One hundred pounds cleaner in Lakewood Ranch

One hundred pounds cleaner 

Tara's Jennifer Hoffman went along White Eagle Boulevard with two volunteers picking up trash for two hours March 20 as part of the Great American Clean Up with Keep Manatee Beautiful.

By the end, ten volunteers had six bags of trash not including bags from the other seven volunteers going along State Road 70. 

Hoffman, who is the executive director of Keep Manatee Beautiful, estimated the volunteers collected 100 pounds of trash in two hours.

"We were one of the volunteer opportunities to open first because it's outside and socially distant," Hoffman said. "I appreciate people want to get out to do things, and I'm thankful we're able to provide this opportunity."

Bound together by blood

Lakewood Ranch's Aaron Ruben, an executive vice president for CASTO, has been to many Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance events, but the Networking Social and Blood Drive at SunCoast Blood Centers, held March 18, had special meaning for him.

Ruben has donated blood dozens of times before. His grandfather, David Ruben, had lymphoma.

"It's always meant a lot to me because I saw how much he needed it," Aaron Ruben said. "I get out and donate whenever I can."