East County Observer 5.16.24

EAST COUNTY

YOUR TOWN

It’s all fore Charity Charity golf tournaments often come with a special perk as golfers can buy their way out of the sand.

There’s no shame in it because the money goes to charity.

Each of the 116 golfers (above: Vinnie Cipriano, John Joly and Dogs Inc.’s Sean Brown with service dog Nick) were allowed to purchase two mulligans when the Knights of Columbus, San Damiano Assembly 3192 held its first Armed Forces Day Charity Golf Tournament on May 6 at the Tara Golf and Country Club. The Knights goal was to raise $15,000 to split between the Military Chaplain’s Fund and Southeastern Guide Dogs for Veterans. (Southeastern Guide Dogs now is known as Dogs Inc.)

The final proceeds hadn’t been tallied, but Fourth Degree Knight Joly said the outpouring of sponsorships had pushed the tournament’s proceeds to more than $20,000.

Future is set

When senior Tiffany Rock (above with Adanna Wharton) joined Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Braden River High School, she had no idea it would be setting her up for her future. Her hard work and dedication to JROTC has landed her a three-year Army ROTC scholarship at Virginia Military Academy. She also received a Virginia Military Academy scholarship and the Call of Duty Scholarship. The scholarships total $195,585.

“I’m honestly blessed,” Rock said. “I’ve learned so much through JROTC. If I didn’t choose JROTC my sophomore year, I wouldn’t be here right now. JROTC has really turned my life around and gave me direction. I found purpose and what I’m going to be doing in the future.” Wharton, another Braden River High senior, has been accepted in the Emery Riddle Aerospace Engineering program and has received $285,940 in scholarships.

LWR issues on the agenda

nephews, Jason Dakin, Garrett Dakin, Grant Dakin and Ethan Dakin.

Engineering a campaign

Bill Conerly served 12 years on the Planning Commission and is now campaigning to represent District 72 in the Florida House.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

As a member of the Manatee County Planning Commission, Bill Conerly made recommendations based on whether or not a project fit the rules and regulations already in place.  Now, the Lakewood Ranch resident wants to set the rules from a legislative seat.

Conerly is running for the District 72 seat in the Florida House of Representatives. Tommy Gregory is vacating the seat to take on the role of president at the State College of Florida.

“I kind of view the Planning Commission very similar to why I filed for state office. It’s also the same reason I joined the military,” Conerly said. “I want to be active. I want to influence the process. One of the things that I think is common with engineers is we’re problem solvers. We look for solutions.”

Conerly spent just under six years in the Navy. When his obligation was through, he left as an Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class and held an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification.

He’s since become the vice president of Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. The engineering and design firm is currently working with Manatee County on its Comprehensive Plan. The large-scale conflict of interest is the reason why Conerly stepped down from the Planning Commission in 2023 after serving for 12 years.

“There’s an opportunity (on the Planning Commission or Board of

THE COMPETITION

These are the candidates vying for the District 72 seat along with Conerly.

Richard Tatem: Retired Air Force Colonel and current Manatee County school board member

Alyssa Gay: Owner of AG Creative, a marketing and branding firm

Richard Green: Senior attorney at Lewis, Longman & Walker P.A.

Lesa Miller: Lakewood Ranch resident and the only Democrat in the race

County Commissioners) where you can make a decision that influences or benefits one party, so you have to recuse yourself,” he said. “At the legislative level, it’s rulemaking, so the rules apply to everybody.”

Conerly is currently serving on Manatee County’s Affordable Housing Committee. Every public role he’s held up to now, he’s been appointed to. This is the first time Conerly will have to rely on the public’s votes to be seated.

He hired Anthony Pedicini as his political consultant. Outside of Commissioner Ray Turner, who was appointed to the commission after Vanessa Baugh retired, Pedicini helped the entire commission

get elected. Turner has since hired him, too.

One thing Conerly sees as a misconception about himself after sitting on the Planning Commission for so many years is that he’s prodevelopment all the time.

“That goes back to the idea that if it meets the rules and regulations and is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code, then it should be approved,” he said. “But I would like to find a way where the agricultural families who want to maintain their heritage have the opportunity to do that.”

Conerly is a fifth generation Floridian, who’s own heritage is in agriculture. One side of his family grew tomatoes and the other side raised cattle. As a teenager, he lived on a farm in Arcadia.

Conerly sees promise in density transfers as a way to preserve agricultural lands. He said Collier County and Sarasota County offer this option. Agriculture is zoned for one dwelling unit per acre, so the landowner of 10 acres could sell the

development rights for 10 homes to the municipality instead of a developer.

On a state level, if elected, Conerly’s No. 1 priority will be infrastructure.

When he returned to Arcadia after the Navy, he worked as an electrician at a transformer plant for a year and a half. At the time, Southwest Florida College (now Florida SouthWestern State College) offered night classes in Arcadia.

A professor suggested Conerly move to an area where he could be a full-time student, so he headed to Orlando and then onto Gainesville to finish his bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Florida.

“There’s a tie between infrastructure and the cost of housing,” he said. “The cost of housing in this area could break down into a couple different categories. You have rent, but also the purchase price of a home and insurance and taxes. All of this contributes to a very unaffordable situation.”

Conerly said his mortgage costs less than what some of his young analysts pay for rent. He worries that his own children will be faced with the opposite situation he was in when he left the Navy. Everything they need is close to home, except an affordable place to live.

He’s against using government dollars for affordable housing but wants to see more incentives offered to the private sector to get costs down.

As for roads, Conerly plans to push funding for his own district but also Southwest Florida as a whole. He used the Interstate 75 at Fruitville Road Interchange as an example of a project that will also benefit District 72.

“My strategy is to partner with the folks in the (other) districts,” he said. “My skill set could benefit the entire region. I may be one of a very few of the legislators who are in the Florida House right now who have designed, permitted and been a party to construction of roadways, utilities and lift stations.”

Courtesy image

Melanie and Bill Conerly in their Lakewood Ranch home. Conerly is running for the District 72 seat in the Florida House of Representatives.

DAKIN FAMILY RISES TO SAVE THE MYAKKA DAIRY

Jerry Dakin assures his Dakin Dairy land won’t turn into a housing development by selling to his nephews.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Myakka City’s Ethan Dakin never dreamed of becoming a firefighter or police officer. He wanted to be a farmer.

His father, Cameron Dakin, is a farmer, and his grandfather, Pete Dakin, was a farmer.

“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Ethan Dakin said.

The odds of the Dakin farming legacy continuing through future generations has increased as Ethan Dakin and his older brothers, Grant, Garrett and Jason, have bought the Dakin Dairy farm from their uncle, Jerry Dakin.

Jerry Dakin, who is 55, had decided to sell his farm on Betts Road after 22 years. He said he was committed to seeing Dakin Dairy continued as opposed to the land being taken

HISTORY OF DAKIN DAIRY FARMS

The Dakin legacy began in Manatee County in 1963, when Pete Dakin moved to Florida with his wife, Jeanette, and sons, Cameron, Farren, Jerry and Rodney.

Pete Dakin purchased 60 acres in Parrish where he built two chicken houses and began chicken farming. He also purchased 400 bulls.

Five years later, his contract was over and the beef business wasn’t going well. Pete Dakin said dairying was the only profitable business.

In 1974, Pete Dakin built a milking parlor and converted the chicken houses to feed barns. He purchased 110 ready-to-calve heifers and began purchasing the surrounding 200 acres.

In 1980, Cameron and Farren Dakin purchased and built their own dairy farms in Myakka City.

When Pete Dakin retired in 1990, Rodney and Jerry bought his herd of 750 cows.

In 2001, Jerry Dakin purchased property in Myakka City, where the current Dakin Dairy Farms is located on Betts Road.

Dakin Dairy Farms, Cameron Dakin Dairy and Boyz Ag are the only dairy farms in Manatee County and are among the nearly 40 dairy farms in the state.

Dakin Dairy Farms includes 2,200 head of dairy cattle with a processing plant comprising of 350 acres. It has six free-stall barns, a milking parlor, production areas, commodity storage, silage storage and a milk processing plant capable of processing and packaging all milk produced on site.

Brothers Ethan, Grant, Garrett and Jason Dakin have bought Dakin Dairy from Jerry Dakin.

over by a developer and turned into houses.

Ownership of Dakin Dairy officially was transferred to Ethan Dakin, Grant Dakin, Garrett Dakin and Jason Dakin on May 1.

Jerry Dakin loves that he was able to keep Dakin Dairy not only as agriculture land, but in the family.

He hopes the farm will help shape the lives of his nephews. Jerry Dakin, a former Florida Farm Bureau Farmer of the Year, said he would not be who he is today as a leader and farmer without his dairy farm.

“That’s what makes me so excited with these guys, because it will push them out of their comfort zone,” he said.

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

Dairy farming is nothing new to the nephews. The four brothers also own Boyz Ag, along with their own personal farms.

Ethan Dakin, Grant Dakin, Garrett Dakin and Jason Dakin are third generation Florida farmers, and with their children already invested in agriculture, Grant Dakin said he hopes to see a fourth generation involved at Dakin Dairy as well.

“It’s in our roots,” Grant Dakin said. “We were born and raised in it and enjoy it. It’s come to be what we know. We’ve seen what (Jerry Dakin) has done with the place, and we had an opportunity to step in, take over and take it to the next level.”

Grant Dakin said as soon as they could push a clutch on a tractor, he and his brothers were working at Cameron Dakin Dairy. Cameron Dakin made sure his sons knew how to work with the animals, how to use the equipment and to do what is needed on a farm.

Growing up, Grant Dakin said Dakin Dairy was a place for family birthday parties and community gatherings. He recalled playing in the red house at Dakin Dairy that’s now used for photoshoots for families who visit the farm. To the brothers, it was their clubhouse.

Ethan Dakin said Dakin Dairy was more a place to have fun rather than work when they were kids.

Now, Dakin Dairy is the next step in the brothers’ careers.

Jerry Dakin now spends every available moment discussing what needs to be done at the farm with his nephews. That includes reaching out to the best people as resources, and how to handle potential problems. He also shares his personal wisdom and running a dairy.

Jerry Dakin said the knowledge of running a dairy is more important in the long run than the inheritance of any land money. He said his father, Pete Dakin, gave him the knowledge to make Dakin Dairy what it is today. He will pass that same knowledge along to his nephews.

