Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation

Charting a course to a better community…

Message from the Board Chair — First Half of 2026 Dear Venice Yacht Club Members,
It is hard to believe we are already halfway through our fiscal year! As always, we are deeply grateful for the incredible generosity of the VYC membership, their friends, and their families. The Foundation has had a remarkable start to 2026, and I am proud to share some of the highlights with you.

Our Impact So Far in 2026

$150,000 2026 Grant Budget

30+ Organizations Served Annually

19 Nonprofits Funded in First Cycle

$1,500,000+ Granted Since Inception

About the Foundation
The Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation (VYCCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the greater Venice, Florida community. Supported by the generous members of the Venice Yacht Club and their families, the Foundation conducts two competitive grant cycles each year, awarding funding to approximately 30 local charitable organizations.

2026 First Grant Cycle — Update
This year, the Foundation set a grant budget of $150,000. In the first grant cycle, we received applications from over 20 local organizations and approved $86,500 in grants to 19 nonprofits. We were especially pleased to welcome three new organizations applying for the first time: Sleep in Heavenly Peace, The Venice Historical Society, and The Englewood Community Center.

Through the end of March, $35,000 has been distributed to seven organizations, with the remaining grants scheduled for disbursement in April and May 2026.

First Cycle Grant Recipients Include:

The Haven
Laurel Civic Association
Good Samaritan Health
Senior Friendship Center
Venice Area Historical Society
Venice Area Pregnancy Care Center
Mote Marine Aquarium (new — first visit to their new facility!)
Sheriff's Activity League (Annual Fishing Tournament for children with disabilities)

2026 Second Grant Cycle — In Progress
The second grant cycle is well underway! We have already received approximately 28 grant applications, with a few more days remaining before the grant window closes. During April, the Outreach Committee will vote on these applications, and in May we will announce the recipients for the second cycle. We look forward to continuing to serve our community through this second round of funding.

Event Highlights

9th Annual Bike/Walk Ride for a Better Community — February 2026 ✔ Completed
What a success! Over 250 participants joined us for a perfect morning, and we surpassed our fundraising goal by raising $130,000! Three $5,000 grant checks were awarded at the event. Special thanks to Director Dave Slaman and co-chairs Steve Bieglecki and Steve Selbo, as well as the Venice Police Department and VHS JR ROTC cadets. Heartfelt thanks also go to our dedicated volunteers and the entire Yacht Club team.

Sheriff's Activity League Annual Fishing Tournament — April 2026
VYCCF is proud to support this very special annual event with a $1,000 grant. Approximately 35 children from The Haven will board boats at the Venice Yacht Club, setting off for a full day of fishing and fun on the water. This is one of our most meaningful community moments of the year.

Jazz Under the Stars — April 23, 2026
Join us for an elegant evening of live jazz, delicious food, and wonderful company under the night sky. This year we are thrilled to welcome the Victor Vargus Trio. Our dynamic Event Chair and co-chair, Karla Olsen and Joi Nemke, have even more fun planned for this year! This event is typically a sell-out — reserve your table early!

Looking Ahead
The second half of 2026 promises to be equally exciting. Our beloved Parrot-Head Party returns by popular demand on Saturday, October 17, 2026 — a night of Jimmy Buffett- themed music, dancing, great food, special surprises, fun games, and one-of-a-kind Jimmy Buffett memorabilia auction. This event will sell out, so book early!

Other Ways to Support the Foundation
Have you considered donating through Zelle? This free, bank-to-bank encrypted digital payment service makes giving simple and secure. If your bank uses Zelle, all you need is our registered email address: Treasurer@vyccf.com — funds are transferred directly with no account numbers exchanged.

For a 501(c)(3) like VYCCF, Zelle offers key advantages:

No transaction fees
Instant access to funds
Secure and direct transfers
Simple for donors

Please be sure to include your name and email with your donation so we can send you a thank-you letter and tax receipt.

Thank You
None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our members, volunteers, and the broader Venice Yacht Club community. You are the reason we can chart a course for a better community.

