Almost five years ago, Jenny Bradley ? while vacuuming her house ? came up with a great idea to help her community?s volunteer fire department.
Jenny and the Bradleys are well-known in the Jacksonville and Phoenix areas as the customer-friendly proprietors of Bradley?s Fine Wine and Spirits (3348 Paper Mill Road). Their dedication to community was never more evident than on Oct. 14, when the Bradleys hosted a wine-tasting event for the benefit of the Jacksonville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department.
They call their annual fundraiser Wine & Hoses, and many local businesses always jump on the vine, especially on the culinary front. Henry?s Bistro, Strapasta, Jack?s Shack, the Manor Tavern and Blue Crab Catering provided terrific food, while guests sampled wonderful wines from Chile, Argentina, Italy, Spain and Australia, as well as U.S. wines from California and New York state.
Eric Sorlin, field manager for Billington Imports, educated the gathering about one of his company?s more popular wines ? Big Tattoo Wines.
“They make great wines for a great cause.” Sorlin said. “For years, Big Tattoo has donated 50 cents from the sale of each bottle to breast cancer research. One million bottles later, and we?re still donating 50 cents a bottle, because breast cancer doesn?t take a day off.”
Walter Preston ? just back from a 10-day vino vacation ? sang the praises of Oregon wines, which is good to know with the holidays quickly approaching. Other guests included Dave Durian, the longtime voice of WBAL-AM (1090), and his wife, Marty; Jackie Fong (Arbonne Consultants); Mary Lou Hartley (Gilmore & Associates ? and a diehard Ravens fan); Tom and Debra Sue Koos; Jim Bradley (Under Armour); Dr. Tracey Morgan; and one of my favorite couples ? Chuck and Pat Sudina.
The event raised $5,000.
The next time you?re doing housework, think not of its drudgery but of what you can do to help your community.
BALTIMORE?S ?MAMA? CASS LIVES ON
Do you remember 1960s mega group the Mamas and the Papas? If you?re a baby boomer, you do. “Mama” Cass Elliot ? aka Baltimore?s own Ellen Cohen ? is the subject of a new book by London-based author Eddi Fiegel,with contributions from two of Cohen?s childhood mates ? Diane Hamet and “Diner” guy Chip Silverman.
Borders in Timonium recently hosted a reading and book signing by Fiegel for “Dream a Little Dream.” In the audience was “Mama” Cass? former Forest Park High School counselor Jerry Cohen, who remembered that he was running a summer camp in July 1974 when he got the news of Cass? death in London of a heart attack. Cass? daughter ? Owen Elliot Kugell ? was attending the camp.
After the book signing, Irv and Diane Hamet gave the author a real taste of Baltimore, from Greektown to the Block, until the wee morning hours.
MAKING A RACKET AT ST. JAMES
For four years, the St. James Academy in Monkton has held a golf event to raise funds for its annual giving campaign. Two years ago, the school?s tennis enthusiasts wanted equal billing. After all, it?s for a great cause.
This year?s second annual tennis outing ? organized by Denise Midei, Sara Ball and Anne Huber (St. James mothers, past and present) ? had a great turnout for a mixed-doubles round-robin. Tom King was the overall winner, while Don Greenwalt won the most-aces award, and Gail McCurdy won the hit-with-the-ball-the-most award. (Yours truly hit her twice in one round.)
Other players included St. James parents, board members and alumni. For the first time, an alum from the class of 2000 participated, Catie Simanski ? on break from Villanova. Yup, that?s my Wildcat.
Society spotters
The Examiner needs you to be the eyes and ears of Crabtown, and not just B?more. We?re calling on Anne Arundel, Carroll, Harford, Howard and Baltimore counties to chime in, too. If you spot a celeb, let me know at [email protected].
Share photos of your charity fundraising event with the community. Send prints to: Socially Speaking, The Baltimore Examiner, 400 E. Pratt St., 11th floor, Baltimore, Md. 21202. Photos cannot be returned. E-mail high-resolution jpg attachments to: [email protected].
All images must include full names and basic information about the event, including the proper name of the organization, the date and place of the event and any specific cause being supported.