“The greatest thing my dad gave me was knowledge,” Jerry Dakin said.

“I want the opportunity to transfer that knowledge and be a sounding base for them. At the end of the day, they can make whatever decision they want to make. I’m just going to be here as an advisor. I want to see them succeed more than anybody.”

Working with family isn’t always easy, but after decades of working together, the Dakins said they’ve learned to separate business from family concerns.

Over time, they have had heated discussions over business, arguments about key decisions and disagreements with end results. No matter what, Ethan Dakin said they’ve always come back together as a family to support each other.

FUTURE OF GROWTH

The 350-acre farm, which Jerry Dakin said started only with a couple hundred cows, now has at least 2,200 head of dairy cattle, six freestall barns, a milking parlor, production areas, commodity storage, silage storage and a milk processing plant capable of processing and packaging all milk produced on-site.

Jerry Dakin said the plant is functioning at about 40% right now.

Ethan Dakin said the priority is upgrading the equipment and technology in the plant to boost the plant’s productivity with the hopes of having it at 100%. He said the plant operating at 40% gives them time to make adjustments without hindering current production.

Jerry Dakin said the potential growth opportunities for his nephews are endless.

“There’s four boys with four different inputs, and that’s why I feel this thing can take off,” he said. “It’s working with the community and the customers that are out there, seeing what the community wants.”

Although Ethan Dakin, Grant Dakin, Garrett Dakin and Jason Dakin have been around dairy farms all their lives, Grant Dakin said the bottling aspect of the industry will be new to them, but they are eager to learn.

The nephews are considering new sources of revenue that include producing new natural products. They’re hoping to find ways to increase the shelf life of their products while maintaining high quality.

The brothers say each one demonstrates different strengths that will help them continue to succeed in the agriculture industry. Grant Dakin and Ethan Dakin said Jason Dakin is known for his people skills and sales while Garrett Dakin focuses on crops, nutrition, irrigation and more. They said Grant Dakin handles more of the finances and engineering aspects of the farm while Ethan Dakin is the go-to-guy on animal welfare and equipment.

They’ll use their personal strengths to bring Dakin Dairy to “the next level,” Grant Dakin said.

Ethan Dakin said the brothers want to spend the coming months focused on upgrading the farm before having a grand reopening sometime in the fall.

The brothers said the community will continue to be at the forefront of Dakin Dairy. Community events will continue to be held at the farm as well as farm tours.

For years, Jerry Dakin has said local, state and federal regulations make the agriculture industry a tough business. On top of that, there’s challenges with a dwindling workforce, escalations in the cost of equipment and supplies, a growing population that forces development and natural challenges such as hurricanes.

Despite the challenges, the brothers said their passion will drive them.

“People need to be challenged in life,” Ethan Dakin said. “No matter what you’re doing, if you’re not challenged, you become complacent and you don’t grow.”

more than 2,200 cows at

Jason Dakin takes care of the cows at Dakin Dairy.

The

Dakin Dairy will be kept in the family as Jerry Dakin’s nephews Ethan, Grant, Garrett and Jason Dakin take over.

Dakin Dairy will remain in the family as Jerry Dakin has sold the farm and plant to his nephews Jason Dakin, Garrett Dakin, Grant Dakin and Ethan Dakin.

Commission focuses on Lakewood Ranch

A commission meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, to make it easier for citizens to attend.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

akewood Ranch-area residents

Lwho can’t get a day off during the work week to spend at a Manatee County Commission meeting will have a special opportunity.

On 9 a.m. Saturday, May 18, the Manatee County Commission will hold a meeting titled “All Things Lakewood Ranch” in the Lakewood Ranch High auditorium.

Residents will have a chance to get some answers to their concerns at the meeting.

“It’s kind of like a pilot program,” Commissioner Ray Turner said. “We’re setting it up like a workshop, but it’ll be a little less formal.”

IF YOU GO

Manatee County Commission meeting

9 a.m. Saturday, May 18 Lakewood Ranch High School Auditorium, 5500 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

A similar meeting also is being held in Parrish in June with the date to be announced. The purpose is to inform constituents about the projects happening in their specific areas.

each department gives a presentation. And the title “All Things Lakewood Ranch” is slightly misleading because the Convention and Visitors Bureau will be discussing the water ferry, which is for the islands.

“When constituents don’t know what our plans are, it creates nervousness,” Turner said. “We’re taking the long-range plan that we have and explaining it more.”

While there’s never an end time set on a commission meeting, Chair Mike Rahn said they’re aiming to wrap up the Lakewood Ranch meeting around noon.

Manatee County staff members will be on hand, too, to give presentations and answer questions. As with all commission meetings, citizens are given three minutes each to make comments. Citizen comments are scheduled for the end of the meeting and can only be in regards to agenda items.

The agenda currently has eight items, but agendas regularly change leading up to meetings.

Right now, the agenda is laid out like an informational session, where

Of course, Turner lives in Lakewood Ranch, and he knows his constituents would rather know when the potholes on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard between University Parkway and State Road 70 will be filled.

“We’re not in Detroit. Why do we have potholes like that,” he said. “We’re repaving it. The original thought was that maybe we cut it into thirds because it’s expensive. I pushed to get the whole thing done at once.”

Other topics that will be discussed and are of interest to Lakewood Ranch-area residents include what’s happening at the Premier campus and several road projects.

The Lena Road and 44th Avenue extensions are on the list, along with some state projects like the widening of S.R. 70 and developer projects like the widening of Bourneside Boulevard.

M/I Homes joins Builders Give Back program

Ten builders have signed up to benefit the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation through area home sales.

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch continues

the Lake-

And it’s not just the money that SMR provides through its Lakewood Ranch Communities, which matches $100 per closing by any builder that belongs to the LWRCF’s Builders Give Program.

Greg Crawford, the area president of M/I Homes of Sarasota, said he attended a recent SMR builders meeting in which part of the meeting was dedicated to the importance of the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation. With that prompt, Crawford and M/I Homes signed up, becoming the 10th builder in the Builders Give Back program. “We heard about it through that

builders meeting,” said Crawford, who has been with M/I Homes for 23 years. “That meeting is kind of a state of the union thing. They talked about how (the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation) is a great organization.

“Lakewood Ranch has been a great community for us, so we thought this would offer us a small opportunity to give back. This community is fantastic.”

Builders Give Back was launched by the LWRCF in May 2023 with seven builders — Anchor Builders, AR Homes, Homes by Towne, John Cannon Homes, Lee Wetherington Homes, Pulte Homes and Stock

STILL BUILDING

What: The Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation’s Builders Give Back program About the program: Participating builders give the LWRCF $100 for each home closing and also present the buyer with information about the LWRCF. In addition, Schroeder-Manatee Ranch matches the $100 for each home sale

Newest member: M/I Homes joined Builders Give Back on May 7

Participating builders: Anchor Builders, AR Homes, Homes by Towne, John Cannon Homes, Lee Wetherington Homes, M/I Homes, Neal Communities, Neal Signature Homes, Pulte Homes and Stock Luxury Homes

More information: Contact the LWRCF at LWRCF.org.

Luxury Homes, participating.

The builders agreed to make a $100 donation per closing to the LWRCF in the name of the new homeowner. Besides that donation, the builders provide the buyers with information about the LWRCF and its goals and mission.

In April, Pat Neal’s Neal Communities and Neal Signature Homes joined the program as well, bringing the number of participating builders to nine.

The Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation has a mission of “enhancing the quality of life in and near our community by promoting philanthropy, responding to community needs and granting funds.”

It does so by raising money through donations and events and then grants the funds to area nonprofits.

“They do great things,” Crawford said of the LWRCF. “We thought Builders Give Back was where we could help out.”

M/I Homes has 17 divisions in the U.S., including four each in Texas and Florida. The builder doesn’t have any divisions west of Texas.

Currently, M/I Homes is selling homes in two communities in Lake-

wood Ranch, Nautique and Sweetwater. Nautique has about 40 homes remaining to sell in that village while Sweetwater has just begun its second phase and has approximately 180 homes to sell.

Crawford said M/I Homes would love to have more opportunities in Lakewood Ranch.

“SMR believes in community and they love activity,” Crawford said. “They want to do things at a higher level and they hold themselves to a higher standard. It is a different feel when you drive through Lakewood Ranch.”

He said the LWRCF is part of that feel.

“Community is at the heart of what we do,” Crawford said. “We aim to make a meaning difference in the lives of those who call Lakewood Ranch home.”

LWRCF Board President Mark Clark was not surprised that SMR prompted M/I to join the Builders Give Back program.

“SMR is an additional strategic partner (of the LWRCF) whose impact goes above and beyond its financial contributions,” Clark said.

“As other builders heart about the program and its success, they will want to participate in it and increase it.”

Clark said the LWRCF will issue quarterly grants to nonprofits later in May. The Builders Give Back program is fueling those grants.

“It’s exciting the program is expanding our ability to make an impact and our reach,” he said.

LWRCF Executive Director Adrienne Bookhamer said since starting the program a year ago, the nonprofit already has reached over 500 families who have moved into the area.

She said that with more builders joining the program, “we can support even more local life-changing nonprofit organizations in the area.”

With the area growing at a brisk pace, she noted that the needs also will increase in areas such as human services, education, animal services, and arts and culture.

For more information about the LWRCF, go to LWRCF.org or call 208-6799.

Jay Heater

Greg Crawford, area president of M/I Homes of Sarasota, said joining the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation’s Builders Give Back program was an opportunity to help out the community.

Senior overcomes tragedy to earn her diploma

Lakewood Ranch High senior overcomes hardships to graduate.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

During the summer before Cris-

tal Aguillon started her freshman year at Lakewood Ranch High School, she experienced a trauma that eventually would inspire her to refocus on education.

One July night, there was a banging on the door at her family’s home in Okeechobee.

Aguillon woke to the news that her brother, Cobi Hernandez, had been shot in the head by a friend and was headed to the hospital. Throughout the night, he became unresponsive multiple times.

She would later find out his collar bone was broken and he lost his eye as a result of the gunshot wound and would need to stay in the hospital for months. He eventually recovered.

“I never thought in a million years something like this would happen to my family,” Aguillon said.

The traumatic experience changed her life.

School wasn’t always a priority for Aguillon. She knew she was smart, but she didn’t always apply herself in school.

