Category:
Press Pass |
View all recent posts
August 22, 2008
With the tremendous support of Neiman Marcus Natick,
Hits for Kids held an amazing event on Thursday called Fall Into Fashion.
Jacque Francona, Enza Sambataro and Tomoyo Matsuzaka.Neiman Marcus actually closed down its new store in the Natick Collection so that Hits for Kids could have free reign!
Isn't it a beautiful looking store?
You came all this way, might as well try a few things on!
Carolyn Youkilis (right) and her friend.
Neiman's upper level.
Nils Hegstad and Jill Bernardo.
Mel, Hil, Linds, Enz & Me.
As usual, some awesome auction items!
The keys in her hands went to the glass prize boxes. $50 for one, $100 for three. Turn the lock, open a door and win!
Prizes included a Cartier watch, David Yurman bracelet, Ike Behar made-to-measure men's shirts, Gucci Sunglasses & more!
Lori Markell, Terri Deangelis, Ada Kussell and Katie OConnel.
Cindy offered to take a photo of Katharine and I but when she went to do it, she had NO idea what to do... (you had to be there).
Dina Spylios, Kara Apostolica and Sally Diloreto.
Emcee Kelly Malone from Mix 98-5.
Fashion show models provided by Maggie Inc.
They all looked awesome!
Love this one!
The girl on the right's brother is a patient at Mass General and is currently undergoing proton beam cancer treatment. Christopher's Haven, one of the charities that benefits from Hits for Kids, hooked the little guy up with Kevin & Enza last week for a day at the ball park. Tom Werner lent the boy his front row seats so that he could watch his favorite player, Kevin, hit a home run! When Kevin was walking back to the dugout he gave the little boy a high five and told him that the home run was for him.
The boy said it was the best day of his life.
Enza conducted the live auction.
Alan won the Ike shirts!
Grr... I wanted those!
J.C. Monahan & I.
Great seeing you again, J.C.!
The awesome people from
Neiman Marcus Natick.
This lucky lady won a mink coat AND the "Blue Topaz Rock Candy 18K gold Earrings by Ippolita".
Damn, I want her to pick my lottery numbers!
My friend & former bride Cara is a good friend of Enza's. Since Cara is currently in Kansas City, her sisters and mother came to show their support for Hits for Kids. This is Cara's sister. I told her to go strut her stuff and she did! Haha! I LOVE Cara's family!
Hits for Kids VP Renee Aisenberg and events coordinator Melanie Busa.
I think we were the last people left in the store, so we decided to play ball against the green monster...
Thanks for the photo Ingrid!
Ingrid Cordeiro and Enza Sambataro.
Check out Ingrid's magazine,
Lovely Magazine. Isn't it awesome!
What would a Hits for Kids event be without cookie favors donated by Sue George at the delicious
Harvard Sweet Boutique.
Click on the green button below for more photos from Fall Into Fashion! - Coverage by the Boston Globe.
August 22, 2008
Sad news from Ovations for the Cure this week as we learn that it's founder, Patty Franchi Flaherty has passed away. Patty was an amazing person who made a tremendous impact throughout her life. Stricken with the same disease that took her mother's life, Patty rose to the occasion and founded
Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer, a non-profit organization that raises money for the funding of ovarian cancer research, treatment, patient care, and ultimately a cure. I admire those who stand up and decide to get things done. Patty was one of those people! To read more about Patty's fascinating life, visit her Ovations
memorial page.
My favorite picture of her, taken at the Carmen Marc Valvo
fashion show last May.
August 7, 2008
Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer held it's first annual Driving for a Cure golf tournament on Monday. Around eighty people participated representing various companies and organizations committed to finding a cure. It turned out to be a beautiful day!
This was my second visit to the
Weston Golf Club. Man do they have a great course!
The fabulous people of the
Natick Collection.
Possible Hole in One?
Wait for it...
This is Paul Flaherty, husband of Patti Franchi Flaherty, the founder of Ovations for the Cure.
Paul's company,
Flaherty Plumbing, was a sponsor of the event.
Meet
Pat Bradley. She is a hall of fame golf legend who was kind enough to donate her time to Ovations.
Hole 17 was "Beat the Pro". Participants were able to challenge Pat to a tee off!
This man was rather amused by her colorful golf bag. Who wouldn't be?
Pat also gave friendly advice to the players.
She even signed 80 autographed photos!
This guy LUCKED out! He "Beat the Pro"!
Claire from
Sabre Imagery and I on the 17th hole. She kept me company in the cart all afternoon!
Claire and the rest of the team from Sabre are responsible for all of the great events put on by Ovations for the Cure.
Scores are in!
The afternoon of golfing was followed by a dinner in the dining room.
There was a raffle too. Ovations always finagles the BEST raffle/silent auction gifts!
Guests got to pick up their Pat Bradley photos! A treasure to any fan of the game.
See what I meant about the raffles? This guy won a set of Nike clubs!
Paul Flaherty speaking to the crowd.
You can see me in the mirror!
Paul also accepted an award on his wife's behalf for her courageous efforts in fighting Ovarian Cancer.
The Brandeis Award was given by Bill Gaffney, the VP of
SBLI, a major sponsor of Driving for a Cure. Congratulations Patti!
To see more photos from Driving for a Cure, click on the green button below!
