SRQ DAILY Jan 1, 2022
""
Being home for the holidays is a gift I hope many of you had this last week along with time with those you hold closest to your heart. It sounds simple, but this gift of unhurried, quality time with friends and family in a safe place has become more rare and difficult to experience for many adults and families across our region who struggle to afford the very roof over their heads.
When the most basic need for shelter is slipping out of reach, we are asking our neighbors to compromise their dignity, and turn away from a life of possibility. The very opportunity to pursue a future where one lives, and do so with peace of mind, should belong to all of us who call this special place home.
Affordable housing is a critical, community-wide challenge that can cast the safety nets of shelter and stability wider than they’ve ever been before.
For 21 years, our community has responded time and again to help neighbors in crisis through Season of Sharing, which gives us the networks and resources to take immediate action on rental and mortgage assistance (as well as utilities, childcare, and emergency transportation needs). Since its inception, Season of Sharing has helped nearly 40,000 households regain stability and unwrap the gift of hope thanks to our generous community.
Unfortunately, the calls for help are only growing. Season of Sharing meets a critical need and always will, but our community has changed since its early years, and so our response is evolving, too.
In 2021, we were honored to add momentum to this most pressing need. One year ago, ground was broken in downtown Sarasota for Lofts on Lemon, a 128-unit affordable and workforce housing development led by the Sarasota Housing Authority in downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District. A $2-million capstone investment from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County complemented other contributions to realize this soon-to-be home for asset-limited families, teachers, healthcare workers and first responders. I encourage you to drive along Lemon Avenue and see the vast progress already made.
Similar, collective efforts are being strengthened across Sarasota County. To close out last year, our Community Foundation along with a generous donor matched others with a $250,000 grant to help Family Promise of South Sarasota County secure critical funds for its Pathways Home Program, which will connect families to financial and educational resources so they can confidently move towards self-sufficiency. We were also able to provide gap funding assistance to Harvest House’s Home Again program, which will allow families in longer-term housing to live in a secure place while they complete adult education degrees and certifications.
These are just a few examples of how our community works to go beyond the emergency and address underlying daily instabilities that perpetuate our housing crisis. Where I hope our community is going, though, is to develop equitable, accessible and enduring solutions that reach far beyond any one crisis or issue.
For nearly 10 years, we've intentionally adopted a two-generation (2Gen) approach to help families build careers and grow professionally, yet rising housing costs present barrier after barrier along their journey. Earlier last month, three mothers we have gotten to know over the last decade voiced their concerns at a Sarasota County Commission meeting, with support from a coalition of more than 20 community partners. These mothers courageously recounted tales of homelessness, of struggling to meet their rent that doubled in cost, and of ultimately having to move out of the county, which has jeopardized their jobs, relationships and livelihoods.
Listening to these women speak, I am hopeful their words ignite actions that reveal us as the generous community I know us to be. I’ve seen how people who lived here for a long time or who are newcomers become part of Season of Sharing, make investments in families, and know generosity put forth today will be realized in the lives of those who follow.
Shelter may be described as a roof over our head, but it’s much more than that. It’s a safe place to live, grow ourselves and our families, and thrive, one that is fundamental to our own collective health and wellbeing, as well as that of our community’s. And in this moment, shelter is not a universal gift. We can change this, together.
Roxie Jerde is President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. 
Image via Pixabay
That our community unites to celebrate K–12 teachers so close to the holiday season and the new year is always a source of great inspiration and joy for me. No matter what is happening in the world, the Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Award Celebration, which this year was held on Dec. 9, gives me hope for our future. It recharges me.
That each year generous donors go above and beyond in their support of amazing educators only heightens this inspiration and makes me so proud to be part of our community. This year, thanks to donor support, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County was able to provide cash gifts to all 43 Teacher of the Year Award recipients. These gifts represent the broad support of teachers, and they could not come at a better time.
