SKETCHES, SCRIBBLES & SCRAPS OF
INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE, PLACES
& ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE UPFRONT
To help raise funds for Rotary and Heartbeat International, the Clearwater Beach
Rotary Club held a dinner that featured the thoughts of two great minds, our
own John Prevas, who was a scholar in residence and assistant professor of
classics at Eckerd College from 2001-2011, and former presidential candidate Steve
Forbes. Prevas presented an overview of Rome’s fall, while Forbes spoke about
why America is not condemned to follow the same path. It was a special evening
that will long be remembered.
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36 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MAY/JUNE 2018
GRAM
NORAA
The Fate of Empires
Tommy Mara congratulated his daughter
Jennifer Cavaliere on the fabulous Doo
Wop Reunion show she helped stage at
Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater.
Doo Wop
Reunion
GRAM
The 18th annual Doo Wop Reunion at
Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater was
another sold-out smash, produced
by Jennifer Cavaliere of Nader-Mara
Entertainment and Bobby Rossi of
Ruth Eckerd Hall. This year’s show
featured Tommy Mara and the Crests,
the Coasters, Lou Christie and Bobby
Rydell. Plan now for next year’s reunion
show in March at Ruth Eckerd Hall, as
the show is one of the best entertainment
bargains in the area.
Attorney Nick
Ekonomides, past
president of the
Rotary Club of
Clearwater Beach,
thanked Steve
Forbes and John
Prevas for their
presentation on the
fate of empires that
was part of this
Rotary benefit.
Pinellas Community Foundation
Duggan Cooley, the CEO of the Pinellas
Community Foundation, and David Sietsma,
chair of its board of directors, welcomed guests
to this thought-provoking event.
Creating an Age-Friendly Community”
was the theme for this year’s annual
meeting of the Pinellas Community
Foundation. Jeff Johnson of the AARP
moderated a discussion about age and
our community between Mayor Rick
Kriseman of St. Petersburg, Mayor
George Cretekos of Clearwater and
Mayor Christopher Alahouzos of
Tarpon Springs. This was followed
by a performance from Hawk
and Wayne of the American Stage
improvisation team.
La Florida Unveiled
Dr. J. Michael Francis, executive director of the digital
archive project “La Florida” and chair of Florida Studies
at University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, recently
unveiled his groundbreaking work in Washington, D.C. This
interactive digital archive of the Americas brings to life the
diverse melting pot of people that made up early Florida,
including those present during the founding of St. Augustine
in 1565. The project uses cutting-edge technology and the
best in humanities research to make this history available
through video, interactive maps and digital reconstructions.
WENDY CHRISTENSON