SRQ DAILY Feb 2, 2022
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"I was blessed to have musical and performing mentors in my life when I was growing up, Because of this, I'm well aware of the value of arts education, the driving force behind the work of the Foundation, which I was honored to play a part in today."
There is very exciting news to report in the cookie world. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is kicking off this year’s Girl Scout Cookie program with the announcement of Adventurefuls™, a new cookie that will join the lineup for the 2022 cookie season. An indulgent brownie-inspired cookie with caramel-flavored crème and a hint of sea salt, Adventurefuls™ take cookie lovers on a delicious taste adventure. Girl Scouts will offer Adventurefuls™ alongside favorites like Thin Mints™ and Samoas™/Caramel deLites™.
According to Patricia Ramthun, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc. "Every purchase of Adventurefuls™, and the whole portfolio of iconic cookies, fuels local Girl Scouts’ adventures throughout the year: exploring what interests them, discovering their passions, and taking action on issues they care about. From supporting animal shelters and food banks to working with local and state legislators to change laws, Girl Scouts build a better future for themselves, our community, and the world."
Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc. offers the area’s premier leadership experience for girls. Their mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. They are the largest organization dedicated solely to girls—all girls—where, in a diverse, inclusive, accepting, and nurturing environment, girls build skills for success in the real world. In partnership with committed adult volunteers, girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives, like leadership, strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth. Girl Scouts embraces girls of all abilities, backgrounds, and heritage, with a specific and positive philosophy of inclusion. Each girl—without regard to socioeconomic status, race, physical or cognitive ability, ethnicity, primary language, or religion—is an equal and valued member of Girl Scouts.
Girl Scout Cookie booths will be open from February 4th through March 6th. Every time you purchase Girl Scout Cookies, you support Girl Scout adventures and help girls gain a lifetime of leadership, friendship, and success. 
Each year, 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. This year, attendees were thrilled to be together as we recognized 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. We are happy to feature each of the twelve honorees in our Wednesday Philanthropic edition of SRQ Daily.
Today we are honoring Bonnie Eskell, Early-Learning Inclusion Coordinator at Children First. During one of the most critical periods in Children First's 60-year history, Bonnie became a beacon of hope for the children, families, and staff as the pandemic took its toll on our community. In her role as a site manager for the agency’s largest location, she helped to lead more than forty staff in serving nearly 150 children and their families across eleven classrooms. Throughout the pandemic Bonnie led courageously and intelligently, and she continues to be crucial to daily operations and the well-being of children and families. Whether she is fostering meaningful child-teacher interactions, assisting kitchen staff with serving meals, or providing classrooms with extra supervision, Bonnie remains a steadfast system of support for everyone around her. Thank you Bonnie for your dedication to our children.
Pictured: Bonnie Eskell (center) with Wes Roberts, SRQ Media Vice President and Executive Publisher (left) and Arthur Lerman of JFCS. Photo taken by Wyatt Kostygan.
In the January 2022 edition of SRQ Magazine, we interviewed Dr. Avantika Mishra of Florida Digestive Disease Specialists as part of our In Conversation marketing feature with top doctor honorees on trends in medicine, health and wellness. Below is an excerpt published in the magazine in which Dr. Mishra shares her insights with SRQ readers on new developments in gastroenterology.
Dr. Mishra, what are some of the cutting edge treatments or developments in your field?
Originally the guidelines used to say that at 50 years old you should get colon cancer screening. But recently, the guidelines have been amended amongst all health societies to say screenings should begin at 45. Overall there have been large population studies done that help drive these screening guideline changes. And this happens in every field, whether it's in breast cancer screening or other disorders. But, ultimately there's just been a rising incidence of colorectal cancer in patients at a younger age. These days I'm seeing colon cancer, personally myself, younger and younger. And I've diagnosed it as young as someone in their early thirties most recently. And so ultimately, while we don't perform screening on everyone who has symptoms, these generalized studies for the population have really triggered all societies to amend their previous recommendations.
Florida Digestive Disease Specialists, 11505 Palmbrush Trail, Suite 200, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 Phone: 941-361-1100
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is excited to welcome Engelbert Humperdinck back to the Van Wezel stage on Monday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. During his 50-year career, Engelbert Humperdinck has sold more than 140 million records, including 64 gold and 35 platinum albums. He has garnered four Grammy nominations, a Golden Globe, and stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Las Vegas Walk of Fame, and Leicester Walk of Fame. Humperdinck has performed for the Queen four times, several presidents, and many heads of state. He has recorded everything from romantic ballads to movie theme songs, and even gospel songs. His unique voice has charmed millions of fans around the globe. His first single in the charts was “Release Me,” which went into the Guinness Book of Records for achieving 56 consecutive weeks on the charts. It was No. 1 in 11 countries.
Made possible through the Van Wezel Foundation (Foundation), and its generous donors, Grammy® and Emmy® Award-winner Harry Connick Jr, along with Booker High School visual and performing arts (VPA) students, shared their passion for the arts as part of an unscripted master class and open dialogue session at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
“I was blessed to have musical and performing mentors in my life when I was growing up,” said Harry Connick Jr. “Because of this, I'm well aware of the value of arts education – the driving force behind the Foundation’s work, which I was honored to play a part in today.”
