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It seems like yesterday when the New Year started with a bang. The real estate market got off to its fastest start than we had seen over the past couple of years. People were giddy watching the stock market on its meteoric rise reaching an all-time high on February 14th of 29,398.
 Restaurants were packed; sports bars were getting ready for college basketball’s March Madness and people were shopping and enjoying life “as usual.” Then came news out of China of a Coronavirus and since then the world has been in turmoil, or so it seems.As I look back over my life I think of all the upswings and downturns in life I’ve personally experienced and Billy Joel’s 1989 hit song, “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” comes to mind. In just over 3 minutes, he takes us through a recap of history, highlighting man’s greatest achievements and the devastating events that impacted us all from wars, and worldwide epidemics, to political and social unrest. Nothing summarizes this better than his choral lyrics:
We didn’t start the Fire
It’s been always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it.
 So what have we learned from our experiences? Apparently, not much! Instead of looking back to how we overcame Polio, SARS, Ebola, H1N1 (Swine Flu), Aids and Influenza, we have driven ourselves into a panic that is being heightened by the media and the emotional roller coaster inherent in the stock market.Now before you think I’m making light of this pandemic and oversimplifying the cautionary steps that need to be taken,
this newsletter is being written by someone who during the seventh grade missed over a month of school due to Whooping Cough. Back then it wasn’t common for someone to be out of school for over a month where homework, class notes and assignments had to be brought home with the expectation that I had to keep up as if I were attending class daily.
Throughout the years, I’ve not only experienced the same worldwide epidemics as most of you, but I’ve gone through economic downturns in the Texas economy in the late ’70s with the devaluation of the Peso and plummeting oil prices. While the rest of the country was experiencing great economic growth, Texas was in a recession. I remember gas lines, as do most of you, the stock market crash in 1987, subsequent recessions, Y2K, the crash in the housing market, and who can’t remember the devastation caused by Hurricane Charley with almost no advanced warning and how our area came back better and more improved than ever? Wow, with that recap I’m starting to sound like Billy Joel myself!
 Writer and philosopher George Santayana wrote in his book, Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” You would think our past experiences would have enhanced our coping mechanisms, but the example we are setting for this next generation is that of panic and hoarding, instead of seeing the opportunities afforded in challenging times and taking advantage of them.One of my clients who does financial consulting, restructuring and sales growth for businesses recalls the 1987 stock market crash. He was working on Wall Street at the time and ready to go into a corporate meeting when it was delayed by 45 minutes due to brokers actively working the phones. Conventional wisdom would have you think there was a frenzy with everyone looking to sell, but they were swamped with investor calls from those looking to capitalize during the markdown downturn. He said it was during those times the “men were separated from the boys.”
 If you were to speak with the likes of Rich Dad, Poor Dad writer, and Entrepreneur Robert Kiyosaki and Warren Buffet, they will both tell you the times we are presently going through are the times that savvy investors wait for and then jump back into the market.We saw the same thing in the housing market when Hurricane Charley scored a direct hit on Punta Gorda in particular. Most won’t recall that home prices within a week increased by $50-100,000 due to the demand and limited inventory. Then when the housing bubble burst, again some took advantage of great opportunistic buys in a market that had been over-inflated. Those who had bought their homes years before the unprecedented upswing in the market, found themselves still ahead of the game when the market corrected itself.
I feel when the economy is robust and we are seeing meteoric rises in the stock and real estate markets, for example, we get caught up in the excitement, much the same way we do when the team we are rooting for seems to be scoring at will. What we lose sight of during our euphoria is that adjustments or events are going to occur that are going to temper those gains, and those that anticipate those adjustments insulate themselves to a degree from the drastic downturns we are currently experiencing.
 In speaking with Faiza Kedir, Director, Business Development Financial Advisor of the nationally recognized Private Wealth Asset Management company of Lansberg Bennet, she stressed how they are a non-commission based fiduciary, whose sole focus is protecting their client’s investments.In a letter written to their clients a few weeks ago by Principal Financial Advisor and the company’s Chief Investment Officer, Michael Lansberg CIMA, CFP, it read in part:
Your performance is different than what you see on TV.