These past two years have posed immense challenges to everyone. Yet teachers across our district have given so much—indeed, many gave more than they thought possible. They persisted even under such difficult circumstances, truly reflecting their commitment and compassion toward their students.
Amazing teachers emulate the uniquely beautiful qualities of their students and highlight who their students are—so they see themselves better. The ability to model the best in students is in itself a form of celebration. Great teachers celebrate and bring out the best in our children. And in so doing, they show students their full potential.
When students are equipped to succeed, when they see their potential and find their purpose, they are more likely to live fulfilling lives and keep our community and our country thriving. In this way, teachers and, as one Teacher of the Year Award recipient noted this year, education can create a more harmonious, better society.
I could not agree more. Judging by the crowd that came together for the evening and by the generosity of our donors, our community shares this belief. Even last year, when the pandemic forced us to celebrate teachers online, the community tuned in. They showed their support. They confirmed their faith in educators to be there for students and to ensure a flourishing community.
I would like to echo something Superintendent Dr. Brennan Asplen emphasized during this year’s Ignite Education Teacher of the Year Awards Celebration: “Our teachers are our heroes.” They are. Great teachers inspire us.
Each of the 43 Teacher of the Year Award recipients represents the best of all teachers across our county. They are remarkable ambassadors. And the celebration of these individuals, though lasting only a few hours one day of the year, symbolizes a collective appreciation for the vital work of educators, especially during such uncertain times. The celebration brings together people with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, but they all share in their appreciation for teachers and the brighter future they help ensure.
For me, there is no better way to usher in a new year.
Jennifer Vigne is president of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.
Image via Pixabay
In January, Art Uptown Gallery will feature the work of Sarasota glass artist Esther Jensen in an exhibit of her fused glass art entitled ”Glass Shapes.” Esther’s art evokes her familiarity and love of living near open water, first in her native Denmark, then on the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida and now from her studio on Sarasota Bay. Her Scandinavian background influences most of her designs which are simple and straight forward and include both functional and decorative pieces. The “Glass Shapes” exhibit runs from Saturday, January 1 through Friday, January 28. The public is also invited to a reception on First Friday, January 7, from 6-9pm. Art Uptown Gallery welcomes you to the 1367 Main Street gallery, where the diverse art works of 29 local artists are shown seven days a week. Telephone: 941-955-5409 for hours and further information. www.artuptown.com.
Young Americans Zack and Abby have the perfect ex-pat life in Paris: a funky bohemian apartment in up -and-coming Belleville; a stable marriage; and Zack's noble mission to fight pediatric AIDS. But when Abby finds Zack at home one afternoon when he's supposed to be at work, the questions and answers that follow shake the foundation fo their seemingly beautiful life. Belleville will take place from January 4, 2022 at 7:30pm to January 23, 2022 at 2pm.
FREE Event, Special Exhibition that will be on display until January 5, 2022, to view this exhibition, please ask for a Community Gallery wristband in the Visitors Pavilion upon your arrival. Please note that this Exhibition is not open on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays; including Veterans Day, Nov 11, Thanksgiving break Nov 24-28, Christmas break Dec 24- Jan 1, and MLK Day Jan 17. The Heart Gallery is a traveling photographic exhibit created to showcase portraits of children in the foster care system. Local photographers capture the child’s character and spirit to attract the attention of prospective forever families. Many of the children featured in Faces of Foster Care are at risk of aging out of the foster care system or are part of a large sibling group that makes them harder to place. The Ringling is honored to showcase the first Heart Gallery exhibit since the pandemic. For more information visit: www.heartgallerysarasota.org. To view this exhibition, please ask for a Community Gallery wristband in the Visitors Pavilion upon your arrival. Once you enter the education building, check-in at the security desk before viewing the exhibition.
