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Many Groups Are Getting Into The Holiday Spirit

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2008

SOUTH TAMPA - The holiday season is here, and many groups are having holiday-themed events with special foods and entertainment. Some serve as fundraisers for the less fortunate to help with holiday needs. Events include:

•Beach Park Garden Club Annual Christmas Auction, 10 a.m. Dec. 3 at the Beach Park Women's Club, 801 S. West Shore Blvd.

Betty Cox is chairwoman of the auction, assisted by Debra Porter. It will include plants, baked goods, crafts and gift baskets, with proceeds for a scholarship for a Hillsborough Community College student studying horticulture

A holiday lunch will follow with Mary Saad as the hostess, assisted by Sze Farrell, Carol Garret and Dot Jackson. For information, call Jan Haber at (813) 258-1117.

• The Davis Islands Garden Club holiday workshop, 10 a.m. Dec. 3 at 81 Columbia Drive.

The workshop topic is Fun With Flowers, and a Christmas luncheon follows. For information, call (813) 251-3123.

•Lamplighters 19{+t}{+h} annual Christmas Silver Coffee, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 5 at the home of Suzanne and Roger Perry, 702 S. Edison Ave.

Edda Gibson and Nancy Leach are co-chairwomen for this event, which features coffee and holiday foods.

The minimum donation is $20, with proceeds to purchase toys for children in the Metropolitan Ministries programs.

•Victorian Christmas Stroll Preview Party, 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at the H.B. Plant Museum, University of Tampa Campus, Plant Hall.

This event includes a look at the display, music and a holiday buffet of dishes prepared by members of the Plant Museum Society.

Sue Cox is the event chairwoman; subcommittee chairwomen are Becky Clarke, Cindy Hadlow, Betsy Best, Lesley Dobbins, Nancy Curtis and CeCe Lane.

Tickets are $75 each with sponsorships available. Reservations are needed by Monday by calling (813) 254-1891.

• Author Les Standiford lecture, book signing and reception, 5:30 p.m. Dec. 8, Grand Salon of Plant Hall at the University of Tampa.

Standiford will speak about his new book, "The Man Who Invented Christmas: Being the True Story of How Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits."

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for others. They include a ticket to the Victorian Stroll.

His book is available in the museum bookstore for $19.95. For reservations, call Gianna Russo at (813) 258-7304 or e-mail to grusso@ut.edu.

•Holiday Fashion Show, Dec. 11, benefiting St. Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa.

The 20th annual fundraiser is at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, 211 N. Tampa St., and features fashions from Georgette's and The Shoe Salon. Doors open at 10 a.m., a silent auction is from 10 a.m. to 11:45; the show is at noon; lunch follows.

Gayle Sierens of News Channel 8 is the emcee, and Dianne Cox will be honored. Celebrity models are featured in the event, co-chaired by Georgette Diaz and Nora Musselman.

Tickets are $75 each with sponsorships available. Tickets are available by calling (813) 872-0979 by Dec. 5.

•Beach Park Women's Club annual Silver Coffee, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 12 at the home of Kennedy and Martin Garcia, 5612 W. Neptune Way.

Kennedy Garcia and Elizabeth Kurz are co-chairwomen for the event with committee members Betty Coz, Liz Cristafano, Janice Lindgren, Christen Manley and Paige Paine.

Appetizers and desserts will be served with past presidents serving the coffee. Fashions will be presented by Kit's Well-Heeled and Well-Dressed of Hyde Park Village. Part of the proceeds will benefit the scholarship fund of the Hillsborough Education Foundation.

For information, call President Pam Menendez at (813) 639-1776.

Angels Gather For Coffee

PARKLAND ESTATES - About 100 supporters of the American Red Cross gathered Nov. 17 at the home of Missy and Corey Steadham for the Red Cross Angels Annual Silver Coffee.

Guests were greeted by Robert Sheldon, dressed in a kilt and playing the bagpipe on the lawn. Inside, they were welcomed by Angels President Maureen Rorech Dunkel and Tampa Bay Chapter Executive Director Anna Trefethen.

The event, which featured finger foods and lots of hot coffee served by past presidents and other volunteers, raised almost $5,000.

Members of the organization also are preparing for their next event, the Gingerbread House Event, set for 10:30 a.m. in the Fletcher Lounge at Plant Hall of the University of Tampa.

It opens with a boutique, music and champagne brunch, and follows with a gingerbread decorating contest.

Tickets are $75 adults and $50 for children through age 14.

TGH Foundation Honors Supporters

PALMA CEIA - Dana Shires, a physician who has built the world-class transplant team with LifeLink, recently was named the James M. "Red" McEwen Memorial Award winner by the Tampa General Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees.

The award, in memory of a founder of the foundation, is given for efforts and services that have contributed significantly to the betterment of the hospital.

In addition, hospital volunteer Joe Mestro received the Madeleine P. Gibbons Humanitarian Award for his dedication at the information desk and other parts of the hospital.

USF Football Awards Banquet Set

DOWNTOWN TAMPA - The University of South Florida football team and staff will be honored with at an awards banquet Dec. 13 at the Hyatt Regency, 211 N. Tampa St.

Head football coach Jim Leavitt and other coaches will present the awards. A reception with hors d'oeuvres is at 6 p.m., dinner is at 6:45 p.m. and the ceremony is at 7:15 p.m.

Tickets are $60 a person or two VIP tickets for $250. Supporters who cannot attend may sponsor a player for $100.

For information, call Ciera White at (813) 974-7170.

Send news of social activities, landmark anniversaries, birthdays and other items of community interest to Lenora Lake at 15310 Amberly Drive, Suite 102, Tampa FL 33647; fax to (813) 975-9488; e-mail to llake@ tampatrib.com; or call her at (813) 865-4851.

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