Hendel: Leading Families Home spends 'Summer in Paris'

SUMMER in Paris, a Leading Families Home annual event, on June 20 at Inverness Club raised $48,885 including more than $18,000 from the "Gifts from the Heart" auction.

This auction helped fund the emergency family shelters, behavioral health services, and housing programs for families facing homelessness in Lucas County.

Leading Families Home started in 1921 as Beach House Family Shelter for mothers with children and single women facing homelessness. In 2016, Beach House Inc. merged with F.O.C.U.S. to create Leading Families Home.

Accordionist Eric Hite played tunes during the cocktail hour as guests sipped sparkling Francois Montand Brut and nibbled on hors d'oeuvres while shopping the silent auction.

Valerie Garforth , board president, welcomed everyone. Jennifer Jacobs , executive director, gave an update on Leading Families Home.

Jelani Maliik , former Beach House Erie participant who is now a successful musician and entrepreneur, talked about how the house helped him.

Dinner included a tasty salad accompanied by Cary-Potet Montagny Les Bassets.

The filet and salmon entree was served with Bouchard Pere & Fils Bourgogne. The meal was finished with cheesecake with berries.

A live auction included vacation packages that involved the Old Town Manor Bed and Breakfast in Key West donated by Alison Costello , and Walt Disney World in Orlando donated by Brian and Lynn Kezur . A stay in Brussels, Belgium was also available, as was a custom made 15 carat white gold jewelry piece with 65 carats in diamonds valued at $1,800, and more.

Among the 100 guests were Kim and Dean Kaplan , Dan Kory , and Elaine Canning , Valerie and Peter Garforth , and Joe Shrader .

Kudos to volunteer chairman Kim Kaplan and the events committee.

Thanks go to the event sponsors including the Kaplans, Dan Kory and Elaine Canning, Valerie and Peter Garforth, Joe and Veronica Rosenberg , Taylor Automotive, Mira and Kolena, Shrader Tire & Oil, Inc., Local 92 Toledo Firefighters, Savage & Associates, Gallon, Takacs, and Boissoneault Co., L.P.A., and Hollywood Casino.

THE Stormy Petrels of Maumee Bay celebrated its 50th anniversary on June 22 at the Toledo Club.

The Toledo association of Sherlock Holmes aficionados was founded on June 17, 1974.

It is a scion of The Baker Street Irregulars of New York City. Similar societies world-wide take their names from elements found in the original Sherlock Holmes adventures penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, according to Tom Schoen , known as Vamberry the wine merchant.

In honor of Sir Arthur's Scottish heritage, the Black Swamp Pipes and Drums bagpiper Matt Hart played throughout the evening.

Petrel Ralph Spitulski read the poem “221b” written by Sherlockian scholar Vincent Starrett. Dr. Alan Moore welcomed everyone and read a proclamation from Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz .

Conan Doyle's interest in spiritualism led him to visit local medium Ada Besinnet in Toledo in the 1920s.

That led the Petrels to invite Toledoan Sirena La Point , a modern-day medium, empath and clairvoyant, to attempt to make a “connection” with Doyle.

The Sherlock Holmes stories revolve around the Victorian period in England. Therefore, many of the guests were decked out in long elegant gowns and tailcoats, wing collared shirts, and vests.

Many toasts paid homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes, his chronicler Dr. John H. Watson, and others. The group’s Prime Minister Mark McGovern raised an anniversary toast that ended with a paraphrase from the Vincent Starrett poem:

"Here, though the world explodes, we still survive."

CORK and Pork, Ronald McDonald House Charities Northwest Ohio's annual fund-raiser, on June 27 at Centennial Terrace raised about $35,000.

Emcee Lyn Casye , of K100, kept the evening rolling as Pop’s Garage provided live entertainment.

There was lots to do: Games and activities included 360° Party Camera courtesy of Kurt Nielsen Photography, Blackjack, Liquor Ring Toss, Plinko, and Roulette.

The 500 attendees feast on foods from Shorty’s True American Roadhouse; Cocina de Carlos; Outlaw Smokehouse; Wolf It Down Q & Brew; Maumee Bay Brewing Company; Village Inn; Tony Packo’s; and The Standard.

Maumee Bay Brewing Company — “The Brew That Love Built” featured the Ronald McDonald House on the label of the beer.

Many party goers voted on their favorites:

Award winners were “Celebrity Judges Best Main Dish” which went to VI Porker Pizza; “Celebrity Judges Best Side Dish” which went to  Cocina de Carlos Mexican street corn; “Nick Mancy’s People’s Choice Best Main Dish” which went to The Standard braised short ribs; and “Nick Mancy’s People’s Choice Best Side Dish” which went to Shorty’s True American Roadhouse mac and cheese.

Dessert vendors were Mayberry Ice Cream, which sold various ice cream flavors, and Rolling Lemon Food Truck, which sold lemonade cups.

Thanks go to the celebrity judges: Jordan Strack of the Toledo Mud Hens; Ginny Boggess , head coach of the University of Toledo women’s basketball team; Sarah Sanchez of the Toledo Walleye; Gunnar Oakes , professional football player with the UFL’s Michigan Panthers; and Matthew Willoughby , meteorologist at WTOL-TV, Channel 11.

Guests included the co-founders of RMHC Northwest Ohio, Gary and Tricia Yunker , and Venice Michel and family.

Members of the RMHC board of directors, including Jim Heller , Summer Harris , Tony Perales , Maggie Butler , Ashley Yoakam , Bob Carnicorn , Karen Crown , Paula Grieb , Jim Nusbaum , and McKenna Reitz were there, too.

About $35,000 was raised.

Thanks go to sponsors including Beck Suppliers, Signature Bank, WTOL-TV, Channel 11, F & M Bank, Lakeside Interior, Perales and Associates, and Cumulus Media.