PVGP Passport to Elegance

The Place: Voyager Jet Center in West Mifflin, Thursday night.

The Party: A red carpet and a clear summer night welcomed guests to the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix’s second annual Passport to Elegance event to benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley School. “This year we teamed up with LUXE Creative, and the event is even better,” said event cochair Susan Gera (with John). She and her co-chair Eric Zagrocki (with Stephanie) were busy mingling and greeting guests who were enjoying the Latin-inspired rhythm and performances by Kenia. The party featured rare cars, classic cars and airplanes on the runway and in the hanger. The adventurous had a chance to explore Lucky Lady, a WWII B-17 bomber, several other smaller planes, as well as a perfectly kept 1911 Packard owned by Bob McKeown and a 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom II, a BMW 528 and so many other vehicles. Three food stations catered by Rania Harris and wine-tasting booths were set up to satisfy every palate.

The People: Circulating were president of the Autism Society Dan Torisky, CEO of Allegheny Valley School Terry McNellis, PVGP executive director Dan DelBianco, Delta’s Von Campanella with his daughter Caroline Downey, Louis and Megan DePaul, Sophia Mirza and Keith Mitchell, Lee and Lisa Oleinick, Dotti and John Bechtol, Rosemary and Joe Mendel, Dr. Charles and Annette Oke, Stan Geir, Bob Swetkis, Dorothy Gordon and PVGP board chair Jim Dolan with Patty.