SRQ DAILY Dec 9, 2020
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"The person giving gets back as much as the organization is getting."
While Project PRIDE SRQ continues its ongoing mission to celebrate, unite and support Sarasota’s LGBTQ+ community and its allies, the organization is also doing more than its fair share of philanthropic endeavors by taking part in monthly "giving back" projects. "In our efforts to support the community, we create various outreach events which support local organizations," shares Katy McCurry, co-founder of Project Pride. "Our last outreach event donated four packed SUVs worth of collected food to Second Chance Last Opportunity in Newtown." And this week--as we hit record cold temperatures for the Gulf Coast--the members of Project Pride filled 100 bags of warm necessities for the homeless to be donated to the Streets of Paradise (SoP) for distribution. Serving Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Streets of Paradise's outreach and awareness initiatives provide comfort to the homeless and at-risk communities by donating basic supplies, facilitating access to rapid rehousing and other social services. The nonprofit is entirely funded by grants and private donations, and their entire budget is dedicated to street outreach and moving formerly homeless into a safe home. In keeping with a pride theme, the drawstring bags came in an array of rainbow colors--each one filled to encompass toiletry kits, winter hats, gloves, crew socks and more. "Project PRIDE SRQ is honored to do this work for our community while promoting visibility for the LGBTQ+ community," says McCurry.
If you would like to participate or schedule an outreach event for your organization, contact Project Pride's Outreach Director, Arthur Boyce at arthur6600@aol.com. If you'd like to donate supplies or funds to Streets of Paradise, head here. 
In an effort to help lift working people with low to moderate incomes, Goodwill Industries International (GII) is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s (USCCF) Center for Education and Workforce to increase employee access to the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Through GII, Goodwill Manasota applied – and was one of just five Goodwill organizations in the country to be selected – for a pilot program to explore how employers can help workers apply for and use EITC in conjunction with employer benefits and other government safety net benefits. The pilot program seeks to: increase the percent of EITC-eligible workers who file taxes and claim EITC benefits; reduce the time and cost of filing taxes and claiming EITC benefits; reduce the error rate in claiming EITC benefits; and increase the percent who use their EITC benefits to improve their financial wellness including reducing debt and increasing savings.
The Van Wezel Foundation and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall are pleased to announce a multifaceted arts-based approach to increase culturally relevant education and engagement for students, teachers and families. Serving as a launch to the initiative, renowned Hip-Hop artist, producer and Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow, Olmeca, will participate in a virtual residency throughout the school year to engage educators, students, families and community leaders. “As we look inward to improve our programs and plan for the future, Olmeca provides the opportunity to have challenging conversations that will lead to lasting change,” commented Kelli Maldonado, Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. “The collaboration between the Van Wezel organizations, donors, school districts, community partners and Olmeca is a perfect example of how the arts can fully reflect the community and the power of collective impact.”
The School District of Manatee County was recently selected for a AAA Florida Traffic Safety Grant award to support the safe transportation of preschool students with disabilities. With a grant of $4,840 the school district will purchase state-of-the-art Pro Tech IV/STAR car seats that can accommodate preschool children who are too young to transition to a lap belt.
No school? No problem! Add some science fun to the season with family friendly Holiday Happenings at Mote Aquarium. When you purchase your tickets to Mote Aquarium, add a Holiday Happenings Pass to your child’s admission for an additional $7 ($6 for members). With a Holiday Happenings Pass you can get slimy at our dissection station, investigate ocean acidification at the chemistry station and make an eco-friendly craft at our creativity station. December 21-23 and December 28-30 from 10am to 3pm.
Rich D'Alessandro, library assistant at the Rocky Bluff Library for the past three years, has been named Manatee County's 2020 Employee of the Year. “Rich is a man of service,” said Neighborhood Services Director Ava Ehde. “Throughout his career, he has always been a man of service to the community.”
Florida-based Crown Roofing is pleased to announce that Kelly Wade has been named CEO of its suite of companies and consultant to Crown Capital Management, effective November 23, 2020. She is the first female CEO of a national roofing company (North American Roofing).“We are excited to bring Kelly’s experience and style to Crown,” said Guil Geneau, Co-Founder and former President of Crown Roofing. ”She has created structured, sound organizations that have proven to be highly successful at growth. I’m personally proud of what we’ve created at Crown, but I recognize the need for an effective leader to take us to the next level.”
