With a volatile, unpredictable election season still on our minds, donors of MorseLife Health System had the opportunity to “talk politics” with Peggy Noonan, the noteworthy author and weekly political columnist for the Wall Street Journal at the nonprofit’s annual prominent donor luncheon on November 18th at a private venue in Palm Beach. Hosted by Judith and Larry Schlager and Jean and Frederic Sharf, benefactors and friends of MorseLife, the event was attended by 170 guests for lunch and a lively presentation by Ms. Noonan, who spoke of a career as a political journalist and in particular, provided perspectives about this year’s presidential campaign and its outcome.
Keith Myers, President/CEO of MorseLife, noted that the luncheon, a precursor to the organization’s Dinner Dance to be held December 2nd, marked the start of the social season for the nonprofit which for 34-years has provided health care, housing and support services to seniors of the County. “We are pleased to express appreciation to our most loyal, generous donors and friends with a luncheon featuring a timely discussion from one of the bright stars in political journalism, Peggy Noonan,” he said. “We are grateful to dear friends and philanthropists Judie and Larry Schlager and Jean and Fred Sharf for their generosity, and most importantly, to our supporters who give so generously on behalf of seniors who greatly need our services.”
Mary Alice Pappas, Senior Vice President of MorseLife Foundation, noted that Ms. Noonan spoke of a career which has taken her from political journalism to speechwriting for President Ronald Reagan and President George W. Bush (for whom she coined the term “a kinder, gentler nation”), and back again as one of the most conservative and outspoken political journalists in the field. “We appreciate that Peggy is fearless and driven to voice her opinions about politics and culture in our country where freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of thought reign,” Ms. Pappas said.
Peggy Noonan’s weekly column in the Wall Street Journal, Declarations, has run since 2000. She is the author of eight books on American politics, history and culture, including her newest, The Time of Our Lives, and the best-sellers What I Saw at the Revolution and When Character Was King. She is one of ten historians and writers who contributed essays on the American presidency for the book, Character Above All.
In 2010, Noonan was given the Award for Media Excellence by the living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Peggy has been a fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, and has taught at Yale University. Before entering the Reagan White House, she was a producer and writer at CBS News, and an adjunct professor of Journalism at New York University.
Noonan is a member of the Manhattan Institute’s board of trustees and one of the founding members of wowOwow.com, along with Liz Smith, Lesley Stahl, Mary Wells Lawrence and Joni Evans. On November 7, she was honored at the she was honored at the New York Public Library’s annual “Literary Lions” gala which celebrates literature, history and books.
The MorseLife Dinner Dance will officially open MorseLife’s season of events on Friday, December 2 in Palm Beach. Subsequent events of the season include the MorseLife Literary Society “Breakfasts with Celebrated Authors” on Thursday, January 12, February 16 and March 16; a Community Symposium: And Equal Justice for All, on the battle for rights of women, men, children and families in America’s broken criminal justice system on Tuesday, January 10th featuring Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black, Reverend Vivian Nixon, author of the upcoming From Shame to Activism, and Bryan Stevenson, author of the New York Times bestseller Just Mercy; the MorseLife Luncheon on Wednesday, February 1; and the MorseLife Golf Classic on Monday, March 20th.
For more information about the MorseLife Health System events and its programs and services, call (561) 242-4661 or go online at www.morselife.org.
