East County Observer 4.18.24

Observer

All hail the queen

Braden River High School students danced the night away at their prom April 12 at the Sarasota Hyatt Regency. The night was filled with elegant dresses and suits, live music, and memories to last a lifetime. Senior Ericka Freeman (above with Bobby Pike, a student at State College of Florida) will never forget when a sash was draped on her and a

Above par effort

Bob Smith and his golf buddies have done it again.

For the past 13 years, Smith has hit send on a series of emails that continues to raise more funds each year for Stillpoint Mission, a Bradenton organization that provides families in need with food, diapers, hygiene products and financial assistance.

What started out as a $1,500 donation the first year has turned into a $77,425 donation as Gene Tischer, Marge Slepica, Bob Keehn and Smith (above) celebrate the check to the mission this year. Smith, fellow fundraisers and mission board members celebrated April 8 under the solar eclipse with champagne and safety glasses. To date, Smith’s email campaign has raised $383,622.

“Thirteen years ago when I started this, we were passing out either two or three cans of beans, soup or macaroni and cheese. That was it,” Smith said. “I was there last Friday. Now, they get a big bag of six or seven food items, and there were 400 people there.”

County considers affordable housing project in LWR

crown placed on her head as she was named this year’s prom queen. Freeman was joined by Maribel Torres, who was named junior princess, and Grant Hicks, who was named junior prince. Braden River High School did not a have a prom king this year because no students wanted to run for the title.

Rosedale Golf Classic founders Deb Kehoe and Kathi Skelton

obliteration room, which was originated by artist Yayoi Kusama.

Courtesy image

Courtesy image

Gene Tischer, Marge Slepica, Bob Keehn and Bob Smith

The Out-of-Door Academy upper school students and staff work on a tape mural featuring the mascots of the school’s house system.

Creativity on display

The Out-of-Door Academy hosts its first Festival of the Arts.

Wilkes Borden, a freshman at The Out-of-Door Academy, has always loved taking casual clothing and adding his own twist.

Whether it involves new fabric to add a pocket to a shirt or re-creating Balenciaga sweatpants, he likes to alter his clothing to be different but not over the top.  He sees fashion as a way to express himself.

When art teacher Sandra Romero

approached Borden about The Outof-Door Academy’s Festival of the Arts, which was to include a fashion show, Borden knew he wanted to participate.

This year’s Festival of the Arts on April 12 was a first for the school.

Erick Crowe, director of fine and performing arts, said previous art festivals the school hosted have focused on the performing arts. The school’s staff wanted to give an opportunity for students with passion for the visual arts to showcase their work.

Students’ work was on display, including digital photography, ceramics, paintings and drawings.

Throughout the day, students were able to participate in interactive art projects.

On the second floor of the school’s fine arts building, there was the

obliteration room, which will continue to be a standing art display for the ODA’s 100th anniversary next school year.

Students placed stickers of various colors in an area decorated to look like a bedroom. The project was inspired by artist Yayoi Kusama and is meant to look like the hallucinations Kusama experienced as a child when her vision was clouded by spots.

Students also participated in the neon paint room, where they painted black paper with neon paint in the dark.

Another interactive project was for the high school students. They worked together to create a tape wall mural that featured the mascots of the school’s house system as well as other ODA symbols.  Students also participated in

Freshman Ella Hildoer says she was nervous making her way down the runway, but she had fun. She loved every aspect of her outfit.

ARTISTIC FESTIVITIES

The Festival of the Arts activities included:

■ Neon glow room

■ Obliteration room

■ Popsicle towers

■ Student artwork on display

■ Paint by numbers of ODA buildings

■ Workshops by community members and organizations

■ Fashion show

■ Tape wall mural

workshops with representatives from community arts organizations, like Embracing Our Differences, and professionals, such as a toy designer.

“It’s been exciting to bring those people from the community here because kids don’t always get to see that type of artwork or get those connections,” Crowe said.

Festival of the Arts culminated in The Out-of-Door Academy’s first fashion show for the high school. Students teamed up to create outfits with a botanical gardens theme. They showed off their creations while walking down the runway in front of their classmates.

Students were instructed to use certain materials, such as paper, to incorporate into their outfits.  Borden said incorporating paper was a challenge. He worked with freshman Bebhinn Ryan, who was his model. They both decided she would look best in red. To incorporate paper and the botanical gardens theme, they chose to make origami roses out of paper.

Borden said he liked seeing the progress of where they started with the design and how it came to fruition on the runway.

Freshman Sonya Pandya always loved arts and crafts and saw the fashion show as a new artistic challenge. She and her model freshman Ella Hildoer decided to use a white dress as a base and research various ways to incorporate the botanical theme.

They added flowers and decided to focus on the accessories to elevate the outfit. They had to think about every aspect of the presentation, from head to toe. Pandya enjoyed deciding the hairstyle, jewelry, shoes and makeup.  “I never knew how much work it would be to think of so many little details,” Pandya said.

The pièce de résistance was the umbrella Hildoer carried down the runway. They put vines all over it and had them dangling from the umbrella. They decided to have vines wrapped around each of her calves as well. Pandya thought the vines were one of the main aspects the audience appreciated.

The students participating in the fashion show had expert guidance from Brad Kroenig, an ODA parent and a model with 25 years of experience.

He has traveled around the world as a model, working for brands including Chanel, Ralph Lauren, GAP and Peter Miller.

Kroenig shared tips with the models that included walking with confidence and swagger, striking various poses, holding their heads up and keeping their posture straight. He explained the importance of interacting with the crowd.

“I told them with fashion, there’s really no right or wrong answer. You do whatever you feel, and that’s the cool thing about it,” he said.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Photos by Liz Ramos

Affordable housing planned for Lakewood Ranch

If approved, the rental townhomes will be located on Lorraine Road next to Savanna at Lakewood Ranch.

Development is nothing new to Lakewood Ranch, but developments that include affordable housing units are now on the horizon, too.

Windham Development submitted an application to Manatee County to build 66 townhomes on a 10-acre parcel located at 3518 Lorraine Road.

If approved, 25% or 17 of the townhomes will be rented at a “moderate affordable” rate as determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The project was recommended unanimously by the Planning Commission on April 11. It will go before the Board of County Commissioners on April 18 at the land use meeting.

Amara, the county’s first affordable housing project approved in East County, was approved in January. The project will provide 152 units of affordable housing on Lena Road about a mile south of S.R. 64.

If approved, Lorraine Crossings will offer the first affordable units in Lakewood Ranch. Savanna at Lakewood Ranch is located to the north and west of the property, and Esplanade at Azario is to the east.

WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

Affordable housing is not Section 8 housing. These are not governmentrun apartments. The apartments are in standard developments, but at least 25% of the units are guaranteed not to exceed HUD’s rental cap for a set number of years.

In the case of Lorraine Crossings, 17 units must remain rent controlled over a period of 20 years. Rowena Young-Gopie, Housing Development coordinator for Manatee County, said that the rest of the units are priced at market rate by the developer.

The word “affordable” is subjective given the location of the rental. Manatee County’s median income is $97,000, one of the higher medians in the state. Meanwhile, neighboring DeSoto County is on the lower end of the scale at $57,100.

Depending on the number of bedrooms a unit has, the difference between the two medians results in a $500 to $1,000 difference in rent caps. A studio apartment in Mana-

tee has a higher rent cap than a twobedroom in DeSoto.

For the Manatee workforce, that means even “affordable housing” in the area can be pricey. Rent caps are income-based, so a lessee earning 120% of the median could pay up to $2,694 a month for a three-bedroom unit in Lorraine Crossings.

For a family earning 80% of the median income, the rent would be capped at $1,795 a month for the same unit.

The affordable housing units at both Amara and Lorraine Crossings are designated for applicants earning from 80-120% of the median income of $97,000.

Under those percentages, a family of five can earn up to $130,320. But could that family of five afford an apartment even on the low-end of the rent scale? The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates the average annual cost of living in Florida is $50,689 per person.

“In my opinion, I don’t think of $1,800 as affordable,” Coldwell Banker Realtor Chris Schwartz said. “You have $1,800 plus water, elec-

tricity, cable and internet. And now, you need a car to drive around. Then you need gas and have to eat. And if you have children, there’s day care expenses.”

WHO BENEFITS?

The county’s intent is to provide more affordable housing options for residents, but the high median income poses a challenge because that’s the number the rent and income caps are derived from.  “We don’t create this calculation, we just adhere to HUD rules,” Young-Gopie said.

Looking at the rental market, what’s being proposed as “moderate affordable” by HUD can be found outside these deals brokered by Manatee County.

Developers are incentivized to include affordable housing in their developments through the Livable Manatee program, which was passed in 2017 and revamped in 2022.

Developers benefit from the program through higher density allotments, expedited permitting and design leeway for parking, buffers

and access points.

To date, developers in East County have only signed deals to serve residents earning between 80%-120% of the median income. So on the high end, the caps are competitive within the current market.

Lorraine Crossing isn’t approved or built yet, but as of today, large families earning 120% of the median income could find a bigger bang for their buck next door in Savanna.

Single-family homes with four bedrooms and up to three bathrooms are listed for rent on Homes.com for less than HUD’s high-end rent cap of $3,006 for a four-bedroom.

Two apartment complexes near the proposed site for Lorraine Crossings, Vida Lakewood Ranch and Estia at Lakewood Ranch, start two-bedroom apartments at less than HUD’s rate for those earning 120% of the median income in that category, too.

However, if comparing Vida and Estia to an affordable unit at the 80% income level, there is a savings. Twobedrooms start at about $2,200 in both complexes, and the HUD cap is $1,553 for that income bracket.

