GV’s Mary Roush hits the red carpet

Touted as the biggest movie event of the year, the 81st Academy Awards turned out to be one of the most memorable telecasts in Oscar history, especially for one Green Valley resident who had the opportunity to walk the famous red carpet herself.

Mary Roush was one lucky Academy Award ticket holder Feb. 22 and she took her seat in the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, thanks to her daughter Kimberly Roush, director of membership at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who got her the single ticket. As Mary says, these tickets are very hard to come by. Only 3,500 people are seated and demand for tickets is high.

(Among other responsibilities, Kimberly supervises the processing of invitations to and ticketing for the Academy Awards, and works with ballot tabulators to ensure the accuracy and integrity of eligible voter lists.)

Before hobnobbing with movie stars, Mary was greeted at the airport by her son Mike Roush who escorted her to her hotel.

Mary recalls walking the red carpet and sitting at a table not far from Jerry Lewis and his family.

“Some of the stars really were just stunning,” she says. “Actress Anne Hathaway looked gorgeous in her gown.”

Lewis, an actor, director, writer and producer, received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Lewis has been the national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 1952 and has served as the “No, 1 volunteer” of the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon since 1966, raising more than $2 billion for the cause.

The Awards ceremony was broadcast live on the ABC Television Network and was also televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

First-time host Hugh Jackman opened the show with a song-and-dance medley spoofing the night’s nominated films. It earned a standing ovation, which set the tone for the rest of the show.

Best Picture honors went to “Slumdog Millionaire.” The film received eight Oscars in all, including awards for directing, cinematography and original score. In the acting categories, Sean Penn and Kate Winslet took home the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress. Pen/lope Cruz was named Best Supporting Actress, and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor went to the late Heath Ledger.

It was so exciting, “ Mary says. “My daughter was very busy all night making sure everything was running smoothly, but I just enjoyed the entire thing.”

Mary even attended the Board of Governors Ball with food to just “die for.” I took a glance at Mary’s menu to see lobster, caviar, short ribs, kobe burgers, chicken potstickers, spring vegetable risotto and loads of elegant canapes.

“I didn’t really see many celebrities eating anything,” she recalls. “That’s probably how they keep their award-winning figures.”

There were three wait staff assigned to each table. Mary says the dessert was Chocolate Bento Box Surprise, featuring three edible chocolate boxes with even more chocolate inside.

Mary resides in La Posada with her husband Skip.

A first time ever, Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 505 N. La Canada Dr., will host an Arts and Crafts Bazaar on Friday, and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Holy Family Center. All proceeds will go to the children’s orphanage, Casa Hogar Cristo Rey, in Nogales, Sonora.

A handsome handmade quilt, made by Our Lady of the Valley Quilters, will be raffled off at noon on Friday. Proceeds from the raffle will go to the Green Valley Community Food Bank.

Food will be offered all day. Menu includes sausage and pepper sandwiches, fish and egg salad sandwiches and hot dogs. Popcorn, ice cream and brownies will be available.

The bazaar is a parish effort to build community relations. “Our local community is invited to be a part of our bazaar,” says Judy Sender, OLV pastoral associate.

Also, on Saturday, and Sunday, the Knights of Columbus of OLV Parish will hold a food drive to benefit the Green Valley Community Food Bank. Thanks to Lois Weinert for this story.

Wally Boyce, 85, a nine-year full-time resident of Green Valley and his wife Shirley are music enthusiasts from way back. Wally, a retired salesman from Wisconsin was the drummer and business manager for Big Band Sounds of Green Valley for nearly 14 years before giving it up last year.

Wally says he got his first set of drums at age 15, playing in bands as a kid and later playing in military bands when he was in the service. Since moving to Green Valley, Wally has played with many musical groups including the Bavarian Brass Band and Desert Tones with the late Joe Alessandro.

It’s a small world. Recently, I received an e-mail from an online reader, Mike Bortz, living in Brandon, Fla. Bortz was trying to contact Wally, stating that he used to live across the street from him in Brookfield, Wis., when he was just a kid in the late 1950s.

“Wally is the first person I remember playing a set of drums,” Bortz wrote. “I started playing when I was 14, and that was 41 years ago.”

Wally will be in the audience to hear his beloved Big Band Sounds of Green Valley when they perform Thursday at 7 p.m. at Sahuarita High School Auditorium, under the direction of Allan Riding. Tickets are $10 and you can get them at the door before the show.

rford@gvnews.com