Astro Bug

FORT MYERS, Fla. - AstroBug -- Valerie's House hosted members of the Southwest Florida Gator Club 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.

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"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.

Also present was Ali Baker of the UF Alumni Association in Gainesville. 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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About Valerie's House

Valerie's House opened its first location in Fort Myers, Florida in January 2016 and has served more than 5,000 children and their families from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, and Hendry counties. The organization provides a safe, comfortable place for children to share, grieve and heal together following the death of a close family member. Valerie's House has three Southwest Florida locations: 3551 Valerie's House Way in Fort Myers, 819 Myrtle Terrace in Naples and 233 East McKenzie Street in Punta Gorda.  Valerie's House also expanded into Northwest Florida in 2021 with a home in downtown Pensacola.  For more information, visit www.valerieshouse.org