Lakewood Ranch bubbles with excitement during soap stars' visit

A huge fan of the soap opera "General Hospital," Kim McBroom traveled about five hours from Whigham, Georgia to Lakewood Ranch to meet her favorite stars.

So why did Lakewood Ranch become soap opera central on Sept. 14?

Soap opera stars just happen to be huge fans of Lakewood Ranch resident Samantha Bozza.

The leading men and women who star in dramas like "Days of Our Lives" and "The Bay" are better known in Lakewood Ranch as “Samantha’s Friends.” 

Bozza, along with her mother Alice, operate the Samantha's Friends nonprofit that supports organizations that provide service dogs to individuals in need. On Sept. 14, Samantha’s Friends hosted the Haunted Mansion brunch at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

While Samantha’s Friends has been hosting galas for 31 years, the Bozzas are not the founders. Wall Street businessman Edward Perley founded the nonprofit. 

He was on vacation in Florida when he read a newspaper article about Samantha Bozza. In 1993, at 15 years old, she had a brain aneurysm caused by an arteriovenous malformation. 

Perley experienced the same type of aneurysm at the same age, so he held the first fundraiser in Bozza’s honor in New York City in 1994. 

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Perley asked Alice Bozza if she and Samantha wanted to take over hosting the galas in Lakewood Ranch. 

“Samantha said, ‘Of course,’ and I said, 'Of course not,'” Alice Bozza said. “Guess who won?” 

After the Bozzas took over the event, Alice Bozza attended a soap opera fans event and managed to convince a few soap stars to attend a Samantha's Friends event. It snowballed from there. 

Samantha's Friends in an all-volunteer organization that puts its funds toward small, local charities that train and board service animals.

This year’s recipients are Donte’s Den, Canines for Heroes and Valor Service Dogs. 

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

Mark Laflamm, founder of Canines for Heroes in Sarasota, said one dog can cost up to $20,000 to purchase and train, but he sees remarkable turnarounds when veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder receive a dog.

Laflamm’s chosen breed is Belgian Malinois because they’re so commonly used by the military, but he also takes that one step further. 

Laflamm has a breeder in Alabama who trains dogs for scent tracking. Before a PTSD attack hits, a scent is released that the dogs can pick up to help alleviate the severity of the attack.

The attacks come in many forms — difficulty concentrating, angry outbursts and a racing heart are just a few symptoms. One recipient couldn’t keep a job because his attacks came so regularly, but after three months, he was able to return to work full-time with his dog.

Stories like that are what keep the Bozzas in constant party-planning mode. 

“This is my life,” Samantha Bozza said. “I’m able to dress up and feel like I’m doing good in this world to give to these charities.”

She’s also turned friends into family.

Photo by Lesley Dwyer

Jordi Vilasuso, who played Tony Santos on "Guiding Light" and is now starring in "The Bay," an Emmy-winning digital series, estimates he’s been traveling back and forth to Lakewood Ranch twice a year for about 10 years. 

Vilasuso gets invitations to attend fan events and fundraisers but said Samantha’s Friends is always a priority because the Bozzas treat him like family. 

Kyle Lowder, who starred on "Days of Our Lives" and "The Bold and the Beautiful," called Alice Bozza his second mom. 

“She’s one of my favorite people in the world,” he said. “And the people who show up to these events are great people. They’re here for their charity and to donate their time and money. Their attitude is so great it makes it easier for us.” 

The stars didn’t just sign autographs, they sang, danced, told jokes and asked trivia questions.

Next year's fundraisers are already planned for May and September. The themes are The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Arabian Nights.