01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, May 14, 2006

Newport Showhouse Guild

Party and tour raise $20,000 A contingent of 600 guests toured the Newport Showhouse Guild's two designer-decorated houses on May 5 during the preview party.

The setting was the Carnegie Abbey Club in Portsmouth, and the party was held in a tent at O'Neill Luxury Properties. About 24 interior and landscape specialists took charge of the digs, both new constructions by Mark Horan Builders.

Showhouse Guild president Caroline "Carrie" Slee and design chair Joy Sawyer greeted guests as they arrived at the houses by trolley or golf cart. After the tour, the Cinco de Mayo-themed party began. It included a Mariachi band and dishes of -- what else? -- tacos, guacamole and black bean soup.

The money (the party brought in $20,000) raised will be donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport County and the Star Kids Scholarship program, which helps high-risk, low-income children attend private schools.

National Jewish Medical and Research Center

Paul Choquette honored with humanitarian award For Paul Choquette, chairman of Gilbane Building Co., supporting our nation's top lung, allergy and immune diseases hospital was "an easy sell."

He and several uncles had asthma.

His dedication to that cause and others paid off with a prestigious humanitarian award given May 4 by the R.I. Friends of Denver-based National Jewish Medical and Research Center. Nearly 320 friends, family, colleagues and business leaders crowded into the ballroom of the Convention Center to salute Choquette.

He attended with his wife, Libba, and three daughters, Denise, Jeanne and Suzanne. (The Choquettes have five children.)

His wife's brother, lawyer John T. Walsh Jr., acted as host. He joked about the number of awards given to Choquette, a lawyer who graduated from Brown in 1960 and Harvard Law School in 1963. Walsh added that many times he has been asked to "honor the honoree, Paul. Maybe one day I'll get an award for being the honoree of the honored."

Walsh praised his brother-in-law for "always being politically correct." He said, "When you have Paul pulling on your team, you can have some of your horses take a rest."

Many past recipients, including the Most Rev. Louis E. Gelineau, former Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy, the Providence Journal Co.'s Howard G. Sutton, and businessmen Arthur S. Robbins, Robert L. McCabe and Dean T. Holt attended the 34th annual benefit. Also in attendance were next year's honorees, real estate developers Jim and Marilyn Winoker.

Bank of America's Bill Hatfield, the luncheon's treasurer, said that the event raised $113,000. He added, "This allows us to honor top leaders and spread the word about National Jewish."

Dr. Michael Salem, the CEO and president of the medical center, attended the luncheon. Garrett B. Hunter, president of the Rhode Island Business Development Co., was the chair. The Rev. Brian J. Shanley, president of Providence College, gave the invocation. Temple Beth El's Rabbi Leslie Yale Gutterman delivered the benediction.

Rhode Island School of Design Museum

Jewelry sale raises $202,000 Estate and contemporary jewelry sold fast and furiously on May 4 at the Museum Associates' All That Glitters formal party and auction.

The top-seller was a Caroline Ballou 18K gold necklace. Its inspiration was an olive branch and the ancient headpieces from the Greek and Roman empires. It sold for $10,000.

More than 300 guests helped raise $202,000 for the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. Judith Harkness Richardson and Kay Sheldon co-chaired the event.

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre

La Grande Affaire brings in $71,000 Nearly 200 guests mingled among twinkling lights and candlelit cafe tables on May 6 during The Gamm's fourth fundraiser. Held at the Pawtucket Armory, French-themed La Grande Affaire brought in $71,000 for the theater's artistic and educational programs. The event was co-chaired by Kathy and Brian Swann, and Ranne and Ray Warner.

Festival Ballet Providence

Auction raises $49,000 Director Michael Corrente, who was in Providence working on the film Prince of Providence, showed up at Festival Ballet's annual May Day Fiesta.

He also helped out during the live auction on May 6 at the ballet company's Hope Street studios. He joined auctioneer Sal Corio of S.J. Corio Co., Warwick, onstage, and boosted the bidding on two speaking roles in the movie to $1,500 each.

When the bidding became fierce on the item, he upped the ante from a day-on-the-set to two walk-on roles. He then sweetened the deal by offering speaking parts.

A glass bowl donated by artist Toots Zynsky, a Festival Ballet board member, went for more than $7,000.

About $49,000 was raised, and about 120 guests attended the party, chaired by Marie Weiss of East Greenwich.

SOCIAL CALENDAR

Starry, Starry Night 2006 raises money for City Year at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Westin Hotel, Providence. $150. (401) 553-2500.

The preview party for the second Spring Fair at Blithewold in Bristol is on Friday at 5p.m.. $75. (401) 253-2707; www.blithewold.org.

Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education, which provides scholarships and mentoring to children with incarcerated parents, holds SuperBowl at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at the Lang's Lane, 225 Niantic Ave., Cranston. $50. (401) 421-2010; www.riseonline.org; or jrogers@riseonline.org.

St. Andrew's Arts Gala 2006 is at 7 p.m. on Saturday at St. Andrew's School, Barrington. $125. (401) 246-1230, ext. 3033.

Outside the Box raises money for the Providence Children's Museum at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Rhode Island Convention Center. $150. (401) 273-5437 Ext. 121.

The Pell Awards, which is put on by Trinity Rep, will be at the Rhode Island Convention Center next Monday, May 22. $250. (401) 521-1100, ext. 104.

Sargent Rehabilitation Center raises money for programs for children with developmental disorders and autism during Southwest Sizzle at 6 p.m. next Monday, May 22, at the Post Office Cafe, East Greenwich. $60. (401) 886-6613.

Are you planning a nonprofit's fundraiser? Let us know about it before May 19, and we will add it to the social calendar to be published in early June, and placed on our Web site, projo.com. Send e-mails to society@projo.com; faxes to (401) 277-8175; or regular mail to Faye Zuckerman, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902. GALA-vanting's long-term calendar is at www.projo.com/galacal.