May 12, 2026
‘The Giving Gene': What Drives Cope Garrett's Generosity
In 1998, Alfred Cope Garrett started thinking about posterity. He was 65 years old, and during a visit to a garden in Maine, a memory struck him. Many years earlier, he had ventured out on wha…
December 1, 2025
How the Eluned and Edward Russell Charitable Foundation Came to Be
When Edward Russell and Eluned Breckenridge met on a cruise ship in 1974, romance struck immediately, and theirs was much more than a fleeting encounter. Eluned, who went by “Lynne,&rdqu…
May 8, 2025
A Tale of Two Sisters
For nearly a decade, our community foundation has invited individuals and families we work with to behind-the-scenes tours of local nonprofit organizations to gain a more in-depth understandin…
January 27, 2025
Donor Legacy: Behind the Scenes at Florida Studio Theatre
Most people will never know what it feels like to step onto a stage, but generous Community Foundation guests came close at a recent behind-the-scenes tour at Florida Studio Theatre (FST). W…
January 8, 2025
Leaving a Legacy
Meet generous, innovative donors whose vision for a vibrant community continues on.
December 18, 2024
Guardian Angel: The Many Pursuits of Kathleen F. Cellura
Photo credit: Maggie Martinez At 87 years, Kathi Cellura has energy that belies her age. She moves around her villa with apparent ease, presenting meticulously arranged collections of angels,…
May 28, 2024
A Heart Needs a Home
Claudia Barnett remembers the first place she truly felt at home. In truth, her address was in the small town of Leonia, New Jersey. But her heart was at home in New York. Specifically, her gr…
December 20, 2023
Putting the “Fun” in Fundraising: the Flanagans and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County
The high school sweethearts’ love affair with Sarasota began in 1999. Former Chicago and Silicon Valley residents Tom and Nancy Flanagan visited this charming coastal city for vacation a…
April 28, 2023
Celebration of life set for former ambassador who retired to Sarasota
To Ronald Gault, his friend – the late Jim Joseph – was a man for all seasons, with an uncanny ability to engage in debate on a broad range of ideas and react to them almost with a…