New members of United Way donors group entertained

The United Way Tocqueville Society, a group whose members each donate $10,000 or more each year to the United Way, met Friday in the lovely Ottawa Hills home of Joan Bayer.

There are other donation categories, ranging from $25,000 to $49,999, $50,000 to $74,999, $75,000 to $99,999, and $100,000 to $249,000, which includes the Stranahan Foundation.

The group toured Mrs. Bayer's home, then sipped and schmoozed on the patio as music filled the air. Gourmet delights included sushi on a towering glass pyramid, grouper tidbits, apricot ravioli, and more.

The soiree was an induction of 11 new members who bring the current membership to 77. Among the new members present were Mrs. Bayer, Tom and Susan Palmer, Bruce Carver, Steve and Judy McCracken, plus United Way head honcho, CEO and President Bill Kitson and his wife, Diane. New members received a copy of Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville, (1805-1859) the French political thinker and historian for whom the society is named.

Mrs. Bayer, who stressed the importance of investing in one's community, asked each member to think of five friends who would be good candidates for membership.

Also seen were John and Yolanda Szuch, Kathy Magliochetti, Chuck and Cindy Dana, Paul and Randi Betz, Dick and Fran Anderson, and Sara Jane and Bill DeHoff.

Among the individuals listed as members are David and Georgia Welles, Pat and Jim Appold, Mark and Nancy Burton, George and Deborah Chapman, Denny and Sheila Johnson, Mary Ellen Pisanelli, Bill and Molly Boeschenstein, Tom and Brenda Geiger, Sanda and Jim Findley, Norm Nitschke, Joe and Joanne Lemieux, Bob and Sue Savage, Peter and Marcia Silverman, Jan and Mike Wilcox, George and Pat Seifried, Randy and Debbie Root, and a host of other familiar philanthropic names in the community.

FLY your flag! Yesterday was Flag Day, and to celebrate, the River Road Garden Club, established in 1929, is ended its year with a luncheon at the Inverness Club. President Betty Kozak installed officers for the coming year, including Kathy Reynolds, president; Mary Metzger, vice president; Erica Reid, secretary, and Cornelia Wagener, treasurer. The meeting was followed by a visit to the garden of Robert Bishop in Ottawa Hills, which includes topiaries.

THE Art Tatum Jazz Heritage Festival presented by the Toledo Jazz Society starts Saturday, but the society has been working up a storm for several weeks in preparation.

Those who attended the kick off party Sunday at the Basin St. Grille celebrated with board president Jon Richardson. Guests nibbled grilled shrimp, luscious fresh fruits, and more as they sat on the back patio of the restaurant, which opened especially for the affair. A jazz trio from the Bowling Green State University Jazz Faculty, which included Chris Buzzelli on guitar, Jeff Halsey on bass, and Roger Schupp on drums, played background tunes and backed up jazz singer Jon Hendricks when he performed for the group.

Among the jazz aficionados was longtime supporter and board vice president Jeff Jaffe. Attorney Lourdes Santiago, a former board member, was there, too, as was Karen Fraker of Fifth Third Bank, and board member Kathy McGrady, a teacher at Springfield High School. Everyone was bidding farewell to board member David Stern, a professor at the University of Toledo. Robert Smith, founder of the African American Legacy Project, attended, too. Throw in Mary Beth Zolik and Rick Woodell of WRVF-FM (101.5), and Suzanne Carroll of the Jazz Brunch radio show that also airs on that station, and it was a jazzy crowd.

THE D.O.V.E. Fund - that's Development of Vietnam Endeavors - sponsored a concert and cookout June 4 at the Maumee Rotary Centennial Pavilion in Side Cut Metropark. The affair, in memory of founding member Chuck Oswald, was a fun time as guests feasted on everything from fried rice and sweet-and- sour chicken to hot dogs and hamburgers as Tom Treece and friends provided the musical entertainment. Among the guests were committee members Greg Fish, Dave Langendorfer, and Do Nguyen.

HOLLAND Springfield Rotary held its reverse raffle and auction, "Drumming Up Community Support," June 3 in the Nairobi Event Pavilion at the Toledo Zoo. Guests strolled into the zoo to the pavilion for the casual evening that included a buffet dinner, auctions, and more.

On the live auction block were several vacation packages, including a package at Denny and Kim Dittman's St. Pete condo as well as Tim and Jenni Yoder's Maui condo, and first-class airfare. There also were two Labino glass pieces and some valuable coins. Numbered bags with flavored coffee were sold, and three lucky guests won prizes of a flat-screen television set, one year's worth of Graeter's ice cream, and pounds of yummy Schakolad chocolate.

The reverse raffle grand prize of $5,000 was split by the last three ticketholders, Terry Yoder, Roger Thomas, and Patsy Camp.

Gary Williams and Terry Loar, along with their wives, Linda Williams and Annette Loar, coordinated the silent auction.

Tim Yoder, Jack Amlin, and Brent Newblom - he brought daughter Laurie, a former Rotary student of the month - managed the reverse raffle.

President Kristina White and WTVG-TV reporter Zachary Ottenstein presided as emcees. Tom Yoder and Amy Newblom checked guests in as they arrived. Rotarian Sue Hendricks, a member of the Sweet Adelines, brought her group to sing.

Among the 225 guests were Bob and Carol Fox, Susan and Tom Santoro, Cynthia and David Beekley, Brad Leonard and Victoria Williams, Denny and Kim Dittman, Dean Skillman and Karen Mulholland, Karen Merrels, Jane Meyer, Jeanne Sukalac and Gehad Youssef, Patti Jo and Bill Fantozz, and treasurer Michael Ostas and his wife, Linda, and secretary Mark and Shirley Frey.

The event netted nearly $20,000 for the foundation, which supports educational opportunities in the community.

TOTALS for the second annual Lial Catholic School Ladies Luncheon at the Inverness Club are in - about $4,500 was raised. That's thanks to the 50 guests and the committee, which included Julia Bearss, Holly James, Barbara Lang McCartney, Vicky Ryan, and Peggy Scherting. Guest speaker was Debby Peters, who discussed the benefits of building connections. Nate Urbaniak, a graduate of Lial and a senior at St. Francis de Sales High School, also spoke.