But that was going to change.

“I thought, ‘If I keep acting this way, it’s not going to get me anywhere in life,” Aguillon said. “I needed to get my life straight and start acting better. It was hard, but it’s something I overcame, and I’m glad I did.”

Her family moved to Bradenton, and when she started at Lakewood Ranch High School, she was focused on her studies.

Four years later, her work has paid off. Aguillon will be the second in her family to graduate high school during a ceremony on May 16 at LECOM Park, and she will be the first in her family to go to college.

“(Graduating) is so important to me because I want to make it up to my parents since they never got to finish high school or go off to college,” Aguillon said. “I want to achieve more for myself and for them and get us into a higher position of education for all of us.”

The road to graduation wasn’t without its challenges.

Aguillon spent her years in elementary school as a migrant student. Her family would spend the summer in Ohio or New Jersey picking vegetables and return to Okeechobee in October. With the school year already two months in session, she was behind academically. She would work with teachers and classmates to get the help she needed to catch up.

In middle school, her parents, Luz Hernandez and Alvaro Aguillon, who always have highly valued education, decided only Alvaro Aguillon would travel for work so their children could focus on their education in Florida.

In the summer before eighth grade, Aguillon and her family were faced with uncertainty. Her father was detained by immigration officials, although he had the paperwork needed to show he was allowed to work and be in the U.S.

When her mother came home alone late at night and Aguillon heard her crying, Aguillon knew something wasn’t right. Hearing her father was detained and moved to Miami terrified her.

Aguillon stepped up when she could, doing chores around the house and making meals for the family. She said it was a sad time seeing her mother lonely and tired from worry.

The family hired a lawyer to help her father, but it took a month before he could return home.

The following year included the trauma of her brother being shot.

But after starting her freshman year, Aguillon said she was on the right track. She was doing well in school and was happy.

“(Graduating) is so important to me because I want to make it up to my parents since they never got to finish high school or go off to college.”

Cristal Aguillon

to start going to school. At the time, I really loved going to school. I was like, ‘Why is it now that I don’t want to go to school? What’s going on with me?’”

She began going to school every day again and brought her grades up.

Aguillon will attend the State College of Florida to study business and finance for two years before transferring to the University of South Florida.

Then in her sophomore year, she started to slip up again. She said her sister, Sandra Aguillon, persuaded her to skip school more than she should have, and that resulted in her getting behind and her grades slipping.

“It felt like (school) didn’t really matter to me,” Aguillon said. “At some point, it clicked in my head. I was like, ‘I need to graduate. I need

Although she’s nervous to be the first in her family to take this step, she’s overwhelmed with pride as well.  She hopes to someday own her own business, but first she wants to help her parents, who own a landscaping business and a cleaning service. She wants to give back to them as a way to thank them for their love and support and teaching her valuable life skills.

Liz Ramos

Cristal Aguillon, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, will be the second in her family to graduate high school and the first to go to college.

Amenities finished at Johnson Preserve

IF

YOU GO

When walking through Johnson Preserve, River Club resident

Jane Blythe said she still cries a little each time.

They’re tears of joy.

During the three years leading up to Manatee County’s 2018 purchase of the 44-acre property, neighbors met every Monday night to find a way to save the land from being developed.

“When it comes to these preserves, it takes the community coming together to be sure we do have these little gems around the county,”

Commissioner Jason Bearden said. “There’s not anymore of these. Once this is gone, this is gone.”

The preserve has been open to the public since shortly after the purchase, but Manatee County held a relaunch on May 9 to celebrate the amenities being complete.

The amenities were intentionally kept minimal. There’s a shelled path, a couple benches, a small parking lot, a pavilion and a kayak launch.

The trail to the kayak launch was only cleared two weeks ago. Aedan Stockdale, education and volunteer division manager for Natural Resources, described the trail as “rustic.” Kayakers will need some sort of wheels to help them navigate down to the water. It’s too far of a

Johnson Preserve at Braden River. Parking lot at 6804 99th Street E., Lakewood Ranch; pedestrian-only trailhead at 6820 93rd St. E., Lakewood Ranch. Open sunrise to sunset.

walk to drag a kayak.

“We expect more people that are going to use it are probably going to come off the Braden River or from Jiggs Landing,” Stockdale said. “You can pull off here and have a landing and have a stopping point.”

River Club resident Margi Haas is more excited about the birding opportunities the preserve offers.

“We’re finding cool and unusual birds that you don’t usually find in a residential area like this, so it’s exciting,” Haas said.

The area was already known to be a breeding spot for swallow-tailed kites, which Haas described as beautiful hawks, but she’s also been spotting red headed woodpeckers in the preserve. She said those birds are usually found in more remote areas.

Haas was one of the neighbors who gave up her Monday nights to save the property.

“(The preserve) is amazing, and it’s kind of hard to believe we did it – in a great way,” she said.

Specialized Dental Care

Lesley Dwyer

Jane Blythe, Margi Haas, Peggy Klimek and Mary Ann Toal are some of the neighbors who helped fight for the conservation of Johnson Preserve.

SHE CAN REACH FOR THE SKY

Born without arms, East County’s Emily Rowley strays outside her comfort zone to chase her goals.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

When Emily Rowley entered her freshman year at Fallbrook Union High School, just north of San Diego in California, she might have wondered how the school would handle her “situation.”

Rowley, now 22 and living in East County, was born with Phocomelia, a rare condition that causes babies to be born with no or underdeveloped limbs. In Rowley’s case, she was born without arms.

The condition didn’t hold her back; it only slowed her down. Her parents, Patricia and Jason Rowley, always were convinced she would be best served by allowing her to learn to live in the “real world” while overcoming her personal challenges.

“There was no decision to make, other than her going to public school,” Patricia Rowley said. “Typical kids get picked on. The world is what it is. We didn’t want her to be sheltered.”

To that point, Emily Rowley said she only had positive experiences in her schools, Kinchafoonee Primary School from first to third grades and then Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary in Oceanside, California, from fourth to eighth grade.

“Growing up, I always was grateful for my school situation,” she said. “The students always were welcoming. Honestly, if it happened (other students being mean), I don’t recall it. It was easy to make friends, and I never was outcasted.”

But would it be different in high school?

She received a quick indication that everything would be just fine.

As a freshman, Rowley showed up with a modified desk which had a floor-level drawer for her books and writing instruments. Just above that drawer was a low shelf. Since she took notes by writing with her foot, it served her well.

“Using my foot is just natural,” she said. “The same way you would use your hands. You just use your natural instincts.”

Her desk was rather bulky and almost impossible to move from class to class if she was going to attend classes with her fellow students.

It only took a few days for her parents to receive a call from a maintenance worker at the school.

“He wanted to see what her desk looked like,” Patricia Rowley said.

To this day, Emily Rowley doesn’t know whether if was just the maintenance staff or faculty members and students also involved, but it was a short time before five replica desks showed up at her classrooms. It was done low key, but it amounted to a huge embrace.

She prospered through high school in an environment filled with friendship and kindness.

“I heard the horror stories,” Patricia Rowley said of how students could make life difficult on a student trying to blend in or school administrators not being accommodating. “That was not our experience.

AGAINST THE ODDS

Who: Emily Rowley Lives: East County Age: 22

Her challenge: Rowley was born with Phocomelia, a rare condition that causes babies to be born with no or underdeveloped limbs. In Rowley’s case, she was born without arms

Onward/upward: On May 5, Rowley received her psychology degree from Southern New Hampshire University. She now is enrolled in a master’s program at SNHU for a degree in forensic psychology

Hobbies: Cooking, cycling, crafts

Family: Parents Patricia and Jason Rowley; sister Katelynn Rowley

“We wanted to keep her needs limited because we didn’t want her to be treated differently. We found that the schools listened and were supportive.”

NO DEMANDS

Emily Rowley said it helped that her parents never went to one of her schools and made demands.

“They weren’t like, ‘Emily has no arms and we need to prep the other kids,’” she said.

Her successful high school career has led to other opportunities.

On May 5, Rowley graduated from Southern New Hampshire University, receiving her degree in psychology after taking online classes. She attended the ceremony in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Previously, she had attended MiraCosta College (California) for two years. After those two years, her family moved to Florida, and she took off a year from college to consider her choices.

Now that she has earned her psychology degree, she will immediately begin pursuing her masters in forensic psychology.

“Yes, we are very proud,” Patricia Rowley said. “This was a big milestone for her. She has gone way beyond anyone’s expectations.”

Besides being a college student, Rowley has become a disability advocate and content creator online. She wants to inspire others with stories and videos of how she navigates the world using her feet to do things like cook and drive.

SET HIGH GOALS

She advocates for students with a disability to be allowed to set their goals high and to be allowed to

attempt experiences that might be deemed beyond their ability.

She said her role as an advocate is natural because her parents were her advocates before she was born.

“My mother was asked if she wanted to continue the pregnancy because I wouldn’t have arms,” Rowley said. “My parents said that not having arms was the least of their worries. My parents advocated for me before I could.”

Patricia Rowley remembered getting that news after an ultrasound, and she was also told that her daughter could be “on machines her whole life.”

But they were going to give Emily every chance at life.

While things were different as she tried to learn the basics, her parents let her try, finding she would figure out a way around her challenges.

“That’s a tough one,” Patricia Rowley said of a mother’s duty to help her child during struggles. “It’s hard for anybody to take a step back in that situation.”

She tried ballet and soccer, although she said she quit soccer because she was afraid she was going to get hit with the ball. She liked playing with chalk and her Barbies.

Now she has many of the same hobbies as her peers. She loves to cook and bake, work with makeup, and create craft items. She loves physical fitness and she bikes, swims and even skis.

“I like doing things that put me outside my comfort zone,” she said.

She has a driver’s license after passing the test the second try. She has to have a special knob on the steering wheel so she can drive with her feet, and she has pedal extensions. Her toughest challenge driving is that she is 4-foot-11 and it can be tough to see over the dash.

However, unlike many drivers, she said she is not texting or eating while she drives.

“I think the biggest message I would like to get across to people is to not assume things with people. I realize that for some people I meet, there is an uncomfortableness. But it is a learning experience for everyone.

“For those who face a challenge, You can throw a Frisbee. If you want to ride a scooter, just try. I tried to go fast, and that was the retirement of the scooter.”

