INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — It was a memorable afternoon of sipping tea and enjoying Edwardian fashions reminiscent of those worn aboard the ill-fated British luxury passenger liner R.M.S. Titanic during The PEER Group of Indian River County’s 2nd Annual Mother- Grandmother Tea.
About 100 guests delighted in the custom originated from the wealthy classes of England in the 1840s during the event entitled, “Tea on the Titanic.”
They drank tea from delicate china cups, nibbled on an assortment of tiny egg and tuna sandwiches served on silver platters and savored an assortment of bite-size deserts while seated at tables adorned with linen tablecloths at the Vero Beach Heritage Center last Sunday afternoon.
The very civilized affair included music and theatrics, as well as Titanic-themed artwork by Indian River Charter High School students and a very special runway of Edwardian styles modeled by teenagers and women with disabilities.
“We need a break from some of the stress, to have a good time,” said Nancy Moody, chairwoman of Parent/Families Educating & Exchanging Resources, a group which provides families of children with special needs support. The group, sponsored by SunUp ARC, has the following mission: Education and parent training, social outreach, advocacy and support.
Moody’s bright-eyed red-haired 31-year-old daughter, Patricia, who has Down syndrome, was one of 11 models in a fashion show that included vintage evening wear and accessories –hats, gloves, jewelry and boas. The models’ special needs included Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and Autism spectrum disorder.
Michael Wisniewski, Commodore of the 600-member Vero Beach Yacht Club, and college student Stevan Smeltzer, escorted the models along a makeshift runway. Beaming, the models waved and curtsied, enjoying a special moment in the spotlight in front of a backdrop of a large photograph of the First Class grand staircase of the Titanic.
“I got as much out of it as they did,” Wisniewski said, a bit teary-eyed when he resumed his seat after the fashion show. “I am very touched by these children and their parents.”
Pat Martin, organizer of the event, remarked that it was nice to see the girls smile.
“They want to be beautiful like everyone else,” she said. “They are usually mixed in with other kids at schools, and they know they are different. It’s nice to see them look so proud, and not feel any pressure.”
Martin and Moody said the event was put on to help get mothers, grandmothers and the disabled daughter or granddaughter out in a supportive atmosphere. It was a purely social event that helps them recognize they aren’t alone.
A silent auction, as well as items on display reminiscent of the Titanic, such as Titanic postcards, a pen, and single pink rose atop a vanity, hatboxes, suitcase and white gloves added to the Titanic theme.
Also, men in tuxedo shirts and black bow ties served guests at their tables.
As the afternoon tea was winding down, a violinist played the song, “Nearer My God to Thee” – the song that is thought to be the final one performed on the deck of the Titanic as it the ship sank into the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912, after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, U.K. to New York City. The ship’s bandleader and violinist Wallace Hartley led the 8-member band to help keep the passengers calm as crew loaded them on lifeboats. More than 1,500 people died. She carried 2,224 passengers.
