Million-Dollar Month

October was definitely more treat than trick for the Long Center. The organization closed out the month with more than $1 million in pledges. The gifts included $500,000 from James C. Armstrong, doubling an earlier gift; $200,000 from Mary Ann and Andrew Heller on top of an earlier gift of $50,000; and $100,000 each from Susan and Bobby Epstein and the Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation. That puts the center up to nearly $56 million of the estimated $77 million needed to transform Palmer Auditorium into a two-venue performing arts center. Executive director Cliff Redd notes that that still isn't enough to green-light the bulldozers, however, "a variety of initiatives are under way to get us to a point where we feel comfortable starting construction." Among them: Notable Women, a new group aimed at tapping female philanthropists. Businesswoman Vickie Roan is leading a steering committee of 40 women committed to raising $1 million "by asking women to pledge the equivalent of a latte a day for the next three years." That's $3,600 per woman. You go, gals!