Vida and Estia are luxury apartment complexes that come with heated pools and fitness centers among other amenities. Lorraine Crossings and Amara will be standard housing.

Planning Commission Chair Richard Bedford asked Windham to find room for a “tot lot” at Lorraine Crossings.

“Since it’s an affordable housing project, one would assume there’s going to be some children running around,” Bedford said. “Maybe between now and the board hearing, you might want to entertain that.”

The county is widening Lorraine Road from two lanes to four between 59th Avenue East and State Road 64. The county needs about a third of an acre along Lorraine Road to complete the improvements.

Because Windham plans to include affordable housing, the project was able to bump up the density from three dwelling units per acre to 6.85 units per acre.

In between the road and wetlands, the 66 townhomes will be built within nine buildings at a maximum of two stories. A two-lane street will run through the center of the complex to provide access from Lorraine Road.

If approved, construction is expected to begin in the first or second quarter of 2025.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

Lesley Dwyer Savanna at Lakewood Ranch can be seen from the proposed future site of Lorraine Crossings.

The yellow rectangle shows the 10-acre site on which Windham Development wants to build 66 townhomes.

Commissioner appointed to be Supervisor of Elections

James Satcher, now the former Manatee County District 1 commissioner, was sworn into office as the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections on April 16 after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his appointment to the position April 12.

“I am eager to get to work,” Satcher said after the April 12 ceremony at the Manatee County Judicial Center. Satcher, who was elected as commissioner in 2020, will now run for his new position in the upcoming election against Scott Farrington, who has served 11 years as the No. 2 elections official in the supervisor’s office. Farrington, who resigned after Satcher’s appointment, had been running the office since the resignation of Mike Bennett on Feb. 1. The two Republicans will face off in the primary Aug. 20.

DeSantis’ appointment has received a lot of attention in Manatee County, where Bennett, who ran the office since 2012, had been vocal about Farrington being overwhelmingly more qualified to run the post than Satcher. Carol Ann Felts and Jennifer Lynne Hamey have filed to run for Satcher’s vacated District 1 commission seat, and this week were joined by Keith Green, who previously had filed to run for the District 7 at-large seat but has withdrawn and filed in

District 1. Satcher said in a February East County Observer interview about accepting the supervisor of elections position, “A public servant is generally going to be looking, or open to the role where he can make the biggest difference and do the most good. That’s how I’ve made decisions my whole life, honestly.”

DeSantis will now appoint a new District 1 commissioner to replace Satcher even though the seat is up for election this year.

Father, 4-year-old son die in ‘incident’ on Evers Reservoir

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said a father and his 4-year-old son died in a boating incident April 13 on Evers Reservoir in East County, state authorities said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the bodes of Wayne Raber, 36, and Josiah Raber, 4, of Wilmot, Ohio, were recovered from behind the water treatment facility on Evers Reservoir, a freshwater reservoir fed by the Braden River.

FWC officers and Manatee County Sheriff Office’s deputies responded shortly before 2 p.m. April 13 to a report of an incident involving a single boat on the lake, an FWC spokeswoman said.

The body of one victim was found in the water near the boat Saturday, authorities said. Searchers marshaled at Jiggs Landing, according to Denise Kleiner, who owns concessions at the preserve. “They searched all weekend,” she said.

On April 15, the second body was found in the water near where the incident occurred, the FWC said.

Kleiner said fishermen often navigate into a lagoon behind the treatment plant to catch shad using cast nets. However the FWC is not releasing details on its investigation.

“The investigation is ongoing. The cause of this incident is still under investigation,” FWC spokeswoman Hailee Seely said via email. File

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Giving never felt so good

East County nonprofits will take funds raised during the Giving Challenge to start new programs as well as to continue to expand current services.

Miller said the Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library had a goal of raising $7,000 through donations.

Lakewood Ranch Library staff members Tiffany Mautino and Hayley Rigatti walked into Slim Chickens on April 9 with a button maker and 100 3D printed chicks in hand.

Mautino and Rigatti, along with volunteers from the Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library, encouraged people to paint the chicks and make their own buttons after purchasing food to support the Friends of the Lakewood Ranch during the Giving Challenge.

“The buttons were geared for children, but I have to say, everybody was making buttons,” said Sue Ann Miller, president of the Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library. “The adults were making buttons. The staff at Slim Chickens were making buttons. It was so much fun.”

Miller said the Giving Challenge was a win-win, for the nonprofit partnered with Slim Chickens to receive 15% of sales while the restaurant made $500 more than a typical Tuesday due to people coming in to support Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library.

The Giving Challenge was an opportunity for nonprofits, like the Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library, to not only raise money but also make connections with businesses and new donors.

Funds raised and matched through the Giving Challenge will allow several East County nonprofits to provide continued services, purchase new materials and resources and expand programs.

The nonprofit surpassed that goal by raising $8,060, which contributed to its total of $13,470 raised. Miller said there are opportunities to raise more money through different Giving Challenge prizes such as Best Nonprofit Partnership and Best Giving Challenge Photo. The Patterson Foundation also matched each donation of $25-$100, allowing many donations to be doubled during the challenge.

“(The funds raised is) a strong message that our community continues to send that libraries are important,” she said.

The funds will go toward purchasing materials for the children’s area at the Lakewood Ranch Library, including an Imagination Playground big blue block set, Legos and Lego Duplo blocks.

At Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary, owner Lisa Burns said the $21,100 raised will go toward repairing the fence that was destroyed during Hurricane Ian in 2022 as well as covering unexpected expenses. For example, the sanctuary took in a veiled chameleon that was underweight and calcium deficient as well as a goat whose hooves were in such bad shape it could barely walk.

The sanctuary currently cares for 174 animals across 25 species.

additional support and services. The Humane Society recently took in a chihuahua that needed hip surgery.

With the Humane Society in the middle of kitten season, Ziegler and board member Cindy Jackson said the funds are crucial.  Ziegler said the Humane Society spent $400 April 10 solely on cat food.

“It’s truly never ending, and that’s what we signed up for ... but we can’t do it without the help of the public,”

Jackson said.

Throughout April 9, students and staff at Beyond the Spectrum were celebrating as donor after donor registered on the Giving Challenge website. The nonprofit, which works with children and young adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, posted “thank you” videos and pictures on social media to express gratitude.

empower them. Beyond the Spectrum serves about 109 families.

“We’re excited to provide them with even more resources to help them reach their most meaningful potential with us,” she said. “While we work with students here on campus, we also like to work with the families on things they can do at home and other resources they can use. We’re thankful to be able to serve the whole family with these funds.”

For Harbor58, a nonprofit that works with individuals aging out of foster care, the Giving Challenge not only was about raising money but also building connections.

Missy Parmenter, president of Harbor58, said it was the first year the nonprofit participated in the Giving Challenge, and it focused on word-of-mouth to gain donors. She said she loved that the Giving Challenge forces nonprofits to widen its base and make more connections.

The nonprofit gathered with the Humane Society of Sarasota and five other nonprofits for a pop-up event during the Giving Challenge. Burns brought a hedgehog, two ferrets, rabbits and a bearded dragon so people could see some of the animals at the sanctuary. “It’s amazing to see so many people come together to help our little sanctuary,” Burns said.  Burns said the pop-up event also gave people an opportunity to see the animals that are available for adoption through the sanctuary.

“We were honestly amazed at how quickly it all came together,” said Loryn Carpenter, the nonprofit’s communications specialist, of the $66,200 raised. “It was like a party that day on our campus.”

Dani Ziegler, the shelter director at the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch, said the $32,618 raised will help the nonprofit to be able to say “yes” to every animal, even if it needs

Carpenter said the money will go toward purchasing new technology, updating curriculum and offsetting therapy costs for students. She said the funds will allow the nonprofit’s students to have more opportunities to strengthen their abilities and

“As a resident here, it makes me proud that we care so much about giving that we make it front and center, and it’s something we all do together,” Parmenter said. “It’s the idea that many hands make light work. When we all do our part and give what we can, it can go such a long way.”

With the $10,550 raised, Harbor58 is working to launch new initiatives this year, including renting a home for individuals to live in while the nonprofit waits for its new small housing community to be built behind Oasis Church.

They were really there for me on an emotional level.

Brianna Mahon Maternity Patient

FROM MONSTER TRUCK DRIVER TO NEW MOM

When Brianna Mahon discovered she was pregnant, she knew it was time to take a break from her second job. Mahon, 33, of Palmetto – who had a “normal job” as a hairdresser – had been a monster truck driver.

“It’s been a great and very wild ride,” says Mahon. But when she and her husband learned they were going to be parents last year, after returning from a trip to London, the decision to pause driving was clear.

The Right Choice for Her Maternity Care Mahon originally planned a home birth, but her husband wanted her to deliver in the hospital. She chose OB/GYN Joel Hallam, DO, as her obstetrician because she heard he was “understanding and open minded” to different types of birth plans.

“I had been to many hospitals over the years for injuries, and I am not a fan. Choosing Dr. Hallam and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center really eased my fears. Dr. Hallam was very accepting of how I wanted to do things,” she says. “From the first time I went into his office, every single person treated me like they knew me. I’ve never been treated as kindly. They were really there for me on an emotional level.”

‘It Was Everything I Wanted’

The birth of her baby girl Sage was extremely positive. “It was just like a home birth, but not at home, I went in with a birth plan and they were very accommodating,” Mahon says.

“I’m so thankful for the staff at the Women’s Center. Honestly, they were like family. They did everything they could to make me feel safe and comfortable. Everyone was in such a positive mood every day. No matter who was coming into the room, they had a smile on their face,“ adds Mahon.

