Out & About
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
“Where’s the honoree?” I asked a guest at the gala Monday night for the Carter Burden Center for the Aging. I was looking for the Business Leadership Award winner, the chief executive officer of York Capital Management, James Dinan; I’d already greeted the recipient of the Carter Burden Humanitarian Award, James Lebenthal. Mr. Dinan is a hedge fund man in his 40s, but the room was full of those. Fortunately the guest I was speaking to provided the telling detail.
“He’s the one with three kids jumping all over him,” the guest said.
Later I found Katie, Michael, and Zach Dinan with their mom, Elizabeth Miller, exploring the xylophones used by the Rainbow Room staff to signal the start of dinner. Dad had already said good night, and the children were soon on their way home.
How refreshing to see several generations gathered in one room — and what a wonderful way to honor the work of the Carter Burden Center for the Aging, which engages people of all ages in programs that support the elderly. Through luncheons, cultural outings, money management, and health care assistance, the center helps people over the age of 60 stay independent and active. The annual awards ceremony and dinner dance raised $1.25 million, more than a third of the center’s annual budget of $3.1 million.
The center was founded in 1971 by Council Member Carter Burden, a descendant of Cornelius Vanderbilt and a voracious bibliophile, who tragically did not live long enough to experience the riches of old age: He died of a heart attack in 1996 at the age of 54. Representing his legacy was his widow, Susan Burden, the honorary chairwoman of the gala, who brought along her mother, Mildred Lombaer.
Eventually, I did find Mr. Dinan and his wife, at the entrance to the ballroom, chatting with the executive director of the Carter Burden Center for the Aging, William Dionne, and other supporters. Most of the 425 guests were already seated, including Mr. Lebenthal and his two daughters, Alexandra and Claudia (who has her own party tonight, for her new book, “Stoked: The Evolution of Action Sports” (Empire)).
