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63 • To learn more, visit www.manateecf.org the opportunity to learn from philanthropic leaders from around the Southeast as a Hull Fellow with the Southeastern Council of Foundations,” she recalls. “We spent a great deal of time talking through the enormity of our responsibilities and the privilege of holding a leadership position at a foundation. It is our job to serve our communities and to understand how to best use charitable dollars for the best return on the investment. This involves continuous learning, stretching and growing with the needs and wishes of those we serve. It also involves patience and constant evolution.” STRONG ROOTS IN MANATEE Because she has spent much of her adult life in the Sarasota/ Bradenton area, Bowie has strong roots in this community. After growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bowie’s family moved to Sarasota when she was a senior in high school because her father had accepted a vice president position with Tropicana. She went on to graduate from the University of Florida with honors, earning a degree in environmental science. After college, she worked for a small private urban planning ��rm and then as a program director for a small nature center. “In that role, I came to understand how important nonpro��ts are to the health, wellbeing, and education of our community,” she says. She also quickly learned what the job description phrase “other duties as assigned” actually means - in a nonpro��t, it sometimes includes cleaning the facility’s self-composting toilets. But it still didn’t scare Bowie away from her passion for nonpro��ts. “I deeply respect the dedication that every nonpro��t staff and board member has for the mission of their organization,” she says. In 2004, Bowie and her husband moved to West Bradenton. “Since we moved here, we’ve lived in the same little house with great neighbors who are always there for each other,” Bowie says. “The depth of caring and pride that people here have for their community is evident everywhere. There are so many families who have lived in Manatee County for generations, and they welcome new people when they see that they also want the same good things for our citizens.” Although Bowie admits it can be dif��cult to detach from work, she enjoys spending time in the natural areas and preserves throughout the county. “Kayaking and walking outdoors help get me centered again, and the quietude of our preserves - Robinson, Emerson, Neal, and Perico - are meditative and beautiful treasures,” she says. “Every year, either just before or after Christmas, I arrange a walk with friends and colleagues at Robinson Preserve. It’s a chance to relax, recharge, build our own community of connections.” Bowie is also a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters. “I enjoy the opportunity to introduce my little sister to the South Florida Museum, Mote Marine, ArtCenter Manatee, and other places in this region where you can create, be amazed and celebrate how special Southwest Florida is,” she says. PARTNERS IN PHILANTHROPY If there’s one thing Susie Bowie wants local families to know about MCF, it’s that the Foundation is relevant to each and every one of them. “If you have resources to invest in this community, there is no better place to go for charitable planning,” she remarks. “For those who are part of nonpro��t organizations, we have training and connections to help you become stronger, and we have community rooms available at no cost for your special meetings and receptions. And for those members of the community looking for the right connection and to be part of larger conversations that shape the future, we can plug you in.” MCF also works closely with local partners on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, the foster care crisis connected to the opioid and heroin epidemic, and animal welfare issues, such as spay/neuter initiatives. “Manatee Community Foundation is a partner in philanthropy,” Bowie emphasizes. “Education, connections and service are at the heart of what we do.”


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