Anne Ridings Celebrates

20 Years at LSF

Launched Sarasota Guardianship in 1990

By Thomas L. Weitzel

LSF Communications

30 January 2010

Anne Ridings, Director of the LSF Guardianship programs in Sarasota and Venice, celebrated 20 years with Lutheran Services in January.  She was originally hired to launch the program in Sarasota for LSF in 1990.

"I had been living in Florida for about 1 year, having moved down from Massachusetts," said Ridings.  "I was working as a social worker in a facility in Sun City Center" where she came into contact with LSF case managers working with the Guardianship program.

Ridings says that she was initially asked to join the LSF staff in Tampa, but "I lived in Sarasota and most certainly was not going to drive even further each day to work."

About the same time, LSF was approached by Sarasota County Aging Network and Planned Approach to Community Health with the results of a survey that indicated "unmet needs for guardianship services to the community," said Ridings.  "LSF received 15K in funding from the County and start up funding for the Community Foundation," and Ridings was hired to launch the new program.

"We were appointed our first client in December 1989, [and] I started on January second," said Ridings.  "The first year, we served 22 clients.  Since that time, we have served as guardian for over 1,300 clients in Sarasota County, and the office has grown from myself as a part-time staff to 16 full-time employees in the Sarasota and Venice offices."

BELIEVING IN THE MISSION

When asked why she has remained at LSF for 20 years, Ridings states boldly, "I believe in the mission of LSF, it coincides greatly with my own personal values."

Ridings describes her work in the Guardianship program as "my heart and soul."

"It brings me great pleasure, as a social worker to be able to see the positive changes and improvements we can make in our clients lives, by ending the abuse or exploitation, improving their living situation and the overall quality of our client’s lives."

That work can be challenging though, said Ridings.

"Each client is unique, with their own set of circumstances that makes our job as guardian continuously challenging," she said.  "We need to be aware of resources in the area, medical services, placements, entitlement programs, benefit programs, insurance, property issues, legal matters, workers compensation issues, tax issues, we deal with all kinds of legal matters. The personal growth and knowledge I have gained from this job itself is tremendous."

Ridings speaks highly of her staff as well. 

"We have an absolutely amazing and wonderful staff," she said.  "We are like family, many of the staff having been here 8, 9 or 10 years themselves and we really do work together as a team to take care of our clients and their needs.  All the staff over the years have been genuinely caring kind individuals and have been a blessing to this agency and our clients."

MASTER GUARDIAN

Ridings' contributions to LSF and to guardianship received high praise from her supervisor, Patricia Leonard, LSF Director for the Southwest Region.

"Anne Ridings is a tireless advocate for vulnerable human beings," said Leonard.  "She is compassionate and a champion for justice, and fierce when she takes on defending someone’s rights. She was able to ensure one of the first prosecutions and convictions in her area."

As a result of her work, Ridings "was one of only a dozen master guardians in the nation for many years," said Leonard.  She also praised Ridings' efforts at fundraising for the guardianship program with the Annual Sunset Silent Auction.  Last year's event brought in over $44,000 with more than 425 people attending.

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

Also celebrating an anniversary in January was Nancy Chupp for 10 years at LSF, serving with Anne Ridings as a case manager in the Sarasota Guardianship program.

LSF employees celebrating significant anniversaries receive a letter of recognition and gratitude from CEO Samuel Sipes along with a monetary gift of $350 for 10 years service and $1,000 for 20 years service.

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