Does CNBC have you scared to look at your portfolio? You should sign onto the Landsberg Bennett client portal or the fidelity.com webpage and look at your balances instead of listening to all the gloom and doom on TV. Although you will be down from where we were January 1, we think you will be pleasantly surprised by your portfolio’s performance.
In every balanced account (where we own any amount of bonds), we trimmed our stock positions in January to protect some of the gains from a superb 2019. This has given us some more downside protection in this recent sell-off as well as giving us some “dry powder” for when we see some attractive opportunities in the market.
We have been watching market metrics over the last week or so hoping for an opportunity where we would see an abundance of fear creep into the market.
This morning, a number of our metrics gave us a clear sign that a great deal of fear and anxiety had entered the market and provided us an opportunity to start slowly buying at these lower levels.
Baron Rothschild, an 18th-century British nobleman and member of the Rothschild banking family, is credited with saying that “the time to buy is when there’s blood in the streets.” It appears to us as this may be starting to happen, figuratively not literally.
We are not suggesting that the market
cannot go lower from here, but we believe this is a good entry point to start adding to existing positions. For long term investors, volatility is a good thing that allows entry points into the market for those that have prepared ahead and have liquidity. We did and you do.
Michael W. Landsberg, CFP®, CIMA®
Principal, Chief Investment Officer Not being one to make light of the current situation, just as there is a big difference between calm and complacency there is between panic and preparedness as you see from Michael Landsberg’s letter above.
 As consumers, we are always in the market looking for good buys and now we are seeing sellers reacting to the market and making price reductions in their list prices.Don’t think for one second the real estate market is only open a few months of the year. Some of our strongest selling months have been during the summer and fall, as buyers are not going to let the time of year dictate when they will pounce on an aggressively priced home. With affordably priced airfares we’ve seen more and more clients fly down in a matter of days so as not to miss a great buying opportunity. Just remember, this current situation will pass, but inclement weather and high taxes in many northern cities and states will remain and that is what has led to a very active real estate market these first few months.
The silver lining in all this is our real estate market is not characterized by over-inflated pricing, excess inventory and over-leveraged banking industry.
Our industry is very healthy and to coin a phrase from Denny Grimes, a Realtor who I have great respect, “We are selling water, warmth and a way of life,” and that is what will enable our state to thrive better during this time than those from other parts of the country.
-Gary Cardillo
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A Life Lesson in the True Meaning of Thanksgiving
Do you ever feel it is easier to express your feelings of gratitude when things are going your way? You received a good medical report. The job you were hoping for came to fruition. The item you were saving to buy just went on sale and what about the prayers that were answered when your team won? While it is easy to be appreciative when it seems everything we touch turns to gold, I’m amazed at how complacent we become when the blessings we receive are met with a sense of expectation and less about appreciation.
One person who through the years has shown me an attitude of gratitude is my very dear friend Donna Gill Cardenas. For those who don’t know Donna, she and her brother Dennis are the owners of Port Charlotte Florist, and in one way or another most likely you’ve either seen or received some of this special lady’s floral arrangements.
One person who through the years has shown me an attitude of gratitude is my very dear friend Donna Gill Cardenas. For those who don’t know Donna, she and her brother Dennis are the owners of Port Charlotte Florist, and in one way or another most likely you’ve either seen or received some of this special lady’s floral arrangements.
Donna grew up in Warwick, New York where her parents owned a garden center and farm. Donna said it was like a predecessor to Home Depot as they carried everything for your landscaping needs from mulch and landscape pavers for walkways and patios to plants and flowers. Donna said we also had every kind of animal you could think of, “you name it, we had it, and all five of us kids worked in the business.”
