Fine fellows, fine fetes! And family and friends all around. For the first gathering, hoop-la was the buzz, thanks to the recognition of George Schinn, owner of the New Orleans Hornets , as the Humanitarian of the Year 2009. The American Red Cross, Southeast Louisiana Chapter, limelighted him during the recent Humanitarian Ball at the Audubon Tea Room, which was chaired by Kathleen V. Robert and Kay W. Wilkins. Headliners from the chapter's executive committee are board chairman Frank Tessier, immediate past chairman James C. Young, secretary Alvin R. Cooley and the above Kay W. Wilkins, the CEO. Bob Licht emceed and the band, Tom Hook & the Swing Cats, made merry meow-sic. More acknowledgments tapped chef Alan Ehrich of the Tea Room and his tasty menu; Lee Michaels jewelers' donation of the Steuben Glass Shining Star Award, as well as a top auction item; Chuck Mutz's role as auctioneer; and the centerpieces from Merlin's Candies of regulation-size chocolate basketballs with logos of the Red Cross and the Hornets .
Sighted within the assembly of 138 were Denise Schinn, Lee Wilkins, Monica Licht, Carly Tessier, Dr. Kearny Robert and Donna Young with their above-mentioned spouses, as well as 2003 awardee Bill Hines and Mary, 2005's Robert M. "Bob" Merrick, Hornets president Hugh Weber with Julie (Denise Schinn's sister), Larry Statton, Jean LaHoste, Ray and Beverly Nichols, Wynonne and Rufino Saveedra, Cathy Herren, Lori and Rick Murphy, Mary and Alvin Cooley, Pamela and John Trainor, Ryan Berg, Russ Paulsen, Jim Pate, Hornets chaplain Kevin Brown, Morgan Williams, Laura Paul, and scores more. Applause was particularly effusive when the saluted Schinn said, "I surround myself with good people and we'll bring a championship to the city. We pledge to win not only on the court, but off."
Elsewhere, new Hornets player Emeka Okafor was the center of attraction at Emeril's Delmonico during a light lunch with the media-te family. Extending the invitation were Hornets brass Chad Schinn, Jeff Bower and Byron Scott with Lindsey Mitchell spreading the word. Among those welcoming folks were the restaurant's David McCelvey and Sandy Odom.
A slew of the president's men and women amassed in Les Continents of the Hotel InterContinental at the invitation of the New Orleans Bar Association to hail Walter Leger Jr. The occasion was NOBA's annual President's Award Ceremony and he was the recipient. Among his many nearest and dearest were fiancee Kathie Colley; dad Walter Leger; and children La. Rep. Walter Leger III, Elizabeth Leger with fiance Jeff Fick, and Rhett Leger; and siblings Kevin Leger and Cheryl Holzenthal with spouses Maryellen and Barry. A voice of post-Katrina rebuilding, a graduate of Tulane's law school, an owner of the New Orleans Zephyrs, and civic activist were a few of Leger's many descriptives.
From NOBA came respective president and prez-elect Stanley Cohn and Patricia Krebs, and executive director Helena N. Henderson. Noted, too, were Garland Robinette, WWL radio's The Think Tank host (who said "I don't think I've met anyone as extraordinary as Walter Leger"), as well as former awardee David Conroy, Brian Quirk, Chris Ralston, Tim Hassinger, and Judges Robin Giarrusso, Nadine Ramsey, Carl Barbier, and Jerry Brown.
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Columnist Nell Nolan can be reached at nnolan@timespicayune.com or at 504.826.3455.
