SRQ DAILY Jul 28, 2021
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"As a kindergarten teacher, I have made it my mission that children have books in my classroom which make my students feel seen, valued and inspired"
Kind Cotton, a local clothing company with a mission to redefine kindness, inspire others to do better, and encourage childhood literacy is continuing a local partnership with Black Lives Matter Manasota to promote reading and build literacy amongst children in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. Their initial kickoff included a December Book Drive in which they distributed over 1,000 books to local children. The partnership will also be installing free libraries in nine different locations throughout the area. The first library was recently unveiled on Saturday, July 24 at the Oneco Farmer’s Market (located at 5108 15th St. East Bradenton), where the two groups gave away hundreds of free books to the community.
“Through our literacy initiative, we strive to provide children and adults in Manatee and Sarasota Counties with free access to quality books rich in representation," says Black Lives Matter Manasota Alliance President Deedra Zee. "We believe each child and/or adult regardless of their skin color or class deserves to see themselves and be seen with the understanding that their very existence matters too."
Kind Cotton has now provided over 32,000 books to children across the country, with an emphasis on in-person literacy lessons at Alta Vista Elementary in Sarasota County pre-COVID. “As a kindergarten teacher, I have made it my mission that children have books in my classroom which make my students feel seen, valued and inspired," says Kind Cotton Co-Founder Kaitlin Johnstone.
Support by either dropping books off or sending donations. More information can be found here. 
All Faiths Food Bank received grants from the following organizations: Feeding America, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Siesta Key Kiwanis Foundation, Selby Foundation and Saint Boniface Episcopal Church. In support of the Campaign Against Summer Hunger. The annual effort aims to fill the ‘hunger gap’ for children when schools are closed during the summer months. The Campaign reaches more than 35,000 students and siblings in Sarasota and DeSoto counties through partnerships with other organizations and various summer programs, to provide access to food for as many children and families as possible.
CareerEdge, the workforce development initiative of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, will continue its workforce efforts thanks to a $125,000 grant from Gulf Coast Community Foundation. This grant award extends the 11-year-long partnership between CareerEdge and Gulf Coast, who was a founding investor in CareerEdge and continues to play an integral role in the region’s workforce development.
Published in the July magazine, In Conversation with Non Profit Leaders features a roundtable discussion among representatives from local non profit organizations. Below is an excerpt from the conversation in which Bill Sadlo of Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota & DeSoto Counties shares how his organization has embraced collaboration and partnerships.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMPLETELY NEW SERVICES THAT YOU’RE OFFERING, AS A RESULT OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE THAT WILL STICK?
We did forge some new things but what really happened was enhancing what we were already doing and enhancing partnerships. Philip Tavill mentioned before about the food distribution sites, we did that with Girls Inc. and Children First but it was with a standing partnership with All Faiths Food Bank. Now our partnership is strengthened by adding food pantries into our clubs so parents can come and pick up food when they pick up their children. Same thing with Sarasota County Schools. We’ve always had teachers in our clubs helping but now we’ve really been more intentional about that now with the pandemic and with the learning loss. We had six teachers over the two county area last summer, now we have 22 and six school social workers. We were shocked to see the numbers when our teachers did pre-tests and post-tests. 86% of our children in our program last summer made gains in reading and language arts. Zero slid behind, 14% stayed the same. That’s what we can do when we all come together like this.
This is an excerpt from the In Conversation with Non Profit Leaders published in the July 2021 edition of SRQ Magazine. Click here to see the full article.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) is pleased to present the eighth year of its annual Young Artist Program, through which Troupe members are able to showcase their talents with self-produced, one-person shows. The first Young Artist Program showcase of the 2021-2022 season, featuring 18-year-old student Astrid Victoria (known to WBTT audiences as Astrid McIntyre) is titled, “Love Language: An Evening with Astrid Victoria.” Two performances will take place Friday and Saturday, August 13 and 14 at 7:30pm
Pictured: Young artist Astrid Victoria will present two performances of her Young Artist Program showcase.
In conjunction with Sarasota’s Centennial Celebration, Marlane Wurzbach's bold and colorful acrylic cityscapes and landscapes will be shown at Art Uptown Gallery this October in an exhibit entitled “Building Sarasota’s Stories." The exhibit runs from Saturday, September 25 through Friday, October 29.