When she turned thirteen Donna’s father decided to move the family to Florida as the cold upstate New York winters were taking a physical toll on him and Florida looked like the perfect place to retire, a retirement that didn’t last very long. Her mom went to work for Charlotte County Clerk, Barbara Scott, while her dad bought a small flower shop. Being the entrepreneur he was, Donna’s dad expanded the business to five locations throughout Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. While her three brothers owned and worked in their wholesale garden center, Donna worked for her dad. However, as the business grew her dad felt with perishable items such as flowers it would be more beneficial to consolidate everything into a centralized location. So in 1983 he built the store at 900 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte where the business operates today.
When she turned thirteen Donna’s father decided to move the family to Florida as the cold upstate New York winters were taking a physical toll on him and Florida looked like the perfect place to retire, a retirement that didn’t last very long. Her mom went to work for Charlotte County Clerk, Barbara Scott, while her dad bought a small flower shop. Being the entrepreneur he was, Donna’s dad expanded the business to five locations throughout Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. While her three brothers owned and worked in their wholesale garden center, Donna worked for her dad. However, as the business grew her dad felt with perishable items such as flowers it would be more beneficial to consolidate everything into a centralized location. So in 1983 he built the store at 900 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte where the business operates today.
Donna’s oldest brother Bobby passed away at 36 and shortly thereafter the boys sold their wholesale nursery business. Her next oldest brother Mike continued in the nursery business while in 2007 Donna and her brother Dennis bought the floral shop from their parents. While Donna’s creative floral handprint can be seen on most of the major events throughout the area, not to mention the scores of weddings and other social events she has designed, I can tell you first hand, having been in this industry myself, this is not an easy business to run, especially when life presents you with lemons. People used to ask me, “This must be such a fun business to be in. You get to design and create a host of special events.” My reply was always, “If you only knew what went on behind the scenes to create these events you would wonder how we could still have a hair left on our heads.” If you know Donna, you know she makes a very difficult job look easy. She is the consummate problem solver who thinks quickly on her feet and who has that uncanny ability to turn someone’s tears into smiles in anticipation of their special day. It is this gift that has served her well through the challenges she’s faced personally and as a business owner.
In 2007, Donna met her husband Steve. At the time she was a foster parent having already adopted one child of her own however, once Steve became her husband Donna became an instant mother to five children. She joked, “No longer was I able to foster as we literally ran out of room!” She added with a smile, “I always wanted a large family and suddenly I had one. Steve’s kids meant the world to me and I was blessed beyond measure, taking my role as being a Mom very seriously.”It is hard enough to grasp the challenge of balancing the needs of a large family and running a business at the same time however, few can appreciate the tremendous struggle one faces when they are trying to create a special day for someone while they themselves are working through a debilitating pain or illness. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened to Donna. Having been misdiagnosed as having Trigeminal Neuralgia, an excruciating facial nerve pain, Donna underwent two brain surgeries in six years with no relief, only to be referred to Johns Hopkins hospital who then diagnosed her as having a severe case of TMJ that didn’t require brain surgery in the first place. It was around that time her son Dominic was diagnosed with Stage 4 Glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer. For four years her son valiantly fought this illness, surpassing the average one and a half year lifespan for someone with this type of cancer however, in June, Dominic finally succumbed to his illness. Also during this time her husband Steve, was diagnosed with kidney cancer and just recently her four year old grandson was diagnosed with Leukemia.
When I asked, ” With wave after wave of debilitating challenges, how do you maintain such a positive attitude of gratitude? ” Donna replied by saying, “God always provides, but it was also lessons learned through Dominic that despite his poor prognosis. “ She said, Dominic often stated that he didn’t want to be a burden to anyone and that given the choice to be either depressed and feel that life was unfair, or be an inspiration and uplift others, he would choose to be the latter . Donna went on to say, ” God also has always provided family, friends and even strangers to help.”
