The Realtors Association of Sarasota and Manatee will dole out $300,000 to help Hurricane Debby victim with their mortgage and rent. But applicants must send applications in before the end of October, and they can only receive up to $2,000.

“We believe as a Realtor family that we have to take care of the people in our community,” said Tony Barrett, RASM president, in a press conference.

Debby made landfall in Steinhatchee in the Big Bend region as a Category 1 hurricane on Aug. 5 and delivered significant flooding and wind damage in this region. The area also took a blow from Hurricane Helene, which affected many of the same parts of the state but made landfall on Sept. 26 as a more powerful Category 4 storm. But importantly, the funding through RASM will only be available to those specifically impacted by Debby, not Helene. Those only disrupted by the latter storm cannot receive these funds.

“When we applied for the grant, it was obviously before Helene hit,” said Jeff Arakelian, CEO for RASM. “It was before Helene was even a hurricane.”

The organization had applied for the grant from the National Association of Realtors and secured funding from the Realtors Relief Fund. Arakelian did direct Helene victims, especially RASM members, to resources with the Florida Realtors, which has some resources immediately available to Helene victims.

Debby victims, in order to apply for relief, must show their home was affected by Debby, and that it was a primary residence. While second homes, vacation homes and properties rented to others are not eligible for the grants, funding will be available to both homeowners and renters  who need assistance with their mortgage or monthly rent.

Some documentation must be provided showing their monthly rent or mortgage cost. Arakelian said the intent is to pay the full month of that, so someone who pays $1,800 a month in rent would get $1,800. But the foundation will only issue assistance for up to the first $2,000 or rent or mortgage payment. Funding can also be used to cover temporary housing costs, such as hotel payments.

Grants will be doled out on a first-come, first-served basis. The local foundation on a weekly basis will review applications.

An application portal can be found at MyRASM.com/disasterrelief. Contact debbyrelief@myrasm.com or 941-952-3400 for more information. 

Image courtesy RASM: Home impacted by flooding.

Get to know Devin Boersma, the founder and leader of Divecom Marine Services. After dipping into commercial diving and some traveling, Devin settled down in Florida and started Divecom Marine Services. Divecom Marine provides commercial diving services specializing in ship maintenance, underwater repair, and marine salvage. With their tenth anniversary approaching they offer safe and reliable solutions for various maritime industries. Based locally in Bradenton, FL, Divecom prioritizes safety and quality in all projects, adhering to strict guidelines and regulations.

What inspired you to start a career in the marine services industry?

I started diving when I was15 years old mostly for fun. Then, I started working with my stepfather, who at that time, had a commercial diving business up north. When I was eighteen years old I remember him telling me that I would never be good as a diver. So, I went to a commercial diving school and started my career as a commercial diver. I spent some time working for different companies in my early twenties. However, before I was about to hit 30 years old, I settled down with my family here in Florida and started Divecom. Diving in the cold was not meant for me.

Where do you see the future of the next generation of divers?

Boersma: The future generations of divers are going to be better trained. When I first started diving, it was ranked the third most dangerous job in the world. Since then, I have seen a lot of different advancements in the diving industry when it comes to safety. With more stringent rules, technological advancements and automation there has been such a positive change in the way diving is taught. This isn’t a desk job, this profession is hard.

Share one of your business bucket list items.

There is an expansion that I want to see in the near future. That would mean adding another fleet of boats, and bigger platforms on the water. We want to expand our service reach while also continuing to provide excellent service. That is done by bringing in more leadership staff to help support our expansion. Currently, we service all of Florida. Whenever the Coast Guard needs us outside of the state, we are there. Especially with Hurricane Helene that just passed through, we have been focusing on vessel recovery and cleanup; we are needed more than ever.

What podcasts inspire you in your business life?

My podcast listening illustrates more of my way of life, than the way I conduct business. With just turning 40 this year, I have put my health at the forefront of my mind. This profession, as a business owner and as a diver, can be stressful at times. I listen to The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka for health-related advice and nutrition. People mostly know him through his appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.

