Our girl about town Jenny Block attended the 10th anniversary of Dallas-based Philanthropy World Magazine on Friday night. Here’s her report:
The magazine recognizes philanthropists from millionaires to school janitors who donate everything from money to hours to in-kind donations. The dinner, at the Park Cities Hilton, drew an interesting crowd: folks who had been on the cover and profiled in the magazine as well as folks who work on the magazine. Of course, just as many people there were simply friends and supporters of Bob Hopkins, the founder and president of the magazine, and his mission.
The highlight of the night, though, was when actress Ruta Lee, longtime philanthropist and star of stage, television, and film (she was the cover subject of the magazine’s fourth issue), took the podium. She’s hilarious. When I met her beforehand and told her how fabulous I thought she looked in her silky, fringed shawl and skirt she said, “Are you kidding? I look like a lampshade in a whorehouse.” And she was barely getting started. As she spoke to the crowd, she told old Red Buttons jokes and railed on young Hollywood for not being as philanthropic as the Hollywood of her day. Just before she said her thank you’s and left the stage, she said, “I gotta go. I love a platform and a light. I do 20 minutes when I open the refrigerator door.” She was really wonderful, and, excuse me for being touchy-feely here, but it was nice to be around such a big group of people with such big hearts.
