Where better than a historical house to celebrate the five Pinellas County projects recently selected for Florida Trust for Preservation Awards?
Pinellas Heritage Foundation organizers held a Vintage St. Pete event Thursday evening in the 11th Avenue S home of Len Johnsen and Tom Barrett, who restored the house St. Petersburg Mayor James Bradshaw built 90 years ago in Roser Park.
St. Petersburg's Greenwood Cemetery and Grand Central Main Street efforts were among the projects that received recognition last month. Other honors went to the restoration of the Reba Sutton White chapel in Palm Harbor, the restoration of the Safford House in Tarpon Springs and the relighting of the lighthouse at Anclote Key.
Chris Kelly, Tim Burns, Kristy Light, Colleen Gray and Tara Mohrfeld organized the gathering, where guests had wines from Uncorked and hors d'oeuvres from Olympia Bakery & Catering.
The renovated mansion is air-conditioned, and lush landscaping and huge oscillating fans kept the outdoor spaces comfortable.
Attendees included Debra Kelly, Bob Jeffrey, Suzanne LaBerge, Brian Longstreth, Lynn and John Cissna, Jay B. Dobkin, Mercedes Bleattler, Carla Kerns, Rick D. Smith, Elaine Normile and Chris Sabo, and Travel Channel producer Tacy Mangan led a television crew that was filming on the premises, reportedly for a segment on Pinellas lawn and garden art later in the year.
Surreptitiously throughout the evening, organizers solicited pledges toward the purchase of bells to go into the 1929 Spanish revival tower at the Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg, on Arlington Avenue N.
Katie Bentley, 13, has been raising money for the project, which has become known as "Katie's Bells." The announcement of the pledges came at the end of the evening, Chris Kelly said, and was a pleasant - and complete - surprise to Katie and her mother, Susan Steele.
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Nearly 500 people assembled June 8 to remember Jack Painter, the retired bay area advertising executive and civic leader who died of a heart attack June 4, at age 59.
An hour before people were set to gather for the memorial, lightning flashed in the dark sky, and thunder rumbled. The storm moved elsewhere, and cooling breezes made the evening air tolerable as guests paid condolences to Painter's widow, Donna, and their daughter, Lauren.
Speaker after speaker, many wearing Hawaiian shirts to reflect Painter's sartorial preferences, spoke of his friendship and leadership qualities.
The celebration took place at the St. Petersburg home of Louise Weaver, who lives across Coffee Pot Bayou from the Painters.
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Select Comfort of Minneapolis has donated 121 of its trademark Sleep Number beds to the three bay-area Ronald McDonald houses. The two St. Petersburg houses are on the All Children's Hospital campus, and the Tampa house is near Tampa General Hospital.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay offers temporary lodging for families whose children are being treated for serious illnesses at nearby hospitals. Janice Davis-Petrik is executive director of the organization, which served nearly 2,300 families in 2003.
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The eighth annual Social Calendar detailing events primarily in south Pinellas County will publish in Neighborhood Times on Sept. 12.
Please send, to one of the addresses at the end of the column, details of your event, including sponsoring group, date, time, venue and street address, ticket price and a contact phone number that may be printed.
If you send e-mail, please do not use attachments. The deadline for submissions is July 30.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saturday
ISLAND FESTIVAL: Fourth annual Caribbean theme party benefits St. Petersburg Museum of History. Live entertainment, contest, auction. Island attire. 7-10 p.m. Saffron's Caribbean Cuisine, 1700 Park St. N, St. Petersburg. $50. 894-1052.
- Mary Jane Park can be reached at 727 893-8267; fax (727) 893-8675; e-mail park@sptimes.com P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.
