SRQ DAILY Oct 25, 2023
Wednesday Philanthropy Edition
"Pars4Paws is a beautiful way to save animals' lives, one drive, chip and putt at a time."
Satchel's Last Resort has all paws on deck preparing for their 12th annual Pars4Paws event at Longboat Key Club’s Links on Longboat Key Course. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, November 4th starting at 8:30 am.
Page Knoebel, the founder of Satchel’s shares that this event has become increasingly important for the organization over the years. “Nonprofits are always looking for fundraising ideas,” she says. “A golf tournament, while a lot of work, not only raises money but also attracts people who aren't necessarily followers of our standard social media. This tournament is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness of our uniqueness in the shelter community.”
Knoebel and her team feel extremely fortunate to be holding their tournament at the Resort at Longboat Key Club again this year. The Club originally took a chance and hosted when Satchel’s was not well known, willing to grow with the organization. Now, years later, they are hosting a sold out tournament. “The golf pros, the event planners, the wait staff and everyone at the Longboat Key Club--they're all terrific,” says Knoebel. “They put on a fabulous tournament and we get the credit.”
On the morning of the event, golfers will start off with a hot breakfast in an insulated bag in their carts. After their game, they'll sit down to a buffet luncheon under the oak trees in front of Islandside Restaurant. This year’s menu will be a Florida Keys style luncheon, also open to non-golfers, featuring music and five or six raffle baskets, each worth at least $250.
The Helicopter Ball Drop, a favorite feature of the event, returns this year with a high-flying 50/50 where balls are sold ahead of time for $20 each. The balls are numbered and assigned to the purchaser on Satchel's website. At 8:15 am on the day of the tournament, the balls are dropped from a helicopter flying above the putting green, right where all the golfers are lined up in their carts ready to tee-off. The ball that goes in the hole, or is closest to the hole, wins 50% of the money raised in the golf ball sale. Winners need not be present to win and only the number is announced, not the winner, so that the winner isn't pressured to give their 50% back to the cause. “We've done this ball drop for 3 years and have raised approximately $10,000 each year,” says Knoebel. “The winner gets half of that!”
The biggest contest on the course is the $100,000 shot on a par 3. Here, every golfer gets a chance to win the money with a hole in one. “We're hoping someone wins because with this contest, the golfer gets $50,000 and Satchel's gets $50,000,” adds Knoebel. Another par 3 has a golf trip to Pebble Beach for two if one of the golfers sinks a hole in one. On a par 5, there is a "Guess your distance" contest in which the golfer who most accurately guesses how far he or she drives the first shot wins tickets to a Bucks game (parking included).
“This is our largest yearly fundraiser, netting over $50,000 last year alone. We are hoping to do at least the same this year,” shares Knoebel. “Pars4Paws is a beautiful way to save animals' lives, one drive, chip and putt at a time.” 
Pictured: Hole sponsorships at last year's Pars4Paws event. Photo courtesy of Satchel's Last Resort.
The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance hosted their 6 th Annual Alliance Gives Back Volunteer Days on October 5 th , 6 th and 7 th 2023. It was a major success as the event broke records. Notable stats are: 950 hours donated across 35 projects, more than 350 volunteer participants, $27,000 in total economic impact, 600 care packages sent to the Caribbean, 2,400 lbs of food sorted and ready for distribution, 120 companies represented. "We are so proud of our record statistics from this year's Alliance Gives Back. Our employers went above and beyond to support our non-profits this year" said LWRBA President and CEO, Brittany Lamont. Volunteers dawned their matching AGB T-shirts for various opportunities including: landscaping, stuffing bags for fundraisers, creating cards and volunteer appreciation gifts, prepping event spaces for fundraising events, organizing food and getting it ready for distribution, helping facilitate events and much more “Volunteers like these are essential to The Florida Center being able to fulfill our mission of building strong families…one child at a time” said The Florida Center for Early Childhood in a Facebook post recapping their project. The LWRBA would like to thank the volunteers, participating non-profits, and sponsors (Always Presenting, Benderson Development, Fawley Bryant Architecture, Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation, Grace Community Church, Jessica Guadagno Photography, Limitless Investigative Solutions, ME&S General Contractors, and Willis Smith Construction) for making the 6 th Annual Alliance Gives Back a huge success.
