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The Big 5-0 for Vista Hill

"Vista Hill provides a very important service to this community!!  Bravo to them!"- Iris Strauss, Arts and Culture Liaison for San Diego, and Deservedly Proud Mother of Vista Hill Honorary Chair Tamara Alter, and Iris's very fondly remembered Daughter, Steffi Strauss, the inspiration for Steffi's Kitchen at Vista Hill

Vista Hill celebrated 50 years of 'Stronger Families .... Brighter Futures.' And they did it with pizzazz. Guests dressed in black tie gathered October 13th, 2007 for the reception and gala ballroom dinner at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla.

Among the mix were Honorary Chairs Valerie and Harry Cooper, and Tamara Alter.

Iris Strauss, the mother of Honorary Chair Tamara Alter, had this to say. "It was a lovely event and Vista Hill provides a very important service to this community!! Bravo to them, and I hope they continue to prosper as this community really needs the care and services that they provide."

Supporting Vista Hill is a very important tradition for the Strauss Family. Steffi Strauss, Tamara Alter's sister, had been very involved with Vista Hill. Steffi was so well loved for all the good that she did. And Steffi's legacy lives on. A kitchen is being built at the Chula Vista Facility. Appropriately, it will be called 'Steffi's Kitchen.'

Iris was joined by a long list of people who celebrated her daughters.

More there doing just that and celebrating the other honorees as well were Sally B. Thornton and John M. Thornton, Ingrid Hibben and Victor La Magna, Lael and Jay Kovtun, Annika and Gordon Kovtun, Laura Bradley and Fred Applegate, Maggie and Bob Watkins, Jeanne Jones and Don Breitenberg, Karen and Don Cohn, Ellen and Tim Zinn, and Audrey Geisel with Larry Scott.

Audrey Geisel and Darlene Shiley were both honored with the IMBY, or In My Back Yard Award for their dedication and support to Vista Hill. Darlene couldn't make the evening but Audrey did. With a stuffed 8 foot tall Grinch and all. The Grinch was part of an Old Globe Theatre -Grinch Family Experience live auction prize. A very kid friendly day December 2nd with crafts, puppet shows, lunch buffet, matinee performance and backstage pass with the stars.

The auction prize got big money. That's thanks to the friendly enticement by emcee Russ T. Nailz, and pretty Event Gala Chair Kristy Gregg.

Dinner was Robert Armstrong perfection consisting of the starter, a crouton bowl of mesculan greens topped with grilled shrimp and sprinkled with beet squares and candied walnuts, chilean seabass with macadamia / coconut crust served with fried rice risotto, chinese long beans and pepper sweets, and the very naughty but nice individual 50th birthday cake on a crème anglaise and raspberry painted plate.

But many of those fashionably there didn't have to worry about calories. Among the svelte standouts were Lael Kovtun in a Badgley Mischka with lace long sleeved top and trailing train, Valerie Cooper in a purple hued Alberta Ferretti dress and eye catching amethyst jewels, Iris Strauss in a dazzling Chanel suit, Tamara Alter trim in a gold brocade Oscar de la Renta coat dress, Jeanne Jones in a Jordan silk ensemble that picked up her pretty blue eye color, and Annika Kovtun in a strapless and vibrant hued Dolce Gabbana.

Dinner was followed by raucous dancing to Diva Soul and these quotes:

Valerie Cooper said "Vista Hill is an amazing organization having many varied programs for children and adults.  The Gala was a celebration of 50 years in service.  Thanks to the largess of Darlene Shiley and Audrey Geisel, this organization is reaching out throughout San Diego County providing a safety net for those struggling with developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance abuse. These two wonderful ladies deserve big kudos for all they do in our community!!"

Lael Kovtun remarked, "It was a great event for a wonderful organization that does so much in our community. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  50 years is a lot to celebrate.  Just ask Jay and me."

To learn more about Vista Hill please visit www.vistahill.org

Please enjoy the photos

Honorary Chairs Valerie and Harry Cooper

Jeanne Jones with Honorary Chair Tamara Alter and Iris Strauss

and more important Vista Hill supporters....

Audrey Geisel ** Lael and Jay Kovtun ** Jeanne Jones with Honorary Chair Tamara Alter and Iris Strauss

Jim Lennox with Jeanne Jones and Don Breitenberg ** Jay Kovtun with Annika and Gordon Kovtun ** Audrey Geisel

Margo Schwab in Alberto Mikali ** Larry Scott and Audrey Geisel ** Harry Cooper and Scott Johnston in Ralph Lauren Polo, and Pal Zileri from Mister B in La Jolla ** Maggie Watkins

Ann Mound with Dee Ammon ** Harry Cooper with Lee Maturo and Valerie Cooper ** Harry Cooper with Lee Maturo and Ingrid Hibben

Valerie Cooper chatting with Matthew Strauss ** Valerie Cooper ** Honorees Valerie and Harry Cooper

Comedian and Emcee Russ T. Nailz with Margo Schwab ** Iris Strauss with Ivor Royston ** Fred Applegate and Laura Bradley

Don Breitenberg and Jeanne Jones with Dixie and Ken Unruh

Maggie and Bob Watkins ** Karen Cohn ** Scott Johnston with Sally B. Thornton

Judy Ferrero with Harry Cooper and Tim Zinn

Hyatt Regency La Jolla starter

Hyatt Regency La Jolla's 5-0 Dessert for Vista Hill

Larry Scott escorting Audrey Geisel and her Award ** Table Centerpiece ** Valerie Cooper listening to Audrey Geisel

Michael and Pat Hayward with Harry Cooper

Audrey Geisel with The Grinch and Friends

Scott Johnston with Valerie Cooper ** Ellen and Tim Zinn ** Margo Schwab, guest of the very gracious Harry and Valerie Cooper

To learn more about Vista Hill please visit www.vistahill.org

Reported by The Social Diary's Margo Schwab

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* Margo Schwab has produced, written, interviewed and photographed for various media organizations since 1989. Schwab attended Holton Arms School, La Jolla Country Day School and La Jolla High School. Schwab has a B.A. from Scripps College and a Masters of Business degree, M.B.A., from the University of San Diego. Schwab volunteers for numerous charity organizations. She also continues to lobby for water safety and for family violence mitigation. Schwab is the editor of The Social Diary. Margo is currently writing a book based on La Jolla.

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