Renée Fleming is one of the most highly acclaimed singers of our time. Winner of four Grammy® awards, and recipient of the US National Medal of Arts, she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. In 2014, Renée brought her voice to a vast new audience as the only classical artist ever to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. Renée’s 2020 schedule includes a Europe and US recital tour with pianist Evgeny Kissin, and she will bring her lauded portrayal of Margaret in The Light in the Piazza to Sydney, Australia, in August, having performed the role in London, Los Angeles and Chicago in 2019. Last year she also sang world premieres by André Previn and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts, and appeared opposite the actor Ben Whishaw to open The Shed at New York City’s Hudson Yards. She earned a Tony nomination for her performance in the 2018 Broadway production of Carousel. Her latest album Lieder: Brahms, Schumann, and Mahler was released by Decca in June. She was heard on the soundtracks of the 2018 Best Picture Oscar winner The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Show on January 5, 2022 at 8pm.
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 North Tamiami Trail
A McCurdys favorite ….Al's TV credits include "Standup Spotlight, "Evening at the Improv" + Comedy Central, just to name a few. Al Romas will perform from January 5 to 9 at 7pm, 6:30pm, and 8:50pm in The Green Room.
Making their Sarasota debut, the iconic group IL DIVO transcends categorization, uniting the classical and the popular in multiple languages and infusing the passion of opera into their performances worldwide for over a decade. The quartet has earned over a hundred gold and platinum awards in over 30 countries, and has solidified their status as a global sensation with a timeless sound. This show will take place on Thursday, January 6 at 8pm.
This program features two jewels of the Romantic repertoire on Friday, January 7 at 8pm, Saturday, January 8 at 8pm and Sunday, January 9 at 2:30pm. Brahms' bucolic Second Symphony is a sunny, optimistic work that boosts the spirit. Legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson returns to Sarasota to awe audiences with Rachmaninoff's towering Piano Concerto No. 3. A fiendishly difficult work, the piece demands extraordinary technical prowess and stamina from the soloist. Jeffrey Kahane, Sarasota Orchestra's Artistic Advisor, leads the orchestra in this memorable collaboration.
“Feline”—an art show for cat lovers. This six-week show focused solely on feline inspired art, includes sculptures, paintings, collages, prints, and other eclectic pieces based on the fantastic felines of the world. Artists have created works inspired by these fascinating creatures that baffle, inspire, and infuriate us but most importantly, they fill our hearts with pure joy. Join us for the Opening of “Feline” on Friday, January 7th, 6-9pm. Wear your cat tails, cat ears, and anything you love that is cat-inspired. For this show Atelier de SoSi is especially excited to partner with the “St. Pete Sunshine Kitty Catfe." A percentage of all of the sales will be donated to their fabulous organization that helps cats find their fur-ever homes. For those looking for a new furry friend in their lives, there will be a photo gallery of adoptable cats during the show. "Feline" will encompass many feline-themed events during the show's run, including a cat art yoga class, cat-inspired painting classes, screenings of cat-themed movies, and more. The exhibition will show through February 19th.
Journeys of Identity in Poetry & Music With Hermitage Fellows Chet'la Sebree and Wang Lu will take place on Friday, January 7 at 5pm at The Hermitage Beach (Manasota Key), 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood. Wang Lu's Hermitage Residency generously sponsored by Ina Schnell in memory of Susan Brainerd. This event on the Hermitage campus will be held outdoors. In the event of inclement weather, the program may be cancelled or moved online. Registered guests will be notified via email by 3pm on the day of the program in the event of cancellation or other changes.
A colorful character who was not only ahead of her time but helped to define it, Peggy Guggenheim was an heiress to her family fortune who became a central figure in the modern art movement. As she moved through the cultural upheaval of the 20th century, she collected not only art but also artists. Her colorful personal history included such figures as Samuel Beckett, Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock, Alexander Calder, Marcel Duchamp as well as countless others. A collector of art and artists, Peggy Guggenheim fought through personal tragedy to build one of the world’s most important collections of modern art, now enshrined in her famous Venetian Palazzo. The film is a compendium of famous 20th century painting and sculpture mixed with the wild and iconoclastic life of one of the most powerful women in the history of the art world. Art Addict will show on January 7 at 6:30pm at the Historic Asolo Theater.
