SRQ DAILY Feb 5, 2019
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"We are proud to offer a new place to welcome guests."
Visit Sarasota County recently celebrated the exciting redevelopment and grand opening of its Visitor Center at the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Decked out with engaging new displays encouraging travelers and visitors to explore all aspects of the county, the reveal of the makeover took place at the new downtown location on Fruitville Road. The completed renovations and newly installed design elements aim to create a warm, hospitable atmosphere, showcasing a destination region to newcomers as well as encouraging local residents to come learn what makes Sarasota County so special.
The Fruitville location is one of VSC’s five centers designed to welcome and inform visitors while here—including a kiosk at the Mall at University Town Center, the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, a shared locale at Bradenton Area Convention, the Visitors Bureau at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and a mobile visitor center often seen at major community events. It also recently opened a small center inside of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce and should be adding staff within a month, according to Sandrina McCloud, the visitors experience manager at VSC.
In 2017, When the county tourism development office moved in, walls were white and blank, sparsely filled brochure racks were set up, and folding tables acted as desks. After a fresh, modern transformation befitting the culture and beauty of Sarasota, find new banners/signage, artwork, photogenic shots of the area framed and videos playing on screens mounted on walls that have been painted in a tranquil blue-green, inspired by Sarasota’s sky/gulf color scheme. More racks have been brought in also—hundreds of brochures added from Visit Sarasota’s 575 member businesses—as well as information for tourists, and even those looking to become future residents. "More than anything, we are proud to offer a new place to welcome guests," says Britney Guertin, communications & content manager for VSC.
With easy accessibility, space and plenty of parking, the new and improved center leads visitors inside to a brand new circular, modern-looking front desk and a kiosk where they can take photos of themselves and company. There’s also a high-tech addition in the works—Sarasota-based S-One Holdings Corp. created an app that now allows users to take a photo with a iPhone or iPad, which will recognize the image and play a video related to it. Visit Sarasota plans to purchase the associated technology for its iPads by March so tourists can use it at the Visitors Center. Meanwhile, S-One plans to eventually make its app available for smartphones so anyone can use it anytime and anywhere while enjoying all that SRQ has to offer. 
Visit Sarasota County Visitor Center, 1945 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, 941-955-0991.
For more than 15 years, Sarasota County has provided matching grant opportunities to help improve communities and neighborhoods. Now, the county is preparing for the next round of grants by offering application seminars starting in February. Applicants must attend a two-hour application seminar to be eligible for the program, which awards up to $10,000 in matching funds to a single neighborhood. This year, the seminars have been approved by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation as a continuing education course for community association managers. Seminars will be offered during the months of February, March and April. Last year, the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners awarded nearly all of the Neighborhood Initiative Grant Program's $99,000 to 14 neighborhoods located throughout the county.
According to grant program coordinator Miranda Lansdale, the most common projects relate to Florida-Friendly landscaping or pond improvements, but the program offers opportunities for sign renovations, enhancements to preserves and community gardens, crime prevention education, historic preservation projects and more. Jane Grogg, manager of long-range planning and neighborhood services, also recommends neighborhood representatives attend the Manasota Neighborhoods Summit Friday, February 22. The half-day summit is a joint effort hosted by neighborhood services staff from Manatee and Sarasota Counties, and the cities of Sarasota and Bradenton. The summit will promote best practices on a variety of neighborhood topics and provide continued educational opportunities. Registration for the summit is available at the website below.
Nonprofit agencies that serve Manatee County residents have until March 1 to apply for Manatee County Children's Services funding, a voter-approved fund to help disadvantaged children and their families in the community. General funding is also available to help nonprofits that serve adults or provide other services to Manatee County. County Commissioners determine the amount available each year and funding is awarded based on a competitive basis. Programs that receive County funding are reimbursed for their programs, contingent upon the successful completion of the project, the results (human gain) and fully meeting the requirements of the investment agreement. The new online application for Fiscal 19-20 is results-based. Each question has both guidance and examples within the application, readily available to applicants. Agency reps may apply and learn more about available funding by visiting the website below.
Parents and guardians residing anywhere in the state of Florida are now able to apply for their children to attend a public school outside their regular attendance zone through the Controlled Open Enrollment (COE) process, more commonly known as School Choice. Sarasota County Schools invites parents and guardians from any school district in the state of Florida whose child is not subject to a current expulsion or suspension to apply for a 2019-20 School Choice assignment to a public school identified as having available space capacity. Applications for School Choice will be accepted from Monday, February 4, through Monday, March 4, 2019.
The district’s school choice process requires that an online application be completed. Parents will be notified of choice assignments in April. COE assignments will be determined by a random lottery process, rather than on a first-come, first-served basis. Available seats at some of the schools that are open to School Choice may be limited to certain grade levels if those schools are near their enrollment capacity for those grades. Students living in Sarasota County who are applying for an assignment through the School Choice process will not be displaced by the applicants living outside the county The complete list of schools open to School Choice is at the website below.
