The room was packed as Jimmy Dunne and the backup singers entertained the crowd.
Photo: RICH SCMITT
Entertainment at the holiday party held in the Legion Hall was top notch.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
By LAUREL BUSBY
Special to Circling the News
Laughter ricocheted through the American Legion Saturday as residents sang, danced, and played musical chairs at the Palisades Holiday Soiree.
Master of Ceremonies Jimmy Dunne announced award winners and sang his own inventive compositions, including a take-off on “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” His rendition went:
“It’s the end of the just worst friggin’ year,
Our homes are in ruins,
This city—Let’s sue ‘em,
Our dough disappeared!
It’s the end of the just worst friggin’ year.”
Dunne occasionally got choked up while he led the singing of the song, but by the end, his exuberant optimism triumphed with the refrain:
“My dear friends, here’s the one thing that we’ve learned,
We may have lost places,
But look at our faces,
Our town will return!
Our town, right in this room…
You can’t burn.”
That spirit of hopefulness, warmth, and joy in each other’s company was the key aspect of the holiday soiree, which featured the Jason McGee gospel choir, an exuberant band with a trio of female singers dubbed the Jingle Belles, and an appreciative audience of about 160 who sometimes sang along and at other times simply enjoyed the carols and spectacle as they dined on a multi-course dinner with ample wine.
(Left to right) Palisades Honorary Co-Mayor Ted McGinley, Rick Caruso, Councilmember Traci Park, Jimmy Dunne and Bob Benton all joined in the festivities.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
On several occasions, the audience was recruited to take part in events, including for a dance contest and a musical chairs competition. Kathy McRoskey was one of eight plucky audience members who Dunne surprised by calling them to the front to croon two lines of “The Christmas Song” with its iconic first line—“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”
McRoskey’s rendition ended up earning her first place, which garnered her a $100 gift certificate to The Golden Bull. But more than the win, the ebullience and camaraderie of her friends and the performers gave her a much-needed burst of holiday joy.
“This was such a shot in the arm,” she said at the evening’s close. “It was everything we all needed tonight…. I’m so glad Jimmy made me come.”
Like many of the attendees, McRoskey lost her home in the Jan. 7 Palisades Fire, but, unlike many, she didn’t participate in the Palisades Bocce Club, which provided the inspiration for the event. According to Dunne, the club has had over 1,000 Palisadians join its leagues at Veterans Gardens over the past 3-1/2 years, and the holiday party was a way to expand that fun.
The intention was to create a celebration that had “nothing to do with bocce and was just about getting together and belonging,” Dunne said. “The night is for all of us to take a moment to be reminded of how grateful we are to be in a town like the Palisades and how unique it is and how incredibly unusual it is and how much we really love each other.“
This year, due to the trauma of the fire, finding ways to retain connection to Palisadian neighbors and friends has been challenging. At first, the bocce players had to hold their weekly games and practices at Douglas Park in Santa Monica, but, since September, they’ve been back at the Palisades Recreation Center’s Veterans Gardens. Dunne said the league currently has 300 members, including people of all ages.
At one soiree table, five women from the Bocce Vita team, whose members ranged in age from 77 to 96, hung out after the festivities ended. The group said that they enjoyed the party and also treasured their weekly bocce gatherings, which had provided a way to stay connected as they navigated the trauma of the fire. One player, Kathy Locker, 82, not only lost her home of almost 50 years. Her daughter, grandson, and great-granddaughter each lost a house, meaning four generations of the family became temporarily homeless in January.
Locker’s teammate Christine Ures, 77, said, “our team has stayed together this whole year. We’ve just really been supportive of each other.”
Her fellow team members, Mary Jo Stirling, 85, Sally Agrusa, 82, and Peggy Kelley, 79, nodded in agreement, and they also shared the names of the players who couldn’t make the soiree: Lee Stelle, 96, Shirley Altieri, 90, and Jackie Berman, 90.
Honorary Go-Mayor Gigi Rice (Santa Baby shirt) led a group in singing.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Earlier, the soiree included an appearance by City Councilmember Traci Park, who was lauded for her efforts in aiding Palisadians after the fire. Between songs, carols, and the dreidel song, Dunne also sprinkled awards’ presentations that were designed to support and bolster the players and other attendees.
Here is a list of the winners:
Greatest Family Award: Judy and Basil Dickinson
‘The Snappies’ (for the snappiest dressers): Team Pali Dad Bod
McGregor Award (for the person who embodies the best of the Palisades): Natalie Villablanca
The “Martini” Award (highest honor of distinction): Terry Bird (who also won the dance contest with his over-the-top maneuvers while kneeling and laying on the floor)
A special category of awards went to five people that Dunne called Palisades Reindeers—who like reindeers are hard workers who help bring you home. The winners included Tracey Price, who watered and saved local trees, President of the Pacific Palisades Community Council Sue Kohl, Councilmember Park, Editor of Circling the News Sue Pascoe, and Maryam Zar, the founder and president of the Palisades Recovery Coalition.
In addition, Dunne thanked a number of people who helped with the event: keyboardist Jai Winding and the skilled band, which included Joey Ruggiero (guitar), Peter Murray (drums), and Matteo Musceletto (bass), singers Bella Hicks, Cat Fray and Savanna Laudicina, chef Derrick Walker, who emerged from the kitchen to sing one song, and producer Becky Winding.
Others who contributed were Carlyn Peterson, Shaye Hendricks, Diane Tallant, Edwin Portillo, Cary and Will Singleton, and the American Legion’s Joe Ramirez, Jared Morgan, and Rich Lombari, who took home the prize for the musical chairs competition.
As attendee Sam Lagana was leaving, he said, the night “was lovely. I’m a fan of Jimmy Dunne’s,” and his wife, Eileen, agreed.
“They did an amazing job,” she said. “It was full of surprises.
Member of the Jason McGee Gospel Choir performed at the holiday party.
Photo: RICH SCMITT
Such a fantastic fun community party,
Thank you Jimmy Dunne! You are amazing.
The gospel singers were awesome too.
Happy holidays !
So sorry to have missed the festivities! We (David and I) were members of the “Bocce Buddies” team and had such fun at the annual party. Now we’re over an hour away and waiting for our rebuild permit!!! Maybe next year…🤞Jimmy, you’re a treasure!