The New Orleans Museum of Art was seeing blue for the American Red Cross’ annual “Humanitarian Ball.” Held the evening of Oct. 14 at NOMA, local artist George Rodrigue (famed for his “Blue Dog” paintings), his wife Wendy Rodrigue, and several American Red Cross staff members and volunteers were honored at the fund-raising soirée, which celebrated those who “embody the spirit of our state in all its unique and glorious colors.”
The patron party and silent auction started the night’s festivities and afterwards, guests attended the ball, where they socialized, supped and sipped on cocktails until 11 p.m. K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen generously sponsored the awards, auction, dancing and dinner, which included delicacies such as julienne beef, seafood dressing with butter cream, shrimp and andouille over Creole rice, gumbo, oysters and more.
For the raffle, Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry donated a $2,000 shopping spree, and centerpieces by Floral Savage were also available to bid on. Musicalperformances by Amanda Shaw & The Cute Guys and the New Orleans Jazz Vipers entertained guests at the patron party and the ball, respectively. Football jerseys from New Orleans natives Eli Manning (New York Giants) and Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) were a hot item in the auction, as was a handmade bracelet donated by Sabai.
Soon after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Louisiana, George Rodrigue created a painting, “We Will Rise Again,” of which proceeds—about $500,000, to date—benefited the Southeast Louisiana Chapter of
the Red Cross. George and Wendy Rodrigue continued to exhibit their generosity when they presented a check to the Red Cross for $100,000, bringing the proceeds from the night to more than $160,000.
Elizabeth Boh, George and Wendy Rodrigue, and American Red Cross
executive director Kay Wilkins
Ryan Berg, Patrice McNeal, and Jay and Dana Young
Mary and Alvin Cooley
Mary Sutton with Joe and Cynthia Molyneux
Donald van de Werken, Judy Darby-Hoffmeister and Joey DiFatta
Katherine and Bob Boh