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County is conducting a regional survey to measure the compensation and benefits offered to employees in the nonprofit sector. The survey is open to all 501(c)3 public supported charities located in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties and runs through February 15.
The survey is free to participate in and confidential. The results will provide the region with a broad view of salary and benefits among non-profit agencies in the region with a goal of helping organizations set fair and competitive compensation structures. The survey results are shared with all of the participants, as well as the greater community. This year’s survey is administered by Association TRENDS, which has 30 years of experience in the field of compensation reports specifically for non-profit agencies.
To take part in the survey, visit the website below.
The law firm of Williams Parker has announced it has enhanced its ability to provide fiduciary services. The firm recently added Aubrey J. Lynch, a CPA, formerly a principal with CS&L CPAs, to its team as the Director of Fiduciary Tax Matters. Lynch joins Susan S. Park, the firm’s Director of Fiduciary Administration, to oversee the firm’s fiduciary services and provide support to the firm’s trusts and estates practice.
Lynch oversees tax and accounting matters as they relate to the firm’s fiduciary services, facilitating fulfillment of trustee’s duties and responsibilities in coordination with legal counsel. The firm’s fiduciary services department provides legal guidance, accounting and tax services, and estate and trust administrative services. The legal services provided in this area include reforming trusts, advising fiduciaries as to ongoing responsibilities during administration, preparing plans of distribution and corresponding release documents, and preparing and sending notice letters for certain trusts.
Join SRQ MEDIA for the 2019 RocketKids Modern Education Symposium on the topic of “Preparing Our Kids for Success” on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 from 5:30-7pm. The program will feature a panel discussion by representatives from private and charter schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties who will engage in a discussion about education in our region by sharing the teaching philosophies, curriculum and programs at each school. The 2019 RocketKids Modern Education Symposium panelists include, Cindy Hoffman, Island Village Montessori School; Laura Murphy, The Out-Of-Door Academy; Tim Seldin, NewGate School; Christine Bradford, Sarasota Christian School and Siobhan Young, St. Martha Catholic School. The 2019 RocketKids Modern Education Symposium will take place at SRQ Studios at 331 S. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota. The program is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by Friday, February 16.
Drawn from the superb collections of the Stibbert Museum in Florence, Italy, this extraordinary exhibition reveals the figure of the knight in the Middle Ages and Renaissance through over 80 exquisite objects, including full suits of armor, helmets, corselets, swords and other weaponry. The exhibition explores the function and craftsmanship of these exquisite objects as well as their historical context, focusing on themes of love and war, jousts and tournaments, and the 19th-century revival of interest in medieval knighthood.
The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota.
In the final scene of Ibsen’s 1879 masterwork, Nora Helmer slammed the door on her marriage and family life, leaving her family. This sequel imagines her 15 years later as a successful writer and independent women, but she must return home to the one man who can help her. Universally acclaimed during its recent Broadway run, this new comedy raises questions about marriage and the roles of women have—and have not—changed.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
In Gallery 1, Sarasota Visual Artists Studios will present an exciting exhibition featuring the work of Andrea Dasha Reich, Barbara Banks, Bill Buchman, Duncan Chamberlain, Grace Howl and Larry Forgard. A collaboration between Jen Nugent and Jack Arbough uses drawing, collage and video to address competing impulses to conserve and explore in Gallery 2. In Gallery 3, the Manasota branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History highlights African-American artists from Sarasota and Manatee counties. And Gallery 4 features an open, juried exhibition.
Art Center Sarasota, 707 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
The 2019 Lemur Gala, Red Ruffs & Roses, is a captivating and inspiring evening to celebrate lemurs and join to help save them from extinction in the wild. World-renowned conservationist Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, world-renowned conservationist who coined the term "biological diversity is the distinguished speaker at the event.
Michael's On East, 1212 South East Ave., Sarasota
A shared tragedy—the death of a young gay dancer—sets the stage for a quartet of friends to reconsider their identities, their loves and relationships. A powerful, electrifying work by the playwright whom many regard as our theatre’s finest living writer.
The Player Centre For Performing Arts, 838 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Lynn Nottage’s play looks at life of working America. It’s the year 2000 in Reading, Pennsylvania, and friends Tracey and Cynthia only need their factory jobs and their favorite bar. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to be limited, the friends are pitted against each other. This new play confronts issues of race, class, family and friendship—and the tragic community without opportunity.
Benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Live Laugh Love Extravaganza will take place at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota on February 9th. Guests will shop at a variety of Boutique vendors selling their wares, and peruse the fabulous treasures at the silent & live auction along with fun and exciting raffles items. The program kicks off with a delicious lunch, and guests will be treated to a fashion show featuring fabulous Bigs and their Littles as they model fashions by Panache, Tommy Bahama, Gap Kids, Debbie Dannheisser Threads and jewelry designed by Contessa Jewels.
The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, 1111 Ritz Carlton Dr, Sarasota
Although unfinished at the time of his death, this opera remains one of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini’s most loved works, known for being his most musically adventurous. The story opens with exiled Prince Calaf, wandering outside of the Chinese Imperial Palace, where he falls in love with the cold and distant Princess Turandot. To obtain her hand in marriage, a suitor must answer three riddles—but if they fail, they face execution. Prince Calaf declares his intention to complete the challenge and win the Princess’ heart, but a surprise test follows.
Sarasota Opera House , 61 North Pineapple Ave., Sarasota
The fifth annual Bradenton Area River Regatta oozes over–the–top exhilaration coupled with all the traditional festival favorites—music, food, fun things to do—in one awe-gasping extravaganza that will fascinate spectators of all ages long after the day is done.
It all starts with the fastest inland boats on water and the largest tunnel boat race on tour—Powerboat Superleague Formula-2—splitting the surf at speeds over 120/mph. And to make sure you get all the speed you need, we’ve added Formula-3 racing this year…nimble, agile and nearly as fast—at speeds hitting 100/mph!
With music that will make your feet move and body groove all day long on two main stage venues! National recording artists and Bradenton natives: We The Kings and headliners on Palmetto's main stage from Arcadia, FL, country music group: The Andy Pursell Band.
Watch as world fly-boarding Champion Kristen Smoyer skies 80 feet into the air on an elevator of water in one somersaulting sequence of acrobatic moves. Then marvel at all the fun four-legs can conjure up in the Frisbee® flying, canine trick antics of Team Zoom and Daredevil Dogs. Plus cool kids zones on both shores of the river and enough food and drinks to satisfy appetites large and small.
And, the after-dark delights are spectacular, too, as the nation’s “First Family of Fireworks,” Zambelli Internationale, paints the sky with pyrotechnic wizardry to end the day in one rousing blast of kaleidoscopic beauty.
The all FREE, fifth annual Bradenton Area River Regatta, Saturday, February 9, 2019. Save the date then savor the excitement!
Bradenton Riverwalk
Party Under the Stars in the Grove is a festive evening “under the stars,” featuring music, dancing, dining and a silent and live auction with fabulous prizes. All event proceeds provide non-medical, financial assistance to cancer patients and their families.
Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota
AJ Cali and Alex Zickafoose will bring back the 1960s and the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as they present many of the great songs from the Tony Award-winning jukebox musical Jersey Boys. And the California Girls—the Stiletto Brass Quintet—are sure to knock your socks off.
Sunday- Riverview Performing Arts Center Monday- Neel Performing Art Center, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota 5840 26th St. W, Bradenton
Just as Paul Gauguin left an indelible mark on the post-Impressionist art world, the deep impact of botanical imagery on his work cannot be denied. This exhibition will highlight the essential role of botanicals in achieving the artist’s vision of the savage, primitive and exotic. Together with lush displays of tropical plants in the conservatory and gardens, the show will feature dramatic woodcuts and rarely seen works in other mediums by the artist.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 South Palm Ave., Sarasota
Dr. Carol Ockman, curator-at-large for Selby Gardens, presents an engaging talk about the featured artist, Paul Gauguin, whose work inspires and is displayed in the annual Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series.
Selby House Cafe, 811 South Palm Ave., Sarasota
Set in London, 1910, Bert, a jack-of-all-trades, guides audiences into the dysfunctional home of the Banks family, where the children have gone through numerous nannies. Mary Poppins magically flies into their lives bringing whimsy, magic and commonsense discipline for both the children and grown-ups, and everyone learns that “anything can happen if you let it.”
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W, Sarasota
The 21st Annual Thunder By The Bay Music & Motorcycle Festival is a three day event held at the Sarasota Fairground to benefit Suncoast Charities for Children. Bring you lawn chair and enjoy continuous live music featuring rock, blue, and country featuring national recording artist StealHeart performing Saturday, February 16th. This year's Festival includes a Sunday charity ride (open to all vehicles), vendors, freestyle acts, a motorcycle & truck show, burnout competition, great food, and much more! Admission is $5, children 12 and under free. $10 three day passes and VIP tickets may be purchased online in advance at thunderbythebay.org.
Sarasota Fairgrounds
In its long-held tradition of featuring a visiting company each season, to provide audiences a different insight to the art of dance, the Sarasota Ballet presents the Martha Graham Dance Company, the oldest dance company in the States, founded by contemporary dance legend Martha Graham and called “one of the great dance companies of the world” by the New York Times.
FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
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