VillageNews SUMMER 2011 | 15 Martha’s Village & Kitchen


Baby, Where Did Our Love Go? TO MARTHA'S VILLAGE & KITCHEN, OF COURSE


Annual gala


raises funds for area indigent


Father Joe Carroll BY GLORIA GREER


2011 Martha’s Village & Kitchen gala on February 17. The Motown classics were performed by Brian Nova and Andy Fraga with the Motown Review featuring Gary Bias, saxophone player for Earth, Wind & Fire. Master of Ceremonies was Mark Wasserman, director of Charitable Giving


T


he Ballroom at Indian Wells Country Club rang with the sounds of Motown during the


for Martha’s Village. Father Joe Carroll, president of Martha’s Village & Kitchen, gave the blessing. A video presentation told the story of a current resident and Ben Stein, the evening’s honorary chair, added some humor to the evening’s lineup. Larry Zucker of the Gavel Group called the live auction. Janne Burdick, gala chairperson and board member, actively participated with her husband Henry Burdick, board chairman. Proceeds from the event totaled over $170,000. Following dinner, the Heart & Spirit of Martha’s Awards were presented to Betty Gorey, Lisa Houston, Dr. Vincent Nola, and Bill and Mary Ann DeMucci. Betty Gorey has been a volunteer at Martha’s Village Thrift Store since the store opened, spending two to four days a week cleaning and pricing the many items that arrive on a daily basis. As Marco Corral, thrift store manager, says, “The thrift store staff is ecstatic that Betty is receiving this award. We cannot thank her enough for the help she has given us. Her hard work and dedication inspires all of us and we are privileged to work with her.” Lisa Houston is president and CEO of


FIND Food Bank, Inc., a food clearinghouse located in Indio. FIND spans the Coachella and High Desert regions with a network that encompasses more than 100 non- profi t agencies including Martha’s Village & Kitchen, the Coachella Valley Rescue


Mission, Well in the Desert, and other organizations. Leticia Flores, Food Services program manager for Martha’s Village & Kitchen, said, “FIND has allowed our organization to save thousands of dollars on items such as cheese, meat, dairy and grain. FIND allows us to serve fresh salads every day as part of our daily meals. With today’s recession and donations being low, FIND has helped us to continue serving healthy meals to those in need.” Vincent Nola, M.D., a volunteer


physician at the Medical Clinic of Martha’s Village & Kitchen, has found time to provide health services at the clinic on a weekly basis to thousands of homeless and uninsured OB/GYN patients. Dr. Krista Burris-Kim, Martha’s Village medical director, praised Dr. Nola’s diligence in expending treatment for women whose serious health problems would probably have gone undetected and untreated. “Many women are alive today because of his work at the clinic,” she said. The fourth and fi fth recipients, Bill and


Mary Ann DeMucci, are strong supporters of Martha’s Village, where Bill is treasurer for the Board of Directors. An Evening of Motown was the


organization’s twelfth annual Charity Gala. Special appreciation was expressed to sponsors Verizon Foundation, Alaska Airlines, US Bank, Diane and Bill Bloodgood, Sue and Don Fisher, Linda


(Top from left) Honorary Chair Ben Stein warms up the crowd; Motown Review member Brian Nova plies his ax; Joyce Nola, Francis Wong, and Scarlett Davies fi nd their groove; a bidder hopes for a win; Janne Burdick, gala chair and Henry Burdick, Martha’s Village board chairman.


and Jerry Hermanson, Janne and Henry Burdick, The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation, Jackie Lee and Jim Houston, Catherine A. Mares, St. Francis of Assisi, Barbara and Roy Losi, JoAnne and John Rich, The Amidei Romano Group Merrill Lynch, Muller Family Foundation, and Sacred Heart Church. ■


Gloria Greer is a staff writer for Palm Springs Life. Sherri Breyer photographs for the magazine. This article appears in the Annual 2011 issue of Desert Scene, Palm Springs Life.


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