KW RED Day Volunteers Converge on Southern Villas

 ST. AUGUSTINE - RED Day is Keller Williams Atlantic Partners’ annual day of giving back. This year the local Realtor had a day of service at Southern Villas.

The non-profit St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP) owns Southern Villas, a USDA subsidized multifamily property in St. Augustine for the elderly and handicapped. 

Every second Thursday of May, KW agents, leaders, and associates step away from their daily business routine and venture out into their communities to renew, energize and volunteer.

"Our associates and staff are proud to give back by supporting the vital work of the St. Johns Housing Partnership. RED Day is just one example of how the Keller Williams culture lives and breathes service year-round," said Trudy Padilla of Keller Williams Atlantic Partners.

Over 40 volunteers spent the day landscaping, performing yard cleanups and some needed cleaning the apartment homes.

RED Day sponsors included Southern Horticulture, LunsPro Inspections, Pro-Spect Inspection and Scott Golmic with The Realestateographers. Live music was provided by New Guys on the Dock.

Claudia Marcus is Southern Villas’ Services Coordinator from the St Johns County Counsel on Aging.

“It was a wonderful day. The residents and property had numerous tasks completed by teams of volunteers. They arrived with a spirit of giving back and really made a difference to the delight of the residents,” added Marcus.

SJHP currently owns over 80 multi-family and single-family rental properties in Clay, Putnam and St Johns County. SJHP staff including Marlee Tompkins, Sherry Harrison and Gina Birmingham coordinated the day’s activities.

The housing partnership is committed to developing and preserving quality housing while providing support for residents with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans. 

They work every day to redefine affordable, low-income housing by acquiring, repairing and renovating existing housing, as well as building new affordable rental and for sale properties.

RED Day was founded in 2009 to uphold KW’s philanthropic responsibilities to the communities they serve. It is also a celebration of the birthday of former CEO of Keller Williams and passionate builder and company culture champion, Mo Anderson.

If you have a club, organization, church or civic group that would like to do a SJHP volunteer day visit https://www.sjhp.org/volunteers-needed/, call (904) 824-0902 or email info@sjhp.org.

St. Johns Housing Partnership Looking to Benefit from Local Giving Day

ST. AUGUSTINE – The St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP), helping people live safer, healthier and independently with dignity, is one of the local nonprofits looking to benefit from this week’s Giving Day, May 7-8.

Giving Day 2025 is a 24-hour online giving event designed to empower every person to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits and the causes they care about. Affordable, safe housing is an ongoing challenge for many in North Florida.

Founded in 1998, the St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to developing and preserving quality housing while providing support for residents with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans.

SJHP is striving to redefine affordable housing by advocating for those with low incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans severely impacted by the absence of affordable housing or can’t afford to repair their home to make it livable and healthy.

SJHP works tirelessly to ensure every person has a safe, clean, affordable place to live.

“Housing is the reason we exist and the reason we show up every single day. We know that you cannot build a life without a safe and affordable home,” said SJHP Executive Director Bill Lazar.

Since its inception in 2019, this event grew from an idea to help local people give wisely, to a movement that has inspired a broad culture of community-wide giving. During Giving Day 2025, everyone can be a philanthropist; every dollar will make a difference.

Giving Day 2025 is made possible through a unique partnership — hosted by the John 1:16 Foundation and sponsored by Endless Summer Realty (ESR) and The FOCUS Group (TFG).

Giving Day is a 24-hour online donation drive from May 7- May 8 – 12 p.m. -12 p.m.. Donate or learn more at https://www.sjhp.org/.

Plan to Attend the 46th Historic Springfield Home Tour, April 26 and 27

 

JACKSONVILLE - Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council and M&M Homes present the 46th Historic Springfield Tour of Homes and Gardens on Saturday-Sunday, April 26-27, 2025 from 12 PM to 5 PM each day.

Explore Jacksonville's oldest suburb and take a peek behind the porches! This year's tour features eight historic homes, including a home that formerly served as the Cuban Consulate, and two homes that demonstrate an in-progress restoration at Dancy Terrace, one of the country’s oldest remaining bungalow courts. 

Homes are open 12-5 PM each day and homeowners are present to answer questions and offer a look inside. Check-in at the SPAR Building (1321 N Main Street) for tickets or purchase in advance at SpringfieldTour.com.

