Neal Communities Helps Kiwanis Club Of Lakewood Ranch

SARASOTA, Fla., December 13, 2011 - Neal Communities donated funds earlier this fall to the Kiwanis Club of Lakewood Ranch for the club’s golf tournament, held at the Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club. Due to decreased funding for extracurricular activities, high school athletics have suffered county-wide. The goal of the tournament was to provide an opportunity for high school students to play in a tournament alongside other local teams and business leaders. It was held on a Wednesday, when Manatee students have a short school day.

“We applaud the creativity of the Kiwanis Club for putting together a tournament of this kind,” said Neal Communities’ president, Pat Neal. “Great schools are crucial to strong communities, and we are actively committed to creating great communities while we build excellent homes.”

Members of both the girls and boys golf teams at Lakewood Ranch High School and a team from Braden River High School participated in the event. Neal Communities’ contribution sponsored one of the teams. About half of the players in the tournament were Kiwanis members and the event sponsors. The remaining participants were students.

“The Kiwanis Club is dedicated to helping our local students succeed. As business people, we see the value of supporting our schools and appreciate that Neal Communities shares our commitment,” stated Gordon Wardell, president of the Kiwanis Club of Lakewood Ranch.

The Kiwanis Club was pleased with the results and hopes to continue the tournament and help it grow in the future. According to Julie Aranibar, member of both the Manatee County School Board and Kiwanis Club, “We’re all aware of the financial challenges facing our public schools. These contributions not only help support programs that otherwise may suffer, but also show the students that the business community cares about them.”

Neal Communities is recognized for its philanthropy in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties. The company’s president, Pat Neal, has received the Legislative Service Award, the Audubon Society Legislative Award, the Award for Meritorious Public Service, The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund Humanitarian of the Year award, and many other awards and recognition for service and philanthropy. Neal Communities is ranked #94 nationally, based on sales by BUILDER Magazine, and #1 locally by HBW Inc., based on number of permits issued in 2010. MetroStudy and Hanley Wood Market Intelligence also rank Neal Communities #1 based on number of home sales. With over 8,0000 homes built in Southwest Florida, Neal Communities’ honors and accolades include the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance’s “Sandie” for Business of the Year 2011, 37 Awards in the 2011 Parade of Homes, 48 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards, and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, visit www.nealcommunities.com.