Holocaust Museum schedules events to celebrate its 10th anniversary

NAPLES — The Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida will celebrate its 10th anniversary by paying tribute to local Holocaust survivors and World War II liberators at its annual fundraiser.

The fundraiser "Driven to Triumph" is Feb. 28 at the Naples Luxury Imports showroom at 900 U.S. 41 North, about a mile south of Golden Gate Parkway. It starts at 6 p.m. Performing is composer and musician Charlie Fox, who created theme songs for TV shows such as "Happy Days" and "Love Boat." His father's family died in the Holocaust.

Here are other special events and exhibits for its 10th anniversary season:

■ Project Tolerance: The Faces of Anne Frank. Featuring original oil paintings by Myra Roberts of Sanibel that explore the life of Anne Frank. At museum through Feb. 28.

■ Painting the Irena Sendler Story: Through his original artwork, Bill Farnsworth of Venice, Fla., tells the story of Sendler, who saved children from the Warsaw Ghetto. At museum through March 2.

■ Desaparecidos: A Tribute to Argentina's Disappeared. Featuring the photography of Sylvia Horwitz. At the museum March 12 to April 6.

■ World Without Genocide's Executive Director Ellen Kennedy shares her perspective on the state of genocide awareness and world reaction today. RSVP required. April 3 at 7 p.m. at the museum.

■ American Cartoonists, Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. An exhibit highlighting the role of comic characters and political cartoons in the fight against Nazism. June 1 to July 31 at the museum.

■ Up, Up and Oy Vey! Rabbi Simcha Weinstein shares the Jewish roots of some superhero creators. Date to be announced.

The museum is at 4760 U.S. 41 North in Naples, south of Pine Ridge Road. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to www.holocaustmuseumswfl.org or call (239) 263-9200.