Mayor’s Charity Ball Held In West Hartford

West Hartford celebrated in style Saturday at the Mayor’s Charity Ball under a white tent on the Town Hall Green.

 “I was born and raised in West Hartford, came back to work for the town 15 years ago,” said Rob Rowlson, director of community services for the town. “I just love what the town has become. We’ve grown into a special place that really allows everybody to do the best that they can.”

Guests included Mayor Scott Slifka; Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford; several members of the West Hartford Fire Department, including Lt. Kevin Munson and Capt. John Sokolowski; Tracy Murphy and Spencer Cain, president of the Hartford Tennis Club; Jen Krebsbach, president of the Mayor’s Charity Ball board, and board members Tracy Flater, Lou Luba, Chris Skelly and Carol McCabe; and Kevin Sullivan, commissioner of the state Department of Revenue Services and former mayor of West Hartford (1983-85).

Sullivan reminisced about the Mayor’s Charity Ball he remembered most.

“The year they had the former mayors do a song and dance routine, we had top hats, canes…we sang ‘Puttin’ On the Ritz’ with lyrics they made up about West Hartford,” said Sullivan. “After about a hundred tries I think I almost got close to the routine.”

A cocktail reception in the Town Hall auditorium featured music by pianist Sean Pallatroni and several vocalists, including Carolyn Cumming, daughter of Edward Cumming, former music director of the Hartford Symphony now at the Hartt School. Latanya Farrell and the Bookman Styles Band performed later in the evening.

The event benefited HopeWorks Inc. and Playhouse On Park.

“The people in the community are fantastic, they really are,” said Munson.

Amy Ellis (aellis@courant.com)