Benefits and beautification

A LONG WAY AWAY: Mark Davis wants Antarctica's creatures to know that Ohio State is the champion.

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While January is slow for fundraisers, many non-profit organizations are busy behind the scenes preparing for upcoming events.

KICKOFF PARTIES started the first Monday in January with the Toledo Garden Forum at the Toledo Club. At an intimate morning gathering, the forum's annual fashion gala “Scintilla” was set for March 13 in Stranahan Great Hall. It will include a juried show from 20 area garden clubs and lunch. The fashions are from small area shops rather than big department stores this year: Lady C, Roth Furs, Roberts Men's Wear, Cinderella, and Sterling Diamonds. President Sharon Lynch said proceeds will benefit community beautification projects, Toledo Botanical Gardens projects, and horticulture scholarships.

SEAFOOD SERVINGS: Andy Anderzak, left, and Brian Epstein, co-chairmen of the Barefoot at the Beach party, pass around some of the abundant seafood platters.

A FEW DAYS LATER, on Jan. 9 the Boys and Girls Clubs hosted a Draft Night volunteer party at Gumbo's. Guests were welcomed with leis and offered a feast of seafood wraps, calamari, alligator tails, and fried crawfish to set the planning mood for the “Barefoot at the Beach” fund-raiser slated for Aug. 23 at Maumee Bay State Park.

Last year in its initial outing, nearly $70,000 was raised with the assistance of general chairman Connie Schmidt and her crew. This year's general chairmen, Andy Anderzak and Brian Epstein, encouraged everyone to sign up for duty. Or, they joked, “it may be captain's choice.” A brief overview of the party plans included: Tickets remain at $100 each for a fun casual evening on the beach, with dancing, gourmet beachside dining, tiki hut bars, and for the willing and able, a few beach activities such as hula hoop competition and the limbo.

ALSO ON JAN. 9, Notre Dame Academy hosted a kickoff party at Brandywine Country Club for the school's upcoming Night for Women of Vision fund-raiser. The “On Broadway” theme gala is slated for March 8 at the academy, according to chairman Chris Hulbirt. The evening will feature the Toledo Symphony, accompanied by the academy orchestra and chorus, followed by an “Afterglow” with live music for dancing, and a reverse raffle. A sidekick for the kickoff was the birthday celebration of the academy president, Sister Carol Gregory.

ST. MARTIN DE PORRES Parish will present Music History, the 13th annual concert Feb. 23 at the church. The announcement was made at a kickoff party Jan. 15 at the parish center, where guests were privy to the details: Jon Hendricks, 81, a professor of music at the University of Toledo, will debut his latest innovation — lyrics to the third movement of Sheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakoff. The performance, in honor of Black History month, will showcase singers and dancers from UT along with the Toledo Symphony orchestra.

GOLFING PARTIES: Jim and Marge Sander are gala chairmen for two Epilepsy Center events.

EPILEPSY CENTER'S Practically a Golf Tournament and Grazing on the Greens Funky Formal Gala are just around the corner, according to gala chairmen Marge and Jim Sander and tournament chairman Matt Subleski. The tournament is scheduled for Feb. 19-March 2 and the gala is slated for Feb. 23. Both events will be at Westfield Shoppingtown Franklin Park. The announcement was made Thursday during a party at Hops Restaurant, Bar, and Brewery. The grazing and golf theme party was a success thanks to Hops managing partner Brint Arp, who is new to town, and who provided the hors d'oeuvres, and David Swesey, who provided golf course floral arrangements. Among the 100 guests were Kristine Hoffman, Mike Duket, Dave Williams, Mark and Suzanne Loomis, Ishmal Sbhat, Joe and Carol Pappa, Terry and Leasa Maxx, and Jack Jolley.

NEW CHIEF: Hal Joe Shafer, commander of the Toledo Power Squadron, celebrated with wife Rosalie.

Think warm weather. Think boating. That's what some folks are doing this time of year. Yacht clubs and boating organizations use winter months to change commands.

Toledo Power Squadron's change of watch was Saturday, Jan. 18, at Zenobia Shrine in honor of new commander Hal Joe Shafer and lady Rosalie. The TPS, established in 1938, does not have a home of its own, but it is vital to the boating community for safe-boating education to the community. Lighthouse centerpieces on tables signified that for boaters “education is the light that never fails.”

THEIR SIGN: Sally and Al Morris, new commodore of the Riverview Yacht Club, are honorees.

Indian Hill Boat Club, along River Road next to the old Toledo Edison Club, honored new commodore Doug Hober and lady Diane Jan. 18 at a dinner at Maumee River Yacht Club.

Riverview Yacht Club's Commodore's Ball was Jan. 11 at the Electrical Workers Hall, Perrysburg. Honorees were new commodore Al Morris and lady Sally.

Perrysburg Boat Club's change of watch was Jan. 11 at Carranor Hunt and Polo Club for incoming commodore Wayne Eilersand lady Mary Ann.

Ottawa River Yacht Club's Commodore's Ball was Jan. 4 at Yorkshire Hall. Mike Myers and his wife Cindy were inducted as the new commodore and lady.

A LONG WAY AWAY: Mark Davis wants Antarctica's creatures to know that Ohio State is the champion.

When Mark Davis, an avid Ohio State fan, made plans with his family to travel to Antarctica, he didn't know that Ohio State would be in the Fiesta Bowl. After all, they had not been in the national championships since he was born in 1968.

So, when his parents, Tom and Jean Smith, and sister Melinda, a Michigan fan, walked the deck aboard the Marco Polo along with about 800 other passengers, Mark, the only Buckeye fan aboard, paid 75 cents per minute to watch play by play messages of the big game. Unfortunately, the connection was lost in the fourth quarter when Miami scored, so Mark assumed his law school alma mater had lost. It wasn't until Mark returned home that he learned that Ohio State won.

CELEBRATION TIME: It's the 83rd birthday of Frank Clemons so all of the family turns out to mark the occasion. Ret. Lt. Col. Edward Clemons, his son, from left; Fatino Kincaide, his daughter; Hortense, his wife; Frank; and Frank Clemons III, another son, host of the party. Among the former University of Toledo student's many accomplishments was becoming the university Alumni Association's first black president.

Frank Clemons was surprised Saturday night when he went to dinner with his wife Hortense at HJ's Prime Cut. The former University of Toledo basketball star was welcomed by family and friends who came to celebrate his birthday.

The birthday boy was born in Anderson, Ind., in 1920, the year the University of Toledo Alumni Association was established. Mr. Clemons went to UT in 1938 and became a star. Mr. Clemons never forgot his alma mater: In 1994 he became the Alumni Association's first black president. Among other accomplishments and contributions to the community, Mr. Clemons is on the UT Foundation board and in 1980 was appointed by Gov. JamesRhodes to the Medical College of Ohio board. Mr. Clemons said of his success, “Doors open every day ... You just have to apply yourself.”

CARROLL CONLAN was surprised when she arrived at a party given by her sister and brother -in-law, Sue and Carl Happ, Jan. 10 in their Whitehouse home. Ms. Conlan knew the party was in honor of her 60th birthday, but what she didn't know was the dress code was “old lady” attire so the birthday gal wouldn't feel so old. Hmm. Teasing between siblings never changes.