Jay Heater

Emily Rowley says her education experience through the years has been positive, with her classmates embracing her with friendship. On May 5 she graduated from Southern New Hampshire University.

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While it was hard to watch her fall, her parents allowed Emily Rowley to try all the hobbies she wanted.

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Parents Patricia and Jason Rowley on a family vacation with Emily and her older sister, Katelynn.

Grapevine merger emphasizes family values

The Lakewood Ranch company now has a stronger footprint in Sarasota.

It was a local version of “Who’s the Boss.”

When Rex Raymond, owner of Demand Exposure, and Allison Imre, the owner of Grapevine Communications, were brainstorming about the possibility of merging their two advertising and marketing companies, they had to go to a higher authority to approve such a merger. Their spouses.

So after a nuts and bolts meeting at Raymond’s office about the merger on a February weekend, Raymond and Imre picked up their spouses — Merry Beth Raymond and David Perkowski — and headed to a nice dinner all together at Owens Fish Camp in Sarasota.

Merry Beth Raymond never had met Allison Imre or her husband and, likewise, David Perkowski never had met Rex or Merry Beth Raymond.

Now consider that both Allison Imre and Rex Raymond could be described as “alpha” personalities, so in many cases, you might think that neither would need the approval of anyone when it comes to such an important decision.

“I believe that your work and home life are holistically intertwined,” Imre said. “How can I go home and complain about Rex if David doesn’t know who he is?”

David Perkowski and Merry Beth Raymond both gave the thumbs up, so in April, the merger between Sarasota’s Demand Exposure and Lakewood Ranch’s Grapevine Communications was announced.

Both Imre and Raymond said their family’s approval was not a trite matter. It really was important

and could have scuttled the deal.

Both said a merger had been discussed since 2019.

“We have talked this through a long time,” Raymond said. “We have similar qualities, such as leadership and attention to detail. She holds her team and herself accountable and she has extremely high standards.”

Imre has been a fan of Raymond for a long time as well, so the details of a merger have been on the table for years.

“We have danced this dance,” Imre said. “With him, you always know where you stand. Everything is clear. I have seen how he operates. It will benefit us how he has maneuvered and grown a strong footprint downtown.”

While Grapevine has approximately 120 clients to the former Demand Exposure’s 15, the two partners say their revenues aren’t that dissimilar. Raymond said all his clients are “full service.”

In the last year (2022) that Imre said she made Grapevine’s revenues

public, she said it was about $6.6 million. Raymond said his revenue in 2022 “was close to that.”

It wasn’t a case of a big business swallowing up a smaller one.

The combined business will move forward as Grapevine Communications, with Raymond serving as the managing partner and Imre holding the role of president. They will have a combined workforce of 27 employees and they will both keep their current office locations — Grapevine at 5201 Paylor Lane in Lakewood Ranch and 2170 Main St., Sarasota, Suites 303 and 304.

One very attractive element that Demand Exposure brought to the table was a dynamic video production studio that was impressive to Imre.

“We are two local players who wanted to do better,” Imre said. “It was the best of all worlds.”

Imre already has transferred two of her Lakewood Ranch office employees to the new Sarasota office.

“We already have a lot of cli-

I wish I could give a big hug to all the staff that took care of me during that time. Everyone was so caring and took the time to make sure I was comfortable and understood everything that was going on.” – Melissa Durham

Melissa Durham, 48, of Ruskin, knew something was wrong when she had pain in her thigh and hip for over a year. At first, she thought she had pulled a muscle, and took ibuprofen for the pain. Months passed, but the pain remained.

Tired of feeling badly, Durham was recommended to David Rubins, MD, BSME, FAAOS, an orthopedic surgeon at Manatee Physician Alliance Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine with a special certification in adult reconstructive surgery. An exam revealed Durham’s hip joint was bone-on-bone and full of fluid. After a steroid injection failed to relieve the pain for more than a few days, Durham underwent a direct anterior hip replacement.

“Once I put my feet on the floor and stood up, I started crying because there was no pain at all on either side,” she says. Durham began rehabilitation the same day as the surgery and received home care, including nurse visits and therapy, for three weeks.

a GrapevineDemand Exposure merger.

ents in downtown Sarasota,” Imre said. “This will create an ease of access. It also gives us dedicated studio space.”

She said the only thing that will change for her clients “is our logo.”

Raymond said his clients instantly started calling him after the merger, congratulating him for joining forces with Grapevine.

“It speaks volumes about the personal relationship we have with our clients,” he said.

Down the road, Imre said the longterm goal is to create franchises.

What makes this rise above a normal business merger story in Lakewood Ranch is Imre’s love of her community. Those who attend many of the nonprofit functions in Lakewood Ranch commonly will see her. She seemingly attends everything.

With our relentless growth, we are bound to see many businesses rushing to open, or expand, to serve the new homeowners. To see business owners like Imre give back

to the community, gives us extra incentive to support them.

Imre is following in the footsteps of Grapevine Communications founder Angela Massaro Fain, who sold the business in 2017 to enter retirement, and then focused on her nonprofit Sisterhood for Good, which provides community nonprofits with more than $100,000 a year.

Massaro Fain wouldn’t sell to just anyone. She had three offers before she worked out a deal with Imre.

Massaro Fain said Imre’s track record was outstanding at iHeartMedia as a salesperson. Imre was a vendor of Grapevine Communications for 12 years before the sale and Massaro Fain said she always loved the way she got things done.

But that was only part of the sale. Massaro Fain said Imre was honest, promising to keep Grapevine’s current staff members at least a year. Massaro Fain also knew David Perkowski, whom she called “a great dad.”

“And I loved her as a person,” Massaro Fain said.

Honesty, family, respect.

To me, that makes a great business story.

Perhaps now their two families will have more dinners and cookouts.

But Raymond noted that their story isn’t really like “Who’s the Boss.”

He said now that they have combined forces, “We are more like the ‘Brady Bunch.’”

Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.

Dr. David Rubins with patient Melissa Durham

Jay Heater Rex Raymond and Allison Imre closed the deal on

WILD FLORIDA

Fire plays critical role in Myakka park

Some imperiled species, such as the gopher tortoise, crested caracara and pine lily, wouldn’t survive without occasional fires.

ire, as a result of lightning, is one of the primary natural forces that shapes Florida’s ecosystems. Indeed, from an ecological perspective, fire is a normal and often beneficial process. It is critical for the health of 78% of the Myakka River State Park, where numerous natural communities depend on fire to maintain their plant composition and structure.

Importantly, these communities support flora and fauna that couldn’t survive without fire, including imperiled species such as the gopher tortoise, crested caracara and pine lily.

In Florida, natural wildfires historically burned seasonally, typically at a low intensity. They slowly meandered across large areas, where rivers and wetlands eventually stopped their spread.

Suppression of natural wildfires began in the 1930s, to protect forests for lumber. As we observe National Wildfire Awareness Month, it is important to recognize the critical role that prescribed fires, which safely reintroduced fire into our ecosystems, play in protecting both our natural and human communities. In contrast to wildfires, prescribed fires are set on purpose. This crucial natural resource management tool is used by trained professionals who safely mimic natural lightning-set fires. These burns benefit the large number of Florida’s imperiled plant and animal species which are dependent on periodic fire for their continued existence.

But prescribed fires also protect our human communities, as firedependent natural communities gradually accumulate flammable vegetation. Regular and smaller burns can lower the intensity or

Michael

even prevent wildfires by consuming “fuels” like pine needles, dead grass, fallen trees and thick brush that would otherwise build up and could produce intense, destructive wildfires.

Though prescribed fires do emit smoke, the net benefit is less smoke pollution overall. Current climate trends of abovenormal temperatures, with varied precipitation forecasts, could exacerbate dry conditions in wildfireprone areas like Florida. Research underscores that these climate conditions are closely linked to increased wildfire risks.

With encroaching development progressively restricting the park’s ability to effectively use prescribed fire, the importance of supporting and maintaining undeveloped buffers around conserved lands is highlighted. Raising awareness about the importance of fire for ensuring the health of our natural areas, and our own, is paramount.

Friends of Myakka River exists to support Myakka River State Park and the Wild and Scenic Myakka River. Together, we’re protecting and sharing Myakka’s Magic, to the benefit of future generations, and our own. Follow us @FriendsOfMyakkaRiver

Weekly

Orthopedic Surgery Residency, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

Fellowship: Orthopedic Surgery Sports Medicine Fellowship, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida

Hospital Affiliations: Lakewood Ranch Medical Center; Doctors

Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Miri Hardy

A gopher tortoise, an imperiled species, makes its way through Myakka River State Park. It needs occasional fires to sustain its habitat.

Dr. Kansara

at Coastal Eye Institute, is a leading expert in the field of ophthalmology, specializing in:

• Glaucoma Management & Surgery

• Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Procedures

• Micro-Incision Cataract Surgery

• Routine Eye Care

His patient-centric approach ensures personalized treatment plans that cater to your unique eye health needs.

Whether you’re seeking preventative care or battling an eye condition, Dr. Kansara’s expertise and compassionate care can guide you towards improved vision and a healthier lifestyle. He is dedicated to staying at the forefront of ophthalmic advancements, offering the latest treatments and technologies to deliver the best possible outcomes for his patients.

Don’t miss this opportunity to receive compassionate and personalized eye care.

Dr. Kansara looks forward to helping you see

Young playwrights take center stage

Three East County students have their plays named as winners in Florida Studio Theatre’s Write a Play program.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Aaron Gordon, a Braden River High School sophomore, wrote a six-page script in approximately 30 minutes.

The Florida Studio Theatre obviously knows he is not short on talent.

His comedic play, which was entered in FST’s Write a Play program, was an expanded version of a scene from a longer play he was creating in his spare time.

“When I finished writing it, I thought, ‘This is a lot funnier to me than to anyone else,’” Gordon said.

He didn’t have the chance to get feedback about his play from his classmates as he was sick during the days students shared their plays in class and only shared it with his parents, Mark and Elyse Gordon. With only the positive comments from his parents, Gordon had no expectations when submitting his play for not only his theater class but also the Write a Play program.

He was shocked to find out he was one of 8,000 students chosen as a winner in the program.

Gordon’s play, along with Braden River High freshman Valerie Rettig’s play and Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary third grader Bryce Wilkinson’s play, will be performed at Florida Studio Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival on May 18.

