The stock market

had some wild ups

and downs in

February, and so has the Symphony

Society. What a

downer when the well planned

“Shabby to Chic”

fundraiser had to be

cancelled just days before the inaugural day due to circumstances

beyond our control.

Then, spirits were lifted when a

number of members made generous commitments to a recovery effort to

replace the lost Showcase funds for the

Symphony. To those who have already contributed, we extend our very

sincere appreciation.

The campaign for the “Shabby to

Chic” recovery effort will continue. If you have not yet contributed to this

effort, you can still mail a check,

payable to the SWFL Symphony Society, to the Symphony office.

Be sure to mark “Shabby to Chic” on

the envelope and memo line.

Roz Lesser, our Treasurer, will also accept your credit card donation by

phone, at any luncheon or concert, or wherever else you find her.

For every $50 contributed by April 6,

the donor’s name will be entered in a

drawing to take place at our April luncheon meeting for one of three free

membership renewals.

Excitement is building for the highly

anticipated Fashion Show on March 2. The theme is “Music and Fashion

Color Your Life”. Our 2nd Vice

President, Ellen Schneider, and her committee have been hard at work for

months planning lots of surprises for

attendees. Razzle Dazzle is sure to offer us a fun time. This is a great

opportunity to introduce your friends

to the fun we have with the Symphony

Society. Reservations must be paid for in advance. See details in this

newsletter.

Another way you can support the

Symphony, while having a great time, is to attend the fabulous, privately

sponsored Treats. For example, Reina

and Bob Schlager generously hosted a unique and very successful dinner and

show at the Planetarium, and a

wonderful evening of wines and foods from Austria was hosted by Verena

and Michael Schneider-Christians.

Don’t miss these fabulous small fundraisers put on by very gracious

and generous hosts. Roz Lesser always

has the latest information on openings.

Have you signed up for the Book Club’s next discussion on March 15?

See the announcement in this

newsletter for details. The first discussion meeting was great fun!

Only one item of business must be

conducted at the Fashion Show

luncheon. The Nominations Committee will quickly report the

great line up of officers for next year.

All other business will be postponed to the next luncheon in April.

Hope to see you soon at one of our

exciting events!

Anne Wardlow

News of note Happenings in the SWFL Symphony Society

March 2018 Volume 22 Issue 7

Page 2 Luncheon; Program; Food Bank; Amy’s Note Page 3 Fashion Show - “Music & Fashion Color Your Life” Page 4 Luncheon Photos; “Titanic”; Bridge; Ticket Offer Page 5 Symphony of Treats; Treats Photos

Inside This Issue

Page 6 Talbots; Musical Friends Book Club Page 7 March Birthdays; Directory Update Page 8 “Shabby to Chic” Recovery Effort

SAVE THE DATE

“Fashion Show”

March 2nd

See page 3

President’s Message

PA GE 2 VOLUME 22, I SSU E 7

A Note From Amy

As busy as February was, March

promises the same level of excite-

ment and activity with our upcoming

Chair Sponsor Benefit at Gather in

Cape Coral on March 1st, the Soci-

ety’s signature Fashion Show

“Music & Fashion Color Your Life” Luncheon on

March 2nd, our fourth Masterworks on March 3rd and

our Classical-Rock & Roll Mashup on March 4th, plus

our final Small Stage Symphonies on March 7th and

8th!

I’m looking forward to seeing each and every one of

you at these events – there is such great joy in sharing

music with friends.

Community Support Month has been so successful

that we’ve decided to extend it through the month of

March. We still have a few “swag bags” left at the of-

fice, but many of them left Barbara B. Mann Hall with

generous donors during the month of February.

If you’d like to show the world that you support

World Class Music in Paradise, hurry and make your

$57 donation (in honor of our 57th season) and choose

from a t-shirt, mouse pad, umbrella or coffee mug as

your thank you gift, or donate $57 X 2 ($114) for an

entire bag full of gifts bearing the Southwest Florida

Symphony’s logo – including the bag itself and an

autographed photo of Maestro Kabaretti!

If you’d like to grab your “swag bag” before we run

out, call the office at 418-1500 or stop by and take one

home with you.

As always, thank you for your continued hard work

and support for everything we aspire to accomplish

through symphonic music.

Amy Ginsburg SWFL Symphony Executive Director

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SYMPHONY SOCIETY

FASHION SHOW/LUNCHEON

FUNDRAISER

MARCH 2, 2018

The Helm Club at

The Landings Yacht, Golf & Tennis Club

4420 Flagship Drive

Fort Myers, FL 33919

11:00 am — Champagne Reception

Social time/Raffles/Drawing

11:45 am — Brief Business Meeting*

12:00 pm — Fashion Show by RAZZLE DAZZLE

12:40 pm— Luncheon Served

Prize Drawings/SWFL Experience Auction follows.

