Shumaker Partner Meghan O. Serrano has been recognized by Leadership Sarasota for her exemplary work with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. At the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Celebrate Outstanding Leadership Awards annual luncheon, Meghan was presented with the prestigious 'Impact in Action' award.

"I am deeply humbled and honored to be recognized as a leader making a difference for the children of Sarasota—the community I love and call home," said Meghan.

Serrano’s interest in the Club goes back to 2009 when she first moved to Sarasota and had her sights set on finding an organization to volunteer with that helped kids. One of her law partners had worked with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties for a long time and he introduced her to the staff there. She started off by helping out with some committees and decided to join the Board of Directors in 2016. She has remained passionate about the Club ever since, and is the immediate past Board Chair. Her dedication, however, has gone far beyond the boardroom through mentorship, legal counseling, financial support and visionary leadership with one of her greatest accomplishments being the “Times of Crisis” operation manual that she helped design and implement. Following the damage caused by Hurricane Ian, Meghan worked tirelessly as part of the team dedicated to rebuilding the club, which benefits hundreds of children in the local community each year.  As part of that effort, Meghan assisted in securing a loan to help rebuild the club.

“Everything I do for the Boys and Girls Club is instantly gratifying and I know I am making a difference,” she shares. “I wish there had been an organization like the Club in my hometown when I was growing up. That feeling definitely drives my commitment to this organization.”

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Sarasota program is a year-long intensive program which enhances participants' awareness of community needs by examining how leadership in historical, geographical, educational, economic, governmental, and cultural segments work together to advance Sarasota County. The annual “Celebrate Outstanding Leadership Awards” luncheon honors graduates who have shown exceptional leadership within the program and the community.

Meghan, an accomplished lawyer in all phases of business litigation, is known for her meticulous and hardworking nature. Serving as Shumaker’s Litigation and Disputes Regional Service Line Leader and Financial Institutions and Insurance Business Sector Co-Chair, Meghan regularly represents businesses, business owners, employers, insurers, banks, lenders, and landlords in both state and federal court, at the trial level and on appeal. 

In order to create a better Sarasota, SRQ Strong believes that we must first create a space where the community cares for itself,  a space where people have the tools to enact change and support one another. Part of creating a strong and compassionate community is to be aware of how trauma shows its different faces and know the resources needed to address them. SRQ Strong is a nonprofit organization composed of a growing group of Sarasota County neighbors committed to learning about trauma and responding to its impact. Through their four components of change, Healing, Education, Action, and Leadership, SRQ Strong teaches trauma awareness to our community. Andy Blanch, who has spent her life peacemaking, saw the need for community healing projects within Sarasota and founded SRQ Strong. She believes that we must shift the conversation to one that at its core is compassionate; this can be done by understanding trauma. Blanch says “Once you understand trauma in the trauma world, one of our catchphrases is, you don't ask what's wrong with him, you ask what happened to him.” 

SRQ Strong’s mission is to provide the community with the education and resources necessary to bring on this shift toward compassion when trauma is present. “We do things like we work in churches, we work with the safe children's coalition, with their staff, as well as with the youth in foster care settings, etcetera, because all of those people have experienced trauma,” Blanch says. Along with educating the community about trauma, trauma must be addressed and healed. This is why bringing the act of providing support to heal these traumas continues to be the core component of the caring community SRQ Strong envisions for our future. “To know how to respond effectively, to put information in people's hands is absolutely essential in a public health model, so we're a lot about that,” says Blanch. 

SRQ Strong hosts Community Conversations that create a space where members of the community can come together to learn, share their own stories, and ultimately just participate. Blanch wants to emphasize that they really are conversations–not trainings.

Ultimately, Blanch and SRQ Strong invite you to learn more about where trauma resides in our community and the different ways you can help. “The first thing is to recognize when you see somebody or yourself, your friends, your family who could use some support, don't hesitate to contact us.”  Reach out to sarasotastrong@gmail.com for support. 

Pictured: A joyful hug at a Community Conversation. Photo courtesy of SRQ Strong.

To learn more, visit.

Tropical Storm Debby has left a path of destruction, and our community needs your help to recover. Hundreds of families have lost so much and entire neighborhoods need help clearing debris out of their houses and yards. Join Rotary International District 6960 today at one of two locations for a community cleanup. In addition to debris removal, help is also needed with food and supply distribution and donations. Let’s come together to support our neighbors and restore our beautiful city. 

To learn more, visit.

