Lakewood Ranch rallies for record donation for Stillpoint Mission

Every year, Lakewood Ranch’s Bob Smith tries to beat his donation to Stillpoint Mission from the previous year by at least $1. 

A week before Smith wanted to submit his donation to the Bradenton nonprofit, he was $10,000 short of topping last year’s donation of $63,035. 

“It didn’t look very good because we weren’t getting any new donations, but through a burst of nagging, I hauled them over the finish,” Smith said. 

Smith, with the help of his “captains,” Lakewood Ranch’s Judy Balmer, Diane and Greg Brune and Bob Keehn, was able to collect $70,380 in donations to the nonprofit that provides food, diapers, clothing and utility bill assistance to those in need.

The Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust also agreed to match donations, helping the group reach its goal of donating more than $63,000. 

Balmer, who has been involved with Stillpoint Mission for the past decade, and Diane Brune, who has been involved for 16 years, saw the dedication and passion Smith had for the nonprofit and wanted to do their part to help raise money. 

“It’s a labor of love,” Balmer said. “We’ve all been successful in our fields, and when you graduate from the work environment and play for a while, you look for something to fill that empty spot that made you feel like you were contributing to something. What a better cause than to help people who are less fortunate than you, especially children.”

Diane Brune said people come to expect to hear from Smith and the captains this time of year as the campaign has been consistent for the past 11 years. 

“People start to almost count on that we’ll ask during a certain time for help, and I think that gives power to it,” Diane Brune said. “We’re not a one-time thing. It’s a commitment.”

Smith said if a time came when he wasn’t able to lead the effort, he would depend on his captains to ensure the campaign moved forward until his daughter, Amanda Tullidge, can take over.

Gene Tischer, the president of Stillpoint Mission, said the nonprofit is serving, on average, 300 clients per week. With the rise in cost for food and supplies as a result of inflation, Tischer said the donation from Smith is crucial.