WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

Our local community has a plethora of established clubs and organizations that work hard every day to make Manatee County a better place to live. The Rotary Club of Bradenton especially strives to bridge the gaps in early childhood education to set young students up for educational success. 

Rotary International focuses on six specific issues: teacher training, fighting diseases, saving mothers and children, supporting education, …

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

Someone you wouldn’t necessarily think would be connected to every part of a community is the “trophy guy.” But chances are if you or your kids played sports in Manatee County in the last 37 years or have received an award in school or at work, you’ve obtained a piece created by Don Ide of The Trophy Case. 

Don moved from south of Buffalo, New …

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

When walking up to Prospect Riding Center, one is greeted by the sounds of chickens clucking, roosters crowing, cows mooing, and horses snorting. Not your typical equine therapeutic riding center, Prospect Riding Center offers a variety of hurdles to help folks with special needs overcome many different drawbacks, whether they be mental or physical. 

“Coming here, you don’t know what you’ll come up on,” Susan …

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

When Ted Lindenberg moved to Lakewood Ranch, he wanted to find a way to help people, especially in the process of reading. He joined a literacy council in Sarasota whose objective was to work with adults who have difficulties reading. However, while he found the organization wonderful, it wasn’t quite enough for him; he needed to help children. Thus, Books for Kids was born. 

He …

WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen

The needs of local women, children, and families are being radically changed for the better, thanks to The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle. Based out of Lakewood Ranch, the Circle is comprised of philanthropic women who are residents of The Lake Club community. 

Barbara Najmy founded The Lake Club (TLC) Women’s Giving Circle in 2014 after having the vision to create a women-only donor-advised philanthropic …