SKETCHES, SCRIBBLES & SCRAPS OF
INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE, PLACES
& ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE UPFRONT
GRAM
Windstar Homes President David Lesser was
thanked by Julie Weintraub of Hands Across
the Bay for the magnificent work his firm did to
make her dream come true.
Hands Across the
Bay Opens Center
The VIP Grand Opening of a new Donation &
Empowerment Center of Julie Weintraub’s
Hands Across the Bay featured a special
award presentation to those who have helped
make their organization so successful. The
building at 13247 38th St. N. in Clearwater
was donated by Gold and Diamond Source
and renovated by Windstar Homes, Tampa
Bay’s premier luxury homebuilder. The center
will serve individuals and children overcoming
crisis, survivors of domestic violence and
human trafficking, and others facing hardships.
It provides a Women’s Boutique, Men’s Closet,
Children’s Department, Baby Area, Food Pantry
and Personal Care/Household Items.
A Night at
the Circus
The Tampa Chapter of the
National Association of
Caterers and Events (NACE)
hosted a fundraiser to benefit
its scholarship program at the
Dance and Circus Arts of Tampa
Bay in Clearwater. The annual
event featured food, libations and
entertainment by Moving Arts of
Tampa Bay artists, which included
performances of aerial acts.
Allan Dadetto, past president of Tampa Bay
NACE, thanked Beth Brier, director of Moving
Arts of Tampa Bay for providing the evening’s
event space, decorations and entertainment,
which included a performance by instructor and
aerialist Maria Anderson, center background.
40 Years of Victorian Christmas Stroll
The Victorian Christmas Stroll showcased
holiday décor of the past.
36 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
GRAM
Tampa’s holiday tradition, the
Victorian Christmas Stroll at
the Henry B. Plant Museum,
recently marked its 40th year. What
started as a small, three-evening
event has grown into 23 days
of extravagance and grandeur,
allowing visitors a glimpse into the
magic of Christmas past. Themes
and displays in each exhibit room
included a display of 40 vintage
Santas in honor of the 40 years of
the Stroll. There is no place like
the Plant’s Christmas display for
the holidays.
Ruth Eckerd Hall Receives All-Stars Award
Susan Crockett, president and CEO of Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall, is honored that
VenuesNow, a trade publication, has awarded the hall the 2021 All-Stars Award for a
theater and performing arts center. The publication recognized Ruth Eckerd Hall for
being on the forefront, following the impact of the pandemic. It served the community as a
Salvation Army food distribution location and as a COVID-19 testing site, while remaining
engaged in educational endeavors, which is a hallmark of the venue’s mission. Despite the
challenges, the hall returned to live entertainment as early as June 2020 in an environment
that was safe for attendees and in tandem with health recommendations.
In 2020, Pollstar, another trade publication, named Ruth Eckerd Hall the No. 1 venue
in the Tampa Bay area and No. 4 in the state, No. 5 in the country and No. 5 in the world
of venues with 2,500 seats or less. This year Pollstar has nominated Ruth Eckerd Hall as
Theater of the Year in its 33rd annual contest. The winner will be announced on February 8th
in Los Angeles, where Ruth Eckerd Hall will be competing against The Beacon Theatre in
New York, the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, Radio City Music
Hall in New York City and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.