AG Moody Awards Top Senior Sleuths

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is recognizing the 2021-2022 top five Seniors vs. Crime volunteers and the Senior Sleuth Advocate of the Year for efforts in assisting older consumers in Florida. SvC volunteers, known as Senior Sleuths, work to help older Floridians resolve consumer issues. At a ceremony today in the Villages, Attorney General Moody honored the top five volunteers who earned the title Super Senior Sleuth. During the ceremony, Attorney General Moody also named the 2021-2022 Senior Sleuth Advocate of the Year.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Protecting Florida seniors is a mission close to my heart, and I am proud to recognize these five outstanding Floridians who help us fulfill this important undertaking. These Super Senior Sleuths volunteered thousands of hours advocating for older consumers. These Sleuths, and all those who volunteer with Seniors vs. Crime, are helping us build a Stronger, Safer Florida.”

This year’s Super Senior Sleuths are:

• Joanne Tramonte, SvC Region 1: Coral Springs office;
• Richard Fearnow, SvC Region 2: Lakeland office;
• Kathy Romanac, SvC Region 3: Flagler office;
• Sandy Belinksy, SvC Region 4: Ocala office; and
• Lori Holcomb, SvC Region 5: Tallahassee office.

The 2021-2022 Senior Sleuth Advocate of the Year is Richard Fearnow. Fearnow has served nearly 21 years in SvC, becoming the go-to person to contact in Polk County for senior-related disputes and complaints. In addition to working cases for older Floridians in the area, Fearnow conducts trainings for new volunteers. Fearnow also leads the region’s SvC office in providing multiple outreach presentations showcasing the resources available to consumers through the program. Through decades of public service, it is estimated that Fearnow has provided more than 13,000 hours of volunteer service to the community, working nearly 1,000 cases.

The most recent SvC annual report shows that volunteers directly assisted nearly 8,000 consumers, providing more than 25,000 hours of free services. Volunteers helped recover more than $1.2 million for older Floridians in 2022.

To learn more, access the 2022 SvC Annual Report here.

For more information on SvC, or to get involved by volunteering, click here.