New monarch reigns at Queen of Hearts Ball

Since 1949, the Queen of Hearts Ball has acknowledged the good works of women volunteers from throughout the community. Saturday night at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach, the crown went to Vera Salen Brantley, whose exhaustive accomplishments would cripple mere mortals. The 44th annual celebration benefited the St. Petersburg Free Clinic and the Palladium Theater.

Eight women are selected from the community as princesses to the queen's royal court; community organizations make the nominations. The queen is selected from past courts. Brantley's sponsors were the Woman's Service League, All Children's Hospital Guild and the St. Petersburg Woman's Club.

Beyond the queen's presentation, the evening's biggest headline had to be Priscilla Young and Dr. Royce Hobby, who were married the night before. The princess bride represented the Florida Orchestra Guild, Cross of Lorraine and St. Anthony's Hospital Auxiliary.

Also in the Queen's Court were princesses Lea Newman, St. Petersburg Museum of History Guild; Luisa Perez-Harvey, Foundation Fighting Blindness; Barbara Royston, Sword of Hope, American Cancer Society; Barbara Sexton, Woman's Service League; Ruth Szemer, Woman's Chamber of Commerce of the Greater Gulf Beaches; Diane Winning, American Lung Association of Gulf Coast Florida, Boley Angels and St. Petersburg Museum of History; and Sharyn Wittner, American Lung Association.

Only queens and former queens may wear tiaras to the ball; judging from the sparkles in the candlelight, many royals were represented, including retiring Queen Sheila Tempelmann.

Celma Mastry is president of the Queen's Court, and Joann Barger was chairwoman of the event.

Tall silver epergnes filled with pink and white flowers and cascades of ivy made the tables especially pretty; pale slipcovers tied in pink bows hugged the chairs.

In the crowd were Ed Campbell, Candace Daniel, Dr. Silas and Sherry Daniel, Norman Dunfee, Patsy Dunlap, Jane Egbert, Dr. Bill and Carmen Moore, Lynn Piper, George and Linda Rahdert, Clarence Sexton, Gus and Frances Stavros, Amy Stiff, Cindy Weatherby, and Richard Winning, with his mother, Mary Margaret, and daughter Alexis, who drove down from High Point University.

I ended the evening by slipping over to the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach during spirited live bidding at the Round Up at the Canterbury Corral, where auctioneer Dr. Koco Eaton had folks offering four-figure sums for class quilts.

Anje Bogott and Michelle Reddick were co-chairwomen of the benefit for the Canterbury School of Florida, which had a Western theme.

During my brief visit, I saw Norm and Maureen Dobiesz, Lucas Fleming and Betsy Wilson, Harvey and Kathleen Ford, Judy Holland and Betsy Updegraff.

For foster children who have met their parents for supervised visits in places such as fast-food restaurants, parks and offices, the grand opening Saturday afternoon of the Family Visitation House in St. Petersburg marked a dramatic change in how they reconnect.

The newly renovated house has bright, cheery rooms. The toddlers' space, for instance, has a beach theme; teens have access to a computer and stereo equipment. Discreetly placed video monitors help ensure safety.

The Children's Home Society, celebrating its centennial, partnered with the Junior League of St. Petersburg, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Family Continuity Programs, Family Service Centers, the Department of Children and Families and the North Kenwood Homeowners Association to bring the project to fruition.

"This is a sacred place that you have created," said Jack Levine, president of the Center for Florida's Children and keynote speaker.

It was significant, on a day of many competing activities, that he and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker were present along with Teri Saunders, Gulf Coast executive director of the Children's Home Society of Florida; Dick Crippen, executive director of community development for the Rays and the Rays of Hope Foundation; City Council members Virginia Littrell and John Bryan; Colleen Russo, president of the Junior League; and Leslie Ann Curry, president of the league's sustainers.

The league contributed $155,000 and much sweat equity to the project. Among its most ardent supporters have been Murray and Doug Beairsto, Georgia and Gray Mattern and Shannon and Tony Arnao. Also attending were Elise Minkoff, Suzanne Haerther, Tosha Vickers, Liz Curry, Carol Russell, Mary Wyatt Allen and Joyce Baker.

Loraine Harrell led tours; her husband, Doug, helped direct traffic. Connie Boone, the home's program supervisor, attended with her son John Boone and grandson Kavon Ferrell. Foster parents June and Len Ross drove over from Indian Rocks Beach with daughter Natasha.

Amato and Susana and Gregory Creft represented the Grand Krewe de Libertalia, passing out Mardi Gras-style beads.

Phillip Whysong, president of the North Kenwood Homeowners Association, remembered the structure in a more ignominious incarnation. It was a shelter for runaway girls and needed many repairs. He called the Family Visitation House "a real plus for the neighborhood. Compared to what we had, it's 300 percent better."

"Everyone who comes through has been amazed at the transformation," Connie Boone said.

-- Mary Jane Park can be reached at 893-8267; fax 893-8675; e-mail park@sptimes.com; P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

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