Run club organizes aid drive for Venezuelan earthquake survivors

By Dana Kampa
| 12:15 p.m. June 29, 2026

Carla Paola Ventura, organizer of Sunday's aid drive to support Venezuelan earthquake survivors, and Noemi Ottenwalder, founder of the new Latinas Run Club that hosted the drive, load supplies into the truck after the morning run on Lido Key. Ventura said while the devastation is far-reaching, small contributions made by many people amount to a big difference.

Longboat Key
Neighbors

As the sun rose over South Lido Beach at daybreak Sunday morning, the rays illuminated a gathering of an estimated 100 people showing their support for survivors of a recent international tragedy.

Two earthquakes exceeding magnitudes of 7 struck Venezuela on June 24, causing massive destruction throughout the country. The death toll rises with each passing day, with 1,430 confirmed dead as of June 27 and at least 68,900 missing, AP News reports.

Upon learning of the vast impact of the earthquakes, one local club decided to leverage its membership and resources last weekend to raise awareness and collect aid supplies.

Noemi Ottenwalder of Sarasota started the Latinas Run Club just two months ago. She loved the model other local running clubs set, but she also wanted to organize a club where friends could build a stronger sense of community while celebrating their shared heritage and having fun exercising.

Community members responded in a bigger way than she anticipated. In just the short amount of time the club has been around, it has already seen an attendance of about 350 runners at its biggest running event, drawing participants from as far as Orlando and Miami.

Club organizers decided to put that strong community spirit to use in organizing support for the survivors.

Concerned citizen Carla Paola Ventura stepped in to help organize the special event Sunday at Ted Sperling Park.

"We're trying to speak up for the people who can't," she said.

Participants in the new Latinas Run Club turned out strong for the Sunday morning run on Lido Key, which also served as an aid drive for survivors of the earthquakes in Venezuela.

Ventura stood on the shore and thanked everyone who brought nonperishable food, bottled water, clothing, diapers, medical supplies and other essentials to send to Venezuela. Boxes of donations and pallets of water overflowed a folding table.

She explained that, especially when government-organized disaster responses are struggling to meet the widespread need for help, every bit of community-based support makes a difference. With everyone making some small contribution, international support quickly amounts to a big impact for those working to reconnect with missing loved ones, grieve those who didn't survive and rebuild damaged infrastructure.

After finishing their 3.7-mile run up and down Lido Key, participants in Sunday's Latinas Running Club filled a donation table to the brim with supplies for Venezuelan earthquake survivors.

Rebuilding will be an extensive process, she noted. But a united international effort goes a long way in showing survivors that they aren't alone, she said.

Attendees ran the 3.7-mile course to St. Armands Circle and back, accompanied by a DJ to raise spirits for the early-morning run.

Ottenwalder said anyone is welcome to attend the club. The main requirements are that runners: No. 1, ensure they are running safely by observing the rules of the road and their own limits in the Florida summer heat; and No. 2, bring positive, community-building energy.

The run club meets Sunday mornings at different locations to collaborate with local businesses and partners. See LatinasRunClub.SRQ on Instagram for future meet-up details.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.