Tiffany Mautino, Lakewood Ranch Library supervising manager, Hayley Rigatti, a library staff member, and Faith Kibler, a Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library volunteer, bring a button maker and 3D printed chicks for people to paint while supporting the nonprofit and Slim Chickens.

Dani Ziegler, shelter director for the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch, and Executive Committee Member Cheryl Johnson say Giving Challenge funds allow them to help animals with more severe health issues.

Every year that a new class prepares to leave All God’s Children Preschool for elementary school, the students release butterflies.

“All the parents go, and they do a little ceremony on the playground,” said Brittni Murphy, who has had one child go through the program and another currently attending the school. “It’s beautiful because the butterflies are going off, and they’re going off to kindergarten.”

All God’s Children is a nonprofit program run through Living Lord Lutheran Church. Children ages 2-5 can attend, and the preschool is licensed to offer the state’s Voluntary PreKindergarten program.

Murphy might be teary-eyed at this year’s ceremony because it will be her last. Her daughter, Brixtyn, is 7 years old, and her son, Breyzen, is 4. He’s one of the butterflies headed off to kindergarten.

Murphy will keep flitting in and out until that happens.

“I drive my golf cart there to pick up my son,” she said. “I told (the school’s staff members) not to worry. They’re going to see me. I’ll be back to help.”

Murphy and another parent, Amanda Gregg, both said they like that the preschool is small because everyone gets to know each other.

All God’s Children takes a maximum of 60 students. Individual classes stay in groups of six students, while the VPK classes are larger. The parents formed their own group a few years ago called All God’s

Parents. AGP members volunteer in the classrooms and help fundraise.

The preschool’s biggest fundraiser is the annual carnival, but there are smaller events throughout the year. An ice cream social welcomes the students back after summer break.

The preschool is not a day care. It runs on the Manatee County school calendar. Camps are offered for six weeks over the summer for children ages 3-6. Each week has a different theme, and children don’t have to be students of the preschool to enroll.   Children have to be potty trained to attend camp, but not to attend preschool.

“For us, it’s not that big of a deal,” Director Erin Bonifate said. “But potty training is stressful for parents, so we don’t want to push the kids.”

It’s something most preschools require, but All God’s Children is described as more of a family atmosphere.  Gregg and her 5-year-old son, Logan, love the extra things the preschool and its staff offers.

“When they were learning the letter “A,” they made apple pie and he got to taste it,” Gregg said. “He loved that.”

One of the teachers, Heather Amato, teaches VPK and also cares for two hedgehogs in her classroom. The hedgehogs’ names are Mr. Cheetah and Blossom.  The lessons mix education with fun, hands-on activities.

Before the butterflies are released, each student brings a flower to plant in the garden and is given a caterpillar for inside the classroom. The students must nurture both. In the meantime, they’re taught about life cycles and what plants and animals need to survive.

Since the program is provided by a church, faith is also part of the students’ educational experience. However, the lessons are universal and open to all religions.  Bonifate was raised Catholic and is a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church.

“We don’t ask what your religion is,” she said. “(Chapel) is something the parents love because they’re not learning about any specific religion, they’re just learning how to be kind.” Students visit the chapel on Wednesdays but not for long sermons. Most of their time in the chapel is spent singing.  Gregg said Logan’s personality has blossomed since he was enrolled this past August.  “If we’d go to the playground and kids would talk to him, he wouldn’t want to talk or make eye contact,” she said. “But just being there a couple weeks, and he was like a different kid.”

Tuition costs $275 a month for children who attend two days a week, $350 for three days and $550 for five days.

While the preschool doesn’t have an official scholarship fund, money is set aside if a family is struggling to make tuition payments.

“We don’t want to lose great families just because they’re going through a hard time,” Bonifate said. “We can help them out by either discounting their tuition, helping them with a payment plan or even just kind of washing away their tuition. It’s really easy to work with us.”

Photos by Lesley Dwyer Heather Amato’s VPK class is learning math.

Mr. Cheetah is a hedgehog that lives at All God’s Children Preschool.

Veteran finds new family in Rosedale

Rosedale community’s ‘genuine’ love of veterans fuels $400,000 fundraising effort.

After moving to Florida from his home of Philadelphia, Russell “Rusty” Carter talked about finding that the environment was “amazing” for disabled veterans. A quadriplegic, he had plenty of quality care and great parks that were friendly to someone in a wheelchair. What he didn’t have were family and friends.

Then he met Deb Kehoe and Kathi Skelton. Kehoe and Skelton have organized and run the Rosedale Golf Classic since 2013 to support Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit that builds adaptive homes for disabled veterans. The two seniors have led an effort that has led to more than $1.5 million in donations to Homes for Our Troops. Carter was in line for an adaptive home and was chosen as the Rosedale Golf Classic’s recipient in 2024.

“I have only met them three times face to face, but they are amazing,” Carter said of Kehoe and Skelton. “Both of my grandmothers have passed away, but they are my grandmothers now. The love I feel for them is nothing short of family, and this relationship will last forever. They have no ulterior motive in doing this, and that has not always been the case with groups that I have met that say they want to help veterans. They are genuine.”

Both Skelton and Kehoe loved hearing Carter’s words, and every year, their fundraising effort has forged another amazing relationship with a veteran they assist. Skelton and Kehoe follow the veterans during their move into their new homes and their keep track of their achievements afterward.

“They all lead productive lives, and they all bring something different,” Skelton said.

Carter, who will move into his adaptive home in Lithia this summer, said his new mortgage-free home will present many opportunities. He currently is paying $3,200 a month in his Tampa apartment, which leaves him with little money to pursue his interests.

“I want to start a small business,” he said. “Maybe a not-for-profit. I want to help people with disabilities to travel, find places that are more accessible for them. I also would like to consult with restaurants and hotels and talk with them about being more accessible for those in wheelchairs.”

The Rosedale Golf Classic raised a record $191,000 in 2023, a benchmark Kehoe and Skelton thought would be hard to beat. But 2024 raised the bar to an incredibly high level, that might well be untouchable in the future. They raised $422,051 for the 2024 Rose Golf Classic, held April 10, that included $205,000 in donations from Marty Roth of San Luis Obispo, California. Roth had a friend who was a former Rosedale resident, and he wanted to find out more about Homes for Our Troops so he went to a “key ceremony” in California where the nonprofit presented an adaptive home to a disabled veteran. Roth told Kehoe and Skelton that “it changed my life.” He began making donations to the

“You don’t have to look farther than Rosedale to see great American patriots.”

Gen. Richard Cody

Rosedale Golf Classic and this year made the major donations through his late wife’s foundation, the Julie Roth Foundation. That huge donation could well make the Rosedale Golf Classic the No. 1 event in the nation for Homes for Our Troops. The tournament has been the No. 2 fundraiser in the nation several times.

The tournament also received a $50,000 donation from the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation in Carter’s name.

Carter’s story is a horrific one, although he chooses to take as positive an outlook as possible. It happened Jan. 2, 2011 as Carter rode in a 13 1/2-ton MRAP truck. The truck was a specially designed vehicle built to resist improvised explosive devices that would explode up from below the military vehicles. The MRAPs were designed with extra reinforcement under the vehicles and V-shaped hulls to protect the soldiers.

In Carter’s case, he was one of seven soldiers riding in the MRAP, which was going over a bridge when its tie rod snapped, disabling the steering. The vehicle went off the bridge and down the side of a mountain. While the other six soldiers were able to recover from their injuries, Carter, a sergeant, broke his neck (C4, C5-6) and was left unable to move his arms or legs.

“I don’t remember waking up,” he said. “I know I was flown to Germany for emergency surgery. I was

there seven days, then I was flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (in Bethesda, Maryland).

When I woke up, I thought I had been captured. They told me I wouldn’t be able to move my arms the rest of my life and I would be on a ventilator.

“But in two months, I got some movement in my arms. In seven months I could move my wrists.”

An avid pool player, he thought those days were over. But two years after his injury, he could position a pool cue on his shoulder and use his hands to play.

He chooses to look forward, not back at the day he was injured.

“I look at it as the day I survived,” he said before the Rosedale Golf Classic. “I look at it as being more positive. I am not about what happened to me. I am about what I choose to become.”

He said his Lithia home will help him forge a successful future.

“In the morning, it takes me two hours to get ready in my apartment,” he said. “In this home, I will have a ceiling lift to get out of bed. I don’t have a roll-in shower now, but I will have in my home, that is massive. I will be able to go in and out of rooms with door openers. Just the peace of mind is huge. I will be able to accomplish things I never imagined in terms of being independent.”

Gen. Richard Cody, the Homes for Our Troops’ chairman of the board, came to the Rosedale Golf Classic for the first time to celebrate the fundraising effort with Skelton, Kehoe and the community. Half the players in the Rosedale Golf Classic are Rosedale residents and the remaining are mostly members of the surrounding Lakewood Ranch-area community.

“You don’t have to look farther than Rosedale to see great American patriots,” Cody said. “We do a lot of these fundraisers, but the way this community looks up to, and gets together with, the soldiers is special. We have Americans from all walks of life here linked up with these veterans. It invigorates patriotism. And Deb and Kathi ... their energy is infectious. I think they were sergeant majors in another life.”

Homes for Our Troops currently has 77 projects being built across the nation. The nonprofit has turned over 377 home to veterans, a number that will increase to 400 before the end of the year. Homes for Our Troops has built 34 homes in Florida.

