`every Day For Two Years We Lived In Fear Of Being Hit By A Grenade.' 
Bosnian Duo Recount War In Homeland

Albert Mecadon

SANDRA SKIES LUDWIG
 Sunday, November 26, 2000 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1E 





Editor's note: Is your organization celebrating a milestone? Is your
charity holding a special party? If you take photos at your party, please send
them with a brief description of the event. Submissions may be included in the
Out and About Column. Send to: Social Desk, c/o Times Leader, 15 N. Main St.,
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Thanksgiving is over (hope you didn't eat too much turkey!) and the
Christmas season has ``officially'' begun. While I was out and about covering
two events for this week's column, I realized that it's been a year since I
started writing this column. Also, the two events I attended were two of the
first parties I wrote about last year. You know that old adage about time
flying ... &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I was rather busy on Nov. 11 because the 32nd annual Starlight Ball and the
annual Everhart Ball were held the same evening. The Wilkes-Barre General
Hospital Auxiliary hosts the Starlight Ball to raise funds to purchase
equipment and the latest medical technology, and to benefit patient care
within the Wyoming Valley Health Care System. The money raised at this year's
ball will be used to reconstruct the obstetric and pediatric units at
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nearly 200 people attended the ball, which was held at Genetti Hotel &amp;
Convention Center, Wilkes-Barre. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres
in the Princess Ballroom, decked out predominantly in white to reflect the
``Winter Wonderland'' theme. The arrangements, created by Carmen's Washington
Florist, made a beautiful backdrop. Stark white branches strung with fairy
lights atop cottonlike cloths (much like Christmas tree skirts) and sparkling
with diamondlike confetti decorated the room. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The central hors d'oeuvres table surrounded a smaller table that held
silver candelabras and a spectacular centerpiece of iridescent sparkled
sterlitzia and pods with nearly two dozen white dendrobium orchids. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Guests included Carolyn and Stuart Bell, Dr. Francis and Susan Collini,
Sally and Steve Rothstein, C.J. and Maureen Bufalino, John and Lina Schifano,
Frank Pugliese and JoAnne Smith, Virginia and Dave Davis, and John and Lynn
McCarthy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After the cocktail hour, guests moved to the Grand Ballroom for dinner and
entertainment by Fancy Dancer and The New York Times Band. More branches
decorated the ballroom, and tables wore snowy linens, including satin-lined
napkins tied with white ribbons. The same white, sparkly ribbon was artfully
tied across the chair backs. In the center of each table sat a centerpiece
composed of a mirrored riser with white candles, white dendrobium orchids,
sterlitzia and opalescent glitter with opalescent seed pods over a base of
foliage in ``snow.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During the evening, several cash prizes were raffled off. Celeste Janerich
won the $10,000 prize, Val Genetti took home $5,000, $3,000 was won by M.
Rozelle and the winner of the $2,000 prize was Robert Ostrowski. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 (SUBHED:) A taste of Hollywood &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It was a star-studded evening when the annual Everhart Ball fund-raiser
took place at Scranton's Everhart Museum. Approximately 200 people attended
the ball this year. The event helps raise money to continue cultural and
educational programs at the museum. Reflecting the ``Hooray for Hollywood''
theme, a Rolls Royce was parked near the museum entrance and a large, glittery
gold sign above the front door read ``Hollywood.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Inside, a red carpet sprinkled with foil stars of all sizes led into the
lobby, which featured three director's chairs with ``Monroe,'' ``Fonda'' and
``Gable'' on the backs. Feather boas were draped across the chairs, and movie
posters bedecked the walls of the lobby and display cases in the next room.
That room was transformed into a miniature theater with rows of chairs, bags
of popcorn and a projector showing movies, including ``Funny Girl,'' ``On the
Waterfront'' and ``From Here to Eternity.'' Tables draped in gold lame,
sprinkled with stars, held replicas of Oscars. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Large foil stars decorated the stairs to the second floor, where the party
continued in the main gallery. The Poets played plenty of music to please
everyone, from golden oldies to contemporary favorites. Near the band, gold
lame draped across the ceiling and down the sides of two pillars, on which
were large, gold glitter cutouts of Oscar. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Flanking the band were spectacular arrangements that included Gerbera
daises, Casablanca lilies, gold roses, seeded and baby blue eucalyptus,
``silver dollars,'' gold-sprayed curly willow, pine cones, western cedar and
seed pods and gold fan palm, all placed in sterling silver urns. Ivy topiaries
also were placed at intervals around the museum. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As befitted its name, Epicurean Delight provided delightful food. The piece
de resistance was the dessert table. At first, I was mystified by what
appeared to be a large purple cabbage on a serving plate. Closer examination
proved it was not a real cabbage, but a cake with outer ``leaves'' of
chocolate shaped like the real thing! I also thought the many tiny chocolate
mice, chocolate musical notes and flat white and milk chocolate ``plates''
upon which many desserts rested were quite original. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That's it for this week. Remember to give me a call and let me know what
your holiday party plans are. Now that we're really into the season, I'm
hoping I'll be seeing you out and about soon. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Annual Balls Signal Winter Fun