What book are you reading now that expands on your business acumen?

To be honest, I am currently reading Charlotte’s Web for my daughter. I’ve read some other books in the past--mostly, I read about what it means to be Christian and how it transfers over to my business life. Leadership books have also appealed to me, it is important to me to know the habits of a successful business and leader. 

Pictured: Devin Boersma, founder and leader of Divecom Marine Services. Photo courtesy of Devin Boersma.

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Hurricane Helene’s tremendous impact across the Southeastern United States brought devastation to many lives in our community, especially along the coastlines. Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) took action, partnering with Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation (Southern Smoke) to provide immediate relief to food and beverage workers who live or work in local impacted areas. Funds are being raised for Gulf Coast’s Rapid Response Fund to rapidly support the individuals, families, and communities impacted by natural disasters. Gulf Coast will deploy the funds to the areas of greatest need identified, ensuring that life-sustaining support is a top priority. After seeing the significant impact on our local food and beverage industry workforce, partnering with Southern Smoke became evident for Gulf Coast. Many workers live paycheck to paycheck and bridge funding provided by Southern Smoke Foundation will be critical to their survival until government support is available. Individuals may receive up to $1,000, and families may be eligible for up to $1,200.“At Gulf Coast Community Foundation, we have a history of providing immediate, life-sustaining support to those most in need after disasters,” said Gulf Coast’s President | CEO Phillip Lanham. “We know that the local food and beverage industry was significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene and supporting our community in times of need is why we exist. Together, we will rebuild and recover.” Southern Smoke takes care of their own by putting dollars directly into the pockets of food and beverage workers when it’s needed most. They are a nonprofit founded and powered by current and past food and beverage workers who are dedicated to creating a meaningful safety net of support that doesn’t exist for most people in our world. Southern Smoke provides a simple application process and outlines requirements for funding on its website, assigning all applicants with a case manager for support. Donors and community members interested in contributing to Gulf Coast’s Rapid Response Fund can do so by visiting www.gulfcoastcf.org/rapidresponsefund. Together, we can support those most in need post Hurricane Helene. 

As you've likely seen, Helene's destruction has stretched far beyond her landfall in Florida. Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee are also dealing with her aftermath. The chaos and devastation have been immense. Local Relief is proud to share that individuals across all four states have already reached out to them, and they’ve been helping connect them with vital resources and other locals ready to lend a hand. If you know of anyone—whether individuals or organizations—providing or needing assistance in these affected areas, or just looking for a better way to communicate within their community, please let them know about Local Relief. You can also connect them directly with heather@localrelief.com or 941.735.5822.  In simplest terms, the Local Relief app connects: People impacted by disasters with neighbors wanting to help; Organizations and nonprofits that provide recovery assistance; Tips and information to keep you safe. Local Relief is 100% nonprofit and we're doing it for the right reasons, to build true community resilience. We're the link to your neighbors wanting to help when disaster strikes. We're the social platform to share hyper-local information about your town. We're the platform for nonprofit organizations to showcase their services and find people in need of assistance. Please download the app, share with others, and share local information with your community.   

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Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH) officially cut the ribbon at its newest addition to its network of care, the Manatee ER at Palma Sola. On Thursday, October 3, Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez, flanked by Florida State Senator Jim Boyd, former State Representative and current State College of Florida President, Tommy Gregory; Manatee Memorial Board Chair, Hugh Miller and new Manatee Memorial CEO Andy Guz joined together to celebrate the community’s newest access point to emergency health services. In her address, Lt. Governor Nunez commented on the importance of families to have proximal access to high quality care for all ages, like the Manatee ER at Palma Sola, because in an emergency minutes matter and seconds count. The beach-themed event included remarks from Ward One Bradenton City Councilwoman Jayne Kocher and Ward Two Councilwoman and Vice Mayor, Marianne Barneby, who reminded the standing-room-only crowd that she was born at Manatee Memorial as well. Over one hundred guests were treated to refreshments from Kona Ice, guided tours of the ER and a swag bag of commemorative gifts. Located at 633 75th Street West in Bradenton, just off the Palma Sola Causeway, the new Manatee ER at Palma Sola will provide first responders and community residents alike convenient access to emergency care. This will be especially timely to support the medical needs associated with the recovery efforts on our barrier islands from the impact of Hurricane Helene that devastated the coastline on September 26. When it opens later in October, the Manatee ER at Palma Sola will provide access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide care for all ages. The 10,884 square ft. facility includes six exam rooms, three rapid medical spaces and full-services laboratory, x-ray and ultrasound areas. This will mark Manatee Memorial’s second freestanding ER in Manatee County, after opening the Manatee ER at Bayshore Gardens in April of 2023, and its third overall with the ER at Sun City that opened in 2022.  

