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While raising two daughters and growing
a child care center that maintains some
of the top ratings in the state and has a
waiting list 100 deep, Larkin has devoted
much of her life to volunteerism, including
actively and passionately sharing her
voice on four current local boards:
The Early Learning Coalition (ELC),
Foundation for Dreams, Our Daily Bread,
and State College of Florida’s Advisory
Board for the ECE Programs.
“I try to be under the radar, but I will
absolutely do anything if it has to do with
children or rst responders,” said Larkin,
donning bright turquoise statement
earrings and revealing a high energy that
never seems to sputter on empty. “On the
boards I serve, I’m not afraid to say, ‘No,
that’s not going to work,’ or ‘That looks
good on paper, but won’t work in real
life.’ A lot of people want to sit on boards
for status. Well, I don’t have time for that.”
Larkin exudes too much drive to just
“sit” on boards. Not only has she been
a member of the ELC board since its
inception, but she’s also serving as the
current vice-chairman of the Foundation
for Dreams board.
“Annette leads with grace and dignity,
always helping to build a culture of
philanthropy in our local community
and for our organization,” said Elena
Cassella, Executive Director at Foundation
for Dreams.
Comforting, rich scents of meals like
baking lasagna or a boiling dinner (meat,
potatoes and carrots) would drift from
Larkin’s Boston, Massachusetts family
kitchen every day at 5 pm sharp. Growing
up in a traditional Irish/Italian/Catholic
family, Larkin shared a dinner table with
11 siblings, including her identical twin
sister and many foster children throughout
the years.
“Our dinner table only sat 10, so my
twin sister, Angela, and I would eat in
the dining room at our mother’s piano
bench,” said Larkin who has been known
to automatically scan an airplane before
taking off to note inventory of children
and their possible needs with help going
to the bathroom. “We all looked forward
to being together. Our home was always
the neighborhood place to gather and
everyone was always welcome.”
While never feeling in need, sharing
a childhood with a sprawling family
often meant less funds for extras like
horseback riding lessons or college
accounts. Working as a nanny and saving
up babysitting money, Larkin carved
her own path through higher education.
Determined to succeed, she sought out
opportunities and hopes to help other
families in her community do the same.
“I sit on boards to help make our
community better for others, especially
those in need,” said Larkin, pausing to
help one of her teachers locate a child’s
breathing treatment for the day. “Just
because you only make $13,000 a year,
that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to
have quality child care or the same care
as a physician’s kids. Your salary shouldn’t
dene you. We all deserve to be able to
choose a better life for our children.”
Before sunrise each work day, a stream of
eager babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
begin owing through the doors at Happy
Cubs, a ve-star rated child care program
across from Blake Medical Center that
first opened its doors 38 years ago
as a child care resource for hospital
employees to enroll their children.
Laughter and a faint scent of finger
paint ll the rooms where meticulously
organized toys line up like toy soldiers
ready for a day of playing and learning.
Grateful for her relationship with Blake,
Larkin says the connection continues to
blossom as a win-win.
“Employees of the hospital can feel good
about dropping off their kids, about being
a nurse or a doctor or maintenance worker
and still being a mom or a dad,” said
Larkin who shares the families she serves
are currently about 87 percent connected
to Blake. The program is also open to the
community. “On a lunch break, they can
walk across the street to grab a hug from
their kids or even just check on them. We
are open door all the of the time.”
As teachers and visitors recently
meandered in and out of Larkin’s ofce
to ask questions or find supplies, a
crystal-clear theme shimmered to life:
Happy Cubs is not just a child care center.
It’s a tight-nit family that boasts a long
and winding history of caring for multigenerations
growing up in Bradenton.
With each and every visitor, Larkin would