Pines of Sarasota Foundation’s annual Valentine’s Day card-making event once again brought the community together in a simple but meaningful way. Thirty donors and volunteers gathered to create 200 handmade Valentine cards for residents living in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living at Pines of Sarasota, ensuring each resident received a personal message of care, connection and love.
Among the participants was a group from the Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle in Lakewood Ranch. The organization supports Pines of Sarasota Foundation through grant funding and also seeks opportunities to engage directly with the nonprofits it supports. “We give grants to Pines, and we also like to do service projects with the organizations we fund,” said Cinda Krouk, leader of the Women’s Giving Circle. Fellow member Margie Meyer shared, “I like to give back because we’ve been blessed. I recognize my obligation.” Teresa White added that participating in hands-on service makes a difference not only for residents, but for volunteers as well. “It makes me feel like I’m contributing and helping others,” she said.
At another table, Nikki Taylor and her daughter, Madison, were busy decorating cards together. Their family has a long history with Pines of Sarasota. Nikki’s father was a resident for many years, and her mother volunteered at Pines while Nikki was growing up. Madison, a 17-year-old student at Sarasota High School, said, “It’s a great way to communicate with the older community, help them, and get to know them.”
Sixteen-year-old Isabella Gracia, a junior at Braden River High School and a weekly volunteer at Pines, summed up the spirit of the day: “Elders don’t always have a lot of people visiting them. I try to bring light and make them smile.”
