Who's More Giving: Republicans or Democrats?

A new study looks at charitable giving by state and how the states voted in the 2008 election: red or blue. Can you guess which party is more generous?

As President Obama and Mitt Romney campaign across America, they might want to check local giving levels to predict future voting patterns: States that voted Republican in the last presidential race are far more likely to be generous to charities than those voting Democratic, a report by the Chronicle of Philanthropy suggests. Cities and states, it turns out, are just as polarized as in the nation’s electorate. In a special report titled "How America Gives," The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked states by how much residents give to charity. The report then looked at how the 50 states voted in the 2008 presidential election. Here are some key results, as well as how Florida ranked: As the nation seeks to recover from the worst economic slide…

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St. Pete Bar Crawl for a Cause

Some downtown bars are participating in Saturday's event from 1-5 pm., which will raise funds for cancer research.

A bar crawl fundraiser? It's not as odd as it first sounds. In fact, there's one in St. Petersburg Saturday. Crawl for Cancer is a national organization dedicated to raising funds for life-saving cancer research. St. Petersburg is among 22 U.S. cities taking part. According to the Crawl for Cancer website, the evolution of the event started with a group of friends who wanted to make fundraising more fun. The final decision was to host bar crawls all over the U.S., with teams registering and raising the necessary funds to participate. On Saturday, a large group of "crawlers" will begin their journey at 1 p.m., making their way from bar to bar, all in the name of charity. Participating bars include: An after party will be held at Push Ultra …

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Cool Cars at the So Classic Car Show

Hundreds came out to show support for the charity car show Saturday, at the Tangerine Greenway in Gulfport.

The So Classic Car Show was staged at Tangerine Greenway on 49th St. S. and 18th Ave. Saturday. Hosted by the So49 Business Association, the event brought people to the 49th Street South area for a day of fun and family-friendly activities. Beneficiaries that received a boost from the event included the Suncoast Law Enforcement Charities, Gulfport Teen Council and the Gulfport Police Explorers. Admission to the show was free, and guests were able to enjoy food from local vendors, live music and a just-for-kids play area. Show contestants lined the park, so car-junkies could indulge in the up-close and personal view of the classics. Gulport City Council Ward 1 candidate Dan Liedtke was on hand, enjoying the sights and sounds of the family-…

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Rachel Jolley

9:20 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Hey Jeri- It was a great time out there on Saturday! The cars were a sight to see and the music, food and vendors were a nice addition as well. My favorite was the old school, black and chrome Caddy!   more ›

Rocking Out for Charity

St. Petersburg's State Theatre hosted a rock show to raise money to fight breast cancer. A son was inspired by his mother's struggles.

ST. PETERSBURG – A charity rock show inspired by a woman's fight against breast cancer was staged at State Theatre Saturday night. Mary Zambrotto has been battling breast cancer for three years, with surgery and then radiation. She is now cancer-free. "She's using alternative medicine as well as conventional," explained John. "She's been clear for a couple months now." To acknowledge his survivor mom, son John Zambrotto decided to put on a charity event to raise money and awareness about the struggles of breast cancer patients and their families. The show also raised money for a local family dealing with medical bills. "My mom inspired me to try and help the cause," John said. "This is all in honor of her." Metal heads jammed out in the …

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Rachel Jolley

9:26 am on Tuesday, January 17, 2012

It was a pleasure, Billie! Cheers to a wonderful cause :)   more ›

Weekly Tails From Southeastern Guide Dogs

Get Ready to Walk!

Southeastern Guide Dogs’ biggest fundraiser of the year is set for March 3, but people are getting ready for it now, here’s why.

Every year Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Walkathon draws supporters from all over the country.  Some are volunteers, some graduates, some sponsors and others just want to get out and walk with their best friend. This year’s Walkathon looks to bring the biggest crowd yet with the location being shifted to St. Petersburg’s Vinoy Park.  The gorgeous location along with a street fair vibe complete with food vendors and fun things for the whole family are sure to bring crowds in droves. What makes Walkathon different from all other charity walks?  It’s dog-friendly, of course!  Not only are dogs welcome, but expected to join in on the fun – and with the dog’s registration fee comes a dog bandana.  You’re likely to be walking alongside dogs from …

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5th-Grader's Pet Pal Fundraiser Today

This Saturday, 10-year-old Gray Maloney will attempt to raise $500 for the no-kill shelter in St. Petersburg.

