On the Town: Toledo steps out, steps up for charity

Sue and Rick Jaques at the 26th annual Oregonian Bird Cage Ball.

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Drew Longmore, 13, a student at TSA, left, with her mother Belinda Longmore, both of Toledo, and Mark Spang, of Plate 21, show off shoes at "Steppin' Out: The Funky Shoe Event of the Season" benefit for the Toledo School for the Arts.

Several recent school-sponsored events earn high marks for combining fund-raising and good times.

Steppin' Out: The Funky Shoe Event of the Season presented by the Toledo School for the Arts was March 3 at the Grand Plaza in downtown Toledo.

Cameras flashed as guests entered and later those pictures were part of the decor when flashed on screens, displaying the creative and fancy shoe styles worn by the 360-plus guests.

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The sixth annual event netted $73,631, which includes $25,300 raised for the Student Opportunities Fund. TSA is a charter school, so there is no tuition, but students' families sometimes need assistance for graduation and registration fees, private lessons, specialty camps, and trips.

School director Marty Porter and wife, Anne, were among the revelers. Board members were there in support, including president Bill Bostleman and wife, Evy Jarrett; Marna Ramnath and husband, Suresh; Mike Urbanski and wife, Betsy; Jeff Anderson with Karen Miller; Tom Brady and wife, Betsy; Mike Calabrese and wife, Deb; Bob Decker and wife, Patti; Rob Koenig and wife, Casey, and Joel Nedrow and wife, Lynn.

Attendees included Julie Beckert, Judith and Joseph Conda, Areka and Tim Foster, Margy Trumbull, Elizabeth and Theresa Athaide-Victor, Konni Bostleman, John and Mary Fedderke, Jennifer Fong, Mike and Becky Gannon, James and Shawn Gillikin, Laura Hanzi, Ryan and Becky Johnson, John and Connie Kufner, John and Belinda Longmore, Karen Merrels, Jim and Lee Ann Moline, Mike and Alice Momenee, Richard and Mary Morrison, David Saygers, Michael Tylinski, and Laura DeBenedetti.

Sue and Rick Jaques at the 26th annual Oregonian Bird Cage Ball.

Bird Cage Ball

The 26th Annual Oregonian Bird Cage Ball was presented by Mercy St. Charles Hospital March 3 at St. Michael's Centre in Oregon. More than $32,000 was netted for college scholarships for seniors at Clay and Cardinal Stritch high schools. Bird cages designed by Sue Jaques, Bev Miller, and Marsha Herman were everywhere along with the two schools' colors, green and gold for Clay and red and black for Cardinal Stritch.

The 235-plus attendees perused more than 100 silent auction items while feasting on the fabulous food buffet that was prepared by Michael's Gourmet Catering.

Oregonian Club president Rick Jaques welcomed everyone and presided as emcee. Thanks go to event chairmen Joe Miller, Kent Meyers, and Chris Herman and the various sponsors.

Seen were Father Eric Sheils, Cardinal Stritch High School president; Mike Zalar, Oregon Schools superintendent, and wife, Donna; State Rep. Matt Szollosi (D., Oregon) and wife, Melanie; Oregon Police Chief Mike Navarre and wife, Barb; Oregon Municipal Judge Jeff Keller and his wife, Lisa; Mercy St. Charles Hospital president Bob Gospodarer and his wife, Kathy; Oregon City councilmen Dennis Walendzak and wife, Chris, and Terry Reeves and his wife, Diane.

Ann Filipiak, second from left, with sons Charles, left, and Louis, center, and Jane Manahan, second from right, with son Tom, enjoy St. Francis de Sales' Mother-Son Dance.

Black Ops Event

The St. Francis de Sales High School Mother-Son Dance "Black Ops Event" was held recently in the gym. Tan, green, and white military colors with model tanks and soldiers set the scene in honor of our military forces. Greeting mothers and sons, many in army fatigues, were male and female Marines.

A tasty buffet chicken dinner with all the trimmings catered by Darcy and Patty Irons started the night. The more than 500 sons and moms or other special female guests packed the dance floor as MC Sounds played music.

The seniors' special tribute song to their moms was "My Mom," sung to the tune of "My Girl." A dance with their moms followed. But the big surprise was the flash mob dance by the senior moms led and choreographed by Melissa Lohr, mother of Todd Smith, to Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

Event chairmen Dianna Johnson, Chelle Pelz, Laurie Dombi, and Kim Wesley were assisted by a vast committee of moms including Kris Blochowski, Anna Pennetta, Linda Coutcher, Suzette Peterson, Stephanie Delo, Sue Richardson, Brenda Dymarkowski, Colleen Skie, Leslee Jagodzinksi, Lisa Thebes, Lisa Kennedy, Moli Villolovos, Marianne Kirian, Dawn Wagner, Theresa Kulka, LaShawn Wright, Melissa Lohr, Laurie Yeager, Shery Milz, Jessica Zajac, and Darla Pawlaczyk.

A Tale of Two Toledos guests, from left, Constantly Running Bull Todd Black, Full of Bull Bill Harrison, I Don't Take No Bull Ed Heintschel, Sitting Bull Doug Pearson, Academic Bull Michele Nixon, and Holy Bull Lukas Laniauskas.

Tale of Two Toledos

Gold and blue bulls greeted more than 600 guests at St. John's Jesuit High School's "A Tale of Two Toledos" recently. The Jesuits have deep roots in Spain, the birthplace of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier, hence the theme.

A Mass started the evening, followed by a gourmet buffet dinner provided by Chef Chris Nixon, owner and chef of the Boathouse in Coldwater, Mich. Chef Chris, a 2004 St. John's alum, is a graduate of the College of Wooster and the French Culinary Institute in New York.

The Skoobie Snaks band kept the evening lively, but it was the Running of the Bulls that was most popular: Competing were faculty members including basketball coach Ed Heintschel, football coach Doug Pearson, cross country coach Todd Black, A+ Learning Center director Michele Nixon, building superintendent Bill Harrison, and theology chairman Lukas Laniauskas.

A nine-item live auction proved exciting, too, especially when a bidding war erupted for a meal prepared by Father Joaquin Martinez. To keep peace, Father Martinez graciously agreed to prepare four meals for four lucky groups during the coming year.

Event chairmen were Kiran Rai and JudyParikh. They were assisted by a host of volunteers including Laura Baird, Karen Dart, Sara Felix, Kusum Hegde, DarLynn Huntermark, Jay and Tina Jindal, John and Colleen McGoldrick, Linda Mowat, Tom and Denise Padanilam, Scott and Kathi Prephan, Renee Turissini, Uma Vora, and Sandy Yobbagy.

The $85,000 that was raised will support scholarships and school programs.