Her business partner and brother, Dennis, was there to take care of things so she could care for Dominic. Her sister Mary, who also works with them, was a tremendous help as were the countless other family members and friends who were always willing to lend a hand. It was through their generosity that enabled Donna to be where she needed to be, caring for her son and family.However, it was years ago on a Mission trip to Ecuador that Donna was inspirationally touched by a man named Chavez. Donna said, “Here was a man who lost his entire family to a guerilla militant group and was surrounded by poverty, but he looked like he had a hanger stuck in his mouth as he had the widest smile I had ever seen.” Today she says, “Each day, during my thirty minute drive time to and back from work I use this time to think of Chavez who lost everything and think how fortunate I am.”
Despite the challenges Dominic faced, Donna said he always felt so sad for the small children he saw in the hospital fighting cancer. He would often tell her, “I got to go to high school. I had the opportunity to play sports and be with my friends, these children don’t have those same opportunities.” It was those life lessons from Dominic that enables Donna to put her challenges into perspective, while being an inspiration to others. Running a floral shop, along with coordinating other entities such as lighting and linens to create an entire event package is extremely time consuming, but somehow Donna has carved out time to be on the Board of The Virginia B. Andes Volunteer Community Center and a financial supporter for virtually every non-profit organization in the area such as the Homeless Coalition, The Boys and Girls Club and Crossroads Kids, in addition to the Chambers of Commerce, Younglife and the area churches. She said, “While it is hard to financially give to so many organizations that have legitimate needs, Dennis and I both discount our services and donate our time and energies to helping wherever we can.”
Another great example of their creative giving, Port Charlotte Florist is hosting a special class where they donate the time and flowers for 50 people to create two floral arrangements each and these 100 arrangements will then be delivered to families who wouldn’t have flowers for Thanksgiving. Donna said, ” The premise behind this gift is many times special loved ones can’t be together, but the person on the receiving end feels those that couldn’t be present physically were there emotionally to share in this special day of Thanksgiving .” She added, ” It also teaches the giver the reward they receive will be even greater than the receiver, and I for one have always felt we were blessed ten times over the amount we gave.” Donna continued her thought by saying, “I was always fortunate to have parents who were very giving and gracious. I married a man who embodies the same principles in giving of your talents and treasures to comfort others. I’m blessed to be in business with family that also shares the belief we should bless those around us, and to share our love.” With humility Donna said, “Having all these people in my life is what makes me look so good, and that includes Dominic.” “Dominic always wanted to help everyone,” Donna shared with me, and to perpetuate “Dom’s” desire to give, especially in a sport he loved, Donna and her husband Steve have started the Dominic Cardenas’ Scholarship Fund which awards a scholarship to a high school male and female cross country or track runner.
I asked Donna if she had any final thoughts, especially for this time of year when we sit around the Thanksgiving table giving thanks for the blessings we’ve received. She replied by saying, “I think about the day I will die and go to heaven and God says to me, “I gave you a gift. What did you do with the gift I gave you?” Her reply made me realize there is a lot to be thankful for that we take for granted, and that I too need to use the gifts I have to help brighten the lives of others.
We send our wishes to you and your family for a blessed Thanksgiving, and if you would like to give to the Dominic Cardenas Scholarship Fund you can do so by going to https://charlottecf.org/dominic-cardenas-memorial-fund/
-Gary Cardillo
Sweet Summertime Memories
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Those Sweet Summertime Memories We’re Reliving Today
When I sat down to write this month’s newsletter I thought to myself, “What can I possibly write about for August? It is the only month where there isn’t some kind of special holiday we look forward to celebrating.” With summer quickly coming to an end in a few short weeks, for the first time in a long time I was stumped.
