There is something very special about a room full of women ” nearly 300 of them. Every February the Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation’s Queen of Hearts organization fills up the ballroom at the Resort at Squaw Creek to celebrate the importance of philanthropy in our area. The women network, socialize and raise their awareness of the area’s needs. This year the luncheon, chaired by Karyn Frazier, was red hot in decor and the keynote speaker ” San Francisco’s Mayor Gavin Newsom. It was the first time the all-female organization invited a male to speak. With the mayor testing the gubernatorial waters, he was much obliged to lay a little ground work up here in the Sierra.

TTCF CEO Lisa Dobey welcomed the ladies and gave an overview of the QOH Women’s Fund annual grants during a lunch of spinach salad, salmon with green beans finished off with lemon mousse and strawberries. Then the charismatic Newsom took the floor.

Newsom spoke of his progressive social welfare programs in San Francisco highlighting Project Homeless Connect, a program dealing with the city’s homeless problem by connecting the homeless with partners. The program has been so successful that it has been copied in several major cities. Newsom graciously took questions, and revealed how he recently accompanied his expectant wife Jennifer (who was in D.C. working on a project interviewing women of power) to the doctor to see the sonogram of his first child. Having had the privilege to sit next to the mayor, I can honestly say he was charming, amicable and extremely interested in the local issues.

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After Newsom spoke, the community foundation’s program officer, Phebe Bell, laid out the foundation’s upcoming “Call To Action” phone campaign’s goal to raise $100,000 for local agencies that are currently in dire need due to the economy. Her appeal for volunteers was well received as evidenced by the volunteer sign-ups after the luncheon.

For those wanting to volunteer or donate to this much needed cause, log onto http://www.ttcf.net, or call 587-1776.

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Some of those among the philanthropic “royalty” gathered at the Queen of Hearts luncheon included the luncheon committee chairwomen Leah Butterworth, Emily Farrell, and Chiara Gajar, also Nancy Cushing of Squaw Valley Ski Corp, TCPUD GM Cindy Gustafson, Gail Baker, Ann Beck, Dr. Christina Campbell, Georgine Casella, Tamara McKinney, Bobbi Specht, Patti Boxeth, Jan Brisco, Laura Brown, Linda Brown, Cathy Dangler, Janet Zipkin, Brinn Wellise, Lorna Tirman, Alison Elder, Mayumi Elegado of Moonshine Ink, Cathy Harry, Arts for the Schools E.D. Melanie Kaufman, LTMF music festival CEO Lisa Krueger, Nora Leeder, Esther Sonnenberg, Laura Ryan, Terry Yagura, Molly Graham, Pam Hobday, Vicki Lawrence, Julie Mauer of Booth Creek, Phyllis McConn, Leisa Peterson, Jan Colyer, Marianne Porter, Patti Florian, Raine Howe, Meg Raymore, Barbara Ilfeld, Jody Poe, Judy Friedman, Veronica Kaufman, Nileta Morton, attorney Debra Nicholson, Barbara Futran, Shirley Hale, Nancy Gisko, Stacy Herhusky, Roseann Parker, Berticia Pearlman, Stephanie Rogerson, and Tahoe Forest Hospital Foundation’s Maia Schneider and Martha Simon.

“Vicki can be e-mailed at vickikahn@sbcglobal.net