Described by Musical America as ‘one of the finest venues for opera in the United States,’ Sarasota Opera produces impassioned opera performances true to the vision of the composer, to entertain, enrich, educate, and inspire a life-long love of opera in our diverse and growing communities. Join us for the 2024/25 Opera Season and be part of an exciting musical adventure featuring four world-class opera productions, special events, our special Fall concert, and our annual Youth Opera production. We welcome our community of opera lovers to the Sarasota Opera House to enjoy the excitement of live opera together.  Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now at www.sarasotaopera.org. Purchase your tickets before September 30th and we will waive your fees. 

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Forty new state-of-the-art beds were delivered to HCA Florida Englewood Hospital this week. The new design supports a positive patient experience with enhanced comfort and convenience while simplifying how the care team works at the bedside. CEO Joe Rudisill said, "We are very proud of our patient experience and quality scores, and we are always looking for ways to improve, whether it is a new service, new equipment or education for our team. In this case, we have invested $330,000 to replace more than 50% of our inpatient care beds with the latest technology to identify changes in patient conditions and improve response times." Colleagues from all hospital areas worked to help transport, program, clean and add fresh linens to the new patient beds earmarked for the medical-surgical and cardiac units. Patients will find the beds more comfortable and quieter, allowing for better rest and focus on recovery. Other patient satisfactions include a bed extender for taller patients, USB charging ports, and personal device storage to make staying connected with family members easy. More than a bed - The new beds enhance patient safety through fall prevention, pressure injury prevention and continuous heart rate and respiratory rate monitoring. A pressure redistribution feature helps protect the patient's skin by managing pressure and removing excess moisture. Air continually circulates from the seat to the patient's head, allowing optimal wound prevention and healing. Other technical features support infection control.The alert system, touchscreen surface of the keypad and digital icons provide verbal and visual indications of activated features like bed alarms. The beds wirelessly connect to the hospital Wi-Fi network to send nurse calls, room controls, bed alerts and other bed-generated data to the nurse call system, providing real-time patient data so care teams can intervene sooner. Powered transport and turn-assist allow for easier navigation when moving the bed, and reduced cords and clutter remove tripping hazards for the patient and care team. The hospital provided hands-on education opportunities for colleagues to learn how to operate the beds safely. Visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com to learn more.  

Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s cardiac team is among the first in the nation combining two innovative therapies (outside of a clinical trial) to treat irregular heartbeats and reduce stroke risks associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). On Tuesday, five SMH patients with AF-related heart rhythm disorders underwent simultaneous pulsed field ablation to treat heart rhythm disorders and implantation of the Watchman device, a drug-free alternative to reduce the risk of stroke. While both treatments have been approved separately by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the dual treatment option only became commercially available today following new payment guidelines approved by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The combination therapy, which takes less than an hour, is performed during a minimally invasive cardiac catheterization procedure. Each of the five patients treated at SMH received pulsed field ablation, a newer form of cardiac ablation that uses non-thermal energy to safely destroy tissue in the heart triggering the irregular heartbeats and heart rhythm disorders. Afterward, the team implanted a Watchman device to close the left atrial appendage, an area of the heart known to release potentially deadly blood clots. The Watchman device has been approved and used for nearly 10 years to reduce AF patients’ stroke risks and provide an alternative to long-term anticoagulation therapy with blood thinner medications. AF is a progressive condition that affects more than 59 million people worldwide. Without early intervention, the condition can worsen over time, increasing the risk for stroke, heart failure and death. All five SMH patients were recovering smoothly at the end of the day and expected to be discharged within 24 hours. 