While it was the 11th golf tournament, it was the 12th year of the fundraising effort (the first year no golf tournament was held). It costs approximately $1 million to build an adaptive home. Carter was overwhelmed the community’s generosity.

“My emotions are starting to come back,” he said. “Now I can be genuinely happy.”

Photos by Jay Heater Christopher Blauvelt, the 2023 recipient of an adaptive home, joins Ashley Campbell, the girlfriend of 2024 recipient Rusty Carter, as Carter addresses the crowd.

Gen. Richard Cody, chairman of the board for Homes for Our Troops, addresses the crowd before the Rosedale Golf Classic.

Steady march toward another parade

Retired

Army Col. Gill Ruderman understands the annual Tribute to Heroes Parade in Lakewood Ranch has a dual purpose.

He said his fellow veterans are grateful that those who attend can salute the veterans and first responders who put their lives on the line to serve their country.

“The veterans look forward to it,” Ruderman said of the parade. “Some haven’t been honored or respected, yet. So it’s important.”

On the other hand, for the parade to function and be successful, it also has to provide activities and entertainment that will attract families on a holiday weekend.

That latter is OK with Ruderman, even though that might go against the somber theme of Memorial Day weekend because he knows it is a chance annually for veterans to interact with children. That might result in some indirect education.

“We recognize there will be families and children,” said Ruderman, who in 2016 was named Manatee County’s Veteran of the Year and who last year was the parade’s grand marshal. “We like the interaction with the kids. And when the kids see this (parade), they will remember.”

They could be asking their parents what it all means. We can only hope so.

Unless we see them in the movies, today’s soldiers operate in anonymity. The parade is a chance for all of us to meet the real-deal soldiers.

This year’s Tribute to Heroes Parade will be held May 26, running its usual course through Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Thousands of spectators are expected to once again line Lakewood Main Street.

Lakewood Ranch Community Activities’ Danielle Bugel, the marketing manager, and Joanna Bailey, director of events and partnerships,

are piecing together the parade participants with a little more than a month to go. They have 32 entries so far to be part of the parade procession, and they can take up to approximately 70 entries. They had 65 entries a year ago. They stress that those who want to enter the parade, whether a group, a nonprofit or a business, should sign up as soon as possible.

It’s a chance to help veterans — proceeds from the parade support VFW Braden River Post 12055 and the Del Webb Lakewood Ranch Association of Veterans and Military Supporters — and to expose their business/ mission to the masses.

Those who would like to sponsor the event should get on board soon as well. So far, six sponsors have

emerged, including main sponsors Veteran Air and Tommy’s Express Car Wash. Also along for the ride are Bob Boast Volkswagen, Veterans Affairs Law, Lakewood Ranch Communties, and Triple G’s Golf Carts. Anyone interested should email Bailey at Joanna@LWRCA.org. Anyone who wants to participate in any manner can also email Bailey. It is important for veterans to participate, not just to hear the applause, but to be present to share their stories and to show pride in their service.

Triple G’s Golf Carts is an interesting addition in 2024 since it will provide the mode of transportation for veterans who choose not to walk in the parade. The veterans have ridden in Corvettes in the past, but

getting in and out of the Corvettes proved to be troublesome for those veterans who are advanced in age. The golf carts will seat six veterans in a vehicle. Hopefully, they will be clearly marked to honor each soldier or first responder. All veterans have the option of riding or walking.

Music, as always, will come together late. Bugel and Bailey are working in the hope of getting musicians in the Lakewood Ranch High Marching Band to participate in the parade. It’s a tough time for a high school band because school has released for the summer and uniforms have been collected. However, the Marching Mustangs have shown up in the past, and they bring the event up a notch. Hearing those drums pound as they approach always gets my heart beating faster.

I would also hope the Braden River High marching band could be included, as well, in the future. This is a marquee event, and I would hope school administrators would want to support the veterans.

As usual, there will be bagpipers.

A block party will run from 5-6:30 p.m., and will feature live music from the band, I-Ruption, which plays reggae music. While the past two Tribute to Heroes Parades featured the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble and Aloha Ukulele, the move to more of a dance band should spice up the block party atmosphere.

I will miss the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble because they play marches, and what could be better for a parade atmosphere?

The VFW will have an information tent set up at the event if you want to talk to them about how they support area veterans in need, whether that means helping with a new refrigerator, car repairs, a roof or finding a place to stay if they are homeless. Ruderman noted that VFW Braden River Post 12055 has

no overhead, so any funds they collect go right to veterans in need.

“We also give scholarships to Lakewood Ranch and Braden River high school students,” he said.

Among the entries that have signed up are DD-214 Jeepers of Southwest Florida and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, which figures to have 25-30 motorcycles riding in the parade.

The 2023 parade had approximately 20 floats, and Bugel and Bailey said they will be about the same in 2024.

The staging area will be crowded this year as one lane of Health Park Way, which always has hosted the staging area, will be closed now that new apartments are open opposite from Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

Veterans who want a bite to eat before the parade can go to Lakewood Ranch Town Hall for a free light dinner. That service opens at 5 p.m.

It’s all new to Bugel, who will be working on the parade for the first time. However, she is fully invested.

Her grandfather, Emerson James Dillon Jr., was a New York State Trooper who was killed in the line of duty. Her father, James Giarrusso, is a retired policeman from Syracuse.

“This is special for me because it hits home,” Bugel said.

Being the grand marshal hit home for Ruderman a year ago.

“It meant more than I can express,” he said.

File photo Gill Ruderman, of Braden River VFW Post 12055, enjoys his ride as the 2023 Tribute to Heroes Parade grand marshal.

Jay

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Race tracks and homes can coexist

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LETTERS

I want to comment on Lesley Dwyer’s article in this week’s edition (Will new residents sound off about race track noise?) as to encroachment east and the effect of noise from the drag strip and speedway on S.R. 64, and on these new home subdivisions.

subdivision eastern boundary sound walls. Those costs need to be borne by builders and not by the owners of the Motorsports Park and Freedom Factory. In my mind, it is inevitable that there will be noise-related litigation. It is patently unfair to the owners (of these 50-year-old businesses) to have to undergo that litigation or to make major accommodations.  It is our government’s job to set the proper path forward so that any noise issue quickly becomes a non issue.

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RICK

SCHUKNECHT EAST COUNTY

County needs to speed up timeline for pickleball courts

My first duty station in the Navy was aboard a ship that was home-ported in Concord, California. One of my favorite off-duty memories was spending an evening at the (nearby) Antioch Motor Speedway. We would have some suds and watch the racing action. At that time, Antioch was just a very small riverfront town and the speedway was a major attraction. I spent the years 197174 there then came back for subsequent shipboard duty tours 1980-1984 and 1989-1995. The Antioch area grew in leaps and bounds during those 24-plus years, ever expanding eastward in what was known there as East County. (How about that?)

The Antioch Speedway faced then what our racing facilities here will face over the next decade. That is ever increasing residential density moving east versus noise from these (racing) facilities.

I have a few suggestions:

Owners of the Bradenton Motorsports Park and Freedom Factory should do some research as to how the Antioch Speedway overcame the resident vs. track noise issue. I believe that facility was founded in 1961, and then over the next four decades, Antioch and multiple residential zones around the Speedway started crowding around it. Noise issues did arise, yet the speedway is still alive and prospering. There must be some record of how the speedway (then and now) coexists with the homeowners.

The Manatee County Commission should consider passing a strong ordinance protecting these racing facilities from the inevitable lawsuits once the residential areas get close enough that noise issues arise. I don’t think it is enough that prospective buyers in that area are required to sign a Buyer Beware document.

The commission should further protect these facilities by requiring the builders of those subdivisions to take steps to protect those areas from noise. Simple things like full sound insulation for east-facing exterior walls and

I am writing to express my disappointment regarding the lack of progress on the Premier Park racket center. I don’t understand the continued foot dragging on a project that is so obviously needed.

I hear excuses that Lakewood Ranch has plenty of pickleball courts. That’s simply not true. Unless you live in a community with amenities that include pickleball courts, you are left to search for what few public courts are available.

Had I known I would be bitten by this pickleball bug when I moved into the area, I would have looked for communities with pickleball courts.

I and many of my friends and neighbors were excited when teased with a summer of 2023 date for the Premier Park courts to be complete. Then it was revised to November 2024. And now I hear it’s been hijacked for a date in June in 2026?

I understand the design committee wanting to get all the requirements and needs met for the aquatic center. But why should this drag down the racket facility? Do we not have the planning skills or funds to allow the racket center project to start now while the aquatic center gets finalized?

I urge our county officials to prioritize the development of the Premier Park racket center and take steps to expedite its construction. Investing in projects like these is essential for ensuring the health, happiness, and prosperity of our community both now and in the future.

THOMAS HIRT LAKEWOOD RANCH

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Elks Riders supports local family

The newly formed Lakewood Ranch Sarasota Elks Riders participates in its first Brain Injured Child Ride to support Bradenton family.

Cole Young during the national Brain Injured Child Ride on April 14. Young, 1, has cerebral palsy. He was born at 23 weeks and six days on March 27 and was rushed to Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Amy Smith, Young’s mother, said the birth of her son was unexpected as her pregnancy was going smoothly. Young spent 155 days in NICUs at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He finally was able to come home Aug. 27.

“I can’t believe how well he’s doing,” Smith said of Young. “There are a lot of uncertainties right now, but just seeing him smile is enough. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see that.”

After months of having to visit her son in a hospital and learning to advocate for a child with cerebral palsy as well as knowing every day is uncertain, Smith was ecstatic an organization like the Elk Riders was willing to support her family.