Manatee County leaders will break ground on the long-awaited Washington Park atop a former borrow pit on 88 acres in Palmetto next week. The park, being built in phases, is located at 3011 8th Ave. E., Palmetto.
Manatee County is now accepting applications for six open seats on the Children’s Services Advisory Board (CSAB). There is also one open seat on the CSAB for a one-year term that began in 2019 and will expire Sept. 30, 2022. Applications must be submitted by Friday, August 13 at 3pm.
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has been named among America’s best employers for women, a designation given to less than 1% of large companies nationwide. “Our longstanding vision has been to be the best place to be a patient, the best place to work and the best place to practice medicine, and we are honored to be recognized for achieving that level of excellence on several fronts,” Verinder said. “I am extremely proud to work with such a caring, compassionate team. Our extraordinary leaders and staff truly set us apart.”
Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, announced today the organization has welcomed James R. Monaghan as its new programs manager.
Lighthouse Vision Loss Education Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that educates and empowers those affected by vision loss in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, DeSoto and Highlands Counties is excited to announce the election of its CEO, Lisa J. Howard, CFRE as chair of the Florida Agencies Serving the Blind (FASB).
Bradenton sisters have struck golden brown with their crispy fried chicken stand, Barnyard Betty.
Click here to read the full article in SRQ's July/August 2021 edition.
Bringing FST’s 2021 Summer Mainstage Series to a close is Rounding Third by Richard Dresser, an Off-Broadway comedy exploring fatherhood, friendship, and what it means to truly win. Rounding Third follows Don and Michael, two Little League coaches who battle over everything from character-building to shoelaces to misfired pop-flies. Called “Stellar” and “Hilarious” by Variety, this heartwarming two-hander begins playing in FST’s Gompertz Theatre Wednesday, July 28 through August 29. Little League coaches Don and Michael couldn’t be more different—Don believes in winning at all costs, while Michael just wants the team to have fun. From their first tentative meeting until the championship game, these two coaches battle it out over everything from character-building to shoelaces to misfired pop-flies. This Off-Broadway comedy is a heartwarming story of runs and errors, exploring fatherhood, friendship, and what it means to truly win.
Participate in 60-minute Salsa dance lessons taught by DK Dance from July 1 through July 29 at 6:30pm. Then practice your new dance moves with 30 minutes of social dancing. This evening of Latin culture and lively dance will be great for students who participated in the Summer Latin Series and beginners alike. This is an outdoor event. Please wear workout clothes and sneakers. We also encourage participants to bring a water bottle. Museum admission is not included. About the Instructors: DK Dance Creations is a Latin dance studio located in Sarasota, FL. Offering Latin dance classes, choreography services for wedding/quince/sweet-sixteens, private instruction, dance teams, dance shoe store and makeup classes. They provide an array of classes including but not limited to Bachata, Salsa On1, Salsa On2, Cha-cha, Kizomba, musicality, spinning techniques, tricks and lifts and many more. Individual Class is $15 for nonmembers, $14 for members, and $10 for students. Purchase the complete 5-class series and save, $50 or $45 for members.
This year, The Sarasota Ballet has returned to an entirely in-person format for their sold-out, five-week Summer Intensive program, which started June 28th and culminates in four performances at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. Fully booked, this represents the largest Summer Intensive participation on record at The Sarasota Ballet with over 120 students in attendance. The InMotion performances, which open July 29th and close July 31st, will feature extracts from beloved classical excerpts, as well as new works created specially for the students, including a world premiere by Resident Choreographer Ricardo Graziano. Tickets are available in two pricing tiers, $35 and $25, and are on sale now. Children's tickets are available through the Box Office for $10. Socially distanced seating is accessible in the Mezzanine and Balcony sections of the theater, and patrons who are not yet fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be required to wear masks throughout these performances. For additional information, audience members can contact The Sarasota Ballet Box Office at 941-359-0099.
