SRQ DAILY Oct 4, 2021
Monday Business Edition
"How can we be in this position? It's very unfortunate the situation that this group is in."
Sarasota County’s Legislative Delegation at an annual local meeting threw unanimous support to the Safe Children Coalition and its efforts for greater state funding.
The nonprofit community care provider delivers welfare services including adoption and foster care, annually delivering services for 5,000 children and families in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties.
The organization operates with private donations as well as grants through the state. But CEO Brena Slater testified to lawmakers that this region suffers the lowest per capita funding for its work of any community-based care provider of similar services in the state. Meanwhile, the region faces the highest per capita need for the service and the highest caseload. That leads to a backload of cases, which if unaddressed can further grow need while financial resources wane.
Challenges for the organization have also been exacerbated, Slate said, by the COVID-19 pandemic that disproportionately affected families already facing serious health conditions, and a resulting closing of many court functions during the pandemic created bureaucratic hurdles to slow family placements and adoptions.
“How can we be in this position?” said Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota. “It’s very unfortunate the situation that this group is in.”
Gruters motioned for the delegation to draft and co-sign a letter to Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris to ask for a reevaluation and adjustment to community-based care model in the state. Lawmakers within the delegation agreed. He also said local lawmakers should reach out to other delegations representing the 12th Judicial Circuit, recruiting Manatee and DeSoto county lawmakers to get involved. That should be pretty simple as almost all Manatee’s lawmakers also serve on Sarasota’s delegation.
The Safe Children Coalition was among 34 non-government organizations awarded time to speak on the agenda, and the only one whose testimony prompted immediate endorsement by the legislative delegation. Gruters said he did not go into the meeting intending to request a letter be drafted, but was struck by Slater’s testimony. 
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall welcomes audiences back for an exciting 2021-2022 season! All single tickets are ON SALE NOW. Make sure to check out the lineup, especially the Sarasota premieres. Enjoy Broadway hits such as Come From Away and Beautiful – A Carol King Musical, and definitely don’t miss all the stars: Henry Connick, Jr., Audra McDonald, Martina McBride, Il Divo, Jay Leno, Kansas and many others! Visit www.VanWezel.org or call the box office at 941-263-6799 to purchase tickets or to learn more. Follow the Van Wezel on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to stay up to date with news and upcoming events.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Community Gallery is now accepting applications for the 2022 season. The gallery will present 3-4 different exhibitions between spring 2022 and winter 2023. Applications may be submitted until Dec. 31, 2021. The Ringling Community Gallery is a free public exhibition space dedicated to displaying works of art produced by community-based, nonprofit, or student groups in the local Sarasota/Manatee area. The Community Gallery, generously funded by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, is located on the ground floor of the Center for Asian Art. All interested groups must submit a brief application that outlines their proposed exhibition and provides background information about the group. An inter-departmental group of museum staff will review the applications and make selections. Due to the setup of the Gallery, only 2-D artworks can be easily displayed in the cases. The work should not be framed. DVD or video work cannot be displayed.
More information may be found at ringling.org/community-gallery or by emailing education@ringling.org.
The Florida Winefest & Auction is back this fall. Sandy Loevner, Florida Winefest Board of Directors Chairman is excited that, although the in-person events are not able to take place, an online auction will still be possible to help raise funds for multiple local children’s charities the event benefits. The online auction will take place October 10 - October 24 and will feature an array of items including exclusive, one-of-a-kind items such as vacations, unique collector’s items, wine packages, dinners with celebrity chefs, trips and resort experiences, exotic treasures, art, jewelry, and a few surprises including a chance to ride on a float in the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.
Register for the auction by October 7 to be automatically entered to win an exquisite and exclusive bottle of wine valued at $200. Since 1991, the Florida Winefest has awarded more than $8.9 million in grants to 87 charitable organizations serving disadvantage youth in Sarasota and Manatee County. This year will celebrate 30 years of giving. The Florida Winefest is hopeful that they will be able to host in-person events planned for April 22, 23, and 24, 2022. These events may include Pique Nique, Charity Luncheon and Auction, Banquet on the Bay, Wine on the Water. Save the date for those events and keep appraised at floridawinefest.org.
The Child Protection Center (CPC) has received a $150,000 matching opportunity through a collaboration of donors. The match is led by Roger Pettingell, Keith Monda & Veronica Brady, Pamela Hughes, and Gail & Skip Sack to combat the increased need for child abuse services due to the pandemic. “The positive impact of the Child Protection Center in our community is incalculable,” said Roger Pettingell of Coldwell Banker, the initiating contributor to the match. “It’s exciting for our customers and colleagues to know that for every dollar they give their donation is matched. When donations are matched and local leaders come together to raise money, the impact is compounded and it’s the community that sees the dividends.”