“I didn’t realize anything like this was possible,” Smith said. “You hear about it, but for it to be your family and your son, it gives me chills.”

Burke said it was an honor to have the Lakewood Ranch Sarasota

WANT TO HELP?

Anyone interested in donating to the Elks Riders’ Brain Injured Child Ride to support Bradenton’s Cole Young can drop off or send donations to the Bradenton Elks Lodge No. 1511 at 2511 75th St. W. in Bradenton. Make a note in the memo that the money is for the Brain Injured Child Ride.

Elks Riders participate in the Brain Injured Child Ride.  Burke said the chapter, which has 20 members, is brainstorming ways to support the community, but he hopes the Lakewood Ranch Sarasota chapter can support a family on its own for future Brain Injured Child Rides. The chapter became officially recognized in January.

“We just want to experience maybe one or two (events) that other lodges happen to host so we can get a grasp and know what we need to do on the back end with planning, preparation and execution when we get there,” he said. “We have a lot of potential going forward. I’m excited. The group we have is really into it. Everyone wants to step up and get involved.”

David Vargas, MD offers comprehensive primary care for the entire family, ages 12 and older.

He specializes in the following areas:

• Preventive medicine

• Annual wellness examinations and screenings

• School, sports and work physicals

• Immunizations

• Well-woman exams

• Medicare wellness exams

• Management of acute illness and chronic disorders

• Minor in-office surgical procedures

Dr. Vargas earned his medical degree from the Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. He completed his Family Medicine residency at the Lehigh Valley Health Network hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Vargas speaks both English and Spanish.

To make an appointment, call 866-515-9777 lakewoodranchmedicalgroup.com

SPORTS

Fast Break

Former Lakewood Rancharea gymnast Jaden Blank, a freshman at the United States Military Academy (West Point), finished second in the all-around (77.600) at the 2024 Eastern College Athletic Conference Men’s Gymnastics Championships, held April 6 at Springfield College. The Black Knights finished third as a team.

… Former Lakewood Ranch High softball player Claire Davidson, a senior at Duke University, went 5-10 with two home runs and 10 RBIs April 12-14 in the Blue Devils’ three-game road sweep of Clemson University. As of April 15, Davidson leads Duke with a .455 average, 15 home runs and 56 RBIs through 41 games. The Blue Devils are 37-4 and ranked No. 3 by Softball America.

… Braden River High softball sophomore Kaydence Evans went 3-4 with three doubles and four RBIs on April 10 in the Pirates’ 20-0 road win over Southeast High. Evans is hitting .444 with 19 RBIs as of April 15. Evans also holds a 2.00 ERA in 42 innings as a pitcher.

… Lakewood Ranch High boys track and field junior Jonathan Leatt won the 800-meter run (2:00.34) and the 1,600-meter run (4:35.62) at the 2024 Manatee County Championships, held April 11 at Manatee High. The Mustangs also won the team championship.

… Lakewood Ranch High girls track and field junior Savannah Adams won the 800-meter run (2:32.83) at the 2024 Manatee County Championships, held April 11 at Manatee High. Adams also helped the Mustangs’ 4x800-meter relay team to a win (10:55.52) alongside freshman Addison Shear, junior Kyleigh Halloran and freshman Julia Mulligan. The Mustangs won the team championship.

“Our team chemistry is good. We just need to stay focused on our end goal (a state championship) and make sure everyone knows the objective.”

— Cardinal Mooney High’s Gio Zanoni

WILL IT BE ANOTHER CLASSIC?

The Korn Ferry Tour will return to the area April 18-21 for its sixth-annual Classic with an intriguing field.

RYAN

KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

Justin Kristich still gets nervous.  Even though Kristich, the LECOM Suncoast Classic tournament director, has put the event together six times now, the butterflies remain until the first round of the Korn Ferry Tour event gets underway at Lakewood National Golf Club.

“I think everyone in the business probably has that feeling,” Kristich said. “Until spectators start coming in, you’re always nervous about something. You just don’t necessarily know what (could happen).”  Kristich’s nerves will soon be gone. The 2024 Suncoast Classic will run April 18-21, and there’s as much for golf fans to experience at the event as ever. Kristich said that thanks to advertising campaigns, this year’s event has generated approximately twice as many advance ticket sales as the 2023 event. Kristich declined to give an exact prediction on fan turnout, as the Suncoast Classic generates a large portion of its ticket sales from walk-up purchases, but he’s optimistic — and hoping for good weather throughout the weekend, he said.

Kristich said the 18th green at Lakewood National will feature a new bleacher section and a Tito’s mobile bar this year, and the No. 17 hole will feature a Michelob Ultra Lounge. Suncoast Classic spectators tend to gravitate to those areas, Kristich said, which is why they are the focus of the upgrades. It also means that, after six years of tournaments, the space around the 18th green is close to maxed out, Kristich said. In future years, more upgrades will go to the 17th hole and elsewhere along the course.

This year’s Classic will also feature a new charitable initiative, with every birdie sank on the No. 18 hole sending $50 to Suncoast Blood Centers — all the more reason for fans to cheer for low scores. There will also be a free clinic for junior golfers on April 20 at 2 p.m., giving kids a chance to improve their skills and ask KFT players questions. Parents with junior golfers in the clinic will receive free admission to the event that day. To sign up a junior golfer for the clinic, visit LECOMSuncoastClassic.com.

While fan zones are fun and charitable initiatives are helpful, the Suncoast Classic is still about good golf first. To that end, the Classic will be home to several intriguing golfers in 2024. They are intriguing for various reasons including their talent, their home base, their story, their family, or even their age.

Here’s a snapshot of six golfers

playing in the Classic and why they are worth watching:

KEVIN ROY

Roy, who lives in Lakewood Ranch, has taken a bumpy road to golf success, but he’s finally found some success in recent years after turning pro in 2012, reaching the PGA Tour in 2023 and fighting to get back there in 2024. Roy once shot a 59 at Lakewood National, his personal-best round, while playing with family in 2023.

A repeat performance at the Suncoast Classic would put Roy in prime position.

DANNY WALKER

Walker is a Lakewood Ranch High alumnus who turned professional in 2018 after graduating from the University of Virginia. He’s had a difficult start to his Korn Ferry Tour career, playing in 48 events since 2019 and only making the cut in 21 of them, with two top-10 finishes and one top-five finish. As of April 9, Walker is 90th on the KFT points list and has made $22,567 in 2024.

As Kevin Roy has shown, a golfer’s career can turn around at any time. For Walker, his career could be jumpstarted with a strong outing at the Suncoast Classic.

Walker’s best 2024 finish was his most recent, as he tied for 14th (nine under par) at the Club Car Championship, held April 4-7 at The Landings Golf and Athletic Club in Savannah, Georgia. He played the Suncoast Classic in 2019, shooting three under par and missing the cut.

MILES RUSSELL

Russell, who is from Jacksonville Beach, can’t yet get his Florida driver’s license, but don’t discount him as a contender.  Russell, 15, got an exemption to play in the event. He’s one of the top junior golfers in the world, evidenced by his No. 1 ranking by the American Junior Golf Association. He won both the Boys’ Junior PGA Championship and the Junior PLAYERS Championship in August 2023. When Russell was named the AJGA Rolex Boys Player of the Year in November, he became the youngest player to receive the honor, breaking a record set 32 years ago — by Tiger Woods.

At the Suncoast Classic, fans will get to see how this young talent does against the pros.

HARRY HIGGS

After playing on the PGA Tour in 2023, Higgs failed to keep his Tour card and fell back to the Korn Ferry Tour for 2024. In five KFT events this season, Higgs has made just two cuts, but both resulted in top-20 fin-

IF YOU GO

LECOM SUNCOAST CLASSIC

When: April 18-21

Where: Lakewood National Golf Club, 17605 Lakewood National Parkway, Lakewood Ranch

Parking location: Premier Sports Campus, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch (Free trolleys will take spectators to the main entrance; trolleys will run for 30 minutes following the conclusion of each round.)

Tickets: General admission tickets are $20 for a single day or $60 for the week. Champions Club tickets, which provide access to an elevated view of the 18th green and include food, beer, wine, soft drinks and liquor, are $175 per day or $650 for the week. Military, first responders and teachers will receive free admission for themselves and a guest each day. Children 17 and under will also receive free admission. More information: Visit LECOMSuncoastClassic.com.

ishes. He’s earned $31,500 in 2024.

Higgs will be playing the Suncoast Classic for the second time. In 2019, Higgs finished tied for 25th at 12 under par.

DAVIS SHORE

Shore, who lives in Sarasota, turned pro in 2021 after graduating from the University of Alabama.

Shore began playing Korn Ferry Tour events this year, and though he’s played in three, he has already tied for 11th (13 under par) at the Astara Chile Classic, held March 7-10 at Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago, Chile. He’s earned $22,963 this year.

AUSTIN LEMIEUX

If that last name sounds familiar to hockey fans, yes, Lemieux is the son of Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame forward Mario Lemieux, who ranks eighth all-time with 1,723 points.

Austin Lemieux attempted to follow in his father’s skates, but his hockey career came to an end after college, when he played at Arizona State University. He then turned to golf, another sport he loved.

Lemieux is still an amateur golfer, mostly playing events on the developmental Minor League Golf Tour.

File photo Former Lakewood Ranch High athlete Jaden Blank is a freshman on the United States Military Academy men’s gymnastics team. He just had a big effort at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Men’s Gymnastics Championships.

Courtesy image

In 2024 former Lakewood Ranch High and University of Virginia golfer Danny Walker will play in the LECOM Suncoast Classic for the second time.

