On this episode of Socially Joe, both Lisa Johnson and Joe Riggio Announce Gulf Coast Giving and who we are, who we support, what we are up to in 2021 plus how you can help us support our Local Charities. 

We strive to inspire and improve the lives of those who need assistance by professionally fundraising for our Local Charities through Events, where you can meet the Non-Profits as well as enjoy the Event. The two Non-Profits Gulf Coast Giving is supporting for 2021 are Satchels's Last Resort Rescue and Sanctuary and Florida Cancer Specialist Foundation. If you wish to learn more about us, attend upcoming events, volunteer or help support our Local Charities you can go to www.gulfcoastgiving.com

website:  www.gulfcoastgiving.com 

Dr. Rachel Siditsky is a Nationally Board-Certified Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist.  She holds four degrees, a MS in Oriental Medicine and a BS in Professional Health Sciences from East West College of Natural Medicine, a BA in History from Binghamton University, and a MS in Higher Education Administration from Florida State University.  Dr. Siditsky is also certified in Cold Laser Therapy and Acupuncture Point Injection Therapy.   

 During her time at East West, Dr. Siditsky was instrumental in starting an externship at Turning Points Bill Galvano One Stop Clinic, a homeless assistance agency in Bradenton Florida.  This program offers acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine modalities to hundreds of local homeless and low-income people in the Bradenton area.  Giving back to the community is important to Dr. Siditsky and she continues to volunteer at Turning Points as an Acupuncture Physician one day a week.  Throughout her clinic experience Dr. Siditsky has focused on working with cancer, stroke, and pain patients. 

 Dr. Siditsky was born and raised in Western NY.  Dr. Siditsky’s passion for Traditional Chinese Medicine stemmed from personal experience.  After being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and chronic urticaria she struggled with chronic health issues that were not being resolved with conventional medicine.  After turning to Traditional Chinese Medicine, she found relief and was able to stop medication that she was told she would need to be on for the rest of her life.  Dr. Siditsky had always considered going in to medicine, and after this life changing experience she knew it was time to pursue Traditional Chinese Medicine.  As a primary health care physician, Dr. Siditsky is devoted to helping her patients by focusing on holistic body health to treat the root cause of a problem instead of just treating the symptoms. 

Dr. Rachel Siditsky  

website: www.acupuncture-healing-center.com  

FB: ww.facebook.com/drsiditsky  

Susan (Sue) Fitzgerald, Travel Consultant, AAA Sarasota 

Born and raised in Rochester NY. Got her love of travel when her Grandmother took her family to Hawaii when she was about 13 years old. She studied Travel and tourism as both Niagara University and Genesee Community College. She has been working the travel industry as a travel agent or a teacher for over 40 years. Most of those years (in various cities) she has worked for AAA. She has traveled to over 100 countries and most of the states. She has been on over 25 cruises including the large cruise ship, the transatlantic ocean liner, the small (100 passenger) ships and river cruises. She has been to 5 of the 7 continents.   

Her passions are Travel, Her Family, Sarasota, the Buffalo Bills and Cooking. 

Sue lives with her husband of 38 years, Leo and her absolutely adorable Cocker Spaniel, Billy. They have lived in Rochester, NY, Buffalo, NY, Bay Head, NJ and Sarasota, FL. While in Buffalo, they became die hard Buffalo Bills fans and are still die hard today! She loves Sarasota and is out and about in the city as much as Covid will allow right now. She is a great cook and spends a lot of her free time cooking. She especially loves to cook for her parents (that she is still blessed to have as they are in their late 80’s). She loves taking their grand dog Billy over to see them.  

website: autoclubsouth.aaa.com/susan.fitzgerald

Guest Name: Laura Lynch

email: [email protected]        

website: act.alz.org/sarasota-

manateeFB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sarasotamanateewalk/

Laura Lynch serves as the 2021 Chair of the Sarasota Manatee Walk to End Alzheimer's. Currently one in three Florida seniors dies with this disease. Laura is committed to raising funds so that you and I will see a future cure. The Walk, held November 20, 2021 raises funds for support for those affected by the disease and dementia research in the Sarasota Manatee community.

Guest Name: Cheryl Albright

email: [email protected]

website: www.soultosoulyogasrq.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/soultosoulyogasrq

Cheryl Albright is an occupational therapist and the owner of Soul To Soul Yoga, LLC/All Ages Therapy Services, DBA. She is a graduate of East Carolina University in 2003. Cheryl moved to Manatee County in 2015 and has been very active in the community. She serves on the board of directors for Manasota Family Network on Disabilities, current OT South Bay Forum president, active participant in the Developmental Disability subcommittee in Sarasota County, and disability subcommittee for the Department of Health at the state level. She currently resides in Bradenton with her husband. Cheryl is a graduate of the Leadership Manatee class of 2018. She has an older brother on the autism spectrum and continuously advocates not just for her brother but anyone with a disability for inclusion and acceptance in our community.

Guest Name: Marie & Riana

email: [email protected] [email protected]

website: www.U-Organized.com

FB:  U-Organized.com

Melissa Lilly is a local Mortgage Broker with Core Financial Inc. Partners with “A” rated, Lenders, Realtors, Title Companies and Insurance professionals, to offer you a seamless transition with a purchase or refinance loan. Melissa is a Native Floridian, living in Manatee & Sarasota County for over 35 years.

She is involved in her Community, supporting Downtown Ministries, CareNet, Member of Real Estate Association of Sarasota/Manatee, Women’s Council of Realtors, East Manatee Eco Rotary, and the American Legion, Post 312

Melissa has a great network of professionals and will point you in the right direction for all your financial needs. She provides weekly communication, loves helping people get into their “Dream” home. Specializes in First Time Home Buyers.

Growing up in the Bronx Andrew enjoyed playing what some have called “the most Bronx sport of them all, ” Handball.  Andrew loves to cook and experiment in the kitchen. He cooked for over 100 people for his complex’ holiday party here in Florida and he also grilled for charity for over 200 people in Long Island.

He attended Rutgers University in New Jersey for a year and then came home to help his parents who were not in the best of health.   His first job was in customer service for an online gifts and collectibles company where he found out that some people have an obsession with porcelain cows….go figure.

He finished his degree at Baruch College while going to school at night and working full time during the day. He quickly switched jobs from talking to people about cows to working for a commercial landlord in New York City. He stayed here for the next 10 years working closely with tenants, commercial insurance, operations, and brokers. It is here that he found his love for real estate and a dream started, to become a commercial realtor. Andrew worked to get his New York real estate license in order to get into the business. At this time Andrew also met his wonderful wife, Veronica and her adorable pitbull mix Violet and he started working part time for a brokerage in the city. This takes us to Florida where Veronica had accepted a job as a clinical pediatric psychologist and Andrew had the opportunity to succeed in a new commercial real estate market including the sales of businesses.

At Farmhouse Animal & Nature Sanctuary our mission is to care for, 

protect, love and support the exotic & farm animals that live at the 

sanctuary & to educate the public on animal care & nature.

Dave & Lisa Burns, founders, volunteered for many years at a friend’s 

wild, farm & exotic animal rescue, & later became live in care takers 

there before the founders retired. They decided they needed to continue 

caring for animals in-need, so they founded FANS, a 501(C)3 nonprofit.