Wednesday, May 20, 1992 - North Shore News - 27

Louise Aird photos ~

AT THE firefighters’ bail: (left to right) Elizabeth Hagopian, Shane AFTER A 17-year absence the Vancouver Firefighters’ Bali returned with a gala evening at the Hote!

Barber and Dusty Martell.

Vancouver.

Vancouver Firefighters’ Ball

AY 2 marked the return of the Vancouver

Firefighter’s Ball, after a 17-year absence, thanks

largely to the efforts of sponsor Murray Pezim,
who’s now an Honorary Fire Chief (there were many other

sponsors too numerous to mention here).

About 750 firefighters and wives
turned up at the Hotel Vancouver
for the party and to help raise
money for the VGH Burn Unit.

His always.charming self, The
Pez appeared with a pretty young
blonde, a marathon runner of all
things, named Michelle Rockhill
(or not — she gave me ‘Schagle’
first, then changed her mind and
gave me Rockhill. Go figure).

The evening began with a con-
cert by the Firefighters’ (Brass)
Band. All 50 of ‘em. In an enclos-
ed space. Sounded good, though.

The evening’s emcee, CKNW’s
Rick Honey, was beyond hilarious
(he’d say something into the
microphone, then walk over and

Louise Aird
BRIGHT LIGHTS

Several B.C. Lions were there.
New quarterback Danny Barrett,
who seems very nice, was there
stag — his wife was at home
waiting for their new baby to ar-

Heather Belzberg and Roger Scott.

yell the same thing into Pezim’s
ear, and he wouldn't allow Fire
Chief Don Pamplin to sit with his
hand in his lap). One thing |
couldn't figure out — since wh
do we appiaud after grace is said?

The Hotel Vancouver may have
been overwhelmed (BC Hydro
was having its 50th anniversary
dinner next door) because the
shrimp was too fishy and many
bloody filets mignon went back to
the kitchen, leaving everyone
haplessly thinking of their
pooches.

No matter — everyone had a
good time, mingling and dancing
to the music of the excellent
“Tuxedo function.”

rive,

Barrett was sitting with Jim
Mills, fan Sinclair and their shab-
bily-dressed dates who were also
incredibly icy — The Pez should
send his boys to PR Training
Camp.

B.C. Lions president Frank
Gigliotti was there with his wife
Dorothy, coach Bob O'Bilovich
was with his wife Judy and we had
the pleasure of the company of
Texas oilman Richard Bowes with
his drop-dead gorgeous ‘‘niece,”
Vancouver's Tatiana Rose, who
wore an exquisite hot-pink satin
strapless dress.

Also beautifully dressed were
Heather Belzberg, in orange

satin, an! BCTV’s Dusty Martell,
in a cream silk sheath (Dusty was
there with her boyfriend, West
Van cop/hunk Shane Barber).

Speaking of clothes — there
were some real disasters at the
ball. A dozen women showed up
with bare legs beneath short skirts.
Bzzzzzzt!

One of them, with tanned skin
that looked like the floor of the
Mojave Desert, borrowed her
mini-dress from her granddaughter
— so the skirt went up to here and
the cleavage went down to there.
And another wore a modified
electric blue bridesmaid’s gown |
wouldn’t wear to a Sarnia wed-
ding.

And since Mac Parry had
discussed her thoroughly in his
Vancouver Sun column that day, |
had to check out Bonnie
Johnson, whom Parry referred to
as a ‘Pezim associate.’

Ms. Johnson should Jearn that a
recitation of her plastic surgery
history does not good public rela-
tions make — everyone was look-
ing for her scars.

Great dress, though — a full,
daffodil-yellow number which,
Pezim told me, cost $12,000.
(Note to Bonnie: at that level, the
best-dressed women never pay
retail.)

kw *&

Couldn't make it — actually, |
wasn't invited — to the May 8 bir-
thday party of political strategist
Lorne Valensky.

Valensky, who surely halds
many Socred markers, celebrated
his 35th at the Cannery, with
Socred heavyweights Rita

Johnston, Patrick and Brenda
Kinsella, Jerry and Sherry
Lampert, Steve and Valerie Vrlak,
Jess and Ramona Ketchum and
Craig and Ginnie Aspinall.
Telegrams also arrived from Bill
Bennett, Stan Hagen and Dan
Peterson — popular guy.

My spy couldn't precisely hear
the conversation, but said they
weren't discussing political strate-

8

vie does know that the anec-
dotes and jokes flowed as furiously
as the wine, and every time the
name “Harcourt” or “‘Sihota”’

was mentioned, the group erupted
into squeals and peais of laughter.

kkk

My favorite exchange-of-the-
month, overheard between two
somewhat prominent West Van-
ners at Someplace Special:

4 saw you at the Vancouver
Playhouse — did you enjoy
Macbeth?”

“| thought the acting was
good. Wasn't very well written,
though.”

Michelle Rockhiil with the Pez (above);
Gigliotti (lower photo).

Dorothy and Frank

An Invitation
To West Vancouver's

Cruise Ship Event Of The Year
Saturday, May 23, 1992
5:00 pm — 7:00 pm
Peppi's Restaurant
Join us to toast the spectacular Regal Princess
as she salutes West Vancouver.
Champagne and hors d'oeuvres will be served.
Tickets $15 per person.
(Refundable when you book a Princess Cruise!)
Please purchase tickets in advance from:
Roseway Travel 926-4344
Travel Experts 926-8511

Whytecliff Travel 926-6871