Designing Daughters presents 15 philanthropic organizations with grants
The annual grant ceremony awarded over $60,000 to local philanthropies.
By
Niki Kottmann
| 10:00 a.m. December 15, 2016
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The meeting room at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County was full of teary eyes Dec. 14 when Designing Daughters held its annual grants ceremony.
Members, supporters and philanthropy representatives enjoyed champagne and plenty of socializing before taking their seats for the ceremony. Attendees were welcomed by President Jen Rust and then heard from past presidents Nikki Taylor and Montana Taplinger, who spoke on behalf of founder Shelley Lister because she was feeling under the weather.
This year, the women gave a total of $61,874 in grants to 15 local philanthropies — Neuro Challenge, Boys & Girls Clubs, Take Stock in Children, Everyday Blessings, InStride Therapy, Children First, Mark Wandall Foundation, More Too Life, Nate's Honor Rescue, Pines of Sarasota, Easter Seals, Mote Marine, Sarasota Ballet, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Florida Rescue Farm.
Montana Taplinger, Renee Phinney and Jen Rust
Designing Daughters members gathered at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County on Dec. 14 to present grants to 15 local philanthropies.
Montana Taplinger claps for President Jen Rust.
Erin Graham and Kelsey Alholm
April White, Nikki Taylor and Designing Daughters Founder Shelley Lister
Marjorie Floyd of Sarasota Ballet receives a grant check from Montana Taplinger.
Yolanda Mancha and Sara Bealor
Brigid Saah, Kelly Baldwin, Alex Chau and Anne Marie Timm
Jen Rust hugs Erin Kabinoff of Mote Marine before awarding her a grant check.
Meghan Buchanan and Lei Buchanan
Marlene Simons and Estelle Crawford
Kathie Muso and Robyn Faucy of Neuro Challenge receive a grant check from Montana Taplinger.
Kathie Muso and Robyn Faucy
Anne Gaines, Dr. Brook Bello and Sheila Brion
Marlene Simons and Estelle Crawford of Pines of Sarasota receive a grant check from Montana Taplinger.
Jay Berman, State Rep. Joe Gruters, Heather Schafer and Mark Sultana
Vanessa Caropepe and Lauren Hughey
Sara Bealor and Yolanda Mancha of Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County receive a grant check from Montana Taplinger.
Blair Williamson and Ashley Guttridge
Ellie Baldwin, Ali Miller and her daugher, Collins Miller
Jannon Pierce, Jen Rust, Lori Hagey and Tom Waters pose with the grant check for Easter Seals.
Lauren Fitzgerald and Loren Mayo
Melissa Wandall and Wendy Orlando
Melissa Wandall, Jen Rust and Wendy Orlando pose with the grant check for the Mark Wandall Foundation.
Charlotte Marin, Sonya Klima and Marie Bowman
Rob Oglesby, Karen Slomba and Dar Oglesby of Nate’s Honor Rescue receive a grant check from Jen Rust.
Anne Gaines, Dr. Brook Bello, Jay Berman and Sheila Brion of More Too Life receive a grant check from Montana Taplinger.
Marjorie Floyd, Mark Sultana and the rest of the room clap for the final (and largest) grant given out, $5,000 to Everyday Blessings.
Lisa Bechtold of Take Stock in Children receives a grant check from Jen Rust.
Montana Taplinger hugs Rich Stroud of Everyday Blessings before giving him his grant check.
Rich Stroud and Trish Adams of Everyday Blessings receive a grant check from Jen Rust.
Mark Sultana of InStride Therapy receives a grant check from Montana Taplinger.
Megan Wenger of Children First receives a grant check from Montana Taplinger.
