SRQ DAILY Sep 29, 2021
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"The CROP Cares initiative is a way for us to directly support multiple organizations across Sarasota and Manatee county."
You wouldn't necessarily expect a local juice shop to be so philanthropic or even have a philanthropic arm implemented in order to give back, but the crew at CROP Juice Sarasota has been working with local partners through their 'CROP Cares' program to support various charitable organizations. "Pre-Covid, we had a bottle recycling program where we donated .25 cents to local 501c3 organizations for every crop bottle that could be reused. Since, we stopped taking bottle returns with Covid, we created a new philanthropic program, CROP Cares," shares Karen Odierna, owner of CROP. "The CROP Cares initiative is a way for us to directly support multiple organizations across Sarasota and Manatee county. It also gives us the opportunity to give back and support our local friends by raising awareness, educating and promoting these local organizations that are doing what they do best for the community."
Recently, CROP partnered with Sarasota Candle Company to create various scents and colors of soy-based candles in their recycled glass juice bottles. $5 from each sale of a CROP Cares candle is donated directly to the corresponding organization. Each candle represents a specific charitable organization and its cause that the CROP crew has personally selected to be a part of the 2021 initiative.
The Zen candle is berry and pine-scented and represents mental health awareness. For this particular scent, CROP has united with Operation Warrior Resolution, whose mission is to provide Rapid Resolution Therapy, among other holistic treatments to military service members and their families. The Green Cropito candle is pineapple and mint-scented and represents animal awareness. CROP is working with Satchel’s Last Resort, a local animal shelter/sanctuary that rescues, rehabs and rehomes dogs and cats who have nowhere else to go due to certain existing conditions. Additionally, the Afterburn candle is citrus-scented and stands for community outreach through Project Pride SRQ, whose goal is to bring together, provide support and raise awareness for members of the local LGBTQ community. Meanwhile, the Deep Blue C candle is coconut and pineapple-scented and represents ocean conservation. For this, CROP joined Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, whose dedication is to the conservation of our oceans through research and education. And lastly, the Lifesaver candle is sweet and fruity scented to represent all-around cancer awareness. CROP linked up with Sarasota's Team Tony Cancer Foundation, whose mission is to provide peer-to-peer support and resources to cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers.
"CROP Cares has been an amazing experience for our whole crew," says Odierna. "We are inspired and driven by the passion of the organizations we partner with and love to share each of their missions with our community."
CROP continues to actively look ahead and is always in search for more local partners and charitable organizations to work with for their 2022 initiative. If you would like to nominate an organization that could benefit from the CROP Cares Program, reach out to connect @cropjuice.com. 
Photo courtesy of CROP Cares Program
Shop the candles here or for more information on each specific charitable organization
The 90s. A time of MTV music video marathons, video game arcades and Saturday morning cartoons. A time where you stuffed your face with as much greasy pizza, candy and other junk food with reckless abandon.
Kookies & Kream Sarasota, owned and operated by Sarasota native Eric Koenreich, helps to bring back that 90’s nostalgia, one cookie at a time. What started with intentions of becoming an ice cream shop, much like an average turtle coming into contact with a certain alien goo, transformed into something much more exciting. Namely, a pretty sweet dessert shop, serving up huge, half-pound cookies that are guaranteed to give millennials a blast from the past with flavors inspired by Cosmic Brownies, Dunkaroos and Captain Crunch.
And it’s not just the dessert flavorings that will bring you back. With decor inspired by Koenreich’s favorite boyhood hangouts, stepping through the front door of Kookies & Kream may leave you feeling like you’ve just been transported back 20-some years to your dream bedroom.
So, if you’re in the mood for a hefty dose of 90s nostalgia, pick up a few cookies from Kookies and Kream and pop in your favorite VHS—if that’s even still possible—and let yourself drift to a simpler time when you knew nothing of bills and your biggest problem was wondering how you would invite your crush to your pizza party.
