Join in on the first-ever ‘Ride Together. Rise Together.’ community run/bike ride fundraiser on Saturday, October 16, 2021. Founder of the GTFO hat company and Adventure For All nonprofit Chase Pettey as well as owner of Rise & Nye’s Ice Cream Beaver Shriver will lead a public pedal on the Rise and Nye’s mobile tricycle all around Sarasota at select checkpoints to spread the power of inclusion. Starting at 9:00am, ending around 1:00pm, the event will be followed by a block party at 4:00pm on Downtown Sarasota’s State Street—including live music, raffles, giveaways, good food, and, of course, Rise & Nye’s ice cream. 

“Personal growth consists of activities that develop a person's capabilities and potential, build on their strengths, facilitate employability, enhance their quality of life and the realization of dreams and aspirations,” says Pettey. “In the special ability community, those dreams and aspirations become hard to realize and obtain with so little opportunity at their disposal.”

The purpose of this event is to raise money for Adventure For All and Inclusion Revolution by bringing a giving community together to show the power of inclusion. With a fundraiser goal of $22,000, Adventure For All hopes to raise enough funds to sponsor two exceptional adventure athletes and their families for the GTFO training and life skills process along with a week-long adventure trip outdoors. In addition, Inclusion Revolution hopes to sponsor a key team member (an individual with an intellectual or developmental disability) for a year of employment at Rise & Nye’s, a coffee and ice cream shop whose main initiative is to hire people with intellectual and physical disabilities, which Pettey and Shriver like to instead refer to as “exceptionalities.” Rise & Nye’s gives them the opportunity to join a workforce with a supportive and inclusive environment.

“This event will represent the message of ‘Stronger Together,’” says Pettey. “Rise & Nye’s and GTFO believe in an inclusive future, and we believe Sarasota has the ability to be the most inclusive city in the nation.”

Tickets are limited to 250 participants and are now on sale. Purchase your ‘Ride Together. Rise Together.’ tickets, or donate, here. 

100% proceeds will be going to nonprofits Adventure For All (AFA)—a 501 (c)(3) that expands inclusive opportunities for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental exceptionalities through interactive adventure programs, and Inclusion Revolution—a 501 (c)(3) that provides secure, successful jobs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Photo courtesy of GTFO

Gulf Coast Community Foundation has awarded The Bay Park Conservancy a $300,000 grant to support the development of the first 10 acres of The Bay Park. “The plan for The Bay reflects our community’s bold vision of what’s possible on this precious stretch of bayfront,” said Mark Pritchett, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. "From the beginning, we have been confident that The Bay Park Conservancy can deliver what our community values most.” The funding will help transform land that is mostly a parking lot into a blue-and-green oasis that celebrates nature, promotes environmental sustainability, and provides accessibility for all. 

“The community's collective vision to transform the Sarasota bayfront into a world-class park, accessible to all, has been a driving personal inspiration for this project,” said Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast’s senior vice president for community investment. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to correct numerous environmental mistakes of the past, provide jobs, and offer future generations a sustainable asset that will benefit the community in perpetuity.

For more information or general inquiries about this initiative, visit thebaysarasota.org or call 941-203-5316. 

Imagery of the Mangrove Bayou Walkway and Phase 1 renderings, courtesy of The Bay

The Humane Society of Sarasota County (HSSC) has received a very generous gift from Sun N Fun RV Resort to be the program sponsor for the Pets for Vets Program for the next 12 months. This program gives our military veterans and their families the greatest "thank you" of all: the extraordinary love of a companion pet. HSSC believes in harnessing the healing powers of the human-animal bond to help veterans. Companion animals can reduce stress and anxiety levels, mitigate depression, ease social reintegration, provide comfort, and restore confidence in affected veterans.

"The Pets for Vets program waives the adoption fee for all active-duty and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces when they adopt a companion animal from HSSC," said Anna Gonce, executive director of HSSC. "We are extremely grateful for Sun N Fun Resort's kindness and compassion for our veterans and our community." Sun N Fun’s Sponsorship will cover around 100 adoptions for local service members in our community for the next 12 months.

“We are extremely excited for this new partnership and humbled by the ability to give back to the service men and women in our community. Together with HSSC, we hope to provide many of our local heroes with a new family member that could have a great impact on their lives. We hope that this opportunity will encourage those in need to look into adoption. We will be collecting donations from our guests at the resort on a day-to-day basis to support veterans with food, toys, and other supplies, even after adoption. Thank you to HSSC for providing us with this opportunity. We look forward to a successful Pets for Vets Program,” said Anthony Herzog of Sun N Fun RV Resort.

Veterans wishing to adopt can visit hssc.org/pets/pet-adoptions for a real-time list of adoptable dogs and cats. Service members simply need to show proof of military service at the time of adoption. 

