Philanthropy, student awards and more: Applause for Ocala/Marion County | Oct. 23, 2022
Ocala lawyer helps those in need in the Ukraine
An Ocala lawyer is spearheading an effort to support a Ukrainian group that supplies prescription drugs, child care products and other goods directly to refugees and victims of the war in the Ukraine.
Bruce Kaster opened Odessa Relief Fund, a not-for-profit Florida corporation, in June to support Your City, an all-volunteer pharmacy based in Odessa and operated by Inna Germaneau, Igor Fedin and a small group of volunteers.
Kaster traveled to Odessa and met with Germaneau about the group’s outreach, which includes helping the residents of an orphanage and assisted living facility.
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“There’s nobody in the government, local or federal government, providing these people with their desperately needed medication, so Your City (workers) are filling that void,” Kaster is quoted on the website as saying.
Odessa is a seaport in Ukraine, about 275 miles southwest of Kyiv, according to Britannica.com.
Details on how to donate are available at https://odessarelief.com/
Area students excel in higher education
University graduate
Lisa Russo, Ocala, Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Arts University, San Francisco
Dean’s List
Thomas Chaput, Ocala, Palmer College of Chiropractic's Florida campus, Port Orange
Sydney Warren, Belleview, Palmer College of Chiropractic's Florida campus, Port Orange
CF students receive Model United Nations awards
Six students from the College of Central Florida’s Model United Nations Club received Outstanding Awards at the 2022 Southern Regional Model United Nations Conference. held virtually Oct. 7-8, a press release from CF said.
The winners:
Daniel Cepeda – Outstanding Position Paper Award for role-playing Ecuador
Daniel Fellows – Outstanding Position Paper Award and Outstanding Delegate Award for role-playing the Russian Federation
Frankelly Guzman – Outstanding Position Paper Award and Distinguished Delegate Award for representing the Dominican Republic
Sydney Henninger – Outstanding Position Paper Award for role-playing Canada
Valerie Lorenzo – Outstanding Position Paper Award for representing the Netherlands
Reagan Schroeder – Outstanding Position Paper Award for role-playing Poland
OMCAR Announces REALTOR/Humanitarian of the Year Award winners
The Ocala/Marion County Association of REALTORS announced its REALTOR of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year award winners Oct. 6 at its annual election membership meeting in Ocala, a press release from OMCAR said.
Amy Jo Lord was named the association’s REALTOR of the Year, while Christie Sue Casey earned Humanitarian of the Year honors
“Amy and Christie Sue are truly deserving of their respective honors,” said 2021-22 OMCAR President Virginia Wright in the release. “They exemplify what it means to be leaders in their community, and we’re so grateful that they represent our great association with such professionalism and integrity.”
Dunnellon Community Thrift Shop donates to multiple causes
The Dunnellon Community Thrift Shop recently donated $499 to the Dunnellon High School Robotics Club, according to a press release from the shop.
The club will compete in this year’s International Robotics Competition, to be held in March in Orlando. The money will help defray costs of food and lodging for the team.
Other donations in October include $1,000 to the Real Hope in Christ Church food pantry; $500 for Dunnellon Community Services, which sponsors a free mobile medical clinic; and $1,500 for a Dunnellon family that is facing financial difficulty and needs help paying medical expenses, the release said.
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This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: List of good news in Ocala includes donations and academic awards
