VIN'S PEOPLE: Books for Kids director named LWR Community Fund Humanitarian of the Year

Vin Mannix
·2 min read
Vin Mannix
Vin Mannix

Congratulations to Ted Lindenberg, Humanitarian of the Year for the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund.

Now retired after 38 years as an educator and administrator in New York schools, Ted is the director of the Books For Kids literacy program and will be honored Thursday night at the Soiree at the Ranch gala at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.

Ted Lindenberg, a retired educator, has been named Humanitarian of the Year by the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund.
Ted Lindenberg, a retired educator, has been named Humanitarian of the Year by the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund.

Books for Kids was developed nine years ago with the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch. Its primary goal was to give the special gift of a book to children, a book they could read, bring home and build their own home library. The other goal was for volunteers go into schools, read and discuss a book with children, help with comprehension and critical thinking and transfer the love of reading and books to the children.

Books For Kids began with five volunteers going into five classrooms in one school, distributing 300 books and helping 100 children. Today 140 volunteers fan out to 164 classes in 10 schools, helping close to 14,000 children in either the Kindergarten Program, the Monthly Program or the Individualized Tutoring Program.

After nine years, a total of 132,200 books had been distributed by the end of the last school year.

Books For Kids has received the Business Partnership Award from the State Commissioner of Education, the Civic Partnership Award from the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce, and Board of Education recognition.

· Carolyn Keller is 39. Again.

· So is Michelle McCarthy.

· And Warren Bell, who will be an inductee into Manatee High’s Athletic Hall of Honor in 2024.

· Big ups to Parrish Community High’s 2023-24 competition cheerleading squad: Sam Bosmeny, Madison Calvary, Morgan Fellows, Madyson Greeman, Bianca Grindo, Piper Hammett, Skylar Harvill, Kloey Hester, Rylie Jackson, Brittney Maroon, Hannah Mayhew, Reagan Panico, Ryann Panico, Alyse Renda, Karina Sanchez, Kenzie Sisk and Kayla Sthreshley.

· Tom Radakovitz is 63.

· A bow to Blake Medical Center’s Belle Brown, an operating room nurse and October’s recipient of the DAISY Award, recognizing exceptional nurses.

· Lincoln Memorial Middle Guardian Daniel Fago was the recipient of a Distinguished Guardian Award.

· Steven Grantham is 37.

· And well done to Jennifer Ackles, the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Employee of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2023. She has been a member of the Customer Solutions & Associate Development Department for the Tax Collector since 2015.

Vin’s People runs Sundays. Email Vin Mannix at vinspeople@gmail.com. Or call 941-962-5944. Twitter: @vinmannix.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: MANNIX: Lakewood Ranch Community Fund to honor Books for Kids director