Best Friends Foundation Gala
Rock Around the Clock

Once again, this year’s Best Friends Foundation Gala at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel stood out among the bevy of galas in the first week in May. The theme of “Do You Remember When Rock Was Young” brought out the saddle shoes, poodles skirts and shades, and allowed the social set to let loose and dance at the end of a busy social week. Guests dined on a no-frills dinner of steak; baked potato with all of the fixings; string beans; and brownie a-lamode for dessert.

Over $600,000 was raised for the Foundation’s elementary and middle school Best Friends and Best Men programs and the high school Diamond Girls Leadership and Best Men Leadership programs. More than $100,000 was raised in the live auction when two cars were auctioned off— one to Joe Roberts, who planned to give it to his mother as a Mother’s Day gift; and the other to Lawrence and Susan Kadish. In addition, Houshang Ansari spent an impressive $25,000 for a lunch with former Sen. Fred Thompson.

Andrea Roane and Elaine Bennett	P.J. Nalls and Larson Leachman

Bo Derek with Doug and Susan Bennett	Barbara Harrison and Grace Bender

Frank Carlucci	Jeong and Cindy Kim	Mica and Bob Mosbacher

Rep. Roy Blunt and Abby Perlman	Angie and John Marriott	Susan Allen

John Haynes and Sec. Gale Norton	Aimee Roberts and Bill Bennett

Wolf Blitzer, Tom McMillan and Rima Al-Sabah

Photos by Kyle Samperton