At their 2023 Meet the Finalists media event today, Impact100 SRQ announced the ten nonprofit agency finalists for its 2023 giving year that have an opportunity to each receive $109,000 in funding for a high-impact initiative. Impact100 SRQ’s 763 voting members for the 2023 giving year will convene on November 8, 2023, at their 5th Annual Celebration and Award Ceremony at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, where each of the finalists will present their initiative to all attendees. Immediately following the presentation, members will vote for their choice of which seven of the ten grant finalists they believe should be awarded funding. The seven 2023 grant recipients each receiving $109,000 in funding for their project will be announced live at this event. The ten nonprofit grant applicant finalists for the 2023 giving year in the five Focus Areas are: Arts, Culture & History Focus Area: Art Center Sarasota, Venice Theatre. Education Focus Area: Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc., Manatee School for the Arts. Environment & Recreation Focus Area: Master Gardener Volunteers, a Chapter of Friends of Sarasota County Parks, The Paul A. and Veronica H. Gross Wildlife Center of Southwest Florida, The proposed Help Florida’s Raptors Soar. Family Focus Area: Legal Aid of Manasota, Inc., Teen Court of Sarasota, Inc. Health & Wellness Focus Area: Easterseals Southwest Florida, Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the Suncoast. To learn more about each grant finalist and their initiative, visit our website to read the Finalist Summaries. Nonprofit organizations in Sarasota and Manatee Counties seeking funding for innovative projects that make a high impact in the community are invited to apply for an Impact100 SRQ grant. Grant application information will be announced at the Annual Celebration and Award Ceremony. For women feeling inspired by the Impact100 SRQ mission, NOW is the time to join. The Membership Drive for the 2024 Giving Year is open until March 26, 2024. If you would like to learn more about Impact100 SRQ and how to become a member visit www.Impact100SRQ.org/membership.
The 13thAnnual Sunshine Summit to End Hunger is a free, high impact event that will explore research, programs and best practices to solve hunger in our communities. It presented by the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger with partners Bread for the World and Florida Impact. It will be held Friday, Oct. 27, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m, at the UF/ IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. The summit will provide organizers and the broader anti-hunger community a forum to learn, share and network while exploring best practices in solving hunger and increasing food security. Sponsorships are available — if interested, email Executive Director Caitlyn Peacock at Caitlyn.Peakcock@networktoendhunger.org. The Summit is free to attendees thanks to our Platinum Sponsor, The Mosaic Company, and our Gold Sponsors, Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, and UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Adam Briggs, Senior Director for Workforce Program Development at CareerSource Florida, which supports the state's workforce board. He also supports the work of the Credentials Review Committee (created under the REACH Act of 2021) and facilitates collaborative activities and initiatives involving partner state agencies (including DOE, DCF, and FloridaCommerce), local workforce boards, and other partners within the workforce, education, and business development systems statewide. His primary areas of professional interest are analytics, organizational assessment, and project/process/quality/change/and performance management. View the complete agenda at www.networktoendhunger.org/summit-agenda.
Azara Ballet, a non-profit professional dance company, will be performing “Expressions”, an inaugural performance that marks the beginning of their debut season. "Expressions" is a collection of four short contemporary ballets, featuring a talented ensemble of 14 professional dancers and showcasing the creative vision of emerging choreographers. Azara Ballet creates contemporary ballet masterpieces to ignite the souls of the Sarasota/Manatee community and beyond. Azara Ballet dedicates their efforts to revitalize the ballet culture by emphasizing mental and emotional well-being. Azara embraces body positivity and celebrates individuality. The company radiates a resolute commitment to trailblazing representation and inclusivity within the ballet world. Additionally, Azara’s outreach programs focus on neurodivergent and under privileged communities, welcoming them in curated dance classes that encourage expression through the universal language of movement. Kate Flowers, Co-founder Azara Ballet, explains how they are transforming the ballet culture, “We create emotionally vibrant professional dance performances featuring cutting edge choreography and diverse contemporary works of art. At Azara, we transform outdated, unhealthy paradigms of ballet culture by providing a non-judgmental, body positive atmosphere with leadership that cares deeply for the mental and physical well- being of our dancers. And we are very proud to tour local facilities to provide in-house lecture demonstrations and performances to those who may otherwise not be exposed to dance.” The "Expressions" premiere performances are Friday, November 17th at 7pm, and Saturday, November 18th at 2pm and 7pm at the Neel Performing Arts Center on the campus of State College of Florida located at 5840 26TH St W, Building 11, Bradenton, FL 34207. For tickets scan the QR Code provided or visit azaraballet.org/performances. For more information about Azara Ballet, visit AzaraBallet.org.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties will honor Jaime and Julie DiDomenico at its annual Champions for Children Gala on Saturday, November 18, 2023. Jaime and Julie have a demonstrated passion for helping local youth reach their full potential and are committed to ensuring their legacy and support will positively impact Club members for generations to come. As owners of Cool Today, Jaime and Julie integrated support for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties as part of their corporate philosophy. Together they launched a partnership that secured in-kind vendor services to all six Club sites, contracted subject matter experts to facilitate workforce development programs for teens, and created corporate engagement events as ways for their employees to support the Clubs. These efforts earned Jaime recognition at the organization's Leadership Breakfast in 2019. In 2022, when Hurricane Ian hit our region, the DiDomenico’s reaffirmed their commitment to the mission even further and pledged support to ensure a full rebuild of the Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club in North Port. Jaime is also a longtime board member who served as Chair of the Board of Directors from 2015-2017 and currently serves as Treasurer. Presented by the Annette J. Hagens Memorial Foundation, proceeds from the event will ensure youth across Sarasota and DeSoto Counties have access to award-winning programs that foster academic success, strong character and leadership, healthy lifestyles, and career readiness. Champions for Children will take place at the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club at 3100 Fruitville Road in Sarasota. The gala will feature an outdoor cocktail reception, award presentation, dinner program featuring a three-course gourmet meal curated by Culinary Creations by Metz, dancing, and auction. Individual tickets are available for $400 per person. Sponsorships are also available for a limited time starting at $5000. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased online at bgcsdc.org/events. For more information, contact Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties at 941-366-3911. To learn more about us or to donate, please visit bgcsdc.org.