The Sarasota Ballet Summer Intensive , 5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
When people think of the Apollo program, they tend to remember Apollo 11 (the first moon landing) and Apollo 13 (the successful failure), but Apollo 15 was an extremely important mission as well. Mission commander David Scott and lunar module pilot Jim Irwin became the first humans to drive a vehicle on another world — the 460-pound Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV)! Scott and Irwin traveled 17.5 miles (compared to Apollo 14’s previous record of 2.1 miles) and Scott and Irwin set a record for most time on the lunar surface during extravehicular activities: 18 hours and 37 minutes. Have you ever imagined what it was like to drive a rover on the Moon’s surface? You can experience one of humanity's greatest achievements in The Planetarium during 15: Mission of Discovery, a new show created exclusively by The Bishop to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 15 moon landing! Playing July 20-August 31 only at The Bishop! Tuesday-Friday: 12:15 and 2:45pm Saturday: 12:15 and 2:45pm Sunday: 12:30 and 2:30pm
The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature , 201 10th Street West., Bradenton
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) is pleased to present the eighth year of its annual Young Artist Program, through which Troupe members are able to showcase their talents with self-produced, one-person shows. The first Young Artist Program showcase of the 2021-2022 season, featuring 18-year-old student Astrid Victoria (known to WBTT audiences as Astrid McIntyre) is titled, “Love Language: An Evening with Astrid Victoria.” Two performances will take place Friday and Saturday, August 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m.
In "Love Language," which she describes as “a celebration of inspiration and retrospection,” Victoria will share her great love for music through a selection of songs that she describes as integral to her development as an artist. She will also showcase the ways in which her favorite creators have influenced her own songwriting, with a small collection of original songs.
Backing Victoria will be singers Michael Mendez and Canela Vasquez; the band will be James “Jay” Dodge II, bass, Matthew McKinnon, keyboards, Brad Foutch, guitar, and Mike Andrews, drums.
Young Artist Program showcases take place at the WBTT theater, located at 1012 N. Orange Ave. in Sarasota. Audience capacity will be capped at 50% and masks are required to protect patron and performer health and safety. Tickets are $25 general admission; sponsor tickets, which include reserved preferred seating and playbill recognition, are $100 (ticket fees are added at the time of purchase). Call the Box Office at 941-366-1505 or purchase tickets online at westcoastblacktheatre.org.
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe , 1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota
Florida State University usually sese over 1000+ students in attendance who are seeking part-time employment within the Tallahassee region or wanting a virtual job. 10 am – 2 pm EST. Online via Symplicity Virtual Fairs in NoleNetwork $50 registration fee. Virtual Event.
Florida State University
A solo exhibition of abstract figurative paintings by William Swanson Inspired by the beauty of the coral reef will be open June 26-July 30. His passion for the beauty and mystery of the coral reef has led Bill Swanson to attempt to bring attention to its endangered ecosystem through his paintings. William started scuba diving in 1985 with a trip to Roatan, Honduras. It was not until 1998 that Swanson began studying painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. His love of diving has remained, but due to the strenuousness of this sport, he limits his exploration to snorkeling to catch the beauty of underwater life. Memories of the beauty he saw while scuba diving and his continued concern for the underwater environment have been a constant theme in his large paintings. His works are featured in the window and inside the gallery during this solo exhibition. Swanson will be in the gallery for our MEET THE ARTIST event on two consecutive Saturdays, June 26 and July 3 from 10am to 3pm. 1367 Main St., Sarasota
Art Uptown Gallery
With three voices singing incredible songs like “Feeling Good,” “Moondance,” “Come Fly With Me,” “Home,” “Everything,” “Save the Last Dance for Me,” and many more, Shades of Bublé: A Three-Man Tribute to Michael Bublé brings the swinging standards and pop hits of Bublé to the stage in an unforgettable high-energy concert event. Shades of Bublé, created by Melissa Giattino and Ron DeStefano and produced by Drew Pournelle, will play beginning July 13 in FST's Goldstein Cabaret.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 North Palm Ave., Sarasota
The Circus Arts Conservatory and The Ringling are happy to partner once again to present the Summer Circus Spectacular at the Historic Asolo Theater. Don’t miss this family-friendly show that runs Friday, July 30, 2021 through Saturday, August 14! The Summer Circus Spectacular showcases some of the finest circus artists from around the world, performing acts to thrill audiences of all ages. The Summer Circus Spectacular takes place at the Historic Asolo Theatre at The Ringling (5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota). Show times are 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Opening Night Performance & Celebration, Friday, July 30 @ 7:00 PM
The Ringling Museum , 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota
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