Before we get started, a quick reminder: Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 10. If you have not already picked up a card, flowers, a plant, or something thoughtful for Mom, this is your friendly nudge to do it before the weekend rush.
Last week, we spent time talking about some of the seasonal projects and outdoor ideas that make this such a great time of year to be working around the home and garden. As always, we love helping our customers find the right plants, tools, hardware, and advice for whatever project is next on the list.
This week, though, we want to take a short break from the usual gardening and MRT-related topics to recognize a few important community milestones and highlight two nonprofit organizations doing meaningful work in our area.
One of our favorite community partners, Venice Area Beautification, Inc., better known as VABI, recently shared the news that the Centennial Park Gazebo will be renamed in honor of Bob and Sue Vedder. The City of Venice held the Centennial Park Gazebo Renaming Ceremony on Wednesday, May 6, recognizing Bob and Sue for their tireless work with VABI, their collaboration with Public Works, and their many contributions to the Venice community.
For anyone not familiar with VABI, it is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the greater Venice area for more than 30 years. Its mission is to enrich the quality of life for residents by nurturing and developing beautification projects throughout the community, helping make Venice a more beautiful place to live, work, and play.
VABI’s work can be seen all over Venice, from downtown flower baskets and public gardens to parks, murals, public art, environmental projects, and the Venice Urban Forest. The organization is powered by dedicated volunteers and strong partnerships with the City of Venice, Sarasota County, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and many community supporters.
Bob Vedder has played a particularly visible role through VABI’s Bloom Team, a group of volunteers responsible for planting and maintaining more than 70 flower fountains and containers, 91 hanging baskets, and 57 specialized gardens throughout Downtown Venice. Their work is part of what gives downtown Venice so much of its charm and color.
We want to congratulate Bob and Sue on this well-deserved recognition. The naming of the gazebo is a fitting tribute to years of service, volunteerism, and care for the place we all call home.
We also want to recognize another major milestone in Venice: the ribbon cutting for the Senator Nancy C. Detert Loveland Residential Community at Loveland Center. On April 29, Loveland celebrated the grand opening of the Independence Villas and Equality Lofts, two new neighborhoods that expand the community’s mission of inclusive living.
Loveland’s residential community first opened in 2016 and is described as the first purpose-built inclusive residential community designed specifically for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The expanded community also welcomes low-income seniors and members of the nonprofit workforce, creating a supportive environment where people of all abilities can live, connect, and thrive together.
The Independence Villas are paired two-bedroom villas designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and Sarasota County’s nonprofit workforce. They include accessible features, full kitchens, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and access to community amenities such as clinical therapies, dining, recreation, performing arts, transportation options, and supported living services through Loveland Living.
The Equality Lofts offer lakefront apartment living in one- and two-bedroom units, designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and low-income seniors. The Lofts include accessible buildings, elevators, laundry on every floor, a private community room, on-site parking, and easy access to dining, therapies, arts, recreation, and community events.
At the heart of Loveland Living is a simple but powerful idea: housing should be more than a place to live. It should be a place to belong. Loveland Living provides in-home supports, social and recreational programming, and opportunities for residents to build relationships across generations, abilities, and backgrounds.
Both VABI and Loveland Center remind us that a strong community is built by people who show up, give their time, and work toward something bigger than themselves. Whether it is planting flowers downtown, preserving public spaces, creating inclusive housing, or helping neighbors live with dignity and independence, these organizations make Venice and the surrounding area better for everyone.
From all of us at MRT, congratulations to Bob and Sue Vedder, congratulations to Loveland Center and Loveland Living, and thank you to every volunteer, donor, staff member, and community partner who helps make these milestones possible.
And once again, don’t forget Mom this Sunday. Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at MRT.