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Amy Scherzer's diary
House full of friends
By AMY SCHERZER
Published April 14, 2006
An emotional luncheon and elegant French dinner hit a super double whammy for Friends of Joshua House. Two fundraisers in nine days brought a windfall of $212,000, with more to come, thanks to Gene and Patsy McNichols and Don and Erika Wallace's promise to match funds raised through June 30, up to $80,000. No one was more elated than Dottie Berger MacKinnon, founder of the emergency shelter and treatment center for abused, neglected and abandoned children, and chairwoman of the Friends of Joshua House Foundation. Saturday night, Stroll Along the Left Bank dinner chairwoman Jan DeFosset took her can-can attitude to Avila, where she turned Lenda and Vince Naimoli's estate into a Parisian cabaret. Emcees Cathy Unruh and Tom Sansone imported their chicness to the $500-ticket fete. Mise en Place created Le French menu for 126 guests, followed by Ooooh La La pear martinis and cigars. Cool lake breezes (was that the Seine or a pond in Avila?) chased away the smoke. La musique filled the air, from a pianist, string quartet, jazztet and the band Southtown Fever. Since no trip to Paris is complete without art, each guest left with an original watercolor painted by a Joshua House resident and framed by Anson Galleries. The evening raised $86,000. A week earlier, actor Victor Rivas Rivers, victim, witness and survivor, described his real life terror at the 10th annual Child Abuse Awareness luncheon at the Marriott Waterside. "I am the child saved by a village,'' Rivers said, emphasizing that child abuse is "not a woman's issue.'' After years of abuse, he managed to get a restraining order against his father. Teachers and friends helped him go to college and then Hollywood. He chronicles it all in his book, It's a Private Family Matter. Again, Cathy Unruh used her news anchor skills to emcee, announcing vocalist Belinda Womack to sing original music. Judge Greg Holder received the Olin Mott Award for making "safety and permanence'' the goal of family court. Mayor Pam Iorio named Wendy Millaway, known for creating the kids' Halloween costumes, Joshua House Volunteer of the Decade. Two Joshua House youngsters, stars of a video by Linda Goldstein, whose mother survived drugs and jail, also came up to take a bow. SCOUTS MEET MRS. SADAT: With warmth and humor, Jehan Sadat, first lady of Egypt from 1970 to 1981, shared her husband's legacy with 700 guests at the Girl Scouts of Suncoast Council's annual Women of Distinction luncheon at A La Carte Pavilion. After President Anwar Sadat's assassination, she - and now their 11 granddaughters - inherited the fight for civil rights for Muslim women and international peace. The crowd laughed when she read a fax from one of the girls requesting a Sony PlayStation. Kids are kids all over the world, they realized. Emcee Gayle Sierens, WFLA-Ch. 8 anchor, introduced council president Elinor Paladine, who on behalf of 26,000 area Girl Scouts announced four Women of Distinction mentors. "Wake up and take charge,'' said pediatrician Pallavi Patel, who has treated women on three continents. Eighty percent of the world's refugees are women and children, she said. "Take risks,'' added University of South Florida president Judy Genshaft, but not by reaching for that out-of-reach grapefruit like she did, referencing her broken arm. Pinellas County honorees, philanthropist Gladys Hackworth and School Board chair Martha Rudy Wallace, sent similar messages. Wallace's mother was chairwoman of the first Girl Scout cookie sale in St. Petersburg.Every year, organizer Lora Hulse wonders how they'll ever top the previous speakers, including Sally Ride, Jane Goodall and Alma Powell. She is pleased the April 4 turnout for Mrs. Sadat raised $55,000. SUPERMODELS IN EVERY SENSE: The tears came at the start of a video of the girls primping and posing during a day of pampering organized for the third year by Lori Halpin at the Saks Fifth Avenue Club. The rest of "Fashion Funds the Cure'' was a joyful blur as the young ladies battling cancer modeled at the annual Pediatric Cancer Foundation benefit April 4. Thunderous applause from 350 fans cheered the girls on the runway, some still undergoing treatments and some celebrating remission. Even their escorts, tough guys such as Shane Stafford and Nyle Wiren of the Tampa Bay Storm, former NFL player Jared Tomich, and Tampa Bay Bucs general manager Bruce Allen were caught in the emotion of the moment. Saks closed at 6 p.m. and Amore Catering, Blue Martini, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill began serving. Foundation president Chad Harrod doubled attendance and sponsorship (20 sponsors at $1,000 and up), thanks to a big assist from his co-chair, his mom, Margo. Add auction proceeds and Saks' donation of 10 percent of sales during the party, and nearly $70,000 will go to researchers to eliminate childhood cancer. That's an uptick of 60 percent over last year. HEAR THAT? It was music to the ears when more than 5,000 people applauded Symphony of Life, the free Florida Orchestra concert in Plant Park hosted by LifeLink Foundation on April 1. While enjoying the music and cool breezes, picnickers learned how one organ and tissue donor can potentially benefit 60 people. But the transplants are costly, and without the LifeLink Legacy Fund, needy and uninsured patients might not get a second chance at life. The fireworks finale blasted a thank-you salute to 20-plus concert sponsors who helped raise $200,000. Spotted celebrating: Lin and Win Weber, Paul Hanna, Maisie Reddy, Jim and Carole Free, Gil and Betsy Singer, Henry and Kathy Redmon and Pat and John Riesenburger. To pass along tips to Amy Scherzer, blog her at www.sptimes.com/party, where you'll find more pictures, events and links, or call 226-3332.
[Last modified April 13, 2006, 14:29:46]
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