There is something about a large crowd of people all congregated for a mutual purpose that creates a feeling of belonging, a swelling of emotion. In the case of National Philanthropy Day that wave surging from more than 500 attendees in Tampa, Florida was well worth clapping for.

This is the 25th year that the Association of Fundraising Professionals has hosted National Philanthropy Day and it was my second year attending the celebration organized by my Suncoast chapter. Award ceremonies do require a lot of clapping and some people’s speeches are more moving than others, but just watching and listening to the winner of the Youth in Philanthropy Award is usually enough to sustain me. So many incredible and HEROIC stories in my own neighborhood!

And there is always one of our own fundraising professionals being honored. This year Nina Berkheiser CFRE, founder of Your Nonprofit Advisor received the J. Lloyd Horton Lifetime Achievement Award. Not every fundraising consultant is guided by philanthropy, but Nina’s actions speak louder than any words about her committment to promoting and empowering philanthropy and the fundraising profession.

Visit the AFP Suncoast website to see all the honorees and keep checking the Suncoast chapter’s Flickr account for official photos.