The event is not open to the public.

Inspiration came from various places for the playwrights.

Wilkinson drew inspiration from his life when he lost a video game controller and he had to do chores to earn enough money to buy another controller.

Rettig’s play was inspired by the song “Bird Song” by Juniper Vale.

THE WINNERS ARE

AARON GORDON School: Braden River High School

Grade: 10th

Play: “Insert Play Name Here”

VALERIE RETTIG

School: Braden River High School

Grade: Ninth

Play: “Singbirds”

BRYCE WILKINSON

School: Gilbert W. McNeal

Elementary School Grade: Third Play: “The Problem”

Her play revolved around a songstress who loses her voice and must recuperate before the festival celebrating the songbirds’ gift of music.

Gordon used a scene in a longer play he was working on for his play about two writers who work for Disney who had to write a hit story in an hour.

The three playwrights said as excited as they are to see their plays performed at the festival, they’re nervous to see if it’ll be executed as they envisioned.

“I’m curious how they make certain jokes because I think comedy is something where every joke can be taken 100 different ways,” Gordon said.

Liz Ramos

Aaron Gordon, a sophomore at Braden River High, says he was shocked that his play was chosen as a winner in Florida Studio Theatre’s Write a Play program.

SPORTS

Fast Break

Ranch High

a 2023 contest. Galloway received offers from the University of Pennsylvania and Howard University on

Braden River High football junior running back Marcus Galloway received offers from the University of Pennsylvania and Howard University on May 9. Galloway, who is 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, ran for 627 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and three touchdowns in 2023.

Four former Lakewood Ranch High softball players can be seen in the regional round of the 2024 NCAA softball tournament on May 17. Senior outfielder Claire Davison and Duke University (47-6) will host Morgan State University (35-18) at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

Senior outfielder McKenzie Clark and Clemson University (34-17) will play Southeastern Louisiana (45-13) at 2 p.m. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on the ACC Network. Senior first baseman Avery Goelz, freshman outfielder Cassidy McLellan and the University of Florida (46-12) will host Florida Gulf Coast University (37-19) at noon on the SEC Network.

Braden River High senior athlete Alex den Boggende (basketball, track and field, cross-country) and Southeast High senior athlete Abigail Hite (swimming), who lives in the East County area, were awarded with $2,000 scholarships through the Positive Coaching Alliance-Tampa Bay’s Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship Program.

Kandy Donnelly Jackie Donnelly, Kelly Ingalls and Julie Schulte (76) won the Nine Hole Ladies Golf Association LOWS event (one best ball gross and one best ball net format) held May 9 at University Park Country Club. David Wilson sank a hole-in-one May 1 on the No. 8 hole at University Park Country Club. Wilson used a driver on the 119-yard hole.

“I started with running events, but I saw a couple seniors

throwing

the javelin and it looked cool.”

Thunder athletes storm into state meet

ODA has set three school records in 2024 and is hoping to set three more at the state meet.

EDITOR

The Out-of-Door Academy boys track and field athletes practice all year long with as much intensity as they do during the season.

Now that work is paying off.

ODA is sending nine boys athletes, all runners, to the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championships, to be held May 15-18 in Jacksonville at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium. That is the most state qualifiers among area schools. In East County, Lakewood Ranch High and Braden River High are each sending one boys athlete — the Mustangs are sending senior discus thrower James Cummings to the Class 4A meet, while the Pirates are sending senior hurdler Marcus Schade to the Class 3A meet.

The Thunder found the most success while competing in 1A. Head coach Jay Roper, who is in his first year with ODA after previously coaching at Sarasota’s Riverview High, said the credit for that goes to the athletes themselves who have dedicated themselves to hard work ever since he took the job last summer. All miles count the same, Roper said, no matter when they are run. The same goes for miles not run — a lack of preparation in the summer and winter will affect runners in May, when they are vying for spots at the state meet.

Roper’s instruction has led to a literal record-breaking season. Three school records have been set by Thunder athletes: Senior John Moschella holds the 400-meter hurdles record (56.52 seconds) and the javelin record (100 feet, 7 inches), and the relay team of junior Collin Dillingham, junior Isidro Iturralde, senior Stig Soderberg and sophomore Kevin Gyurka set the record in the 4x800meter relay.

If Roper’s expectations come true, however, the school will add three more records at the state meet. Gyurka (9:37.66) is approximately five seconds off the school’s 3,200-meter run record, set by Tristan McWilliam in 2022 (9:32.82); Dillingham (2:00.14) is approximately 4 seconds off of McWilliam’s 2022 record in the

GOING TO STATE

The Out-of-Door Academy boys track and field state qualifiers

800-meter run: Junior Collin Dillingham (2:00.38)

3,200-meter run: Sophomore Kevin Gyurka (9:37.66) and senior Declan Fiorucci (10:01.37)

110-meter hurdles: Senior John Moschella (16:03)

400-meter hurdles: Senior John Moschella (56.90)

4x400-meter relay: Senior John Moschella, senior Stig Soderberg, senior Jacob Douglas, junior Collin Dillingham (3:31.76)

Race alternates: Sophomore Kevin Gyurka, junior Isido Iturralde, senior Declan Fiorucci, sophomore Kenji Katz

4x800-meter relay: Junior Collin Dillingham, junior Isido Iturralde, senior Stig Soderberg, sophomore Kevin Gyurka (8:08.85)

Race alternates: Senior Jacob Douglas, senior Declan Fiorucci, sophomore Kenji Katz, senior Logan Weitzner

800 meters (1:56.43); and the team of Dillingham, Moschella, Soderberg and senior Jacob Douglas (3:31.76) are approximately one second off the school record in the 4x400-meter relay, set in 2009 (3:30.61).

“I’m super proud of them,” Roper said. “They are reaping the benefits of their hard work.”

The broken records, and the possibility for more, have not clouded the runners’ minds as the state meet approaches. Thunder runners unanimously said their preparation will not change just because it is the final, and most important, meet of the season. Their training has prepared them for this moment, they agreed. All they have to do now is run.

Gyurka enters the state meet as ODA’s highest-seeded runner, sitting fourth in the 3,200 meters, approximately 11 seconds behind No. 1 seed Henry Stark of Palmer Trinity High (9:26.58). While catching Stark is unlikely, Roper said Gyurka could find himself on the podium by surpassing third-place Blake Young

of Indian Rocks Christian (9:36.82).

Gyurka isn’t sweating the pressure.

“I tune all the distractions out and push myself,” Gyurka said. “This is the last race. I’m giving everything I can.”

The 4x800-meter relay team, seeded sixth, could also sneak onto the podium. The team is approximately four seconds behind thirdseeded Oak Hall School (8:04.74).

Dillingham, who ran at the state meet last year, is one of the few Thunder runners at the meet with experience. Dillingham shared his experience with his teammates so they know what to expect, from the race and from themselves.

“The adrenaline gets pumping,” Dillingham said. “It always gets going before a race, but the state meet is on a different level. The vibe is crazy. You have to use that.”

The meet will carry a sense of finality for some ODA runners. Seniors Declan Fiorucci and Jacob Douglas will be running their at final high school meets at states. Both runners said the program has been one of the highlights of their high school experiences because of their personal growth and the bonding the team has done. Fiorucci said his favorite track memory was when the team did a “GoGurt run,” in which everyone raced while consuming a packet of the squeezable, tubular yogurt. At the state meet, Fiorucci and Douglas said they will leave everything on the track as the Thunder run for the record books.

— Lakewood Ranch High’s Madie Adams SEE PAGE 15A

File photo

Braden River High junior running back Marcus Galloway cuts upfield against Lakewood

in

May 9.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS

The Out-of-Door Academy sophomore Kevin Gyurka and junior Collin Dillingham prep for the state meet at a May 11 practice. Both runners have the chance to set school records at the meet, Gyurka in the 3,200-meter run and Dillingham in the 800-meter run.

ODA track and field senior John Moschella holds the school record in the 400-meter hurdles (56.52 seconds).

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Ranch redemption

It took the Mustangs all season to find themselves, but they found it in time to take home some hardware.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

For Grace Shaw-Rockey, the 2024 softball postseason was about a return to past glory.

The Lakewood Ranch High senior outfielder and University of North Florida signee was part of back-to-back state championship teams in her freshman and sophomore seasons. But after TJ Goelz stepped down as head coach following the second state title in 2022, the program slid backward. A 16-11 season in 2023 ended with a 5-3 Florida High School Athletic Association district title game loss to Sarasota High and, after qualifying for the regional as a runner-up, a 7-4 loss to Steinbrenner High in the regional tournament quarterfinals. It was an earlier exit than anyone in the program wanted or anticipated. Head coach Todd Lee, who replaced Goelz, would step down after one season.

The 2024 regular season — played under new head coach Taylor Gould, a program alum who played college softball at James Madison University — saw the team undergo a reconstruction, with Shaw-Rockey left as the only major contributor from those state championship teams. She did her part, hitting .444, with nine home runs and 25 RBIs. But the team struggled while introducing less experienced players to the varsity level. The Mustangs finished the regular season 3-20.

That didn’t sit right with Gould, nor with the team’s veterans, who know how proud and successful the program was for years. As the regular season came to a close, Gould implored her players to bring their best effort in the district

tournament — if not for themselves, then for the team’s seniors, who had given the team their all for four years and deserved to leave on a high note.

Coaches make those kinds of speeches all the time, but the Mustangs took this particular one to heart.

The Mustangs started playing like the Mustangs of old. A 10-0 win over North Port High (6-19) kicked things off, followed by a 7-3 win over Riverview High (16-7) and its junior pitcher Allison Cole, who held a 1.40 ERA. In the district championship game, the Mustangs trailed Venice High (13-11) 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning before junior Lexi Meneely’s two RBI single gave them a 4-3 lead, which Meneely, who was pitching, held in the bottom of the inning for the victory.

It kicked off a massive celebration. Meneely, who was a freshman on the 2022 state championship team, said this year’s district title win is now tied with the state title win as her favorite softball memory. That’s how much it meant to the group — particularly the seniors, who did get their positive ending after an awful regular season.

“We wanted to keep building back the legacy of Lakewood Ranch softball,” Shaw-Rockey said. “We win district championships. We went in there determined to prove everybody wrong, and we did.”

