- April 18, 2024
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Cheers to the start of the Black Tie season, social butterflies! We're sure you all were "cool for the summer" in true Demi Lovato-style, but we thought we'd fill you in on things you might have missed in the off-season before we clink our champagne flutes to parties to come ...
Oh baby, baby!
Our very own BT babes Stephanie Hannum and Heather Merriman Saba each welcomed their own bundles of joy this summer. Audrey Elaine Hannum, daughter of Stephanie and Max Hannum, was born Aug. 2 in Atlanta, and Olivia Grace Saba, daughter of Heather and Tim Saba, was born Sept. 29 here in Sarasota. Stephanie is back online this week, while Heather will be missed from the party scene until she returns, camera in hand, in 2016.
More beautiful babies were born this summer to Billy and Liebe Gamble, Dave and Kyla Weiner, Bart and Kameron Hodgens and Joe and Sydney Gruters. Expecting hot mamas are Diana Buchanan, Ashley Gruters, Kara Saunders, Katie Jones, Randi Donahue, Pallas Knight and Bridget Ziegler — something's obviously in the water.
And many more ...
Florence Katz, a stalwart of Jewish Family & Services Seniors Program and the beloved music director emerita of Temple Beth Israel of Longboat Key, celebrated her centennial with family and friends on July 9 at the Sarasota Bay Club. The party wrapped up with Florence conducting a chorus of well-wishers ... Ilene Friedman turned 65 in late August and celebrated at an evening engineered by hubby, Greg Gregory, at Beau Ciel ... Betty Schoenbaum celebrated her 98th with brunch on Sept. 27 at Michael’s On East ... Claire Love was honored at an Oct. 2 luncheon at Michael’s for her mere 96 years ... And just last weekend, Bob Garner, celebrated his 90th birthday with lots of celebrations with his whole family, including wife, Dottie, daughters Betsy Garner Wyant and Allison Garner Louie and grandsons David and Rob Wyant ... The next big birthday coming up is Father Fausto Stampiglia's 80th birthday. Father Fausto fans are celebrating his big day with an elegant dinner this Saturday, Oct. 17, at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota (Tickets are $1,000 a pop!). Bishop Frank Dewane will be there with a special blessing from Rome, and Mayor Willie Charles Shaw will have a proclamation from the City of Sarasota. Bridget Spiess is taking last-minute reservations via phone at 720-6304.
Happily ever after
Wedding bells were ringing this summer for everybody’s favorite technical director Brent Greeno and Ryan Robert Inskeep in June at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens … philanthropist Harry Leopold and Audrey Robbins in August at the Bijou with Leopold's tennis buddy Chris Gallagher officiating … and Phil King and Dennis Stover on Phil’s birthday, Sept. 9, at the Bay Isles Beach Club on Longboat Key ...
Brady — Sarasota's star quarterback
Never dropping the ball in SRQ, Veronica Brady is our star quarterback and hometown team player. Serving on numerous boards in Sarasota, connecting organizations and people throughout our community and advocating through her work as Senior Vice President for Philanthropy at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, it's no surprise that West Coast Chapter of the American Jewish Committee is honoring her with the 2015 Civic Achievement Award on Nov. 17, at Michael's on East. Brady says that she appreciates the value system the organization has and through its work she's able to connect her interests on a national and international level. Yep, her fellow alumni at Venice High School certainly were right when they voted her "Most Likely to Succeed." Success, indeed.
Tidbits
Sara Sardelli got to announce her engagement to Kenny Rachon at the sold-out and über cute Tea & Tutus event Oct. 3, at the FSU Center for Performing Arts, which was chaired by Retta Wagner and sponsored by J.L. Bainbridge ... A new and notable event is #SPARCCAmazingRaise, which is a scavenger hunt that will track 10 teams across Sarasota on Saturday, Oct. 17. Fans can cheer on teams at the Raise the Roof party starting at 7:30 p.m. at Michael's On East. Tickets, $100, call 365-0208, Ext. 106 ... Another new event is Marie Selby Botanical Gardens' "nye@selby," which is a New Year's Eve gala limited to 200 people. With Roger Capote running the show it's sure to be fabulous.
