Mardi Gras ball honerees are announced

Community Conscience/Under One Roof recently announced that Conejo Valley residents Louis "Skip" Padberg and Pat Paulucci will be crowned King and Queen of their 2003 Mardi Gras Ball on Sat., March 1, in the Hyatt Westlake Plaza Hotel’s grand ballroom at 880 S. Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village.

The Mardi Gras Ball and Auction celebrates the 11th anniversary of Under One Roof’s most important fundraiser that will again be highlighted by a ceremony honoring and crowning this year’s King and Queen.

Padberg and Paulucci are known for their extraordinary community service, unselfish dedication, and involvement in local organizations that strive to help others, according to the agency. Nominees for King and Queen are selected by members and associates of local and countywide social service organizations of Under One Roof.

Colorful Mardi Gras costumes and optional formal dress set the stage for the event, which features fine dining, live music and entertainment. Mardi Gras Ball guests will be welcomed by and photographed with Hollywood lookalikes Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable. This year’s celebrity master of ceremonies is Carl Bell, former KCAL-TV Channel 9 weathercaster and a local resident.

Live and silent auctions will offer gifts, vacations and luxury services. There will also be the auction of a unique Porsche-designed 100th Anniversary Harley Davidson "V-Rod" motorcycle, donated by Barger Harley of Canoga Park.

A limited edition bronze eagle head presented to President George Bush by Arnold Schwarzenegger, commissioned and produced by the National Heritage Collector’s Society of Westlake Village will also be on the auction block. Event sponsors include PTS Home & Office Furniture, Reed’s Furniture, Blue Cross of California, Los Robles Regional Medical Center and FB Productions.

Proceeds from the Mardi Gras Ball and Auction go to ensure that public assistance and welfare programs are available and accessible for the basic relief of those in need of such services in the Conejo Valley. Community Conscience/Under One Roof, formed in 1981, provides rent-free offices to 15 to 20 private nonprofit social service agencies serving more than 40,000 community members annually.

To reserve tickets for the Mardi Gras Ball, or for additional information on Community Conscience/Under One Roof, please call (805) 494-3543.