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Artist Christopher Still, who is currently
creating masterpieces for the Belleview Inn,
JMC Communities’ in-progress renovation of
the Belleview Biltmore Hotel in Belleair, holds
his portrait of the hotel’s creator Henry Plant.
Christopher Still Honored
The city of Tarpon Springs honored
acclaimed artist Christopher Still with
a plaque and statue of a sponge diver
in recognition of his contributions to the
community. Still, who lives and has his
gallery in Tarpon Springs, is actively
engaged in promoting the many offerings
that the city has for visitors and residents.
He is the youngest person to be elected to the
Florida Artists Hall of Fame and is known
for his incredibly beautiful artwork in public
spaces, such as the Tampa International
Airport, Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater,
the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee, and
his iconic 10 murals of Florida history in the
state capitol’s House of Representatives.
Opera for Everyone
Maestro Mark Sforzini, executive and artistic director
Help Us Gather
Rotary Club of Belleair Installation Brunch
Jared Brown, past Rotary district governor, installed the
Rotary Club of Belleair’s new president Marc Walker,
who replaced outgoing four-term president John Funk,
during the group’s annual installation brunch.
of the St. Petersburg Opera Company, understands
the importance of making opera accessible to
both present and future audiences. As part of its
community outreach and educational initiatives, the
company visited Pinellas County third-grade students
in their classrooms to prepare them for the actual
staged performances they later saw during field trips.
Performances of John Davies’ Pinocchio, an opera for
children with English lyrics, was seen last season by
children in seven elementary schools and by more
than 600 children in eight schools this season. The
productions were so popular that they were repeated
for sold-out public performances. St. Petersburg Opera
Company will again present Pinocchio November 9th
to 18th during its 2018-2019 season, which marks the
group’s 13th year.
The Rotary Club of Belleair held its annual Installation of Officers and Brunch
at the Belleair Country Club, where Jared Brown, Rotary’s past district
governor, performed the ceremonies as his father, community leader Herb
Brown, a past Rotary International president, did in the past. In addition to the
passing of the presidential gavel from John Funk to Marc Walker, Tony Galasso,
Denis DeMarino and Russ Hodill were inducted as new officers, while Ana
Maria Schweitzer, Bob Bialas, Ulf Ambjornson, Sebastian Berdychowski and
John McGuire became members of the new board of directors. Special awards
went to Beth Gallant for 20 years of service; to Sally Mallory, Best Example of
What a Rotarian Should Be; and to Ed Shaughnessy, general manager of the
Belleair Country Club, for Best Past President. John Gallant received the Purple
Heart Award; Sebastian Berdychowski was given the Rotary Spirit Award and
Ulf Ambjornson was named Rotarian of the Year. The Rotary Club of Belleair,
which doubled its membership last year, will celebrate its 30th anniversary
during the coming year.
36 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
The St. Petersburg Opera
Company performed
Pinocchio, a children’s
opera, for Pinellas
County third-graders
during the company’s
last two seasons.
GRAM
GLORIA MATYSZYK
Robin Lally of Belleair Beach has
founded HUG (Help Us Gather),
a nonprofit organization that
advocates for inclusion and connects
individuals with disabilities to social
events and activities in our community.
This charity will hold a fundraiser on
Saturday, November 3rd at the Marriott on Sand Key that will feature dinner, an
auction, dancing and celebrating HUG celebrities. For information, sponsorships
or tickets, call (727) 489-5885 or visit helpusgather.org.