Internationally renowned artists, Dan Miller, trumpet and Lew Del Gatto, tenor sax headline this event with bassist Brandon Robertson and Tony Vigilante on drums. For a number of years, Miller was a lead player with the Harry Connick Jr band, performing in concert and on numerous CDs and TV specials. Del Gatto was a longtime member of the Tonight Show band and the Saturday Night Live orchestras. He also performed in concert bands for many top artists. The quartet features jazz standards and music from the American songbook. This show will take place on January 7 at 2pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota.
To help usher in a new year of joy and success, Fresh Fridays presents DANCE UNDER THE STARS on January 7th from 8-11pm. 2022’s first big first Friday event of the year will take place on Palm Avenue between the Palm Ave parking garage and Main Street, and will feature dance showcase/ /instruction in three different styles. Led by decorated competitive dancer Maks Lototskyy of Dynasty Dance Clubs, attendees can participate in ballroom from 8-9 p.m., country/Western from 9-10 p.m., or disco from 10-11pm. Guests are encouraged to patronize downtown restaurants and merchants the day of the event, making attendance at the Fresh Fridays program an easy walk. As with previous events, the first arrivals will get a free party favor to adorn their evening. Ample parking is available in the Palm Avenue parking garage and State Street parking garage, as well as street-side on Palm Avenue, Gulfstream Avenue, Main Street, Pineapple Avenue, and Cocoanut Avenue.
The Hospital Gala, Sarasota’s premier event, has raised more than $4.3 million to benefit Sarasota Memorial ER/Trauma Services, Cardiac Services, Cancer Care Services and other critical needs. It will take place on Saturday, January 8, 2022 from 5:30pm to 10:30pm at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive. In 2022, proceeds will support Critical Care Services at our health system. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sally Schule, Director of Community Engagement, at 941-374-9700 or sally-schule@smh.com.
Whether you are an art collector, need artwork for your home or office, or merely wish to support the arts, join us in downtown Sarasota on January 8-9, 2022 for the 8th Annual Sarasota Winter Fine Art Festival. As a result of your gracious support, this event has grown to become one of the most powerful and successful fine art festivals in Florida and ranks among the nation's top fine art shows. This fine art festival is held in downtown Sarasota in JD Hamel Park at Gulfstream and Main Street. The event is produced by Paragon Festivals and hosted by the Downtown Sarasota Enrichment Association. The 8th Annual Sarasota Winter Fine Art Festival is open Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm. Admission is free. Bring your sense of discovery and appreciation of the beautiful.
The Bubble Festival starring Blaise Ryndes will take place on January 8 from 10am to 3pm. He performed his bubble act on America’s Got Talent. This is going to be a big event, so don't miss it.
Hare & Tortoise is a whimsical retelling of one of Aesops best-known fables about two friends who have opposite approaches to just about everything. Hare wants nothing more than to speed through everyday life and make time pass faster. Tortoise prefers to take her time, tending her garden and celebrating each season of life. This fun, treasured tale tells a timeless story of friendship, change, and the excitement of growing up. Hare & Tortoise, by Brendan Murray, will play Saturdays and select Sundays from January 8, 2022 - February 26, 2022 in FST's Bowne's Lab. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale and can be purchased by clicking the button above or by calling the Box Office at 941.366.9000.
GFA winner Johan Smith kicks off Guitar Sarasota’s 15th season on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at Riverview Performing Arts Center at 7:30pm. Winner of the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) competition in 2019 and defined as the “Classical Guitar Revelation 2017” by the french magazine Guitar Classical Magazine, Johan Smith has been invited to perform in renowned festivals, as concert and soloist, with orchestras such as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra and the Verbier Festival Orchestra. He is currently preparing the recording of his second album (Naxos, 2020), as well as a tour that will bring him to perform in the United States, Canada, Mexico and in the Carnegie Hall in New York.
SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email |
Powered by Sarasota Web Design | Unsubscribe