"Mobilize the collective goodwill of our community to improve the lives of our neighbors, including those who are most vulnerable."
— VYCCF Mission Statement

Respectfully Submitted,
Sylvia Hollister
2026 VYCCF Board Chair

Together we are Charting a Course for a Better Community

Calendar of Events
SAVE THE DATE

Jazz Under the Stars
Jazz Under the Stars Sponsorship Form

VYCCF Mission:

Our mission is to “mobilize the collective goodwill of our community, to improve the lives of our neighbors, including those who are most vulnerable”.

Dear Fellow Club Members:
April 23 is the date for the Charitable Foundation’s Jazz Under the Stars. Make sure you have reserved! And it’s not too late to consider becoming a sponsor to help us continue expanding our grants to worthy (and local) organizations. The evening’s dinner -- from hors-d’oeuvres to bite-sized desserts -- will be arranged in the popular “stations” configuration to keep those dreaded “buffet lines” at bay. This year will once again feature the Victor Vargus Trio. Hope to see you there!

The final tally is in from our annual Ride/Stride event in February: 251 participants, their sponsors and our 45 event sponsors raised a record-setting $130,000 and the event was covered by ABC of Sarasota! Thanks to ALL!

The VYCCF is about to start its second grant cycle, and we hope to soon have many applications in for evaluation. So, stay tuned during the coming months for status updates on this important process.

Meanwhile, we would like to highlight Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a new “grantee” this year; and in fact, the group will receive their check at Jazz Under the Stars! This local organization is dedicated to making sure every child in need has their own bed! The beds are patented and each comes complete with a mattress and bedding, explains Cheryl Kross, president of the Sarasota chapter. The cost for one bed is $300 and the organization looks for sponsors to fund a “build.” These builds are based on the assembly-line method with various stations for lumber, staining, quality control, etc. The group has 20-25 dedicated volunteers who fully assemble 20 beds in 4 hours! “We are always in search for more volunteers,” Kross says, noting that the group offers on-the-job training to their volunteers and they can also use volunteers with a pick-up trucks as all beds are hand delivered. For more information, visit their website at: https://shpbeds.org –or even better, come say hello to her at Jazz Under the Stars!!

Appreciatively,
Barbi Richardson, VYCCF Currents Editor

Please follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VeniceYachctClubCharitableFoundation/

updated: April 2026 Currents

Dear Fellow Club Members:
Thanks to one and all who participated in our Foundation’s 9th Annual Ride/Stride for a Better Community Feb. 15! And also, a huge thank you to those who donated and sponsored this year’s effort. As of press time, this annual fundraising event had collected more than $111,000, according to Dave Slaman, who with Steve Bieglecki has organized this important community event since its inception nine years ago. There were more than 200 riders and striders and some donations came from as far away as Germany and the UAE. Funds go to the myriad organizations the VYCCF supports through our grants.

One of these grant recipients—and a new one this cycle-- is the Venice Area Historical Society (VAHS). This local organization is passionate about highlighting and preserving Venice’s unique history. Just last month—Feb. 18—the group unveiled a statue of John Nolen, the city’s planner, in Centennial Park. In this statue, Nolen is purusing his plan of Venice. Hailing from Pennsylvania, Nolen completed his degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard where he studied under the legendary Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr., the renowned city planner and designer of The Everglades National Park, Yosemite and Acadia!

Nolen made his way to SW Florida around 1920 after being commissioned by Dr. Fred Albee to design a community in Nokomis. Nolen then went on to plan Venice. Indeed, his love of nature led him to blend landscape into city design. This melding gives Venice much of its charm and beauty with the many small and larger parks incorporated throughout the town. For more information on the VAHS, visit their website at: veniceareahistoricalsociety.org/

Mark your calendar now for April 23, the date for our next big fundraiser, Jazz Under the Stars. This year will once again feature the Victor Vargus Trio. VYCCF is actively seeking sponsors for this annual event—anywhere from $50 on up! An entire dinner, from hors-d’oeuvres to bite-sized desserts, will be artfully arranged by our great team in the popular “stations” configuration. Hope to see you there!

In Appreciation,
Barbi Richardson, VYCCF Currents Editor

Please follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VeniceYachctClubCharitableFoundation/

updated: March 2026 Currents

Documents

VYCCF Donor Card