Photo courtesy Manatee Community Foundation: John and Amanda Horne.

Nonprofit community came together last week to celebrate some of the region’s leaders at the Spirit of Manatee awards.

The Manatee Community Foundation hosted the event on Wednesday at the Bradenton Area Convention Center. There, awards were given to five individuals and organizations in the community in a celebration spotlighting the importance of giving and improving lives for others. 

The Sertoma Club of Bradenton, which helps individuals with hearing and speech disabilities, was awarded with the Community Spirit Award after being nominated by Turning Points.

Other awards went to individuals. The Charles Clapsaddle Community Spotlight Award went posthumously to Johnette Isham, the founding director of Realize Bradenton. Isham died in August.

“Johnette loved downtown Bradenton and this love had a significant impact on downtown Bradenton’s small businesses and arts and cultural organizations,” Carrie Price, Realize Bradenton’s chair.

Realize Bradenton nominated Isham for the honor. “Johnette would tell anyone who listened that she lived downtown, worked downtown, shopped downtown and ate downtown,” said Karen Corbin, who succeeded Isham as the organization’s executive director.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Lorenzo Liberti received the Young Spirit award. That was for the Sarasota Military Academy graduate’s work with local charities including Manatee Children’s Services, Suncoast Charities for Children, Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Turing Points of Bradenton (the organization nominating him).

H. Lawrence Clark received the Leadership Spirit Award and was nominated by Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County and Pace Center for Girls.

Amanda and John Horne, area restaurateurs and prominent philanthropists, received the Mary E Parker Lifetime Spirit Award. Pace Center for Girls, Manatee, The Patterson Foundation’s Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Suncoast Blood Centers and Tidewell Foundation all recommended the Hornes for the honor.

Photo courtesy Manatee Community Foundation: John and Amanda Horne.