PALM BEACH, Fla. (January 21, 2011) – Hospice Evening, the legendary celebration of style and giving, exceeded its fundraising goals again this year to benefit Hospice of Palm Beach County’s programs and services. The annual event at The Breakers is hosted by the Palm Beach Membership of the Hospice Foundation of Palm Beach County, and this year’s chairs were Lynn Homes and Sharon O’Neil.  Honorary chairs were Ann Heathwood and Patricia Griffith, with junior committee members Wyatt Koch, Jebb McCracken, Jack Cooney and
Heidi Braxton. Nearly 300 people gathered for evening cocktails and the first American viewing Giambattista Valli’s Spring-Summer 2011 collection on the runway, produced by Saks Fifth Avenue Palm Beach.

After the runway show, Hospice Evening guests were led into the French-inspired ballroom to enjoy dinner and dancing to the music of Marcia Mitchell Music, Inc., as well as a special performance by renowned tenor, Francesco Valpa, courtesy of Patrick Park and Nathalie Fernandez De LaValle.  Richard P. Callahan, president of the Hospice Foundation of Palm Beach County’s Palm Beach Membership, recognized the evening’s honoree – neurologist and palliative medicine specialist, Gail Austin Cooney, M.D. – for her years of brilliant leadership and compassion for all those served at Hospice.

“As medical director, Dr. Cooney had the vision and the humanity to embrace everyone, providing important contributions to patients, their families and the organization as whole,” said Callahan. “Hospice of Palm Beach County has grown from caring for 200 people a day in 1998, to more than 1,200 daily at the start of 2011. It’s because of people like Dr. Cooney, as well as supporters like those at Hospice Evening that we can continue to expand our services throughout the community.”

Seen on and around the dance floor were Al and Sharon O’Neil; Hank and Lynn Homes; Richard P. and Cynthia Callahan; John and Gail Cooney; Desmond and Ann Heathwood; Brad and PatriciaGriffith; Buck and Madeleine Alban; Patrick Park and Nathalie Fernandez De LaValle; Bob and Carol Garvy; Sam and Anita Michaels; Robert and Alyce Morrissey; J. Peter and Kay Lyons; Tom and Melinda Hassen; John and Ellen Cunningham; Charles and Amanda Schumacher; Joseph and Denise Swan; Joseph and Sandy O’Connor; Colleen Bain and Andy Armstrong; Harold J. and Carol Baxter; Robert and Helen Messic; David and Jennifer Fielding; Gerald and Carolyn O’Connor; Brad and Lori Berg; and President of Giambattista Valli USA Angela Casiero. Among the next generation of Hospice Evening’s supporters, guests included Jack Cooney; Ted Cooney; Jebb McCracken; Wyatt Koch and Analisa Muti.

Hospice Evening is the Palm Beach Membership’s signature event and has served as a cornerstone of the Palm Beach social calendar for more than two decades. The fashion show, presented by Saks Fifth Avenue Palm Beach since the event’s inception, has featured many internationally acclaimed designers over the years, including Bob Mackie, Carolina Herrera, Geoffrey Beene, Vera Wang, Badgley Mischka, Arnold Scaasi, Bill Blass, Naeem Khan and most recently, Oscar de la Renta.