Photo by Michael Donahue // Buy this photo
The hat worn by Gloria Dodds on Saturday night at Works of Heart would be equally appropriate for Valentine's Day. She attended the event with Evan Hix.
Hearts of some guests were broken if they weren't high bidders on their favorite pieces of art at Works of Heart, but the hearts of organizers jumped for joy at the success of Saturday night's auction at Memphis College of Art.
They raised $92,000 at this year's fundraiser for the Memphis Child Advocacy Center, said Beryl Wight, community relations associate with the center.
Works by more than 100 artists were featured in Works of Heart, which celebrated its 20th anniversary. One of those artists, longtime Works of Heart participant Mahaffey White, celebrated her 100th birthday last year.
Staxtacular 2012
If just talking to and having your photo made with Marc Gasol wasn't enough, you also could have made a bid to participate in a wine tasting with the Memphis Grizzlies player at Spindini restaurant Saturday night at Staxtacular 2012. Dinner and drinks with Marc was one of the live auction items at the event at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The high bid for the Gasol evening was $3,000.
Also auctioned was a portrait of the late soul singer Otis Redding, which was painted on site at the party by Jamond Bullock.
Memphis Grizzlies players mixed and mingled at the event, which featured music by the DMP Band and the Stax Music Academy.
Guests could sample Staxtinis, made with vodka, triple sec and cranberry, orange, pineapple and cherry juice.
Phoenix Club Mardi Gras
Justin Asquith and Katie Harris attended their first Phoenix Club Mardi Gras Party on Saturday night at The Cadre Building. They were impressed.
"It's a good time for a good cause," Justin said.
Proceeds from the annual event go to Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis.
This year's party was a success, said Patrick Walton, who co-chaired the event with Chad Cunningham. About 800 attended, Patrick said. The VIP section sold out, with about 200 people, which was a first: "We ran out of wrist bands," he said.
Guests played casino games with fake money, but some players took home high-dollar prizes. When they cashed in their chips, guests were given tickets instead of real money. The tickets then went into a drawing for prizes.
Laura Deakins won a $1,000 gift certificate for a suit from Oak Hall and Jonathan Stokes got four rounds of golf at Mirimichi golf course in Millington. Jonathan and Laura, who traded prizes with each other, met at the Phoenix Club party three years ago and began dating.
The Clovers and DJ Mario provided the music. Nathan Walters is Phoenix Club president.
Broadway for Shakespeare
When she entered Germantown Performing Arts Centre on a rainy Thursday night, Ellen Cooper Klyce said, "Gray skies are gonna clear up."
Ellen's opening line also is the opening line of "Put on a Happy Face," written by legendary songwriter Charles Strouse for the 1960 musical "Bye Bye Birdie." Ellen was among the guests who attended "An Evening with Three-Time Tony Award-Winning Broadway Composer Charles Strouse" at Tennessee Shakespeare Company's Valentine's Gala.
Gray skies "cleared up" when Charles took the stage. He told stories about his life and songs and accompanied himself on the piano as he sang them.
The Strouse repertoire includes Broadway hits as well as the soundtrack from the 1967 movie "Bonnie and Clyde" and the theme song to TV's "All in the Family." Charles also penned "One Last Kiss," the rock-and-roll song performed by Conrad Birdie, the Elvis lookalike in "Bye Bye Birdie."
Among those attending were Charles' wife, Barbara Siman Strouse; Dan McCleary, Tennessee Shakespeare Company founder and producing artistic director; and E. Frank Bluestein, the group's executive director. Blanche Deaderick and Margaret Tabor were event co-chairwomen. Dr. Owen B. Tabor is the group's board president. Proceeds from the gala will benefit Tennessee Shakespeare Company's education program.
Duck Wake
Asked the purpose of Duck Wake, Justin McClure said, "We're here for the ducks who got killed, to say a prayer for them."
They also gathered to eat them. Justin was a guest at the first annual Duck Wake fundraiser for Ducks Unlimited on Thursday night at Felicia Suzanne's restaurant. The evening featured a four-course meal prepared by restaurant owner/chef Felicia Willett that included country duck gumbo, roasted duck breast and duck enchiladas.
Guests included Amy Batson, Ducks Unlimited national director of fundraising operations, and Rich Smith, the organization's national director of development from Cutchoque, N.Y.
Memphis City Gardens reception
Guests gathered on a chilly night to talk about digging up the earth.
Memphis City Gardens at Urban Station held a reception Thursday night at the Seed Factory at Emerge Memphis for new and future gardeners interested in a garden plot. Everyone is welcome to become a member and rent a plot, but so far basically Downtowners with itchy green thumbs are the ones renting them, said board member and one of the founders Sharon Leicham.
Memphis City Gardens is an urban garden in Downtown Memphis on a site leased from the Memphis Area Transit Authority and the Memphis Farmers Market. Twelve plots and possibly more will be available for 2012, Sharon said. Their website is memphiscitygardens.org.
-- Michael Donahue: (901) 529-2797; donahue@commercialappeal.com
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