As recently as even a year ago, importing a financial expert to speak at a ladies luncheon might not have been such a hot idea.
That was then and this is now, and whomever had the foresight to book Jean Chatzky as the headliner for CHOICES 2009 deserves a huge pat on the back.
With the economy circling the drain, the promise of wisdom shared by the engaging author, columnist and “Today Show” financial editor was incentive enough for 1,000 women to bust open the piggy bank and get themselves on over to the Colorado Convention Center last Thursday for the 20th edition of this benefit for Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado. Her appeal, said Amy Morris, campaign chair for the federation’s Jewish Women’s Philanthropy Center, was such that 300 of the guests were CHOICES first-timers.
Chatzky spoke with quiet urgency, skipping industry jargon in favor of words, examples — even an action plan — that were to the point and made a lot of sense.
She reminded everyone that while their financial security may be shaky, there’s a definite upside to the whole situation.
“What influence does money have over happiness?” she asked. “Of course it plays some role — to say otherwise is disingenuous. But despite the problems of today, Americans still have more than ever before. We have islands in our kitchens, TVs the size of small cars and master suites you can land a plane in. And when you get right down to it, (acquiring) things never make us as happy as we think they will; the people who think money can buy their happiness are the ones who are most unhappy.”
She shared her own story of evolving from a debt-laden young journalist whose financial stability was further threatened once her first marriage crumbled, to someone who now thinks before she spends and makes better choices overall.
“When I have a hankering to buy something, I take stock of why I feel I have to have it and consider how it’ll make me feel. Do I need yet another pair of black Prada shoes, or would I rather put that money toward something else, like the beach house I’d like to retire to on the New Jersey shore?”
Admission to the event underwritten by Sue Allon and Andrea Pollack was a pledge to the federation’s fundraising campaign. Jodi Asarch, Patti Leftin and Kit Leventhal headed the luncheon’s leadership team while Susan Brochstein, Lisa Perlmutter, Kelli Trotsky Pfaff and Mimi Pomerantz were in charge of lining up table captains.
Among the guests: Judy Robins, chair of the AJF’s coordinating council; 2009 campaign chair Amy Toltz-Miller; Boulder campaign chair Jackie Wong; Doug Seserman, AJF’s president and CEO; Gary Wagner, a Denverite who’d attended college with Chatzky; Jody Walles; Danni Hosiassohn (her husband was an architect for the popular new event space and gallery, RedLine); Chaya Major; Essie Perlmutter; Rivky Goldberg; Wendy Glazer; Laurie Esserman Nowak; Susan Kramer; Sharon Whiton Gelt; and Sheila Gutterman with her daughter-in-law, Lindsey.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, davidson
