Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch awards $130,000 in grants to 21 Sarasota-Manatee nonprofits

Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·3 min read
Parenting Matters executive director Katie Becker, left, and marketing director Bridget Harry are all smiles after receiving a Rotary grant that will help fund the Musical Motion program at Oneco Elementary School.
Parenting Matters executive director Katie Becker, left, and marketing director Bridget Harry are all smiles after receiving a Rotary grant that will help fund the Musical Motion program at Oneco Elementary School.

LAKEWOOD RANCH — The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch recently presented $130,000 in grants to 21 local nonprofits and Rotary projects with money raised last year during the club’s annual Suncoast Food & Wine Fest.

This year’s total for grants was $50,000 more than in 2022. To date, the club has used proceeds from the Suncoast Food & Wine Fest to give over $2 million to charitable causes.

Rotarians, grant recipients, sponsors and guests gathered for the awards presentations at a special club meeting on March 30 at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.

Ladd Waldo, a past Rotary District 6960 governor who chaired the Grant Awards Committee, presented the awards:

The Players artistic director Steven Butler, left, and CEO William Skaggs encourage people to get involved in community theater while accepting a Rotary grant that funds two defibrillators for their facilities.
The Players artistic director Steven Butler, left, and CEO William Skaggs encourage people to get involved in community theater while accepting a Rotary grant that funds two defibrillators for their facilities.

· Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast: to purchase iPads with data plans for mentors.

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County: to purchase reading program materials for at-risk elementary-age students.

· Child Protection Center: to help pay activities materials and law enforcement presence for the supervised parental visitation program at neutral locations.

· Children's Guardian Fund: to be used for summer camp experiences for clients.

· Children First: to help promote learning through play program materials.

· District 6960 Disaster Relief Fund: to help fund Hurricane Ian relief and recovery efforts.

· Easterseals: to pay for 25 special needs students to attend the Academy Program.

· Embracing Our Differences: to pay for free busing to students to go on field trips to see the Embracing Our Differences art exhibit.

A Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club grant will support Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee County’s Food for Families summer program. Judi Bjork, left, is vice president of outreach and nutrition center programs, and Maribeth Phillips is president and CEO.
A Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club grant will support Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee County’s Food for Families summer program. Judi Bjork, left, is vice president of outreach and nutrition center programs, and Maribeth Phillips is president and CEO.

· Foundation for Dreams: to purchase enrichment supplies for 75 children attending summer camp.

· Freedom House: to purchase items to create welcome bags for new program participants.

· Friends of Lakewood Ranch Library: to purchase children’s books, large-print books and multicultural books to help fill the new library’s shelves.

· Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee County: to help provide summer meals for 500 families.

· Parenting Matters: to purchase equipment and supplies to support the Musical Motion program at Oneco Elementary School.

· Rotary Gift of Life: to provide heart surgeries for children in developing countries.

· Salvation Army: to support the Young at Heart program for seniors.

· Stillpoint Mission: to provide diapers and wipes for local families in need.

· Take Stock in Children Manatee: to support students in the Mentoring Matters program.

· Take Stock in Children Sarasota: to support the Booker High School Pathway to Success program.

· Teen Court: to support the peer program to prevent school suspension and expulsion.

· The Players: to purchase two automated external defibrillators for the scenery/costume shop and the educational facility.

· Tidewell Foundation: to support free programs offered to youth by the Blue Butterfly bereavement program.

Friends of Lakewood Ranch Library member Sue Seiter, left, and organization president Sue Ann Miller receive a grant from Ladd Waldo, who chaired the Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club's grant committee.
Friends of Lakewood Ranch Library member Sue Seiter, left, and organization president Sue Ann Miller receive a grant from Ladd Waldo, who chaired the Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club's grant committee.

JPMorgan Chase lead sponsor

JPMorgan Chase & Co. served as the event's presenting sponsor.Co-host sponsors included Lakewood Ranch, Suncoast Porsche and Audi Sarasota. Platinum sponsors were Marketing by Design, Palm Printing, Critter Ridge and Raymond James. Gold sponsors were U.S. Tent Rental, Premier Sports Campus, Najmy Thompson, P.L., and Homes by Towne and titanium sponsors were E&J Gallo Winery, Kerkering, Barberio & Company, Moffitt Cancer Center, Galen College of Nursing, Lakewood Ranch OBGYN and HERC Rentals.

Also serving as sponsors were Wessel Construction, UPS Store-Lakewood Ranch Market St., Affiliated Products Inc., Merrill Lynch Bank of America Corp., R.E. Crawford Construction, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, Waste Management, Ursula Heitman, Ringling College of Art & Design, NDC Construction Company, Heart Specialists of Sarasota, Willis Smith Construction, Around the Bend Nature Tours, Annelie Gustke, WBRC Architects Engineers, Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, Bill and Lois Ditman, Midyett-Dutoit Suncoast Home Pros, Premier Physicians of Sarasota, Southtech, SeacoastBank, Baron Financial Group, Donald Haake Photography, LWR Med Spa and Simon’s Quality Used Furniture.

The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch will host its 21st annual Suncoast Food & Wine Fest on Nov. 11. For information about the awards, contact Waldo at ufoundwaldo1213@gmail.com or club president Carmen Spagnola at carmspag1@gmail.com.

Submitted by Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota-Manatee nonprofits receives $130,000 in grants from LWR Rotary