Gatsby era comes to life at MDA benefit

From left: Gladys Tamer, Najwa Badawi, Hanaa Salami, and Haydee DeLaFlor at the patriotic cruise.

Dock Treece and his fiance Kiah Barrette at the MDA fund-raiser.

Flapper and gangster costumed guests strolled into Toledo Country Club May 23 for the second annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Toledo Summer Kickoff Fund-raiser presented by Buckeye CableSystem, ProMedica, and Vin Devers Autohaus of Sylvania.

The 300 partygoers were greeted with flutes of champagne before entering the Gatsby-themed event. The din of chatter was lively as guests nibbled hors d'oeuvres and feasted on pasta, ham, lamb chops, coconut shrimp, and more. Some headed outdoors for complimentary cigars, while others enjoyed free massages, intuitive readings, and shopping the silent auction.

The event netted an estimated $25,000 to benefit local families, said event chairmen Rebecca Shope and Kristen Mollenkopf.

The event, the brain child of founding chairman Dock David Treece, is run by young professionals in the area who meet monthly at Manhattan's. Committee members included Josh Cooper, Lori Rothschild, Robin Rhea, Abby Powell Turpin, Marcus Van Wey, Tim Varner, Mara Rendina, Kyle Wilson, Tyler McKean, Michael Seay, Negarina Omidi, Wyatt Holliday, Erwin Effler III, Joe Balas, Tony Hanson, Lauren Deis, and Amber Gresh.

Barbara Baumgartner was on the committee as an adviser.

Among the notables seen were Rita Mansour, Barbara Steele, Bradley Ansberg, Brian Espstein, Leandra Hutchinson, Denise and Terry Benton, Larry Boyer, Ford Cauffiel, Sr., David Cameron, Mac McCarthy and Carol Maher, Jim Mettler, and Allan Block, chairman of Block Communications Inc., The Blade's parent company, and his wife, Susan, and Jeffry Abbas, the new president and general manager of Buckeye CableSystem.

From left: Gladys Tamer, Najwa Badawi, Hanaa Salami, and Haydee DeLaFlor at the patriotic cruise.

A patriotic cruise "Melting" potluck was May 30 on the Sandpiper. About 75 Owens Community College English Language and Citizenship students wore red, white, and blue and boarded to patriotic music to celebrate the end of the school year. Many of these students passed their citizenship tests to become American citizens, said Najwa Badawi, a teacher for the Owens English for Speakers of Other Languages Program.

Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 and the role of Fort Meigs in the war was the Lake Erie British Car Club. Its annual British car show "The Brits Return To Fort Meigs" was Sunday at the fort with 200 vintage British cars of all makes and models shown by owners from the area and surrounding states.

Marlene and Mike Searle, former manager of the Toledo Club and of Highland Meadows, were there with their vintage Triumph TR3 that they have had since they were married 36 years ago.

Also seen were Peter Coble, Jim Edmunds. Frank Nark, Dick Glanville, Carol Fingerhut, Tony Shoviak, Jerry Smollen, and Charlie Foss.

Josh Reibe and Laura Nilsson and their baby Julia at Allan and Susan Block's party.

A barbecue hosted by Allan and Susan Block May 25 was at their new home, Tantara Farm. It was the former home to several Toledo industrialists including Joseph Robinson, CEO Libbey Glass; Royce G. Martin, chairman of Electric Auto-Lite; WW Knight, Jr., and Don McKone, CEO Libbey Owens Ford, said Mr. Block.

The menu featured homemade baked beans, grilled veggies, fresh veggies and fruit, bratwursts, sliders and more including tasty ribs by Jerry Jones. Cakes, cookies, and homemade ice cream finished the feast.

Children enjoyed swimming while adults visited. Some of the men enjoyed a few stogies.

John Longthorne, of Valle Homes, who was the contractor for the Block home, was there with his wife, Delia.

Also seen were Leslie and George Chapman, Tom Park and his dad Paul Park, Rachel Steele and Scott Ciolek, Peggy Amy, Page Armstrong, Marianne Ballas and Jim Maciejko, Mary Ellen Pisanelli and Lou Tosi, Aly Sterling, Chris Knox and Tami Rockwell, Jon Stainbrook and Meghan Gallagher, Molly and Scott Thompson, Dock and Cynthia Treece, and Joe Zerbey, president and general manager of The Blade.