Michael Saunders & Company is pleased to welcome Xtavia Bailey to the Bradenton office. Xtavia can be reached by calling 941-526-8080 or visiting the office located at 4400 Manatee Ave W.
The STOMP performances on March 7, 2021 have been rescheduled to December 5, 2021. Showtimes will remain the same at 3pm and 7pm.
Through starts and stops, Blase settles into the Southside neighborhood offering elevated Southern cuisine with a New Orleans flair.
Click here to read the full article from SRQ's December 2020 edition.
Political Themed Artwork Online All Media Juried Exhibition on display from October 29 until December 31, 2020. First Place Award went to Dan Remmel with Once Upon A Time in Siberia, Second Place Award went to Peter Watrous with Separate, Third Place Award went to Julie Trigg with Remembering Sarasota, and Merit Awards went to Ellen Kantro with Headlong and Patricia Turner with Gunned Down Grandsons.
This exhibit features twenty Gallery Artists, some using traditional subject matter expressed with a contemporary flair, others creating abstraction with underlying traditional realism. Explore this exhibit during gallery hours from Tuesday through Saturday between 11am and 5pm or by appointment.
Featuring original paintings and drawings by renowned illustrator and long-time Ringling College Faculty member, Regan Dunnick (Class of 1976). The Patricia Thompson Gallery features rotating exhibitions by Ringling College Alumni from all majors on the first floor of the historic Keating Center. BIO: Regan Dunnick is an internationally known illustrator. He has won numerous awards and his works are in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress. He has been selected to such major exhibitions as the United Nations Environmental Show, The New Pop Show which toured Europe and chronicled innovators, American Illustration, and The Hiroshima Memorial Design Show (Hiroshima, Japan). This exhibition is open by appointment only. Please email galleries@ringling.edu to request an appointment. The exhibit began at the Keating Center on October 19, 2020 and will end on February 12, 2021, during museum hours.
Keating Center, 2621 Bradenton Rd, Sarasota, FL
"Personal Geography represents the connection I feel for my hometown of What Cheer, Iowa. This small town with its boarded-up buildings and a melancholy that permeates the streets holds so many memories of my early life. Although I lived there for only five years, it has a hold on me that’s difficult to explain. Perhaps it’s my inherent need to belong somewhere, perhaps it’s the memories of my family who are no longer alive, or maybe it’s the place itself with its rolling hills, verdant cornfields and own distinct quality of light. More likely it’s my memory of a place where both my father and I were born, where my Grandparents and Great-Grandparents lived nearby. The map of my life extends quite far, I lived in four different states by the time I was 16. But it’s this tiny forgotten town that has a hold on me both temporal and spiritual that I don’t fully understand. Combining family snapshots with photographs I have taken in What Cheer since the 1970’s Personal Geography explores the impermanence of history and memory and the permanence of place." This exhibition is open by appointment only. Please email galleries@ringling.edu to request an appointment. This exhibit began at the Larry R. Thompson Academic Center on October 19, 2020 and will end on December 11, 2020, during museum hours.
Larry R. Thompson Academic Center, 2700 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
The lights are bright and the halls are now decked at the UTC District with dozens of holiday trees as part of the first-ever UTC Festival of Trees. Now through December 20, visitors can walk through a winter wonderland of whimsical and elaborately decorated trees by nearly 40 local charities. The Festival of Trees is open nightly from 6:30pm to 9:00pm in the West District of UTC, at 125 North Cattleman Road. Admission is free. Visitors can purchase $1 tickets to vote for their favorite tree, or bid in the silent auction for a chance to take one home. All of the ticket and silent auction sales benefit the participating charities, and additional prizes will be awarded to the top three charity-trimmed trees with the most votes. In the same location as the Festival of Trees will be the Gingerbread Festival presented by the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida. On display December 11-20, this year’s 12th annual event features more than 150 gingerbread houses created by local schools, youth groups, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall’s Education & Community Engagement Department is thrilled to announce a free streaming of TheaterWorksUSA’s Charlotte’s Web from December 7 through 20. Based on the popular children’s book, this performance was set to be the final Schooltime Performance of the 2019-2020 school year and was canceled this past spring due to COVID-19. This free program for all schools will be available for streaming from December 7 through 20. Complimentary live Zoom workshops with teaching artists are also available at no charge. Topics include mood/setting, character traits and more. The program is recommended for grades K-5, and teachers can register now on a first come, first served basis.