Pictured: the PB Oreo Brookie Bar, courtesy of the shop
Kookies and Kream Sarasota, 39 S Beneva Rd., Sarasota, @kookiesandkreamsarasota
PGT Innovations recently hosted a drive-thru hurricane relief supplies distribution event on-site at the future NewSouth Window factory showroom in Metairie, Louisiana. NewSouth Window Solutions is part of the PGT Innovations family of brands and the Metairie factory showroom was approximately 10 percent complete when Hurricane Ida hit LA as a Category 4 storm. on August 29, 2021. Seven team members drove over 660 miles from the NewSouth Window Solutions manufacturing location in Tampa, Fla. The team, along with two team members from the NewSouth Window factory showroom, four PGT Innovations sales representatives from North Florida, and several local volunteers, distributed two tractor-trailers full of provisions to those affected by Hurricane Ida, including over 38,000 bottles of bottled water, 800 gallons of Gatorade, 500 tarps, nails, first aid kits, flashlights and batteries.
The four-hour event attracted more than 1,000 families. To ensure the personal health and wellness of team members and event participants, recipients were instructed to stay in their cars and drive through the line to receive supplies. “Our goal is that the support and supplies we provide after any devastating storm will help residents know that they are not in this alone,” said Jeff Jackson, President and CEO of PGT Innovations. “There are companies and organizations that will be there to help them rebuild their homes, their communities and their lives.”
Photo courtesy of PGT
The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County (DOH-Sarasota) has been selected by the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) as a grantee for the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) Road Map Strategists. The grant will allow DOH-Sarasota to enhance its capacity to address cognitive health and dementia for residents and caregivers in Sarasota County. DOH-Sarasota has designated a HBI Road Map Strategist, a public health official working in support and coordination with public health partners across the community. The Road Map Strategist will conduct a public health needs assessment, train local health officials and key community partners, and lead implementation of public health action on dementia. People living with dementia and their family caregivers require support as cognitive, behavioral and physical functioning worsens over time. A strategic public health response is needed to mitigate this impact on all communities, and the addition of the HBI Strategist will help to improve Sarasota County’s response. About 37% of Sarasota County residents are 65 years and older with an average life expectancy of 81.4 years. Probable Alzheimer’s cases affect 13.9% of this age group. This means that about 21,680 residents in Sarasota County are likely directly impacted by Alzheimer’s. With the HBI Road Map Strategist, the hope is to enhance the community’s ability to positively impact the lives of those living with dementia and their caregivers and to be a model for other communities in the State.
CenterPlace Health announced their first employee recognition award for staff professional development. The award is a professional development grant for employee, Ashley Rosario. Staff members are nominated annually, and the award is given in September of each year. The award was created in honor of previous Board Chair, Christine Sensenig.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center, CenterPlace Health is committed to addressing the whole patient through primary care, dental care, and integrated behavioral health services at six locations throughout Sarasota County. Learn more at CenterPlaceHealth.org.
If you love boats, have salt water flowing through your veins, or if you are dreaming about deals on fishing gear, marine equipment, or other maritime flotsam and jetsam, then the Cortez Nautical Flea Market is for you. This free family-friendly event will be held on Saturday, October 23, 2021, from 8 am to 12 pm, outdoors at the Florida Maritime Museum. The Cortez Nautical Flea Market will also include a nautical-themed arts and crafts sale at the Cortez Cultural Center. Parking will be available at the F.I.S.H. Preserve located on Cortez Road next to the Cortez Cultural Center, directly east of the Florida Maritime Museum. The Florida Maritime Museum is located at 4415 119th Street West in the historic fishing village of Cortez. The museum will be closed on Saturday, October 23, with all Nautical Flea Market activities held outside on the grounds. Serving the public since 2007, the museum’s mission is to collect, preserve and share traditional knowledge, cultural artifacts and personal stories specific to Florida's fishing and maritime heritage. The Florida Maritime Museum is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller's Historical Resources Department, with additional support from the Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum. Situated on the Cortez Nature Preserve, FMM grounds were purchased with funds from the Florida Communities Trust Preservation 2000 Program and the Manatee County Board of County Commission.
