To Life! AROUND TO N ChM scene A lively crowd goes clubbing to raise money for ORT. Marla Tapper Young of West Bloomfield, Holly Schafer of Commerce, Stephen Tapper of Orchard Lake and Nina Eisenberg of West Bloomfield red carpet entrance, walls draped in white fabric, mood lighting and music helped create a posh nightclub atmo- sphere inside Franklin Hills Country Club in Farmington Hills for "Club ORT," this year's version of the organi- zation's annual rub-a-dub fundraiser. More than 400 people dressed in club chic attire stepped out for an evening of hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, dinner and live and silent auc- tions Aug. 16. The event raised more than $350,000 for ORT's global network of schools that educate 270,000 people worldwide. "Our community realizes education is paramount," said Brad "Bubba" Urdan of West Bloomfield who co chaired the event with Sharon Eisenshtadt of Bloomfield Hills. "We really appre- ciate the community's support, espe- cially in these tough economic times." Partygoers bid on auction items including the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Detroit Tigers game, a Key West vacation and a men's Cartier watch from Tapper's Diamonds and Fine Jewelry. There was also a raffle for the chance to win prizes includ- ing a $5000 shopping spree at the Somerset Collection in Troy and a 42- inch plasma TV This year's fundraiser attracted - Susie Sillman of Birmingham and Amy Singer of Bloomfield Hills Stephanie and Josh Freedman of Birmingham Chuck Kelly of Cleveland, Constance Budarow of Detroit, Bill Kohler of Huntington Woods and Linda Sahn of Orchard Lake 36 August 30 2007 iN one of the largest crowds in the rub-a-dub's history. The event name comes from its original incarnation — rubbing instant lottery tickets to raise money for ORT. The fund- raiser was first held 24 years ago in the Bingham Farms garage of the late philanthropist and Ambassador David Hermelin and his wife, Doreen. Doreen Hermelin is now the ORT America national president. "ORT is an unbeliev- able organization," said event coordinator Nicole Muchnick of West Bloomfield. "We educate people, young and old, so they can lead produc- tive, self-sufficient lives. Without an education, what do you have? We give people the tools and skills they need to gain jobs in whatever country they're in." Spotted in the Club ORT crowd were: Eric Goodman and Sharon Goldstein, Laura Gorosh, Daniel Stern and Amy Slavin, all of Birmingham; Debbie and Michael Berger, Nicole Kovacs, Marla and Brian Young, all of West Bloomfield; Gary Sakwa and Stephen Eisenberg, both of Bloomfield Hills; and Amy and Jeff Schlussel and Rachel Zimmerman, all of Huntington Woods. El Nathan Upfal of West Bloomfield with Rob Colburn and Sharon Eisenshtadt, both of Bloomfield Hills