SRQ DAILY Apr 21, 2021
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"We compost weekly using food scraps that the cafeteria give us from their meal preparations (not from scraping student plates) and shredded office paper as a recycling effort."
When Manatee County Schools called on Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisor for Manatee County, Kimberley Lough, asking if she could teach agriculture classes for the students and become the school's Environment Specialist, she jumped at the opportunity. FFA is an intracurricular youth organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership through hands-on experiences. Excited to bring agricultural and agriscience education to the students of Sugg Middle School, Lough built the school’s "urban farm," hydroponics program and small animal and horticulture program from the ground up. She credits partnerships with businesses, horticulture mentors, the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association and the UF/IFAS (University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services) as critical to the development of her school programs.
"We compost weekly using food scraps that the cafeteria give us from their meal preparations (not from scraping student plates) and shredded office paper as a recycling effort," shares Lough. "The worms decompose the materials to make castings. We harvest the castings about 1x/year and it is a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer which I blend into the soil of our orchard trees." Orchard trees which Lough says harvest pineapples, papayas and bananas all year long. "I was planning to have 1-2 classes harvest the castings from some of them in honor of Earth Day," she says.
Also in honor of Earth Day this Saturday, a team of volunteers from United Way Suncoast and Publix will be heading to Sugg's urban farm to do their part in nourishing and revitalizing the local environment. Volunteers will be getting their hands and boots dirty maintaining the same worm composting bins the students maintain all year long. They'll also be helping with various projects like painting and refurbishing pallets that are used in the garden plots that frow watermelon, tomatoes, squash, turnips, lettuce, radish, okra and much more. Meanwhile, a small group will be building a few boards for outside bulletins and garden note sheets. "We have two 50-gallon rain barrels on our school farm also," Lough shares. "We use these daily to provide water for our rabbits, hens and rooster, and also use them for random cleaning projects—mixing disinfectants for cleaning animal area tools and equipment and for watering plants time to time."
Earth Day is Saturday, April 24, 2021. This event takes place at Sugg Middle School Urban Farm, located at 3801 59th St. West in Bradenton, from 8am until Noon. 
Photo of student at Sugg Urban Farm, courtesy of Manatee County School District
Learn more about Kimberley Lough, Manatee County School's Environment Specialist
The Foundation for Church of the Palms awards a $9,695.84 grant to Habitat for Humanity Sarasota (Habitat Sarasota) in support of Lives Transformed, The Campaign for Hammock Place. The generosity of the Foundation for Church of The Palms will benefit eight families moving into their new home in Hammock Place. The grant provides funding for an appliance package for each home.
Today, Wednesday, April 21, 2021 Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s is calling on all partners, supporters, community leaders, people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers to wear orange and share the message of hope in observation of National Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
To help those who are struggling to put food on the table, All Faiths is partnering with The Bay Sarasota and Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on monthly, large-scale food distributions at Van Wezel (777 N. Tamiami Tr., Sarasota) the fourth Saturday of each month through October. The first takes place April 24, 9-11:00am; food – including frozen meat, fresh fruits and vegetables – is first-come, first-served and pre-registration is not required.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast is pleased to announce the addition of Teresa Taft to its dynamic team, as its Community Volunteer Recruiter.
Centerstone has launched a new program to greatly reduce the long waitlist for services to support at-risk youth and their families who face possible out-of-home placement due to a mental health or related complex issues. The new Family Connections program focuses on preemptive support of at-risk youth to potentially divert their need for escalated treatment. The initiative was made possible by a three-year mental well-being grant from the Florida Blue Foundation. The $300,000 grant aims to shorten the family wait times for Centerstone services to under two weeks that previously could be as long as six months, enhancing youth and family services for 120 Sarasota County families.
SunCoast Blood Centers is making a call to the community to come in and donate blood to address the critical need. Hospitals are experiencing an increase in patients requiring blood transfusions with surgeries, cancer therapies, trauma patients, and those battling chronic blood diseases. “As our community starts to enjoy the outdoors and springtime activities, blood donation is not front and center in people’s minds right now,” said SunCoast Blood Centers Community Liaison Joan Leonard. “We are calling on our generous community to donate and help us get the blood supply up to a comfortable level for our hospitals.”