Michele Tanner, the founder of Tanner's Turkeys, has been a beacon of hope and generosity during the Thanksgiving season. This year marks the 13th anniversary of her initiative to provide meals for more than 500 local families in need. Year to date, Tanner's Turkeys has fed 3,300 families through her efforts. The organization has become synonymous with giving back, and the upcoming annual fundraiser and basket brigade are set to make an even greater impact on the community. This year's annual fundraising event will take place at The Meadows Country Club on Friday, November 3rd, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Michele invites the public to join this meaningful cause and make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate this Thanksgiving. Tickets are available for $59. Guests can participate in a silent auction, which will feature an array of incredible baskets and gift certificates, generously donated by local businesses and supporters. Proceeds from sponsorships, ticket sales and the silent auction will support Tanner's Turkeys' mission of feeding local families in need during the Thanksgiving holiday. Michele's passion for helping others is evident in her dedication to providing Thanksgiving meals to those who may otherwise go without. Her commitment to this cause is best summed up in her belief: "It's not what we say about our blessings, it's how we share them." Michele and her team of volunteers have worked to make the annual fundraiser and basket brigade a reality, ensuring that Thanksgiving is a time of joy and abundance for as many families as possible. Michele partners with local nonprofits who then match the meals to their families who are most in need. No Blues News is a nonprofit that helps Michele succeed in her mission. Join Michele Tanner and Tanner's Turkeys on Friday, November 3rd to be a part of this event that embodies the true spirit of Thanksgiving. For more information about Tanner's Turkeys, to purchase event tickets, or make a donation, please visit https://tannersturkeys.wordpress.com/. This website can also direct visitors to packing and delivery times.
Pictured: Michele Tanner and her daughter, Dani at last year's Tanner's Turkeys fundraising event.
Join Sarasota Hooters Calendar Girls for a Corn Hole Tournament to raise funds for breast cancer research on Sunday, October 29. Funds raised will benefit the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Grant. Bags fly at noon at Sarasota Hooters (6507 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota). The entry fee is $50 per team. Entry fee also includes 2 Hooters Calendars, 22oz Hooters Cups, two beer tickets and buy 6 wings, get 6 wings free voucher for your next visit. There are more ways the community can help their local Hooters restaurant in the fight against breast cancer. Purchase a Hooters Calendar for $15.00 and $1.00 of every calendar going to the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Foundation Research. Hooters has raised more than $8 million over time to support the fight against breast cancer, much of it through the Kelly Jo Dowd Breast Cancer Research Fund benefiting the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Local Hooters employees who are Feature Months in the calendar include “Miss January” Sarah Magda from Sarasota Hooters, “Miss June” Miya Vidales from Sarasota Hooters, “Miss November” Grace Burchett from Naples Hooters and “December 2023 Feature” Alannah Friedman from Bradenton Hooters. Additional ways to get involved include donate a $1 or more and get your name on a card to hang in the restaurant or take home, round up your bill to the nearest dollar because every penny makes a difference or buy pink cocktails. We will donate $1 for every limited-edition special pink drink we sell all month. All drinks are made with Pink Whitney Vodka and only $7. Choices are Strawberry squeeze, Kelly Jo Dowd Pink Martini and Pink Whitney Shot. LTP Management, a Franchisee of Hooters of America, owns and operates 15 locations in South Florida. For more information about South Florida Hooters and their community involvement please visit www.HootersFlorida.com or follow us at Twitter @HootersFlorida, Instagram @SouthFLHooters, TikTok @southflhooter and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hootersflorida/. Make sure to follow @HootersSarasota on Instagram.
