Déjà Vu conjures Studio 54 glamour for Big Brothers, Sisters

Enormous hair, meretricious makeup, teetering platform shoes, and sequins and sparkles galore conjured the excesses of the Studio 54 disco and the era of the ’80s at Déjà Vu, a gala benefitting Big Brothers, Sisters of Broward. Highlighting the party at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was a performance by Exposé, named by Billboard magazine as one of the most successful girl groups of all time, that burst onto the music scene in the 1980s. The evening’s honorees: Kristi Krueger, anchor at WPLG Local 10, Child Advocate; Florida Panthers, Visionary Corporation; and Coleen Sterns Leith, Marketing Matters, Champion for Children. Alyssa Lovitt of I LOVE-ITT Events and Susan Renneisen of the Hard Rock chaired the evening that earned $292,830.

Decade of DDF

Debbie’s Dream Foundation celebrated its

10th anniversary with a gala at Margaritaville in Hollywood that raised $222,000 for stomach cancer research and patient support. Louis Aguirre, anchor for WPLG Local 10, served as master of ceremonies, and lawyer David Kubiliun chaired for the seventh consecutive year.

The evening’s honorees were Barbara Simmons, CEO, Westside Regional Medical Center; Dr. Charles and Suzanne Lago; Drs. Gregg and Abby Wilentz; author Brad Meltzer; Dr. Yelena Janjigian, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; and Sydney Silverstein, NSU University School. DDF was founded by Debbie Zelman, diagnosed in 2008 with incurable stomach cancer and given just weeks to live. Instead, she passed away almost a decade later.

Traveling hearts

Suitcases, passports, tables draped in linens printed with vintage maps and servers dressed as flight attendants wheeling carts of champagne set the stage for Hearts Around the World, this year’s Broward Heart Ball. More than 300 guests attended the black tie affair chaired by Aurelio Fernandez at the RitzCarlton.

Sixteen-year-old Timothy Jones told the story of his own heart transplant and received a jersey signed by his idol, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin. A live auction offered temptations like a diamond necklace from Daoud’s Jewelry and a VIP experience at a Florida Panthers hockey game.

Going for gold

Supporters of the Jessica June Children’s Cancer Foundation gathered at Revolution Live for a Gold party. Gold is the color symbolizing the fight against childhood cancer, and many guests wore glittering gold attire.

Highlighting the festivities: Jessica June President Sandra Muvdi and event planner

Ana Vento, captain of the winning Go Gold Challenge fundraising team, took the stage to be drenched in gold paint by Daytona artist Perego. The evening raised $245,000 for children with cancer.

Chad Van Horn, Gabriela Paez and Shelley and Tom Burkett at Déjà Vu. (Downtown Photo)

Doug Jones, Susan Renneisen, Kristi Krueger, Ana Cedeno and Alyssa Lovitt at Déjà Vu. (Downtown Photo)

DDF Board President Michael Ehren, Executive Director Andrea Eidelman, Brad Meltzer and Louis Aguirre. (Dream Focus)

Nicole Johnson Brown, Abby Srour Larson, Jan Miller and Julia Sylvester at the Jessica June Foundation Gold party. (Jessica June Foundation)

Broward Heart Ball chair Aurelio Fernandez and Christina Fernandez. (Downtown Photo)

Sandra Muvdi, dancer Shannon Greene, and Ana Vento at the Gold party. (Jessica June Foundation)

Jeff Netzer, Willard Shepard and Debbie’s Dream gala chair David Kubiliun. (Dream Focus)

Dennis Docil, Charles Baston, Stephan Brown and John Adams at Deja Vu. (Downtown Photo)

Cyrus and Asha Walker at the Broward Heart Ball. (Downtown Photo)