State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) is proud to announce the opening of 26 West Center. Located at SCF Bradenton, the world-class, 40,000-square-foot building is home to a suite of innovative services dedicated to making entrepreneurship, small business growth and careers in technology accessible to students and residents of the Suncoast region. “26 West Center is the intersection between our campus and the community,” said Kim Richmond, director, 26 West Entrepreneurship Center. “We offer entrepreneurs and small business owners resources to start and grow their businesses – from office space and training, to access to a network of mentors, investors and other entrepreneurs. This will be a catalyst for innovation and economic growth in the entire region.” An open house at SCF Bradenton, 26 West Center, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton, Building 8, will take place on Wednesday, September 29, from 4-6 pm. The public is invited to learn about everything 26 West Center has to offer. Attendees can tour the building, meet 26 West Center staff and network with other attendees.
For more information or to schedule a private tour, click here
Fall in love all over again with the music of the ‘50s and ‘60s! Honoring the dynamic harmony groups of the mid-20th century—from The Four Seasons and The Platters to The Beatles and beyond, The Wanderers will transport you to simpler times with their tight harmonies, smooth moves, and, of course, matching jackets. Featuring such timeless hits as “At the Hop,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” and “With A Little Help From My Friends.” The Wanderers, by Richard Hopkins and Rebecca Hopkins with musical arrangements by Jim Prosser, will play beginning September 29, 2021 through February 6, 2022 in FST's Court Cabaret.
The US Dragon Boat Federation holds CCNC biennially at locations around the United States. This event will be the sole American qualifier for the 2022 International Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew World Championships, also taking place at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir. The Opening Ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 30 at 6pm. October 1 through 3, will showcase competitive dragon boat racing. The awards and farewell party will take place in the afternoon on Sunday, October 3. In event experiences include food vendors, a merchandise tent, and a beer garden.
This year marks the 9th annual Chick-fil-A Fall Stampede benefitting the Children’s Cancer Center. The event is held every September, Childhood Cancer Awareness month. We challenge you to virtually walk or run with your herd for the Children’s Cancer Center. Run/Walk: We challenge you to set a mileage goal to complete by the end of September. All participants will be entered in a chance drawing where 30 people will win FREE Chick-fil-A for a MONTH; 1 Mile, 5 Miles, 10 Miles, 25 Miles, 50 Miles, and 100 Miles. Raise: Create a fundraising page and raise funds throughout the challenge for the immediate needs of children battling pediatric cancer. The top 10 fundraisers will receive FREE Chick-fil-A for a MONTH. Packet Pickup: Drive by our COVID-19 compliant Packet Pick Up Party on Monday, August 31 from 8am to 10am or 6pm to 8pm where all participants will receive a t-shirt, swag bag and a Chick-fil-A sandwich. Tampa: Children’s Cancer Center (4901 W. Cypress St. Tampa) or Sarasota: Fruitville Chick-fil-A (5384 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota). Free Chick-fil-A for a Month consists of 30 promotional cards redeemable for a free Chick-fil-A entrée (Chick-fil-A Sandwich, Original or Spicy, Chick- fil-A Nuggets, Original or Grilled (8-count) or a Grilled Chicken Sandwich). Valid during lunch and dinner hours only.
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.
The Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab’s STEAM Saturdays classes are back by popular demand. 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. All students are invited to spend their Saturday at the Fab Lab. 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 https://suncoastscience.org/steam-saturdays.
Sarasota, located along Florida's Gulf of Mexico, is well known for its white sandy beaches and beautiful architecture. This popular craft festival has garnered crowds of fine craft lovers each year and will take place on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021 from 10am to 5pm and Sunday, October 3rd, 2021 at 1 Central Avenue. A variety of jewelry, pottery, ceramics, photography, painting, clothing and much more. An expansive green market with plants, orchids, exotic flora, handmade soaps, gourmet spices and freshly popped kettle corn further compliments the weekend. Please be mindful and follow CDC guidelines.