 I looked back to those fond childhood summer memories where we waterskied, sailed, golfed, fished and road our bikes all over the island we lived on. We camped out with our friends recounting stories of the adventures each one of us had taken. One particular recollection of us sitting around the campfire was of our friends just returning from seeing the Beatles performing live at Shea Stadium in New York. We stayed up most of the night wanting to hear more about a group that went on to impact all of us more than just with their music.I remember watching a couple of friends of mine learning how to fly in their small Cessna planes. I couldn’t imagine what it was like soaring to such spectacular heights, but wasn’t going to find out as one of my friends who did get his license loved to take people up and perform one of his stall maneuvers that usually left his passengers glad they were back on “terra firma!”  And who can forget owning a Volkswagen Beetle, which at that time was supposed to be the most fuel efficient car on the road? I can still recall their unique sound as if there were crickets in the exhaust pipe. One memory I’ll never forget were the puzzled looks on the faces of the gas station mechanics asking my mom how she could have possibly stranded herself by running out of gas! We rode to the beach on the tailgate of our parent’s station wagon, (something Child Protective Services would have our parents thrown in jail for doing today), made miniature wooden boats out of Good Humor ice creamsticks we found in the sand and tied our kites to the end of our fishing poles to see how high we could fly them. Of course those were usually one way trips as rarely could we ever fish them out of the trees.
Our parent’s peers were like extended family members to us and so were some of the dinners they collectively made together. In fact to this day we still enjoy making recipes from an Italian cookbook one of those special friends created.  As I look back on those times I realize everything goes full circle and the things we enjoyed then many of us are recreating today. This summer alone we have friends who have been following the Rolling Stones who have been touring the country. That in itself amazes me to think a group we heard as kids are still performing today. Some have gone to France and ridden their bicycles on parts of the same course as the Tour de France. Others have gone to Italy to take cooking classes, making many of the same recipes found in our friend’s cookbook. And remember that story of our friend who would scare people to death in his plane? How about jumping out of one and skydiving your way to a marriage proposal?However, it wasn’t until recently when a dear friend of ours said she would love to buy a Volkswagen bus and tour the country that brought me back to those days of “Peace, Love and Rock n’ Roll,” that could be summed up in one word…..“Woodstock.”
It’s hard to believe this summer marks the 50th year celebration of an event that was much more than an outdoor music lovefest. While it had its political overtones with many of the bands addressing the unpopular war in Vietnam, racism and violence, similar to what we experience today, it was the first event of its kind that left a lasting impression and influence not only on our generation, but generations to come.
In an article earlier this month by John Barry for the Poughkeepsie Journal (New York), he wrote, “Woodstock that the 1969 festival created was this hope for a better life-a better world, a more compassionate world; and it came at a time when things were very dark.”He continued by writing, “Woodstock still stops people in their tracks, turns heads and evokes a we’re-all-in-this-together spirit for divided times.”Sound familiar?
 This weekend our community and those around the country will be celebrating Woodstock’s 50th anniversary with great music tributes in a variety of venues. Personally I’m looking forward to seeing those attending these events reliving part of their history, dressing up as they did back then, singing to the music we still love to this day and celebrating the things we share in common. While we may be older, have a little less hair (or none at all), a little more weight and a few more wrinkles, it’s not too late for us to put on our tied dyed shirts, hop into our “Volkswagen buses” and with that same “free spirit,” sense of adventure, enjoy our last few weeks of summer. -Gary Cardillo
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Real Estate Question: Recently we were asked why their Realtor had charged them an “administrative fee” when no additional services were provided during the transaction process?
Answer: While we do not charge this fee to our clients we are seeing this fee appear more frequently. Our position is a commission earned should be acceptable compensation for the service provided but there are agents who are charging this fee to either offset overhead for assistants, or to add to their compensation. There are a few ways this fee can be charged. In the Tampa area for example, this fee is most often charged to the buyer’s agent however, typically we are seeing the fee in other areas being charged to the buyer. These fees can range from $195.00 to $495.00. When multiplied by the number of transactions throughout the year, this is a fee that has the potential to more than offset additional overhead costs or add significantly to an agent’s income. However, some brokerages are charging their agents to collect this fee, most we have come across do not. As a Realtor myself, I can only ask another agent to drop the “administrative fee,” when it is being charged to me with no guarantees they will, but as a buyer you can inform your agent you are not going to incur this fee if you feel it is excessive.
