At 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, the Sarasota MLK Celebration Committee will host the MLK Scholarship and Awards Gala at The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, located at 1534 Mound Street in Sarasota. The Committee will award academic scholarships to deserving high school students and honor the work and talents of selfless individuals and organizations. Hank Battie, owner of Cravats’ Custom Clothiers, and Jessika Ward, award-winning multimedia journalist, are the host and hostess. Single tickets and tables for parties of six and eight are available for purchase for $50, $300 and $400 on Eventbrite (https://srqmlkgala.eventbrite.com/) by May 6. Attire is country club chic.
“It is commendable that even in these challenging times, people and organizations are still finding ways to do good things,” states Jetson Grimes, president of the Sarasota MLK Celebration Committee. “It is also a privilege to honor good work and provide the financial means for the next generation to fulfill their goals and dreams.”
The 2022 Community Award recipients are Leah Dubose (Youth Emerging Leader), Safe Children’s Coalition/HIPPY & Achievers Programs (Champion of Youth), Caroline Zucker (Community Service), Business & Professional Women of North Sarasota (Community Service), Keysha Matthews (Community Service), Dr. Tracy Goodman (Education) and Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church (MLK Legacy Award).
Sponsors of the MLK Scholarship and Awards Gala are CAN Community Health Inc., First Home Bank, Sarasota Memorial Hospital Foundation, Shapiro I Delgado and Sweet Sparkman Architecture & Interiors.
About the Sarasota MLK Celebration Committee
Founded in 1987, the Sarasota MLK Celebration Committee is dedicated to honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Funds generated through its mission are allocated toward awarding scholarships to low-income minority students in pursuit of higher education. Currently, over 50 scholarships have been awarded.