United Way Honoree and Motown Fan Sings Again

Fans of my sister—and all of our readers who appreciate public speaking—will enjoy Anne’s follow-up to her Broadway debut. (Here’s an earlier column, Motown Fan Makes Her Broadway Debut.)

Last week Anne was honored by the United Way of Santa Barbara for philanthropy. She has chaired or been a trustee of many arts and education-based nonprofits.  I traveled across country to cheer her on.  We enjoyed three fun days of catching up with Anne’s family, bargain cashmere shopping, hiking, and lunch with Anne’s Angel Group.  Strolling State Street downtown with my sister is, as one of her friends put it, “like walking with the mayor.”

The night of the award, the emcee was Anne’s dear friend Debby Davison, a retired news anchor for KEYT-TV, formerly owned by Anne and her late first husband Bobby.  Debby delivered a touching tribute to Anne accompanied by slides showing our parents, the two of us as children, and Anne in various community and family roles.

Anne didn’t tell anyone, not even husband Mike, about how she planned to accept her award.  In a red Stella McCartney gown that attested to her Pilates and Yoga devotion, she glided to the stage.  She thanked the United Way and commended Tom and Sue Parker of the Hutton Parker Foundation, the other honorees. She also thanked the Santa Barbara Foundation which named her Woman of the Year two weeks before.

“A third exciting thing happened recently,” she said.  She recalled our recent sisters’ trip to New York.  A downpour led to our making new friends and scoring great seats for Motown the Musical.  And to Anne’s getting the chance to join the Diana Ross character on stage singing “Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand.”

She said, “It occurred to me how important that message is.  We all need to reach out and touch somebody’s hand.  That’s what we’re doing here tonight.” She asked the audience to join her in singing the refrain.  She gestured to the band and said, “This is something I’ve always wanted to say: Hit it, Maestro.”

The ballroom resounded in song.  Voices grew stronger with each refrain, Anne’s the strongest of all.  Some 400 adults held hands around their tables and swayed to the music.  After, I know I wasn’t the only one digging in her handbag for tissue.

It was short and sweet and inspiring.

Make this world a better place.  My sister can and does.