Black Tie Untied

'Caturday Night Fever'

Cat Depot held its annual gala, themed "Caturday Night Fever" Saturday, March 15, at Hyatt Regency Sarasota. Disco flair and John Travolta-esk cat cutouts adorned the ballroom and guests were dressed as if they were headed to a '70s disco.

Kittens and cats (some of which were rescued from the Napier Animal Sanctuary rescue) were also in attendance and available in the auction. Deborah Vaughan chaired the event, which benefited Cat Depot.

Eight Over Eighty

The Jewish Housing Council honored eight seniors for their community leadership at the 2014 Eight over 80 event Sunday, March 16, at Michael’s On East. Honorees included Herman Frankel, Ed Kalin, Florence Katz, Ernest and Alisa Kretzmer, Lee Peterson, Sam and Sally Shapiro, Sally Yanowitz and Jeanne and Bob Zabelle.

Guests enjoyed an impressive brunch buffet at the event celebrating the philanthropists, who were described as “eight hot rods moving fast … their motors still roar.”

Proceeds from the event benefited the Kobernick House, Anchin Pavilion and Benderson Family Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Banyan Bash

The courtyard of The Out-of-Door Academy’s Uihlein Campus was sparkling with lights and cocktail tables for the annual Banyan Bash Saturday, March 15. Vendors of the finest cuisine in Sarasota lined the perimeter for guests to enjoy food and drinks while mingling among other parents and friends of the school.
During the event, a music video was shown, in which ODA students imitated Pharrell Williams’ “Happy,” portraying their excitement and enjoyment of attending The Out-of-Door Academy.

Something new for usual event protocol: instead of speaking at the event, Co-Chairwomen Jamie Becker and Donna Koffman and heads of the organization gave their thanks and announcements via a nicely put together video, which was presented over a large projection screen.

Following the video, the live auction and paddle raise commenced. A St. Berdoodle puppy (a mix between a miniature St. Bernard, Australian shepherd and a poodle) was auctioned off during the live auction and more than $120,000 was raised during the paddle raise, specifically for technology advancements. 

The annual event raised more than $350,000 for the school.