The Gator Club bakes for Day of Service

The Gator Club and kids at Valerie’s House pose for a group photo. COURTESY PHOTO

Valerie’s House hosted Southwest Florida Gator Club members on Saturday, May 18, for “Baking with Gators” day in the new kitchen of the Family Is Forever Home in Fort Myers.

It was a sea of orange and blue as alumni of the University of Florida baked gator-inspired cookies with the children and teens of Valerie’s House, a non-profit organization that helps children grieve the loss of loved ones.

“Everybody had a great time baking cookies in the shape of gators, then decorating them with frosting and sprinkles. We are very grateful to the Southwest Florida Gator Club for selecting Valerie’s House for their annual Gator Day of Service,” said Valerie’s House Founder and CEO Angela Melvin Churchill, who also is a University of Florida graduate.

International Gator Day is the annual community service day when Gator Clubs throughout the United States unite to utilize the size and spirit of the Gator Nation to impact their communities.

“It was a wonderful opportunity for Gator alumni to give back to the community while sharing information about the college. Some of the teens are considering going to UF when they graduate high school,” said Noelle Casagrande, president of the Southwest Florida Gator Club.

Lyric Smith shows off her gator-inspired cookie.

Ali Baker of the UF Alumni Association in Gainesville was also present. The UF Alumni Association provided t-shirts, caps, drink koozies and other Gator swag to share with the youngsters.

Valerie’s House has helped more than 5,000 children and their families since its founding in 2016 by Angela Melvin Churchill, whose mother, Valerie, was killed in a car accident in Fort Myers in 1987.

Valerie’s House offers peer support groups and other activities at locations in Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and Pensacola. Valerie’s House is a United Way partner agency and is fully supported by community donations.

For more information about Valerie’s House or to make a donation to the Family Is Forever Home, visit www.valerieshouse.org/forever-home call 239-204-5804. ¦

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