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JUNE 2023 941.312.0665 | 27TH STATE MEDIA, LLC EARTH DAY CLEANUP
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Roni Day Elected to Chair LHCF
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SIZZLING SUMMER SENDOFF!
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FREE COLLEGE: A RETROSPECTIVE
The Landings Holiday Charitable Foundation Board of Directors elected Roni Day to lead the organization at its April meeting. She will take office on December 14 th when Henry Rhodes, founder and current Chair’s board tenure expires. “I am thrilled to have Roni and her passion for the mission of helping children take the reins of the foundation,” said Henry Rhodes. It will be exciting to see the growth under her leadership”. The Landing’s Holiday Charitable Foundation was founded 7½ years ago when Henry received call about a family not having Christmas for their children because of huge medical costs the family was dealing with from a child’s cancer diagnosis. Then, another family was identified and then another. Friends joined in helping families and then the community heard about it and joined by adopting children’s wish lists, donating funds, or shopping for the children. It became a 501c3 (tax deductible) organization in 2018 and has provided thousands of holiday gifts to unfortunate kids during that time. Gifts were provided to 348 specially selected kids from five organizations during the 2022 holiday program. Roni, and her husband Doug and daughter Katty, have been residents of The Landings for nine years. Roni helped Doug during his time on the LMA board as Family Events Chair beginning in 2015, planning
the Family Pool Party and Trick-orTreat Trail. She is a member of The Landings TriCities 3.0 tennis team. She has been an active member of LHCF and currently serves on the board of directors. “It started in December 2019 with a Christmas wish-list taped on the drive through window at Starbucks,” said Roni. I thought it would be a fun way for my daughter Katty and I to shop together and to give back to others at Christmas.” “I read about the LHCF holiday party in the Eagle and signed us
up to volunteer as greeters,” she continued. When my daughter ha nded out cook ies a nd hot chocolate to families, I could see the joy on those kids faces and hers. The joy of giving literally happening before my eyes….I was hooked.” The La ndi ngs Holiday Foundation needs your support to carry out its mission for these kids. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us via the website. Donations can be made year-round at the website or by dropping off a check at the LRC.
Please visit our website for more information and how to support us ww.landingsholidaycharitabl efoundation.org or scan the QR Code for additional information
Landings Volunteers Who Work for You page
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DAY TRIPPING: WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
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KID’S CORNER: GRAYSON GLASSMAN
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This is the ninth in a series of a r t ic le s h ig h l ig ht i ng t he spe cia l volu nteers who help to make The Landings such a wonderful community. The Eagle interviewed Robert (Roberto) Manteiga for this issue. If there ever was an example of a renaissance man, Roberto exemplifies the definition: “a person who is well educated, witty, able to write poetry, loves music, is cultured, engaged in sports and can be competitive”. We know him as a photographer, pickleball organizer, swimmer, former LMA board member, Eagle committee member, landscape expert, active association board leader, excellent cook, and one who can carry on a great conversation on just about any topic. He also has an extensive collection of LP Albums and bourbons. Roberto has been active in the general community as the owner of Photos by Beto. His business has included photography and videography. His photos have won awards and appeared in local galleries. He has produced videos for Aviva Senior Living, Sarasota National Cemetery, Big Cat Habitat, the Celery Fields, and of course, for The Landings. Roberto grew up in a family of Spa n ish backg rou nd. His
Grandparents came from Spain to the U.S. via Cuba. Spanish was his primary language growing up in Brooklyn with three generations living in the same brownstone. The family moved to Teaneck, N.J. when he entered primary school. It was there that he became more fluent using English and began honing his soccer skills (a sport he played and coached for over fifty years). He was interested in architecture and did his undergrad studies at the University of Virginia where he played soccer and boxed. Two years into his architectural studies, Roberto decided to switch his major to Hispanic Studies. He spent his third year studying abroad at the University of Madrid where he studied Spanish history, art and literature, played for the University’s rugby club, and began cultivating a taste for good wines. He r e t u r n e d t o U VA a nd completed his degree in Hispanic Studies. He then went on to obtain a master’s degree through a joint program offered through New York University and the University of Madrid. After a fruitless endeavor of trying to find a decent job in New York City, he decided to go back to UVA to earn a PhD. While completing his thesis, Roberto
taught Spanish as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Rhode Island and Rutgers University. Upon completion of his thesis, he landed a full-time tenuretrack position at the University of Rhode Island, where he split his time between the Departments of Languages and the Film Media, teaching courses in literature and film. During his tenure at URI, Roberto headed the Hispanic Studies Program, directed the Comparative Literature Program, and founded and directed the International Engineering Program. Not to waste an opportunity, he also owned a Plant Store and Greenhouse (on the side) while at URI. While on sabbatical in Spain, Roberto met his now wife Tere who was working for a study abroad program in her hometown of Salamanca, sponsored by URI. She wanted to get her MA Degree and came to the U.S. where she worked as a teaching assistant at URI while completing her studies. Their relationship progressed and the rest is history. Every summer they spend 2-4 months in Spain visiting Tere’s family. When living in Rhode Island, Tere always wanted to get out of the cold and move to a beach
community by the ocean. Upon pla n n i ng ret i rement Roberto and Tere visited a former colleague and poker buddy who had retired to Sarasota. They decided to retire on the west coast of Florida and after exploring several cities and communities, fell in love with The Landings. They love The Landings, the friendly people, the area’s cultural life and of course, the location. Yes, Robert Manteiga is indeed a renaissance man. When asked, Tere added the following description: “He i s h o n e s t , c o m m it t e d , responsible, and passionate”. Wonderful qualities to add to his bio and story for the Eagle.
Robert/Roberto Manteiga.