On Monday, The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature announced that it has secured an additional state funded grant for $718,700 to be used in the expansion of its manatee care and rehabilitation program. The funds appropriated through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will provide supplementary assets for manatee rescue and rehabilitation. Upgrades include emergency transportation, veterinary lab equipment, and renovation of a newly-leased facility in Myakka City, formerly used as a sea lion conservation center. The facility has seven pools with life support systems that will need to be retrofitted to hold manatees. Manatees are plant eating marine mammals with a sensitivity to cold water temperatures. The life support will be adapted to filter plant material and the pools will need heaters to keep the manatees warm in the winter.

Wild manatees are facing more challenges than ever due to an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) affecting Florida’s manatee population. A UME is defined by the Marine Mammal Protection Act as a significant die-off that demands immediate response. Since 2020, more manatees have been lost to the current UME than any other period in our state’s history. The Bishop has been rehabilitating manatees since 1998 and was a founding member of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) in 2001. The MRP is a cooperative of nonprofit, private, state, and federal entities that rescue, rehabilitate, and return manatees to the wild. In addition to the over 700 manatee deaths related to the Unusual Mortality Event in the past two years, the dangers and risks to the manatee population include getting hit by boats, becoming entangled in crab trap and monofilament line, water pollution, cold-stress syndrome, red-tide illness and orphaned calves.

“The Bishop performs second stage manatee rehabilitation and release,” says Virginia Edmonds, Director of Animal Service at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature. “We are expanding our manatee program to include an offsite facility that will allow us to increase our manatee holding capacity and perform emergency hospital care work for injured and ill manatees. The second funding award we received will help us purchase much needed equipment for transport, manatee handling and care, and veterinarian equipment to help with manatee illness and injury diagnosis and treatment.”

November is Manatee Awareness Month. Please watch for manatees as they start making their way to warm water refuges. Report an injured or ill manatee to FWC at 888-404-FWCC. 

Pictured: Members of Bishop Animal Care performing ultrasound on Janus the Manatee. Photo courtesy of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.

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Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation has provided $644,000 as part of its immediate Hurricane Ian relief this week, with an aim to help teachers recover from the storm and return to their classrooms while also aiding area nonprofits to provide critical help in food provisions, early learning and youth services, mental health, and other areas. Barancik Foundation created a $200,000 fund for the Sarasota County School District to assist staff with immediate needs and a similar $30,000 effort for the DeSoto County School District. Another $200,000 was contributed to help ease the financial burden on thousands of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System staffers impacted by storm. About 25% of the system’s more than 8,000 employees live in the hard-hit areas of south Sarasota County. Other recipients of the Barancik funding and other aid include the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and DeSoto counties, the YMCA of Southwest Florida, All Faiths Food Bank, Harvest House, Links2Success, Children First, Florida Center, and Early Learning Coalition. Barancik and the region’s other major foundations are coordinating to make sure they are not duplicating efforts and are collaborating to provide complementary relief that magnifies impact. Additional efforts will be made by Barancik Foundation for the longer-term recovery. 

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) will hold its annual shindig on Monday, February 6, 2023, in FST’s Hegner Theatre Wing. Attendees are invited to don their favorite ‘70s apparel or best cocktail attire for FST’s biggest fundraising event of the year. Wendy Grady, a Winter Season Underwriter and staunch supporter of the theatre’s WRITE A PLAY program for several years, will chair this event. Gulf Coast Community Foundation is the lead sponsor of FST’s annual shindig. Sponsorships of various levels are available. To reserve a table for this event on February 6, contact Kristin Hartnett, Development Associate, at KHartnett@FloridaStudioTheatre.org or 941.366.9017 ext. 316. The evening kicks off with a cocktail reception, performances by FST’s resident improv troupe, and more, at 5:30PM. Guests will then assemble in FST’s Gompertz Theatre to watch exclusive live performances by some of FST’s beloved artists. A seated dinner by Michael’s On East will conclude the evening. During the Shindig, FST will present the esteemed Spelman Award. Named in honor of Florida Studio Theatre’s founding Artistic Director, Jon Spelman, the Spelman Award is presented to a foundation or an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership by providing FST with mentorship, financial, and/or in-kind support. 

Pictured: The 70s--More Than A Decade (23): Brianna Barnes. Photo by John Jones.

Mary Lundeberg of Englewood is the inaugural recipient of the Wildlife Champion Award, and Clare Harvey and Barry Thorne, a couple from North Port, are the inaugural recipients of the Inspiring Artist Award. Both awards were presented by Randy Moore, the owner of Triple 3 Marketing and publisher of Englewood Healthy Living and South County Healthy Living.
Mary was recognized for using her talent as a photographer and author of books and articles to promote the preservation of wildlife. Clare and Barry were recognized for building one of the region’s most successful children’s art programs at the North Port Art Center. Triple 3 Marketing has presented awards to 21 individuals, businesses and nonprofits since 2018. The
awards include the Lee Reid Englewood Lifetime Achievement Award, Venice Lifetime Achievement Award, Venice Spirit Award, North Port Spirit Award, Englewood Spirit Award, and the Sarasota County Spirit Award. A complete list of the award recipients is posted at EnglewoodHealthyLiving.com and SouthCountyHealthyLiving.com. 

