Spring into fashion with Jewish Pavilion

Modeling the latest styles, a group of 11 fashionable supporters of the Jewish Pavilion will sashay down the runway at the Spring into Fashion show at Bloomingdale's Orlando on Tuesday, April 9. The annual showcase of spring fashion trends will honor Friends of the Pavilion member Brenda Fisher Wetmore for her commitment to the organization and efforts on its behalf.

Fisher Wetmore has been active in a number of area organizations since she and her first husband, Joe Fisher, moved to Orlando from Miami 41 years ago. One of her earliest efforts was as a board member of the Florida Symphony Orchestra, which preceded the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. She has also been active in a number of other community organizations, including Jewish Family Services, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, and Congregation of Reform Judaism. She currently serves on the Acquisitions Trust of the Orlando Museum of Art and is active in fundraising for Heathrow Women's Club.

Fisher Wetmore and Joe raised two sons here: Jay, who now lives in Maitland with his wife and two children, and Joel, who lives in New York City. Sadly, Joe Fisher passed away in 1998.

Fisher Wetmore was the owner of a direct mail advertising franchise for 21 years before selling in 2002. Since then, she has enjoyed an active retirement, with weekly mahjong games and twice-weekly golf, workouts at the gym, and volunteering with the Jewish Pavilion, the Heathrow Women's Club, and the JFS Food Pantry.

Fisher Wetmore married Jim Wetmore seven years ago, and the couple live in Heathrow. She became active in the Jewish Pavilion after Jim suffered a severe horse-riding accident six years ago. Knowing he'd need to be transferred to a rehab facility and receive specialized care that was not readily available, Fisher Wetmore called Orlando Senior Help Desk, a service of the Jewish Pavilion, for advice.

"I knew the Pavilion visited all the facilities," Fisher Wetmore said. "Their Help Desk told me what facility to put him in that would be best for his problem. They were wonderful."

Jim recovered after an extensive rehabilitation, and both he and Fisher Wetmore have been Jewish Pavilion and Orlando Senior Help Desk supporters ever since. Fisher Wetmore has been a valued asset to the Friends of the Pavilion's annual gala committee for the last several years, working hard to secure many donated items for the silent auction. And among her many other contributions, she's also walked the runway as a model in previous Spring into Fashion shows.

Pavilion CEO Nancy Ludin said that Fisher Wetmore is being honored for her support and hard work and also celebrated for her fashion sense. "Honoring Brenda Fisher Wetmore at our annual Spring into Fashion show is a perfect fit, because Brenda has such a great sense of style and is always so beautifully dressed. We so appreciate all of Brenda's efforts on behalf of the seniors we serve."

Fisher Wetmore's approach to fashion is both well-coordinated and seemingly effortless. "I don't think of myself as fashionable," she said. "I just put myself together."

Her marriage to Joe Fisher, who was in the retail fashion business, kept her aware of the latest trends and always dressed in style. "I never shopped-I didn't have to. He brought everything home," she explained. He regularly returned from trips to New York with items he knew would be perfect for her and that she could wear before they even made it into the stores.

Now Fisher Wetmore freshens her wardrobe with on-trend items during several big shopping trips throughout the year. "I'm too busy-I don't have time to go shopping all the time," she explained. She especially likes shopping for purses and both fashion and fine jewelry. She favors comfortable clothing in bright, vivid colors, especially reds and hot pinks, frequently paired with jeans.

"I'll see what I like, if it's a new fashion I like, and I'll buy a couple of pieces. I like to stay current," Fisher Wetmore said. "You do need to dress appropriately for your age, but you can still be stylish."

The annual Spring into Fashion will showcase spring trends with a live runway show at Bloomingdales. The morning of friendship, fashion, finger foods and fun benefits the Jewish Pavilion, which provides life-enhancing resources to seniors in living facilities. The event will begin at 10:45 a.m., Tuesday, April 9, at Bloomingdale's Orlando, Mall at Millenia (Sutton Fashions, Level 2). $25 couvert or $50 for front-row seating; patron ($100) and benefactor ($500) benefits available. Contact Nancy Ludin, NancyLudin@JewishPavilion.org, 407-678-9363, or register at http://www.JewishPavilion.org/2019-fashion-show.