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Letter to the editor

Amy Scherzer's diary

UT dorm gets name

By AMY SCHERZER
Published June 3, 2005

One look at snazzy Straz Hall and you'll want to be a student at the University of Tampa. The eight-story, $18-million N Boulevard dormitory, formerly Stadium Place, now bears the name of David A. Straz Jr., incoming chairman of the board of trustees. Trustees, fellows, faculty and friends saluted the banker and his wife, Catherine, for supporting UT at a May 24 ribbon cutting.

If the students get to meet Straz, they'll find him to be an opera lover, manatee savior and ambassador at large to the Republic of Liberia. Straz sits on the board of the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy in Washington, D.C. He chairs the Lowry Park Zoo Endowment Foundation and serves on the Florida Transportation Commission. At Marquette University, where he graduated in 1965, the college of business and a residence hall bears his name.

UT president Ron Vaughn noted the Clyde Butcher photographs in the lobby and nature artworks on every floor of the 173,000-square-foot dorm. Pointing to a sparkling amethyst rock known for its healing and soothing effects, he quipped. "I hope it works on our students."

MOVING ON: A goodbye party for city arts director Wendy Ceccherelli, who is moving back to Seattle, brought colleagues arts organizations to Spain restaurant May 24. To name a few, John Bell of Tampa Theatre; David Penn of Kid City Tampa's Children's Museum; Cornelia Corbett and Jim Ferman, board members of the Tampa Museum of Art; Cynthia Gandee of H.B. Plant Museum; Judy Lisi of Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Don Keel of the Florida Orchestra.

"I leave a Tampa full of arts potential," said Ceccherelli. She expects to see many Chamber of Commerce friends in October when they attend a meeting in Seattle.

FOR YOUR NEST: A little birdie told us there are a few birdhouses left from Flock Around the Dock, the May 20 benefit for the Tampa Audubon Society. Check www.tampaaudubon.com to buy one. WFLA-Ch. 8's Debra Schrils auctioned the artfully decorated birdhouses to 300 guests at the Florida Aquarium with help from eco-gal Mary Geraci.

Celebrities like author Carl Hiaasen and actor Susan Sarandon sent their creations, and many local artists participated, including Dee Hood, whose entry fetched $530 and Eileen Goldenberg whose colorful work sold for $450. Top collectible: Leonardo DiCaprio's creation at $750.

Guests chirped about buffets from Mise en Place, Viva La Frida, Skipper's Smokehouse, Pipo's Latin Restaurant and Mike's Pies. They danced to Lounge Cat, featuring singer Eddie Rosicky whose guitar and harmonica birdhouse sold for $300.

Proceeds, about $16,000, will support Tampa Audubon educational programs at Lettuce Lake Park and the Hillsborough River Greenways Task Force.

WELL DESERVED: Ybor City Round Table, representing some 10 organizations, presented Vic DiMaio with its 11th annual Sam Leto Award at the Cuban Club on May 21. A retired insurance executive and Ybor native, DiMaio devoted decades to Tampa's Latin Quarter. Among his many roles: Past-president of the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce; Italian Club board member; Knight of the Krewe of Sant' Yago; past president of the Sons of Italy; 50-year member of the Ybor City Lions Club, lifetime member of Los Caballeros del Centro Asturiano; and 1999 winner of Ybor City Museum Society's Tony Pizzo award.

My favorite of DiMaio's many memberships? He's one of the original Tampa Bananas, a pack of pals who attended the University of Florida in the late 1940s. "We're famous for buying one ticket to a football game and passing it over the fence 25 or 30 times," said DiMaio.

FUNDING A CURE: Marc Eichenholtz has raised more than $100,000 since starting the Lisa Eichenholtz Memorial Fund in memory of his wife, a 37-year-old nurse who died of ovarian cancer in 1999. And that doesn't count Cure from Ipanema, a black-tie dinner at the Wyndham Harbour Island Hotel on May 21. About 165 guests, including 20 members of Eichenholtz's Leadership Tampa class of 2005, supported his fourth gala, which he expects will net $15,000 for research and nursing scholarships.

TOP FUNDRAISERS: Who's da man? Jim Morrison, executive vice president of Masonite International, who raised an amazing $135,000 to be named Man of the Year by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Hosting a winetasting at St. Bart's Island House put him over the top and in the running for National Man of the Year.

Shere Schiller, owner of Gaspar's Grotto, is the 2005 Woman of the Year for raising $14,000, including proceeds from an April 28 bachelor and bachelorette auction at her Ybor bar.

After eight weeks of fundraising, the two were crowned May 19 at a $100-ticket dinner sponsored by Tampa Bay Illustrated at the Marriott Waterside. In all, $190,000 was raised in honor of the Boy and Girl of the Year, Katia Solomon of Carrollwood and Jack Kirsch of Bradenton, both 5-year-old leukemia survivors.

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

Love is in the air and, soon, Amy Scherzer's Diary becomes the Heart Beat featuring a weekly wedding story. If you're soon to be wed, or recently wed, and your romance has a twist, share it with us. How did you meet? How did you know it was love? What makes your wedding special? Tell your story in 500 words or less to Amy Scherzer, St. Petersburg Times, 1000 N Ashley Drive, Suite 700, Tampa, FL 33602. Or e-mail scherzer@sptimes.com Be sure to include your address and phone number.

SATURDAY: White Party, poolside entertainment and fashion show, is a benefit for the 13 Ugly Men Foundation; 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 5223 Orient Road; $35 online or $45 at door for women, $50 online or $60 at door for men; www.13uglymen.com 866 530-5705.

JUNE 11: Celebrity Elegance Auction dinner benefits Fortune Education Foundation; $125; 7 p.m.; Hyatt Regency Tampa; 936-9090.

JUNE 26: Krewe of Zingaro wine-tasting benefits St. Joseph's Children's Hospital cancer research group; 5-8 p.m.; St. Bart's Island House, 1502 S Howard Ave.; $35 in advance; $40 at the door; www.zingaro.org or 831-1011.

[Last modified June 2, 2005, 08:00:13]