Easter…More than Just Finding Eggs
I remember as a young child growing up in New York the excitement we had getting up early to see what the Easter bunny left us. While we didn’t receive gifts like we did at Christmas, there was something very special seeing the big Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies, assorted jelly beans and those marshmallow “peeps.” We dyed our Easter eggs, usually winding up with as much dye on our fingers as we did on our eggs and who can forget the fun we had finding them on our Easter egg hunts in those hidden places in the yard our parents carefully hid them.
As I grew a little older, Easter took on a different meaning. Good Friday we took our Easter lilies, and hyacinth plants and visited the cemeteries of relatives who had passed and gave thanks for the sacrifices they made so we could enjoy the life we had. It was a special time of year as the fragrance of these flowers and the buds on the trees signaled spring was in the air, which to me represented the rebirth or awakening of a season I loved so much.
Today I look at Easter from a totally different perspective, but with the same gratitude I did in my younger years. I think of the significance of Easter and the impact and sacrifice Christ made for us all. However, it has also opened my eyes to the sacrifices some people make each day; foregoing the things we as a society consider success, in order to enrich the lives of others. One such person is Tom Parker, Area Director for Young Life.
For those of you not familiar with Young Life, while it is described as a Christian based organization where staff and volunteers alike contribute their time to mentor and assist middle and high school students based on Christian values and principles, it is much more. Kids of all faiths, race and ethnic backgrounds are welcomed into an “authentic environment”where they can talk about the challenges they face in everyday life.
As for Tom, he was born and raised in Indiana and like most kids growing up loved sports and the friendships he made. Just out of college he felt a calling to get involved in “Youth for Christ,” which opened the door for the ministry he is serving today. After spending time mentoring kids in Indiana, opportunities in Texas and Alabama presented themselves where for a combined 10 years Tom served as a Youth Pastor on staff. It was at their church in Alabama Tom and his wife Anna felt most at home, however, after 6 years the work environment changed as did the dynamics of the church. A move to Fort Myers, Florida was thought to be their next opportunity but after a year Tom said it wasn’t the fit they thought it would be. He said, “My heart may have still been partially in Alabama, as I still had connections there I kept in touch with that were like family to us.”
It was during this time of transition and soul searching he met Bill Loy, the Young Life area director in Fort Myers. Bill shared with Tom an opportunity to work for Young Life and the impact he could have on high school kids. He thought it might be a good fit for Tom, since his heart was to be in a school setting mentoring kids . Taking a $20,000 per year cut in pay the rest is history as in the eight years Tom has been with Young Life he has watched this area grow and the lives that have been touched.While Young Life is based on Christian principles, Tom said, “Today kids are looking for authentic relationships and will take criticism if they know the person sincerely cares.” He said as adults we strive for the “American Dream,” and all the trappings that go with it, but in the process many times the family unit is neglected. The children oftentimes don’t feel loved, wanted or cared for and they turn to social media which is a virtual reality world and often times almost used as a drug. When someone likes a status, a picture or just makes positive comment, clinically speaking it gives a sense of a high.Unfortunately, they base much of what they believe in from television and posts they read on social media.
Tom continued by saying, “Snap Chat and Twitter allows them to share “snippets” of their lives, but only parts of their lives. Their communications skills have suffered as a result.” He feels this generation has lost much of its communications skills by using texts, Instagram and tweets to communicate with each other. He said most times there is no depth to their communication as through these social media avenues they control how much of their lives they’ll let you see. They hide their vulnerabilities and feelings since they can’t be seen. Unlike previous generations, through television and video games they can recreate real life scenarios without the consequences. Unfortunately, we’re seeing the disconnect that results with many having difficulty in coping with real life situations associated with political discourse, school shootings and challenges they may be encountering at home.”When the trials get too tough, it is easier to walk away, and they do the same with relationships instead of facing them.” But Tom is quick to add, much of this behavior stems from watching the adults in their lives. When asked how they process school shootings, Tom said, “These are young adults whose brains are still developing, so while it is very difficult for adults to understand the thought behind these tragedies, it is even harder for kids to process and express their feelings of loss and hurt.”