August 1, 2008
Perhaps you've been to the Back Bay Davio's? If so, you know how AMAZING the food is! Good news for you South Shore folk,
Davio's opened a new location in Patroiot Place! Last night they held their Grand Opening to a packed crowd of hungry fans.
Have you ever seen so many potted plants in your life? Besides at a garden store, that is.
Patriot Place in Foxborough is BRAND NEW. It is adjacent to Gillette Stadium and also has a mall, movie theatre and a hospital!
Bob Kraft and family, with the gang from Davio's.
Their expressions say it all. Davio's has perhaps the best pizza I've EVER had!
I love walking into a party and finding a martini sculpture.
Patriots Ben Watson and Davio's Steve DiFillippo.
The room was so packed, this was the only way they could get around.
The Kobe Burgers were GREAT! Thanks!
Enza & I after eating the entire restaurant clean.
The gang.
The people of Davio's Foxborough.
I noticed a couple of employees congregating around the grill so I asked for a group shot. Within minutes we had everyone!
Congratulations on your Grand Opening! - Click here for coverage by Gayle Fee.
July 22, 2008
Earlier this month at Fenway Park (on the hottest day of the summer),
Hits for Kids held it's first official check presentation. It was an exciting day for the charity as our benefiting organizations were finally presented with some the money raised this year.
Gift recipients from the Joslin Diabetes Center and Christopher's Haven.
Renee Aisenberg, VP of Hits for Kids with our friend Carolyn Tiley, the Director of Sales and Marketing for Hotel Commonwealth.
A special thanks to
Hotel Commonwealth and
Eastern Standard for hosting our pre-party!
Luckily someone from the Red Sox office had good hand writing!
Just endorcing.
Kevin and Enza presenting $100,000 to
Christopher's Haven.
Mikey came along to play on his field.
Another $100,000, presented to the
Italian Home for Children.
$50,000 to the
Joslin Diabetes Center.
I love this picture not only because the real check is in it, but because you can see Mikey running free in the background!
The great people from
Mini-Fenway joined us!
Have you tried Yoouukk chocolate yet? Visit
Phillips Chocolate to get yours before they melt!
Side note, Mikey just turned 3!
Happy Birthday!
Family photo!
The Boston Globe ran my photo of Kevin on September 3rd, 2008.
Some Boston press (photos not mine) publsihed on July 10th, 2008.
Click on the green button below for more photos from the presentation!
July 2, 2008
Photographers have made photo-blogging very popular in recent years. After being a fan of many blogs myself, I decided that I too needed one. My intention for this fancy website was to share my work with you, book a few jobs, and possibly sell a couple of prints here and there. I didn't, however, realize this website's full potential until I posted my story on baby
Giovanni Guglielmo.
It was through my Giovanni post that I once again found my love for telling stories. I also realized what a great audience I had here. The response was phenomenal and it made me want to look for more stories to tell.
Helen Smith, my advisor on the Newtonite, gets the credit for this one. Helen was the person who really taught me to see a good story. Well Helen, I'm still trying!
This brings me to April 5th, 2008. I was watching the news when I heard about eight year old Kai Leigh Harriott. If you are from Boston, perhaps you have heard the name as well - She was the three year old who was paralyzed by a stray bullet in 2003.
While watching the news I found out that Kai was to receive an award at the
Urban League Gala that very night. I quickly put away what I was working on and headed to the Boston World Trade Center. Kai's story is nothing short of amazing & I wanted to tell it.
An innocent three year old, shot and paralyzed while playing on her otherwise safe porch. That's what happened to Kai.
"I chose instantly to forgive," said Tonya David, Kai's mom.
"God taught me how to forgive - he taught my heart - he showed me how to change - he taught me to forgive," she said.
"It's not easy to forgive someone who hurt you," said Tonya David - who in front of a packed courtroom in 2006, accepted the apology of Kai's shooter with a hug. "We are choosing to have forgiveness in our hearts," she said. "Forgiveness is the way."
Kai agrees. She publicly forgave her shooter in the same Boston courtroom.
After taking a minute to warm up to the mic (and the couple hundred people starring at her), Kai spoke. "I forgave because I thought it would be the right thing to do," she said. "You want to be happy. You don't want to be old and bitter."
I looked behind me for a second while Kai was speaking. Everyone was clearly taken back by her compassion and strength.
In a 2006 article written by the Boston Globe, Tonya David was quoted, "I don't want bitterness and anger in my life, and I don't want that for Kai Leigh. We are Christians. I tried very hard from the depths of my soul to hate Anthony, but it wouldn't come out."
The Urban League presented Kai and her mother with the the Lee F. Jackson Achievement Award for bringing their community together despite urban violence. Together they are working to create a foundation called
"Forgiveness is the Way."
Other media reports -
WCVB's Susan Wornick and Gail Huff -
WBZ's Lisa Hughes -
Kai on the Early Show -
The Boston Globe
I am sure that Kai and her mother will one day see this post, so feel free to leave them your well wishes below.
Archive By Month:
|
Blog Stats:
| Posts: 213 |
| Comments: 721 |
| Visits: 172,905 |
|
|
©2024 Michael Blanchard Photography, All rights reserved.
View More Photos
Add a Comment (3)
RSS Feed