Terry was invited to a fundraiser called, “An Evening of Shopping” at The Sanctuary Downtown, (100 South Eola Drive). The Sanctuary is the new building that now houses The Abbey and the Broadway Across America offices. The rest of the building is a luxury condominium. I arrived a little before Terry and took the elivator to the 5th floor. A phalanx of pretty boys were standing in the hall. To their left was an open public area with an open bar. l searched some more to find the apartment.
The apartment which is the home of Ted Maines and Jeffery Miller, was absolutely gorgeous with a fabulous collection of original modern art. There was a glass machine gun sculpture, while Warhols and ironic pieces by Ed Ruscha and Jane Hammond decorated the walls. As a collection, the work has a dark under current yet was inherantly humorous. People crowded around a large table which had expensive David Yurman watches and jewelry. The David Yurman team was lead by Jada Marzolf-Beekman. Funds raised from sales would benefit the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center’s program called, Upstanders: Stand Up to Bullying.
The Upstanders: Stand Up to Bullying program is designed to help children understand the dynamics of bullying. The education begins with a moving presentation of a parent whose child committed suicide in response to bullying. Parallel presentations in the evening help parents and other community members find out how they can be part of the solution. The pledge neatly sums up how we all can help. “I will stand up to bullying. I wont be a bully. I won’t let anyone bully me. I won’t let anyone bully someone else. I have a responsibility to stop bullying in my school and in my community.”