A coalition of Manatee County Mayors threw enthusiastic support behind a new initiative created by the Bradenton Ae Convention and Visitor Bureau, designed to encourage visitors to the region to “Love it Like a Local.” The campaign was announced at a meeting of the Manatee County Tourism and Development Council on April 19th and will be launched on Earth Day, April 22nd. The intent of the campaign is to encourage visitors to the region to visit “responsibly.”
The campaign is centered around a series of animated videos designed to appeal to kids and address three pillars of maintaining community quality and quality of life. The three pillars are; to respect the local people of our community, to respect and care for the wildlife and natural beauty of our community, and to preserve endangered and protected areas by knowing what natural spaces are off-limits to human traffic.
City of Palmetto Mayor, Shirley Groover Bryant, commented that the emotional impact was reminiscent of the famous “Keep America Beautiful” campaign that was so widely seen through the 1970s, “I thought about a campaign … now long gone and no longer appropriate at this time, of a [Native American man] with a tear running down his cheek.” The Mayor continued that she felt the campaign should be “expanded into the local community to help them recognize that they are locals and they should embrace [those same principles]. I hope this expands into our schools and to our young people. That’s where it starts.”
Share the campaign with #LoveItLikeALocal.
Photo: Misty Servia, chair of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor Bureau, reads a proclamation for the Love It Like a Local campaign. Behind her, from the left, are Mayor Dan Murphy of Anna Maria. Mayor Gene Brown of Bradenton, Mayor Judy Titsworth
Senior advisor Mike Migone, CCIM of SVN Commercial Advisory Group recently coordinated the 20-year ground lease of 2.16 acres at 17900 Tamiami Trail in North Port. The landlord, Select Properties of Florida, was represented by Migone. The tenant, Wawa Florida, LLC was represented by David Conn of CBRE. The property consists of three parcels, two of which are being developed into a Wawa Convenience Store & Fueling Station and an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts. The third 1.52-acre parcel is still available for lease or build-to-suit development.
Photo courtesy of SVN Commercial Advisory Group
With the end of the school year approaching, the 45 students involved with the program will be able to showcase their progress, as the K-5 musical theater class presents “Seussical Jr.” and the middle/high school show choir/musical theater class presents “42nd Street.” The production of “42nd Street” will take place at 7pm on May 7 and 2pm and 7 pm on May 8. The performances of “Seussical Jr.” will take place on May 13 and 15 at 6pm. All shows take place at Music Compound’s Cattlemen location.Limited public tickets are available for the shows – providing a fun opportunity for families to enjoy kid-friendly theater together. Tickets for “Seussical” are $10/general admission, $15/VIP seating; tickets for “42nd Street” are $15/general admission, $20/preferred seating, $25/VIP table (with seating for up to 5).
The Van Wezel Foundation has added four new members to its Board of Directors with the election of Michele Hooper, John E. Maupin, Charles Wilson and Jaih Jackson. The new Directors bring a breadth of expertise and diverse backgrounds from finance, corporate and non-profit leadership, academics, and community health and well-being. In addition, they all have served on the boards of nationally recognized arts organizations throughout the nation.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has a new experimental treatment in its arsenal to try to dampen the deadly inflammatory response in some patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19. SMH is one of more than a dozen research sites across the nation participating in the multi-center trial of IC14, an anti-CD14 monoclonal antibody drug researchers hope will reduce dangerous levels of inflammation in COVID-19 patients. “We have good experimental treatments that help reduce the viral load in the early phase of COVID, but once the inflammatory response kicks in, it can intensify like wildfire, with devastating results,” said critical care pulmonologist Kirk Voelker, MD, who serves as medical director of Sarasota Memorial’s Clinical Research Center and is the principal investigator at the SMH site. “This anti-CD14 monoclonal antibody works at the beginning of the inflammatory cascade, and we hope will stop the cytokine storm from gaining momentum.”
