On The Town:

This past weekend was a showcase of the strength, community service and leadership of Burbank women as the Zonta Club of Burbank and the La Providencia Guild of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles respectively gathered for two of their most prestigious annual events.

On Saturday, the Burbank Zontians convened at The Castaway to honor their 2008 Woman of the Year, Lucy Burghdorf who serves as the manager of community relations at the Bob Hope Airport.

Among those in attendance to honor Burghdorf were her daughter and son-in-law, Trisha and Brad van Dillen and close family friend, Giovanna Delisio; Mayor Dave Golonski; Vice Mayor Gary Bric; Councilwoman Anja Reinke; incoming City Manager Mike Flad; Dan Feger, who serves as the executive director of the Bob Hope Airport, and Victor Gill, who handles the airport’s public affairs and communications.

Also on hand were Airport Commissioners Bill Wiggins, Don Brown, Carl Povilaitis and Joyce Streator and former Woman of the Year recipients including Elaine Paonessa, Councilwoman Marsha Ramos, Sister Lucille Dean, T.J. Baptie and City Manager Mary Alvord.

Included in the committee that staged Saturday’s event were Zonta Club of Burbank President Sharon Cohen, who along with Jennifer Wyatt served as the event’s co-chairwomen.

Other committee members were Natasha Aasodore; Donna Anderson; Nickie Bonner; Margarita Campos; Meredith Dawson; Grace Farenbaugh; Nancy Guillen; Shelia Kidder; Brenda Lantieri; Ming Liu; Lee Nelson; Marva Murphy; Rose Pichay; Marjoreda Simay and Julie Woll.

The show of strength and service of local women continued Sunday as the La Providencia Guild of Childrens Hospital glammed it up at the Sheraton Universal Hotel to support the Los Angeles pediatric facility.

Staging their annual fashion show fundraiser under the theme “The Glamorous Life,” NBC-4 weatherman Fritz Coleman served as master of ceremonies.

Chaired by Dorothy Austin, those on the planning committee were Sharon Kurges; Glenda Jones; Linda Wilson; Lynn Shelby; Mary Christensen; Lynda Wilner; Dorothy Patrick; Pat Maskell; Alicia Metzger; Joan Chandler; Chris Welker; Tomme Lenz; Deborah Spang; Irene Terusa and Beverly Jean Davies.

Among the 450-plus who enjoyed the boutique, luncheon, fashion show and special performance by Ann O’Donnell-Gardner and Tania Batson were the guild’s officers, including President Marilyn Teasley; First Vice President Sue Ann Gordon; Second Vice President Rosemarie Witten; Secretary Judy Gragg; Treasurer Sharon Terranova and Nancy Johnson, who handles the organization’s public relations.

DAVID LAURELL can be contacted at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.