Shumaker, a leading national law firm, proudly announces that it has achieved Mansfield Rule Certification for 2023-2024, a designation recognizing law firms that have demonstrated a commitment to diversifying leadership roles. By earning this certification, Shumaker reaffirms its dedication to fostering an inclusive culture where diversity is embraced at all levels of the firm. Overseen by Diversity Lab, the Mansfield Rule seeks to increase and sustain diversity in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions. To achieve Mansfield certification, participating firms must ensure that at least 30% of the talent pools considered for the aforementioned roles and opportunities consist of underrepresented groups, specifically women, racially and ethnically diverse lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities. Participating firms must also develop and publish leadership job descriptions and election/appointment guidelines to ensure transparency in historically opaque advancement processes. Shumaker has embraced this initiative to ensure it continues to advance meaningful and systemic changes within the legal profession. As Shumaker approaches its 100th anniversary, the firm continues to take significant strides in creating a supportive and enriching workplace for all employees. Shumaker’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion remains committed to working with all members of the firm to promote these values, ensuring that they are woven into the fabric of its culture. The Council supports the firm’s culture of inclusion, as do its numerous initiatives, including the Shumaker Women’s Leadership Initiative,Diversity Scholarship, and Undergraduate Diversity Science Scholarship. Shumaker is also a member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. 

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs is pleased to announce six winners of the 2024 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE). Established in 1999 by Secretary of State Madeline Albright, ACE recognizes the crucial role U.S. companies are playing in elevating global standards of business conduct. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will host the awards ceremony on October 22, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. EDT at the State Department. This year’s ACE categories are Women’s Economic Security, Innovation to Strengthen Communities, and Climate Resilience.
For Women’s Economic Security, the Department honored Parker Clay in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Bank of America in India. Parker Clay is a medium-sized American leather goods brand that employs 200 workers at its factory. Over 80 percent of its employees are women, many of whom are survivors of human trafficking and are earning a paycheck for the first time. Bank of America’s commitment to India goes beyond business. Its social impact initiatives have transformed the lives of over 300,000 women and girls across India, focusing on education, skill development, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, and employment opportunities. For Innovation to Strengthen Communities, the Department recognized Koster Keunen, a medium-sized company that created a market for beeswax in seven West African countries. By introducing modern, sustainable techniques, Koster Keunen transformed a previously overlooked by-product of honey production into a new industry. The other winner in this category is Branch of Microsoft Colombia Inc., which over the course of its 32 years in Colombia has partnered with NGOs, universities, companies, big and small, and national and local governments, to expand internet connectivity, build digital skills, and foster economic inclusion for Colombia’s vulnerable and underserved communities. For Climate Resilience, the winners are Rizome, a small company pioneering the use of engineered bamboo in the construction industry from its flagship project in the Philippines, and Newmont Corporation, a global mining company operating in Suriname. Newmont has invested in environmental conservation as well as education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, creating lasting positive impacts – particularly in indigenous communities. Together, these companies are showing real leadership in addressing some of our greatest global challenges. This year marks the Award for Corporate Excellence’s 25th anniversary. The U.S. Department of State is committed to working with companies to further responsible business practices worldwide and to recognize their efforts to improve lives at home and abroad. For more information, please visit: http://www.state.gov/ace. The invitation-only 2024 ACE ceremony will be open to credentialed members of the media on a space-available basis. A separate notice to the press with access details will be issued soon. For media inquiries, please contact eb-press-inquiry@state.gov. 

Elyse DeLucci proves that being unabashedly yourself is the ultimate superpower, October 2024.

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