https://www.yoursun.com/sunfiercewomen/

FIERCE Women, 200 E VENICE Avenue, Venice, FL (2025)

12/01/2025

✨ Now Accepting January 2026 FIERCE Nominees! ✨
Our very first feature of 2026 is all about honoring Women Who Have Overcome Addiction — women who have faced some of life’s hardest battles, found recovery, reclaimed their strength, and want to share their stories to inspire others.

If you know a woman whose journey deserves to be celebrated, we would love to hear about her. Nominate her today at sunfiercewomen.com.

Each FIERCE honoree is featured in the newspaper and online on the first Wednesday of every month, keeping her story shining in our community.

Let’s lift up the women who turned struggle into strength and courage into purpose. 💛

Nominate now: sunfiercewomen.com

11/25/2025

✨ Tomorrow Is the LAST Day to Vote for Our November FIERCE Women! ✨

We’ve spent this month celebrating four extraordinary women whose strength, compassion, and leadership light up our community. Now it’s time to give them the support they deserve — and your vote can make all the difference! 💛

Here are the inspiring nominees you’ve been lifting up all month:

💬 Tammy Bombin Donarski — “Tammy the Talker,” whose joy, kindness, and ability to connect make her a beloved bright spot wherever she goes.

🌿 Barbara Lockhart — The environmental advocate who helped secure 48 protected land parcels, proving that passion + action can create powerful change.

💪 Melanie Hurd — A woman of strength and reinvention, thriving in a new industry and always stepping up to help others.

🏡 Mary Ouellette — A guiding light for families pursuing affordable homeownership, leading with compassion and her motto: “Solidarity, not charity.”

These women are the heart of this month’s theme, “Women We Are Thankful For.”

👉 Please take a moment to vote — tomorrow is the FINAL day!
Vote at sunfiercewomen.com, and help us celebrate the woman who inspired you most.

Every single vote matters. Let’s finish strong and continue lifting these amazing FIERCE women up! 💛

11/25/2025

✨ What a Night! ✨
Friday’s Best of Charlotte celebration was nothing short of incredible. As Sun Coast Media, we were honored to recognize and celebrate the top businesses in Charlotte County-the innovators, the leaders, and the hometown favorites that make our community so exceptional.

The energy in the room was absolutely electric-filled with heartfelt conversations, well-earned applause, joyful tears, and even some unforgettable dance moves. The entire evening overflowed with pride, gratitude, and a powerful sense of community. Every winner reminded us just how much passion, hard work, and heart live right here in Charlotte County.

We’re still buzzing from the joy and connection shared throughout the evening. Celebrating the best of the best with all of you is one of our favorite moments of the year—and this year did not disappoint.

Here’s to the businesses that help shape our community, and to another unforgettable Best of Charlotte celebration. Cheers to an amazing 2026! ✨ Adams MultiMedia

11/20/2025

🌟 Celebrating Our November FIERCE Women — “Women We Are Thankful For” 🌟

This month, we’re honored to spotlight four incredible women whose strength, kindness, and leadership shine brightly in our community. Each of them brings something uniquely inspiring, reminding us just how many reasons we have to be thankful. 💛

💬 Tammy Bombin Donarski — Affectionately known as “Tammy the Talker,” she spreads joy everywhere she goes. Whether she’s chatting with strangers or waving to neighbors, Tammy’s warmth and gift for connection make her someone everyone loves to know. As one neighbor put it, “we all need a Tammy in our lives.”

🌿 Barbara Lockhart — A devoted nature lover who turned her passion into action. After witnessing the effects of red tide, Barbara helped secure 48 parcels of protected land through The Environmental Conservancy of North Port, Inc. She lives by the simple but powerful belief: “Asking is free.”

💪 Melanie Hurd — After 25 years in banking, Melanie courageously rebuilt her life and career through faith and determination. Now thriving in the roofing industry, she is known for her strength and her heart, described by her nominator as “the first to volunteer to help.”

🏡 Mary Ouellette — As Homeowner Services Director for Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, Mary supports families on their path to homeownership. Guided by her motto, “Solidarity, not charity,” she inspires growth, resilience, and hope in everyone she serves.

✨ We are truly grateful for these extraordinary women and the impact they make every day. ✨

👉 Show your support and vote daily for your favorite FIERCE woman at sunfiercewomen.com.
Every vote matters — let’s lift them up together! 💛

11/17/2025

🎁✨ We’re an Official Toys for Tots Drop-Off Location! ✨🎁
If you’re looking to share a little holiday cheer, we’d love to help you do it!

You can drop off new, unwrapped toys for children at either of our locations:

📍 The Daily Sun
23170 Harbor View Rd, Port Charlotte, FL 33980
🗓️ Collecting donations through December 4th

📍 The Venice Gondolier
200 E Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34285
🗓️ Collecting donations through December 12th

Every toy makes a difference — thank you for helping spread some holiday magic! 🎄💛

11/14/2025

💛 Meet Our Fourth November FIERCE Woman — Mary Ouellette! 💛

As we wrap up our month of “Women We Are Thankful For,” Mary reminds us what true compassion, resilience, and community leadership look like. 🌟

As the Homeowner Services Director for Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, Mary guides families through the life-changing journey of becoming homeowners. She’s a steady source of support, encouragement, and hope — helping people rewrite their futures one step at a time. 🏡

Mary lives by the inspiring motto: “Solidarity, not charity.”
Her belief in empowerment and dignity shines through in everything she does, making her a woman our whole community can be thankful for. 💛

👉 Show your support and vote daily for Mary at sunfiercewomen.com!

