Monday, April 29, 2013

Meeting Patty Duke!

Bill is on the board of the Children's Center here in Vancouver.  It is a mental health clinic for children and their families.  For this year's fundraising luncheon, Kim Hash was able to book Patty Duke to be the keynote speaker.  We were invited to go to a breakfast to meet Patty in a smaller venue and get our pictures taken.  It was such a delight to meet her.  I am a little young to remember her from her first "Miracle Worker" in which she won her Oscar for.  And a little too young for watching "The Patty Duke Show" as well.  But I have seen her in various roles on television over the years and was very much looking forward to meeting her.  She was so funny and down to earth. 

She didn't have any prepared remarks for the luncheon.  She spoke off the cuff.  She told stories of her struggles with bipolar disorder.  And about growing up as a child star and her children--Sean Astin and MacKenzie Astin in particular.  It was part comedy routine and part very serious and emotional for her. 

The lunch was a great success with almost 400 people attending--more than they have ever had attend.  It was wonderful to get so much good press and exposure for the Children's Center and their wonderful work.

3 comments:

  1. How cool that you got to meet her...great page, too! I enjoyed seeing your photos of the event!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm a huge Patty Duke fan... I'm so envious you got to meet her! I'm definitely not too young to remember Patty in the Miracle Worker, and I avidly watched the Patty Duke show all the years it was on TV when I was in my teens. I can still sing the theme song! I know she really suffered as a child- I've read her autobiography, and know that she is a strong and wise woman. And so tiny! Love your photos, it must have been an awesome event!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was fun to meet her. And I was surprised how tiny she was.

      Delete