Children’s seizes the spotlight

Neiman Marcus and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta teamed up for a fun fashion show luncheon the other day, but patrons heard a serious message, too.

After enjoying lunch and admiring the spring looks by designer Lela Rose, guests heard from Danielle Rollins, whose daughter Carlyle, 9, has become all too familiar with the services Children’s provides. Carlyle suffered a severely broken leg last year and has battled serious infection as she has recovered.

Rollins recalled that during the frantic call to 911, “I prayed my daughter would hold old long enough to get to the hospital. That night, they saved her life. Over the next nine months, they have saved her leg. They never gave up. Our daughter is alive today because of Children’s.”

Stephanie Blank, chairwoman of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, encouraged patrons to consider membership in the foundation’s Hope Circle with a $1,000 gift, or the Circle of Care with a $10,000 gift. Rollins and husband Glenn are chairing the Circle of Care group.

“We need a children’s hospital in Georgia,” Blank said. “Our children need us.”

Children’s Healthcare, which operates three hospitals and 16 neighborhood locations, says it handled more than 500,000 patient visits and provided more than $103 million in unreimbursed care in 2008. Blank said doctors are starting to see parents wait until their children are very sick to seek medical care, fearing they cannot afford it.

“We will never, ever, ever turn away a sick or injured child,” she stressed.

Ladies supporting the cause at the luncheon included Jackie Berkelhamer, Ginny Brewer, Monica Dioda, Cynthia Hammond, Marjorie Harvey, Pam Rollins Henritze, Mary Johnson, Pam Kaufman, Elizabeth Klump, Amy Krisler, Liz Lazarus, Margaret Oliva, Christy Roberts, Peggy Rollins, Becca Shepherd, Helen Weeks and Shannon Wilkins.

Association says “felicidades!”

Annie York Trujillo received an award for outstanding community leadership from the Latin American Association at the non-profit’s 20th annual Companeros Awards Luncheon, held last week at the Georgia Aquarium.

Trujillo, who left Cuba in 1960 and settled in the Atlanta area the following year, has lived in Sandy Springs for 34 years. She volunteers for the Latin American Association and works on the organization’s Latin Fever ball and the annual bash for the Georgia Council for International Visitors. The ticket desk chairwoman for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, she also serves as vice president of membership for the Alliance Theatre. Previously, Trujillo worked for six years in the Doraville office of Catholic Social Services, now Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Coming right up

Johnny’s Hideaway celebrates its 30th anniversary Thursday with an evening of entertainment featuring singer Manuel Covington and Elvis tribute artist Mark Phillips. Chris Dauria owns and manages the club… . Hank and Billye Aaron head the list of honorees Saturday at the Atlanta-based Allied Athletes Group Foundation’s gala. At the black-tie bash at the Westin Buckhead, the Aarons will receive a lifetime achievement award from the charitable arm of the AAG, a for-profit athletes’ advisory company. Other honorees include former NBA star Alonzo Mourning (athlete of the year), University of Georgia linebacker Rennie Curran (college athlete of the year) and the parents of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (athlete parents of the year). Tickets to the gala are $150. Tickets for both a reception and the gala are $300. Preceding the gala is a Friday charity golf tournament at the Julius Erving-owned Celebrity Golf Club in Tucker. The entry fee is $225. Proceeds benefit the AAG Foundation’s reading programs and Grady Health System. Info: 678-436-5606 or mkoretzky@aagfoundation.org.

Contributing: Mary Lou Pickel, Steve Hummer

butterfly@ajc.com