee included: Randy Jones and Connie Jones, Barbara
Winston, Ambassador John L. Loeb, Sharon Handler, Georgette Mosbacher,
Iris Cantor, Lauren Bush, Ashley Bush, Jonathan Farkas and Somers Farkas,
Jay Plourde and Sally Plourde, Alexandra Preate, Catherine Saxton,
Christine Schott, R. Couri Hay, Donna Soloway and Richard Soloway,
Martin Shafiroff, Roger Webster, Victoria Wyman, Van Bernhard, Joyce
Brooks, B.J. Carter, Judith Grubman, John James and John Desidero.
Among the guests were Joel's sister Lisa Comes, Bruce Winston,
Barbara Cates, David Lauren, Baroness von Langendorff, William Thuraya,
Ann Rapp, Roy Kean, Tina Louise, John Wegorzewski, Dionisio
Fontana, Nell Yperifanos, Donna Soloway and Richard Soloway, Van Bernhardt,
Larry Kaiser, Jen Bawden, Blaise Hayward, Jason Grant, Donald Iloff,
Andrea Davis, Linda Mansfield, Pablo Manzoni, Carmine Cassino, Marianne
Strong, Tim McKenna and Virginia McKenna, Markos Kaminis and Nina Yousefzadeh.
