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It was a case of scarlet fever at the Marriott New Orleans on Thursday, February 4: Nearly 400 women clad in the vibrant hue gathered for the annual Go Red for Women Luncheon, sponsored by the American Heart Association.
Beginning at 9 a.m. there were free health screenings and seminars for ticketed guests, followed by a heart-healthy lunch of mixed greens with gorgonzola vinaigrette, lemon and thyme chicken with grilled asparagus and white chocolate bread pudding. Guests were also entertained by inspirational speakers and a “red” fashion show by Chatta Box featuring local businesswomen and heart disease and stroke survivors as models. Nancy-Ellen Martin, Mrs. Louisiana International 2010, and Dominique Melder, Miss Black Louisiana 2010, were also models in the closing show. The day’s activities also included a live auction, with lucky ladies walking away with a Ray Cole scarf, an Aveda gift basket from Paris Parker Salon and diamond earrings from Friend & Company. Major sponsors for the event included People’s Health, Chevron, East Jefferson General Hospital, West Jefferson Medical Center and Tulane Medical Center. In total the day raised more than $175,000 for the AHA. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S., and right here in the New Orleans area more women than men die from cardiovascular disease; funds raised through this benefit luncheon will go toward theorganization’s mission of education and prevention.
