Foundation looking for Love of Bonita nominations

The Bonita Springs Community Foundation is looking for generous individuals who spend their time, money or efforts giving back to the community.

Through the “Love of Bonita” reception every year, the foundation honors one individual whose efforts have made a difference in helping to build a stronger community which, is the foundations primary mission.

“Our goal is to find one person that stands out and we do it through a nomination process,” said Melanie Dehon, the chairperson of the event and foundation board member. “We rely on the community to help us find them.”

The recipient of the award that will be given at a reception in January of 2007 must express their love of Bonita Springs by actively making a positive impact on others.

“We don’t want to discourage anyone from nominating someone they know. No thing is too small if you feel they had an impact,” said Dehon, who has sat on the nomination committee that reviews more than 50 entries and picks a winner. “Sometimes I just wish we could print all of them because there are so many great people out there doing exception things for others.”

In the last six years the foundation has honored people for contributions to education like Bonita Springs Elementary principal David Short and the late Dick Miller who was instrumental in bringing the YMCA to Bonita.

“In recognizing their efforts, we feel it helps bring awareness to our foundation and also hopefully gets people to feel a sense of pride for their community,” Dehon said.

The foundation that was started in 1997 has given more than $1.3 million in grants and scholarships to area non-profits and students.

They work as an affiliate of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation who provides the necessary manpower and resources that keep the Bonita Foundation in operation.

“We try to promote philanthropy and build a sense of community in the hopes of improving the lives of the Bonita Springs community,” said Dehon, whose foundation acts as the middle man between donors and agencies that need money for emergencies that aren’t covered by money used for their day-to-day operations.

The recipient of the “Love of Bonita” award also receives $10,000 that will go to the charity of their choice.

“This award is based on the individuals desire and we want to recognize their efforts and show what they have done,” she said. “It helps the community to realize just how much has been accomplished.”