Please join Michael Murphy Gallery, Tampa’s premier fine art gallery, for the opening reception of Rythmique: a solo exhibition of the works of world-renowned contemporary abstract artist Sara Conca. Sara's museum-provenanced work graces international & celebrity private art collections, luxurious European chateaus, & venerable municipal collections throughout the globe. Her natural mixed media paintings, flecked with gold and dynamically textured, invite the viewer into their colorful movements. Sara will be making a very special live appearance on December 5, 2020 & available for private appointments to discuss her work and private commissions on December 4, 2020. Gallery curators are onsite and private curatorial tours are available. All artwork will be on exhibition and available for acquisition beginning December 5, 2020 through January 5, 2021. An in-gallery reception is planned for Saturday, December 5 from 5pm- 9pm. This event is complimentary and open to the public with RSVPs recommended at 813-902-1414 or gallery@mmgart.com.
Michael Murphy Gallery, 2701 South MacDill Avenue, Tampa
Olivia Braida, Director of The Academy of Botanical Art at Selby Gardens will share A Brief History of Botanical Art on December 9 from 12pm to 1pm. Olivia, whose work and Academy is featured in the Museum of Botany & the Arts Orchid Show display will share a fascinating history of botanical art and illustration. Become a member of Selby Gardens to register for this lecture.
The Perlman Music Program Suncoast is celebrating their 2020-2021 Season with virtual programming - featuring the gifted talents of The Perlman Music Program (PMP) alumni, for you and your family to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. PMP alumni are professional musicians, many of whom hold leadership positions among renowned orchestras and faculties. Please be sure to check back often as they will be adding more content throughout the Season. They will also add a few surprises along the way. Cellist Sterling Elliott will play virtually on December 10, 2020.
Online, Online
A Unique, Outdoor, Open-Air, Walk-through Circus Experience for The Entire Family on Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13 from 10am to 6pm at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds. The Showfolks Of Sarasota has announced that in lieu of their annual indoor Showfolks Circus – a Sarasota tradition for over 50 years, they will be presenting an outdoor, open-air walk-through Circus Festival. Dozens of local and international circus artists will come together to present their acts to the Sarasota community for 2 full days of fun and excitement. Attendees are welcomed to walk through the festival grounds and enjoy a full range of circus continuous performances scheduled throughout the day, exhibits, food vendors, arts & crafts, flea market booths and family friendly activities. Additionally, the kids can meet Santa Claus.
Join Hamlet's Eatery for a Jazz Brunch on Sunday, December 13 in the gorgeous outdoor courtyard of The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime. Relax under the covered patio at 821 Apricot Avenue, Sarasota from 10am until 2pm. Menu options will include both traditional and vegan dishes from build your own omelettes with fresh organic eggs to tofu scrambles. Free mimosa with entree. Starting at 10:30am until 1:30pm, enjoy live jazz music featuring Nancy Pastore and Danny Hoefer. Stay afterwards for A Christmas Carol presented by The Players Centre for Performing Arts. Showtime at 2pm and tickets are only $20 available through The Players.
During our December at 4pm on December 12, 2020 IQuest program, "Celebrations," we'll be exploring the way people in other cultures commemorate this time of year, changes in seasons, and the coming of a new year. IQuest is our monthly program for smart, curious middle school students in grades 6 through 8. While each program is different, there are always challenging projects and games that inspire out-of-the-box thinking.
Deck the halls with a Selby Gardens signature style living epi-wreath. Join veteran Selby Gardens horticulturist Addie Worth on December 10 from 10am to 1pm to create a bright and beautiful holiday adornment for your home. Design and arrange red, green and silver bromeliads and cacti for a spectacular display of greenery while learning about epiphytes and their unique care requirements. When properly cared for, epi-wreaths can last for years to come. Materials fee will cover wreath and plants, you may bring other decorations. Class fee is $65 and $55 for members and the materials fee is $85.
Lakewood Ranch High School senior Brandon Wilson, whose stage name is "Wilson B.," will release his EP, "Wilson Branded," on his 18th birthday. Two days later on December 11, 2020 at 7:30pm, he will present a livestream concert from the stage at Sarasota music school Music Compound, where he has been a student for several years. The event opens with rapper Boogie 10x - who is a junior at Lakewood Ranch High - and then Wilson B. will perform tunes from his album, which he describes as a mix of R&B and hip hop. Cost for access is $5 per device; Wilson will also be gratefully accepting virtual tips through his GoFundMe page, "Wilson Branded Campaign."
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