Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch resident Bea Gardner celebrates her second place victory with her horse Charlie.
Photo by Liz Ramos
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Crow Barnett, a facet assistant at Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch, announced the names of the horses participating in the assisted living facility's Kentucky Derby.
There was Lucia, Stallion, Steve O Reno, Charlie, Powder Puff, Tah-Race-Her, Secretariat, Rascal, Pink Lady and Dizzy Lizzy.
Lastly, Barnett introduced Hoof Hearted.
"I don't know who it was, but it wasn't me," she said as the dozens of residents laughed.
Every time Hoof Hearted was announced during the derby, laughter erupted from residents.
The event not only was the first derby for Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch, but it also was the first charity event for the facility.
By the end of the event, the residents had raised $3,195 for the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation. The money will go toward the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.
Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch's Marilyn Lowry and Edna Smith look forward to seeing if their horses win. "We're going broke real fast," Lowry says in the second round of the derby.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Tyler Smith, the director of sales, Ed Rathbun, the maintenance director, and Debbie Bonnes, the business office manager, can't wait for the start of the derby.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Lisa Biach, a clinical case manager in Sarasota Memorial Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, shares the size of diapers babies in the unit use while talking about the NICU.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Carol Franklin lines up with her horse, Stallion, next to fellow residents Bea Gardner and her horse, Charlie, and Liz Fillipo and her horse, Dizzy Lizzy.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch's Gloria Green and her horse, Pink Lady, are decked out in pink.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch's RoseMarie Baldwin and her horse, Rascal, are ready to go.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Every time Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch's Audrey Kubitski's number is called, someone pays $2.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch's Ellie Stoddard and her horse, Powder Puff, anxiously wait to hear their number called so they can claim victory.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch's Jack Bachtell gets the most laughs with his horse's name, Hoof Hearted.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Every dollar counts at Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch's Kentucky Derby. The money from the derby was donated to the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch resident Bea Gardner celebrates her second place victory with her horse Charlie.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Lisa Biach, a clinical case manager in Sarasota Memorial Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, is grateful for the donation from Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch, presented by Crow Barnett, a facet assistant, and Liz Fillipo, a resident.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch residents and their horses are ready to race.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Crow Barnett, a facet assistant at Grand Living at Lakewood Ranch, congratulates Ellie Stoddard and her horse, Powder Puff, on their first place win.
Photo by Liz Ramos
Bea Gardner celebrates her second place win with Crow Barnett, a facet assistant, Olga Bracciano, who placed third, and Carol Franklin, who placed first.
Managing Editor Liz Ramos previously covered education and community for the East County Observer. Before moving to Florida, Liz was an education reporter for the Lynchburg News & Advance in Virginia for two years after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism.
