As we approach Memorial Day weekend, Neighbors in Service honors those who gave all while supporting those who gave some. This month brings our Everyday Money pilot, the SRQ VETS Memorial 5K, and plans for a new Wreaths Across America tradition at Mansion Memorial Park.
Everyday Money for Veterans on Fixed Incomes
As we get ready to launch Everyday Money for Veterans on Fixed Incomes, our mentor team has been working closely with Manatee County Veteran Services to better understand the benefits and supports already available to local veterans. Over the past several weeks, our mentors attended VA benefits update sessions at the Lakewood Ranch Library and met with county Veteran Services counselors to review the major areas of support, including disability compensation, pensions, health care, education benefits, home loans, and local financial assistance programs.
Building on this preparation, we are launching a three-session financial readiness pilot designed specifically for veterans and their families living on fixed incomes. Participants will explore practical ways to combat the rising cost of everything on a fixed budget, including uncovering unclaimed VA benefits, using Manatee County–specific cost-cutting resources, protecting credit, preventing scams, and building an emergency fund that actually works for real-life situations.
📅 Three May Sessions
Dates: May 14, May 21, May 28 (Thursdays)Time: 11:00 AM – Noon
Location: Manatee County Veterans Services Office, 1401 3rd Ave W., Bradenton
Cost: Free | Space: Limited
All participants receive professionally designed worksheets with local contact information and resources to make follow-up easier and more effective. REGISTER TODAY: Call (941) 745-3795.
Following the program, veterans can opt into our Partner Mentor Program—brief 15–20 minute monthly check-ins for 3–6 months to support follow-through and problem-solving.
Mentors are needed for this ongoing support. If you’re interested, contact drjack@neighborsinservice.org or express interest on Team Reach.
SRQ VETS Memorial Weekend 5K Hike
Neighbors in Service and the Azario Run/Walk Club invite you to honor fallen heroes at the SRQ VETS 11th Annual Memorial Weekend 5K Hike on Saturday, May 23, 2026. This special Memorial Weekend tradition is a powerful way to remember those who have fallen for our freedoms while standing alongside local veterans, families, and supporters from across Sarasota and Manatee Counties.
The 5K starts at JD Hamel Park on the Sarasota bayfront, winds through downtown, and returns to the park for a post-event celebration with food, music, and community. Proceeds support SRQ VETS’ emergency assistance for local veterans, helping meet urgent needs such as housing, utilities, and basic living expenses.
This year, more than 25 Azarians have already signed up to hike together, and there is still time to join in. If you are already registered or planning to register, please add a YES on Team Reach so we can keep you updated on carpooling plans and a casual post-hike gathering at Marina Jack’s. This will be a great way to finish the morning together and connect as a community.
🏃 Event Details
Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Location: JD Hamel Park, Sarasota
Register: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/srqvets/event/11thmemorialhike/
Azario Coordination
Already registered or planning to? Add a YES to Team Reach so we can:
Coordinate carpooling from Azario
Walk as a visible, supportive group
Organize a casual lunch downtown after the hike
Highlight: Neighbors in Service Table
Neighbors in Service will host an information table at the event, sharing details about our current and upcoming programs for veterans and families. Be sure to stop by, say hello, and pick up information to share with friends and neighbors.
Join the Azario Run/Walk Club
IMPORTANT: Join the Azario Run/Walk Club (Code: EARWC24) for Saturday adventures that always end with a “Toasted Gathering.” Thanks to John D’Allegro’s leadership, this club has flourished into a great way to stay active, meet neighbors, and support local causes like SRQ VETS.
Celebrating Military Women 250 | LWR Library
The Lakewood Ranch Library hosts “Celebrating Military Women 250: Extraordinary Stories of Brave and Valiant Women” on Friday, May 15th, 11 AM–Noon. The President of Women Veterans of the Suncoast will share stories of key women leaders who bravely served our country. Registration required (63 seats available). Register at the LWR Library or online - https://manateelibrary.libcal.com/event/16369044
Knights of Columbus 3rd Annual Armed Forces Day Golf Tournament
The 3rd Annual Armed Forces Day Charity Golf Tournament is in the books — and Azario showed up in a big way.
On Monday, April 20, the Knights of Columbus San Damiano Assembly hosted their third annual charity golf tournament at Tara Golf & Country Club, with a full field of 128 golfers and a sold-out evening dinner program. Building on last year’s success, when the event raised more than $22,000 for veteran organizations with 117 golfers, this year’s tournament continued the tradition of golf, camaraderie, and gratitude for those who served.
Tentative results, pending final review, show this year’s event raised approximately $36,000—a significant increase over last year and a testament to growing community support.
What makes this event special is its impact: 100% of proceeds support veteran organizations, including The Fire Watch, Operation Warrior Resolution, Dogs Inc., Tunnel to Towers, Turning Points, and this year’s new honoree, Homes For Our Troops—an organization that builds mortgage-free, specially adapted homes for severely injured post‑9/11 veterans. Every foursome, raffle ticket, and sponsorship helped fuel this mission.
