Million dollar effort for Peridia Golf and Country Club

Million dollar effort

Debbie Andreacci (above with Beth Hocking), a Peridia Golf and Country Club resident, grabbed a pack of 20 rolls of toilet paper and loaded it onto the Food Bank of Manatee truck June 19.

"Hey, this is worth a million dollars," Andreacci said with a laugh.

Andreacci worked with 14 other Peridia residents to load the truck with 300 bags of food and hygiene products the community donated. The community collected about $700 in donations for the food bank as well.

Peridia resident Susan Gutzler organized the food drive with the help of at least 30 other residents.

She spreads sunshine 

Mill Creek's Diane Caudill (above) has used her 21 years of ceramics experience to brighten first responders' and healthcare workers' days.

Caudill has made more than 40 ceramic suns to give to first responders and people serving in hospitals, like Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, during the pandemic.

"I feel like I'm doing something that makes them feel just a little bit happy and appreciated," Caudill said. "It makes me feel like I'm doing something rather than just staying home and reading books and cooking."