Heart association gala a rocking success
BY MARGE KULLERSTRAND
margek@nwitimes.com
219.933.3244 | Sunday, March 18, 2007
 Ain't no mountain high enough to keep us from reaching our goal of saving lives... was the theme for this year's 2007 's Heart of Gold Ball held in the beautiful Celebrity Ballroom at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza in Merrillville. The event had a Motown theme that kept the room rocking the entire evening.
The ball had more than 550 guests attending and the Radisson Hotel, under the catering direction of Margie Cosentino, served an array of outstanding food throughout the ballroom. The evening ended with a Motown musical dessert parade that was just delightful.
 Michael Spiccia did a great job as this year's master of ceremonies. (He seemed to enjoy himself when he was on stage with the evening's entertainment the Whitney Nots - who entertained guests with a Motown review - and Motown DJ Demitrious, who kept the music grooving.
This year's goal of $200,000 was surpassed through the generosity of all of the sponsors and donors who make the event a success.
The 2007 Heart Victor is Jill Maassel, a heart disease survivor. Three local physicians were awarded with the 2007 Heart of Gold Award: Philip Chua, Arun Goel and Ernest Mirich. Presenting the award to the distinguished doctors was Ed Charbonneau, president/CEO of Methodist Hospital.
Jim Hrusovsky received an awarded for individually raising more than $205,000 for the Heart Walk and for being the top walker in the state and in the entire United States. He also set history for the American Heart Association - reaching a height never achieved before.
Kudos to the executive committee for putting together such a successful event: Dr. N. Obaid; Michael Spiccia, executive chairman; Carol Kalmar, logistics and account chairman; Aria Mazer, auction chairman; Dana Purcell and Starr McDonald, decoration co-chairmen; and Diane Kemp, executive director of the American Heart Association, Northwest Indiana.
Committee members were Dana Argoudelis, Kathleen Berda, Mike Bucko, Margie Cosentino, Maxine Ettema, Liz Kish, Bob Lutes, Padmini Makam, Debbie Mizwicki, Evelyn Morrison, Suchita Shah, Tasha Slys, Jackie Stuck, Tracy Sult, Brad Sult, Julie Wiencek, Alicia Perez and John Mang, board of director's chairman.
The Heart Association thanks the exclusive title sponsors for this year's event: Methodist Hospital, Fifth/Third Bank and Mittal Steel. Others sponsors this year were Meijer; First Midwest Bank and Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation Inc; Centier Bank, Community Healthcare System, First Financial Bank, Heart Care of NWI, Horseshoe Casino, Majestic Star and Strack & Van Til.
This year's Heart Ball had outstanding live auction items auctioned off by Tom McDermott and his assistant, Dana Argoudelis.
Donations were given by the following: Bosak Motors - a two-year auto lease for a Jeep Compass; Horseshoe Casino - a party of 20 Chicago skyline cruise from Chicago to the Hammond casino and an evening of gambling; WhiteHawk Country Club - an annual membership for the club (any additional membership bought between Feb. 17 and April 30 brings $500 to the American Heart Association); GAMBA Ristorante - dinner for 10 in the private wine cellar; SAM Club - a gourmet stainless steel grill and grilling accessories and patio furniture.
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular diseaseremains the nation's No. 1 killer, claiming nearly one million lives last year.
For more information on the Heart Ball, call (219) 996-4958.
Upcoming events the association will host in Northwest Indiana are its annual Go Red For Women Educational Symposium focusing on women and heart health May 17, and the Northwest Indiana Heart Walk Sept. 22 (Lake County) and Sept. 29 (Porter County).
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