Krewes Throw Theme Parties

Several krewes are having theme parties and other events during the summer, among them:

•The Rough Riders will have a Pre-Toga Party Social from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday at Club Skye, 1509 E. Eighth Ave.

There will be drink specials, appetizers and Super Bowl volunteer recruitment information. Tickets also will be on sale for the Rough Riders' Toga Party, which is set for 8 p.m. to midnight July 26 at Centro Asturiano, 1913 N. Nebraska Ave.

The toga party will feature the Johnny G. Lyon Band and Otis Velt. For information, go to www.tampa-roughriders .org.

•The Krewe of Pandora will have its eighth annual Margarita Fest from 7 p.m. to midnight July 26 at the Quorum Hotel, 700 N. West Shore Blvd.

The event includes silent and live auctions, a buffet dinner, margaritas and live music. Tickets are $75 in advance and $100 at the door. For information, call (813) 503-2054 or go to www.krewe ofpandora.org.

•The Mustang Sallies and Ryders, the Krewe of Brigadoon and the Krewe of Bobbie C. Davis will host the fifth annual Half-Way to Gasparilla Pub Crawl.

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. July 26 at Gaspar's Grotto, 1805 E. Seventh Ave., and moves forward at 7:30 p.m. The dress is pirate-theme costumes.

Tickets are $10.

USF Alumni Group Names Winners

USF CAMPUS - The University of South Florida Alumni Association has named its 2008 Alumni Award winners and will honor them during USF Homecoming Weekend on Oct. 17 and 18.

They are:

•Patrick Benz, Distinguished Alumnus Award. The founder of Benz Research and Development in Sarasota, he designed and developed processes and equipment for manufacturing materials used in soft contact lenses.

•Steve Oscher, Donald A. Gifford Alumni Service Award. President and managing director of Oscher Consulting, he serves on the USF College of Business Administration's Accounting Advisory Committee.

•Joe Teague, Class of '56 Award. Teague is the managing partner of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and a member of the USF College of Business' Dean's Advisory Board.

•Brian Lamb, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. He is senior vice president and head of business banking for Fifth Third Bank of Tampa Bay and serves on the USF Foundation Board.

Garden Groups Plan Programs

Two horticultural groups will have free presentations at their meetings this month.

•The Tampa Bay Orchid Society will have a presentation on orchid photography by Brian Monk of Blu Llama Orchids when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Seminole Heights United Methodist Church, 509 E. Hanna Ave.

For information, call (813) 310-7676.

•Phyllis King will give a presentation on chrysothemis when the Tampa Bay Gesneriad Society meets at 10 a.m. July 19.

The meeting is at 402 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. For information, call (813) 963-7424.