“A Taste of New Orleans” Coming to Sarasota
The 3rd Annual Taste of New Orleans Benefit Dinner sponsored by Truly Valued, Inc. will take place on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at the Laurel Oak County Club, 2700 Gary Player Boulevard in Sarasota. The cocktail reception and cash bar begin at 7:00 p.m., followed by dinner and program at 7:30 p.m. Live entertainment will be provided by the Soul Sensations, well known for bringing guests the best of jazz, pop and rhythm and blues. This year’s speaker is Edward James III. James is a product of the Sarasota County Public School System and graduated from Pine View School – the #1 ranked public high school in Florida. While in high school, he was captain of the Speech and Debate Team. Upon graduation, he attended the University of Chicago where he graduated in 3.5 years with a degree in Political Science. He was inducted into the school’s honorary society and received the Mellon Mays Fellowship. After college, James worked on several campaigns including President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. He also spent two years working for Google in their legal department. In 2015, James was listed as a “30under30 Rising Star of Florida Politics” by the Saint Peters blog publication. In that same year, he graduated from Florida State University’s Masters in Applied American Politics and Policy program and became a published author, all while running for a seat in the Florida House of Repre sentatives. He currently serves as an Employee Benefits Consultant for Brown and Brown Insurance and is an adjunct Professor in Risk Management at State College of Florida. James is also a board member for Mental Health Community Centers and SOAR and is the son of the late Dr. Ed James II and Helen James. Truly Valued, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose goal is to create an environment of learning and explorational growth for young ladies, cultivate positive relationships and give back to their local community.
“Truly Valued transforms young ladies through love, guidance and correction,”
said founder Shavonne Simon, who created this event as a means to connect with and celebrate the support of the community.
“What motivated me was that there are young ladies who may not have a positive environment to express her concerns about issues that impact her today. I consider Truly Valued to be that place where girls feel safe and where they can share, learn and grow without feeling judged,”
she said. Proceeds from the event will benefit the more than 1,800 lowincome youth served by Truly Valued through a variety of activities designed to provide knowledge, skills and inspiration that will help them grow to lead happy and successful lives as adults. If you are unable to attend the event, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution. To learn more or donate and aid in making a difference in the lives of young women in Sarasota and Manatee counties, visit www.trulyvalued.org. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 381 Palmetto, FL 34220 or call 941-222-0645.
