Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation bets on new fundraiser

By Lesley Dwyer
| 11:00 a.m. May 16, 2025

The Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation hosts Casino Royale May 14 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing.

East County
Neighbors

The stakes were high at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing on May 14. All bets were placed on charity.

The Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation hosted its first Casino Royale fundraiser, and Executive Director Kate Mulligan said it won’t be the last.

“Even before anybody walked in, we’d already made about $7,000,” Mulligan said. “The prizes were donated, so it’s a low-cost event that gets everybody out in the community mingling and getting to know the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation.”

The prizes were a round of golf for four at the Lakewood Ranch Country Club and a package of gift certificates to local Lakewood Ranch restaurants.

Each of the about 75 attendees was given a stack of chips to play blackjack, poker, craps and roulette.

Some guests took the opportunity to dress up. Kat Houston with the Loveland Center arrived in a flapper costume.

The dress was fringed, and the stockings were fishnet. Houston wore it well with a boa wrapped around her neck and a silver beaded headdress to top it off.

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Kate Mulligan is the executive director of the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, and Lorri Kidder is the treasurer for the board.

Alina Alexandra Risser, Kat Houston, Margaux Buchanan and Nini Ta dress up for Casino Royale.

Diane Brune and Mark Clark try their luck at the craps table. Clark is the president of the foundation and Brune was named its 2018 Humanitarian of the Year.

Paul Fiumano, Alyssa Fiumano and Victoria Campbell play blackjack for a good cause.

Steve Song can't help but smile when he sees two face cards laid before him in blackjack.

Leah Stuart with Northern Trust places her bets.

The first Casino Royale is such a success, it will be an annual event for the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation moving forward.

Chris and Mark Bales are feeling lucky at the blackjack table.

Nyda Bittmann-Neville celebrates a winning hand in blackjack. Bittmann-Neville has been a board member since 2023.

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.