Angels plan annual Silver Coffee

The Red Cross Angels' annual Silver Coffee is Monday.

The event will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the home of Toni Everett, 3422 Jean Circle, and includes refreshments and information about the organization.

Denise Chavez and Helen Chavez are co-chairwomen of the committee, which includes Beverly Austin, Glenda Barlow, Betty Dowd, Susan Grady, Sally Hill, Liz Kelly, Mary Jane Martinez, Mary McGaughey, Renee Vaughn and Alvie Whitaker.

Maureen Rorech Dunkel is president of the group, which supports the Red Cross.

The donation is $20; call (813) 837-6449 for information.

Busy week for social events

TAMPA - Many area groups have activities planned in one of the busiest weeks of the fall season for socials and fundraisers. The events include:

• The fifth annual Children's Crisis Center Breakfast, sponsored by the Mental Health Care Foundation.

Thursday's event is at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, with registration at 7 a.m. and the program at 7:30 a.m. Tickets are $50 each and available at www.mhcinc.org.

• The 28th annual Steak Dinner, honoring former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy. The dinner is at 6:45 p.m. Thursday at Desert Grill in Busch Gardens and benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay.

Tickets are $300 a person or $500 for two tickets. For information, go to wwwbgctampa.org.

• Abe Brown Ministries' 26th annual celebration, with speaker Walter A. McNeil, secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections.

The event is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hyatt Regency downtown. Tickets are $60 each, and a table for eight is $750. For information, call (813) 247-3285.

• The 22nd annual Puttin' on the Glitz, which benefits PhoneFriend, a program for latchkey children, through the Northside Mental Health Center.

Friday's event from 6 to 11 p.m. is at the T. Pepin Hospitality Centre, 4121 N. 50th St. It features dinner, a performance by Entertainment Revue and an auction with items including a ride in the Goodyear blimp for two people, a stay in Fort Lauderdale and a stay in Panama City Beach beach house.

Tickets are $75 and available by calling (813) 985-3861.

•Celebrating Life ... A Flamenco Night, benefiting the Division of Gerontology at the University of South Florida's School of Medicine.

This third annual dinner is at 6 p.m. Friday at the Tampa Yacht & Country Club, 5310 Interbay Blvd. The speaker is Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio. The evening also includes the Dali on Tour exhibit, with reproductions of works from the museum's permanent collection.

For entertainment, guitarist Daniel Giron will play Flamenco music, student volunteers will dance and the grand finale will be a Flamenco dance performed by Esther Moreno, accompanied by husband and guitarist, Victor Moreno.

Tickets are $125 each; call Lourdes Rodriguez at (813) 974-2460.

•Dessert First Adventure Bash, benefitting Girl Scouts.

The sixth annual event is at 7 p.m. Friday at the InterContinental Hotel, 4860 W. Kennedy Blvd. Eight local chefs will create Girl Scout cookie-themed desserts.

In addition to sampling desserts, guests will test their skills, just as girls do in Girl Scouting, by earning badges. The badge activities include golf putting, fly fishing and more. In addition, live and silent auctions will be held throughout the evening.

Tickets are $65 per person, $100 per couple. For information, go to www.gswcf.org.

• The 23rd annual Zoofari at Lowry Park Zoo.

The event at 7 p.m. Saturday at the zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., features food sampling from dozens of the Tampa Bay area's best restaurants, open bars, the Art Safari wildlife art auction and live music, including Sister Hazel, throughout the event.

Tickets are $75 at www.LowryParkZoo.com; $80 by phone, (813) 935-8552, ext. 276; or $85 at the door.

• Tampa Museum of Arts' Evening in the Park.

Saturday's picnic, from 6 to 10 p.m., will be on the grounds of the University of Tampa, overlooking the Hillsborough River and the museum's facility under construction in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.

The event, chaired by Leslie Jennewein and Allison Adams, features music, a cash bar and a live auction.

Tickets are $250 and $350 each. For information, call (813) 259-1718.

• Top Chef Luncheon, benefiting the Children's Cancer Research Group of St. Joseph's Hospital.

Sunday's luncheon, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is aboard the MS Ryndam and features food from Bin 27 Bistro, Malio's Prime and Restaurant BT. Tickets are $75. For information, call (813) 872-0979.

•Treasured Lives Breakfast, sponsored by the LifeLink Legacy Fund.

The event is from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Tampa Yacht & Country Club, 5310 Interbay Blvd.

The program focuses on stories of transplantation. Donations will be accepted to help patients and their families in need of assistance for life-saving organ transplantation and end-stage organ failure treatment.

Reservations are required; call Bonnie Lalli at (813) 253-2640, ext. 1376.

It's never too early for holiday shopping

The holiday shopping season has begun, featuring special events and fairs. Some of the planned events are:

• Bling for the Spring, sponsored by The Thieves of San Lorenzo.

The annual event at Carol Lynn's Collections from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday features a selection of fashion and designer-inspired jewelry and accessories for men and women. Carol Lynn's is at 3345 S. Dale Mabry Highway. A portion of all purchases will benefit The Spring.

• First United Methodist Church's United Methodist Women's Bazaar and Salad Buffet Luncheon.

The sale, featuring crafts and baked goods, is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at 1001 N. Florida Ave. Lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with takeout available.

Tickets are $5 and available in advance at the church or at the door. All proceeds benefit local missions. For information, call (813) 229-6511.

• The 19th annual arts and craft festival, sponsored by the Manhattan Avenue United Methodist Church.

The sale of craft items and baked goods is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the church, 4511 S. Manhattan Ave. A salad luncheon, for $6, begins at 10:30 a.m.

Vendors are still being accepted. For information, call (813) 837-9191 for applications.

• The annual Holiday Market and Open House, sponsored by the Tampa Garden Club.

Vendors will offer gifts, garden items, jewelry, gourmet food and holiday decor at the clubhouse, 2629 Bayshore Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 12. Admission is free, and information is available by calling (813) 251-5059.

Rotary plans fundraising ride

TAMPA - The Rotary Club of Tampa Downtown Daybreak will sponsor its first 100-mile motorcycle tour through Pasco and Hernando counties on Saturday.

The event will benefit the club's foundation, Miracles Outreach of Tampa, Life Center of the Suncoast, Heartbeat International (Tampa headquarters) and End Polio Now (international).

Registration and a $6 breakfast begin at 10 a.m. at Rapscallions restaurant in Land O' Lakes, with the first kickstands going up at 11 a.m.

Registration is $20 and includes one poker hand, the tally card and a gift bag; additional cards are $10 each.

For information, go to www.tddrotary.org.

Garden groups plan meetings

Rose Circle Garden Club will celebrate the rose with a stroll in the garden of Margo Harrod and a presentation by Fermin Rodriquez.

Doris Harvey, Charlotte Logan, Ann Nicely , Josephine Pizzo and Agnes Sultenfuss will be recognized for their years of dedication and service to the Rose Circle.

The Davis Islands Garden Club will meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the group's clubhouse, 81 Columbia Drive.

Val Herzog, owner of V Spicery, will present a program on herbs and spices. She will be assisted by Kym Page. The free program is open to members and guests. Lunch follows.

For information, call (813) 251-3123.

MacDill AFB commander speaks

UT CAMPUS - Col. Lawrence M. Martin Jr., commander of MacDill Air Force Base and the 6th Mobility Wing, will be the guest speaker at the Nov. 13 meeting of the DeSoto Chapter of the National Daughters of the American Revolution.

The meeting will be in the Historical School House on the University of Tampa campus, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd. Mary Becraft and Joan Garrison will provide refreshments at 11:15 a.m., and the meeting is at noon.