Brevard Symphony Orchestra board of directors receiving check from ‘Dancing with the Space Coast’ fundraiser. From left to right, they are: Dr. Jason Wieseler, Darcia Jones Francey, Art Niergarth, Carole Gatto, Kendall Martin, Charlie Nash (with Buddy), Jackie Pantello and Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey. Photo by Pam Harbaugh
By PAM HARBAUGH
Sheriff Wayne Ivey (do we love him or what?) brought three large checks with him Wednesday to a luncheon at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club.
They were large both in physical size and in amount — $37,555.70, each — and the Brevard Symphony Orchestra received one of them. They were the proceeds from the inaugural “Dancing with the Space Coast” fundraiser organized by the Sheriff’s office.
The other two recipients were the Scott Center for Autism Treatment and Serene Harbor. The Sheriff is dedicated to include an arts organization as a beneficiary in what is expected to be an annual event.
“When you look at the breakdown of all three categories we selected, it takes all three to keep Brevard a great place to be,” he said.
Representing the Scott Center for Autism: Left to right. Kent Smith. Courtney Porter. Colleen Middlebrooks and Phillip Mennell
Left, Darcia Jones Francey, Representing Serene Harbor (from left) Joni Francis Oglesby, Nancy Peltonen, Beverly DeMeyer and Melody Keeth, and right, Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Next year, the Foosaner Art Museum will be one of the three chosen to benefit. The other two will be AMI Kids Space Coast and Circles of Care Sally’s House.
The newly formed “Dancing with the Space Coast” fundraiser, run by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, is the next iteration of the defunct Dancing with Brevard, which had been run by the beleaguered KLD Foundation (a subject of an investigation last year by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement).
Wisely, Sheriff Ivey saw the potential of the event raising a lot of money for bona fide charitable organizations in the area. So he had it reorganized and brought it to Florida Tech’s Clemente Center.
Florida Tech’s incoming president, Dr. T. Dwayne McCay and its former president Dr. Anthony Catanese
In addition, ten percent always will be dedicated to go to Brevard County Public Safety Charity, a great organization that helps our heroes (deputies, police officers and firefighters) when they find themselves in sudden need. This year, that organization received more than $12,000.
Next year’s event is scheduled for June 4, 2016.
