Following up on Ben's blog of yesterday, we thoroughly enjoyed our annual Holiday Party Wednesday night and, as is tradition, the weather was daunting, ie, it snowed and snowed and snowed. So much so that it amounted to another silver lining in that the pandemic prevented a traditional in person festival and required that we party conveniently on Zoom.

Party highlights were Alison Crowther, mother of Welles Remy Crowther, who ascended to immortality on 9/11/2001 by saving 18 souls while wearing his distinctive red bandanna, presenting Gotham’s highest honor, the Red Bandanna Award, to Lourdes Villanueva Hartrick, in recognition of her many selfless deeds during the pandemic.

Lourdes is a member of the Queens group which Corey Bearak was instrumental in reviving and which has become a true Gotham Hot Spot.

Why a Hot Spot? Because in addition to Lourdes, Queens swept the Gotham Awards with Group Coordinator Dan Schwartz and member Brad Scherer entering the Gotham Hall of Fame (it’s on the website) as our 2020 Networkers of the Year.

Hats off to Fred Morante’s Queens group and honorees!

Additionally there was singing (Paula Oleska, David Padrusch and Nancy Schess), sing along (led by surprise guest Marc Eismann), drink making and bartending (Mitch Tobol), the awarding of 5 $4000 Gotham Foundation grants (thank you all who contributed and Lisa and Michael for administering it), historical video and far more which made for good cheer (and networking)!

I really really enjoyed myself and feel really really proud of our unique thing and Family!

Last, but far from least, thanks to Holiday Party Sponsors Raj Goel, Tom Gallin, Jason Greenberg and Ray Walcott and props to Events Chairman Norman Spizz for putting it all together and running it seamlessly!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS (as pictured)!