Thirty-five high school seniors and 32 juniors will be applauded Friday, April 23, at the 23rd annual STRIVE awards recognition, presented as a streaming experience for the first time due to COVID-19 restrictions. The community is invited to participate at no charge. Guests can join the streamed event by logging on at noon Friday, April 23, at Facebook.com/educationfdn, the Education Channel (Comcast channel 20 or Frontier channel 33), or youtube.com/TheEdChannel20. The annual event, hosted by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, celebrates juniors and seniors who have demonstrated resilience and determination in overcoming academic and personal challenges to make significant improvements and stay focused on their goals. Students were nominated by counselors, teachers, and principals at Sarasota County Schools’ seven district high schools, and seniors completed interviews with an Education Foundation committee. During the interviews, seniors selected as STRIVERS provided clear and compelling answers about how they are applying lessons learned after overcoming obstacles, and they demonstrated a drive, passion, and plan to complete their educational journey. Each senior STRIVER will receive a laptop and cash award of $1,000 to help them pursue education after high school. Junior STRIVERS will receive award certificates and gift cards. Participants in the streaming award celebration will include SCS Superintendent Brendan Asplen; Vigne; and high school principals Rachel Shelley (Booker), David Jones (Sarasota), Brandon Johnson (North Port), Steven Covert (Pine View), Eric Jackson (Venice), Erin del Castillo (Riverview), and Jack Turgeon (Suncoast Polytechnical).
Grammy Award-winning conductor JoAnne Falletta returns to Sarasota for this colorful program on Friday, February 26 at 8pm at the Neel Performing Arts Center, Saturday, February 26 at 8pm, and Sunday, February 27 at 2:30pm at the Van Wezel. Ravel originally composed his beloved Mother Goose Suite for the children of dear friends. The sounds of the Charleston, ragtime, and blues pervade Gershwin's unforgettable Piano Concerto. Pianist Aaron Diehl brings the work's infectious rhythms and melodies to life. The concert concludes with Rachmaninoff's technicolor Symphonic Dances, a vibrant work that ranks among his most thrilling compositions.
Maestro Thomas Wilkins conducts a captivating program of music born in and inspired by America on Thursday, March 10 at 8pm at the Neel Performing Arts Center, Friday, March 11 at 8pm, Saturday, March 12 at 8pm, and Sunday, March 13 at 2:30pm at the Van Wezel. The concert opens with James Beckel's symphonic showpiece Toccata for Orchestra. American violinist Simone Porter returns to Sarasota for her solo debut with Barber's passionate Concerto for Violin. The Concerto combines lyricism with virtuosic technical demands. The program concludes with Dvořák's love letter to America, his "New World" Symphony.
Maestro Bramwell Tovey leads a program of works by composers who fearlessly charted their own paths on Friday, April 1 at 8pm, Saturday, April 2 at 8pm, and Sunday, April 3 at 2:30pm at the Van Wezel. British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Ballade for Orchestra is alternately tender and highly dramatic. Violinist Angelo Xiang Yu stars in the cinematic Concerto for Violin by Korngold, the first composer of classical music who was also renowned for his career writing Hollywood film scores. The program concludes with the glorious Symphony No. 7 by classical music's most famous "bad boy," Beethoven.
Experience the excitement as the full orchestra returns to the stage this season on Saturday, October 2 at 7:30pm at the Sarasota Opera House. Kensho Watanabe leads a program beginning with Valerie Coleman's heroic Seven O'Clock Shout, a tribute to essential workers. Dominic Cheli will shine in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20, and Schumann's "Spring" Symphony will lend a perfect finale to this long-awaited reunion of orchestra and audience.
Sameer Patel leads a program of intimate favorites on Wednesday, December 22 at 7:30pm at the Sarasota Opera House. The pastel colors of Debussy's Petite Suite are followed by Respighi's entrancing Adoration of the Magi. Young violinist Geneva Lewis will perform Massenet's moving "Méditation" from Thaïs and the icy "Winter" concerto from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. Mozart's "Paris" Symphony, among the master's grandest works, is guaranteed to leave the listener rejuvenated.
