Frank Dancevic, Dusan Vemic and many others attended the event to benefit reconstruction of the St. Sava church in NYC, which experienced a major fire.
On May 1, 2016, the unthinkable took place at the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava. The stunning structure has towered over 25th street in Manhattan since 1850, with its red doors inviting guests to enter. The community remains close, despite the blaze’s physical destruction. Not long after the catastrophe, it became evident that reconstruction would be essential. Assembling a guest list that included Serbian artists, athletes, personalities, politicians, church clergy, and of course members of the community that call St. Sava home, the Save St. Sava Benefit is an important step in the long and difficult road toward rebuilding the structure. It is truly amazing to see so many people speak so highly of the church and other supporters. The event, attended by Frank Dancevic and Nikolina Bojic Dancevic, tennis coach Dusan Vemic, personality Tijana Ibrahimovic, producer Gordon Bijelonic and many others. During the event, hosted at the New York Athletic Club on Central Park South, guests had the opportunity to explore a sports and travel influenced silent auction while enjoying drinks and snacks as well as step onto the terrace to chat.
Guests filled tables in the ball room and listened to speeches from producer Gordon Bijelonic and Mark Jovanovic as well as a heartfelt and unique account from NYFD official Michael Gala, who was at the scene of the fire. Guests were later entertained by electric accordion player Petar Maric and took part in a live auction featuring a private meal provided by Rao’s as well as a US Open VIP package. Sponsors included Air Serbia, Breads Bakery, Waterpik, Guinness and Mamont Vodka. Mirjana Sladic-Team Leader USA of the Novak Djokovic Fan Club also spoke about the significance of the night.
Guests also enjoyed the sounds of electric (and acoustic) violinist Ana Milosavljevic. She has been playing violin for most of her life, and when we asked about her about her inspiration, she said she is inspired by classic Serbian techniques, but enjoys incorporating modern sound and technology. She was accompanied by her husband and daughter, who joined the crowd to witness Milosavljevic perform two original compositions and an encore. It was a fabulous moment and she is incredibly talented. The evening went off without a hitch, and it was a beautiful moment amid the tragedy that can be felt when a community space is met with catastrophe such as a fire. The guests are optimistic- St. Sava has much to offer, especially for future generations.
Learn more about the church: http://stsavanyc.org
Learn more about Ana Milosavljevic: http://www.anamilo.com