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Letter to the editor

On the town

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 9, 2007

12.01.07

The 16th annual World AIDS Day dinner at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront raised an estimated $30,000 to help pay medical expenses for clients of the AIDS Service Association of Pinellas (ASAP). More than 300 people attended the Africa-themed event, which featured King, a 9-year-old lion brought in from Seminole's Wildlife Rescue and Rehab.

12.04.07

Members of the Boley Angels, who help the Boley Centers' efforts to provide treatment, rehabilitation, jobs and housing for people in recovery, gathered at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club for their annual Christmas brunch.

The event, chaired by Brenda Battaglia, featured carols and a visit from Santa along with the nonprofit's more serious purpose.

11.17.07

Ceremonies in Boston opened the Jeffrey Modell Immunology Center at Harvard in connection with the second symposium of the Robert A. Good Immunology Society.

The center houses a library named for Dr. Good, who performed the first successful bone marrow transplant in 1968 in Minnesota and was considered to be one of the founders of modern immunology. He led the Children's Research Institute at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and was a professor at the University of South Florida medical school.

Dr. Good died in June 2003. His widow, Noorbibi Day, is a professor of pediatrics at USF on sabbatical at Harvard. Medical experts from throughout the world attended the conference, she said, adding that the Good Library "is just so airy and open."

Others attending from the Tampa Bay area included Dr. Morna Dorsey, Dr. Soichi and Noriko Haraguchi, Ambassador Jamsheed and Arnaz Marker, Catherine McGarry, Dr. Alex Petrovic, Dr. Ben Pollara and Thelma Rothman.

11.30.07

A Christmas in Paris-themed series of gingerbread house designs took Best Theme for a group of friends who traditionally have placed well in the American Red Cross' annual fundraiser at the Don CeSar Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach.

Kudos to the team comprising Twila Davis, Jean Diebold, Emalou Dublo, Katherine Franckle, Lisa Greene Steiger, Blythe Holecek, Silvia Hoyt and Alice Rimel, who made judging hard work for those of us who had to choose among dozens of creative offerings.

Other winners were the Disney-themed table of fantasy houses created by Adriann Anderson, Vicky Boettcher, Jeanna Damkoehler, Tricia Dunlevy, Robin Katz, Kim Levine, Tammy Plummer, Cheryl Sanchez and Colleen Weiss, runnersup for best theme; Lisa Fredrickson, child's fantasy house; Ann Torke, most fun; Connie Evans, most traditional; Shannon Downing, most original; Juliet Kyes, sweetest; and Sue Brett, favorite sports team.

Participants in the event selected as People's Choice a floral-themed gingerbread neighborhood created by Patti Baldino, Nancy Blount, Kathie Breakiron, Lynn Ely, Ginanne Gilmore, Laura Gilmore, Jerlene Green, Jill Hockin, Shannon McNeill, Michelle Palaganas and Bette Stapleton.

Event cochairwomen Karol Bullard and Mary Critchfield joined master of ceremonies Dick Crippen of the Tampa Bay Rays on a platform well above the sticky fray.

My fellow judges were Chris Bracken, the Don's marketing director; Margaret Word Burnside,Tampa Bay magazine; Yolanda Fernandez, WFLA-TV; Leigh Moody, Bay News 9; and Barry Spaulding of Salt Rock Grill.

[Last modified December 8, 2007, 23:44:20]