WCF Woman of the Year Event Breaks Records

The fourth annual Tampa Bay Woman of the Year fundraising event, held at the Tampa Jet Center on November 23, 2013, shattered both attendance and fundraising records for the Westchase Charitable Foundation. More than 350 supporters and sponsors packed the venue, raising over $75,000 in a single evening.

Sarah Jon Porreca, owner of Lending Luxury, earned the title of Tampa Bay Woman of the Year, with her main sponsor being Southeast Leasing Personnel, Inc. She was followed by Heather Calvin as First Runner-Up, Melea Blaskovich as Second Runner-Up, and Erica Howell as Third Runner-Up. All 19 candidates were nominated by board members or past candidates, and winners were determined by amounts raised for the foundation.

The event was especially meaningful because one candidate — Melea Blaskovich — had a deeply personal connection to WCF's mission. Her son had been diagnosed with a serious auditory disorder in first grade, and the foundation had previously helped fund the expensive corrective device that changed his life. Her candidacy represented the beautiful cycle at the heart of WCF: families who receive help eventually becoming champions for others.

The evening featured a designer fashion show from Lending Luxury, cuisine from Tampa's finest restaurants including Catch 23, Zen Bistro, and Timpanos, a VIP area with cigar rolling, access to private jets, a silent and live auction, and a boutique shopping experience. The foundation also presented checks to the Solomon and Scala families, both of whom had children battling leukemia.

The event was a defining moment that demonstrated the Tampa Bay community's incredible capacity for generosity — and set a new standard for what WCF events could achieve.