passions
Honor
Thy Mother
And any other fabulous woman in your life.
BY ROBIN SCHWARTZ I PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN
Above: Tracey Proghovnick
welcomes her pleasantly
shocked mother, Marsha
Proghovnick, to the luncheon
filled with friends and fam-
ily. Right: Legends Unlimited
provides everything a host-
ess needs, including invita-
tions, thank-you notes and a
Legends award certificate.
When Marsha Proghovnick walked up to her daughter Tracey's front door on
a recent Saturday afternoon, she had no idea what was about to unfold. Inside,
12 women important in various stages of Marsha's life were assembled around a
table at the West Bloomfield home, with letters, poems and words of adoration.
Suddenly, says Marsha, she felt like she was thrust into an episode of This Is Your
Li e, the 19505 television show where guests were often caught off guard by family
members and old friends who paid tribute to them in front of a TV audience.
"It was total shock," says Marsha, 62, of Southfield. "I knew it wasn't my birth-
day. Then, my daughter started telling me I was being honored and I'm a legend
and I'm thinking, 'What is she talking about?"
The surprise April 7 luncheon was inspired by Oprah Winfrey — to recognize
the legends in our lives in an extraordinary way. Winfrey herself did it when she
hosted the Legends Ball, a glamorous, star-studded event honoring 25 African-
American women, including Maya Angelou, Aretha Franklin and Coretta Scott
King, in the fields of art, entertainment and civil rights. The event was document-
ed in a TV special that aired last year. Susan Peck of Birmingham was watching.
"I was so moved by what Oprah did to show her gratitude to the talented and
fabulous women at her Legends Ball, it made me think about the special women
in my own life," Peck says. "I wanted to honor and say a very personal 'thank you'
to my mother in the same way."
Peck planned and hosted her own "legends luncheon" in honor of her mother,
inviting family members and friends to participate in what she says was a life-
changing experience — and inspired the creation of her company, Legends
Unlimited. Working in conjunction with Winfrey's Harpo Productions, Peck
provides everything needed to host the same kind of intimate tribute to a mother,
sister, grandmother, aunt — any woman who's a fantastic legend in our lives. And
women in the Jewish community are finding plenty of legends to honor.
A LIVING TVIEMORTA!
"My mom is one of those people who everyone loves, and she's always doing for
everyone else," says Tracey Proghovnick, 34. "I thought it would be nice to return
the favor."
Tracey worked with Legends Unlimited, purchasing a kit which includes every-
thing needed to stage the event — invitations, a Legends award certificate, sug-
gestions for writing letters, a photo album, thank-you cards and more. Peck is also
available for consultation and referrals for caterers, live music and venue choices.
"I called people from different parts of my mom's life," explains Tracey. "Best
friends from elementary school, a cousin, people from work and someone from >
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MAY 2007 • plalinUM