Pictured: Current and previous staff and board members toasting to 20 years celebrating Spirit of Manatee. Provided photo.

Certain experiences can give us a clearer view of who we really are as a community. Spirit of Manatee is one of them.

This year marked the twentieth anniversary of Manatee Community Foundation’s annual celebration of philanthropy. Twenty years tells me something about what people here value. Helping a community flourish takes time. It depends on people who form deep relationships, stay engaged, and continue to invest in one another.

When I step back and look across this year’s Spirit honorees, I see people who choose, again and again, to put their values into action. These individuals reflect the many ways a person can serve others.

In Zoe Lander, we see that commitment taking root early. Zoe is an eleventh grader at Lakewood Ranch High School and this year’s Young Spirit Award recipient, and she has already built a remarkable record of service. Her projects are thoughtful responses to real community needs, from a Little Free Library to a beach toy borrowing system designed to reduce waste and protect marine life. She has also volunteered with many local organizations. It’s exciting to witness such initiative, the beginning of something I’m sure will continue for years to come.

Ron Allen, Owner, NDC Family of Companies, showcases that service instinct at a different stage of life and leadership. This year’s Community Spirit Award honoree has spent decades investing in Manatee County through both personal generosity and the example he sets through his business. He’s known for being present, and a good listener, qualities that hold so much value in leadership and community work. And he strives to strengthen others’ efforts, in ways both seen and unseen.

Ashley Brown, President and CEO of the Women’s Resource Center and recipient of the Charles Clapsaddle Community Spotlight Award, brings true care to her work. She has helped expand access to services for women and guided the WRC as it has grown, always ensuring women feel seen and supported. Those who know her often point to her willingness to support others without needing recognition, which makes recognizing her efforts now even more meaningful.

Mary Glass is well known to many in Manatee County for her long service to public education. This year’s Leadership Spirit Award recipient spent eighteen years leading the Manatee Education Foundation and helping direct millions of dollars into programs that strengthened local schools, including an effort that brought internet access to 1,500 underserved families. The results of her work can be seen in stronger support for students and schools across the county.

And then there’s Barbara Jennings, whose lifetime of philanthropy has made a permanent mark on our region. To truly capture her involvement and impact across organizations would surpass my word count here. Her support has reached every corner of this community, from children and families to the organizations that sustain our civic, cultural and spiritual life. She has given herself to the long game of progress, and this place is better for it.

These examples show why philanthropy matters. Philanthropy widens what is possible for others, but it also influences how the rest of us think about responsibility. I often say that philanthropy is contagious, and I have seen that proven repeatedly. When generosity is visible, through people’s time or resources or leadership, it extends an invitation to others to consider what they too can offer.

For two decades, Spirit of Manatee has made that generosity visible. It has given us a chance to pause and recognize those whose steady involvement has helped improve life here. It shows us a picture of a community at its best, revealing the good work already happening all around us and asking each of us how we might take part.

Pictured: Current and previous staff and board members toasting to 20 years celebrating Spirit of Manatee. Provided photo.