Last Saturday night over 300 artists, community leaders and individuals gathered to raise money for the Clearwater Free Clinic, an organization dedicated to providing health care to qualified low-income uninsured residents of upper Pinellas County. Clinic supporters sipped on martinis equipped with glow-in-the-dark stirrers while perusing eighty pieces of artwork created by some of North Pinellas’ most talented individuals.
Sponsors for the evening included Condon Meek Real Estate and Insurance, Synovus Bank of Tampa Bay and Intrepid Powerboats. Many of the areas well known physicians and their spouses were patrons for an evening in support of this clinic. Pauline Deal, a nurse and wife of a local physician, volunteers at the Clinic one day a week. As she explained, “I’m proud to be a part of this non-profit clinic, because we keep our overhead low, which allows us to give so much back to the community.”
The event marked the second annual Martinis and Matisse, the major fund raising event for the Free Clinic, which served over 11,000 patients last year. This year’s committee hoped to increase the money raised from last year’s gala to offset the growing need for the clinic’s services. Last year’s event raised $38,000 dollars and Saturday night’s early totals were approximately $60,000, an increase of $22,000.
Patrons had tokens worth ten dollars each, which were placed in giant martini glasses for each item on which they chose to bid. Well known local artists such as Roger Bansemer, Carlton Ward, Vevie Dimmitt, and Jenny English donated items that highlighted the evening’s Chinese raffle. Additionally, many creative supporters of the Free Clinic also donated artwork, which were well received and generated much bidding attention. The winner was determined by a drawing with winners announced at 9:15 PM.