Child abuse reports can be made to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873.
Photo courtesy of Child Protection Center.
Second Heart Homes, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has received a $20,800 grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The grant will add new Volunteer Coordinator and Case Manager positions and support homelessness data collection requirements to help Second Heart Homes better serve its clients and the community. “We are grateful for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s generous grant,” said Megan Howell, founder and executive director of Second Heart Homes. “The new positions will enable us to expand our services to more homeless adults with mental health issues, including implementing our new program for women. In addition, the grant will help us track progress and outcomes to enhance the response across the continuum of care to assist those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.”
For information visit secondhearthomes.org.
Photo courtesy of Second Heart Homes.
Sarasota County Schools is proud to announce that 29 students have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school juniors entered the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. In September, high-scoring students were notified through their schools that they qualified as a Semifinalist. From the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation.
As Sarasota Memorial continues its transformation into a regional health system with multiple campuses and facilities, we are pleased to announce that two medical staff leaders are joining the administrative team. David Verinder, President & CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, said the enhanced medical leadership structure will ensure SMH maintains the highest standards across its expanding network of care. "The physicians’ extensive experience, clinical expertise and proven commitment to their patients, fellow physicians and staff members, combined with Dr. Fiorica’s ongoing leadership, will help ensure our health system continues to provide excellent patient experiences and outcomes as we grow to better serve our community.”
Love art but don’t know where to start? Learn the basics of watercolor with step-by-step instruction in mixing colors, creating a palette, beginner brush techniques, and much more. This class is perfect for aspiring artists who do not have any prior experience but have a passion for painting. Open to students of all ages. Introduction to Watercolor will take place on Mondays, from 10:30am to 2:30pm on October 4, 11, 18. Members are $160 and Non-members are $180. Class Size is 12 Students and the Instructor is Carolyn Merenda.
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.
Opening the season is “Eubie!” a toe-tapping revue of Eubie Blake songs that stormed Broadway in the 1970s and was nominated for three Tony Awards. Blake's infectious style is evoked in over 20 wonderful songs, including the classic "I'm Just Wild about Harry." With its sizzling score and energetic dance numbers, "Eubie!" is a crowd-pleasing salute to a Black Broadway pioneer. It's also one of the first shows staged by WBTT in its 22-year history – back by popular demand! Jim Weaver will direct. Runs from October 6 to November 21, 2021. Ticket sales are scheduled to begin in the late summer. Call the Box Office at 941-366-1505 or visit westcoastblacktheatre.org.
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.
Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers, hear about a new musical theatre festival, however, the deadline for submissions is a mere three weeks away. [TITLE OF SHOW] — taken from the space on the festival’s application form which asks for the [TITLE OF SHOW] — follows friends on their journey through the gauntlet of creative self-expression. In the span of 90 minutes, they write and perform their show at the festival and learn lessons about themselves as people, friends and artists. This show has strong adult language. Show dates are Oct. 6, 2021 – Preview 7:30pm, Oct. 7, 2021 – Opening Night 7:30pm, Oct. 8, 9, 12, 13, 2021 – 7:30pm, and Oct. 17, 2021 – 2pm. This show will be presented at ART CENTER SARASOTA. Single tickets $26.50 preview/ $29.50 single/ $14 student. Subscriptions are available now.
Among the most influential films of the postwar era, Roberto Rossellini’s Journey to Italy (Viaggio in Italia) charts the declining marriage of a couple from England (Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders) on a trip in the countryside near Naples. More than just the anatomy of a relationship, Rossellini’s masterpiece is a heartrending work of emotion and spirituality. Considered a predecessor to the existentialist works of Michelangelo Antonioni and hailed as a groundbreaking modernist work by the legendary film journal Cahiers du cinemá, Journey to Italy is a breathtaking cinematic benchmark. This On Screen will show on October 7 at 1pm at Historic Asolo Theater.
Raychel Ceciro brings the World Premiere of the 2019 Kilroys List Featured Play Make Thee an Ark to Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus through a John Ringling Towers Grant for the Performing Arts October 8, 9, 10 and 15, 16, 17. Taking place in Mary’s Chapel, Make Thee an Ark is a new site-specific play set 300 years in the future in a New Ark floating above an undersea Florida. Moored to an old oil rig, the New Ark harbors what may be the last vestiges of humanity after global warming has wreaked havoc on the planet. Two sisters tell stories of a Florida long forgotten while elsewhere on the ship, the Pastor, the leader of the New Ark, prepares his people for an oncoming storm. Combining storytelling with immersive performance, projection, and puppetry, Make Thee an Ark interprets the archived histories of Selby Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus from the perspective of a generation living in the flooded future. Following the final performance of Make Thee an Ark*, a site-specific performance at Selby Garden's Historic Spanish Point on Sunday, October 17th, is Ark Dialogues, a public panel and discussion focused on the play’s use of Sarasota history, and how it combines lived Sarasota experiences with a fictional narrative about Florida’s possible futures.
