Susan Smiley Height

Oh, my! All those ladies in beaded dresses and wearing flashy jewels; and guys in suits and hats. What a retro blast of a benefit! The Estella Byrd Whitman Community Health Center’s spring fundraising event, with a Roaring ‘20’s gangster theme, took place April 6 at the Reilly Arts Center NOMA Black Box. Actors from The Murder Mystery Company performed an interactive murder mystery while guests enjoyed a buffet dinner. It looked like the guests had a bang-up time, and all for a good cause.

This year’s series has been blessed with good weather, which means hundreds of people have come to Webb Field in the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex at1501 W Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, every Friday night since March 14. In addition to live music from a wide variety of performers, there has been dancing, camaraderie, food trucks, interactive activities, spotlights on local nonprofits and live painting sessions led by professional artists.

The foundation’s elegant soiree on March 8 at the Circle Square Cultural Center at 8395 SW 80th St., Ocala, offered festive fun and recognitions for many local causes and individuals. Numerous accolades were given, including Frank DeLuca named Philanthropist of the Year and Stan Hanson being given the Frank Martin Hennessey Legacy Award.