She’s our fourth and final nominee this month — let’s rally around her and celebrate her incredible FIERCE spirit! 🌟

11/13/2025

💛 Meet Our Third November FIERCE Woman — Tammy Bombin Donarski! 💛

As we continue honoring “Women We Are Thankful For,” Tammy reminds us that kindness and connection can truly change lives. 🌟

Known lovingly as “Tammy the Talker,” she has a special gift for making everyone feel seen and valued — whether she’s chatting with a stranger in the grocery store, waving to neighbors, or sharing a plate of cookies just because. Her warmth, faith, and genuine love for people inspired her nomination, with one neighbor saying, “We all need a Tammy in our lives.” 💬

Tammy’s heart for connection and her joyful spirit make her someone we can all be thankful for. 💛

👉 Show your support and vote daily for Tammy at sunfiercewomen.com
!
She’s our third of four inspiring nominees this month — let’s lift her up and celebrate her beautiful FIERCE heart! 🌟

11/11/2025

🌿 Meet Our Second November FIERCE Woman — Barbara Lockhart! 🌿

As we continue celebrating “Women We Are Thankful For,” Barbara reminds us how one person’s passion can create powerful change. 💚

A lifelong nature lover turned environmental leader, Barbara saw the devastating effects of red tide and decided to take action. Through her dedication and leadership with The Environmental Conservancy of North Port, Inc., she helped secure 48 parcels of protected land — preserving natural beauty for generations to come. 🌎

Her simple yet powerful motto says it all: “Asking is free.”
Barbara proves that when you care deeply and speak up, amazing things can happen. 🌟

👉 Show your support and vote daily for Barbara at sunfiercewomen.com

She’s our second of four inspiring nominees this month — let’s lift her up and celebrate her vision, courage, and heart for our community. 💚

11/10/2025

💪 Meet Our First November FIERCE Woman — Melanie Hurd! 💪

This month, we’re celebrating “Women We Are Thankful For,” and Melanie truly embodies that spirit. 🙌

After 25 years in banking, Melanie had the courage to completely reinvent her career and her life — guided by faith, determination, and a heart for helping others. Today, she’s thriving in the roofing industry and is deeply involved in her community. Her nominator describes her as “one of the strongest women I know and the first to volunteer to help.” 💛

Melanie’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to rise, rebuild, and shine — and we are so thankful for her strength and compassion! 🌟

👉 Show your support and vote daily for Melanie at sunfiercewomen.com
!
Every vote lifts her higher. Let’s cheer her on together! 💛

11/07/2025

🔥 CALLING ALL NOMINATIONS! 🔥

It’s time to celebrate women who show the world what true strength looks like. 💪

This month’s theme — FIERCE Without Limits: Honoring Women Who Rise Above Physical Challenges — is all about unstoppable women who don’t let obstacles define them. Whether they live with a disability, chronic illness, or other physical challenge, their courage and determination inspire us all. ✨

Know a woman who embodies that FIERCE spirit?
💛 Nominate her now at sunfiercewomen.com 💛

Let’s lift up these incredible women and give them the spotlight they deserve! 🌟
🗓 Nominations close November 12, 2025

11/05/2025

🌟 Meet Our November FIERCE Women — “Women We Are Thankful For” 🌟

This month, we’re celebrating four amazing women who remind us what it means to be strong, compassionate, and truly thankful. 💛

💬 Tammy Bombin Donarski – Known as “Tammy the Talker,” she finds joy in connecting with others, whether she’s chatting with a stranger or waving to neighbors. Her kindness, faith, and gift for making friends inspired her nomination — because, as her neighbor said, “we all need a Tammy in our lives.”

🌿 Barbara Lockhart – A true nature lover turned environmental leader! After witnessing the impact of red tide, Barbara took action and helped secure 48 parcels of protected land through The Environmental Conservancy of North Port, Inc. Her motto? “Asking is free.”

💪 Melanie Hurd – After 25 years in banking, Melanie reinvented her career and life through faith and determination. She’s now thriving in the roofing industry and deeply involved in her community. Her nominator describes her as “one of the strongest women I know and the first to volunteer to help.”

🏡 Mary Ouellette – As Homeowner Services Director for Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, Mary guides families through the life-changing process of homeownership. With her motto “Solidarity, not charity,” she inspires everyone around her to grow, give, and keep going — no matter what life brings.

✨ We’re so thankful for these extraordinary women! ✨
Show your support and vote daily for your favorite FIERCE woman at sunfiercewomen.com

Every vote makes a difference — let’s lift them up together! 💛

11/05/2025

💜✨ Congratulations to our FIERCE Woman of the Month for October — Chellsi Kaufman-Lindner! ✨💜

This month’s theme, Frightful Professions, honored women who take on tough, unconventional careers with courage and compassion — and Chellsi embodies that spirit completely. 💪

As a funeral director and embalmer intern at Sound Choice Cremation in Sarasota, Chellsi provides care, guidance, and empathy to families during some of life’s most difficult moments. Her professionalism, grace, and dedication remind us that true strength often shows itself behind the scenes.

Please join us in celebrating Chellsi and all of our October nominees for their incredible work and FIERCE determination! 💜

Stay tuned as we continue to spotlight inspiring women each month at 👉 sunfiercewomen.com 👈

FIERCE Women

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