The district tournament resurgence did not come from mental willpower alone. Gould said the team spent the week before the tournament, which featured no games, practicing situational softball, with Mustangs hitters batting off live pitching instead of soft toss from coaches. Gould said the week

upped the level of competition in the program.

She also credits pitching coach Logan Newton — Gould’s sister and a fellow Lakewood Ranch and James Madison alum — with learning the pitching staff’s strengths and weaknesses and calling the right pitches in the right spots. The combined growth of the coaches and the players led to the district title, in the process doubling the team’s win total.

The miracle run could only go so far. The Mustangs lost 5-0 to state title contender Windermere High (21-4) in the regional quarterfinals on May 9. The team finished 6-21. The record does not look like much, but the team’s improvement bodes well for 2025 and beyond. Gould said she is particularly excited to see how Meneely continues to develop as a pitcher while working with Newton. Meneely had a season

ERA of 4.34, but in the postseason allowed just four earned runs over 26 innings, which equates to a 1.08 ERA. Gould said she wishes she could put Meneely’s gritty mentality in a bottle and distribute it.

At the plate, Lakewood Ranch’s leading returnee will be sophomore Peyton Burdick, who hit .378 with seven doubles in just 17 games.

Seniors like Shaw-Rockey will not be around to see the team’s growth. Shaw-Rockey said she is confident it will continue, however. She’s also thankful for the experiences she’s had in her four years, the ups and the downs.

“I’m grateful for everything,” Shaw-Rockey said. “I could not have asked for a better high school softball experience. It has given me so many great friendships and great coaches. I cherished every time I stepped on the field.”

As for Gould, her first year as a

head coach was filled with learning experiences, from working in those situational practices to figuring out how to manage the players as people. But she’s proud of how close the team became by season’s end. She knew the team had district championship potential, she said, even if there was little proof of it during the regular season.

It’s a step in building back the Lakewood Ranch standard, Gould said. But it is not the final step.  “We want to chase that (standard) and raise it,” Gould said.

Kohn is the sports editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

Ryan

Photo courtesy Danny Miller

Lakewood Ranch High softball’s Grace Shaw-Rockey hit .444 as a senior in 2024. She will play for the University of North Florida next season.

Madie Adams

Madie Adams is a senior on the Lakewood Ranch High track and field team. Adams qualified for the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A state meet in the javelin. Adams set her personal best throw of 32.89 meters (107 feet, 11 inches) at the Manatee County Championships, held April 11 at Manatee High. The throw is also a Lakewood Ranch record.

When did you start in javelin?

My dad (Jamie Adams) encouraged me to try out for the track and field team as a sophomore to see if I would be interested in it. I started out with running events, but I saw a couple seniors throwing the javelin and I thought it looked cool.

What is the appeal to you?

It’s a lot less stressful than running events, and I got to bond with the girls I was competing against because we had time to talk. Also, getting to throw a spear is just cool.

In what aspect of javelin have you grown the most?

Definitely my technique. When I started, it was nowhere near as good as it is now. The flight of my javelin has improved a lot.

What did you change about your technique?

I messed with my grip a lot. I started with a ‘fork grip,’ then went away from it, then went back to a fork grip. That is where the javelin is held across my palm, between the index and middle finger.

What is your favorite moment?

The Manatee County Championships. That was the meet where I broke the school record on my first throw, then broke it again on my second throw. It let me know that I was improving and gaining consistency. What is your goal for the state meet?

I would like to hit 33 meters, but it is going to be a little different. At the state meet, you throw off the track like the Olympics. All but one of our

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.

meets this year have been on grass, where I can wear cleats.

What is your favorite food? I’ll go with mac and cheese. You cannot go wrong with it.

What are your hobbies? I like playing pickleball, going to the gym and going to the beach.

What is your favorite subject? I like science courses. I’m going to the University of Florida to major in kinesiology. A lot of the related classes are science ones. I just like them.

What is the best advice you have received?

Watch the professionals throw. Watch their form and attempt to replicate what they are doing. You need to record yourself and compare that recording to what they are doing. That’s how you improve.

Finish this sentence: “Madie Adams is … ” … Optimistic.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

8482 mjbhaus@aol.com Schooloffishswimminglessons.com

YOUR NEIGHBORS

“We all looked like Christmas trees,” Fulghum said. “We had lights everywhere on us.”

Even with all the lights on, Sloman and Fulghum said there were a few close calls with cars as they flew by the runners, coming close.

Fortunately, no one was injured or even fell during the entire route, Sloman said.

They also encountered wildlife, including a bobcat.

Sloman had just started one of her runs in the middle of the night. The RV left, driving out front, out of sight, and she and her running partner saw the bobcat and stopped in their tracks.

They froze as the bobcat watched them. Sloman said she wasn’t sure whether the bobcat was more interested in them or the five deer that weren’t too far away.

“It was pitch black outside, and all you see are the eyes watching you,” Sloman said of the bobcat. “They don’t let go.”

Fulghum said excitement, adrenaline and fear kept them moving forward. On top of that, every time the runners came up on the RV, they would see and hear their friends cheering for them. Fulghum said it was like a recharge that gave them the energy to make it however much longer they had to go to reach the RV.

Two Tara Elementary School teachers joined a running team that covered 162 miles across the state.

FROM COAST TO COAST

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

When Holmes Beach was in sight, Vanessa Sloman and Katelyn Fulghum had one final burst of adrenalin.

After taking turns with seven other team members running 162 miles across the state from Fort Pierce to Holmes Beach in 37 hours, their journey almost was over.

With only a few miles to go, Sloman, Fulghum and their teammates had a police escort to the beach. As they approached their finish, traffic stopped to let them through, with the drivers all wondering what was so special to deserve such treatment.

Their friends and family cleared a route on the beach to give them a direct path to the water.

“It was like slow motion for me as we were all running down the road,” Sloman said.

Sloman and Fulghum, who are third grade teachers at Tara Elementary School, kept running across the beach and then into the water.

“It was the most refreshing water I’ve ever felt in my life,” Fulghum said with a laugh.

The two have been running partners on and off for the past decade. They’ve run 10Ks, 5Ks, marathons and a 50K.

Fulghum said they were

looking for a new way to push themselves mentally and physically. Cue the idea to run across the state from coast to coast.

Fulghum shared the idea with Sloman on Jan. 20 to join seven fellow Crunch Fitness club members in the run. Three days later, Sloman started training.

Sloman, Nick Dompierre and Karoline Las are all East County residents. Fulghum and her husband, Joseph, who joined the team, live in Bradenton.

The group was rounded out by Jase Deemer, Jason Deemer, Meghan Moger and Esdeina Gonzales.

At 4:34 a.m. April 27, the group touched the Atlantic Ocean in Fort Pierce and began running west.

The 162-mile journey had begun.

The group ran in pairs to ensure safety while the others rested and napped in the RV.

When the active runners needed a break and there was a safe place for the RV to park, the runners would switch. Those actually running would do so for about an hour on a shift before being replaced.

As night fell on April 27, Fulghum and Sloman were prepared. They wore green, blue and purple lights on their bodies, as well as headlamps.

Although it was dark, exhausting and sometimes scary to be running in the middle of nowhere throughout the night, Fulghum said there was beauty. It was quiet, and the sky was clear enough to see thousands of stars.

Around 4:30 a.m. April 28, Fulghum felt she was hitting a wall. She was exhausted from not sleeping and being uncomfortable in the RV, but once she saw the sun come up, she was reenergized.

As they were closer to home, Sloman and Fulghum ran into familiar faces. When they ran past the Circle K on State Road 64, they saw Tara Elementary students Nathan Klein and Catherine Klein and their parents, Jennifer Klein and Christian Klein, holding up signs saying “Run Sloman Run,” “Go Fulghum go” and “Go go go.”

Knowing their students were there to support them on the road gave Sloman goose bumps.

At 1:40 p.m. April 28, the group splashed into the water.

They made it. It was the first part of the journey in which they all ran together.

By the end of the 162 miles, Sloman had run 50 miles and Fulghum ran 37.5 miles. It was the most miles either of them had ever run.

In the moments after they completed their run, the idea of ever running that many miles or across the state again brought them dread, Fulghum and Sloman said. Each of the runners said never again.

But when the next morning came and the soreness lessened, Fulghum and Sloman changed their mind. Rather than “Never again,” it became “What are we going to do next?”

Katelyn Fulghum and Vanessa Sloman (front), who are third grade teachers at Tara Elementary School, loved seeing Jennifer Klein, Nathan Klein, Christian Klein and Catherine Klein cheering them on during their run.

Vanessa Sloman, Katelyn Fulghum and Joseph Fulghum celebrate finishing their 162-mile run across the state.

Courtesy images

Posies Flower Truck is budding business

The mobile flower business will be making the rounds at special events in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

Achance meeting at the St. Pete fishing pier caused Julie Peters to put her RV in park after four years on the road.

It was love at first sight when Peters, a nurse-turned-florist, laid her eyes on the Posies Flower Truck.

It was 2022, and owner Stephanie Frank was preparing for a popup event at the pier. Peters beelined to the truck to offer up help and her telephone number. Frank called the next day.

Two years later, Peters hosted her own pop-up event: a grand opening at The Green at University Town Center on April 13.

Peters bought a truck from Frank, who purchased the business in 2021. Peters has since named the 1971 Volkswagen pickup “Wildflower.”

“People think I retrofit buses,” Frank said. “But Volkswagen made trucks back in the day. They took the bus chassis and made a truck version.”

Wildflower is the newest model in the fleet. The rest of the singlecab pickups were manufactured in the 1960s.

In addition to Peters’ Sarasota/ Lakewood Ranch truck, there are seven more in the fleet — one in Oldsmar, one in Winter Park, three in the Tampa Bay area and two more are getting road ready or what Frank calls “Posie-fied.”

BOOK THE TRUCK

Each event is customized, so pricing is only available by contacting Posies. Visit PosiesFlowerTruck.com to check the calendar and request a free consultation.

ready to do peonies. We bring things in from all over the world.”

As Peters rolled up the canvas cover, a strong and pleasant aroma wafted out into the air. She said the scent was coming from a bucket of free-spirit roses. Another bucket was filled with king protea, an enormous, hand-sized bloom from South Africa. There were also buckets of sunflowers and snapdragons from a farm in Lakeland.

tions across Sarasota and Manatee counties.

