Dares and diamonds highlight Chamber Celebrity Waiters event
The North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce held its Celebrity Waiter event on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at Faith Assembly of God Church, with dares and diamonds highlighting the festivities.
“It was very successful,” said Chamber Executive Director Kim Constantine. “The money raised will continue to help the community with the services we offer, including educational funds.”
The Chamber’s educational work through its foundation was one reasons BJ’s Community Relations Specialist Sandra Aguilar chose to be the Title Sponsor. “BJ’s is all about giving back to the community, being a good corporate citizen, and that’s especially in the case of funds going to the Chamber’s Education Foundation.”
Celebrity waiters included Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott, NBC2 personalities Robert Van Winkle and Haley Webb and County Commissioner Tammy Hall’s aide Carmen Salome.
From local community organizations, Susie Gillespie of the Sun Coast Resource Center and Lisa Cronin of Community Cooperative Ministries Incorporated also waited on guests. North Fort Myers High School’s Football Coach Barry Goettemoeller was also on hand.
From the business community waiters included Tom and Kerrey Hoolihan, Hoolihan Real Estate & Lifestyle Centers; Baron and Kim Cohen of Cohen and Cohen Catering; Heather and Joe Mazurkiewicz, BJM Consulting; songstress Brooke Huffmaster from Huffmaster Music with Shawn Chase of Lawhon’s Grocery & Meat; Matthew King of Edward Jones; John Browning, owner of 3 Fishermen Restaurant and Ashley Carroll, General Manager of Best Western Waterfront.
Miss Florida International Lorena Placencia and Florida Tarpons owner Andrew Haines and coach Michael Taylor also served guests.
The Diamond District’s Jason Sherman, Todd Schusterman and Jessica Reiter ran a live auction that included a Belle E’Toile sterling silver enamel pendent and a black and white diamond heart necklace. They donated several items, and community officials donated great prizes for the Chinese Auction.
Dares or challenges were many. There were two pie-in-the-face dares, from Baron Cohen, who has done that challenge for several years, with Webb and Winkle and Diamond Districts Jason and Todd in tow.
Webb and Van Winkle also sang for tips, along with several other waiters.
Salome jumped rope, Chase did pushups and Sheriff Scott “chased and arrested” Miller, who was dressed as a jailbird. She ran escape laps around the hall. “Man, she’s fast,” he said.
Tommy Hoolihan allowed himself to be crowned by Miss Florida Placencia and Browning of 3 Fishermen waited tables with his fishing pole.
Coach Goettemoeller led a “Red Knights Cheer” that got the crowd on their feet. Others did a variety of challenges, including singing and dancing.
For information on the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, call 997-9111 or go to nfmchamber.org.