Pictured: Brianna Bibb, Sheila Wilson, Anthony Herzog, Austin York.

The Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab’s STEAM Saturdays classes are back by popular demand. STEAM Saturdays classes are developed and led by volunteers from the lab’s Student Proposals & Education Committee (SPEC), an innovative leadership program that empowers high school students to pursue their passions while making STEAM learning fun and approachable for students of all ages. The weekly courses provide students from grades 1-12 with a unique opportunity to explore various science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) areas through engaging hands-on activities and the use of high-tech Fab Lab equipment such as laser cutters, vinyl cutters, 3D printers and more.

STEAM Saturdays run weekly from 10 am-1 pm beginning Saturday, October 2. Returning classes include Robotics, Engineering, Chemistry and Art Lab, while new courses like Coding & Artificial Intelligence, Electric Engineering, and Build Your Brand have been added. There are classes to suit every age and interest, from creating spooky pumpkin volcanoes in “Halloween Chemistry” to programming a robot to travel across a zipline in “Engineering” class. No experience is required. Classes are $40 and include all supplies and take-home projects. Limited spaces are available, and sessions sell out quickly. For the full schedule and more information, visit suncoastscience.org/steam-saturdays. 

A new curated list of coding bootcamps is being made available to the community as a free resource by PLANit Sarasota, a cross-sector group of education and youth services organizations and community partners focused on increasing the rate of area students who pursue a purposeful postsecondary pathway, particularly among those historically underrepresented in higher education. 

A primary goal is to increase the number of Sarasota County residents, 18 to 24, who obtain a high-value certificate, degree, or training experience. The three- to six-month courses offered by coding bootcamp providers are designed for students without previous coding experience as well as those who want to improve their skills. Providers included in the new resource guide focus on training full-stack software developers who combine both front-end and back-end development. “Video games and other applications have millions of lines of codes, and people who like writing those codes can earn good salaries even in entry-level jobs,” said Thomas Williams, PLANit Sarasota director. According to the providers, graduates of the online programs can earn starting salaries around $49K in the current market. The entry-level jobs also can be gateways to evolving, exciting careers that command salaries up to $121K with experience and demonstrated proficiency. While there are open jobs in the Sarasota-Manatee labor market, a person also could work remotely from home and be networked to an employer around the globe.  

In addition to the online coding bootcamps, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, a PLANit Sarasota partner, is offering three related classes this fall semester and plans to start software developer and cybersecurity bootcamps in January 2022. Links to the coding bootcamp providers, as well as helpful tips about paying for and choosing a training provider, are available at EdFoundationSRQ.org/planit-sarasota/online-coding-bootcamps. 

Florida Certified Master Builder (FCMB), an organization created to help consumers find trustworthy builders, has recognized Ryan Perrone, the owner and co-founder of the Sarasota-based luxury builder Nautilus Homes, as a Florida Certified Master Builder. Builders who are awarded this certification follow a higher standard than required for a State of Florida license. This designation is given to elite homebuilders, remodelers and commercial contractors who are dedicated to excellence in building and client satisfaction. Perrone is one of only 32 builders in Florida and three in Sarasota County to receive a Master Builder certification. Perrone says he feels “deeply honored” to receive this elite professional recognition. “I’m passionate about my work and thrilled to be included in this circle of top-level professionals. Nautilus Homes is dedicated to building expertise, long-term business stability, integrity, and exceptional customer service. This certification recognizes our commitment to those values — and it means so much to our team.”

For more information, visit Nautilus-Homes.com or call 941-366-3650. 

Photo courtesy of Nautilus Homes

Roscelyn Guenther, Director of Program Services for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, was selected for the Leadership Sarasota Class of 2022 by the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Roscelyn said, “Being a part of Leadership Sarasota is a phenomenal opportunity providing an additional avenue to impact our community and work alongside other amazing professionals.” Leadership Sarasota represents a diverse group of candidates including business leaders, professionals and academics, directors, and staff of community service organizations and civic associations, managers from government agencies, and community servants. Leadership Sarasota provides a way to further develop professionals and bring awareness to the inter-workings of the county. Roscelyn shared, “When advocacy is at an all-time high, this program allows professionals like myself to be empowered and create the support needed for our community.” 

Announcing the honorees of the 2021 Elite Top Attorneys in a special September 2021 Awards Section. Meet our honorees and explore their areas of expertise. 

Click here to see the digital edition.

Do you know a local philanthropic hero? SRQ Media invites the community to nominate individuals with hearts of giving who have made a significant impact with local nonprofit organizations — from volunteers and board members to individual staff members and donors. We will recognize our annual Good Hero Philanthropic Award recipients at the SB2: Philanthropic Agenda Luncheon and Good Hero Philanthropic Awards Luncheon on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota. Nominate your hero by September 17th!