The McGillicuddy Connection. Visiting the All Star Children's Foundation on 17th St. in Sarasota

I frequently drive on 17th St. in  Sarasota. It's less than half a mile from my home, as the crow flies.

I had passed this building on 17th St some hundreds of times. 


It was the Cornerstone Baptist Church, and it was clearly on its last legs, if the number of cars in the parking lot on Sunday were any indication .

Then it was gone. The Church died (or moved).  The Church and the land behind it were purchased by the All Star Children's Foundation.

It was  bought the site, lock, stock and barrel: (who knew that the Baptists owned five acres of undeveloped land behind their Church!).

 Then a new Foundation began to build.



The All Star Children's Foundation building, a new venture  on 17th St. SRQ


The new buildings were unoccupied for about a year because of Covid. Now they are moving towards full occupancy.

But what is the All Star Foundation  about?   It has an impressive programme!

See this: An Important read!   DEEP FOSTER CARE FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN!  YEAH!


Sarasota Philanthropists Graci and Dennis McGillicuddy are the the dreamers, the founders and the funders (with others) who made it possible. They are great people.

Zion and I were at the Foundation last Friday together with four other HSSC approved Canine Therapy Teams.  We were there for a show and tell half hour.

Happily the Foster Parents and Children do not need Canine Therapy visits because each of the four occupied Cottages come "complete with dog", (owned by the four sets of Foster Parents).

But we who adopted dogs were so happy to see another place, where lost and lonely children are fostered.


Staff member LaDonna with Z





Ladonna with Stephen (Chief Development Officer).  Zion and a lovely Lab make friends.

 
Outside as Stephen tells us more about All Star



Zion with Graci and Dennis McGillicuddy. 

G and D are fabulous philanthropists with a deep care for children in need.  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not remember the words “ar
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were able to get together a few
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur
Read more