Local SouthShore community Waterset by Newland welcomes runners and residents alike every Thanksgiving morning for their Turkey Trot 5K and Kids Fun Run. After going virtual in 2020 due to the pandemic, the race bounced back in a big way in 2021, drawing a crowd of almost 1,000 participants.
The 2021 race raised over $25,000 in proceeds, benefitting three public schools near the Waterset community: Doby Elementary, Eisenhower Middle and East Bay High Schools. This brings Waterset’s total donations through the Turkey Trot to over $110,000 in seven years.
Waterset by Newland is owned in a joint venture partnership between North America Sekisui House, LLC (NASH) and Brookfield Residential, and it is proudly managed by Brookfield Properties. These partners share a deep commitment to sustainable development practices and apply these core values to the vision, planning, and development of their communities. Waterset by Newland is one of more than 20 communities this partnership manages together across the US.
The Waterset Turkey Trot raises money through race entry fees and sponsorships from local businesses. The schools received an even split of the proceeds and the FishHawk Ranch Road Runners running club, which helps facilitate the run, also received $1,000 for its annual scholarship fund. Each school received over $8,000 this year, which can be used at the discretion of the school principals. Past uses have included technological and aesthetic upgrades, scholarships and student incentives.
“I continue to be humbled by the community support we receive each year,” said Amy Stevens-Cox, principal of East Bay School. “Waterset’s generosity speaks volumes. We have set a portion of the funds aside for scholarships for seniors, and we use the remaining monies to upgrade our building.”
In addition to the Turkey Trot fundraiser, Waterset donates several iPads each quarter to deserving students at Eisenhower Middle and East Bay High School. Students from the schools also volunteer at a number of Newland-sponsored events at the community throughout the year, further fostering a strong sense of connection.
“We’ve had the pleasure of partnering with our local public schools in a variety of ways since Waterset’s inception,” explained the Marketing Manager for Waterset Lynda McMorrow. “Our team and our residents care deeply about our SouthShore community. We all want to help our local schools, their staff and their students however we can.”
For more information on Waterset by Newland, visit www.watersetfl.com or visit the Information Center in The Landing Club & Café, which is open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 Noon-6 p.m.
