All About Eve’s Best-Dressed Winners

The role of fashion in society is unquestioned: How many presidents of charitable groups do you know with run-down heels? So it should come as no surprise that this year’s crop of Eve winners for the Mannequins of the Assistance League of Southern California is a well-manicured bunch, some couture-oriented, all polished to a sheen.

Awards chairman Linda Blackburn announced the Mannequins list of best-dressed for 1988--all with a major tilt to the volunteer scene. They are Marion (Mrs. John) Anderson, always immaculate and, with her husband, a donor of more than $15 million to the UCLA School of Management; Joanna Carson, beauteous and friendly SHARE devotee; Anne Johnson, chairman of the Costume Council Patrons, charming wife of Franklin and knowledgeable about all things fashion; Ruth LeSage, vivacious ARCS leader; Suzanne Marx, couture-conscious, tiny but always trendy and campaign director for the Nancy Reagan Center/Phoenix House; and Sara O’Meara, tireless, devoted worker for Childhelp and abused children.

They’ll be introduced May 10 at the Afternoon With Eve tea at the Dennis Estate in Beverly Hills, presided over by Fritzy Roeder, auxiliary chairman, and Sally Kroener and Maggie Edwards, benefit chair and co-chair.

The Golden Eve, given annually to a past Eve winner, will go to Esther Wachtell, the new president of the Music Center. Kee Flynn will coordinate the Nolan Miller fashion show.

MAJOR DONORS: The court of the venerable Doheny Library at USC will be transformed into a spring garden Monday evening for a reception honoring members of the board of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation, which has made a $9-million challenge grant for a new teaching library at USC.

Guests of honor will be foundation chairman J. Thomas McCarthy; secretary Kathleen Leavey McCarthy and board members Dorothy Leavey, Joseph James Leavey, Kenneth C. Tyler and Louis M. Castruccio.

TYLER PRIZE: We don’t know the recipient’s name yet, but winner of the 1988 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement will be awarded by Alice C. Tyler on May 13 at the Four Seasons, according to prize director Jerome B. Walker.

More than 173 nominees were considered for the $150,000 award, established in 1973 by Mrs. Tyler in honor of her late husband, John C. Tyler, a founder of the Farmers Insurance Group.

AMERICANA BALL: Americans should take an interest individually and through their political leaders to achieve equity, fairness and justice in Northern Ireland’s conflicts, said U.S. ambassador to Ireland Margaret M. Heckler at the Americana Ball at the Four Seasons.

The former Secretary of Health and Human Services and a Massachusetts congresswoman for 16 years, Ambassador Heckler received the Distinguished Honoree award from Gloria Holden after introductions by her husband, Glen Holden.

She was also presented a portrait by Rosemary Calder before a room brimming with orchids from the gardens of Marion Malouf. Marion and her sister, Florence Malouf, co-founders of Americana Associates, also received gifts from Clement Conger, White House curator, and Secretary of State George P. Shultz for the Associates’ financial support in refurbishing state department rooms used for diplomatic entertaining.

Supporters at the ball included John Vernay, Father Maurice Chase (who gave the invocation), Alyce and Warren Williamson, Ceil Moore, Jane Mapes, Barbara and Alex Bowie, Mary Lou Hicks and Joyce and Fred Hameetman.

MEDALLIONS: Assisteens, the young women who were recently presented in the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton, are now seniors and have been volunteering their time to four community services for three years.

At the Medallion Ball, chaired by Barbara Devine, they got their recognition--gold medallions--for service to the Assistance League of Southern California’s Day Nursery, the Children’s Club, Thrift Shop and Theater for Children.

Honored were Jennifer Aubert, Denise Berry, Patricia Devine, Nicole Farmer, Kimberly Hill, Jennifer Kelley, Charla Ludwig, Dana Reinisch, Tracy Taylor, Angela Westwater, Genevieve Beauvais, Michelle Bracamonte, Heather Cross, Lee Dorney, Kathleen Herron, Katherine Jensen, Kari Kelterer, Nora Kenney, Jennifer Lombardo, Stacey Manuel, Heather McDonald, Megan McGovern, Kellie Moore, Kristen Oswald, Allison Rodd, Kristel Rose, Renee Sosa and Michelle Zaslavsky.

SKY HIGH: Marilyn Lyons, director for external affairs for the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, breezed into town on a sunny day this past week. The good news: The Smithsonian and Les Dames de Champagne (the international hostesses) will collaborate on Silver Kite Flight II, the second phase of fund raising to restore and preserve the historic gowns of First Ladies.

Effervescing about it all over luncheon on the terraces at new Les Dames president Elise Pasetta’s home in Bel-Air were Wanda Henderson, Harriet Luckman, Toni Webb, Hildegard Lindsay, Francine Maroney, Adrienne Underwood, Liliane Ravel, Jeanne Sully.

New members will be adding pizazz--Nadine Carson, Shirley Colby, Josephine Leslie, Millicent Wise, Catherine Quinn, Olive Varga, Jeanne McDonald and Ann Jardine.

Meanwhile, Sue Villicana and her daughter Ann-Marie, chairman of the Young Californians, are already sparking Fourth of July fireworks for a party honoring the Los Angeles consular corps. Getting a welcome were Curtis Mack, director, Los Angeles World Affairs Council, who attended with his wife, Tamara. After lunch, most of the crowd sashayed through the nearby UCLA Hannah Carter Japanese Garden.