Longtime Palm Beacher Sherry Endelson was remembered and celebrated at the Promise Fund of Florida’s annual Palm Beach dinner.

The event took place March 11 at Club Colette.

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Julie Fisher Cummings, Paulette Koch, Diane Sculley and Laurie Silvers were chairwomen for the evening, which honored donors and corporate sponsors whose contributions have helped those battling breast and cervical cancer. 

The night began with a silent auction, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the patio before the crowd moved to the dining room for dinner and remarks from emcee Olga Villaverde, host of PBS’s Health Channel; board chairman David Brodsky; Promise Fund co-founder Nancy Brinker; board member Dr. David Dodson; and Miami Cancer Institute CEO Dr. Michael Zinner.

Two presentations were made at the post-dinner awards ceremony.

The Daniel E. Ponton Community Service Award was presented by Dodson and Brinker to Ellen Levy, a breast cancer survivor. With her late husband Irwin, she has been a longtime supporter and sponsor of the Promise Fund’s annual Bridge Lighting. Levy accepted the award in memory of her husband.

Former first daughter Susan Ford Bales, Brinker’s longtime friend and honorary chairwoman for the dinner, presented the Betty Ford Trailblazer Award ― named for Bales’ mother ― to Promise Fund co-chairwoman Sherry Endelson, posthumously.

Mrs. Endelson’s widower Ken and children Alexandra and Zachary accepted the award.

“Sherry’s philanthropic endeavors weren’t just acts of charity, ” Ken Endelson said. “They were a belief in the power of compassion and empathy to transform lives.”

Endelson expressed his gratitude to everyone for recognizing his late wife’s contributions and honoring her memory.

The evening continued with dessert, a live auction conducted by Sebastian Clarke, and performances by Broadway stars Roosevelt Credit, Richard Todd Adams, Catherine Brunell, Rita Harvey and Neil Berg.

John Sculley was chairman.

More than 150 people attended.

Proceeds assist the Promise Fund of Florida in its mission to improve access to education, early detection screenings, diagnostics, and treatment for under-resourced women in Palm Beach County fighting breast or cervical cancer.