PUT IT IN PARK

Being on the road is nothing new for Peters. As for driving a 53-yearold truck, she said it drives well as long as you can handle a stick shift.

Before seeing a Posies truck at the pier, Peters had been traveling the country in an RV with her two dogs and three teenage kids.

“Every week, it changes. We do seasonal flowers. Right now, we’re doing hydrangeas. We’re getting ready to do peonies. We bring things in from all over the world.”

— Julie Peters

“When my husband told me we could live anywhere because he could commute, I was like okay, how about everywhere? Let’s just sell everything and travel,” Peters said.

The couple sold their home, then hit the open road and air. The family started on the West Coast, and traveled back through Texas and into Florida.

That’s when Peters met Frank and decided to settle down again. While waiting on Wildflower to be customized, the family spent their last year of a nomadic lifestyle traveling up and down the East Coast.

Peters initially asked her husband if he thought she could take Wildflower on the road with them. He said, “No.”

While the fleet is serviced regularly, and therefore reliable, Peters agrees that highway driving is not ideal in a 1971 flower truck. The pickup has no safety features, and even worse for Florida driving, there’s no air conditioning.

Getting Posie-fied requires a tune-up, paint job, canvas top and enough buckets to load about 400 flower stems into the back.  The trucks don’t deliver bouquets. They don’t do wedding arrangements. They deliver an experience.

“It’s all about the experience of coming to the truck and picking your single stems,” Frank said. “Every week, it changes. We do seasonal flowers. Right now, we’re doing hydrangeas. We’re getting

The quality of care was second to none.

Posies found a niche in private events like staff appreciation days and grand openings. Between pop-ups and private bookings, the trucks spend more than 200 days a year on the road.

Peters’ hasn’t sorted out the locations yet, but her plan is to hold two pop-ups a week. She’d like to be at UTC every Friday and rotate the other weekly pop-up in loca-

SPONSORED

CONTENT

After living in San Antonio, Texas, for 16 years running his own construction company, Peters’ husband, Don, wanted to fly again. He’d been an Army pilot and was quickly hired by United Airlines. Peters offered support and inspiration for the career change. She’d been a nurse for 20 years before opening a flower business because she wanted to do “something fun.”

After an epic five-year family vacation, the Peters kids are now grown. And they’ve all been taught how to drive a stick shift in case they need to help out with the truck.

Don Peters is still flying, but he commutes to and from Ellenton now.

‘THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE I WANT TO SHARE’

It was a Sunday when Robert Smithson, 63, first began experiencing a “twinge of pain or discomfort” in his stomach. By Tuesday morning, the pain was intense. Suspecting something might be seriously wrong, he headed to the ER.

Welcoming and Efficient Process

The first thing about the ER at Fruitville that stood out for Smithson (besides abundant parking) was that he was immediately attended to. He also noted how clean the facility was and how professional the staff looked.

“I was welcomed as soon as I entered the ER,” he says. “When I described my symptoms, I was immediately put into a bed in an exam room. They took my vitals and told me that the doctor would be coming to see me momentarily.”

Smithson underwent a CT scan with contrast to help determine what was causing his pain. When the doctor told him he had diverticulitis, “my wife and I had a sigh of relief,” recalls Smithson.

His medications were explained, and he was advised to follow up with his primary care doctor and a GI physician.

“After about two hours, we said our goodbyes to the wonderful team at the ER at Fruitville,” he says. What Smithson appreciated most was the excellent communication and timely care. From the person who welcomed him, to the nurse, CT tech, physician and billing person, people throughout his stay made him feel truly comfortable. Today, Smithson says he feels great, and everything is back to normal.

“I think it’s important for people to know they can get into ER at Fruitville quickly and safely, and they have competent staff,” adds Smithson.

Robert Smithson ER at Fruitville Patient

Lesley Dwyer

Julie Peters hosts her first pop-up event at The Green at University Town Center on April 13.

YOUR CALENDAR

BEST BET

FRIDAY, MAY 17

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Begins at 6 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. The monthly Sights and Sounds performance series continues with the Sarasota Contemporary Dance Ensemble, which will perform “Evolutions,” which features a range of dances from contemporary to Afro-fushion to the “jazzy ’80s.” The works are choreographed by Associate Directors Xiao-Xuan Dancigers and Melissa Rummel, along with Sarasota Contemporary Dance member Monessa Salley and Rising Choreographer Nicole Connaughton. Feel free to bring a lawn chair. For more information, go to LWR.com.

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, MAY 16 THROUGH

SUNDAY, MAY 19

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 Zoey Seraphine (Thursday), Black Snake Bayou Band (Friday), Jimmy Keith Band (Saturday) and Mike Sales (Sunday). The Friday and Saturday concerts have a $5 cover; the other concerts are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Frankie Lombardi, who performs eclectic acoustic rock and pop, is the featured artist, entertaining those who stroll through Waterside Place. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 19

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s activities and

live music. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.

YOGA IN THE PARK Runs 9-10 a.m. at Waterside Park, 7301 Island Cove Terrace, Sarasota. Start the morning off with gentle yoga with lake views. For more information, go to LakewoodRanch.com.

BIG 12 ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP

Begins at 8 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The NCAA’s Big 12 Conference will hold its championship regatta at Benderson Park. Last year, the University of Texas took home the championship, its 12th title in 14 years. The event is free for spectators. For more information, visit Big12Sports.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 21

PICKLEBALL CLINIC

Begins at 6 p.m. at UMR Sports, 131 Upper Manatee River Road, Bradenton. The UMR Sports Pickleball Clinic Play is a round robin-style event where the facility’s coach will walk around during play giving tips and tricks. The event is $30 for club members; $35 for nonmembers. Registration and more information can be found at UMRSports.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

RANCH NITE WEDNESDAYS

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. The weekly event includes food trucks, live music, a night market, a vintage mobile bar and a recreational cornhole league. No outside food or beverage allowed. Kettle of Fish will perform. For more information, go to LakewoodRanch.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

TRIBUTE TO HEROES PARADE

Begins with a block party at 5 p.m. with the parade starting at 6:30 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Join thousands of others who line the streets at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch to honor our military veterans and first responders. The free event begins with a block party that features food and drinks, kids activities and more. For more information, go to LakewoodRanch.com/ Event/Tribute-To-Heroes-BlockParty-Parade/.

Field day fun

Carson Calasans, a fourth grader at Robert E. Willis Elementary School, and his mother, Liz Calasans, spent time at home the night before the school’s annual Field Day practicing their water balloon toss skills.

“It was not pretty,” Carson Calasans said of their practice time.

Cleaning up was not as much fun,” Liz Calasans said with a laugh.

The Calasans were hopeful their time spent practicing would lead to positive results at the water balloon toss station during the event on May 10.

The water balloon toss was one of seven activities.

Three of the stations involved water, leading to students being soaked before having to return to the classroom.

Fifth grader Aubri Darpino was drenched in water after participating in the water bucket competition. She decided to show her mom, Courtni Darpino, who is a student support specialist, some love with a wet hug.

“I’m going to get you wet,” Aubri Darpino said leaving splotches of water on Courtni Darpino’s shirt. Field day was bittersweet for the Darpinos because it was Aubri Darpino’s last before be moving to middle school next school year.

— LIZ RAMOS

Fourth graders Nick Gelsomine, Sohe Delfino, Sofia Velez, Daniela Boscan and Moreland Riggenbach play tic-tac-toe.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Fifth grader Alex Kulyk tries his best to get as much water in fifth grader Benjamin Rodriguez’s bucket, while fifth grader Alina Matevosova waits her turn.

Fourth grader Carson Calasans and his mother, Liz Calasans, say they’ve been practicing water balloon tosses at home to prepare for field day.

“It was not pretty,” Carson Calasans says of practicing at home.

Fifth grader Aubri Darpino hugs her mother, Courtni Darpino, a student support specialist. “I’m going to get you wet,” Aubri Darpino says after being drenched in water during an activity.

The Possibilities ARE ENDLESS!

Local teen raises the flag for veterans

Lorenzo Liberti started the Give-A-Buck Foundation to build housing for veterans.

LESLEY DWYER

or some, changing the world can seem so easy at 16 years old.  Lakewood Ranch’s Lorenzo Liberti, founder of the nonprofit Give-A-Buck Foundation, was convinced three years ago he was on his way to doing just that after raising $30,000 for homeless veterans.

“I’d never seen that much money in my life,” the now 19-year-old said. “But I realized that $30,000 in today’s government system of how traditional nonprofits work, it didn’t go too far. It didn’t take anybody off the street permanently.”

Now, instead of donating to nonprofits like Turning Points, which have limits on how much each client can receive in aid, Liberti is carving his own path to help veterans with his foundation. Part of that involves literal carving. Liberti carves rustic American

the Give-A-Buck Foundation.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, when teenagers and adults alike were binge watching “Tiger King” on Netflix, Liberti spent his time getting his flags into hospitals across all 50 states.

So despite any disappointment he felt by not taking any veterans off the street with that initial $30,000, Liberti’s dreams have only soared higher since.

“The end goal of Give-A-Buck is to create something like a college campus where you have job training, a place to stay, meals, etcetera,” Liberti said. “Veterans Affairs is right down the street, not all the way up in a different city.”

Each year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development performs a Point-in-Time count to estimate the homeless population. In 2023, there were 35,574 veterans counted as homeless, which was a 7.4% increase from 2022.

The naivety of the 16-year-old has worn off. Liberti is fully aware how lofty the dream of a campus is and that it will take many years and much fundraising to accomplish.

flags. Sales from Heroic Flags help fund

Lesley Dwyer

Lakewood Ranch’s Lorenzo Liberti holds one of his hand-carved flags.

ABOUT THE NONPROFIT

Give-A-Buck Foundation. 13343 Ramblewood Trail. Visit Give-ABuck.org. Mission statement:

To eliminate veteran homelessness in America.

He’s also got a plan for the interim. He’s banked enough money that he’s looking to buy a house for veterans now. This, too, has been easier said than done. Not all neighborhoods will allow a rent-by-room type of set up.

He thought he found a house this year that would work. It had the bedrooms and bathrooms to house up to eight veterans, but when he saw the neighborhood, it was no longer an option.

“Why put homeless vets in a bad area? It’s not helping them,” he said. “That was a shame.”

But Liberti is never deterred, even though he’s taken some hits over the years.

