COBB GALLERIA - Cobb notables worked the red carpet during the 14th annual Oscar Gala conducted at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in support of the Center for Family Resources on Sunday night.

Jeri Barr, CFR CEO, spoke about how the event began years ago.

"Everyone was doing major galas, and we had to figure out some way to be a little different, and we did some research, and we found an organization similar to ours in Texas that did an Academy Award thing, and we copied them," she said.

The idea was to save money on the entertainment by airing the Academy Awards show.

"And it set us well over the years," she said.

"Last year we netted over $250,000, and we're expecting to do that again this year and both years were tough years. The economy is having its issues, and we're all being hammered, so we're really very fortunate that we've had good leadership with Glenn and Alice Brock who chaired the event this year, and we're anticipating that we'll make our goal," she said.

About 520 people who sponsored the event by paying $1,000 or more enjoyed a meal in the ballroom before the awards show with an art deco theme. The dinner, prepared by executive chef MG Farris, was chicken piccata, mashed potatoes with a dash of pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, and zucchini and yellow squash, followed by glass dishes filled with cheesecake mixed with blueberry, strawberry and mango or tiramisu.

"We started about four days ago and went just right to the wire. I didn't have 15 more minutes to spare," Farris said of his preparations.

Following dinner, guests bid on items during a silent auctions as they prepared to enter the grand theater itself to watch the 82nd Annual Academy Awards on a jumbo screen with another 200 ticket holders who had paid $25 each to enjoy the show.

Arriving at the theater entrance, guests got a taste of the paparazzi.

"It's really fun. And it's great to do it in this venue because you feel like you might even be in Hollywood," Barr said.

Southern Company executive Ron Younker's wife, Pam, made sure to stress that the fur coat she wore was vintage.

"Do not call PETA on me, OK?" she said with a laugh.

Brock said no Armani tuxes for him. He bought his tux at Men's Warehouse.

"You know, I work for the government," he said, dryly.

Anna Johnson, wife of former Cobb school board member Johnny Johnson, said her gown was a Vera Wang, to which her husband said she was fibbing.

Former presidential candidate Bob Barr, husband to Jeri Barr, said his wife ordered him into a tux.

"Jeri made sure that I wore it tonight, and let the record reflect that I do what I'm told," he said.

But the point of the night was not what designer clothing the guests wore or what their favorite movies were.

Said Brock: "I think it's exactly the perfect time to have this because amidst all the glitz and glamour it's a time when you can actually give to something that's actually meaningful, so hopefully we'll have some guilt free spending tonight."

Bob Barr praised the work of his wife and her colleagues at the Center for Family Resources, an organization that is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

"As I've said many times, perhaps one of my more accurate statements, she gets all the good publicity in the family. I get sort of what's left over," Barr joked.

Bruton said the Center for Family Resources is critical to the community.

"They really help out a lot of people, even on a normal year when we're not having economic problems. They do an awful lot for people who are in need, and now we've just got so many more because of the floods we've had in the south end of the county and obviously with all the economic problems that we've got with people out of work. They're helping a lot of families," he said.