Community Activities makes connections by focusing on smaller gatherings

Every year, Lakewood Ranch residents mark their calendars for major Lakewood Ranch Community Activities events.

Whether it’s the Community Campout, Eggstravaganza, the Tribute to Heroes parade or BooFest, hundreds, if not thousands, come together to celebrate any given occasion. 

Those are just examples of staple events Lakewood Ranch has become known for over the years. 

But Lakewood Ranch Community Activities is responsible for much more. 

The nonprofit coordinates clubs and community groups and hosts parks and recreational programming. 

Much like the population boom in the Ranch, Lakewood Ranch Community Activities has had to increase its offerings to ensure it stays on its mission: To provide a social structure to bring residents together to establish a sustainable community. 

Keith Pandeloglou, the president and CEO of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, said the nonprofit started in 2000 with at least 30 community groups and clubs and five to seven large-scale events. 

Now the nonprofit hosts more than 700 events throughout the year and coordinates more than 60 community groups and clubs. 

Photo by Liz Ramos

Pandeloglou, who has been with Lakewood Ranch Community Activities for eight years, said he finds the ever-changing demographics of the area to be the most interesting. 

When he first moved to Lakewood Ranch in 2010, he believed the community had a “branding problem” where it was perceived as a retirement community. But that couldn’t be further from the truth now as out of the more than 40 communities in Lakewood Ranch, only two are age restricted, and the average age of residents is in the mid-40s as more young families move to the area, Pandeloglou said. 

With an ever-changing population comes challenges for Lakewood Ranch Community Activities. 

How does the nonprofit provide opportunities for social gatherings that will draw people of all ages?

Pandeloglou said one way is to have its staff, board and committees reflect the community demographically and geographically, encouraging people from all communities and all ages to participate. The same goes with volunteers, ambassadors and others. 

“We had board members and committee members with kids everywhere from 4 to 12 (years old),” he said. “Well, over the past eight years, the strangest thing happened, they all got eight years older. So now we’re really good in teens (programming), but we need people that have 2, 3, 5 year olds again. … You want to make sure you’re serving the people you represent, and the best way to do that is to have them be a part of it.”

Chirs McComas, who handles most of the parks and recreational programming for Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, said although there are challenges resulting from growth, it comes with “freedom to grow because the demand is there.”

He said there were programs, like field bocce and bingo, that weren’t well attended in the past, but they are now thriving. 

Photo by Liz Ramos

Learning that location is everything and sometimes having one program right after the other draws people in, Pandeloglou said. 

Bingo sometimes can have 40 people in attendance and the nonprofit has had to stop advertising field bocce and cornhole because of the large number of participants. 

Pandeloglou said the nonprofit previously had to chase people and business owners to provide services, such as a yoga or dance instructor. 

Now, he said, they’re coming to the nonprofit, filling out applications for new programs. He said in a matter of two weeks, there were five applications for new programs while in the past, the nonprofit would go months without receiving five applications. 

“It’s a good testament to doing the right things over and over again, and eventually, it gains some traction,” Pandeloglou said. 

Pandeloglou said planning is now focused on whether an event or program should have two sessions to accommodate demand or where will people park and how to transport people from off-site parking.

Photo by Lesley Dwyer 

Even with the growth, Lakewood Ranch Community Activities is focused on providing quality, intentional social gatherings with the thought of “how do we get bigger by getting smaller?” Pandeloglou said. 

Pandeloglou said while the larger events such as BooFest are wonderful opportunities for residents to connect and learn about area businesses, the true community connections happen at a smaller scale. 

“With our spaces and our parks, both indoor and outdoor, we’re able to create connections daily, whether it’s through new clubs, new committees, new groups, new social activities that can happen five to 30 people at a time,” he said. 

He said it’s about providing more niche experiences, whether it’s a club for single dads in their 40s or a club for people who love astronomy. 

Lakewood Ranch Community Activities always looks for feedback from the community to better its events and programming. Fresh voices means events and programs will change to accommodate feedback, otherwise the events will remain the same.