Tom continued by saying, “Snap Chat and Twitter allows them to share “snippets” of their lives, but only parts of their lives. Their communications skills have suffered as a result.” He feels this generation has lost much of its communications skills by using texts, Instagram and tweets to communicate with each other. He said most times there is no depth to their communication as through these social media avenues they control how much of their lives they’ll let you see. They hide their vulnerabilities and feelings since they can’t be seen. Unlike previous generations, through television and video games they can recreate real life scenarios without the consequences. Unfortunately, we’re seeing the disconnect that results with many having difficulty in coping with real life situations associated with political discourse, school shootings and challenges they may be encountering at home.”When the trials get too tough, it is easier to walk away, and they do the same with relationships instead of facing them.” But Tom is quick to add, much of this behavior stems from watching the adults in their lives. When asked how they process school shootings, Tom said, “These are young adults whose brains are still developing, so while it is very difficult for adults to understand the thought behind these tragedies, it is even harder for kids to process and express their feelings of loss and hurt.” When asked how kids are responding to the political environment we’re experiencing today, where people seem to be talking at each other and not to each other, Tom said aside from social media kids today are being influenced largely by the thoughts and viewpoints from their educators which seem to override those of their parents. He continued by saying, “We are raising a generation of good test takers, not always good thinkers or problem solvers. We seem to be giving more theories on abstract thinking.”
When it comes to church and religion, Tom explained, “Churches, sometimes are waiting for kids to come to them rather than meeting them where they are. Many kids consider themselves spiritual, seeking out something to believe in, but are looking for something authentic and oftentimes times they don’t see it in some churches.
Tom shared with me how not only are the kids feeling the benefit from the Young Life outreach, but parents have contacted him and shared their appreciation for the impact he is making on their children as well.
Through his ministry with Young Life weekly get-togethers in a home environment called “club” to summer trips to “camp,” where kids spend a week bonding in a camp like setting with a host of activities and opportunities to share life stories, new bonds are being forged authentically where they communicate and share 
experiences on a personal level and not through social media. Currently, Tom is overseeing Young Life’s new location at the Port Charlotte Town Center Mall that will offer mentoring and tutoring opportunities for kids needing help with classwork, someone to talk to as they look for answers to challenges they are going through and a stage where they can act out skits they often share at club.
experiences on a personal level and not through social media. Currently, Tom is overseeing Young Life’s new location at the Port Charlotte Town Center Mall that will offer mentoring and tutoring opportunities for kids needing help with classwork, someone to talk to as they look for answers to challenges they are going through and a stage where they can act out skits they often share at club.You may be asking yourself, why I’ve gone into such depth about the impact Tom and Young Life has made on these children and what it has to do with the Easter season.
Like Tom, I too have had a passion for kids and for the better part of the last 17 years I’ve been part of a design team that has planned out the Young Life annual banquet which is coming up again this year on April 15th. Having coached kids in a variety of sports and seeing the impact and life lessons learned many times on the ball field, I have sensed that same level of satisfaction as finding that special Easter egg and looking inside to find the hidden prize. I saw kids develop a confidence they never thought they had when they got their first hit, or madetheir first basket. I saw how just participating an hour or so in a game gave them something to look forward to as an escape from a difficult home life. I also saw how playing in a team sport formed deeper bonds and friendships than many were finding in their day to day encounters with others.This is the environment Tom is helping to create in our area schools where kids from all walks of life can laugh and share life experiences in an authentic setting where they are accepted for who they are.
Success to Tom was not the financial benefit he could receive in a high paying job, it was touching the lives of kids who despite the knowledge they have in technology are looking for answers in how to cope with everyday life. As Tom says, “ the only way to find them is to be authentic, real and meet them where they are.”
If you would like to learn more about Tom and Young Life, or would like to support his efforts like many businesses and individuals have been doing, you can reach Tom at Tom@charlotteharbor.younglife.org or you can call him at 941-456-5433.
-Gary Cardillo
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While most people would like to talk about themselves, Gary and Gail have always put their clients first, and their diverse backgrounds have provided their clients an unparalleled level of service and knowledge throughout the past years.