He’s been helping veterans one by one along the way. He said some are more stubborn than others. They see

help from a teenager as a handout, and their unwillingness to accept his help has been among the disappointments.

“This was the first time I heard it from a veteran. We were trying to get him into housing, and he said, ‘Listen man, you’re a saint, but I’m not feeling like a man right now,’” Liberti said. “That hurt.”

Experiences like that only make Liberti more determined.

He is on track to accomplish his dream of becoming part of a brotherhood. His goal is to become a police officer. The only problem right now is that he’s not old enough to carry a firearm.

To start, he’s working as a corrections officer for the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office until he can go through police training. He hopes to eventually become a SWAT Team member.

Edwin Robinson now sits on the board of Heroic Flags, but he was a case manager at Turning Points when Liberti first approached the nonprofit. Liberti said Robinson was the first adult, outside of his parents, to truly take him and his mission seriously.

“Here’s a young teenager wanting to talk to us about veteran homelessness,” Robinson said. “You can say a lot about teenagers these days, but this all started with a 16-year-old looking around his community and asking a question: Why are veterans homeless when they fought for our country?”

Courtesy image

Staff at Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona unveil one of Liberti’s flags. In 2019, the teenager got a flag into one hospital in each of the 50 states.

Lake Club home tops sales at $2,272,500

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Lake Club topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Robert Shemonski and Jennifer Edmonson, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16730 Verona Place to Jeffrey and Michelle Brezek, of Bradenton, for $2,272,500.

Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 3,023 square feet of living area. It sold for $986,600 in 2021.

PRESERVE AT PANTHER RIDGE

Denise Missonak, of Bradenton, sold her home at 22527 Morning Glory Circle to Jesse and Nancy Vance, of Bradenton, for $1.9 million. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,535 square feet of living area.

Neil and Jaimee Baker of Myakka City, sold their home at 22707 Night Heron Way to David and Yvette Varnadore, of Bradenton, for $1,025,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,601 square feet of living area. It sold for $900,100 in 2022.

UNIVERSITY PARK

Julie Kimmel McMullen, of University Park, sold her home at 7227 Marlow Place to Douglas and Gwendolyn MacKenzie, of University Park, for $1,775,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,410 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.02 million in 2016.

TIDEWATER PRESERVE

Remo Peter Caderas and Laura Jean Caderas, trustees, of Canton, Georgia, sold the home at 1110 Overlook Court to William and Michelle Thompson, of Wilmington, North Carolina, for $1,375,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,942 square feet of living area. It sold for $577,500 in 2015.

COUNTRY CLUB

Gino and Sunshine Taliento, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6919 Brier Creek Court to Robert and Debra Walker, of Bradenton, for $1,225,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,083 square feet of living area. It sold for $575,000 in 2018.

Kevin and Anita Lambert, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 7314 Wexford Court to Victor Patrick Moss and Ashley Michelle Moss, of Lakewood Ranch, for $685,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,919 square feet of living area. It sold for $420,000 in 2007.

WATERLEFE GOLF AND RIVER CLUB

Roger and Marianne Lindsay, of Avon Lake, Ohio, sold their home at 421 Sand Crane Court to Ronald and Deborah Myers, of Bradenton, for $1.12 million. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,021 square feet of living area. It sold for $575,000 in 2020.

VIRGINIA WATER

Michael and Diane Hanna, trustees, of Punta Gorda, sold the home at 6524 Virginia Crossing to Kenneth and Mary Crotty, of Winchester, Massachusetts, for $1.1 million. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,354 square feet of living area. It sold for $452,500 in 2019.

Brian Sweeney and Janice Camp Sweeney, of Bradenton, sold their home at 7171 Victoria Circle to Daniel and Briggite Schaufelberger, of Longboat Key, for $710,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,795 square feet of

living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2022.

REGENTS PARK

Michael and Peggy Losee, of University Park, sold their home at 8207 Regents Court to Julie Ann Pendergast and George Vega, of Sarasota, for $1.05 million. Built in 1993, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,119 square feet of living area. It sold for $530,000 in 2001.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Ronald and Deborah Myers, of Bradenton, sold their home at 14914 Castle Park Terrace to Jeffrey and Debra Manheimer, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,045,000. Built in 2015, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,278 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.15 million in 2022.

ESPLANADE

Brian Clegg and Elizabeth Callon sold their home at 13312 Sorrento Way to Jaime and Geraldine Mercado, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, for $980,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,087 square feet of living area. It sold for $506,900 in 2017.

Mark and Denise Silberman, of Jacksonville, Oregon, sold their home at 5018 Serata Drive to John Lealis North and Joyce Johnsen North, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $650,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,912 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2018.

GREYHAWK LANDING

James and Chelsea Toldi, of St. Augustine, sold their home at 12406 Daisy Place to Hoff and Michelle Inglesby, of Bradenton, for $970,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,913 square feet of living area. It sold for $564,000 in 2020.

RYE WILDERNESS ESTATES

Todd Randal Thomas and Michelle Marie Thomas, of Mize, Mississippi, sold their home at 16612 Fifth Ave. E. to Charles David Jones and Jacqueline Ann Jones, of Wesley Chapel, for $950,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,114 square feet of living area. It sold for $505,000 in 2018.

WILTON CRESCENT

Ian and Carole Gilbertson, trustees, of University Park, sold the home at 7853 Wilton Crescent Circle to Steven and Andrea Bailey, of Reston, Virginia, for $935,000. Built in 1994, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,953 square feet of living area. It sold for $845,000 in 2021.

DEL WEBB

Folkert and Eileen Brouwer, trustees, sold the home at 17236 Hampton Falls Terrace to Sharon Kinkaid, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, for $930,600. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,734 square feet of living area.

Charles Clouser and Cindy Cramer

Clouser, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7125 Woodville Cove to Timothy and Cathy Driebelbies, of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, for $880,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,095 square feet of living area. It sold for $504,300 in 2020.

THE MOORINGS AT EDGEWATER

Barbara Smith, trustee, of Naperville, Illinois, sold the Unit 201 condominium at 6539 Moorings Point Circle to Scott Medrick, of Essex Fells, New Jersey, for $899,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,963 square feet of living area. It sold for $439,000 in 2012.

ROSEDALE ADDITION

Douglas and Jeanette Kremski, trustees, sold the home at 9929 Carnoustie Place to Mary Miller, of Bradenton, for $875,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,216 square feet of living area.

Cathy Cline, of Bradenton, sold her home at 10406 Eastwood Drive to Luis Rocafort and Kim Rocafort, trustees, of Bradenton, for

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

APRIL 29-MAY 3

$807,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,519 square feet of living area. It sold for $481,200 in 2015.

James and Melissa Jones, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5014 Tobermory Way to John and Joanne Dathan, of Ontario, Canada, for $800,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,379 square feet of living area. It sold for $857,000 in 2022.

Randall Abbs sold the home at 5112 Tobermory Way to Laura and John Markey, of Massapequa Park, New York, for $685,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a

pool and is 2,016 square feet. It sold for $590,000 in January.

John and Sandra Day, trustees, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, sold the home at 4606 Royal Dornoch Circle to Jeffrey Oskin and Courtney Caola, of Saratoga Springs, New York, for $650,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,217 square feet of living area. It sold for $361,800 in 2019.

Jeffrey Alan Alexander and Maryann Renee Alexander, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 4645

Courtesy image

This Lake Club home at 16730 Verona Place sold for $2,272,500. It has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,023 square feet of living area.

Royal Dornoch Circle to Robert and Brenda O’Neal, of Carmel, Indiana, for $630,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and is 2,507 square feet.

LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE

Allen Douglas Smith and Kathleen Ann Smith sold their home at 997 Crosswind Ave. to Benjamin and Annie Bjerk, of Sarasota, for $790,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,157 square feet of living area. It sold for $559,300 in 2022.

ROSEDALE HIGHLANDS

Roberta Ann Karas, trustee, sold the home at 5109 96th St. E. to Russell and Joan Denton, of Bradenton, for $775,000. Built in 2001, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,569 square feet of living area. It sold for $200,900 in 2010.

Gwendolyn Bruce, of New Brunswick, Canada, sold her home at 5125 96th St. E. to Douglas and Marlowe Sutton, of Hermosa Beach, California, for $700,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,387 square feet.

COUNTRY CREEK

Mark and Cristina McCrone, of Acworth, Georgia, sold their home at 119 Mill Run E. to Jane Catherine Cook, of Bradenton, for $762,500. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,776 square feet of living area. It sold for $374,900 in 2019.

WATERCRESS

Marvin and Elaine Fitzer, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 202 condominium at 6466 Watercrest Way to Roger Walton and Cheryl Yonkus, of Indianapolis, for $750,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,376 square feet of living area. It sold for $465,000 in 2018.

POLO RUN

Pranav and Piaa Thakker, of Bradenton, sold their home at 18111

Polo Trail to Daniel Smith and Rhonda Biendarra-Smith, of Bradenton, for $745,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,455 square feet of living area. It sold for $560,000 in 2021.

MISTY OAKS

Joann Glady, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 8150 Misty Oaks Blvd. to Stephen Catania, of Sarasota, for $715,000. Built in 1986, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,589 square feet of living area. It sold for $419,000 in 2019.

BRADEN OAKS

Taya Lennon, of Fort Valley, Georgia, sold her home at 3614 65th St. E. to Nicholas and Angel Ball, of Bradenton, for $700,000. Built in 1987, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 3,404 square feet. It sold for $822,500 in 2022.

STONEYBROOK

Michael Dupree and Karen Bershok-Dupree, of Bradenton, sold their home at 9114 Brookfield Terrace to David and Beth Saalmann, of Bradenton, for $663,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,852 square feet. It sold for $480,000 in 2017.

WOODBROOK

Russell and Joan Denton, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4507 Cedar Brush Terrace to Susan Hill, trustee, of Sarasota, for $650,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,222 square feet of living area. It sold for $654,500 in 2023.

EAGLE TRACE

Susan Brennan, of Lakewood Ranch, sold her home at 1910 Crooked Lake Circle to Amy and Ramiro Rodrigo, of Bradenton, for $647,500. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,844 square feet of living area. It sold for $619,000 in 2022.

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

Submit your photos at YourObserver. com/contests All submissions will be entered for the 2024-25. Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2025, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

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ABOVE WATER by Garrett Chalfin, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

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