After 20 years serving area youngsters and teens, Community Youth Development (CYD) will close operations come end of summer, but not before transferring flagship programs STAR Leadership Training and SRQVolunteen to the care of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County (BGCSC) on Aug. 29. The programs will continue under BGCSC, says CYD executive director Karen Bogues, and “hopefully the work that we’ve done over 20 years has been integrated within the community in such a way that the spirit of what we’ve done lives on.”

Founded in 1996, CYD was initially conceived of as an adjunct program to exist within the architecture of a larger parent organization, lowering overhead costs but benefitting from the greater structure. Following the Great Recession, none were willing or able to house CYD and it was forced to incorporate as a nonprofit in 2010. Now, according to a statement from CYD, “current realities and changes in funding priorities” have made continued operations “not sustainable.”

The BGCSC was a “natural” fit to house CYD’s programs, says Bogues, citing the exceptional leadership of Bill Sadlo and the organization’s recent commitment to prioritize teen outreach and empowerment for the near future. But much of it came down to trust. “We’ve been strong partners for 20 years and we had already done so much together,” she says. “So there was a lot of familiarity between the two organizations.”

Under the BGCSC, both STAR Leadership Training and SRQVolunteen will continue on pace and lead staff from both programs will join the BGCSC to maintain continuity and mission. The biggest change will be in location, says Bogues, with BGCSC facilities now serving as home to future events, but even this could be a boon. “It might actually offer opportunities to kids who might not have been able to participate in the past due to transportation issues or other access issues,” she says.

The future of CYD’s Jump Start Training program is still under discussion, Bogues says.

But standing alone “was never the original intent” of CYD, she says, and she views this latest move as an “evolution” more than a loss.  The programs will survive intact and she’s keeping her eyes on the future. “I’m looking for another opportunity to continue to serve the community,” she says. “I love Sarasota County and I’m just figuring out where I can bring my talents next.” 

Blow La La’s battalion of blow dryers sat out at Monday’s preview party, but they’ll be fired up soon enough when Sarasota’s first-ever blow dry bar begins taking clients on June 27th. In the absence of dryers, guests munched on tasty bites, such as sushi and gourmet brownies, and sipped blue-tinted champagne while receiving complimentary curling services. Mingling with partygoers was special guest Nick Arrojo, former hairdressing host of TLC’s What Not to Wear and founder of an eponymous international hair care brand. Blow La La is one of the newest additions to Arrojo’s network of Ambassador Salons, a group of 350 top hair care destinations across the country.

Blow La La’s inaugural location will offer blow-outs, up-dos and makeup services, both in the salon and on-location. Owner Kimberly O’Connor seeks to offer “everyday, affordable, luxury hairstyles” for women (and men with long tresses) and hopes to tap into the local event and wedding markets.

When O’Connor, a ninth-generation Floridian, decided to return to her home state after stints in Atlanta and Boston, Sarasota was at the top of her list. Her motivation to open Blow La La was rooted both in a desire for easy, elegant, no-fuss hair care options and what she saw as a lack in the area. “I was traveling and saw blow dry bars in New York City and Boston and I was like, ‘Wow, this is pure nirvana,’” she says. In her research, O’Connor found that few local salons stocked Arrojo products, instead opting for more common, often conglomerate-owned brands.

Why choose a blow dry bar rather than a full-service salon? For one: convenience. “You can go to normal salon, but many times they’re not available for last minute or walk-ins,” says O’Connor. “I wanted [to create] a place that people could come to get a great blow out every day of the week.” 

Pictured: Blow La La owner Kim O'Connor with Nick Arrojo. Photo by Heidi Stone.

Blow La La, 1275 South Tamiami Trl., Sarasota, 941-388-7183.

Runner-up in our 2016 Best of Local issue for Best Breakfast, downtown daybreak haven Toasted Mango Cafe’s "Chef Special" Toasted Mango Waffle sparks a delicious collision between juicy mango chunks, ribbons of toasted coconut, whipped cream rosettes and powdered sugar. Toasted in-house, coconut shavings add a slight crunch and the home-made batter contains one special ingredient, which remains closely guarded secret—subtle tanginess could be orange zest? Add in a healthy dose of sunshine at one of the Toasted Mango’s al fresco tables and this tropical breakfast will transport you from US 41 to the shores of South Siesta Key, where the restaurant recently opened a new location just steps away from sandy toes. The Toasted Mango makes “beach brunch” dreams a reality.  

Pictured: Toasted Mango Waffle. Photo by Heidi Stone.

Toasted Mango Cafe, 430 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota, 941-388-7728 or 6621 Midnight Pass Rd., Siesta Key, 941-552-6485.

The Circus Arts Conservatory is home to expansive outreach programs that have a significant impact on the Sarasota-Manatee community. The Education Outreach program serves hundreds of students through the combination of academic school subjects including science, physics, language arts and theater and circus arts. Each year, children of grade levels K–8 participate in programs tailored to a specific curriculum. This one-of-a-kind program from teaching artists Karen Bell and Robin Eurich uses lessons that are developed to comply with the new Florida State Standards. Since 2012, they have instructed thousands of students and inspired countless minds with an enthusiastic approach to education and the arts. 

The Circus Arts Conservatory’s Humor Therapy program provides joy to those in need of a smile or a laugh. Each week, Chuck and Noriko Sidlow, dedicated Humor Therapy artists, visit numerous care facilities and using the age-old art of clowning provide therapeutic interaction that reaches far beyond simple entertainment to foster meaningful relationships with all of their participants. Between one-on-one bedside visitation to memory stimulation and physical activities, the Humor Therapy program strives to bring happiness to all that it serves. 

Circus Arts Conservatory

JMX Brands, one of the largest ecommerce retailers of Amish furniture, was named to Internet Retailer magazine’s Second 500 for the fifth year in a row. JMX Brands jumped from 903 to 870 on the list, was ranked 81 in the best performers score and was the 45th fastest growing e-retailer. 

www.jmxbrands.com

James O. Fergeson, Jr., Ronald Skipper, Richard R. Gans and Douglas R. Bald—shareholders from the law firm of Fergeson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron & Tirabassi, P.A.—have been honored to the 2016 list of Florida Super Lawyers. Fergeson specializes in tax law, Bald in appellate law and Skipper and Gans focus on wills, trusts and estates. All attorneys have been recognized as Florida Super Lawyers in previous years. 

Fergeson Skipper

From Steiner Law offices, Shelly Steiner was announced as the new vice president of the Lakewood Ranch chapter of Successful Women Aligning Together (SWAT). SWAT Networking meets at seven different locations around Manatee and Sarasota counties and all women in business are welcome to attend to network and build relationships. 

SWAT Networking

Exoskeletons are no longer limited to insects and Iron Man. This month, in Humanizing Effects we take you inside the workshop of local product design firm Robrady to give you a firsthand look at their award-winning innovations. Originally commissioned for the US military, the FORTIS exoskeleton’s lightweight frame and energy efficiency earned it two Good Design awards. If you think that this exo-suit is as high-tech as they come, you’d be wrong: FORTIS is entirely human powered (nixing the need to charge or replace batteries) and doesn’t require space-age extras in order complete complex jobs, like building an aircraft. 

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