- October 23, 2024
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Children First Vice President of Development Carol Butera with Development Manager Samantha Kingsley
Brian and Kristi Buck with Sue and Alan Cicora
Kim and Hans Schmeits with Paula Murray and Frank Filipanits
Silent auction items line tables by the dance floor. The Cubs package featured a Cubs hat and teddy bear along with a trip to Chicago (3-night stay and round-trip coach airfare) to use two bleacher seat rooftop tickets to a regular-season game.
Ileen and Jerry Isaac
Bryan Lingle with Bob and Jen Keller
Silent auction items line the tables in front of the dance floor. This piece of art was created by volunteers Robin Shapiro and Randy Fox with a group of 17 students from the Children First - Helen R. Payne Annex childcare facility.
Laurin and Bob Ripley with Julie Leach
Greg and Danielle Mikesell with Michelle Lingle and Rod Hershberger
Children First Vice President of Development Carol Butera dances with Rosemary Eure.
Co-Chairs Lisa and John Giglio, Monica and Jeff Hunek, Erica and Noel Maun, Lisa Richardson and Gregg Hassler
Keith Strubel, Dave Fulkerson and Rich Kindell
Attendees took to the dance floor after dinner.
Wayne Roberts, Joe Dalton, David Macrae and Steve Hazeltine
Ed and Colleen Benzo
Members of A Big Night Out perform popular favorites such as “Uptown Funk.”
Sarah VanderBent, Jennifer LaBonte and Melissa and Jeremy Miner
Kathy and Tom Cook with Josh Kuse and his handmade kaleidoscope
Pat Martin, one of the few attendees whose lantern didn’t end up in the Gulf, launches her lantern. She says it took about 20 minutes to get the lantern prepared for the successful takeoff.
Jon Ludlam thanks the staff at Children First for the support they’ve given him and his wife, Maria Ludlam, while raising their grandaughter, Valentina. Ludlam says that the organization’s free Nurturing Dads Class has helped him immensely.
Scott and Kelly Engel, Wayne and Mindy Rollins, Richard and Biana Lawrence, Co-Chairs Katrina and Matt Otchet, Kim and Mitch Ruzek, Amanda and Jason Johnson, Chad and Lindsay Westrick and Katie and Mike Huyck
Attendees fight the wind and attempt to release a lantern.
Pam and John Holic
Joanne Powers shows off her s’more at the dessert station. Powers made a chocolate and bacon s’more.
Patty Larsen and Andy Douberly
Salli Struble roasts a marshmallow over the bonfire after dinner.
A kaleidoscope made by Josh Kuse sits amongst the crowd during the bonfire.
Randy Fox, Pam Brown, Lisa Olan, Richard Brown and David and Robin Shapiro
Bill and Jane Morgan
Hans Negd prepares his lantern for takeoff.
Camilla Popham and Tere Reis
George Adley and Deborah Blue enjoy the post-dinner bonfire.
Children First CEO Philip Tavill spins the kaleidoscope for Dana Duckman.
The beach at Shark’s on the Pier was packed Saturday, Nov. 5 when guests from all over the Sarasota/Venice area gathered to show their support for Children First.
The evening began with a cocktail hour in which attendees could bid on silent auction items ranging from Cubs tickets to child-made art. A lobster — with the option of prime rib or vegetarian — dinner was next, followed by a presentation by Maria and Jon Ludlam. The Ludlams are raising their grand daughter, Valentina, and spoke about the love and support that the staff and volunteers at Children First give them in this difficult endeavor.
After dinner and speeches, attendees had the option of hitting the dance floor, the make-your-own s’more bar or the beach bonfire. The wind didn’t cooperate well, but a few lucky attendees got to release lanterns into the air (and the others watched theirs tumble into the Gulf). The evening ended with a fireworks show over the water.
