March 4, 2008

National League of American Pen Women honor
nine local women at celebrity luncheon

By Jeanne C. Carbone
Editor

Hollywood writers may have been on strike, but there were no pickets at the National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW) Mardi Gras celebrity luncheon held Feb. 2 at the First Congregational Church.

Presenting the NLAPW 2008 achievers are, back row, Martha Alderson, Dolores Duran-Cefalu, Peggy Spool, Haleh Mahbod, Bernis Terhune, and front row, Floy Zittin, Lorraine Macchello, Jana McBurney-Lin, and Jean Bradshaw. Photo by Jeanne C. Carbone

“This year’s celebrity theme of Mardi Gras allowed us to focus on the joy of celebrating our honored guests who have excelled as artists, writers and musicians,” said NLAPW Santa Clara branch president Christine Dargahi. “The room was a veritable kaleidoscope of color, energy and excitement as many who attended wore costumes and masks in keeping with the festive theme.”

“Along with highlighting our gifted guests, we also had a program which featured our own talented NLAPW members. The afternoon was an inspiring, joyous and memorable tribute to the arts,” added Dargahi.

Each year, the NLAPW Santa Clara Branch nominates and chooses local women achievers who have accomplished excellence in the arts, letters and music. This year Jean Bradshaw, Haleh Mahbod and Fly Zittin were honored for their contributions in the art. In letters, Martha Alderson, Jana McBurney-Lin, Lorraine Macchello and Bernis Terhune received awards and, Dolores Duran-Cefalu and Peggy Spool were awarded for music.

The celebrity luncheon is an honor that the Santa Clara Branch bestows annually to local women achievers. Equally important are the donations raised by the ticket sales, silent auction and raffle to provide for scholarships and annual monetary grants to high school students that excel in the arts.

The NLAPW promotes the development of the creative talents of professional female artists, writers, dramatists, lecturers and composers. The league consists of branches, state organizations and members at large. The 4,000 professional women that are members are divided among 170 branches throughout the United States and headquartered in Robert Todd Lincoln’s historic mansion in Washington, D.C. The Santa Clara Branch was founded in 1922.

“Co-chairwomen Susan Zerweck and Carol Greene organized a memorable 2008 celebrity luncheon,” said secretary Mary Chiao. “Good food, great music and a star-studded show. I loved Edie Mathews’ performance. She answered the question how do you talk to your teenager by performing a hilarious ‘Mama Rap’ routine.”

NLAPW women descended the runway in designer Jerry Scaife’s creations twirling colorful parasols and Mardi Gras inspired feathered masks and boas. Puppeteer Carol Greene brought gaiety to the performance with her amorous rabbit Reginald, who was thrilled to be appreciated by so many women.

And everyone joined in when Zerweck sang, Judy Bingman played saxophone and Nancy Bloomer Deussen played piano to “When the Saints Go Marching In” for the Mardi Gras parade. Brilliantly masked, feathered, beaded and costumed women danced around the room to the delight of observers.

2008 achievers
“Discovering the beauty in the world around me is my greatest work,” said artist and teacher Jean Bradshaw who was recognized as a NLAPW Santa Clara branch 2008 achiever.

Haleh Mahbod specializes in photography and painting but also is a founding member of Art Through Women’s Eyes, a grassroots organization promoting emerging artists' works started in 2005.

Artist Floy Zittin loves exploring California’s open spaces and wildlife through watercolor. She has won numerous awards and is currently showing her work at the Viewpoints Gallery in Los Altos.

Martha Alderson penned “Blockbuster Plots Pure and Simple” in 2004 and became her own cottage industry with books, DVDs and speaking engagements. She speaks to authors at seminars as well as private consultations on the importance of plot.

Jana McBurney-Lin’s debut novel “My Half of the Sky” explores a modern Chinese woman’s struggle with love and honor. The author is busy collecting awards including, as a finalist in the Fiction & Literature: General Fiction category of the National Best Books 2007 Awards, Honorable Mention in the fiction category of the 2007 DIY Book Festival Awards and the August 2006 Book Sense Pick.

Lorraine Paolucci Macchello pays tribute to her parents who immigrated to America spanning 100 years and four generations in her non-fiction work “The Dowry Legacies to an Italian American Daughter.”

Bernis Terhune was also honored in letters for her contributions in playwriting, puppetry and directing. Honored for their contributions in music were Dolores Duran-Cefalu and Peggy Spool.