Pirates getting hot as playoffs approach

After an up-and-down start to 2024, the Pirates have shown mental fortitude and have stayed the course.

After 12 innings of baseball spanning four hours, Uriel Barrios sent everyone home.

With Braden River High (10-10) and Lakewood Ranch High (9-8-1) tied at 1, Barrios, a Braden River junior, smacked a base hit past the Mustangs’ infielders and into left field. The home Braden River crowd erupted. Junior Camden Pope rounded third base and sprinted home to give the Pirates a 2-1 win, and the rest of the team sprinted to Barrios, giving him plenty of shoulder bumps. Barrios’ hit was just the 10th hit of the game for both teams combined, with the Pirates managing six and the Mustangs managing four. The game was a test of mental focus as much as it was a test of skill. In the 12th inning — the equivalent of 1.7 typical high school baseball games, which last seven innings — players on both teams were frustrated by the lack of offensive punch. It was Braden River that finally capitalized on its opportunity.

That, according to Braden River head coach Greg Creek, is no stroke of luck.

“It is so easy in baseball to be an individual and focus on your stats,” Creek said. “We are trying to get these guys to, day in and day out, focus on the task at hand instead of the result. We try to keep our emotions in check, which is hard for some of these guys. It’s an emotional game, it’s a roller coaster. These guys are maturing in front of us.”  The win over Lakewood Ranch is not the only big game the team

has recently won. On April 6, the Pirates won 8-2 over Venice High (17-2) on the road. Venice entered that game on a 16-game winning streak and is ranked as the No. 1 team in Florida High School Class 7A, and No. 4 in the state, by MaxPreps as of April 12. Yet, the Pirates blasted the Indians’ pitching, hitting five extra-base hits, and held the Indians’ offense to six hits. Overall, the Pirates have won three of four after a four-game losing streak.

Has the team blossomed at the right time? Creek believes so. The Pirates have five regular-season games left before district tournaments begin April 29. At that point, games will get tighter and the intensity will skyrocket. Learning to win close games now will prepare the team for the road ahead, Creek said.

Creek, who is in year two with Braden River, would know. He spent five seasons playing minor league baseball in the Atlanta Braves organization, reaching the Double-A level and hitting .263 for his career. Though Creek never reached the majors, he learned how to play the game with a professional mindset. That is something Creek is now trying to pass onto his players, he said.  Creek wants the Pirates to handle their business like a pro ball player would, meaning never getting too high or too low after making a great play or a mistake. Success and failure are not one-time things.

Baseball, Creek said, requires constant improvement. Every drill is an opportunity to get better, whether

that means a session in the batting cages or outfield pop-up practice. High school players are not always going to make the right decisions, Creek said, but they can take the right approach, which will help

them make the right decision next time.

Unwavering focus leading to later successes: It sounds a lot like the formula the Pirates used against Lakewood Ranch. Barrios, who

excels more as a pitcher than a hitter, entered his 12th-inning at-bat 0-4, and hitting .130 for the season according to MaxPreps statistics. It was Barrios who put all of that aside in his mind to get the hit the team needed.

“I wanted the game to be over,” Barrios said, wiping drops of sweat and water off his face. “I knew in the back of my head that I was going to be the guy to do it.”

And about that water cooler bath Barrios received after his game winning hit?

“I’m actually freezing now,” Barrios said. “My pants are soaking wet — everything’s soaking wet. But it’s refreshing. We got the win.”

It would have been easy for the Pirates to fold against Lakewood Ranch, just like it would have been easy to fold after that four-game losing streak — two of which came against the Mustangs. Braden River did not fold in either scenario. The Pirates’ pitching staff, which holds a 2.88 ERA, and team defense have carried the team while the offense finds itself. Barrios has a 1.26 ERA over 33.1 innings. Junior Nick Curbelo, who started against Lakewood Ranch, has a 2.14 ERA over 32.2 innings.

Braden River will, at some point, need its bats to awaken. Hitting .219 as a team will not be good enough to win with consistency. But there is something to be said for keeping composure, for getting the hits you need when you need them the most.

It’s what Creek hopes will continue.

“We are never going to hit a bunch of home runs,” Creek said. “We grind out games. We throw strikes. We make plays on defense. And in close games, we can get the big hit. We’re getting tougher and tougher.”

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Braden River High baseball juniors Jacoby Cox (6) and Nick Curbelo (9) cel-

ebrate with junior Uriel Barrios (2) after Barrios’ game-winning RBI against Lakewood Ranch High on April 11.

Junior Uriel Barrios leads off the game for Braden River High baseball against Lakewood Ranch High on April 11. Barrios would eventually get the game-winning hit and RBI in the 12th inning.

Gio Zanoni

Gio Zanoni is a senior boys lacrosse player at Cardinal Mooney High. Zanoni, who lives in Greyhawk Landing, leads the Cougars with 41 points (21 goals, 20 assists) as of April 15. The Cougars are 11-5.

When did you start playing lacrosse? I got into it when I was 5 because of my cousin, Joey Powers. He passed away when I was little (in 2010), but he went to Cardinal Mooney, too. He inspired me to keep playing the game. I wanted to make him proud.

What is the appeal to you now?

The history of the game. It is centuries old. It’s called ‘the medicine game’ because it was created (by Native Americans) for healing the mind, body and spirit. I love the meaning behind it.

What is your best ability?

I have a good lacrosse IQ. I can see the field well and I have a good shot. What have you been working to improve? I have been working on my dodging this season. I want to create offense instead of waiting for it. It has been a work in progress this year, for sure.

What is your favorite memory?

My first goal. I was 6 years old and playing with my brother’s (Tony Zanoni) team of U12 kids because the organization (Lakewood Ranch Lightning) didn’t have a ‘B team.’ I don’t think I played a lot that year, but I did score a goal, so I must have done something right.

What has gone right for Mooney this season?

We have a lot of talent. A lot of guys have great stick skills and great lacrosse IQ. Our team chemistry is good. We just need to stay fo cused on our end goal (of a state championship) and make sure everyone knows the objective.

What is your favorite food?

I have to go with chicken Alfredo.

If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Ryan Kohn at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

What is your favorite school subject?

Photography. It gives you the ability to get creative and express yourself. It’s open. It’s whatever you want to do. That’s how lacrosse is, too, in a way. It’s read and react based on what you see. You make the best of it.

What are your hobbies?

My friends and I play a lot of basketball and other sports outside of lacrosse.

What is the best advice you have received?

Stay true to yourself on and off the field. You have to know who you are and what you want before you can make any kind of impact anywhere.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

YOUR NEIGHBORS

BLOCK PARTY ROCKS

Dhurricane guides.

The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance’s Block Party and Club Day on April 12 gave Lakewood Ranch CERT an opportunity to meet new residents or people considering a move to the area. They educated them not only about CERT but how to be prepared for hurricane season.

“We’re all about educating our neighbors to make our communi-

ties safer,” said Lorraine Lakes’ Gary Cockfield, who also is a CERT board member. It wasn’t all serious business, as the block party lived up to its billing. The band Hangtime entertained those who attended and plenty of activities were available for both kids and adults.

The Block Party and Club Day filled Main Street at Lakewood Ranch with dozens of local businesses and clubs to give people a glimpse at what is available in Lakewood Ranch.

— LIZ RAMOS

el Webb’s Sheree Parke stood with other members of the Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team handing out

Charlie Meserve looks at the moon through a big telescope.

Photos by Liz Ramos Chester, an umbrella cockatoo, loves talking to people like Lakewood Ranch’s Jana Marra and Sarasota’s Lethe Kazeh-Anfo.

Hangtime gets people up and dancing.

Jaclyn Pearson, owner of Happy Hooves Mobile Ranch, allows people to interact with Freckles, a bunny on its first outing since being born a few weeks ago.

Baby Fox Academy infant teacher Katie Evans, voluntary pre-K teacher Jana Tardiff and preschool teacher Debbie Mottad provide activities for children while dressed as foxes.

YOUR CALENDAR

Premier Sports Campus and includes a shuttle to Lakewood National. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit LECOMSuncoastClassic.com.

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs from 4:30-7:30 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Fat Tracks Band (Friday), Black Snake Bayou Band (Saturday) and Al Fuller (Sunday). The Friday and Saturday concerts have a $5 cover; the other concerts are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19 AND SATURDAY, APRIL 20

BIG TEN INVITATIONAL

Begins at 8:30 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The best women’s college rowers in the Big Ten Conference, plus select invitees from other conferences, will converge on Nathan Benderson Park to battle for the Big Ten Invitational Regatta title. Races are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. both days, but the schedule is subject to change. The event is free to attend, though on-site parking is $10 per day. For more information, visit BigTen.org or NathanBendersonPark.org.

BEST BET

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

GRAND OPENING OF WATERSIDE

PARK Runs noon-3 p.m. at Waterside Park, 7301 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. Join Lakewood Ranch Communities for the official grand opening of the park. The event on the eight-acre island community park on the shore of Kingfisher Lake will include local food trucks, live music by the Jesse Daniels Band, a photo booth, caricaturists, inflatables, face painting and more activities for kids. The park includes a splash pad, volleyball courts, an event lawn, walking paths, exercise pods, hammocks, pavilions and restrooms.