$50 per person

Purchase ticket or charge reservation by calling the

SYMPHONY BOX OFFICE, 239-418-1500

BEFORE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26

(Table requests will be honored as received)

At every luncheon we collect non-perishable food items

for the food bank. Also, bring in your used computer ink

cartridges. We recycle them at the office supply stores

for credits towards future purchases for the symphony

office or for the Society directly.

MENU

Pan-Seared Salmon

with Honey Dijon Cream Sauce

Rice Pilaf/Haricots Verts

Lemon Mascarpone Dessert

(Rolls/Butter/Coffee/Soda/Iced Tea, Included)

Special Beverages —

Cash/Credit Card Tableside Service

* Abbreviated agenda to accept proposed slate of 2018-2019

Officers.

We look forward to seeing every member at the Fashion Show

Fundraiser on March 2! We can expect the event to get off to a

great start with a Champagne Reception, graciously sponsored by our president, Anne Wardlow. Razzle Dazzle lively fashion

show features our very own members as models. There will be

several opportunities to win lovely gifts, as well as a unique

live auction of "SWFL Experiences," including a stay in a

Naples resort, and tickets to attractions such as the Murder

Mystery Train, etc

PA GE 3 VOLUME 22, I SSU E 7

VOLUME 22, I SSU E 7 PA GE 4

SYMPHONY SOCIETY BRIDGE MARATHON

New flights are organizing to show their support for the Sym-phony. Have fun playing your favorite game and enjoying the camaraderie of your old friends and making new friends.

You only need to play 6 games during the entire season--at your convenience. A flight consists of 8 players who each pay a regis-tration fee of $25, going to support our wonderful Symphony. Show your interest by e-mailing me, Vickie Strich, at vstrich@comcast.net, and I will be happy to answer any ques-

tions you may have. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Vickie

Our big beautiful check was presented to Amy Ginsburg this time by Michael and Verena Schneider-Christians and Vickie Strich. It represented funds raised from the January Treats and the Bridge Marathon. New members introduced were Carol Fuechsel, Jovana Batkovic and Serge Gossmann. Entertainment was from flutist Kaitlyn Calcagino who re-cently won the Joan Calder Memorial Scholarship.

“Titanic Dinner”

The JMH employment agency has one

position available on the Titanic for April 12:

an assistant cook to prepare plates for serving.

Please contact the agency below.

239-466-5557/

jhladik@embarqmail.com.

This painting was taken from the cook book that Jan is using to recreate the din-

ner. The dresses are items you buy online that resemble styles of the time.

VOLUME 22, I SSU E 7 PA GE 5

Symphony of Treats

The Symphony of Treats has had a most amazing January and February. The guests who have attended the events have raved about

them. You heard all about the fun Austrian Wine Tasting at the Schneider-Christians home in last month's issue.

The Camp Follower was very interesting as we saw and learned how those women dressed for their daily duties as well as when they had to go into the towns. Many thanks to Mady Teeple for making all the arrangements with Pelican Preserve.

Come, Hear the Music hosted fifteen guests on Feb. 3. Our usual friends attended plus several new guests who were most impressed.

Mr. Kabaretti came for coffee with us and spoke about Mozart and his music and the "Requiem", the selection for the rehearsal and

evening concert. Thanks to Christine LeMere for hosting us that morning.

Dining With the Stars was a huge success. Reina and Bob Schlager outdid themselves with this Treat. We had a wonderful oriental

dinner with music provided by Bill Larsen and Darby Elliott, followed by a planetarium show. We learned so much about the beauti-

ful night sky filled with stars. It was as though we were standing outside looking up to the heavens and seeing all the activity along

the Milky Way.

The month is not over yet. We are looking forward to a nice morning at Lakes park on Tuesday, Feb. 27, hosted by Sue Moore. There are a few spaces left. Call me if you would like to join us for a tour of the fragrance garden followed by lunch.

(Kim - 410-262-8224).

There are ten Treats left for the season. However, the only ones with openings are: “Come, Hear the Music” for March and April; the

van Sickle and Jillian Prescott music competitions on February 24th and March 31st; “Blooms and Blossoms” on Tuesday, February

27th; the Young Artists’ Recognition Dinner on April 9th; and “A Sunday Brunch at The Marina Club”, Cape Harbour, on April

22th.