During the master class, Harry Connick Jr. led VPA students through songs on the piano, shared his path to success in the industry and then opened to a free-flowing dialogue with students. The students in the master class also had the opportunity to attend a live performance by Harry Connick Jr. when he headlined the Foundation’s 20th annual Inspiration Gala. Tickets to attend the live performance were also underwritten by the Van Wezel Foundation.
Pictured: Harry Connick Jr. & Booker High School VPA Students.
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is proud to welcome Dr. Andrew Economos as a new member of the Mote Board of Trustees. A Sarasota native, Dr. Economos retired from a successful career in computing technology for pioneering applications in aerospace, business and broadcasting. He founded and led the highly successful broadcasting software company RCS, which he sold after 30 years, and which remains a leader in its industry today. Since retiring, Dr. Economos has served on the boards of numerous science, technology and cultural institutions and he sponsors college scholarships for students with economic need, along with the national Archimedes Award for outstanding science students. He and his wife, Dr. Judith Economos, a poet and artist who taught at Princeton, are Lifetime members and active participants in Mote activities, founding donors for Mote’s Red Tide Institute in 2018, and have demonstrated visionary philanthropic leadership for the new Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA). Economos will now serve on the Board’s Education & Outreach and Research committees.
“Mote’s ability to innovate and use research to address our community’s environmental issues like red tide is what drew me to them when we moved back to Sarasota several years ago. We are totally on board now with the new Mote SEA that will ensure access to marine science and STEM learning for students of all ages. The team at Mote is always pressing forward,” said Economos. “My wife Judith and I are proud to be part of the Mote family, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on the Board of Trustees.”
This program presents two captivating young stars to Sarasota on Thursday, February 3 at 8pm, Friday, February 4 at 8pm, Saturday, February 5 at 8pm, and Sunday, February 6 at 2:30pm. Grammy Award-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich performs Beethoven's serene, yet astoundingly difficult Violin Concerto. Maestro Yaniv Dinur has a reputation for dynamic and passionate performances. Opening the concert, Gabriella Smith's Field Guide features rhythms and sounds of the natural world. The program concludes with Tchaikovsky's iconic Symphony No. 4, one of the Russian master's most exhilarating works.
Enjoy live music, art and atmosphere in the Museum of Art Courtyard during Ringling Underground 8pm to 11pm. This event features an eclectic mix of local and regional live music. Check out up-and-coming artists displaying their work in the Museum of Art Courtyard. Note: Wearing a face mask is strongly encouraged. Upcoming dates are February 3, March 3, and April 7.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties will honor 6 outstanding Club members at the annual Steak & Burger, Youth of the Year Celebration on Friday, February 4, 2022, at 6pm. at the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club. Club members who compete for the Youth of the Year title embody the values of leadership service, academic service and healthy lifestyles. This premier recognition program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America celebrates the extraordinary achievements of Club members. Candidates compete at the local Club, state and regional levels before attending the national celebration.
A Solo Exhibit by Allan Mestel No Justice, No Peace and Ringling Student Jesse Clark My Beautiful in the Annex Gallery. Opening Night Reception will take place on Friday, February 4th, 2022 from 6pm to 8pm. Open Exhibition Dates are February 5th- 12th By Appointment Only. Panel Discussion: February 12th, 2021 | Saturday 10am – 12pm No Justice, No Peace, is an exhibition that showcases images from Mestel’s current passion project. He is working on a book of photos of street activism, captured over the course of the last four years, during the Trump administration. The photographs on display were specifically captured during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. In May of 2020, the country was shocked by the murder of George Floyd due to the cause of police brutality. Mestel’s images capture the passion of individuals who strive to end racial injustice. They are evidence that these individuals have a voice and that people are listening and want change. Jesse Clark’s “My Beautiful” an ongoing project that observes finding beauty within the self. It explores the idea of the black boy holding a beautiful image as well the freedom to express vulnerability and joy. This is a project combining photos from other my photography series’ “Through Dark Eyes” “Black Boy” and “Carriers” which explore my thoughts and emotions as a young black male in America. These pieces reflect what I find true about my own image and how it does not fill the conventional mold my complexion renders.
Discover sound meditation while surrounded by the beauty of Little Sarasota Bay. Sound frequencies and vibrations facilitate relaxation and mental health. A certified sound therapist will be your guide in HSP’s tranquil Sunken Gardens. Wear comfortable clothes and lightweight shoes; bring water and a towel for the final stretch. Open to all age/fitness levels. General admission to HSP included. Please check-in 15 minutes before for your class at the Welcome Gazebo. Sunset Sound Meditation will take place on Sundays from 4pm to 5pm: February 6, 13, 20, and 27. Class fee: Members $50 / Non-members $65. Class Size: 30 Students. Instructor: Lucy Tight.
