The Times Picayune: St. Elizabeth’s Guild honors 12 at volunteer activists luncheon

October 9, 2017 – Sue Strachan

Close to 600 people filled the Hyatt Regency New Orleans Hotel Empire Ballroom on Sept. 29 to celebrate a St. Elizabeth’s Guild tradition – its 47th annual Volunteer Activists Awards Luncheon.

The luncheon recognizes men and women who have excelled in their volunteer contributions to the community. This year’s Volunteer Activist honorees were: Constance Albert, Dianne Breaux, Kevin Colomb, Carol Hall, Russ Herman, Nora Nolan Lambert, Joyce Laporte, Paula Pizzaloto, Linda Sunseri and Cindy Wooderson, with Hall of Fame honorees Cheryl Cabes and Peter Quirk.

The event is also a benefit for the guild, which is a support group for the children’s programs of Catholic Charities, including Padua House, St. John the Baptist Head Start, Cornerstone Kids (mentoring for children ages 4 to 17 with at least one incarcerated parent), Isaiah 43 (a parenting and mentoring program), and Therapeutic Family Services.

A silent auction, organized by Suzette Herpich and Kathy Mitchell, included more than 148 items on the auction boards, and a parade of prizes offered 75 gifts. The popular Southwest Airlines Ticket Raffle was won by Margaret Diaz. Entertainment for the afternoon included the National World War II Museum The Victory Belles and a Dillard’s fashion show executed and narrated by Joan Ingram.

Guild supporters included President Kathi Zimmerman, luncheon co-Chairs Anne Favret and Lisa Baynham (accompanied by Pat Baynham), Archbishop Gregory Aymond, Parade of Prize co-Chairs Gaynell Pervel and Colleen Cloninger, Steve and Donna Stumpf, Sandra Herman, Rudy Herpich, Nancy Colomb, Cindy Paulin, Paulette and Frank Stewart, Julie Vanderbrook, Cheryl Landrieu, and Mark Romig, who was the emcee.

Read the original nola.com article and view photos.