Party Starters

For many Gulfshore charities, the race to fill tables at galas, luncheons and auctions begins with the wooing of a high-profile chairperson-women (almost always) who do whatever it takes to get the job done and who don't take "I couldn't do that" for an answer. They can hold their own with any corporate executive, from attracting major underwriting to navigating the politics of table seating. But they keep their eyes on the tiniest details, too. And they'll never ask a committee member to do something they won't do themselves, whether it's a 2 a.m. post-ball cleanup or trudging from boutique to boutique to beg for silent auction items.

The region is blessed with dozens of these dynamos; we asked five to share their secrets with us. Although they disagreed on a few points (high heels or sensible shoes?), all shared a genius for organization, an appreciation of everyone it takes to make an event succeed, and heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to work for causes they cherish.

When Lee County's Alliance for the Arts wanted to revitalize its staid image with an attention-grabbing event, board members found the perfect catalyst in designer and textile artist Aida Bukovica. The Bosnian native, whose motto is "never revolve, always evolve," created Art Royale, an evening of interactive art and music that she chaired in 2003 and 2004. Though she stepped aside this year to focus on her home-design business, Bukovica will miss the creative collaboration. "When we worked together, it was like we could move mountains," she says.

How do you choose your causes? I find inspiration from this area's incredible local artists and musicians. Art Royale was about bringing the public into contact with these artists while creating awareness for the Alliance. What makes an event? You have to have the mind of an artist, find the vision and let it flow. What do you like least about chairing? The politics-that should never be a consideration when artists are donating their time and hearts. What do you do before an event? I'm running until the last minute, sweaty and with my hands sticky with paint. Standout theme? At the last Art Royale, it was so beautiful to look out and see a field of people all dressed in white. What shoes do you wear to an event? I don't care about sensible-they have to fit the story I want to tell.

Jan goldsmith loves seeing people working on an event blossom when given the opportunity to lead. It's a philosophy shared by Seacrest Country Day School, where she heads the school's board of directors and capital campaign. For several years, Goldsmith chaired the school's annual Gala for Treasures, which surprised everyone but her when it hit the $1 million net mark four years ago. "For me, the real joy in giving is in the friends I make and the legacy I leave," she says.

The best thing about chairing? The joy of seeing women in their 30s, 40s and 50s discover skills they never knew they had. What do you do before an event? I've never had time to get my hair done or have a manicure. I don't think the chair needs to be the most beautiful, calm and regal person there. Tips for chairing? I don't think you can say "thank you" enough. Your first event? A fund raiser for the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Everything that could go wrong did-it was 42 degrees in June, the grills misfired so the hors d'oeuvres tasted like gasoline. But we made $50,000, the most ever at that time. Your event shoes? I stick with my high heels. When I feel tall, I feel I can do anything. Favorite gown? A Robert Danes. It's my first custom gown.

A few years ago, parents at Saint Ann School in Naples were raising money for playground shade structures one bake sale and wrapping-paper drive at a time. Then mom Mary Riley threw the Beach Ball, an informal spring gala with a low ticket price and school-wide involvement. The first year paid for the shade; the next covered equipment for the school cafeteria. This season the gala will venture off the beach and onto the newly expanded campus, and Riley will take a break from chairing to concentrate on event sponsorships. And although she'll miss many aspects of chairing, especially forming friendships with parents, she sees some benefits in the switch: "I don't get 75 phone calls a day anymore."

The toughest thing about chairing? It becomes your life. When people have any questions-from what to wear to whether kids can come-they start with you. Tips for chairs? Open your committee up to everyone; I had 50 people both years. What do you do during the event? I don't eat. I don't drink. I just work. Your favorite gown? A full beaded gown that goes all the way to the floor. I'm Miss Practical; I'm all about wearing the same gown to more than one event. What shoes do you wear? I wore my BCBG Girl hot-pink wedge sandals to both Beach Balls. My puppy chewed the back off one of them the second year, but my pants were long enough to hide it.

When her boss, Porter Goss, took a high-profile Washington promotion last year, Linda Uhler officially retired. But the 27-year Sanibel resident has stayed more than busy. With two other couples, she and her husband, Tom, chaired last spring's Lee County Heart Ball. And she and Tom will team up again to chair BRAVO! Ballet in March, a benefit for Gulfshore Ballet, the school founded by their friend, Tony-winning choreographer Melinda Roy. "It's easy to work for things you believe in," Uhler says. "You have to have a passion for what you're doing."

The first event you chaired? A Junior League gala in downtown Fort Myers in 1991. It raised $25,000-that was a lot then. Standout theme? For the 2004 Heart Ball, we filled the room with pink roses. A Southern guest said, "I feel like I'm back in Atlanta tonight." Secret weapons? You have to have at least one detail person. What do you do the night of the event? Talk to as many of the attendees as possible. What makes a great menu? Attention to presentation-some added touch, so it isn't just your standard filet and duchess potatoes. Worst task? Picking up cigarette butts after an outdoor event. What shoes do you wear? A half-size larger than normal-and no spike heels.

Since coming to Naples in 1987, Carol Ann May has chaired events for the American Heart Association and the David Lawrence Foundation. In the late 1990s, she raised so much as a volunteer for Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary that the National Audubon Society hired her as senior vice president of development in New York. Last season, as chair of the Magnolia Ball, she helped net a record $1.2 million for cancer care at Naples' NCH. This season she's working on the Conservancy of Southwest Florida's signature fund raiser. "Running an event is like running a small business," she says. "You have to be able to say, 'The buck stops here.'"

How do you choose causes? I focus on healthcare and natural resources-things people don't know they need until they're missing. What can break an event? Not changing something because it has worked in the past. You have to know when it has run its course. Tips for chairs? Don't talk about what went wrong. If you don't tell people, no one knows. What do you do before an event? I meet with the coordinator and make sure everything is in place. Then I go home and do my hair and makeup. If it isn't done, it won't be done. Worst task for an event you've chaired? For a fund raiser in Michigan, we had no budget for decoration. My friend and I went to funeral homes and collected all the big bouquets that were going to be thrown away.