Black Tie & Tales

+ Where do great fundraiser ideas come from?
Sarasota is fortunate to attract leaders who have done charity work in other cities and bring exciting concepts here, and there are two examples coming up. The first is the Asolo Rep’s “Men Who Cook” dinner April 10, at the Longboat Key Club. (Tickets are $150 via 351-9010, Ext. 4712 or e-mail at[email protected].) Some two-dozen Sarasota and Bradenton leading men will prepare one of their favorite main dishes for what promises to be a wild buffet. Beverly Bartner imported this idea from Guilford, Conn., where a more casual version raised many dollars for the Women and Family Life Center. 

She has also brought aspects of her experience in New York City, St. Croix and elsewhere to bear on other Asolo events, including the upcoming “Studio 54” that she is co-chairing with Helen Sosso.

Diane McNeel was involved with the Red Cross in Tampa for 30 years, and one of the things she developed there was a Mad Hatter Tea. When she and partner Peter Plotkin attended a Red Cross event here, she was disturbed to discover the same void that she had seen years earlier in Tampa: the lack of a dedicated fundraising arm of women committed to the local chapter. In the event of a disaster, she says, “Tampa had MacDill Air Force Base to help … we have only ourselves to count on. The feeling among many is, ‘that’s the National Red Cross’ job.’ But it takes time to mobilize a national rescue, and it is very clear that we need to find the funding to train our local emergency providers. We must reduce our vulnerabilities.”

That’s hard to argue with, and friends climbed on board to create a Mad Hatter Tea series to benefit the Sarasota Red Cross. Ping Faulhaber offered her Casey Key home for the inaugural tea April 14. Tickets are $50 via[email protected] or 348-9336. Suggestion: Call soon. A lot of people are going to want to see the Faulhaber home. To follow: a holiday tea at the home of Margaret Wise and another at the new home of Katherine Harris in 2012.

+ Tidbits
Our hearts were young and gay … The signature image at the Technion dinner honoring Robert Rosenthal and his late wife, Mildred, was in the Valentine spirit. It is their wedding photo circa 1938. And there is deep affection for this organization: Naomi Wertheimer and Marilyn Naiditch have chaired its event together for five years — and Naomi even longer! … A store with heart … Shop at the new Eileen Fisher downtown location in Pineapple Square during its grand opening from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 — 10% of proceeds will benefit Girls Inc. of Sarasota County. Plus, you get a $25 off coupon, hors d’oeuvres and champagne … Love for sale … Co-Chairwomen Julie Delaney and Margarete Van Antwerpen are promising a dazzling array of lovers-themed baskets as raffle prizes at the annual luncheon benefiting Historic Spanish Point Feb. 16, at Michael’s On East. For reservations: 966-5214, Ext. 230. 

Happy Valentine’s Day from Black Tie & Tales. Vive l’amour!