Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch News

ROTARY CLUB OF LAKEWOOD RANCH NEWS

FEB. 23, 2023

2022-23 Leadership

RI President Jennifer Jones

District 6960 Governor Neil Snyder

Club President Carmen Spagnola

THIS WEEK

Join the celebration this week during the annual Books For Kids Appreciation Luncheon This is the time for our club's literacy program to thank its school partners and hard-working volunteers Because we will have extra guests, Rotarians are asked to arrive at 11:30 a m

289 101 885

Password: 907278

LAST WEEK

Joan Frey Sybil Porter

Club member Joan Frey and PresidentElect Sybil Porter addressed human trafficking issues in a quest to make people aware of its extent here Florida is among the top 10 states for trafficking. If you see something, say something. Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888 or visit the website by clicking here.

FEB. 23

AT LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB BOOKS FOR KIDS' ANNUAL APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

MARCH 2

AT MANATEE TECHNICAL COLLEGE, 6305 STATE ROAD 70 E , BRADENTON DR. CHARLES REITH

COASTAL WATER QUALITY

MARCH 9

AT LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB JENNIFER ORSI, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, SARASOTA HERALDTRIBUNE/FLORIDA-GEORGIA REGIONAL EDITOR, GANNETT

MARCH 16

AT LAKEWOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB

JULIE POULIN, BOYS AND GIRLS

CLUBS' YOUTH OF THE YEAR

MARCH 23

AT TARA COUNTRY CLUB

ALICIA CHALMERS, MANATEE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

CHECK US OUT!

CALENDAR

Feb. 22: Club board meeting, 6 p m at the River Club at Waterlefe, 995 Fish Hook Cove, Bradenton; meetings are the last Wednesday of each month Info: President Carmen Spagnola at carmenspag1@gmail com

Feb. 25: District 6960 Foundation Gala event in Venice; details and registration on DACdb; see Page 5

March 1: Wine Down Wednesday social at 5:30 p m the first Wednesday of each month at McGrath's Irish Ale House, on Lakewood Main Street RSVP by Feb 27 with Lang Wooddy at lang66@comcast net

March 9-12: District 6960 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards; details to come

March 18 and May 13: 8:30 a m to 4 p m Rotary Leadership Institute Parts 1, 2 and 3 plus GraduateLevel sessions in northern and southern district locations; registration info on DACdb

March 25: Seventh annual Suncoast Walk for Water, our club's fundraiser for clean water and sanitation projects

See Pages 8-9 for details

March 29: Club board meeting, 6 p m at the River Club at Waterlefe, 995 Fish Hook Cove, Bradenton; meetings are the last Wednesday of each month. Info: President Carmen Spagnola at carmenspag1@gmail.com.

March 30: Save the date for our club's annual Suncoast Food & Wine Fest grants award luncheon.

April 5: Wine Down Wednesday social at 5:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at McGrath's Irish Ale House, on Lakewood Main Street. RSVP by April 3 with Lang Wooddy at lang66@comcast.net.

April 22: District Assembly and Master Class University; details to come.

May 27-31: Rotary International Convention, Melbourne, Australia; details to come.

June 16-17: Save the dates for the District 6960 Conference at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, Estero; details to come.

Pre-order your Florida Rotary license plate at FloridaRotaryTag.com or by clicking here. For each order, $25 goes toward Rotary youth programs.

MEMBER CELEBRATIONS

BIRTHDAYS

Ron Myers 2/4

Paul Hoenle 2/7

Steve Briggs 2/10

Julie Poulin 2/13

Chris Fils 2/14

Donna Layrisse 2/17

Mark Midyett 2/21

Andy Sandhu 2/24

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Karen McLoughlin and Hermann "Hans" Boettcher 2/6

Carey and Eric Leichter 2/14

Gary and Kelly Houseworth 2/18

Susan and Adam Courter 2/27

CLUB ANNIVERSARIES

Judy Berlow 2/2/12

Andy Sandhu 2/3/22

25 previous years in Rotary

Jerry Long 2/9/17

Joan Frey 2/17/22

18 previous years in Rotary

Pres Olinger 2/24/04

Graphic from the Being Rotarian Facebook page Visit the Rotarian-run page by clicking here

Who's up for a fun baseball game?

