Members lunch in the gardens at the Legacy Luncheon

Lunching for the living museum

The seventh annual Marie Selby Legacy Society Luncheon was held March 8 at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens. The luncheon gathered together members of the Marie Selby Legacy Society, along with trustees, advisory committee members, staff, volunteers, and other supporters to celebrate Marie’s legacy, the founding of the gardens and the legacy donors over the past 45 years. The keynote speaker for the luncheon was William G. and Marie Selby Foundation Executive Director Carol Butera.

Vote for this season’s Standout Couple

We know it doesn’t feel like it, but before you know it, season will be over.

To commemorate and celebrate another successful season of philanthropy and socializing, we will publish our Black Tie Season Standouts magazine the first week of May. 

But first, we need your help. 

This year, we are asking you to vote on whom we should feature as our Standout Couple for the season. 

Visit YourObserver.com/BT to see the six couples in the running and make your vote.

Voting begins March 14 and ends March 28. And, look for the magazine in May for our story about the winners!

A Night for the Birds

Save Our Seabirds CEO David Pilston, Co-Founder and Vice Chair Ann. B. Anderson and board member Lisa Giusti hosted a private tour for Longboat Key’s Bay Isles neighborhood on March 8 at Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center and Living Museum. 

The facility on Sarasota’s City Island rescues, rehabilitates and releases sick and injured wild birds. 

Guests socialized over cheese and a glass of Save Our Seabird’s private-label, organic wine before the tour.

The event was a chance for Bay Isles residents to go on a private tour of the bird sanctuary, where they learned more about the birds. There was even a sunset serenade by Gabby, an umbrella cockatoo.

A VIP Sneak Peek

The first unveiling of the Lakewood Ranch Hospice House was

March 7 at the VIP Reception for major donors and community leaders. Attendees got a first look at the $5 million hospice house and heard remarks from CEO Gerry Radford, Tidewell Board of Trustees Vice Chair Steve Hall and Kathy Martella, event chairwoman.

The public grand opening and dedication was March 9. 

Tidbits

Racing for freedom ... Precision Driving Team racer Marko Radisic sported a Selah Freedom sticker on his car in the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this weekend. Turning cats into art ... The silent auction for Cat Tails: A Night in the Gardens took a little bit of pre-planning. World-renowned artists hand painted cat silhouettes for guests to bid on. Artists included Scott Causey, Drew Strouble, Karin Billings, Nancy Colby, Paul Szep, Jackson Medford and Oddity Tattoo Studio.