Last year, Gray Maloney wanted to raise money for Pet Pal, the no-kill shelter in St. Petersburg, so he had the idea to do a “Bandana and Treat Sale” in front of his house in the Old Northeast. The event was such a success in this neighborhood of dog lovers that Gray raised $450 for the shelter. “I love animals,” said Gray, who is a dog owner himself. This weekend, he's determied to top his total from 2010: Gray's goal is $500 for charity. Grays said he likes to donate to Pet Pal, because they are a no-kill organization that focuses on saving dogs and cats from over-crowded shelters where they would otherwise be euthanized. Gray let his classmates at Canterbury School of Florida know about the sale, so they can either stop by or come over …

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St. Pete Pride Gets a Kickoff Felt From Here to Tokyo

Local designer Brianna Kole showcases her talents to benefit those struggling in Japan, all in the name of pride.

ST. PETERSBURG – Wednesday night at Vintage Ultra Lounge, Brianna Kole hosted an event called "Love, Tokyo" that was to benefit Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit dedicated to helping those in need.  GLASS is a weekly party at Vintage Ultra Lounge that started out as a gay night but now includes a wide range of social groups, making it the biggest bash on Wednesdays. This event kicked off the upcoming St. Pete Pride weekend. The annual gay pride event is held on Central Avenue in the Grand Central District. This year's parade and festivities are taking place Saturday. Wednesday also was Kole's birthday. She was the mastermind behind the party from the get-go. Kole is also the sole designer for her clothing/accessory line, known as …

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Miss Vi Noy's Social Scene

Miss Vi Noy Pours It on, as She Pours Drinks at a Major Charity Wine Event

Miss Vi Noy dishes on the people sampling the dishes and drinks at the 22nd annual Abilities Foundation Wine Tasting & Silent Auction at Tropicana Stadium.

ST. PETERSBURG - Brownies, wine and thee... Can you think of a better way to spend Saturday night? Miss Vi Noy scored a perfect people-watching spot at the 22nd annual Abilities Foundation Wine Tasting & Silent Auction. She saw a local celebrity, quaffed some wonderful wine and also tasted the best brownies in St. Pete! Now you know I can’t resist seeing the Who’s Who and helping out a good cause, so when I was asked to pour spirits with Tim Amstutz at Republic National Distributing Company’s table— yes, my second time playing bartender— I couldn’t say, No! Before I got behind the bar, I decided to scope out the VIP reception, almost immediately seeing ABC Action News anchor Wendy Ryan. I bounced up and down and waved, like any starry-eyed…

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Jen Straw

1:59 pm on Monday, March 21, 2011

OMG I saw your table when I first got there.. and got so busy. I can't believe I missed those S'mores brownies!!! I'll have to fix that ASAP!!!!   more ›

Let the Social Season Begin

Arts patrons give back by having a ball.

Here in St. Pete, the season of galas is upon us. In fact, all Tampa Bay is teeming with fund-raising excitement. Though it is always a good thing to fan flames of exuberant giving wherever it may occur, the following round-up narrows down the list to the city limits of the Old Northeast and downtown St. Pete. Arty parties Dali Museum: This year's cultural centerpiece is the opening -- on 1/11/11 --  of the new Dali Museum, whose ultra-modern design provides over twice the space of the original building. Miss the events that surround this, and you miss history. There are six events in all, from La Opulencia de Gala, a patrons-only preview on Jan. 8, to The Dali Benefit, the museum's 29th annual benefit dinner on March 9. To become a member…

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Miss Vi Noy's Social Scene

Vi Noy Strikes a Pose in Straub Park

I know we haven’t officially met, but you will be seeing a lot of Miss Vi Noy around Downtown St. Petersburg and the Old Northeast. For my first social outing I stopped by South Straub Park for a charity yoga class.

I know we haven't met yet, but you're going to be seeing a lot of me around Downtown St. Petersburg and the Old Northeast. I'm what you might call a social butterfly.  But for me it's not just enough to be at the right spots at the right time, I want to take all of you with me. For my first official social outing I grabbed my yoga mat and stopped by South Straub Park for a donation-only class to help save the manatees. "Yoga in the Park: Salutations to the Sea" is a monthly class sponsored by several local businesses including Yoga Energy Studio and Natural Health St. Pete. Sitting in the lush green grass surrounded by other yoga enthusiasts, I couldn't help but feel relaxed with the backdrop of boats docked along the St. Petersburg Marina…

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