The Skyway 2020 exhibition, now in its second iteration, is a celebration of artistic practices in the Tampa Bay region, as it is a collaboration between four institutions: the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; the Tampa Museum of Art; and the University of South Florida Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa. Working together, curators from each institution will offer context for the diversity of art being made in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties. Artworks and projects in the exhibition will be selected by museum curators and the guest juror, Claire Tancons, an independent curator and scholar whose practice takes a global focus on the conditions of cultural production. Tancons has curated biennials around the world, including Prospect.1, New Orleans; the 2008 Gwangju Biennial; and the 2019 Sharjah Biennial. This exhibit will begin on June 20, 2021 and will end on October 3, 2021. Runs from 10am to 5pm.
The Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road
The Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative (SBAC), a nonprofit organization that uses the unifying power of the arts to nurture inclusion and diversity across the regional arts and cultural landscape presents “The Black Experience in the Arts in Higher Education,” as part of its four-part Arts & Racial Justice/Discovery Series, Monday, October 4, 5:30-7pm, at Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave. The moderator for the event is Dr. Denise Davis-Cotton, director, Florida Center for PAInT, USF. Panelists are: Dr. Karen A. Holbrook, regional chancellor, USF, Sarasota-Manatee; Dr. Patricia Okker, president, New College of Florida; Dr. Carol Probstfeld, president, State College of Florida; and Dr. Larry Thompson, president, Ringling College of Art and Design. The event also features faculty and students from area higher education institutions. This event is a fundraiser for SBAC’s programs and is limited to 100 guests. Masks are required to be worn at the event. Tickets are $100 per person and are not available for purchase until September 1. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit www.suncoastblackartscollaborative.org. The Arts & Racial Justice/Discovery Series is sponsored by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and is a collaboration with Florida Studio Theatre’s Diversity Forum Series.
The City of Sarasota will host three community meetings to welcome input on infrastructure projects for the continuation of the countywide Penny Sales Tax. Residents are invited to suggest infrastructure projects during the following public listening sessions: Wednesday, Sept. 15 6pm– 7:30pm at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St., Thursday, Sept. 16, 6pm – 7:30pm at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex, 2650 Waldemere St., and Wednesday, Oct. 6 6pm – 7:30pm at City Hall Annex – SRQ Media Studio, 1565 First St. Input also can be provided online at www.SarasotaCountySurtax.net. The Sarasota County Penny Sales Tax, also known as the sales surtax, surtax, or one cent tax, is a countywide voter approved one percent sales tax used to invest in local infrastructure improvements, including parks, libraries, schools, sidewalks, police vehicles, street resurfacing and mobility upgrades. Sarasota County voters approved the Penny Sales Tax in 1989 and again in 1997 and 2007. The current surtax expires at the end of 2024. Voters throughout Sarasota County will have an opportunity in November 2022 to continue the Penny Sales Tax for another 15 years to fund local infrastructure projects.
Author Luncheon presents acclaimed author and journalist Mary Walton. She will share the historic account of one of our nation’s leading suffragettes, as featured in her book, A Woman’s Crusade: Alice Paul and the Battle for the Ballot. Where HIStory meets HERstory will celebrate the perseverance and self-sacrifice of Alice Paul that resulted in the unalienable right for all women, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Registration is open for the in-person fundraiser that takes place on October 6, 2021 at 11:15am. Very limited seating. Masks strongly encouraged per CDC guidance. Tickets begin at $45 and they can be purchased at https://libraryfriendsemlwr.org/events. Sponsorships available. Mary Walton is a retired journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer for 22 years, where she wrote scores of articles as a staff writer for the Sunday Inquirer magazine. She has also written for the New York Times, Washingtonian, the Washington Monthly, the American Journalism Review, and PBS. She is a graduate of Harvard University.
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