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Amy Scherzer's diary

Holocaust remembered

By AMY SCHERZER
Published February 18, 2005

Speaking on behalf of the 90 Holocaust survivors in the room, Dr. Helen Fagin expressed an eloquent personal and collective thank you to nearly 50 liberators of Nazi death camps. Those brave men and the grateful survivors were honored guests at To Life and Liberation, a dinner benefit for the Florida Holocaust Museum on Saturday at the A La Carte Pavilion.

Museum trustee Fagin, a Warsaw Ghetto survivor who became an English professor at the University of Miami, received a humanitarian award from survivor and museum founder, Edie Loebenberg.

As she spoke of her joy of living to see the 60th anniversary of the liberation, many of the 950 guests were glad for the packs of Kleenex on every table.

Making a return engagement as emcee, actor Jon Voight noted that this year's dinner saluted "everyday individuals who endured unspeakable horrors and those who risked everything to rescue them." Previous dinners honored museum donors and volunteers.

Voight brought a friend, actor Charles Durning, 81. An Army Ranger, Durning survived D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and eight bayonet wounds. He also helped liberate Buchenwald.

During his brief remarks, Durning described seeing two mountains of shoes and realizing that each pair belonged to someone who died.

"I don't like talking about what I saw," he said. "Most things you can't even talk about."

Cantor Colman Reaboi opened the evening singing America the Beautiful. He also concluded the program, after a solemn Taps, with the crowd on their feet joining him in God Bless America.

Voight and Durning stayed to autograph keepsake program books until the last guest left near midnight. The event is expected to net $550,000.

A poignant exchange was overheard as two waiters cleared tables after the dinner. "I want to meet Jon Voight," one gushed. The other man replied, "All I want to do is meet a survivor."

ROSY OUTLOOK: Academy Prep students polished their social skills on Saturday for the Ruby Ball, the second Gemstone Gala, to raise money for the private school for low-income kids in Ybor City. Dressed in their best, the students greeted 275 guests with polite "How do you do's" and firm handshakes, lessons they learned at weekly classes taught by Junior League members. Sixth-graders Queen Williams and Julius Washington read a Shakespeare sonnet, and Rontavian Mack shared why he values his school of 54 fifth- and sixth-graders.

Dick Crippen, the Devil Rays of Hope Foundation director, ran the live auction like the pro he is, getting more than $9,000 for an Alaskan voyage on Crystal Cruise line. Co-chairs Gail Whiting and Tere Tamayo hope to top the $95,000 raised at last year's gala. They got two boosts: ConceptBAIT donated its services to decorate the Hyatt Regency Tampa ballroom in ruby and dance band Full Circle played for free.

Next year: the Emerald Ball.

FAIR, FOOD, FUN: Representatives of the Inter-Krewe Council modeled their costumes at the Florida State Fair Opening Day luncheon and fashion show on Feb. 10 in the Charles Davis Special Event Center.

Emcee Jack Harris reminded the crowd of the fair's "inextricable ties to Gasparilla." The parade started and ended at the old fairgrounds in downtown Tampa for many years.

Harris described 23 krewes and their year-round activities, from the "ferocious hellcats" of the Bonney-Read Krewe to the dancing Gauchoes to the Unsinkable Krewe of Molly Brown who dress as passengers on the Titanic. The most applause was saved for Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, instigator of all the fun.

Teena Borek, 2004 Agriculture Woman of the Year, was introduced via a video of her life.

The room filled again Mondayfor the annual Governor's Luncheon. This is a must-be-seen hobnob for everybody but Gov. Jeb Bush, it seems. As always, the guessing game occupied the 1,000 guests until Dr. Sylvia Campbell was named Citizen of the Year by the Tampa Metro Citivan Club. Her bio reads like a saint's, said Monsignor Laurence Higgins, the 1993 recipient. Dr. Campbell was lured to the fair on the premise of speaking to the governor about the state health care system.

TOES STRAIGHT, ears over your shoulders. Those were the marching orders for those of us modeling at Love Notes on Saturday, a Florida Orchestra Guild fashion luncheon. Associate conductor Susan Haig, benefactors Judy and Jack Guggino, chef Michael Baugh, musicians and media types walked the runway at Wyndham Harbour Island Hotel in casual wear from Talbots and evening dress from Lillie Rubin. Joining us were First Impressions modeling students, directed by event co-chair Joann Guagliardo. Her co-chair Kathy Woods kept an eye on the silent auction and delivered CDs aptly named Love Notes, recorded by Tampa's jazzman Fred Johnson.

Special treat: Vocalist Thomas Moore of Charlotte, N.C., serenaded the ladies in his rich baritone.

To pass along tips to Amy Scherzer, reach her at 226-3332 or scherzer@sptimes.com

FRIDAY: LAMPlighters Luncheon of Light; fashions from Saks Fifth Avenue; 11 a.m.; Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay; $75 to benefit Joshua House and Metropolitan Ministries; 250-3737.

SUNDAY: Mardi Gras tea dance, Affaire of the Heart auction benefits Stageworks; 5:30-7:30 p.m.; St. Bart's Island House; $35; 251-8984.

FEB. 25: The 3rd Annual DeBartolo Family Foundation All Star Charity Gala; 6:30 p.m.; A La Carte Event Pavilion; $250; 964-8302.

FEB. 26: Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Coronation Ball; 9 p.m.; Tampa Convention Center; invitation only.

FEB. 26: The Red Party, 9 p.m.; Rustic Steel Creations, 114 S 12th St.; $20 for Avant Garde members; $25 for nonmembers; $35 at the door; benefits Tampa Museum of Art; www.tampa-avantgarde.org

FEB. 27: Tampa Theatre's Oscar Night America Tampa Bay; black-tie optional; 6:30 p.m. patrons reception with open bar and hors d'oeuvres, $85; 8 p.m. live telecast and cash bar, $35; 711 N Franklin St.; 274-5507.

[Last modified February 17, 2005, 10:49:04]