Homer Goddard served in the Korean War and was awarded the Bronze Star. When he left the military he worked in the construction industry and built the home he lives in today. But now the 85-year-old is struggling with Parkinson’s disease and uses a wheelchair which the home isn’t built to accommodate. On March 11, more than 20 volunteers from local Home Depot stores volunteered to make the changes to his home for free. The group is part of Team Depot, the company’s associate-led volunteer force that works to improve the homes and live of veterans. Team Depot partnered with […]

On March 11 Saint Joseph’s Episcopal School middle school students harvested, packaged, and sold fresh produce from the school’s Community Garden and Tower Garden. St. Joe’s students, from the youngest three year olds to graduating eighth-graders, participated in tending the gardens as all learned sustainability, organic gardening, and the business of farming. Andrew Wideroff, middle school science teacher and garden lover, stated, “It is really enjoyable watching students integrate plant biology with our pledge to be green; the experience provides a broad spectrum learning platform for all.” Saint Joseph’s Episcopal School holds itself to the highest standards for the character […]

The family of Joe K. Blanton, the former president of Publix, has provided a gift of $5 million to Florida Baptist Children’s Homes to transform the lives of children for generations. The site of the organization’s international headquarters in Lakeland will be renamed the Joe K. Blanton Campus in honor of Blanton and his late wife, Alberta. The gift will be placed in the Joe K. Blanton Family Endowment Fund where its income will provide vital services to children who are disadvantaged or have been neglected, abandoned or abused. Blanton, who served as the president of Publix from 1974-84, was […]

Nearly 250 shooters took aim at Place of Hope’s fourth annual Sporting Clays Fun Shoot, a recreational fundraiser that combines the competition of clay shooting with supporting foster children in our community. On Jan. 22, 2016, teams arrived at the South Florida Shooting Club in Palm City and raised support for Place of Hope programs that help children who have been neglected, abused and abandoned. At the popular fundraiser, the top winners were Tom Pledger and Amy Reilly. Among the teams, winners were: Flight A: 1st Place – “Bird Busters” (Michele Koscielniak, CPA); 2nd Place – Armstrong Landscape Design Group […]