Musical prodigies have always fascinated. Britten wrote his Sinfonietta No. 1 at age 18, dedicating the ingenious work to his teacher. Mozart's highly dramatic Symphony No. 25, composed at 17, shows extraordinary musical maturity. Teen cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing makes her Sarasota debut playing Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, proving that young people of rare talent are not just the stuff of legend and will take place on Saturday, May 14 at 7:30pm at the Sarasota Opera House.
Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller. This Grammy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated smash celebrates the music of the legendary songwriting duo who penned hit after hit for icons like Elvis Presley, Ben E. King, the Coasters, and the Drifters. The show's 40 show-stopping classics include "On Broadway," "Stand by Me," "Jailhouse Rock," "Hound Dog," "Love Potion No. 9," "Spanish Harlem," "Yakety Yak" and "Charlie Brown." This show will begin on April 21, 2021 at 2pm and 7:30pm and run through June 6, 2021.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 North Orange Avenue
Soprano Kendra Colton last appeared with Artist Series Concerts back in 1997, as part of the organization’s very first series. A graduate of Oberlin, Colton originally trained as a pianist and didn’t start studying voice until her second year there. Adept at a wide range of repertoire, Colton has developed a niche in oratorio and sacred works from Bach to Brahms, has given acclaimed performances of Handel and Mozart operas, and is recognized for her interpretation of contemporary chamber music and for championing of little-known works written in the last century. She has performed with the Boston, Cleveland and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras amongst many others. She currently teaches at the Oberlin College Conservatory. Joining her in this musical ‘homecoming’ and celebration on April 21, 2021 at 6pm of British and American song is the distinguished pianist and Colton’s Oberlin classmate and frequent collaborator, Kayo Iwama.
Plantation Golf & Country Club, 500 Rockley Boulevard, Venice
Emerging Broadway artist and local singing sensation Maria Wirries makes a return home for this special engagement with her longtime voice coach Alan Jay Corey on piano, performing a selection of favorite and familiar tunes from Broadway and Jazz. Maria has been charming area audiences with her wide-ranging voice and effervescent personality since she was just 11 years old. She last performed for Artist Series Concerts in 2017, alongside her colleagues from Penn State’s Musical Theatre program, in a production of “Hot n’ Cole.” Since then, Maria has graduated and almost immediately began touring with the Tony Award-winning show “Dear Evan Hansen.” In October 2020, she released her debut CD, “Just Keep Singing,” featuring Maria performing eight of her own compositions, reflecting her many influences that extend from Broadway to jazz, classical to country, and gospel to Americana. This event will occur on Wednesday, April 21 outdoors at Plantation Golf & Country Club, performance at 4pm and dinner at 5pm.
The Greater Sarasota-Manatee community is invited to attend to the first annual Sarasota Luxury Travel Forum on April 21, 2021 from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at Nathan Benderson Park's Finish Tower. The complimentary event, sponsored by Marc & Roz Bokoff of Cruise Planners, will showcase a selection of luxury travel companies in an Open House format. There also will be dedicated speaking times for the represented companies. Companies represented at the Travel Forum include Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Kensington Tours, Silversea, American Queen Steamboat Company, Ponant and Seabourn. The event is free to attend, but registration is requested at www.BookThatEscape.com/SRQLuxuryTravel. In addition to speaking with representatives from the companies listed, the Bokoffs will be available to discuss other travel options, from villa and yacht rentals, private jet vacations, escorted land trips, destination weddings and more. Guest will enjoy refreshments during the Forum and pre-registered guests will have a chance to win a travel gift basket. CDC safety guidelines will be followed during the event.