SARTQ Sarasota Artist Collective announces the return of their legendary print party, scheduled for Saturday, November 5 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at Art Central, 1330 Central Avenue in
Sarasota. The print party offers guests the opportunity to select from 7 different designs created specifically for this event by local artists. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own clothing items such as t-shirts, tote bags, towels, etc., any item that can lie flat under a screen and accept ink. Choose your favorite design to have printed for just $10 or pick three designs to print for $20. Blank adult t-shirts will also be available for purchase. Cash preferred, however Vemno will be accepted. One of Sarasota’s favorite food trucks, Big Blue Grilled Cheese Company, will also be on site offering up their famous grilled cheese sandwiches, as well as beverages. This is a free, family friendly event with music and a hangout atmosphere.
This annual event gives the public a chance to interact with both art and artists,” Julie Kanapaux, Co-Director of SARTQ said. “This year’s party, the first since 2019, will serve as an opportunity for the public to purchase a print created right before their eyes while meeting the members of SARTQ.” SARTQ Sarasota Artist Collective aims to maintain a network of accomplished Sarasota artists, manage exhibitions and events, and collaborate with the community. Current members include Danielle Dygert, Zachary Gilliland, Grace Howl, Julie Kanapaux, Laine Nixon, Rae Ramos, Taylor Robenalt, Javier (Javo) Rodriguez, Tom Stephens and Sam Wuerfel. 

As our world experiences a pivotal chapter in history, it is both an honor and a privilege to present KOLO: an unparalleled immersive theatrical show performed tocontemporary settings of authentic music that allows audiences a magical window to the magnificent expression of the cultural heritage and the spirit of Modern Ukraine. Never-before in history has this story been told through performance, music, and dance. This extraordinary show features renowned United States and World Professional Theatre Arts and Ballroom Champions, whose grace, beauty, and expression inherent in their dance performance tells the story of human soul in pursuit of freedom in the cycle of modern Ukrainian history. KOLO makes its’ global premiere in Sarasota and is the brainchild of award-winning, Ukrainian-bred competitive ballroom dancers and partners, Iaroslav and Liliia Bieliei, both natives of Kyiv. Serving as executive producers of KOLO, Iaroslav and Liliia are widely respected in the dance sport community with over 25 years of experience and world-renown. KOLO premieres at Sarasota’s venerable Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall for two performances on December 26, 2022. The do not miss show of 2022! Tickets on sale now HERE or www.koloshow.com.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. 

JFCS is there when our community needs us most. From major societal upheavals like COVID to international refugee crises, and local families like the Mendoza children who suffered an unimaginable tragedy with the loss of both parents in an accident, JFCS hears the call. We don’t just listen – we act, bringing together our expert resources, your philanthropic support, and the compassion of community partners. Together, we make a difference.

Today our community comes together yet again to help those most severely affected by Hurricane Ian. JFCS again will use our resources in any way we can. Our counseling professionals help by providing trauma-informed care, our outreach team will coordinate resources to provide meals, and our aging services team will help seniors regain a sense of normalcy by offering group sessions and socialization – a chance for people to feel better by sharing their stories.

 JFCS never stops looking for ways to help, and your support will allow us to continue through this current calamity and whatever comes next.

https://jfcs-cares.org/

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Each year thousands of women, men, and children in Florida are impacted by domestic violence. Throughout October, the office of the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller observes National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. During this month, the Clerk is heightening awareness of their services to help protect the individuals affected by domestic violence issues. The Clerk’s office provides critical public services to help those facing domestic violence, including processing domestic violence injunctions, better known as restraining orders, at no cost to the filer. Over the last fiscal year, which ended September 30, 2022, the office received and processed nearly 1,000 injunction applications. An injunction, sometimes called a restraining order, is a court order which tells someone to do or not do something. An Injunction for Protection against Violence is signed by a judge and can be enforced by law enforcement or the courts. In Florida, Injunctions for Protection are governed by Florida Statutes Sections 741.30 and 784.046. The Clerk’s office provides several injunction packets, including domestic violence, repeat violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking. In addition to processing and filing injunctions, the office partners with HOPE Family Services, the Rape Crisis Center provided by Centerstone, and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Victim's Advocate Unit to provide additional services and information to customers in need. Here are the steps to take if you believe you or someone you love is a victim of domestic violence or have a reasonable fear that violence is imminent: If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 for assistance from law enforcement; Visit our office to start the process of filing for an injunction; Call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 for support, advocacy, and assistance finding a shelter.  

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Dynamic Duo | Asolo Repertory Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards and Managing Director Linda DiGabriele look back on their time with the institution.

Read more about the Rep’s resounding directors through this link, on our social media, or in the October edition of SRQ Magazine! 

Read here!