The 56th Annual International Red Cross Ball was held on February 8 at The Breakers in Palm Beach, hosted by Chairman, Ambassador Mary M. Ourisman. The event honored Dina Merrill Hartley, with a performance by her grandson Cole Rumbough and continued its more than half-a-century status of being among the highlights of the Palm Beach social scene, welcoming ambassadors, dignitaries, government and civic officials, and philanthropic leaders from around the world in support of the vital humanitarian mission of the American Red Cross. Co-Chairs and Honorees included Paula Butler, Trish Donnelley, Darlene Jordan, Amanda Schumacher, Kathryn Vecelio, Rhonda Wilkins; and Honorary Co-Chairmen were The Honorable Mary V. Mochary, The Honorable Nancy Ellison Rollnick, The Honorable William D. Rollnick, The Honorable Beverly White Yeager. Honorary Junior Chairmen were Matthew T. Mellon II and Nicole Hanley Mellon.
Washington’s ambassadors attending included: Iceland’s Gudmundur Stefansson and his wife Jona Dora Karlsdottir, Indonesia’s Dino Patti Djalal and his wife Rosa, Rachad Bouhlal from Morocco and his wife Fatiha Bouhlal, Rudolf Bekink of the Netherlands and his wife Gabrielle, Portugal’s Nuno Brito, who will be bringing his wife Rosa, Singapore’s Ashok Mirpuri and his wife Gouri Mirpuri.