Club member Russ Sexton is organizing a club social to go see the Bradenton Marauders play baseball vs. the Daytona Tortugas. Please sign up during an upcoming club meeting or contact him at drsexton45@gmail.com or 941-773-7280; RSVPs are due before April 1. The Marauders. based in Bradenton, are the Minor League Baseball team that is part of the PIttsburgh Pirates organization. The Tortugas are affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds. Tickets include admission, food and drinks; you will pick them up at the will call window. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., food (hamburgers, hot dogs, mac 'n' cheese, sodas and water) will be served at 6 p.m. and the first pitch is at 6:30 p.m. We will be in a private area of the ballpark. For details about the team, click here.

Are you familiar with our club's Small Group Meals Program?

Our club offers an ongoing way to get to know other Rotarians in a meaningful way and include spouses or partners so they can also appreciate the value of being involved in Rotary A sign-up sheet to be a host, guest or both will be distributed at our club meetings

As a host, you decide how many guests (four to six is common) for any type of meal that fits your entertaining style Suggested guidelines for a Small Group Meal and a guest invitation template will be sent to all hosts As a guest, you give the host $25 per person or a check made out to the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch This money goes into our club’s discretionary fund If you have questions please contact Dorothy Bodenburg, Small Group Meals coordinator, at 941-714-0971 or Dorothy@Bodenburg com

VOLUNTEER TO HELP RENOVATE HOMES TO GIVE TO DESERVING VETERANS

"Success! Unit 63 in Pescara Lake is complete," shared Greg Kisela, Our Next Mission's president and CEO.

Since late October, volunteers have worked diligently making a 51-year-old mobile home into a forever home for an at-risk veteran. What was done? New windows and doors, snap-in place vinyl flooring, fresh paint, an ADA compliant bathroom, vinyl siding, new carport, ADA ramp, and a complete subsurface floor. Work crews last week painted the concrete carport, ramp and Florida room. Three Season Outdoor Living & Landscapes installed landscaping in the front flower bed and pea gravel in the sides of the unit. Furniture and furnishings were donated and ready for occupancy, and everything looks great, Kisela said.

In addition, a work crew installed a new carport in the park for a veteran who lost his to Hurricane Ian.

Rotarian Terry Byce worked several days this past week, adding to over 160 of volunteer labor from our club members on this project since October.

This week, work was limited to Monday, Feb. 20, to do a final cleanup of the Unit 63 site The veteran who wants to move into Unit 63 is still being vetted A dedication of the home will be scheduled soon

What's next? Our Next Mission recently took ownership of a mobile home in Colony Cove in Ellenton The kind lady who donated the home died last week

Candidates for home homes are “at-risk” veteran who has at least an annual income of $25K-$35K per year with a good credit score. If you know of a veteran over 55 who is looking for a home, let us know. The applicants are required to to pay the monthly ground rent/fees of $900/$1,000. The park does the background check and Our Next Mission verifies their veterans status.

Check with your friends, neighbors and work associates to see if anyone meets the criteria for future homes that will be renovated. If you have a candidate, let me know and ONM will interview him or her.

Thanks (and looking forward to seeing you at the work site),

Terry Byce

Rotay Club of Lakewood Ranch Veterans Committee

Home: 941 351 0092

Cell: 703 627 7765

Email: terry byce@verizon net

A new sign, shown at left, was designed (thank you, Susan Courter!) to place at homes where free Rotary ramps are installed for veterans who have mobility difficulties Shown at right is one of the ramps placed at the most recent renovated mobile home in Pescara Lakes

For more information about this clean comedy fundraiser, contact club member Bill Porter at 941-527-3400 or bill@portercs.com. Read about the featured comedians by clicking here.

CLEAN COMEDY! ONE NIGHT ONLY! TWO SHOWS!

Help raise $10,000 for The Players Centre for Performing Arts Join supporters for a hilarious evening on April 1 featuring top talent who are clean comedians from around the nation. Event proceeds will help Sarasota's original theater.

Event organizers want patrons to join them to sit back and laugh with your friends! There will be two shows, one at 5 p.m. and the other at 8 p.m. at the Grove restaurant on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch.

Come early and socialize with light appetizers, wine, beer, soda and water. Included in your ticket is one of the above beverages. (A cash bar also will be available.) Should you purchase an $85 ticket, you will receive two beverages.

After the show, take advantage of the chance to meet the comedians.

In appreciation for supporting The Players Centre for Performing Arts, each attendee will receive a gift bag with gift cards for local businesses' products and services! This bag is valued at over $2,000.

To purchase tickets for the 5 p.m. show, click here. To buy tickets for the 8 p.m. show, click here.