SARASOTA — A new Sarasota Performing Arts Center moved many millions of dollars closer to reality this week.
Van Wezel Foundation’s 20th annual Inspiration Gala on Thursday night was the most successful fundraising event in the Foundation’s history, bringing in more than $1.7 million.
kAm%92E’D :? 255:E:@? E@ E96 2??@F?46>6?E E92E ?:89E @7 2 Sa_ >:==:@? 4@>>:E>6?E :? AC:G2E6 7F?5:?8 7C@> E96 u@F?52E:@?’D 3@2C5]k^Am
kAm“%96 u@F?52E:@?’D 3@2C5 :D 4@>AC:D65 @7 86?6C@FD[ A2DD:@?2E6 =6256CD H:E9 2? F?H2G6C:?8 D6?D6 @7 C6D:=:6?46[ 2?5[ 3642FD6 @7 E9@D6 G2=F6D[ H6 42? AC@F5=J 2??@F?46 E96 7:CDE Sa_ >:==:@? :? AC:G2E6 7F?5:?8 7@C 2 DE2E6\@7\E96\2CE A6C7@C>:?8 2CED 46?E6C 7@C @FC 4@>>F?:EJ[” D2:5 y:> %C2G6CD[ u@F?52E:@? 492:C]k^Am
kAm%96 7F?5D H:== 8@ E@H2C5 2 ?6H 2?5 D=:89E=J =2C86C A6C7@C>:?8 2CED 46?E6C @77 &]$] c` :? E96 2C62 @7 E96 AC6D6?E `[fc`\D62E '2? (6K6= !6C7@C>:?8 pCED w2== 2=@?8 $2C2D@E2 q2J]k^Am
kAmr96CJ= |6?56=D@?[ E96 rt~ @7 E96 '2? (6K6=^$2C2D@E2 !6C7@C>:?8 pCED r6?E6C u@F?52E:@? D:?46 a_`h[ :D :? 492C86 @7 677@CED E@ 4C62E6 E96 ?6H 46?E6C @? 2 db\24C6 D:E6 2=@?8 E96 32J E92E H:== 2=D@ 6?4@>A2DD E96 7@C>6C D:E6 @7 E96 @=5 v(x+ D4:6?46 46?E6C]k^Am
kAm“~FC 4@>>F?:EJ 92D >256 :E =@F5 2?5 4=62C E92E :E H2?ED 2 H@C=5\4=2DD A6C7@C>:?8 2CED 46?E6C[ 2?5 H6 2C6 @? @FC H2J[” D2:5 y6??6 qC:E6==[ u@F?52E:@? G:46 492:C]k^Am
kAmv6EE:?8 E96 ?6H 46?E6C 3F:=E H:== 36 2 4@F?EJH:56 677@CE[ |6?56=D@? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“(6 2C6 C625J E@ =2F?49 @FC ?6IE A92D6 :? C62=:K:?8 2 ?6H $2C2D@E2 !6C7@C>:?8 pCED r6?E6C E@ D6CG6 E96 C68:@?[ DE2E6 2?5 ?2E:@? 7@C 86?6C2E:@?D E@ 4@>6[ 2?5 H6 =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@ H@C<:?8 4=@D6=J H:E9 E96 4:EJ @7 $2C2D@E2[ $2C2D@E2 r@F?EJ[ @FC AF3=:4 A2CE?6CD 2?5 DE2<69@=56CD @? E9:D :4@?:4 4:G:4 2DD6E[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm{2?5 4=62C:?8 2?5 @E96C H@C< 92D 2=C625J 368F? @? E96 D@FE96C? A2CE @7 E96 4:EJ\@H?65 D:E6[ H9:49 :D 24C@DD 7C@> E96 $2C2D@E2 wJ2EE #686?4J w@E6= @? E96 q@F=6G2C5 @7 E96 pCED[ H6DE @7 }@CE9 %2>:2>: %C2:=]k^Am
kAmp=E9@F89 2? 2C49:E64EFC2= 7:C> 92D J6E E@ 36 9:C65[ AC6=:>:?2CJ D:E6 5C2H:?8D D9@H 2 >F=E:\DE@CJ 3F:=5:?8[ H9:49 =:<6=J H:== :?4=F56 A2C<:?8 2?5 2 =2?5D42A65 8C66? DA246 @? H92E ?@H :D E96 A2C<:?8 2C62 7@C E96 :4@?:4 '2? (6K6=[ 56D:8?65 3J uC2?< {=@J5 (C:89E’D %2=:6D:? %62>]k^Am
kAm%92E 3F:=5:?8 @A6?65 @? y2?] d[ `hf_] xED 4@=@C H2D D2:5 E@ 92G6 366? :?DA:C65 3J E96 =:?:?8 @7 2 D62D96== 7@F?5 3J (C:89E’D E9:C5 H:76[ ~=8:G2??2 {=@J5 (C:89E[ H9@ 5:65 :? `hgd]k^Am
kAm%96 2C49:E64E 925 5:65 @? pAC:= h[ `hdh[ J6E =67E 2 =6824J E92E DFCG:G65 7@C >2?J >@C6 J62CD] %96 %2=:6D:? $49@@= @7 pC49:E64EFC6 4=@D65 :? yF?6 a_a_]k^Am
kAm(96E96C E96 '2? (6K6=[ H9:49 ?665D >:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD :? C6A2:CD 2?5 FA8C25:?8[ H:== DFCG:G6[ D66>D E@ 36 2? F?<?@H? 2E AC6D6?E[ 2=E9@F89 :ED :>286 92D 366? :?4@CA@C2E65 :? AC6=:>:?2CJ C6=62D6D 2?5 5C2H:?8D @7 E96 AC@A@D65 D:E6 @7 E96 ?6H A6C7@C>:?8 2CED 46?E6C]k^Am
kAm{2DE yF=J[ E96 !2EE6CD@? u@F?52E:@? 2??@F?465 :ED DFAA@CE @7 E96 AC@;64E 3J A=658:?8 FA E@ Sc >:==:@? :? >2E49:?8 7F?5D 7@C AF3=:4 5@?2E:@?D E@ E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 !92D6 ~?6 @7 E96 >F=E:\J62C AC@;64E] x7 Sa_ >:==:@? :D A=65865 3J E96 AF3=:4[ E96 !2EE6CD@? u@F?52E:@? H:== 255 Sc >:==:@? E@H2C5 E96 4@DE @7 !92D6 ` @7 “%96 q2J]”k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ 2 C6=62D6 7C@> E96 '2? (6K6=[ %9FCD52J’D DF446DD7F= 7F?5C2:D:?8 762EFC65 2 DFCAC:D6 2AA62C2?46 3J vC2>>J 2?5 t>>J pH2C5\H:??6C w2CCJ r@??:4< yC] 2?5 E96 9@?@C:?8 @7 =@42= 65F42E@CD |2C:2 $49265=6C\{F6C2[ E96 C64:A:6?E @7 E96 a_aa pAA=6E@? pCED x?E68C2E:@? pH2C5[ 2?5 y:==:2??6 p33@EE 2?5 %2=:2 r2D6J[ E96 C64:A:6?ED @7 E96 a_aa '2? (6K6= u@F?52E:@? |6C:E $49@=2CD9:AD]k^Am
kAm%96 6G6?:?8 6?565 H:E9 2 A6C7@C>2?46 3J r@??:4< :? E96 '2? (6K6= !6C7@C>:?8 pCED w2==]k^Am
Post a comment as anonymous
Report
Watch this discussion.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.