Jewish Family and Children’s Service of the Suncoast’s (JFCS of the Suncoast) Stand Down event for homeless veterans returns to the Sarasota Fair Grounds on Saturday, June 26 from 8am to 12pm. The 2020 event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, however in previous years, the Stand Down event has attracted over 100 local homeless veterans to the event. Over 25 community organizations partner with JFCS of the Suncoast to provide direct services such as physical exams, haircuts, Veteran Affairs benefit reviews and amnesty court. The following organizations have already confirmed for this year’s event: All Faiths Food Bank, Operation ECO Vets, American Red Cross, Suncoast Continuum of Care, Sarasota County Government, CareerSource Suncoast, Goodwill Manasota, Legal Aid of Manasota, City of Sarasota, Sarasota Police Department, Turning Points, the Salvation Army, Coastal Behavioral Healthcare, Florida Department of Veteran Affairs, Florida Veterans for Common Sense, Sport Clips, VA Partners, Sarasota Veterans Commission, Vet Court, Harvest House, LECOM Military Dental , The Street Dog Coalition/Bay Road animal Hospital, First Step of Sarasota and Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness. Registration is free for homeless veterans on the day of the event. Veterans may pre-registration for amnesty court. JFCS is asking the Manasota community to support this event by volunteering or by donating items that will benefit homeless veterans. Donations are being accepted at the JFCS administrative office located at 2688 Fruitville Rd. To arrange for a donation pick-up, contact Lynne Spencer at 949-295-8982.

Pack your bags. This summer, FST is taking the whole family on a one-of-a-kind musical road trip in On The Road Again, an all-new live performance. Featuring songs like “Country Roads,” “Surfin’ USA,” and “Deep in the Heart of Texas, we’ll celebrate all that makes this country special from sea to shining sea. Join us for an outdoor concert in this summer touring performance as we hit the road with music that has defined the U.S for generations. June: Tuesday, 6/29 at 10am - Fruitville Library and Wednesday, 6/20 at 10am - Gulf Gate Library. July: Thursday, July 1 at 10am - William H. Jervey Jr. Public Library, Saturday, July 3 at 10am - North Port Public Library, Friday, July 9 at 10am - Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Public Library, Saturday, July 10 at 7:30pm - Elsie Quirk Library, Sunday, July 11 at 7pm - Nathan Benderson Park, Saturday, July 17 at 10am - Selby Library, Sunday, July 18 at 7pm - Phillipi Estate Park, and Saturday, July 24 at 10am - Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library. August: Tuesday, August 3 at 10am - William H. Jervey Jr. Venice Public Library.

La Scala di seta (The Silken Ladder) by Gioachino Rossini with words by Giuseppe Maria Foppa. This spirited one act comedy, which will run from October 29 through November 13, begins with a well-known overture, and goes on to spin a seductive story of a secret husband and would-be lovers who scale a silken ladder into and out of a lady’s room.

Tosca by Giacomo Puccini with poetry by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Set in Rome, a diva’s jealousy plays into the hands of the lecherous chief of police, Baron Scarpia. An escaped political prisoner seeks the help of his friend, the painter Mario Cavaradossi, the lover of the famous diva Floria Tosca. In an attempt to recapture the fugitive, Scarpia plants a seed of suspicion in Tosca and sets a dreadful trap. Tosca will run from February 12 through March 19, 2022.

The Daughter of the Regiment (La fille du regiment) by Gaetano Donizetti with poetry by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard. Love for Marie, a girl raised by a French regiment, will lead the young Tonio to unexpected lengths in this colorful comedy set in the Tyrol during the Napoleonic Wars. The Daughter of the Regiment will run from February 19 until March 18, 2022.

The Pearl Fishers (Les pêcheurs de perles) by Georges Bizet with words by Eugéne Cormon and Michel Carré. Set in legendary Ceylon, longtime friends Nadir and Zurga are reunited. Their friendship had faltered when they shared the same forbidden love for the priestess Leila - a love they swore to renounce. The Pearl Fishers will run from March 5 until March 19, 2022.

Attila by Giuseppe Verdi with words by Temistocle Solera. Attila the Hun has conquered most of Western Europe and is about to take Rome itself, but is brought to his knees by his love for a female warrior, Odabella. Attila will run from March 12 until March 22, 2022.

New College creative writing professor Dr. Emily Carr presents a Zoom writing workshop: Saying the Unsayable: Innovative Storytelling in Jenny Offill’s “Dept. of Speculation” & Other Contemporary Works by Women. This six-part workshop series is offered on Wednesdays, June 9-July 14, 3:30pm to 5pm: June 9, June 16, June 23, June 30, July 7, and July 14. This workshop is open to writers in all genres, as well as those who do not yet identify as writers but want to learn more about the art of storytelling. A fee of $105 is required for participation. This includes a copy of The Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill, and all six Zoom sessions. The cost is $110.50 to have the book shipped. Storytelling projects will arise through the reading of The Dept. of Speculation. Reading and conversation will lead to writing; most of the time will be devoted to creation, generation, recreation, transcendence, experimentation, and other process-oriented exploration. Participants will leave with their own inspiration for storytelling projects, and writerly tips and tricks to translate ideas into stories, poems, essays, and more. More event info at  https://www.sarasotabooks.com/events or 941-365-7900.

On Wednesday, June 9 at 2pm The Poetry Zoom Book Club led by Doug Knowlton. This month we are discussing Obit by Victoria Chang. A fee of $23 is required for participation. This includes a copy of Obit o to be picked up at Bookstore1 and the book club meeting. The fee is $28.50 to have the book shipped. After her mother died, poet Victoria Chang refused to write elegies. Rather, she distilled her grief during a feverish two weeks by writing scores of poetic obituaries for all she lost in the world. In Obit, These poems reinvent the form of newspaper obituary to both name what has died, and the cultural impact of death on the living. Whereas elegy attempts to immortalize the dead, an obituary expresses loss, and the love for the dead becomes a conduit for self-expression. In this unflinching and lyrical book, Chang meets her grief and creates a powerful testament for the living. Ticket purchase required for Zoom link. More event info at https://www.sarasotabooks.com/bookclubs or 941-365-7900.

Join us on Wednesday, June 9 from 11:45am to 1pm for an in-person Power Hour Lunch at the Meadows Country Club. View map here. Hungry for new business? Leverage your lunch with the power of business connections and referrals at our in-person Power Hour Lunch. Each attendee has the opportunity to introduce themselves and give a short “elevator speech” about their business. Attendees will be socially distanced at each table. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available. Pre-registration is required. Let's network and have lunch together. Member registration is $24 and nonmember registration is $39.

Life on the Circle only gets better when days are bathed in the summer sun. Enjoy a breath of fresh air and immerse yourself in the perfect setting for adventure and fun. Join us for the “Sol of the Circle,” a series of special events for the entire family. Breathe: An Outdoor Yoga Series will take place every second Wednesday from 6pm to 7pm. Dates are June 9, July 14, August 11, and September 8.

Join us for this FREE Headliners event on Wednesday, June 9 from 12pm to 1pm via Zoom. Presented by Christina Russi, Community Fiscal Agent and Liaison at The Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, you’ll learn how to make helpful connections for your organization’s employees, your neighbors, and yourself through 2-1-1. 2-1-1 provides real time, confidential assistance to hundreds of people across Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties every day. These individuals find help for financial assistance, health programs, crisis support, and more. This free service is available by phone, email, chat or text. Reaching out will get you or your employees connected to a multilingual specialist in our area who can put you in touch with local organizations providing critical services to improve and save lives.