‘Champagne & Chapeaux’: Westmoreland Symphony's annual soiree for a good cause
Tim Welty bought his daughter Annie Welty her first hat — a sailor style.
A former teacher and principal in the Hempfield School District, Welty had wanted his daughter to go into education. But he knew her love was in acting and fine arts, inspired by her mother, Patricia Perrone.
“When he gave me the hat, my dad said, ‘Maybe you can wear this hat in a play,’” Welty, of Southwest Greensburg, said on Saturday, with a photo of her and her father sitting on a table filled with hats from her collection of more than 500, dating from the 1800s to the 1990s. “That was his way of accepting my love for acting and the arts.”
Wearing one of her vintage hats in the perfect setting — the sold-out Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra Annual Hat Luncheon: Champagne & Chapeaux, at the historic Greensburg Country Club in Jeannette on Saturday — Welty engaged with some of the 100 guests. They removed theirs fancy headpieces to try on some of her unique styles.
Nearby was a mini boutique of clothing from Carabella, a women’s shop in Oakmont. Guests could purchase raffle tickets to win a $500 gift certificate from Carabella.
There were 30 gift baskets and a silent auction, which included a gift card of $500 for Larrimor’s, a contemporary and designer clothing and accessories boutique in Downtown Pittsburgh, and a foursome to play at Totteridge Golf Club in Greensburg.
The 23rd annual event has raised close to $400,000 since it began.
Karen Kohut and Diane Nickoloff have been co-chairing the soiree for the past decade.
They welcomed guests on the veranda overlooking the plush green fairways. Guests in bold and colorful hats, from wide-brimmed to fascinators, enjoyed champagne and mimosas.
Temperatures were pleasant in the low 70s. But with wind gusts of 15-21 mph, there were times guests needed to hold on to their hats so they wouldn’t blow away.
One of the newest announcements for the symphony was the addition of two shows in the upcoming 57th season, said Michael Rozell, of Hempfield, executive director of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra.
The regional symphony has 65 contracted musicians. At times, it invites more to perform, depending on what’s needed, Rozell said.
Rozell thanked those in attendance for their support. He talked about how the symphony, the Westmoreland Museum of American Art and the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, which owns and operates the Palace Theatre, where the symphony often performs, are truly a team.
“We partner on so many things,” Rozell said.
Collaborating with the symphony and the Westmoreland Cultural Trust for the hat luncheon is so important, said Silvia Filippini-Fantoni, director and CEO of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art.
The symphony had two concerts at the museum in the past year.
This was Filippini-Fantoni’s first hat luncheon since taking the position a year and a half ago. She said she took a vote on Instagram and Facebook for which hat to wear.
The winner was a wide-brimmed, green chapeaux that she coordinated with a green dress.
“Community is key,” said Filippini-Fantoni, of Greensburg. “We accomplish more by working together. I am so happy to be here. We all support each other.”
Inside, lunch of chicken almondine salad or grilled salmon salad was served. Favors of Wilbur Chocolates were donated by Karen Rich Douglas. Cakes covered in flowers made of pink and yellow icing were prepared by the golf club.
“I love how happy everyone is,” said Kohut, of North Huntingdon. “And I love everything the symphony does to bring music to life for so many people in this community.”
“It is always a fun and happy day,” agreed Nickolhoff, of North Huntington, who is also on the symphony’s board. “We have such a supportive community for this event.”
Longtime supporter Barbara Ferrier of Greensburg said she gets so much pleasure from attending the hat luncheon and never wants to miss it. She returned Friday evening from an overseas trip but she wasn’t about to let jet lag keep her from this event.
“The hat luncheon kicks of the start of summer for me,” Ferrier said.
Jan Taylor-Condo of Greensburg, who is a committee member for the event, said Greensburg is lucky to have its own symphony.
Another member of the planning committee, Janie Belden of Unity, said she loves the social aspect of the hat luncheon.
“This takes a lot of planning and hard work, but it’s all worth it,” Belden said. “I love the camaraderie and seeing all the beautiful outfits and hats.”
Hats are more than just an accessory, Annie Welty said. She said her father, an antique collector, continued to give her hats at Christmas because he saw the joy they brought his daughter.
“I believe you become a different person with each hat you wear,” she said. “Each hat changes your profile and your personality.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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