Page 5 - Palm City Spotlight - April '23

Palm City Spotlight, Page 5

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United Way Foundation

Honors Visionaries At
The Frances Langford

Humanitarian Award

Reception

The United Way of Martin County (UWMC) Foundation
recently held the Frances Langford Humanitarian Award
Reception to honor the visionaries of our community who
have received the Frances Langford Award over the years
for their continuous philanthropic endeavors in support of Left to right: Arati Hammond and Carol
United Way of Martin County and the nonprofit community. G. Houwaart-Diez, UWMC president Left to right: Jeff and Deanna Atlas, Katie Norris, Vinny Grucza, Amy Dubois
The reception was held on Wednesday, March 8, at Harbor and CEO and Gerry Saelzer
Ridge Yacht and Country Club.
During the reception, the United Way Foundation also “I’ve been part of United Way of Martin
announced that it had made significant progress towards County for more than 25 years, and I’ve come to
its goal of building the organization’s endowment fund to understand that this United Way is a blessing to
$13 million. Once this goal is reached, the interest earned our community,” said Bob Weissman, a previous
on the invested principal will generate an additional recipient of the Frances Langford Humanitarian
$500,000 annually that United Way can infuse back into Award. “Unfortunately, the increasing needs
our community every year. of our community outpace the funds that are
raised through the annual campaign. With that
in mind, the foundation was established to form
an endowment that would compensate for any
shortfalls in funding in perpetuity.”
The Frances Langford Humanitarian Award
was named in honor of the famed singer and
actress and longtime resident of Martin County.
She trusted the United Way of Martin County to
not only make a difference in people’s lives but Left to right: Noreen Fisher, Bob Weissman, Dennis Longstreet and
also to make our community stronger and lead the Elisabeth Glynn
charge by serving as the very first chair of United
Way of Martin County’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society.
Her passion and commitment to this community helped
position this organization and its mission to be the agent
Left to right: Elliot Paul and Greg Nuttall of change it is today.

Left to right: Bob Crandall, Ellyn Stevenson and Bonney
Johnson

The United Way of Martin County Foundation has honored
Left to right: Dennis Longstreet and her memory and legendary generosity with the Frances
Betsy Herold Left to right: Tom and Linda Schaefer Left to right: Aleta and Geoffrey Smith Langford Humanitarian Award, which has recognized
community leaders who, like Frances, demonstrate care and
compassion for humanity in their lives and in their deeds.
Previous humanitarian award recipients include:
2011 – Robert and Carol Weissman
2013 – Barbara Briggs Trimble
2014 – Prestley and Helen Blake
2015 – Douglass and Patricia Stewart
2016 – John and Susan Sullivan
2017 – H. William Lichtenberger
2018 – Bob and Jan Crandall, and Bill and Audrey Crandall
2019 – Joe and Margaret Richebourg Temple
2020 - John and Linda Loewenberg
2021 – Fred and Betty Kopf
2022 – Bob and Karen Croce
The Frances Langford Humanitarian Award sculpture is
a signature piece by Geoffrey C. Smith created especially
for the United Way of Martin County Foundation.
Top reception sponsors included Bob Crandall, Bill and
Audrey Crandall, Elizabeth Herold, Bob Weissman, and the
Saelzer/Atlas Group of Raymond James and Associations.
The Frances Langford Humanitarian Award reception
is the signature event of the United Way of Martin County
Foundation. The foundation is an independent public charity
uniquely positioned to accept legacy gifts and build an
endowment fund to meet the current and future unmet needs
of Martin County.
United Way of Martin County’s mission is to improve
lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community. Since
1972, the United Way has been working to create long-term
social change and provide support to Martin County residents
by investing in programs that strive to enhance healthy living,
improve education, and support financial stability.
For more information about United Way of Martin County
Foundation, visit www.UnitedWayMartin.org/Foundation or
call (772) 283-4800, Ext. 2212.

Photos by United Way of Martin County