Azario was strongly represented, with more than 65 Azarians participating in the tournament and the post‑event dinner, raffles, and awards. Alongside our community golfers, we were honored to host two veteran foursomes representing The Fire Watch, Manatee County Veterans Services, and PGA HOPE—including Brianne Brown, who led the Azario Watch Stander Training this past March (and will return in Fall 2026), and our own Rob Garcia, US Marine and PGA HOPE golf instructor. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force were all represented on the same fairway in support of Homes For Our Troops.
From the opening tee shot to the final raffle, this tournament showcased what happens when faith, community, and gratitude for service come together. The Knights of Columbus San Damiano Assembly, their sponsors, and our Azario neighbors helped turn a day of golf into real, tangible support for veterans and their families.
Steel Across America | Sarasota Stop
Steel Across America | Sarasota Stop A steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center South Tower is traveling the country ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and it’s making a stop in Sarasota on Tuesday, May 19th at 6 PM (Emma E. Booker Elementary, 2350 Dr. MLK Way). Tunnel to Towers—a former honoree of the Knights of Columbus Armed Forces Day Golf Tournament—is bringing this powerful tribute to our community in remembrance. RSVP: steel25@t2t.org
Watch the story:
Never forget.
2026 Giving Challenge: Honoring Our Veteran Service Partners
The three veteran-focused organizations we highlighted during the 2026 Sarasota Giving Challenge demonstrated the power of community support and delivered outstanding results. Dogs, Inc. led the way, raising $140,246 from 377 generous donors, boosted by $29,972 in Patterson Foundation matching funds, for a final total of $170,218. This exceptional performance placed Dogs, Inc. in 9th place overall among all 751 participating nonprofits, showcasing the community’s deep commitment to their mission of providing service dogs to veterans and first responders.
Operation Warrior Resolution and SRQ VETS both demonstrated strong grassroots support from the veteran community and beyond. Operation Warrior Resolution raised $10,650 from 82 dedicated donors, receiving $7,100 in matching funds for a final total of $17,750, placing them 273rd overall. SRQ VETS engaged 56 supporters who contributed $8,575, which grew to $12,250 with $3,675 in matching funds, ranking 387th among participants. Combined, these three partner organizations raised $159,471 before matching and secured a combined final total of $200,218 to support veterans across our region.
Together, our highlighted partnerships mobilized 515 individual donors who recognized the critical importance of supporting those who have served our country. Their generosity during this 24-hour giving event will provide unrestricted funding that these organizations can use to meet their most pressing needs—whether that’s training more service dogs, providing mental health resources, or connecting veterans with essential community support.
Thank you to every Neighbors in Service member who donated. Your support during the 24-hour Giving Challenge demonstrated that Azario stands behind organizations serving our veterans.
New National Partnership | Wreaths Across America
A Vision Worth Sharing
When most people think of honoring veterans with a wreath on National Wreaths Across America Day, their minds go to places like Sarasota National Cemetery — and rightfully so. That’s sacred ground. Roughly 24,600 veterans rest there, and they will be honored.
But here’s something worth pausing on.
Across Manatee County, there are 49 private cemeteries where veterans have been laid to rest — buried near family, in their hometowns, in the communities they came home to protect. Records document more than 8,600 veterans across those grounds, and the real number is almost certainly higher.
Heroic wreath efforts happen across our region, and we honor every one of them. But a coordinated, county-wide effort to ensure every veteran in Manatee’s private hometown cemeteries is remembered — that doesn’t exist yet. Neighbors in Service aims to change that.
Because many of our veterans didn’t choose a national cemetery. They chose the cemetery where their mother is buried. Where their father rests. Where their family will one day gather together. They served for all of us — and they came home to us.
This December, we start where we’re planting our flag first:
Mansion Memorial Park in Ellenton, Florida, where more than 1,700 veterans rest, is minutes from our own community.
One cemetery. One community. One wreath at a time.
We’re grateful that early donors have already given this effort a strong start. Honoring all 1,700 veterans at Mansion Memorial Park will take all of us.
How can you help?
Starting on Memorial Day Weekend, sponsor wreaths ($17 each) through our Wreaths Across America partnership.
Follow facebook.com/neighborsInservice
Join Team Reach: AZNIS4VETS
Wreath sponsorship details will be available Memorial Day Weekend.
Stay Connected with Neighbors in Service
WE’RE ON FACEBOOK!
Neighbors in Service just launched our Facebook page at facebook.com/neighborsInservice—and we need your help building this community.
Why this matters: Facebook helps us reach beyond Azario to connect with veterans, military families, and supporters across Manatee County. It’s where we’ll share real-time updates, event photos, and ways to get involved.
Follow the page, share our posts, tag veteran friends who might benefit from our programs. The larger our reach, the more veterans we can serve.
We’ll continue posting on Azario Team Reach, neighborhood Facebook pages, and WhatsApp—think of the NIS page as one more way to amplify our mission.
📱 All event details, registration, and volunteer opportunities: Neighbors in Service Team Reach Access Code: AZNIS4VETS
Questions? Jack McGourty | drjack@neighborsinservice.org
As we approach Memorial Day, we continue to build on April’s momentum—Everyday Money launches, SRQ VETS Memorial 5K fills with Azarians, Wreaths planning ramps up, and veterans’ voices stay front and center across our community. This is what shared commitment looks like.
Neighbors in Service is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 33‑1691201).
