TROPICAL NIGHTS, A ROYAL AFFAIR
The 28th Annual Tropical Nights, A Royal Affair, benefiting Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, will take place on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at The Grove Ballroom. This event promises to be a unique experience! There are several sponsorship levels, ticket options, and other ways to participate in Tropical Nights 2022—all fit for a Royal King and Queen!
We hope you will join us as we have some jolly, good fun! All proceeds from Tropical Nights stay right here in our local community. So, save the date, put on your crowns and tiaras, and get ready to join A Royal Affair! Click here for more information.
ANNOUNCING OUR 2022 BOARD MEMBERS
We are pleased to announce the Board of Directors for 2022, volunteers who donate their time and expertise to advance our mission throughout Manatee County:
Executive Committee:
Jackie Barron
Chair, Mosaic Company
Andy Guz
Vice Chair, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
Jamie DiDomenico
Treasurer, Cool Today
Susan Kramer
Secretary, Cablish & Gentile Certified Public Accountants
Mark Goodson
Member at Large/Immediate Past Chair
Community Volunteer
Maribeth Phillips
Ex-officio member, President & CEO of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee
Members:
Lisa Barnott
Lakewood Ranch Communities
Steve Bayard
Community Volunteer
Christi Bock
TDS Construction
Carol Carter
Commissioner, City of Anna Maria
Joseph Dunn
WWSB ABC-7
Natalee Herrig
Community Volunteer
Mark Messner
Konica Minolta Business Systems
Carl Reynolds
Carl Reynolds Law
“These great community leaders are fierce advocates for our mission, and I am so grateful to each one of them and all they invest in advancing our mission!”
-Maribeth Phillips, President & CEO of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee
TAX INFORMATION FOR 2021 DONATIONS
Thank you to everyone who supported our mission in 2021! All receipts for gifts made during the 2021 calendar year have been mailed. If you are in need of additional documentation, please email grants@mealsonwheelsplus.org or call 941-747-4655 and ask for the Development Office. Thank you!
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Thanks to the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation for their continued generosity and for this year’s grant. Our mission and vision align in connecting, engaging, and supporting the local community. With this grant Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee will be able provide more food to more people in Manatee County.
If you are interested in learning more about our current funding needs, there are opportunities for you to help, too! Click here to find out how!
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Sometimes a personal experience brings a calling to volunteer. That’s how it was for Kevin, who is a volunteer driver for Home-delivered Meals. Kevin, whose mother receives a similar service in Sun City, was looking for a volunteering opportunity that offered some of the similar benefits that his mother receives. He found it in Home-delivered Meals, a PLUS program of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee.
Kevin, who is originally from St. Louis and who graduated from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide), has a flexible work schedule that gives him the opportunity to deliver meals on Wednesday. In addition, he brings along his furry friend, Jack. Jack is a special treat to the clients that ask to see him. One client said that seeing Jack was the best present she received for her birthday when Kevin delivered her meals.
What gives Kevin the most enjoyment from volunteering? “It means a lot to me to give help to those that can’t help themselves,” says Kevin. “I can honestly say that I get so much enjoyment from doing this,” he continues. Kevin says that someone checking in on the clients can give family members peace of mind the same way it does for him with his mom.
Inspired by Kevin’s story and interested in volunteering? You can become a volunteer today by registering here.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Special thanks to the Manatee County Fair and the Palmetto Rotary for allotting space to support The Food Bank of Manatee during the 2022 festivities. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the can-sculpture at this year’s fair! Our buzzing creation, “Bee on Time for the Fair”, won “Most Creative Design”. In addition, over 2,400 pounds of food came into The Food Bank of Manatee between the sculptures and the donations from Fair guests!
