Photos: Philip Shone

Through Rose-Colored Glasses………

Guests attending the 2008 Taste of Love must have surely felt they were looking through rose-colored glasses at the annual black-tie gala at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead on February 9th presented by the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia!

The evening began with a wonderful cocktail reception and silent auction that featured an exciting array of unique items awaiting the highest bidder! Guests then entered the elegant ballroom adorned with roses, rose hued linens, walls and dining tables accented with various styles of rose centerpieces that tied the room together and brought gasps from attendees!

Senator and Mrs. Johnny Isakson served as Honorary Hosts for the evening.

A delicious gourmet dinner paired with wines was enjoyed by more than 500 guests. During dinner, Chuck Dowdle, WSB TV Sports Director and Anchor, and Master of Ceremonies for the evening, welcomed everyone and treated guests to the inspiring remarks of Stephanie Boswell and Sherri Dickens.

Ms. Boswell, who was diagnosed with epilepsy within the last year, spoke about how as a wife and mother to young children, she has come to grips with living with seizures. Ms. Dickens spoke of her experiences as the mother of a daughter who lives daily with epilepsy.

The rosy outlook for the next year’s programs of the Foundation was made possible in large part through the support of the following sponsors of this year’s Taste of Love:

Presenting Sponsor
UCB Pharma – The Epilepsy Company

Platinum Sponsor
Anesthesia Healthcare Partners
Patricia B. Terwilliger Family Foundation

Silver Sponsor
Terwilliger Family Foundation, Inc.

Bronze Sponsors
Joanne & Charles Ackerman
Jan & Wes Bigler
Homeric & Berg
Laura & Robert LaChapelle
Tania & Bud Tombaugh

Corporate Sponsors
Bank of North Georgia

Media Sponsor
The Atlantan

Graphic Design & Printing Sponsors
Beck
Shamrock Printing

Table Sponsors
Joanne & Charles Ackerman
Louisa & Tom Affleck
Jan & Wes Bigler
Niles Bolton Associates, Inc.
Stephanie and Sean Boswell
Chatham Capitol
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Tracy & Alan Dean
Pam & Greg Embry
Engler Financial Group, LLC
Deby Glidden
Amy & Mike Gray
Didi & Pete Graybill
Homrich & Berg, Inc.
Laura & Robert LaChapelle
Nancy & Tim Lawler
Bonnie & Grant Leadbetter
LongView Wealth Management
Lisa & Sean Lynch
Manheim
Lynda & Bill McNeeley
Northeast Management, LLC
Anita & Jim Patterson
Peachtree Planning Corporation
Tina & Rod Robinson
Bernice & Fred Rowan
Miranda & Harry Shapiro
Tania & Bud Stumbaugh
Fran & Ronald Terwilliger
Patricia B. Terwilliger
UCB Pharma
The Epilepsy Company
UPS Capital Corporation
Wachovia
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge, & Rice

Bonnie Terwilliger Leadbetter again led the successful campaign to raise funds for the Foundation’s annual camp scholarship and emergency medication programs.

Energy in the room was red-hot during the Live Auction as several experience packages, memorabilia items, beautiful jewelry and the world’s cutest puppy was auctioned by auctioneer Bill Tiedemann of Manheim.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Inaugural James H. Murphy Endowment Award. This award was designed to honor the continued dedication and support afforded by James H. (Jim) Murphy to the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia Endowment Fund. Mr. Murphy played a pivotal role in establishing the Endowment Fund as well as the continued growth of the Fund through his personal contributions as well as those of his associates whom he recruited. The James H. Murphy Endowment Award will be presented to donors who follow Mr. Murphy’s example of making significant contributions to the Endowment Fund.

The Foundation felt it was only fitting that the Inaugural James H. Murphy Endowment Award be presented to Mr. Murphy and were pleased Mr. Murphy was able to attend and accept the award.

After dinner, guests danced the evening away to the dynamic music of Rhythm Nation.

This outstanding evening was the result of the hard work of Event Co-Chairpersons Wesley Bigler, Bonnie Terwilliger Leadbetter, Anita Patterson and Patricia Terwilliger supported by a great committees comprised of Lisa Bastuk, Holly Bounds, Lloyd Brown, Molly Caine, Leslie Causey, Tracy Dean, Greg Embry, Ben Gamble, Susan Ganser, Onika Gladstone, Deby Glidden, Pete Graybill, John Holloway, Patt Killian, Laura & Robert LaChapelle, Kevin Linsey, Lisa Lynch, Celia O’Keeffe, Rebecca Mayadag, Lynda McNeeley, Lisa Millard, Kelly Morrison, Pam & Tim Murphy, Barbara Palumbo Prinkey, Anita & Jim Patterson, Pauline Reynolds, Tina Robinson, MD, Loring Stevens, Charlotte & Ed Thompson, Claudia Woodruff, Eileen Rose, and Allison Stewart.

The result is truly rose-colored whether you are wearing spectacles or not as the Taste of Love 2008 netted a record-breaking $260,000.00