They work and party to give support to various charities

PRELUDE: At the home of Cleves and Kathy Delp.

HIRES / BLADE

Local charities continue to strive for a piece of the pie by hosting fund-raisers.

Focus, a non-profit organization to provide dignity, hope, and independence to the homeless community of the Toledo area, celebrated its 20th birthday with a gala Saturday evening at The Toledo Club.

CHARITY: Valerie Garforth and Nan Champion are at the Focus Gala.

Nearly 150 guests sipped, supped, and of course, had birthday cake, candles, song and all. Entertainment included live and silent auctions organized by Nan Champion, harp music, and a performance by the Toledo Opera soloists from the upcoming production of Sweeney Todd. Chairman was Valerie Garforth, who is also president-elect of the board.

The Goodwill News Bash — a first time event was held Friday night in Stranahan Great Hall. Guests sipped cocktails and cruised grazing stations of pasta, tenderloin, hors d' oeuvres, and desserts.

PARTY: Melinda Tulak, Brian Fitch, front, and Kevin Carmony are at the Goodwill dinner.

Then it was serious business as bidding wars erupted for silent auctions items. Claire Smith bought a storm of winter items and restaurant certificates, which prompted her friend Joel Gorksi to joke, “Were gonna be hungry after all that tobogganing and bicycling.”

George and Deb Carruth won Red Wings tickets. Jennifer Bembry bought several golf and dinner packages. The Mighty Meaty Swing Kings band added to the excitement.

Seen were board chairman Kevin Carmony, Susanne and Matt Fredericks, Denise and Terry Benton, Dee and Joe Spencer, Bob and Karen Lucas, Stacey and Blaine Gilmore, and Debra and Dave Gorman, who won the cash raffle.

Mayor Jack Ford stopped by, too. Also seen were Goodwill grads Melinda Tulak, who works at Owens Corning, and Brian Fitch who works at Sky Financial. Silent auction chairman Liz Sofo was assisted by Deb Pezzin and Ken Gallaher, and a host of volunteers. Lisa Lay handled the decorations.

The Epilepsy Center celebrated its 25th year of service Thursday evening with a dinner at Gladieux Meadows. Tables were centered with white cakes set on silver lame and each place setting held a silver box containing a chocolate. Emcee Dave Carlson of WTOL-TV 11 got things rolling and former board member Larry Whatley, a minister and also of WTOL, gave the invocation, followed by a video and dinner.

The evening included recognition of honorees including Mary Anne Wolff, Terry Maxx, Portia Garza, Peter and Tricia Zangara, Elizabeth Carr, Marty Peterson, and Stony Ridge Boy Scout Troop 349.

Beth Laux and Jackie Campbell gave personal testimonials of their experience with epilepsy.

The guest speaker was Camelia Anwar Sadat, daughter of the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and United Nations goodwill ambassador. Ms. Sadat, who has faced the challenges of living with epilepsy while continuing to deliver a message of peace, justice and human rights to audiences around the world, said, “I tell you both young and old — lead your life. Don't let epilepsy lead you. Your number one responsibility is caring for yourself.”

Board president is Rob Fox.

The 14th Annual Enchanted Evening to benefit Anne Grady Center' was Nov. 3 at Gladieux Meadows. The center — a hidden treasure — is a private non-profit facility to serve adult individuals with developmental disabilities, so Hidden Treasure was used as the theme.

The evening included recognition of honorees including Mary Anne Wolff, Terry Maxx, Portia Garza, Peter and Tricia Zangara, Elizabeth Carr, Marty Peterson, and Stony Ridge Boy Scout Troop 349.

Beth Laux and Jackie Campbell gave personal testimonials of their experience with epilepsy.

The guest speaker was Camelia Anwar Sadat, daughter of the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and United Nations goodwill ambassador. Ms. Sadat, who has faced the challenges of living with epilepsy while continuing to deliver a message of peace, justice and human rights to audiences around the world, said, “I tell you both young and old — lead your life. Don't let epilepsy lead you. Your number one responsibility is caring for yourself.”

Board president is Rob Fox.

The 14th Annual Enchanted Evening to benefit Anne Grady Center' was Nov. 3 at Gladieux Meadows. The center — a hidden treasure — is a private non-profit facility to serve adult individuals with developmental disabilities, so Hidden Treasure was used as the theme.

BENEFIT: Walter Grady, from left, Mary Ann Kania, holding a doll she made, and Jack Mixon at a dinner.

Tables were set with treasure chests of items including dinner certificates, personal pampering and sports and entertainment packages that were sold by silent auction to each table.

The event included plenty of time for grazing while bidding on silent auction items followed by a tasty dinner and live auction.

A raffle for a Las Vegas trip plus $10,000 cash drew excitement — especially for winner Lois Grime of Archbold, who didn't believe emcee Chrys Peterson of WTOL-TV 11 when she called her home with the great news. Becky Williams had a good time too — she won the candy jar raffle for $500.

Honorary committee members included board chairman Jack Mixon, George Ballas, Fifi Berry, Susan Botek, Cathy Clark, Ron Coughenhour, Don Finnegan, Sandy Isenberg, Susan James, Wade Kohn, Ray Maselli, Betty and Ken Michelson, Tracy Saba, and Larry Whatley.

Foundation president is Walter Grady.

