LAI FL Suncoast Events

When she returned to her hometown, Sarasota, Florida, in 2021, Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore embarked on building an Lambda Alpha International (LAI) group within the Sarasota environmental community.  Originally, the members were the community’s environmental leadership as well as LAI At-Large members.

With the SLG’s prestigious membership and accomplishments, LAI Global Leadership committed to support and invest in the development of a formal LAI Suncoast Chapter.

LAI President Kathy King traveled from Los Angeles and LAI Past President, LAI Fellow, and New Chapter Development Chair Steven Gragg from El Paso, Texas to support the underdevelopment chapter. Over their three-day Sarasota visit, a total of 13 new LAI members were inducted with several in individual ceremonies. The visit culminated in an impressive event hosted at the Nathan Benderson Park (NBP) Finish Tower. NBP is an internationally renowned rowing facility, known as one of the top three rowing facilities in the world.

The November 28 event was attended by 40-plus SLG members as well as potential new members.

The RiA article, The Power of LAI comes to Florida, recaps the empowering three days; the Holly Elmore Images album, LAI Suncoast Chapter (underdevelopment) Event, showcases the November 28 event while the LAI Suncoast Tours, Meetings, and Inductions album chronicles the plethora of activities during Steve and Kathy’s three-day Sarasota visit.

Subsequently, the LAI FL Suncoast executive team hosted one happy hour and two additional meetings; each event was well attended and deemed successful.

With the June 13 LAI-member inductions, LAI FL Suncoast met the threshold of a minimum-20 members to pursue a chapter charter. Under the guidance of LAI New Chapter Development Chair Steve Gragg, the LAI FL Suncoast leadership team will pursue the necessary steps to secure a chapter charter over the summer

If approved, the LAI FL Suncoast Chapter will receive its charter at the Annual LAI Gathering this October in Phoenix. The synergies and support are strong within the Sarasota-Bradenton community and with LAI Global leadership. Thus, the prospect of a LAI FL Suncoast Chapter is promising.

Visit the Lambda Alpha International page to learn more about the prominent 93-years-old land economics honorary.