Longboat Key church welcomes back members

The snowbirds of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church have landed back on the island for winter. The Ladies Guild provided a warm welcome at their annual Welcome Back Luncheon on Oct. 26 in Pick Hall. 

The Thanksgiving buffet of turkey and fixings was a fitting meal for this guild of givers. Charitable efforts were recapped, along with upcoming events. The guest speakers, mother and daughter duo Dede Caldwell and Saasha Plefka, were on hand to thank the group for their support and donation.

Beauty Bridge Foundation of Sarasota is one of several organizations the church supports. Caldwell opened a “hybrid beauty salon” in August 2021 in Sarasota’s Rosemary District. 

Paying clients contribute to the cost of haircuts for those who can’t afford the luxury and are referred through a nonprofit community partner. There is no difference in service between the two. 

Caldwell told the story of a 19-year-old woman, who was four months pregnant. She’d been living on the streets with her boyfriend for three years when she got pregnant and was willing to change her life to keep the baby.   

She went to Manasota Solve for help, another organization the church financially supports. Solve houses women struggling with the cycles of poverty, abuse and addiction during and after pregnancy. 

The young woman was shy walking through the glass doors of the small but upscale, four-chair salon.

“I don’t think I’m in the right place,” she said. “It’s too beautiful.” 

Caldwell choked up for a moment recounting her response to the young woman, “I said I built this for you.” 

This woman hadn’t had her hair cut or colored since before those three homeless years. She wept in the salon chair. 

Plefka is opening another hybrid salon in February 2023 in Hartford, Connecticut. That salon will include skincare services too. 

The details haven’t been fine tuned, but the guild already has their sights set on another group of sisters in need—Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat and Spirituality Center, Diocese of Venice. 

“I don’t know if you all know that they’re pretty much underwater,” Treasurer Marilyn Davol said. “We have decided to wait until the dust settles, and we’re going to make a sizable donation.” 

The women cheered when hearing $54,935.10 was accumulated in their treasury. Hard work goes into raising that money. The ladies guild holds an annual rummage sale, fashion show and Christmas bazaar, which all take months to prepare. 

A couple additions to this year’s bazaar on Nov. 5 were announced. Credit cards will be accepted, and the Maine Line food truck will be in the parking lot. 

The church is celebrating 49 years, and the ladies guild, which has over 200 members, welcomed 20 more since February.