Sunshine From Darkness lights up night with stories of inspiration

In its annual Inspiring Hope Gala, Sunshine from Darkness featured an inspirational lineup of speakers and their stories to help remove the stigma of mental health and addiction issues Jan. 12 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.

In line with the “Share Your Light” theme, hundreds of attendees listened as keynote speaker, actor, comedian and producer Tom Arnold shared his own personal struggles with addiction and mental and physical health challenges. Four members of the Sarasota community — Roger Capote, Kelvin Foster, Sydney Koffman and Linda Larsen — shared their stories of how they have overcome challenges on their mental health journeys as well.

The organization also honored longtime Sarasota philanthropist and Compeer founder Bunny Skirboll with its Legacy Award for her dedication to the cause and impact in ensuring everyone in need has the companionship, love and support they need.

Event Co-chairs Amie Austin, Sarah Karp Renkilyuz and Taylor Karp Teymuri co-chaired the event, which benefits local nonprofits that provide mental health services to at-risk populations. During the last three years, the gala has raised more than $183,000 for local charities providing this help.

After hearing the powerful stories of the evening, guests took to the dance floor and enjoyed performances by Chris Eisenberg, Raleigh Mosely II and Ariel Blue during the night.