1917. Rope. Birdman. Victoria. Russian Ark. Lost in London. All these films tell their complete stories in one continuous, uninterrupted take. Or at least they give that illusion. The Sarasota-based Single-Take Challenge, however, is only for filmmakers attempting the "real thing". 2021 marks the 6th anniversary of the Challenge, to be held both online and live at a theater in Sarasota. The Challenge prides itself on finding professional filmmakers to act as judges. This year for example, Larry McConkey is on the panel. McConkey is best known for shooting the infamous "Copa scene" long take in the movie "Goodfellas." Filmmakers interested in creating and submitting their one-shot masterpieces have until August 15. The awards and screening ceremony will take place the weekend of October 8-10. For more information contact SingleTakeChallenge@gmail.com
Hop on board our haunted trolley tour for a spellbinding, interactive, narrated adventure! Hear stories about famous murders, visit spirited buildings, and explore unsolved crimes during this 90-minute, air-conditioned nighttime tour. Sit back and listen as our entertaining Ghost Hostess brings the rich history of Sarasota to life on this fun and spooky tour—be sure to keep an eye out for surprise guests along the way. Tour includes complimentary beer or wine at the Trolley Cottage Tiki Bar before boarding. Ages 12+; young people ages 12-20 may attend if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Tours with fewer than 10 guests will travel in our comfortably air-conditioned high-top van. Tour tickets are $39.99 and includes FREE Parking. This tour departs from 1826 4th Street and happens year-round.
This biography chronicles the life of infamous classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven (Gary Oldman) and his painful struggle with hearing loss. Following Beethoven's death in 1827, his assistant, Schindler (Jeroen Krabbé), searches for an elusive woman referred to in the composer's love letters as "immortal beloved." As Schindler solves the mystery, a series of flashbacks reveals Beethoven's transformation from passionate young man to troubled musical genius. Gary Oldman stars in this tale of a man of genius, a woman of passion and the mystery of a lifetime. The untold story of Ludwig van Beethoven. This On Screen will show on October 8 at 6:30pm at Historic Asolo Theater.
Bring your Coffee, Tea or Hot Cider and join Arts A Blaze Studio at 8111 Lakewood Main St. #107, Bradenton on Saturday Mornings throughout September and October at 10am. Free Donuts for every Painting Customer while they last.
Have a ball with FST’s all-new adaptation of Cinderella! This magical production brings the classic fairy tale to life with a contemporary twist. Enjoy the story you love with even more added fun, including a soundtrack of contemporary pop hits, audience interaction, slapstick humor, and more. Will Cinderella be able to escape her cruel stepmother and stepsisters and finally get her happily ever after with Prince Charming? Find out in this music-filled re-imagining of the timeless tale. Cinderella by Sarah Durham will play Saturdays and select Sundays from October 9, 2021 - October 30, 2021 in FST's Keating Theatre. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale and can be purchased by clicking the buttons above or by calling the FST Box Office at 941.366.9000.
On Friday, October 22 we’re asking our members, business partners, and guests to share in our commitment to supporting the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” Walk by joining us for the 2021 Fashion Show. This is the 27th show our network has staged, and after the lights were dimmed in 2020, we are back and better than ever with a show like no other. Women’s Council presents our Models of Courage: Sarasota’s Hometown Heroes. Doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, teachers, and first responders – we rely so much upon them and celebrate their pledge to our community. This year’s event will be held at the Art Ovation Hotel, and would not be possible without the generous support of our business partners. Berlin | Patten | Ebling, PLLC is our 2021 Diamond Sponsor, with Media Sponsorship by SRQ Magazine. Tickets are on sale now on Eventbrite and are expected to sell out quickly. Seating is limited, so reserve your seat or table and lock in your low price of $95; after October 1, tickets are $105. Guest tables of 12, and VIP Tickets are also available. Please e-mail us at sarasotawcr@gmail.com to join our Fashion Show Committee, or for additional information on this epic event. 2021 Fashion Show: The New Roaring 20s. A portion of the proceeds benefit "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer." Seated luncheon by Art Ovation. Men's and Women's Fashions by Jackie Z. Models of Courage: Sarasota’s First Responders. LIVE Music & Entertainment. LIVE Auction. “The Bee’s Knees” LOTTO Tree Raffle. Spiffy, Swell & Swanky: Our Online Silent Auction. Speakeasy Style: Our Vendor Boutique.
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