Nearly two years have passed since Gator alumna Jordan Evert McCracken died, but her work to benefit the community continues to affect people.
Evert’s brother Jamison Evert said that in an effort to honor her, friends and family will hold a fundraising cocktail party titled “An Orange and Blue Affair,” to raise money for Guardian ad Litem and for Gainesville families in need.
Guardian ad Litem is a national organization of volunteers who represent neglected and abused children in court.
“My sister always loved to get people together, and she always believed in charity,” Jamison said. “We thought this was a good event to carry on her legacy.”
Jordan, who died of a brain hemorrhage in December 2008, attended UF as an undergraduate and earned her graduate degree from UF’s Levin College of Law. She belonged to Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and was a guardian for Guardian ad Litem.
“She was more of a friend to these kids,” Jamison said of the work his sister did as a guardian.
He recalled an instance while he attended UF as an undergraduate and Jordan was still in the law school. He said the two shared a car and one day he came home to find the car missing from his driveway. At first, he was annoyed because she had not asked, but later in the day, when he was running errands around town, he saw his car with Jordan inside, along with a couple of children she was a guardian to.
“She had spent the afternoon taking them to school, to the doctor and buying them dinner,” Jamison said. ”She did a lot of these things and never really got any recognition for it.”
Aside from her dedication to school and to the children, she was also someone who loved to bring people together.
“She really left an impression on everyone that she was a good time,” said Tina Pozzi, Jordan’s best friend and sorority sister.
Jordan was the social chair of her sorority and had a large and diverse group of friends.
“I think she would think of (An Orange and Blue Affair) as the perfect tribute,” Pozzi said. “It combines the two things she really cared about: a good party with friends and a cause she really believed in and dedicated a lot of time to.”
The event will begin at 7 p.m. at The Bank Bar & Lounge in Gainesville. It will include a silent auction and a champagne toast to Jordan. So far about $3,000 have been raised. The event is open to the public, and tickets are $35.
