Five wishes granted at Lakewood Ranch giving circle grant reception

Melissa Wandall was thrilled with the check of $1,222 the Mark Wandall Foundation received Oct. 18 from the Cheers for Charity Giving Circle.

But she loved something else even more.

“What is great about grants is knowing that our community believes in us,” Wandall said. “It is truly amazing.”

Cheers for Charity hosted its third annual grant reception at the Manatee Community Foundation to disperse about $5,000 the group raised throughout the year. Organizations that received a grant were Vintage Paws Sanctuary, Visible Men Academy, Family Network on Disabilities, Mark Wandall Foundation and Florida Council for History Education.

Each received $1,222.29, with the exception of Florida Council for History Education, a new organization that received a $250 grant.

Since Cheers for Charity’s inception in 2015, it has raised $22,000 for community nonprofit organizations and increased membership from 10 women to 24.

“I think a lot of people have responded well to Giving Circles,” said Amanda Tullidge, co-founder of Cheers for Charity. “Being a part of one, you can donate more than we could donate on our own.”

While raising funds can, at times, be work, Cheers for Charity believes it is worthwhile.

“It feels so good, and it is incredibly rewarding,” Tullidge said. “It is rewarding when we get to hear from organizations directly about what those funds are going toward.”

For example, Vintage Paws Sanctuary, dedicated to helping senior dogs, will use its grant to defray veterinary costs.

“This means a lot,” said Jennifer Hummel, director at Vintage Paws. “It is expensive caring for senior dogs. They come with skin conditions and you never know when an emergency is going to pop up — that is why a lot of people give them up.”