A new series focusing on topics like history and architecture, and how they relate to the museum. A catered, two-course lunch will follow. Fresh Perspective Lunch #1 on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 11:30am in Thomas McGuire Hall at Sarasota Art Museum, Featured Speaker to be announced soon. Fresh Perspective Lunch #2 on Tuesday, February 8, 2021 at 11:30am in Thomas McGuire Hall at Sarasota Art Museum, Featured Speaker to be announced soon. Individual Tickets: $125/person, Member Price: $75/person, Contact Laura Stuart Wood at lwood1@ringling.educreate new email or 941-309-4321.
The Russian National Orchestra with pianist Alexander Malofeev will perform on Tuesday, February 8 at 7:30pm at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Ukrainian conductor Kirill Karabits leads the Orchestra in Beethoven’s Overture to Fidelio and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. Nineteen-year-old piano sensation Alexander Malofeev will join the Orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Love is in the air as highly acclaimed pops conductor Sarah Hicks leads a Valentine's Day program for all on Wednesday, February 9 at 5:30pm, Thursday, February 10 at 7:30pm, Friday, February 11 at 5:30pm, Saturday, February 12 at 8pm, and Sunday, February 13 at 4pm at Holley Hall. Celebrate love's sweetness with music from Gone with the Wind, La Dolce Vita and more.
Laughing Matters, FST’s hit musical sketch comedy show, is back for round six! And this time, nothing and no one is safe from a good-spirited roast. From never-ending Sarasota construction and the perpetual hunt for downtown parking to Mother Nature’s increasingly wild mood swings and our endless quest to stay young, Laughing Matters delivers fast-paced comedy inspired by the culture and politics of today. Laughing Matters, by head writer Rebecca Hopkins with contributing writers Kevin Allen, Sarah Durham, Stephan deGhelder, and Jim Prosser, will play beginning February 9, 2022 through June 19, 2022 in FST's Court Cabaret.
Born in the United States but inextricably tied to far off and forbidden China, Manford Lum finds his home on the basketball courts of San Francisco’s Chinatown. As fast-talking as he is athletically skilled, Lum wisecracks and dazzles his way onto a college team headed for a 'friendly' exhibition game in Beijing. As the story bounces between 1989 and 1971, past relationships collide with present day revelations right up to the final buzzer. Smart, feisty, and hilarious, The Great Leap is about family, history, and learning that every game is a second chance. Contains mature language. Recommended for age 16+. The Great Leap will show February 9–April 2, 2022.
Musician, vocalist and composer Damien Sneed toured with Aretha Franklin, developing a strong mentee relationship with the soul legend. In A TRIBUTE TO ARETHA FRANKLIN: THE QUEEN OF SOUL, Sneed pays homage to the icon with fresh renditions of the beloved hits including “Respect,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Think,” “Until You Come Back To Me,” “Daydreaming,” “Natural Woman” and more. Featuring an all-star cast of jazz, gospel and soul musicians and vocalists, Sneed’s multi-media tribute will honor the life of an iconic industry titan on February 9 at 8pm. Four-time Grammy® winner, gospel music legend and multiple Stellar and GMA Dove Award winner Karen Clark Sheard joins the tour with her signature, multi-octave vocal range.
A longstanding community outreach program, Music Matinees feature accomplished area-based musicians who perform an array of musical styles. Concerts take place on Wednesdays from noon to 1 pm in David Cohen Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center. Sun-Young Gemma Shin, violin, and Avis Romm, piano will take place on February 9. Dr. Shin is an internationally sought-after performer on both baroque and modern violin as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra leader. She is the concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of Sarasota. Avis Romm dazzles audiences as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative pianist. She has worked extensively with the Sarasota Opera, both as a musical/vocal coach and pianist/conductor and she performs regularly with internationally renowned soloists.
The most ambitious and expansive exhibition to date of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality (AR) technology will premiere at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, opening on September 25, 2021 and ongoing through August 31 2022, as one of 12 participating gardens across six countries. Seeing the Invisible features works by more than a dozen international artists such as Ai Weiwei, Refik Anadol, El Anatsui, Isaac Julien CBE, Mohammed Kazem, Sigalit Landau, Sarah Meyohas, Pamela Rosenkranz, and Timur Si-Qin—including several artists’ first work in AR. Visitors will engage with Seeing the Invisible via an app designed for the exhibition downloadable to smartphones and tablets. Forging new links between botanical gardens located in diverse biomes around the globe, the exhibition fosters collaboration between institutions, artists, and audiences, highlighting the power of art to connect people around the world.
David Budd: Motion Within Stillness from October 9 to March 20, 2022. After painting for only six years, David Budd (1927-1991, Florida) dove into the New York art scene in the 1950s —immersing himself in Abstract Expressionism and working alongside iconic names of the movement, such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Franz Kline. His paintings, like others of the time, relied on the bodily relationship between the artist and canvas —each stroke and mark of the artist encapsulated in viscous gestures of paint—and spontaneity; although, this is not to say that Budd painted hastily—each mark was placed with intention to animate the canvas’s surface.
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 |
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