It is connected to Waterside Place by a pedestrian bridge. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs 6-9 p.m. at 1560 Lakefront Drive, Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch. On Friday, musician/singer Frankie Lombardi will perform a free concert for those strolling the streets of Waterside Place. On Saturday, singer/songwriter Jesse Bryant entertains the crowd. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 21

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

Begins at 6 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The 2024 Sarasota International Dragon Boat Festival, hosted by Nathan Benderson Park, is a chance for both established and entry-level dragon boat teams to compete against clubs from around the world. The event is free for spectators, though on-site parking is $10. For more information, visit NathanBendersonPark.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

RANCH NIGHT WEDNESDAYS

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at 1561 Lakefront Drive, Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The weekly event includes good trucks, live music, a night market, a vintage mobile bar, and a recreational cornhole league. For more information, go to Events@ LakewoodRanch.com.

Kids revved up for ‘Cars’

Bradenton 4-year-old Alejandra Garcia made the right choice for the occasion. She picked a muscle car flame to be painted on her face before Movie in the Park began at Waterside Place April 12. The movie for the night? “Cars.”

Despite a windy night, families flocked to the monthly event alongside Kingfisher Lake.

Grace Church hosts the event on the second Friday of every month at Waterside Park and always brings a treat for the crowd.

On April 12, it was cotton candy, going to the first 300 patrons for free.

A line of inflatables, including skeeball, T-ball and a bounce castle, tired the kids out before “Cars” played.

The movie screen was inflatable, standing 30 feet high, far larger than the TV 2-year-old Veda Dixon has at home.

Veda said it was her first movie night. She is a big Lightning McQueen fan, and she was not alone.

The grass was thick with blankets and lawn chairs full of McQueen and Mater fans.

The next Movie in the Park is scheduled for May 10.

“I had no idea my teeth would look this good!”

“Dr. Jeffrey Martins and the team at Paradise Dental make you feel like you have known them your whole life. They are such warm and caring people.

My teeth were such a mess when I started going. It’s one of those things where life gets busy and you just don’t take care of your teeth as much. I’m 71 and I still work, but I realized I had bad teeth. I had a chip or two, and the teeth in the front were half the size that they are now. They were a mess! So getting them fixed was a major transformation, no question about it!

I chose Paradise Dental because I heard of Dr. Jeffrey Martins’ work and his passion for reconstructive dentistry - and that’s what I experienced. The result was like night and day! I had no idea my teeth would look this good!

Dr. Martins definitely knows what he is doing. He is incredibly knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly. Plus, his whole team is so warm and caring. They make you feel like you are the only one in the room. They are always smiling and making sure you’re doing ok. The whole process was smooth and pain-free.

I never recommend anyone if I don’t truly believe in them. Dr. Martins and his team are what I call HTP - Highly Trained Professionals. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.” - Roy S.

Jeffrey Martins, DDS

— LESLEY DWYER

Kaye and Veda Dixon enjoy some popcorn before the movie. Kids line up to have their faces painted before the movie starts.

Skeeball is one of four inflatables provided by Grace Church for the monthly movie night at Waterside Park. Stefano Flores, 2, practices throwing a football.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

When the sun goes down, the movie starts.

Keeping up with the baby

Various support groups in the Lakewood Ranch area help women be fit enough to handle mom duties.

mom, physically and spiritually,” Picciotto said. “We do workouts, but we’re also big on community because new moms are lacking that.”

FITNESS CLASSES Picciotto opened Fit4Mom after moving from California to Lakewood Ranch two years ago when she found that a franchise didn’t exist in the area. Fit4Mom celebrated its first anniversary on April 12 at The Green.  “We focus on the wellness of the

After the workout is finished, the kids come out of the strollers for a play date.  “It’s optional if you want to stay, but usually we all hang out after,” Brianna Maschmeyer said. “We get a mental break, and the babies get to play.”

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Jennifer Marin gets into a deep squat. She joined Fit4Mom while pregnant. Her son Noah is 6 months old.

Stephanie Soler has been a member of Fit4Mom since it opened a year ago. Her daughter Clementine is 18 months old.

Stephanie Soler described her now 18-month-old Clementine as a “little, round potato” when they first started classes a year ago.

“It’s a great group,” Soler said. “Clementine’s really grown with everybody. We have lots of friends here.”

A Fit4Mom membership costs $79 a month, and $25 to drop in for one class. Membership comes with events outside of exercising. Picciotto organizes special play dates for the babies and nights out for the moms.

While it’s not as interactive, Barre3 on Lakewood Ranch Main Street offers a play lounge for kids, so moms can workout in peace. The play lounge costs $12 per class or $100 for 10 classes.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center offers a weekly support group for new moms called Little Nippers.

The group meets on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. There’s a facilitator but no end time. Moms can let out whatever is on their minds and get answers on subjects from breastfeeding to sleep training.

“Our moms’ groups and the education provided have been enormously successful and helpful,” Director of Marketing Lori Boyd said. “Moms look to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center for evidence-based advice and counseling.”

The class is designed to cover the first year of motherhood.

Another group that offers parenting information is the MomCo at Lakewood Ranch Baptist Church.

The MomCo, formerly known as MOPS, meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month from September through May.

The group brings in speakers on universal topics, such as women’s health and child development, but also presents topics like infancy loss.  “We connect with each other in a special way that only another mom can understand,” Women’s Ministry Coordinator Heather Bellaire said.

Members of the MomCo do not have to be members of the church. The group is open to any mom in the area, including those with older children.

An annual membership costs $115, with an additional $150 per child. Childcare is offered for ages 6 months to 5 years old.

PLAYTIME

The MomCo also offers a play aspect, but this playtime is for the moms. Moms are the ones making the crafts. They’ve done yoga and learned to line dance. They even participate in the Mom Olympics at the end of each season.

Any mom can try out the last session on May 1 for free. Registration for next year will open thereafter. An open house for the upcoming year will be held on Aug. 28, and the first meeting is on Sept. 4. Risen Savior Lutheran Church at Lakewood Ranch offers Mornings with Mommy four times a month.  The sessions have different themes but follow the same format. The morning starts with language and literacy activities, then the child and caretaker rotate through stations at their own pace. The stations include crafts and activities that promote fine and gross motor skills.

While the class is called Mornings with Mommy, dads, grandparents and nannies are also welcome to attend. Sessions cost $5 per family and fill up quickly, so register ahead of time. The upcoming sessions are themed for Mother’s Day and will be held on May 7 and 8.

Please keep The Food Bank of Manatee in mind to donate any unopened, non-perishable food items. Over the summer months, food donations dry up during the most crucial time of year. The Food Bank of Manatee, a PLUS program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, provides critically needed food for students over the 9 week summer break. Please help us Feed Manatee!

You can help The Food Bank of Manatee provide hunger- relief to those in need by hosting a food drive and collecting nonperishable foods. To have a yellow donation barrel dropped off at your neighborhood, clubhouse, gym or civic organization, call 941-747-FOOD or email info@mealsonwheelsplus.org.

The Food Bank of Manatee is in critical need of the following nonperishable foods:

• Canned tuna, chicken, or salmon

• Peanut butter

• Meals in a can (soup, stew, chili)

• Canned vegetables

• Canned fruit in its own juice or water

• Baby Food, Diapers & Formula

• Canned foods with pop-top lids

• Low-sugar whole grain cereals

• Healthy snacks (granola bars, nuts and dried fruit)

Guide dog program comes to LWR

Southeastern Guide Dogs brings ‘Beyond the Dark’ to Lakewood Ranch Cinema.

Katie McCoy stood on a stage with scenery made to look like a bus while her guide dog, Bristol, laid at her feet.

An audio recording of McCoy’s thoughts of her trying to get from a cafe to a farmers market by taking a bus played aloud. In the recording, McCoy almost was hit by a car while crossing the street.

With a blindfold over their eyes, dozens of people listened intently, hearing the anxiety and fear in McCoy’s voice. The blindfold simulated an experience of someone who is visually impaired. McCoy has retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic eye disorder that involves the breakdown and loss of cells in the retina.

When the audio recording was complete, everyone was able to remove their blindfolds.

But for McCoy, every day is like living with a blindfold on at all times.

Through the multisensory presentation “Beyond the Dark,” people were able to hear McCoy’s story of how she lived in darkness for 24 years until she received a guide dog, Bristol, from Southeastern Guide Dogs.

The audio of McCoy’s travels provided insight into the life of a person who is visually impaired.

“The thing about the darkness is you can’t move beyond it until you’re willing to ask for help,” McCoy said. “(Bristol) takes a world filled with fear and helps me navigate it. Bristol is the wish my heart made before I even knew what I was wishing for.”

McCoy, who is an associate director of philanthropy for the nonprofit, will share her story through “Beyond the Dark” at Lakewood Ranch Cinema on April 25.

It will be the first time Southeastern Guide Dogs has given the pre-

IF YOU GO

‘BEYOND THE DARK’

When: 5:30-7 p.m., April 25

Where: Lakewood Ranch Cinema, 10715 Rodeo Drive, No. 8, Lakewood Ranch

Cost: $20

Details: Southeastern Guide Dogs provides a multisensory presentation in which a Sean Brown, a veteran, and Katie McCoy, who is visually impaired, share their stories of how the nonprofit helped change their lives.

More information: GuideDogs.org/Blog/

Events/Lakewood-Ranch-Cinemas/

sentation off campus. The nonprofit typically gives the presentation once a month at its Palmetto-based campus.

“Beyond the Dark” gives people an opportunity to hear from McCoy, as well as Sean Brown, a retired U.S. Army sergeant who received a service dog from Southeastern Guide Dogs when he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.  Brown, who is an associate director of philanthropy for the nonprofit, said it’s important for people to get a behind-the-scenes at the reality of what veterans and people who are visually impaired live with every day.

Courtesy image

Katie McCoy, an associate director of philanthropy for Southeastern Guide Dogs, will talk about how Bristol, her guide dog, brings her out of darkness every day.

