A lament over passing of a mentor

When I moved here 13 years ago, two women made it a point to tell me about Bradenton.
One was Rona Livingston.
Along with best friend and fellow MHS Drill Teamer Helen Eason, Rona educated me about their hometown’s culture and character — its characters, too — and caring nature as a community.
Just days after celebrating her 76th birthday, Rona passed on July 10 and I feel her family’s loss.
I am indebted to Rona Livingston.

Uh, oh! City of Bradenton Fire Chief Chuck Edwards is one year shy of the Big 5-0!

Big ups to sisters Lindsay and Ashley Lane.

Lindsay graduated from Alabama-Birmingham with a masters in public health. Ashley graduated with a bachelors in design and management from Parsons New School of Design in New York.

Their folks Vicki and Pat Cunningham and Bob Lane are proud — and happy to finally have them both out of school!

Northwest Baptist Church hosts Christmas in July for 16 homeless children from Bradenton’s Salvation Army family shelter at 11 a.m. July 31. Clothing, school supplies and toiletries are needed.

Call Sylvia Hafling at 761-2832.

Gillian Palino will have some great stories to share with classmates when school resumes for the Southeast IB sophomore.

She spent 20 days this summer as a student ambassador with the People to People in Europe program. Among the places she visited were the Roman Coliseum, Vatican City and Venice, the Konzerhaus Concert Hall in Vienna, as well as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Read more in Vin's People at Bradenton.com.