GOOD DEEDS: Aqua Plumbing & Air shows appreciation to Sheriff's Office
Aqua Plumbing & Air, a local heating, air conditioning and plumbing company, partnered with the Gorman Co., a plumbing wholesale company, to host the 6th annual “Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Appreciation Breakfast” on Jan. 20.
Aqua Plumbing & Air staff, with support from Gorman Co., served breakfast to 500 Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office employees at the SCSO headquarters, in Sarasota.
The event, started by Aqua Plumbing & Air co-owners Skip Stanton and Chuck Jacobson, began in 2017.
A Giving Committee was established at JMX Brands in September 2021. The goal was to foster a culture of gratitude and generosity by raising funds for charitable organizations and other activities.
CEO Jim Miller and Vice President Linse Miller offered to match employees’ gifts up to $1,000 to support the Giving Challenge. In three weeks in December 2022, 22 hardworking employees gave $1,010, meeting the $1,000 match.
The funds raised were donated to organizations that serve the hungry in locations where the company has DutchCrafters stores: All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota, LaGrange County Clothes and Food Basket in LaGrange, Indiana, and North Fulton Community Charities Food Pantry in Alpharetta, Georgia.
The Gettel Automotive Group, of Bradenton, donated $25,000 to the Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair program at Parrish Community High to develop and employ young, skilled, local students for jobs in the automotive service field.
A special ceremony to commemorate the donation was held Jan. 19 in the school’s Automotive Center.
Courses and certifications offered through the program include Automotive Service Safety and Service Pollution Prevention; Engine Repair; Brakes; Electrical; Heating; A/C; Engine Performance; Suspension; and Steering, according to PCHS Automotive Teacher Sherman Ballard.
The Annette J. Hagens Memorial Foundation recently awarded a grant of $1,500 to Safe Children Coalition for its HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program. Since 1992, the HIPPY program has assisted parents in providing educational enrichment for their preschool-aged children.
HIPPY is offered free of charge to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged and at-risk youths and families in our community. Currently, 200 children and parents are being served through the HIPPY program.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Appreciation for sheriff's employees, donation to automotive program
