A new twist for Tally Ho A new twist for Tally Ho (August 24, 2005)

It's vintage cars instead of horses at this year's benefit for Lucile Packard Children's Hospital

By Jane Knoerle

Almanac Lifestyles Editor

"It's time for a change," says Tally Ho director Marlene Belstock. "Here on the Peninsula, it seems there's a gala every weekend. We needed to bring in new ideas and also attract the younger crowd. We can't have the same old, same old," says Ms. Belstock of the Tally Ho benefit, which will take place Saturday, September 10, at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton.

After conferring with younger members of the Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary, the sponsor of Tally Ho, Ms. Belstock and her committee have come up with several innovations.
Two-tier tickets

There will be two tiers of tickets. Guests may pay $175 per person for hors d'oeuvres, wine tasting, dinner, fashion show, live auction and dancing; or enter the clubhouse at 8 p.m. for a dessert extravaganza, fashion show, live auction, and dancing for $75 a person. There will also be champagne and single malt tastings.

"We hope this will encourage the young crowd, as well as older single women who might be hesitant to come for the whole evening, to attend," says Ms. Belstock.
Vintage cars

Since the horse show has been discontinued, the Vintage Rally Group is bringing 15 to 20 of its vintage cars for a display on the Circus Club grounds, and for a Sunday morning rally.

As part of its "Chariots for Children" fundraising project for Packard Children's Hospital, the club will auction off tour rides and sponsorships for a rally beginning at the Circus Club at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, September 11. The vintage cars will navigate a 75-mile ride, the guests will have lunch, and then they will return the 75 miles to the Menlo Circus Club for refreshments and awards.

Morris Kindig is event chairman for the Vintage Rally Group which will also hold its annual Wine Country Run on October 29 and 30.
Fashion show

Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary members -- instead of professional models -- will model the fashions from Penelope Boutique of Santana Row. Seeing their friends dressed to the nines is always a big hit with partygoers, but it requires many hours of scheduling and fitting for the participants and the sponsoring store.

Ms. Belstock, who says she shops exclusively at Penelope's, which specializes in French and Italian fashions, was able to arrange for the shop's participation.

There will be no children's events at Tally Ho this year. Attendance has been poor the last few years. "Today's kids are too busy," says Ms. Belstock, who adds that staffing the children's events requires a great number of volunteers.

It's no wonder many changes have been made in the Tally Ho format since it has been the premier fundraising event for the Woodside-Atherton Auxiliary for 55 years.

Early members recall the days when dinner was served out-of-doors around the pool and it cost more to sit on the shady side. For a while, there were two separate dinners served: one, a sit-down in the clubhouse, and the other, an outdoor buffet. Then the party moved to a tent on the Circus Club grounds.

There have been casinos and Cirque du Soleil-type shows. One thing is consistent, however, raising money for seriously ill children, who are patients at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

Proceeds from this year's Tally Ho will be used to buy a Thoratec ventricular assist device to support heart-failure patients in the cardiovascular intensive care unit of the hospital. The price is $100,000.

Hors d'oeuvres for the cocktail hour at Tally Ho will be provided by A Tavola, California Cafe, Chantilly, Chef Chu's, Lavanda, Left Bank, Milagros, Mistral, Nola, P.F. Chang, Navio at the Ritz Carlton, Roberts of Woodside, Straits Cafe, and 231 Ellsworth.

Auction items will include an opportunity for enthusiasts to bid on the navigator seat in the Vintage Car Rally; four nights for two in Athens, Greece, plus three nights for two in Elounda, Crete; a week for six at the Beaver Run Resort at Breckenridge, Colorado; and a black pearl necklace with diamonds by Stephen Webster, valued at $46,750.

The Tally Ho models are Elaine Scotten, Jean Coblentz, Diane Bottoms, Vicki Kojola, Libby Russo, Laurel Trask, Alicia Seebold, Katie Seebold, Marlene Belstock, Jean Lamb, Louise DeDera, Margery Hollister, Dee Ellis, Pat Allen, Marcia Kashnow, Mary Dowley, Mary Vavuris, Marya Keeth, Margot Wall and Mary Jane Swenson.
INFORMATION

The 55th Tally Ho benefit for Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, September 10, at the Menlo Circus Club, 190 Park Lane, Atherton. The all-gala ticket, including dinner, is $175 per person. The dessert extravaganza ticket is $75 per person. For reservations, call 1-877-TallyHo or go to waacharity.org.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.