In addition to the beautified homes, guests can enjoy live music and the Springfield Scoops ice cream truck at the garden courtyard of the Zen Garden Apartments. Icy Chics will also be serving sweet treats at Dancy Terrace. 

Guests can extend their tour by visiting local businesses, many of which are offering promotions and discounts to guests with a tour map including 1748 Bakehouse, Ashanti Boutique and Emporium, Corner on Main, Karpeles Grand, Meta Earth, Stumpy’s Hatchet House, Tulua Bistro, Underground Markets, and more.

Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance and $25 if purchased the day of the tour. Guests receive a tour map and guide at check-in at the SPAR Building (1321 N Main Street). Guests may choose to walk, bike, drive, or use our complimentary shuttle service.

Visit SpringfieldTour.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

 

‘Affordable Housing Matters’ Podcast Debuts with First Episode Featuring UF’s Anne Ray

ST. AUGUSTINE — Creative Public Media today announced the launch of Affordable Housing Matters, a new podcast that pulls back the curtain on issues and challenges involved in solving the affordable housing crisis.

Hosted by Bill Lazar, executive director of the St. Johns Housing Partnership in St. Augustine, Fla., the series digs into the trends, strategies, and mindsets that face communities, housing leaders, the government, builders, developers and architects in creating and maintaining affordable housing.

The inaugural episode features Anne Ray, the manager of the Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse at University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies.

She directs the Center’s statewide Rental Market Study and has performed research on preservation of assisted rental housing, public housing, the housing needs of persons with disabilities, farmworker housing, and states’ implementation of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.

Previously, she worked for the Family Housing Fund in Minneapolis. Ms. Ray holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Affordable Housing Matters episodes are available anytime on the SJHP web site at www.sjhp.org and on PodBean at https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-zrcrr-1773b4b.

Super Bowl LIX: New Orleans, State, NFL Launch Super Bowl Week

 

NEW ORLEANS – No stranger to hosting football’s biggest event the Super Bowl, New Orleans is officially “on the clock” as preparations officially get underway to host Super Bowl LIX on Sunday.

The New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee is welcoming residents and visitors to the Big Game. Louisiana, New Orleans, and NFL officials hosted a news conference on Monday, Feb. 3, to celebrate the week of the Big Game in the Big Easy.

New Orleans Saints Owner Gayle Benson, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and others were in attendance.

During Monday’s conference, Cantrell said that the city will show why it is one of the best host cities.

“When we come together, we’re stronger together. So let this be a real testament, not only of our faith, but how we are stronger and united, and ensuring that Super Bowl 59 will be the best ever. It is my hope that we get Super Bowl sooner than later, once again,” said Cantrel

The New Orleans Saints led by Benson play an integral role in the Super Bowl LIX hosting effort.

“Hosting the biggest sporting event in the world takes great teamwork and participation from our entire community and I am confident we will pull together, as we always do, to deliver the greatest experience possible for fans from around the country and world,” Saints owner Gayle Benson said. “I’m proud to stand here among these leaders on stage with me who will ensure a phenomenal Super Bowl.

Since 1970, New Orleans has hosted the Super Bowl 10 times, and local hospitality and business leaders are familiar with the unique challenges associated with this colossal event.

Led by the experienced teams at the New Orleans Saints and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, the New Orleans Super Bowl LIX Host Committee is responsible for planning, executing and hosting Super Bowl LIX in February of 2025. Host Committee Founding Partner and Entergy Executive Vice President and General Counsel Marcus Brown, who serves as the 2025 Super Bowl LIX Host Committee Chair, confirmed New Orleans is ready to go, simply stating the Host Committee theme, “It’s what we do.”

New Orleans is a destination for culture and hospitality, which can be heard through the sounds of musicians like Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Harry Connick Jr. and Jon Batiste. It can be seen through the one-of-a-kind architecture from historic St. Charles Avenue to the French Quarter.

It can be tasted through the Creole and Cajun dishes served at the hundreds of local restaurants throughout the city. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her staff have been working diligently with the leadership of the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee to showcase the Crescent City to visitors and media from around the world.

Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and Host Committee President/CEO Jay Cicero echoed the elected officials’ remarks and the mantra when it comes to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

“It’s what we do,” Cicero said. “Serving as the staff for the Host Committee for a 4th time, the Sports Foundation knows it takes teamwork with our partners, hard work, creativity, experience, and a state and city ready to host the fans, media, and sponsors who travel to attend the game and partake in the unique culture and hospitality New Orleans has to offer.”

St. Johns Housing Partnership's Patriot Place Holds Special Ceremony

MountainStar Partners, St. Johns Housing Partnership (SJHP) and St. Johns County recognized the residents of St. Augustine’s Patriot Place with a hand-crafted statue to commemorate their military service.

A pair of military boots, a helmet and a weapon was donated by a partner who wishes to remain anonymous.

Located at 79 Masters Drive, the six-unit apartment community offers one-bedroom apartments to veterans at 30% of the market value, with the balance subsidized by the St. Johns Housing Partnership. \

In addition to safe, clean, and affordable housing, veterans can work with UF Health St. Johns social health programs and UF Health St. Johns Care Connect+ for resources such as food pantries, counseling, workplace readiness and transportation.

Chris Lazarra, MountainStar’s CEO; Bill Lazar, executive director of St. Johns Housing Partnership; Shastan Johnson, St. Johns County Continuum of Care Housing lead; Kevin Sweeny, UF Health chief of staff; St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick; and St. Augustine City Commissioner Cynthia Garris were in attendance.

Founded in 1996, the SJHP provides low- to moderate-income housing solutions by working with the public and private sectors to rebuild neglected homes and revitalize neighborhoods in disadvantaged areas.

Touting a million-dollar price tag, Patriot Place became a reality through MountainStar Partners, SJHP, and St. Johns County. MountainStar Partners committed more than $500,000 for the land acquisition and construction costs. Bryan McCloskey served as the architect with construction completed by Robert Marshall of World Island Builders.

Zawyer Sports Announces New Basketball League

Zawyer Sports CEO Andy Kaufmann (Photo Nancy Beecher)

 Zawyer Sports & Entertainment announced the establishment of a new professional women’s basketball league set to begin play in May of 2026. 

The UPSHOT League, is a mission-focused enterprise where value and values are united with the commitment to UPlift, elevate, and develop women basketball athletes, coaches, front office personnel and extends the commitment to our communities and fans. 

The UPSHOT league will launch with a minimum of four teams and looks to bring exciting and dynamic women's basketball played by elite athletes to markets across the country.  

The UPSHOT League will be headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and will be operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment. Investment has been robust including:

Cheryl Miller, Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer

Ann Meyers Drysdale, Former Women’s Basketball Player and WNBA/NBA Executive

Seniesa Estrada, Former WBA Boxing Champion

Patric Young, Former University of Florida Basketball player & PY4 Foundation

Annie Q., American Actress

Chris Robert, American Film Producer

“We are beyond thrilled to be able to launch this league and provide another quality platform for women to continue being a part of the sport they love whether it is a player on the court or a staff member in the front office,” said Zawyer Sports CEO Andy Kaufmann. “We are also grateful to be able to share this vision with several prominent and passionate individuals in our ownership group that left their own footprints in the field of athletics and entertainment.”  

UPSHOT League members will play a 40-game regular season (20 home, 20 away).  Teams will immediately begin collecting season ticket deposits of $44 per seat, to match the 44 new player positions being created by UPSHOT League in its inaugural season.

Overseeing UPSHOT League will be Donna Orender, who will serve as the league’s commissioner.   Orender brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to the league. Orender, a HOF athlete, played basketball collegiately and professionally and has served as President of the WNBA and Senior Vice President of the PGA TOUR.  She is also a sought-after motivational speaker and has worked to establish opportunities for  women and girls through her non-profit Generation W, which educates inspires and connects women and girls in the service of building community. This recognized programming will become part of the community programming in each of the UPSHOT markets.

Each team will wear special throwback jerseys during the season to honor great teams and female basketball legends who have helped pave the way for others to follow.  One of the throwback jerseys will pay tribute to the New Jersey Gems, a franchise that helped pioneer professional women’s basketball that competed in the Women’s Professional Basketball League, the WBL, where Annie Meyers just off her historical tryout for the Indiana Pacers played.

In addition, to providing quality basketball action to fans, UPSHOT will provide a family-friendly game experience, adding additional fun with the music, videoboard content, halftime activities and promotional nights to cater to different areas of interest.