Club news: Asian women celebrate heritage with Orchid Ball

Orchid Ball
showcases
Asian dance

Divya Muppavarapu, a seventh-grader at The Out-of-Door-Academy, has been performing traditional Indian dances for more than two years. 

So she wasn’t nervous March 3 when she stepped out onto the dance floor to perform for the American Asian Women’s Association of Lakewood Ranch.

“The part I like the most is the steps you have to do,” Muppavarapu said. “I like it when I raise my leg up and put my hands in front of my face. It’s cool.”

She was just one of the many dancers performing at the Orchid Ball at the University Park Country Club. The proceeds for the event’s silent auction went to Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center, The Manatee County Food Bank and the AAWA Scholarship Fund at the State College of Florida Foundation.

The AAWA also will host a safety presentation March 29 on fall prevention. Lenie Kline will lead the discussion, to be held at 7 p.m. at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. Reservations are requested to 361-1205 or 730-4043.

Elks host fundraiser for veterans

The Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Lodge 2855 invites the public to a special event to raise funds for deployed military members and their families.

The barbecue fundraiser will be held March 25 at the new Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks lodge at 4602 Lena Road, Bradenton. There will be entertainment inside and outside with a special show by Lynn’s Spins, a 50-50 raffle, a Chinese auction, a K-9 demonstration by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department and more.

Lunch consists of barbecued chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs, potato salad and cole slaw and baked beans for $10. Children ages 6 to 10 cost $5 and children under 5 are free. Draft beer is available for $1, and a cash bar also is available.

Women’s Club sets sail for fashion

The Lakewood Ranch Women’s Club will “Set Sail for Fashion” during its upcoming charity fundraiser to be held at 6:30 p.m. March 26 at the Sarasota Yacht Club.

The event will feature fashions from Pj’s Boutique in Sarasota, as well as raffle prizes and a silent auction. All process will benefit the club’s adopted nonprofits, which are Hope Family Services, Sarasota-Manatee Association for Riding Therapy and SOLVE Maternity Homes. Cost to attend is $55 for members or $60 for nonmembers.

For information, visit lwrwc.org.

River Strand
residents raise funds for nonprofits

Residents of the River Strand community rallied to raise $42,000 for The Food Bank of Manatee and HOPE Family Services.

The Swingin’ at the Strand golf tournament, held March 2-10, featured a golf tourney, putting contests, pickleball and tennis tournaments and other festivities as part of a weeklong fundraising effort.

Pickleball lovers
celebrate
St. Patrick’s Day

The Lakewood Ranch Pickleball Club will host a St. Patrick’s Day mixer and round-robin tournament from 1-3 p.m. at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club, 7650 Legacy Blvd.

There will be men and women’s divisions. The cost to participate is $10.

For information, visit lwrcac.com.