The exhibition features over a dozen projects that exemplify Abbott’s unique climate and site-based perspective on living in harmony with one’s environment and will run from November 8, 2020 through April 25. Using his Bayou Studio as the epicenter of Abbott’s creative inquiry, the exhibition shows how key concepts developed in the experimental atelier space find physical form in his built projects, whether commissioned or conceived with a prescribed program. Nature is at the heart of Carl Abbott’s creative practice. All of his gestures — however small or grand — exemplify Abbott’s committed ethic and aesthetics, his site-based perspective on living in harmony with one’s environment. While some belief systems posit a “man” v. “nature” sensibility, Abbott’s cosmology understands human beings to be of nature. He thus shapes space, physically and conceptually, to serve nature’s—our—needs, in terms of comfort and shelter, but most importantly, in terms of one’s enrichment and enhancement of life. This exhibition aims to elucidate the art of architecture, examining origin stories, early influences and how the visual environment shaped Abbott’s “ways of seeing”. We hope to bring alive the practice of architecture as an artistic pursuit, a humanistic discipline, and a way to reunite with nature. The exhibition arrays over three areas on the Museum Campus: La Musa Azul – a site-responsive meditation grove located in the Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza, Exant/Extinct – a spotlight exhibition in the historic portion of the Wendy G. Surkis & Peppi Elona Lobby, and The Bayou Studio – a mini-retrospective in the Claire H. Rusen Gallery.
We're happy to report that our popular program, Science Sprouts, for budding scientists ages 2-5 will be returning on January 10 from 10:30 to 11:30am on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. January 10 is "A Waddle of Penguins", January 24 is "All About Opposites", February 14 is "Wonderful Wetlands", February 28 is "Burrow Buddies", March 14 is "Prehistoric Pals", March 28 is "Manatee Mischief", April 11 is "Earth Sweet Home" and April 25 is "Beneficial Bees". Tots can bring their favorite grown-ups to explore and discover in the Mosaic Backyard Universe. Cost is $14 per child for members of the Discovery Society and $18 per child for all others. This includes one adult to accompany each child. Advance reservations are required.
Wild Kratts: Ocean Adventure - a new exhibit created by Minnesota Children's Museum and the creators of the top-rated PBS Kids TV series "Wild Kratts" - will open soon at Mote Aquarium. The exhibit focuses on building STEM-based skills for children ages 3 to 9. It will be at Mote from January 30 to June 6, 2021. Wild Kratts: Ocean Adventure transports visitors to the Wild Kratts world, immersing them in whole body explorations of ocean habitats. Using Wild Kratts technology and the powers of science and teamwork, children and their families will join the Wild Kratts team to solve problems, help marine animals, and foil the villains' nefarious plans.
The Pops Orchestra is proud to present a “High Five Pop Up Concert Series” featuring the String Quartet, Woodwind Quintet, and Brass Quintet from The Pops performing in various outdoor settings around the Suncoast region at 5:30pm. Conductor Robyn Bell will lead you through a 60-minute show full of laughs, stories, and, of course, wonderful light classical, Broadway, film, and other popular music performed by the chamber music groups. It’s just what your soul has been seeking. Due to Covid restrictions, you won’t actually be able to give anybody a “high five” See you at the safe show. You have three opportunities to catch the Pops Orchestra's Chamber Groups in concert: on Saturday, March 20 at 5:30pm at Marie Selby Gardens, on Sunday, April 11 at 5:30pm at Historic Spanish Point (and help Robyn celebrate her birthday on this date), and on Saturday, May 15 at 5:30pm at Nathan Benderson Park.
Frans Hals: Detecting a Decade will run Feb. 14, 2021 through May 16, 2021. The Ringling's portrait of Pieter Jacobsz. Olycan, by the Dutch Baroque master Frans Hals (1582/83 - 1666), is one of the museum's treasures. Renowned in his own day for his lively brushwork and uncanny ability to capture the vitality of his sitters, Hals continues to be a favorite among art lovers, collectors and artists alike. In this exhibition, organized by the Dallas Museum of Art, The Ringling's painting, which was executed about 1639, will be displayed side-by-side with a second portrait by Hals of Olycan (private collection), painted about 10 years earlier. Through close examination and comparison of these two portraits of the same person, the exhibition will shed light on Hals's revolutionary painting technique, and will explain how his work evolved over the decade of the 1630s. On March 18, at 10:30am, Dr. Sarah Cartwright, Ulla R. Searing Curator of Collections, will present a Virtual Gallery Conversation: Frans Hals: Detecting a Decade.
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