VOL. 26 NO. 12
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DECEMBER 2025
Double The Love: Giving Tuesday Donations To Humane Society Of The Treasure Coast Will Be Matched Up To $30,000 Supporters of the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast (HSTC) didn’t have to wait until Giving Tuesday on December 2 for their impact to double. The big $30,000 Giving Tuesday Match at the HSTC had already begun. “Giving Tuesday” is a global generosity movement intended to unleash the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. On this annual day of support, the humane society asked all animal lovers and philanthropic-minded people to join together to help raise funds to support low-cost pet obedience and behavior training classes for local people and their pets. “Many families who love their animals struggle to care for their pet with behavior issues and they believe surrendering them to the shelter is their only option, but it is not,” said Development Manager Ashton Sorrentino.
“Giving Tuesday” donations will enable the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast to offer more discounted training and obedience classes. (Photo provided by the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast)
“We want them to know our surrender prevention program, the Pawsitive Manners Club, is available at a discounted rate to provide the necessary resources and support to prevent pet surrenders from happening.” The Pawsitive Manners Club provides necessary resources and support through a multitude of obedience classes to help a dog become the best version of itself. Funds raised during the Giving Tuesday campaign make access to these valuable resources available at low cost – or even no cost – to those in need. Dog owners can find out if they qualify for discounted classes by visiting hstc1.org/PawsitiveManners or contacting Tracy Steffen at tsteffen@hstc1.org. Double The Love on page 5
Pep Rally Gala Teams All Fired Up Benefit Martin County Seniors And Meals On Wheels Creative cuisine, cheerleading stunt work, gamechanger cocktails, a danceable playlist of live music, and a fiercely-contested team challenge that will better the lives of local seniors for years to come – that’s the promise of this year’s Pep Rally Gala to benefit the Council on Aging Martin County. “This is a gala unlike any other,” said Andrea Levy, committee member and captain of Team Lotus Loft. “The Council on Aging Martin County has been serving seniors for 51 successful years. We’re celebrating that tremendous achievement and getting all fired up for the future.” The event on Saturday, February 28, begins at 6 p.m. at the Kane Center. Chef’s Table will provide an amazing spread, the band Girlfriend Material will play lively, get-up-out-of-yourseat-and-dance music, and there will be surprises throughout the evening starting with a progressive cocktail tour. Last year, teams competed for bragging rights and raised significant funds to benefit Council on Aging programs. This
year, they have their sights set on a very specific goal: $80,000 to purchase a meal delivery vehicle to support the Meals on Wheels program. “Every day our volunteers deliver more than 580 meals to seniors in need throughout our county,” explained CEO Karen Ripper, “along with meals to our four congregate dining sites. They bring nourishment, programming and socialization to our clients. The meal delivery truck will be a game changer in how well we are able to deliver hot meals to our congregate dining sites in Jensen Beach, Stuart, Hobe Sound, and Indiantown.” The 2026 teams are now forming. A team can be a business, neighborhood, or group of friends. The only requirement is, according to Andrea, “a Pep Rally on page 4
The 2026 Pep Rally Gala Committee, bottom from left, Casey Caplan, Andrea Turke, Natalie Nastasia, Mubina Dunn, Tara Baldwin, Alison Shingary, Taylor Emerick; Middle: Julie Collins, Devon Senical, Kristy Roman, Lindsay Benson; Back: Erica Curtis, Michelle Dyer, Ellise Ryan, Tabitha Lavery, Amber Stephan. Not pictured: Andrea Levy, Kim Palsin, Dakota Minervini, Katie Diamond.
Community Foundation For Palm Beach And Martin Counties To Host 13th Annual Founders Luncheon On Feb. 11 At Kravis Center Event will feature USF Hunger Expert Dr. David Himmelgreen, Philanthropist Marshall Field V, and
nonprofit partners working on reliable access to healthy, affordable food across our region The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties announced today that it will host its 13th Annual Founders Luncheon on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts’ Cohen Pavilion in West Palm Beach. Dr. David Himmelgreen, director for the University of South Florida (USF) Center for the Advancement of Food Security and Healthy Communities (CAFSHC), will be keynote speaker;
Marshall Field V, a noted philanthropist, will receive the 2026 McIntosh Award for outstanding service. The Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization that leads partnerships with donors, nonprofits and community members to address the r e g i o n ’s c h r o n i c a n d emerging issues, holds its Founders Luncheon each year to rally hundreds of Dr. David Himmelgreen Community Foundation on page 4