Grand Opening of 9 Models by the Area's Finest Builders

NOW INTRODUCING THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY.

With new models to tour and tremendous sales activity, Wild Blue at Waterside is excited to introduce its newest release of luxury homes. The new waterfront community by Stock Development boasts an enviable location in Lakewood Ranch, luxury single-family homes by the area’s finest builders, and incredible amenities. The extraordinary lifestyle includes a 13-acre sports complex, and a spectacular social clubhouse, with indoor and outdoor dining, two pools, a movie theater, fitness center, and a 9-hole premier putting course. It’s no wonder Wild Blue at Waterside is fast becoming one of the most sought-after communities in Sarasota.

VISIT TODAY, TOUR OUR BEAUTIFUL MODELS AND CHOOSE YOUR DREAM HOME!

Sales Center: 8396 Sea Glass Court, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240 l 941.313.3852 From University Parkway turn south onto Lorraine Road and follow the signs to Wild Blue at Waterside WildBluelwr.com

Ahome in Lake Club topped all transactions in this week’s real estate.

Ronald and Joni Berrettini, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 16416 Daysailor Trail to Timothy and Michelle Haney, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2,945,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,989 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.84 million in 2020.

LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE

Drew and Shannon Link, of Parrish, sold their home at 756 Crosswind Ave. to Barbara and Stephen Watters, of Sarasota, for $2,125,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,903 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,161,000 in 2020.

SHOREVIEW

Bryan and Laura Schoening sold their home at 7992 Grande Shores Drive to Mark Friedman, trustee, of Millsboro, Delaware, for $1.87 million. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,083 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.25 million in 2021.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Harriet Reiter, trustee, and Kenneth Higginbotham, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 7211 Prestbury Circle to Michaël and Maryellen Hussey, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.6 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,790 square feet of living area.

John and Caroline May, of Apex, North Carolina, sold their home at 16620 Collingtree Crossing to Shelly Brown Alore, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.3 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,566 square feet of living area.

RIVERDALE REVISED

William Koza, of Carpentersville, Illinois, sold the home at 4742 Mainsail Drive to Stephen Morra and Noelle Sue Chalfant-Morra, of Bridgewater, New Jersey, for $1.55 million. Built in 2006, it has six bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,639 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.04 million in 2020.

LAKE CLUB

Jeffrey Peter Dooley, of Greenbrae, California, sold his home at 8233 Pavia Way to Charles Berardesco and Jeffrey Thurston, trustees, of Washington, D.C., for $1,525,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,638 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,096,800 in 2022.

WINDWARD

Neal Communities of Southwest Florida LLC sold the home at 2503 Star Apple Way to Joseph Stephen Crotty and Ao Yang, of Sarasota, for $1,481,100. Built in 2023, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,711 square feet of living area.

Michael and Kari Feeney sold their home at 2530 Paradise Plum Drive to Thomas Gordon and Melanie Saunooke, of Sarasota, for $1.28 million. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,857 square feet of living area. It sold for $695,500 in 2022.

Neal Communities of Southwest Florida LLC sold the home at 2617 Butterfly Jasmine Trail to Randall Bennett and Constance Bennett, trustees, of Sarasota, for $1,027,400. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,700 square feet of living area.

ESPLANADE Gilbert Bosse Jr. sold his home

at 4904 Tivoli Run to Eric and Jamie Hoolahan, of Bradenton, for $1,375,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,006 square feet of living area. It sold for $614,200 in 2016.

Craig and Susan Renwick sold their home at 12834 Del Corso Loop to Carolyn and Matthew Vartanian, of Laguna Niguel, California, for $699,000. Built in 2012, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,872 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2019.

James and Judith Bieber sold their home at 12631 Sorrento Way to Daniel Krueger and Claudia Krueger, trustees, of Darien, Illinois, for $650,000. Built in 2018, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,650 square feet of living area. It sold for $337,500 in 2018.

EDGEWATER

Toni and James Turner, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8358 Sailing Loop to Terese Joyce, trustee, of Osprey, for $1.05 million. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,617 square feet of living area. It sold for $440,000 in 2016.

Mary and John O’Donoghue, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 8466 Sailing Loop to Michael Antonetti and Jerry Antonetti, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $779,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,105 square feet of living area. It sold for $630,000 in 2021.

MALLORY PARK

Christine and Chad Fraser, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11423 Golden Bay Place to Sean Dreznin and Alani Nadworny, of Bradenton, for $1 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,008 square feet of living area. It sold for $564,300 in 2017.

ARBOR GRANDE

Larry Harness and Elizabeth Crosseto, of Sarasota, sold their home at 12136 Gannett Place to Jason and Jennifer Hilliard, of Arvada, Colorado, for $910,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, four-and-ahalf baths and 3,625 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,900 in 2018.

RYE WILDERNESS ESTATES

John and Jana McKee, of Fort Collins, Colorado, sold their home at 115 166th St. N.E. to Ashley Caroline Walsh and Thomas Walsh, of Bradenton, for $875,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,559 square feet. It sold for $520,000 in 2019.

Thomas and Ashley Walsh, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16716 Fourth Ave. N.E. to James and Izabela Merrigan, of Bradenton, for $875,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,966 square feet

for $465,000 in 2021.

HERITAGE HARBOUR

Robert Clinton Dean and Michelle Lynn Dean, of Surprise, Arizona, sold their home at 6734 Rookery Lane to Anthony Lopapa and Deborah Lee Williams, of Bradenton, for $812,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,268 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,300 in 2016.

Richard and Yolanda Stevens, of New Britain, Connecticut, sold their home at 6516 Willowshire Way to Mark Francis Ward and Sandra Elaine Ward, of Newfoundland, Canada, for $659,900. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,006 square feet of living area. It sold for $319,000 in 2018.

TREYMORE AT THE VILLAGES OF PALM AIRE

Richard and Stacy Ridenour, of Mills River, North Carolina, sold their home at 4744 Carrington Circle to Donn Robinson Githens III and Jenny Mary Githens, of Sarasota, for $799,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,442 square feet of living area. It sold for $485,000 in 2013.

Dona Elstun, of Coral Gables, sold the home at 4888 Carrington Circle to Gerald Cook Jr. and Holly Cook, trustees, of Sarasota, for $715,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,362 square feet of living area. It sold for $347,500 in 2001.

This Lakehouse Cove at Waterside home at 756 Crosswind Ave. sold for $2,125,000. It has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,903 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CLUB

Gary and Margo Lovett, trustees, of Lenoir City, Tennessee, sold the home at 7312 Lake Forest Glen to Jeffrey and Grace Schantz, of Lakewood Ranch, for $775,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,228 square feet of living area. It sold for $325,000 in 2009.

BRIDGEWATER

Robert and Kathleen Cestaro, of Parrish, sold their home at 13110 Belknap Place to Karen and James Hankins, of Bradenton, for $740,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,252 square feet of living area. It sold for $416,300 in 2014.

Calum and Tara Middleton, of Mansfield, Texas, sold their home at 5518 Foxfire Run to James and Stacey Bargar, of Bradenton, for $725,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,268 square feet of living area. It sold for $455,000 in 2019.

DEL WEBB

Roger Steven Bonk and Jocelyn Bonk, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 16935 Winthrop Place to Karl and Mary Anne Rose, of Bradenton, for $739,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,832 square feet of living area. It sold for $690,000 in 2022.

MILL CREEK ROAD

Michael Joseph Hofer and Monica Joiner, of Inglis, sold their home at 1120 Mill Creek Road to Charles David Lee and Chrissie Rae Lee, of Bradenton, for $695,000. Built in 1981, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 1,569 square feet of living area. It sold for $262,000 in 2014.

COACH HOMES AT LAKEWOOD

NATIONAL

Marianne Sargent and Edward Bonneau III, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 6422 condominium at 6065 Worsham Lane to Neuch Properties

LLC for $680,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $418,000 in 2021.

COUNTRY CREEK

Dwight and Donna Priest, of Wimauma, sold their home at 143 Mill Run E. to Jessica Brennan, of Bradenton, for $680,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,449 square feet of living area. It sold for $338,000 in 2015.

PALM WEST

Lawrence and Deborah Desiano, of Baltimore, sold their home at 5317 Gardens Drive to Cengiz Dincoglu and Yasemin Gul, of Sarasota, for $680,000. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,331 square feet of living area. It sold for $340,000 in 2015.

CENTRAL PARK

Peruvamba and Jayashree Venkatesh, of Ashburn, Virginia, sold their home at 12084 Longview Lake Circle to Todd and Pamela Nass, of Bradenton, for $665,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,568 square feet of living area. It sold for $394,400 in 2015.

HARMONY

Alan and Carol Klingaman, of Parrish, sold their home at 11952 Brookside Drive to Andrew Michael Semple, of Bradenton, for $651,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,553 square feet of living area. It sold for $615,000 in 2023.

GREENBROOK

K. Michael Moschella and Terry Moschella, of Sarasota, sold their home at 13864 Wood Duck Circle to Bradley Birri, of Lakewood Ranch, for $650,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,349 square feet of living area. It sold for $450,000 in 2005.

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I worked with Tyler Shanahan to purchase my dream home in the Waterside area of Lakewood Ranch, and I cannot speak highly enough of the outstanding service I received. He exceeded all expectations and truly went above and beyond to ensure a smooth and successful transaction. Tyler demonstrated a deep understanding of the local market and took the time to listen to my specific needs and preferences. The team’s professionalism and expertise were evident throughout the entire process, making what could have been a daunting experience remarkably stress-free.