The Prom was the social event of the season

The prom was social event of the season for South Walton

Seaside Rep put on the social event of the season last Friday night with its rendition of The Prom.

South Waltoners came from near and far to relive the past through aging outfits, hairdos, music and a quest to be named prom king or queen. In the end, Seagrove Village Market's George Hartley and Hibiscus' Cheri Peebles were crowned royalty. The month-long shenanigans and fundraisers leading up the event raised more than $90,000. Wow! Congrats, guys.

Dave Rauschkolb challenged all his Bud & Alley's employees to raise $300 to further his quest for prom king. It took them one day to put Dave in the dish pit all Wednesday night and he had to clean the garbage room Thursday morning. No pain, no gain, Dave.

And he didn't give up there. Dave and Ed Walborsky challenged each other to a golf tournament with the loser donating $100 to the winner's prom king campaign. Dave birdied the 17th hole at Sharks Tooth Golf Course to win. He hit a jaw-dropping 258-yard approach shot with a 20 mph wind at his back and placed the ball 6 feet from the pin and made the putt for birdie. Wow!

I'm going to miss all these prom events. It was fun.

I enjoyed a delightful dinner on April 15 with Carol Rankin, Gale Culling, Lynn Wesson, Mary Lutz, Marie McKenna and Tony Lange at Fleming's Prime Steak House at Grand Boulevard. It was Marie's birthday. Fleming's is tops at putting on a fun wine dinner. This one involved a High-Low tasting of wines with each course to see if guests could differentiate the high priced from the lower-priced wines. Couple that with trivia games to try to win bottles of wine and Chef Innocent's marvelous food and you've got a delightful winner.

I hear that Seering's Piano Bar saw its best night since opening last Saturday, then finished off Seabreeze Jazz Fest with some of the jazz foks dropping in to play on Sunday night. What fun!

Bridgette Lowe Stringfellow hosted a supper for her yoga people and chocolate lovers after class last week with carrot soup, veggie burgers and a chocolate tasting party featuring healthy chocolate. Sounds divine.

Randy Harelson closed the doors of the Gourd Garden Courtyard Shop April 15 after five years at Rosemary Beach and 14 years open as the Gourd Garden. The end of a chapter and the beginning of another, said Randy. We'll miss you, Randy.

Kudos to Jeffrey Ellis, a native Northwest Floridian and long-time resident of Seagrove Beach for placing third in his age group (now considered a master) at the North Florida Olympic Challenge Triathlon held in Madison. He is a 20-year veteran of triathlons and former race director of Seaside, Sandestin and South Walton triathlons and dualathlons held in the late 1980s.

The monthly meeting of the Women's Art Network was held at Bett Appel's home April 7. Thirty-five members enjoyed the deck with a fabulous view of the gulf, as well as delicious food.

Pick up a Spring/Summer 2008 copy of Sweet Tea Magazine and see our own Brenda Rees pictured on page 20. Other locals are also featured, along with a number of local stories and pictures.

Jan Bolla, a Grover by the Sea, flew to Antigua last week with 10 other women, many who are breast cancer survivors, as is Jan.

Her peers named Pat and Sid Bernstien's daughter-in-law, Charlene Mauro Fearon, Florida's 2008 high school science teacher of the year. She is a marine biology instructor at Navarre High School. In 2005 she was named teacher of the year for Santa Rosa County and came in second as Florida's teacher of the year. She served on Governor Jeb Bush's advisory team and is now working to establishing a marine science center in this area.

Pat and Sid's son, Casey Fearon, teaches life science at Gulf Breeze Junior High and has been named that school's rookie teacher of the year for 2008. He advanced to the finals for Santa Rosa's countywide recognition. Of course, the Bernstiens are very proud of both.

Sid has finally made it through one whole year without causing bodily harm to himself or having major surgery. This is a first in five years and an SOS party to celebrate the "Survival of Sid" is planned.

Artist John Fowler of Albany, Ga. and Cape San Blas is Albert F's guest artist for May's First Friday Artwalk in Seaside's Ruskin Place. He will present his nature-inspired original acrylic paintings during an artist's reception May 2 from 5 - 8 p.m. and during ArtsQuest's Champagne Tour May 8 from 5 - 8 p.m. at Albert F's.

Bill and Betsy Evett attended a 55th birthday party given by Beth Coppedge for her husband, Bob, at Wild Heron on April 11, which was also the Evett's 32^nd wedding anniversary. It was held at the boathouse on Lake Powell. Edd and Alicia Fleckenstein, Julie and Lee Wilcox, Gina Schiflett, and Ed and Sharon Jenkins attended. Bob's birthday is actually April 23, which is also Bill's.

Kelly Buzzett's big 5-0 birthday gift to husband Billy last Monday was a fabulous trip she arranged for a week of a catamaran cruise (with a captain and a chef!) in the British Virgin Islands with his best friend from college and his wife and his best friend from law school and his wife. The trip will be in early June. Billy, I believe Kelly is a keeper!

If you see Alys Beach's Karen Terrell tomorrow, wish the lady a happy birthday.

On Tuesday, Jane Krimbill and Bob (Chick) Chandler can team up to celebrate another.

Happy May Day birthdays to Kerri Billman, mosaic artist Sherry McCall, photo journalist Richard Sexton, and Kassie Zukowski.

Lots of fellow bulls out there.

Party Line Talk appears weekly in The Walton Sun. Deborah Wheeler is the arts and entertainment reporter for The Sun. Send all gossip, celebrity sightings, and shout outs to her at debbie_wheeler@link.freedom.com or call (850) 267-4555.