Choice soiree

Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania held its 21st annual Choice Event Nov. 7 at the Independence Seaport Museum. More than 260 guests attended the benefit and auction, which raised $85,000. Among the auction items were a consultation with residential architect Stephan Potts, tickets to a taping of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and a photo package by pet photographer Lauren Kaplan. New this year was the chance for guests to purchase an exam table, microscopes, and other items needed to outfit two Planned Parenthood exam rooms.

Security matters

Al Gore was in town Nov. 6 to give the keynote address at the World Affairs Council's national conference, "The New Global Dynamic: Critical Security Issues of the 21st Century," held at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. More than 600 attended the daylong conference, which included remarks by former Gov. Tom Ridge; Dennis Blair, director of national intelligence; and Howard K. Koh, assistant secretary for health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Toque of the town

The March of Dimes raised more than $170,000 at its 13th annual Signature Chefs Auction, held Friday at the Please Touch Museum. The evening for 550 guests, which honored Inquirer publisher Brian P. Tierney, Pennsylvania secretary of public welfare Estelle B. Richman, and George T. Kenney of Temple University Health System, featured signature dishes prepared by 20 local chefs. A highlight of the evening was an appearance by Rahman "Rock" Harper of Fox's Hell's Kitchen. He offered as an auction item the preparing of dinner for six at home with chef John Anderson of Solaris Grille. The winning bid was $1,155.

Good job!

Metropolitan Career Center celebrated its 35th anniversary Nov. 5 with a cocktail reception at the Please Touch Museum. The evening honored Donn Weinberg of the Weinberg Foundation; Fred Dedrick, Pa. deputy secretary for workforce development; Ernest E. Jones of Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation; and Willem Dikland posthumously. The benefit for 150 guests raised $100,000 for the center.

Getting ahead

Gov. Rendell, his wife Marjorie O. Rendell, and Mayor Nutter were among the 250 guests who attended Diversified Search Odgers Berndtson's 35th anniversary celebration Nov. 5 at the firm's offices in Center City. Also spotted in the crowd were Denis O'Brien of Peco, Anthony J. Conti of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Anne Ewers of the Kimmel Center, Judy Spires of Acme Markets, and City Council members Bill Green and Maria D. Quinones-Sanchez. To mark the occasion, the executive search firm's founder and chairman, Judee von Seldeneck, gave the first Future Leaders Scholarship to Avery Jamison, a Russell Byers Charter School graduate and an eighth-grade student at Friends Select. Avery will receive $1,000 a year for five years.