On September 14 and 15, 2024, the 29th annual “Samantha’s Friends” benefit fundraiser took place at Lakewood Ranch in Florida. The theme for this fall was “The Golden Age of Hollywood,” and several fans dressed up in clothing and outfits from that era. It was held at the Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club .
Mother Teresa once said: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” This quote applies to the nonprofit organization “Samantha’s Friends,” which is helmed by Sammy and Alice Bozza.
The event featured such actors as Kristos Andrews (“The Bay”), Eric Martsolf (“Days of Our Lives”), Mike Manning (“The Bay” and “This Is Us”), Matthew Ashford (“Days of Our Lives”), Jordi Vilasuso (“The Young and The Restless”), Carson Boatman (“Days of Our Lives”), Erik Fellows (“Purgatory”), Kyle Lowder (“Days of Our Lives”), Dan Feuerriegel (“Days of Our Lives”), and “The Bay” showrunner Gregori J. Martin. Sammy Bozza remarked, “The 29th year of Samantha’s Friends was a resounding triumph, exceeding all previous events! We extend our heartfelt thanks to our loyal supporters, our amazing celebrities who selflessly contribute their time and talents every year to this exceptional nonprofit charity.
” “The audience was captivated by the magnificent service canines, and the entertainment left a lasting impression,” Bozza added. Martsolf and Boatman are also part of The Day Players Band . They performed “My Girl” and Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” later on in the event.
The performers entertained the fans with their singing, dancing, trivia segment, Limbo, and they even participated in the live auction and silent auction as part of their fundraising efforts. Mike Manning and his father, Mike Manning, Sr. (on vocals and guitar) performed a moving rendition of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sting’s “Fields of Gold,” which was sheer bliss.
On returning to perform at Samantha’s Friends, Mike Manning, Sr., remarked, “It felt great! It was nice to spend time with my son. We wanted the song to be heartfelt and memorable.
” Rising artist Hadley Composky performed a soaring version of “That Old Black Magic,” which was controlled and resonant and she knocked it out of the ballpark. Speaking of Hadley, it was neat to watch her flex her acting muscles, while she performed a few scenes from “The Bay” opposite multi-Emmy winner Kristos Andrews . Based on her performances at this year’s Samantha’s Friends, one should not be surprised if her future includes acting, singing, performing, and even Broadway.
Hadley proves that she can do it all. One of the highlight moments of the afternoon was when singer Ryan Michael James performed a harking and expressive rendition of Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” which was in loving memory of slain “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor , who was killed on May 25th in downtown Los Angeles due to an attempted catalytic converter theft. Ryan Michael James really took his time with his song, and he was able to bring out the rawness, honesty, and authenticity of the lyrics, all while being able to move the Samantha’s Friends audience on an emotional level.
It was a fitting tribute to the late but great Johnny Wactor. Alice Bozza also made a beautiful speech about Johnny Wactor, and spoke about the positive impact he made in the world, and stated that Wactor is “forever in our hearts.” The 29th annual “Samantha’s Friends” was such a warm, engaging, and heartwarming event.
It is highly worth checking out if one is ever in Lakewood Ranch, Florida (near the Sarasota and Bradenton area). It raised money for many causes coupled with the presence of some daytime TV’s greatest and Emmy award-winning and Emmy-nominated actors. Sammy and Alice deserve to be commended for hosting and organizing another inspirational event with a feel-good, family atmosphere.
The dogs in attendance, especially ambassador Levi, were an absolute delight. Also, it was very kind of them to include a special and poignant tribute to Johnny Wactor in their event, which really tugged at the heartstrings, all while spotlighting several noteworthy charities. To learn more about “ Samantha’s Friends ,” check out the official website , and follow the nonprofit charity on Instagram .
Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News.Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 21,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports.
He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times..
