Lakewood Ranch residents make fast friends at cornhole

By Lesley Dwyer
| 2:45 p.m. July 19, 2024

Adriana Gretch, Rich DeStasio, Barbara Bishop-Reid and Greg LeBlanc fist bump after the game.

East County
Neighbors

Not everyone knows about Lakewood Ranch's fascination with cornhole.

“I thought we were going to roast corn or something,” former New Yorker Joann Saladino said after coming to the Lakewood Ranch Community Activities event on July 18. “I'd never heard of it.”

The group might as well have been roasting corn because the weekly game on Thursday mornings at The Yard in Waterside Place is not really about the game.

Kelly Harmon, who sets up the boards each week, says the ultimate purpose is to introduce neighbors.

“We have a good group of people who do things outside of this together,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

About half the group had gone to a game night together the evening before, and most were new to the area.

Lisa and Todd Sears celebrated their one-year anniversary of living in East County July 16. They moved from Illinois to the Meadows and Lisa Sears said they have no regrets.

The rest of the group reside in Lakewood Ranch now, but they’re also from different states. Adriana Gretch is from New York. Greg and Roberta LeBlanc are from New Hampshire. Danny Sloan moved from Virginia only six months ago.

“It’s about community,” Harmon said. “People meet each other because everyone’s new.”

Danny Sloan and Lisa Sears are both fairly new to the Lakewood Ranch area. Sloan moved from Virginia six months ago, and Sears moved from Illinois a year ago.

Adriana Gretch and Rich DeStasio play cornhole in The Yard at Waterside Place every week from 10 to 11 a.m.

Joann Saladino is fully focused as she tosses a beanbag across The Yard.

Barbara Bishop-Reid tosses a beanbag like a pro.

Lakewood Ranch residents Joann and Steve Saladino play cornhole every week at Waterside Place.

A faded beanbag looks to have been stuck in the string lights for quite a while.

Adriana Gretch and Joann Saladino stay to socialize after cornhole.

The game on Thursdays is more social than it is competitive.

Kelly Harmon, Rich DeStasio, Todd Sears and Linda DeStasio take a seat under the shade after the game.

author

Lesley Dwyer

Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.