***Interview with Dianne Garvis, founder of both The Good Neighbor Program and Tiaras of Hope***
In a genuine and pleasantly honest exchange, Central Florida Review’s Bailey Guinigundo sits down with Dianne Garvis—founder of both The Good Neighbor Program and Tiaras of Hope—to uncover the true engine behind one of Lake County’s longest-standing community traditions. What begins as a simple preview for the upcoming November 22 fundraising concert featuring Rob Kerr’s String Ensemble and Tony Danza’s acclaimed Standards & Stories show quickly unfolds into something far deeper: a 24-year chronicle of compassion, faith, and a community responding to need with extraordinary generosity.
Dianne recounts the moment that changed everything—a 1999 Orlando Sentinel series on Lake County’s hidden poverty. Instead of shaking her head and moving on, she packed her children into the car, found the neighborhoods described in the articles, and quietly began leaving groceries at the doors. From that single act of empathy sprouted a community movement that, over the years, has rebuilt homes, rescued families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, collected 10,000 blankets in a single day, and created an ever-growing network of neighbors helping neighbors.
But the interview takes an even more intimate turn when Dianne shares the story of losing her father to cancer—and how that grief birthed Tiaras of Hope, a now-global outreach that has crowned more than 6,000 children in hospitals with crystal tiaras and messages of hope. As she describes crowning each child, one by one, as if they were royalty, it’s impossible not to feel the weight and beauty of the work.
Throughout the conversation, Bailey and Dianne return again and again to one theme: the power of listening, noticing, and choosing to act. Whether through a donated blanket, a bag of groceries, a whispered prayer, or a tiara that restores a child’s smile, Dianne’s mission is to open eyes and hearts—not just for one night every November, but every day.
The upcoming concert, she emphasizes, is more than a performance. It’s a thank-you gift to a community that always shows up—and a call to action as simple as bringing groceries to help neighbors who are quietly struggling this year.
By the time the interview closes with “five more sleeps” until Tony Danza takes the stage in Clermont, you’ll understand that this event is not merely entertainment. It is a celebration of what happens when ordinary people decide to love their neighbors in extraordinary ways.
To hear Dianne’s full story in her own words—and to feel the emotion, humor, and humanity that only video can capture—watch the full interview.
For Tickets to 11/22's event in Clermont featuring Tony Danza:
https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/tix/7866/event/1445345
***On the night of the show, remember to bring your non-perishable food item donations, and blankets are always welcome!!!
In a genuine and pleasantly honest exchange, Central Florida Review’s Bailey Guinigundo sits down with Dianne Garvis—founder of both The Good Neighbor Program and Tiaras of Hope—to uncover the true engine behind one of Lake County’s longest-standing community traditions. What begins as a simple preview for the upcoming November 22 fundraising concert featuring Rob Kerr’s String Ensemble and Tony Danza’s acclaimed Standards & Stories show quickly unfolds into something far deeper: a 24-year chronicle of compassion, faith, and a community responding to need with extraordinary generosity.
Dianne recounts the moment that changed everything—a 1999 Orlando Sentinel series on Lake County’s hidden poverty. Instead of shaking her head and moving on, she packed her children into the car, found the neighborhoods described in the articles, and quietly began leaving groceries at the doors. From that single act of empathy sprouted a community movement that, over the years, has rebuilt homes, rescued families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, collected 10,000 blankets in a single day, and created an ever-growing network of neighbors helping neighbors.
But the interview takes an even more intimate turn when Dianne shares the story of losing her father to cancer—and how that grief birthed Tiaras of Hope, a now-global outreach that has crowned more than 6,000 children in hospitals with crystal tiaras and messages of hope. As she describes crowning each child, one by one, as if they were royalty, it’s impossible not to feel the weight and beauty of the work.
Throughout the conversation, Bailey and Dianne return again and again to one theme: the power of listening, noticing, and choosing to act. Whether through a donated blanket, a bag of groceries, a whispered prayer, or a tiara that restores a child’s smile, Dianne’s mission is to open eyes and hearts—not just for one night every November, but every day.
The upcoming concert, she emphasizes, is more than a performance. It’s a thank-you gift to a community that always shows up—and a call to action as simple as bringing groceries to help neighbors who are quietly struggling this year.
By the time the interview closes with “five more sleeps” until Tony Danza takes the stage in Clermont, you’ll understand that this event is not merely entertainment. It is a celebration of what happens when ordinary people decide to love their neighbors in extraordinary ways.
To hear Dianne’s full story in her own words—and to feel the emotion, humor, and humanity that only video can capture—watch the full interview.
For Tickets to 11/22's event in Clermont featuring Tony Danza:
https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/tix/7866/event/1445345
***On the night of the show, remember to bring your non-perishable food item donations, and blankets are always welcome!!!
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