Making Memories Close to Home: How the Curran Foundation Is Helping Create Memories in Lakewood Ranch

A day at the aquarium. Feeding an elephant. Sailing along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Cheering from the stands at a sporting event.

 

For many families, these are the simple experiences that make up childhood. But when a child is diagnosed with a critical illness, everyday family moments can quickly take a back seat to hospital stays, medical appointments, treatments, expenses and the demands of navigating an unimaginable season.

 

Casey Cares Foundation works to bring some of those moments back.

 

Throughout the Lakewood Ranch and greater Sarasota-Manatee community, Casey Cares provides ongoing, uplifting programs for critically ill children, their siblings and their parents — creating opportunities for families to step away from the medical world and simply enjoy being together.

 

Helping make those memories possible are community partners like the Curran Foundation.

 

A Partnership That Continues to Grow

Since 2023, the Curran Foundation has contributed more than $17,000 in support of Casey Cares and its mission, with the partnership continuing to grow over the years.

 

Most recently, the Curran Foundation provided $10,000 in support of the Casey Cares Lakewood Ranch Pickleball Tournament, one of the organization’s signature Florida fundraisers. The event brings together players, businesses and community supporters while raising critical funds and awareness for Casey Cares programs.

 

The connection to pickleball is especially fitting.

 

Casey Cares founder Casey Baynes and Robyn Curran first connected on the pickleball court, beginning a friendship that ultimately grew into a meaningful partnership between their organizations.

 

What started through a shared love of the sport has developed into a shared commitment to making a difference for children and families right here in the community.

 

Casey Cares was founded on a simple belief: critically ill children deserve to experience childhood, and their families deserve ongoing support throughout their journey.

 

Programs range from tickets to sporting events, concerts and local attractions to birthday surprises, pajama deliveries, care packages, special family outings and unique experiences.

 

In the Sarasota-Manatee community, that has included trips to the aquarium, sailing excursions, animal encounters and other opportunities for families to make memories together close to home.

 

Casey Cares also works to make these experiences as easy as possible for parents. Families are already balancing hospital stays, appointments, medical bills and countless responsibilities, so Casey Cares takes care of the details and gives families the opportunity to simply show up, be together and make a memory.

 

Casey Cares is built around ongoing relationships with families. Eligible children and their families participate in programs throughout the year, allowing Casey Cares to continue showing up during a child’s illness rather than providing just one experience.

 

For Casey Cares, impact is found in those repeated moments of joy, connection and normalcy — and in having the resources to continue saying yes when an eligible family needs support.

 

“The support of partners like the Curran Foundation allows us to continue saying yes to our families,” said Casey Baynes, founder of Casey Cares Foundation. “When a family is facing a critical illness, so many of the simple moments of childhood can get lost among treatments, hospital stays and appointments. Our goal is to give families some of those moments back — not just once, but throughout their journey. We are incredibly grateful to the Curran Foundation for believing in that mission and helping us continue to grow our impact here in the Lakewood Ranch community.”

The partnership closely aligns with the Curran Foundation’s mission to positively impact the lives of children and young adults through education, athletics and health.

 

Through its support of Casey Cares, that mission comes to life through experiences that promote joy, connection, emotional well-being and quality of life for children facing critical illnesses and the families walking alongside them.

 

As Casey Cares continues to grow throughout Florida, partnerships like this allow the organization to reach more families, create more local experiences and continue providing the consistent support that has been at the heart of its mission for more than 25 years.

 

And fittingly, pickleball remains part of the story.

 

Casey Cares will return to the courts on Saturday, January 30, 2027, for its next Lakewood Ranch Pickleball Tournament at Lakewood Ranch Country Club East, bringing the community together in support of critically ill children and their families.

 

For Casey Cares, it is another opportunity to turn community support into something much bigger — little moments that become lasting memories.