If you have any suggestions for Symphony of Treats next season, I would be very happy to hear them. Please call me or e-mail your

ideas. Thank you so much for your support for these fundraisers.

Kim Wittstadt

Reina and Bob Schlager arranged a fascinating evening at the Calusa Nature Center. There was plentiful food from Origami and beautiful flute music was playing

courtesy of Bill Larsen and Darby Elliott. After the meal we watched a planetarium show about the night sky. Did you know we are the farthest point north that can

just see the four stars of the Southern Cross on our horizon? This was followed by a movie full of head-spinning effects that described the search for dark matter.

Leaving the planetarium we had the opportunity to touch Mars. A local meteor collector has donated an actual Martian meteorite, one of the few that the public is

allowed to contact. Vickie Strich is featured touching Mars. Kim Wittstadt shared pictures she took with her phone from the various Treats. Camp Follower table

guests include L to R: Kim Wittstadt, Dolly Ross, LuAnne Cherry, dj Arnold, Richard Prescott. Seated: Jane King, Janet Nichols, Thelma Gunter and guests LuAnne

Cherry, The Camp Follower presenter in two costumes. At the BBM Treat Nir Kabaretti chats with Christine LeMere and a guest.

VOLUME 22, I SSU E 7 PA GE 6

“Dinner with Lenny”

By Jonathan Cott

Music Book Discussion

In Partnership with the Friends of the Fort Myers Library Make new friends sharing your reading experience!

Thursday, March 15

2:00—4:30 p.m. Fort Myers Regional Library, Meeting Rooms

1651 Lee Street Downtown Fort Myers

This year marks the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein, arguably the most highly esteemed, influential and charismatic American classical music

personality of the 20th century.

In November 1989, just a year before his death, Bernstein invited writer Jonathan Cott to his home for what turned out to be his last major inter-view—an unprecedented twelve-hour conversation. Bernstein discourses with disarming frankness, humor, and intensity on matters musical, peda-

gogical, political, psychological, spiritual, and the unabashedly personal.

The book is available on Amazon, in bookstores, in the library (just a few), online and as a Kindle edition.

Light refreshments will be served following the discussion.

Reservations required. Register by March 12 at www.fortmyersfriends.org, click on “Events”.

Thank you to all who attended our Talbots fund-raising event in December. Because of your

shopping we were able to raise an additional

$600 for the Scholarship/Education fund. If you

were at the luncheon, this is a repeat, if not we’re happy to report that since October’s meeting and

including today’s deposit and Talbots’ donation

we have given the fund a total of $1,714. We set a silent goal of $200 per meeting and thanks to

your generosity we have met and exceeded that

goal each month! We are trying to put together a Spring shopping event, hopefully for Thursday,

April 5th. Try and save the date and we will keep

you posted if the date works. Thank you all so

much for your generosity and interest in shop-

ping.

Maria, Brooke and dj Your Scholarship/Education

Fundraising Committee

VOLUME 22, I SSU E 7 PA GE 7

Sharyl

Hi, I’m your NON Editor!

Submissions/Ads due on the 10th of the month to:

sharyl@sharyl-leifeld.com

Please submit your entries for the April NON March 10th;

for anything with graphics, please use jpeg format. For text

only you can include your text in the body of your email.

VOLUME 22, I SSU E 7 PA GE 8

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SYMPHONY SOCIETY 8290 College Parkway, Suite 103 Fort Myers, FL 33919

“Shabby to Chic” Recovery Effort!

Our well planned “Shabby to Chic” fundraiser had to be cancelled just days before the inaugural day due to circumstances beyond

our control. Several members have made very generous donations to a recovery effort to replace the lost Showcase funds for

the Symphony.

How Can You Help?

Please contribute to the recovery fund to replace the lost Showcase funds for the Symphony. Checks should be made payable

to the SWFL Symphony Society (note “Shabby to Chic” on memo line). If you prefer to pay by credit card, please call Roz Lesser

to process your payment. Hand the check to Roz Lesser at luncheons, concerts, etc. or mail it to:

SWFL Symphony Society

Attn: “Shabby to Chic”

8290 College Pkwy, Suite 103

Fort Myers, FL 33919

To Add a Little Fun!

For each $50 donated to the recovery effort by April 6, the donor’s name will be entered in a drawing for three complimentary

Society membership dues for 2018-2019. Each $50 donated will earn one entry. For example, a $500 donation will have 10

entries. The three winners will be drawn at the April luncheon. Thank you for considering this special request and for your con-

tinued loyalty to the Symphony Society and your dedication to our beloved Symphony.