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Amy Scherzer's Diary

'Angels' held aloft

By AMY SCHERZER
Published September 30, 2005

Calling four volunteers "angels and heroes," Easter Seals sang the praises of Fraser and Maria Himes and Joy and Michael Murray at the annual Here for the Heroes dinner Saturdaynight.

Noting their preference to be "unsung heroes," WTVT-Ch. 13 news anchor John Wilson and his wife, Mary K, delivered a musical tribute to the two couples.

The Murrays, volunteers for 14 years, led the campaign to raise money for a new building. The Himeses have donated art, bought auction items and opened their home for dinners for the past 10 years.

Easter Seals' littlest angel, 3-year-old Kenya Williams, who learned to walk and talk at the child development center, brought out the biggest smiles. She sat at the grownups' table and saw herself in a video illustrating many ways to get involved with Easter Seals.

Kathy Jewel of Indigo Zebra Designs put her creative touch on Higgins Hall. Outback Steakhouse hustled out dinner and then Wilson ran the live auction, helping to boost the event's proceeds to more than $70,000.

NOT SO LONG AGO, Tampa Hispanic Heritage Month filled the September calendar with lunches, dances and cultural performances. Now the activities pack three months, starting with the unveiling of the official poster Sept. 15 through Conga Caliente Nov. 20. One of the best attended events: Saturday night's Inaugural Gala at the Hyatt Regency Tampa.

The 18th annual black-tie dinner brought 350 guests to honor the Man and Woman of the Year: certified public accountant Jose Valiente and Adrienne Garcia, executive director of the Hillsborough Community College Foundation. Cuban native Valiente is chairman-elect of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

"The gala inaugurates the season of participation by many different clubs and organizations under the Hispanic Heritage Inc. umbrella," said gala chairwoman Luz Lono.

Emcee Carleth Keys, BayNews 9 en Espanol anchor, introduced Mayor Pam Iorio and video biographies of the honorees. As soon as they could, guests flew to the dance floor to the irresistible salsa beat of Orquesta Infinidad.

WEST TAMPA NAMESAKE. Alumni of the original West Tampa Boys Club laughed about their youthful escapades as they toured the new West Tampa Boys & Girls Club at a Sept. 22 ribbon cutting. Among those storytellers were Joe Garcia, chairman of the Boys & Girls Club Foundation board, and Judges E.J. Salcines and Gaston Fernandez.

"At one time or the other, we all played in the original Union Street club," Salcines said.

They know their history. The Tampa Rotary Club started the West Tampa Boys Club in 1926 and ran it for 18 years. In 1951, the late George Guida of the Optimist Club of West Tampa oversaw the building of a clubhouse on MacDill Avenue. Not until 1982 was the club renamed the Boys & Girls Club. In 2002, the West Tampa club was sold to the state for the widening of Interstate 275. The city stepped in and offered Julian Lane Riverfront Park on N Boulevard for the new 16,000-square-foot clubhouse and gym, which opened Monday.

TALL ORDER: Fine. That was 7-foot-1 Matt Geiger's response every time gawking guests asked about the weather in his stratosphere at the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Hearts of Fire patrons party. The former 76er and his partners at the Courtside Grille in Clearwater catered the thank-you buffet.

Former Tampa Bay Buc Brad Culpepper and his formerly brunet wife, Monica, opened their Davis Islands home for the party. (I passed her three times before I recognized her as a blond.)

The former University of Florida homecoming queen (1991) said Brad loves her new look. Their sons, Rex and Judge, and daughter, Honor, can't decide.

"I told them it's not forever," Monica said.

Sponsors received plaques from three-time co-chairs Barbara and Jim Major, and vice chairwoman Marilyn McPhail. They thanked the Culpeppers with a crystal vase, which Brad promptly turned into an elegant beer stein.

ON THE MEND: Florida Orchestra conductor Stefan Sanderling is back in the bay area but didn't get to the third annual appreciation dinner Sunday at Ruth Eckerd Hall. He is recuperating from broken bones suffered in a fall in Dijon, France, several weeks ago.

"He'll be there when it is time to conduct," board chairman Jim Strenski assured. Associate conductor Susan Haig mingled with key supporters and principal performers dining on the stage.

ZOO SENDOFF: A spectacular sunset sent into retirement Lowry Park Zoological Society chairman of the board Fassil Gabremariam. His successor, Bill Blanchard, hosted an African-themed dinner at his bayfront home Sept. 20. Wife Kellie was away, so Blanchard was on his own. His teenage neighbor, Hannibal Lowry, great-great-grandson of zoo namesake Sumter L. Lowry, ferried guests in a golf cart. Future chairman of the board, no doubt.

Caterer Rita Carlino researched the menu of falafel, shish kabob, lemon lavender sorbet and beef tagine. The 30 guests quietly raised $30,000.

Zoo director Lex Salisbury presented Gabremariam a glass bowl etched with five elephants made by his wife, Elena Sheppa. It will remind him of the airlift of four elephants he organized from Swaziland to keep Ellie the elephant company in Tampa.

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

TODAY: Tampa Museum of Art Members' Opening; 6-8 p.m. preview of Georgia O'Keeffe and Her Time; free to members, $10 nonmembers. From 8 to midnight, First Wave: La Vie Boheme; 600 N Ashley Drive; $45-$75; 274-8294.

SATURDAY: Art for Life auction benefits Project Return; 6 p.m., auction starts at 8 p.m.; Higgins Hall; $30 in advance and $35 day of the event; 990-8981.

SATURDAY: Wicked Broadway Ball benefits the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; 6 p.m.; $400; 229-7827.

SATURDAY: 8th annual All That Glitters benefits MacDonald Training Center Foundation; 7-10 p.m.; Florida Aquarium; $60; 870-1300, ext. 283.

OCT. 8: WEDU cocktail benefit and viewing of Georgia O'Keeffe and Her Time; 7 p.m.; Tampa Museum of Art; $75 or $140 a couple; (800) 354-9338.

OCT. 8: Total Experience wine tasting benefits March of Dimes; 6:30-9 p.m.; Don Vicente de Ybor; $75; 287-2600, ext. 28.

OCT. 8: Carrollwood Players 25th anniversary dinner; 6 p.m.; Tampa Bay Downs; $50, $40 for season ticket holders; 265-4000.

OCT. 11: Glitz and Sticks celebrity casino evening benefits Tampa General Hospital and Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation; 7 p.m.; St. Pete Times Forum; $250; 301-6590.

[Last modified September 29, 2005, 09:21:10]