ON THE TOWN

Time for dress-up and frightful fun

Condessa Croninger, left, and Eric Hillenbrand, right, strike a dramatic pose during the Blue Moon Ball at the Toledo Club.

Scary and fun costumes were seen at several recent parties in the name of charity.

BEWITCHING was the fourth annual Arthritis Foundation Bone Bash Oct. 20 at the Secor Building. Frightfully fun costumes were worn by the nearly 100 guests who noshed on ghoulish hors d' oeuvres as creepy tunes played all night long. The event netted about $3,000.

CHA CHA, pasa doble, rhumba, and more. Dance Uncorked, to benefit Catholic Charities of the Diocese, was Oct. 20 at St. John's Jesuit High School. The annual fund-raiser brought in $15,000 as dancers put their best feet forward. Emcee Mary Beth Zolick of 101.5 The River was mesmerized like the rest of the crowd as she watched in awe the whirls, twirls, lifts, and steps.

Celebrity community dancers included Marianne Ballas of Ballas Buick GMC; Hilary Sujkowski of Sujkowski Funeral Home Northpointe; Larry Boyer of Waterford Bank; Phil and Deby Buerk of Scrambler Marie's; Len Hansen, retired chemist and wife Paula Hansen, speech and language pathologist; and the top winner, Julie Sofo of Sofo's representing Heart of Toledo. Dancing with many were professionals from OnStage Studio owned by Darrah Nowak.

The one who really stole the show was 6-month-old Amelia Boeke, whose new adoptive parents Darren and Lauren Boeke gave testimonials on the need for the Catholic Charities services.

PHOTO GALLERY: Time for dress-up fun

Among the 200 guests were Bishop Leonard Blair, Todd Deindoerfer, Catholic Charities board president; and board members Todd Hoyt, Tom Klein, and Terri Payak.

Models strolled among luncheoners at Fashion for a Cause to benefit the Beach House Family Shelter Oct. 20 at Treo Restaurant. Fall designs from Regazza and Vivian Kate were highlighted along were great raffle prizes that included a Chicago Magnificent Mile shopping spree won by Esther Johnston. She also won a $500 Andersons gift card, but donated it back to Beach House for supplies. Event chairmen Andrea Proctor and Kim Kaplan report that $10,000 was raised.

SATURDAY Night Fever played as disco tunes filled the air for the Frogtowndeals.com Disco Bash Oct. 20 at Premier Catering Hall. A benefit for Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, the event raised about $5,000. Nearly 400 guests, many dressed in bell bottoms, mini skirts, and big hair, added to the scene.

CREEPY costumes were the attire for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" dance performed by Toledo Ballet dancers and directed by Michael Lang. The number was a hit at the Blue Moon Ball, Toledo Ballet's annual fund-raiser for scholarships Oct. 6 at the Toledo Club. And guests, many in costumes, wore fabulous masks ranging from the elegant to the mysterious.

Deejay Rob Thomas kept the crowd on its feet as party-goers sipped drinks, ate delicious food, shopped a quiet auction of everything from art and jewelry to fly fishing and dance lessons, and bought raffle tickets for a lottery tree, a basket of assorted wines, and a barrel of seasonal beers.

Executive director Mari Davies reports a net of more than $11,000. Thanks go to event chairmen Kathy Jones and Yolanda Mora-Calderon and sponsors including Medical Mutual, ProMedica, KeyBank, and 101.5 The River.

Among the revelers were Marie Vogt, founder and artistic director emerita, Judy and Nick Dye, Kristi and Jim Hoffman, Mary and Peter Koury, Rob and Casey Koenig, Gail and Jay Mirrow, David Saygers, Jeanette and Jim Grzeszczak, Janet Rogolsky, Donna and John Decker, Carol Von Sickle, Condessa Croninger and Eric Hillenbrand, Heather and Lamont Thurston, and Stephanie Dames and Robert Alexander.