- April 25, 2024
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Erin and Patrick Duggan with Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center President and CEO Jessica Hays and Chairwoman Barbara Gardner
The tables featured gold sparkling decor at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Jeannette and Carla Malachowski
An anchor-shaped ice sculpture added to the sparkling decor at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Neia Concelcao and Jim Doyle
Jo Ann Heisen, Chairwoman Barbara Gardner and David Lenihan
Courtney and Paul Tarantino with Robert Gaglio and Frannie Hoffman
Marguerite Eddy and Don Lockett
Dorothy Thomas and Leslie Hazlett
Janet and Lewis Solomon with Larry Wickless and Carole Crosby
Lola White and Karen Roth
Curt Schantz and Bonnie McIntyre
Katie Cornell and Rene Brooks
Frank and Katherine Martucci with Jan and Lee Peakes
Joan Castellani with Jim and Rae Denne
Diane and Tim Muldoon
Lee-En Chung and Tracey Winters
Donna and Jimmy Pettinato
Jenelle Taylor and Jose Fernandez
Sara McGregor, Lola White, Coral Pleas and Carrie Hulen
David Glorius and Kimberly Carreiro
Jerry and Marjorie Long, Angela Regnier, and Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center Board of Directors Chairwoman Susan Erhart
Michele Fischman with Travis and Kathy Brown
Amy Goldman and Marilyn Powell
Stephanie and Brian Hanson
Bill Noonan and Lynn Smith
John Mason, Scott George and Tom Gardner
Teresa Lee-Kay, Carrie Hulen, Melissa Howard, Lola White, Karen Roth, Coral Pleas, Renee Frigo, Mimi Carlin, Sara McGregor and Jane Rosen
A football autographed by Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was available for bidding during the silent auction at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center President and CEO Jessica Hays explains SPARCC services to guests at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Sara McGregor waits to see if her bid is the winning bid during the live auction at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Chairwoman Barbara Gardner welcomes guests to SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Kimberly Carreiro places a bid during the live auction at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Auctioneer Jenelle Taylor begins the live auction at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Guests enjoyed creme brulee with raspberry and whipped cream at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Eddie Cooper Band performs at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Guests hit the dance floor at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Tom Gardner dances with Neia Concelcao at SPARCCle Gala: “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
Sexual assault is not an easy topic to talk about. It’s sobering and it’s heartbreaking, and just as Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center President and CEO Jessica Hays said at the organization’s SPARCCle Gala, it’s extremely stigmatized.
“What we do is offer hope and restoration for a brighter tomorrow,” Hays told the crowd at “A Nautical Night” on April 8 at Bird Key Yacht Club.
She went on to explain that SPARCC views the people who use its services as survivors, not victims. These survivors are offered safety planning, crisis counseling and court advocacy, along with the chance to stay in the SPARCC emergency shelter — all free of charge.
These services are made possible largely by large-scale fundraisers such as SPARCCle Gala, which began with a lively cocktail hour. The 172 guests sipped, mingled and perused the silent auction table before they sat down for dinner at gold-adorned tables in the yacht club ballroom.
After dinner, event-goers learned that in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, SPARCC provided 7,252 shelter days to a total of 182 adults and 96 children and that 2,249 survivors of violence received services in their outreach offices. Guests also heard the first-person narrative of a young survivor who turned to SPARCC after her boyfriend’s control issues escalated to abuse. Today she is happily independent and preparing to take the Florida Bar Exam.
An exciting live auction followed, which was led by auctioneer Jenelle Taylor and featured items such as a six-night trip to England for two. Two guests each made $10,000 gifts during the “Stand up for a Survivor” donation opportunity, and several people purchased $500 tickets to a private party at the Longboat Key home of FedEx CFO Alan Graf.
The evening ended with dessert and dancing to the sounds of Eddie Cooper Band.