The center was named in honor of his late wife Anne, who was an advocate for the severely and profoundly retarded and was instrumental in founding the center, originally named the Decem Center.

THE BLADE/DON SIMMONS UPSCALE SALE: Phyllis Deaton and Connie Hallett are two of the leaders of the garage sale of above-average items.

Socialites cleaned their closets out for the Girlfriends Upscale Garage Sale Friday and Saturday at the Clarion Hotel ballroom. About 20 women chipped in $100 each for expenses, then got down to business as they prepared for the huge garage sale, the brain child of Phyllis Deaton and friends Connie Hallett, Marcie McMahon, and Jessica Kerger. They had the idea at a coffee clutch three weeks ago. Thursday night as the last of the items were set in place, wine and hors d'oeuvres were served while ladies got first dibs on merchandise.

A Waterford Crystal chandelier, giant art deco mirrors, china, silver, St. John's suits, furniture, artwork, children's clothes, sporting goods, jewelry, and more — it was all there. A steady flow of traffic continued through the weekend.

The next gathering will be The Girlfriends Dinner — at which ladies will wear something they bought at the sale. A percentage of the profits benefit The Bethany House.

LIBRARY EVENT: Nicholas Basbanes does the honors.

A good book, a glass of wine, and some tasty food in a cozy atmosphere. Book worms gadded about the Toledo Lucas County Public Library downtown Saturday evening, sipping wines and nibbling hors d' oeuvres as they perused valuable and unusual materials in glass cases found in The Blade Rare Book Room and Local History Department. There, new Audobon Society prints are on exhibit.

Donors and area collectors, used the night to share their materials for rare exhibits.The Library Legacy Foundation presented the evening as a reception with Nicholas A. Basbanes, author of Among the Gently Mad: Perspectives and Strategies for the Rare Book Hunter of the Twenty First Century to be published tomorrow.

The witty author stressed the importance of private collectors and of preservation of books and manuscripts. Mr. Basbanes also wrote A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomaniacs, and the Eternal Passion for Books, which is about book collectors gone to the extreme, and Patience and Fortitude: A Roving Chronicle of Book People, Book Places, and Book Culture, which visits the most famous libraries throughout history.

RAFFLE: Modeling furs for a fund-raiser are, from left, Druscilla G. Griffin, Tracci Harmon, Edrene Cole, front, Equilla G. Roach, and Denise Black-Poon. Roth Furs owner Philip Roth is in front.

Fund-raisers are popping up all over and several organizations host kickoff parties to get the balls rolling. Here are just a few of the many:

A VIP preview party for the Gingerbread Family Festival to benefit Family and Child Abuse and Prevention Center was held Nov. 7 in the home of Debbie and John Joslin. The festival will be Sunday at Erie Street Market, according to board chairman Bill Reber and VIP party chairman Kathy Furey.

Craig Findley is at it again. He brought in Tom Brokaw a few years ago to benefit the United Way and on Jan. 11 for a luncheon at Inverness Club, he will introduce Lawrence Kudlow, CEO of Kudlow and Co., an economic and investment research firm in New York City. Mr. Kudlow is co-host of CNBC's Kudlow and Cramer, a Brain Trust columnist for Investor's Business Daily and a contributing editor, columnist, and editorial board member of National Review.

Proceeds will benefit the Alliance for the Mentally Ill. The event was announced at an invitation-addressing party Thursday in Mr. Findley's office.

The Harbor Foundation and the Executive Women's Golf Association held a kickoff Nov. 7 for a joint fund-raising event. The Golf Ball, a fun informal soiree where attendees can bid on celebrity caddies, and The Bad Plaid Open will be Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, at Valleywood Golf Club, according to EWG 2003 president LuAnn Duden.

Kidz' Cause, an event to generate membership in the Friends of Lucas County Children's Services, was held Nov. 7 at Navy Bistro Courtyard. Friends of LCCS is a new non-profit organization started by the Junior League of Toledo to raise awareness of the need for more foster and adoptive homes and to enhance the lives of children and families served by children's services. The organization, started in 1999 as a league project, will be turned over to the community this year to be on its own, according to chairman Becca Gorman. Twenty-two signed up as members at the event.

PRELUDE: At the home of Cleves and Kathy Delp.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., members stopped by Roth Furs Oct. 30 to try on a few wraps, one of which will be donated as a raffle prize for the 45th Annual Ebony Fashion Fair at 7 p.m. Nov. 24 in the Stranahan Great Hall. The sorority is the presenter of the world's largest national traveling fashion production, which will feature everything from bathing suits to formal wear. Event chairman Edna Robertson said proceeds will benefit the AKA scholarship fund. Three $1000 scholarships and several $700 scholarships will be awarded to students.

A reception and gift acquisition party was held Oct. 17 in the home of Cleves and Kathy Delp as a prelude to Central Catholic High School's 11th annual dinner auction Home for the Holiday's Nov. 22 at Gladieux Meadows. Guests were invited to take an item to create a collection of treasures to be auctioned off.

The 11th Annual Presidential Ball “Light the Knight Within!” for St. Francis de Sales High School is scheduled for Dec. 7 at SeaGate Centre. The announcement was made at a party in the home of Mark and Connie Valiton. Guests were asked to take ornaments to decorate a tree as an auction item. Among the guests were chairmen Nancy Bingle and Toni Kelly, with their husbands Jim and Chris, respectively.