Caught in the Act of Kindness - July 2022
Celebrating individuals, groups and organizations that share their time, talent and treasure to meet the needs in our community.
Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world. ~ Annie Lennox
CHAPTER 94
For consideration in Caught in the Act of Kindness, email an example of how an individual, group or organization went above and beyond to help those in need to inspireme@ebellamag.com.If you have a related high-resolution photo, please include that as well.
Linda Pearson, Area 6 Director; Susie Mehas; Jean Sloan; Barbara Haman; Norine Carlson Weber; Jane Kolczun, President; Adele Hunter; June Tarter; and Marianne Kearns
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The Zonta Club of Naples donated $25,000 from the proceeds of its 7th annual Sparkle Event. The following charities benefited from the event: Collier Senior Resources, Meals of Hope, PACE Center for Girls, Path2Freedom, Shelter for Abused Women & Children, TAPP Immokalee, TAPP Naples and Youth Haven.
Chris and Pam Simoneau
Bonita Bay Club raised nearly $900,000 of its $1 million goal for the expansion of Lee Health Regional Cancer Center in Bonita Springs, some of which was raised at a Kentucky Derby event.
Youth Haven, Inc. received a $300,000 grant from the Naples Children & Education Foundation and a $35,000 grant from the Collier Community Foundation and other generous anonymous donors.
Erik Pappenfuss, Yasmin Pappenfuss, Heather Schulman, Ross Schulman, Maria Muhlhauser and Michael Rubenstein
Naples Therapeutic Riding Center raised $190,275 at its annual Kentucky Derby Party.
The Collier Community Foundation 2022 Food & Hunger grant committee awarded $300,000 in funding to local nonprofits that address food insecurity and hunger. Ken Melkus and his family provided $250,000 of the funding, which inspired another CCF donor to give additional funds when the monetary amount requested exceeded the available funds, raising the total to $300,000.
Angela Katz, LARC’s Executive Director
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Lee Association of Remarkable Citizens (LARC) received $140,000 in funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to create a psychosocial rehabilitation program for people with intellectual and developmental differences (IDD).
Scott Fischer Charities helped raise $60,000 for Valerie’s House, $20,000 of which was raised through sponsors and golfers at the 25th Annual Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational. It was matched by two additional donors, tripling the total donation to $60,000.
Guadalupe Center received a $60,000 grant from the United Way of Collier and the Keys to support after-school and summer learning programs.
Alliance for Period Supplies of SWFL received $29,000 from the Women’s Giving Circle of Southwest Florida, a $22,500 grant from The League Club and an $8,000 grant from West Bay Community Charitable Foundation.
Our Daily Bread Food Pantry and Child’s Path each received $35,000 in funding from the Collier Community Foundation.
Cavaan at Super Kids Reading Camp
Pelican Bay recently awarded New Horizons a $15,000 grant for Super Kids Reading Camp that took place during the month of June.
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation provided a $40,000 grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County to provide additional access and enhance summer programs for members and a $20,000 grant to Help A Diabetic Child (HADC), founded in Naples by Tami Balavage.
Avow program event where kids made their own ukuleles
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Avow was awarded a $10,000 grant from Bank of America for grief services.
Vineyards Country Club Activities Director, Julie Inman and Activities Assistant Stephanie Rall
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Vineyards Country Club’s annual concert on the lawn raised $7,756 to Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida.
St. Vincent de Paul Naples received a $20,000 grant from Collier Community Foundation and a $15,000 grant from Empty Bowls Naples Inc to help provide food security and good nutrition in Collier County.
Fashion Show Models: Pat Jolly, Joy Buck, Rusty Nunley, Patricia Peters and Joan Grippo
At its fashion show, Greater Naples Alumnae Panhellenic (GNAP) recently awarded five $1,500 scholarships for a total of $7,500 to sorority women enrolled in Florida colleges or universities.
With a grant contribution of $6,000 in June, the Bonita Springs Lions Charities reached a significant milestone of $400,000 in its history of charitable contributions to the Florida Lions Eye Clinic (FLLEC).
The Marco Island Community Grant Fund provided a $5,000 grant to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to help prevent and treat injuries to wildlife on Marco Island.
Dr. Emad Salman, Jetro Calixte and Dr. Craig MacArthur
Sarah Jean and Dr. Emad Salman
Lee Health Foundation awarded Barbara’s Friends scholarships to two local high school students, Sarah Jean and Jetro Calixte. This is the second year the scholarships have helped childhood cancer survivors and current sickle cell patients pursue higher education at a four-year college of their choice. It’s also the second year Lexington Country Club committed to pay for one of the scholarships.
The Collier Community Foundation granted $1,500 to Collier County Parks and Recreation for reusable sea turtle nest cages on Vanderbilt Beach.
Trish Leonard and Gary Price donated funds to YMCA of Bonita Springs to provide no-cost swim lessons to children ages 14 and under.
Rev. Lisa Lefkow and Vince Modarelli of Habitat for Humanity of Collier County with Adam Lysiak of Comerica Bank
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Comerica Bank is presenting a series of “gomerica Gratitude” donations to nonprofits across Southwest Florida as a way of honoring and celebrating organizations that raise expectations in the community, the first of which was Habitat for Humanity.
Collier Senior Center-Golden Gate partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Collier County to ensure at-risk seniors can stay in their homes.
Meals on Wheels volunteers, Andrea Muench and Stan Muench
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) partnered with the Florida Council on Aging and Collier Senior Center for distribution of hurricane preparedness meal kits to seniors in Collier County. Similarly, it partnered with Community Cooperative for distribution in Lee County.
Books for Collier Kids and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office are distributing books to children during Hot Summer Nights events in June and July. Without steady access to books over the summer, children enter the next school year with reading skills 30% lower than their peers. The remaining date is July 28.
FPL Community Relations Specialist Jennifer Huber