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FORT MYERS, FLA., February 5, 2018– Tickets are now on sale for the 10th Annual Grande Dames Tea presented by the PACE Center for Girls of Lee County.
The Grande Dames Tea honoring Dena Geraghty of Fort Myers, Elizabeth (Betty) Sanders of Fort Myers, Barbara Jean Yeomans of Fort Myers, and honorary Grande Dame Eunice Bremner will be Tuesday, March 13, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Broadway Palm at 1380 Colonial Blvd. of Fort Myers.
The News-Press Media Group President & Publisher Bill Barker will serve as master of ceremonies.
Seats for the tea are $60 per person and may be reserved online at www.pacecenter.org/locations/lee. Table sponsorships, which include eight tickets, are available for $500.  Tickets and tables may be reserved online at www.pacecenter.org/locations/lee. Attendees are encouraged to wear their favorite tea party hat.
The PACE girls will be creating beautiful commemorative bracelets this year in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Grande Dames Tea and in honor of all those who have been recognized during the past 10 years.
As the Grande Dames Tea celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, Eunice and Alexandra Bremner are the title sponsors for Grande Dames Tea in honor and loving memory of Berne Davis, Barbara B. Mann and Eleanore Kleist, the first class of Grande Dames honored at this event.
Major event sponsors are Edison National Bank, Galloway Family of Dealerships, Broadway Palm, Caloosa Tent & Rental, Ruth Messmer Florist, Susan Bennett Marketing & Media, Fort Myers Infiniti, Mark Loren Designs and Connie & Ed Lizak.  Media sponsors are The News-Press Media Group.
Chair of the Grande Dames Tea is Kathy Toll with Nancy Finch serving as co-chair.  Both women are members of the PACE Lee Board of Directors.
“Our theme of The Wisdom of Age – Honoring the Female Spirit has carried through the last 10 years and is so appropriate because each of these women has much to share from her own life’s journey with our PACE girls and guests,” Toll said.
The agenda for the tea will include special performances by the PACE Girls and a question – and – answer session between the PACE girls and the three Grande Dames, that Finch said “will inspire, motivate and unite girls and women of all ages.”
The Grande Dames Tea was originated by PACE Center for Girls of Lee County to honor women who have played major roles in Southwest Florida history through decades of service, philanthropy and helping others.
Previous honorees have included the late Berne Davis, the late Eleanore Kleist and the late Barbara B. Mann in 2009; the late Jeanne Bochette, the late Helen Hendry and the late Veronica Shoemaker in 2010; Myra Daniels, Kathleen Nealon and the late Mimi Straub in 2011; Michel Doherty, the late Mavis Miller and Anna “Boots” Tolles in 2012; Thelma Hodges, the late Helen O’Rourke McClary and Ettie Francis Walsh in 2013; Barbara Norris Brown, the late Sarah Sciple and Margaret Sirianni in 2014; Sharlene Hamel Dozier, M. Jacqueline McCurdy and Melvin Morgan in 2015; Betty Anderson, Rusty Brown and Dr. Geraldine Burchard Nobles in 2016; and Pat Carroll, the late Lalai Hamric, and Beverly McNew in 2017.
PACE Center for Girls, Inc., is a non-residential delinquency prevention program targeting the unique needs of girls, ages 11 to 18 years old, facing challenges such as academic failure and truancy, physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care, neglect, death of a parent, and family history of incarceration.
PACE is a Florida-based, not for profit organization, and the only statewide prevention program for adolescent at-risk girls in the nation.  In the past year, the Lee County program provided 117 girls with education, counseling, career training and advocacy programs and services resulting in 95 percent having no involvement with juvenile justice within one year of leaving PACE, 96 percent improving their academic performance and 93 percent remaining in school or obtaining employment after leaving PACE.  As a result, PACE reduces the significant long term costs associated with teen pregnancy, substance abuse, unemployment and long term economic dependency.
PACE accepts referrals from the juvenile justice system, the Department of Children & Families, school personnel, community services agencies, parents, family members, friends and self-referrals.
For information about the Grande Dames Tea or to become a sponsor, please contact PACE Development Manager Allyson Ross at (239) 425-2366 ext. 2315, or visit http://pacecenter.org/locations/lee
 
 

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