Asolo Repertory Theatre has received a $25,000 grant from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation designated towards the construction steel needed for the framework of Asolo Rep’s new costume storage facility. This storage facility aims to catalog and preserve the theatre’s collection of one-of-a-kind pieces designed by artists from around the world, including a remarkable inventory of historical couture costumes, and ensure their availability for future generations of theatre enthusiasts.This state-of-the-art center will provide uncrowded, climate- and light-controlled costume storage that prevents fabric damage, increasing the longevity and integrity of each piece. Adequate costume storage also gives Asolo Rep the space needed to digitally catalogue and organize costume inventory, an essential step in increasing capacity to generate income through costume rentals, and savings through accessibility of inventory to designers. Construction of the costume storage facility will begin in the summer of 2024, with expected completion in January 2025. Asolo Rep is posed to be the largest professional not-for-profit theatre in the Southeastern United States offering costume rentals, serving as a springboard for successful theatrical productions on Broadway and at other regional theatres throughout the country. 

Florida Studio Theatre, The Recovery Project, and The Terrence McNally Foundation, are proud to announce Jake Brasch has been selected as the recipient of the Terrence McNally Recovery Commission. This accolade, part of FST’s ongoing commitment to foster new talent and promote compelling storytelling, includes a $10,000 new play commission and the invaluable mentorship of esteemed playwright Craig Lucas. 

Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) is proud to announce the promotion of Kelly Borgia to Director of Brand Engagement, the selection of Carol Martin Brown, MBA, CPA as Chief Financial Officer, and the addition of Emily Joslin as Philanthropic Advisor. “Kelly, Carol, and Emily bring unique strengths and community insight to fuel exceptional donor experiences and deepened community impact. I am excited about our team members in their new roles at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, as the qualities and experiences that Kelly, Carol, and Emily bring will benefit our community and Foundation for years to come. With our dynamic and dedicated team, we are fully prepared to deliver outstanding support to our donors and the community we serve," said Gulf Coast’s President | CEO Phillip Lanham. Borgia joined Gulf Coast in 2018 after working for 10 years at Asolo Repertory Theatre as their Production Stage Manager. In her six-plus-year career at Gulf Coast, Borgia has served as a Philanthropic Administrator on the Philanthropy Team, Strategic Engagement Manager on the Brand Strategy and Experience Team, and as of July 2024, she has now been promoted to Director of Brand Engagement. In her new role, Borgia will oversee Gulf Coast’s strategic communication efforts, ensuring alignment with the Foundation’s goals and enhancing brand visibility and loyalty. She will manage partnerships, coordinate major grants, and lead event planning. Martin Brown, a certified public accountant, joins Gulf Coast with 30 years of financial leadership experience in the social sector and investments industry, most recently spending six years at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg as their Chief Financial and Administrative Officer. She is passionate about Gulf Coast’s mission-driven work and making a meaningful impact in the community. In her new role, Martin Brown will work with the Board and staff to create and monitor policies that strengthen Gulf Coast, its investment portfolio, its spending, and its internal controls, providing key information to inform Gulf Coast’s future. Joslin joined Gulf Coast in August 2024 after serving as Associate Director of Development for the Circle Program at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, overseeing the museum’s highest level of membership, developing relationships with donors, and offering unique stewardship experiences over the last two years. A senior-level executive with 25 plus years of experience in finance, philanthropy, marketing, and media, she works directly with donors to realize their philanthropic goals and maximize their impact in her Gulf Coast Philanthropic Advisor role. Joslin’s extensive experience working with philanthropists and her ability to create unique opportunities that speak directly to their passions make her an exciting fit for the Gulf Coast team and its donors. 

Pictured: Gulf Coast Community Foundation announces staff expansion and growth, with Kelly Borgia being promoted to Director of Brand Engagement, Carol Martin Brown, MBA, CPA joining as Chief Financial Officer, and Emily Joslin joining the Philanthropy t

 Coastal Orthopedics, a full-service provider of comprehensive orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, spine care, diagnostic imaging and physical therapy service, recently hosted an internal clothing drive amongst its employees to collect children’s clothing to donate to The Twig, a 501(c)3 charity that provides a haven for the foster care community and works to inspire and encourage foster families ​by meeting their needs. Over the course of a month, employees at Coastal Orthopedics were encouraged to bring in new and gently used children's items to all three of Coastal Orthopedics’ locations. Three large boxes were filled, as well as several bags. The Twig has two storefront locations, allowing children in the foster care system to shop for clothing in a space that brings them dignity, encouragement and inspiration. Children in foster care are eligible to shop at the store once every calendar month while they are in care with a supervising agency for free, and the organization serves more than 400 children every month. 

Community Assisted and Supported Living, Inc. is pleased to announce it has received a $33,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. These funds will help cover the gap in funding for the demolition and asbestos removal of the Budget Inn located at the corner of Tamiami Trail and Braden Avenue.  This will make way for the development of Legacy Village, a 60 unit apartment complex for individuals with disabling conditions.  The project is a partnership between CASL and Easter Seals of Southwest Fl., with Blue Sky communities as the development partner. This grant provides CASL support for the unplanned expense of asbestos removal found when preparing for the Budget Inn demolition. This will help the project to stay on target with its development timeline. 

Pictured: Local Come Together Choir at Town Square. Photo courtesy of Key Chorale.