The 12th Annual Golf Classic, presented by Homes by WestBay and benefiting Brandon-based A Kid’s Place (AKP), raised more than $115,000 on Monday, October 16th. The sold-out tournament was chaired by West Bay’s Chief Financial Officer and AKP Chair, Beth Bradburn. Founded in 2009, A Kid’s Place is a unique safe haven for children in the foster care system. Its home-like, residential program assists children from birth to age 22 who have been removed from their parent’s care because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. In addition to offering services to meet the social, medical, educational, and psychological needs of foster children, A Kid’s Place puts a special emphasis on keeping siblings together in a stable, and nurturing environment. Homes by WestBay has been committed to A Kid’s Place for several years. As the largest locally owned, privately held homebuilder in Tampa Bay, Homes by WestBay imbues a culture of leadership and giving back to the local community not only through financial contributions, but also through time and service. In fact, West Bay was integral in launching A Kid’s Place’s independent living program which helps high school graduates who are in the foster care system transition to living on their own. To learn more about A Kid’s Place, visit www.AKidsPlacetb.org.
The Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation (SAHP) has launched the Sarasota Preservation Program to save and protect historic buildings through a suite of tools that have never been deployed in the region. These include historic preservation easements; low-cost financing for maintenance and restoration of historic buildings; and technical assistance for repairs and upkeep. The goal is to combat the Sarasota region’s rapid loss of historic buildings through tangible help to homeowners – including low-cost loans and help for those who own even modest-scale older dwellings. Some of the first beneficiaries will be historic homeowners in Sarasota’s Central Cocoanut and Newtown neighborhoods. The SAHP board of directors has kicked off a matching gift challenge to double every dollar raised for the program up to $30,000.
Pictured: Example of historic home in Sarasota's Central Cocoanut District.
Sidney Turner, PhD of Resilient Retreat has been recognized in the Business Observer’s 2023 40 Under 40 selections. Dr. Turner is a psychologist and researcher who has dedicated the last decade to advocating for survivors of trauma and studying evidence-based strategies to prevent and intervene in situations involving trauma. She also volunteers as a victim advocate at SPARCC and Centerstone. Dr. Turner strongly believes that people are not defined by their trauma and programs should focus on the many strengths that can come from overcoming adversity, not just the challenges. She has been in board leadership positions in nonprofits for many years, including the largest crisis center in New Hampshire (HAVEN), The Rotary Club of Longboat Key, the Florida Partnership to End Domestic Violence, and founded the innovative nonprofit, Resilient Retreat, in Sarasota, Florida where she currently sits on the Executive Board. Resilient Retreat is an innovative nonprofit with a mission to help those impacted by trauma and abuse, providing free, evidence-based programs to survivors, first responders, and helping professionals, to heal the impact of trauma on the mind, body, and spirit. Programs at Resilient Retreat have provided impactful services and essential training in our community. Each year, the Business Observer selects 40 individuals under 40 years old from the Gulf Coast business community. Carefully selected from nominations and original reporting, these individuals represent the best and brightest from Tampa to Naples. In selecting this year’s honorees, the paper’s editors looked for candidates who are entrepreneurial, even if they don’t own their own businesses.
In Conversation with Stacy R. Corley, President of Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation, Joy Mahler, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast, Bill Sadlo, President and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and Desoto Counties and Dr. Kristie Skoglund, Chief Executive Officer of The Florida Center for Early Childhood on nonprofit innovation.
What does your organization do that might surprise people?
SKOGLUND: What we hear often when we invite people to our main campus in Sarasota for a tour is, “We didn’t realize how much you do. We didn’t realize how large you are.” We have 150 employees. In one of our programs, we serve the entire state, and we’re in five counties. When folks hear about the Center for Early Childhood, they may think about our pre- school. We have a preschool on our campuses. Our main school is in Sarasota, and we have a North Port campus that has children who have diagnosed develop- mental delays or disabilities who attend our preschools. They may know us for that–our Starfish Academy. But maybe they didn’t realize that we work with kids in the court system, the early child- hood court we do. People also hear about our fetal alcohol program. That is our diagnostic evaluation and parent support program for children prenatally exposed to drugs and alcohol but they often don’t realize that we are serving families from all over the state with satellite locations.
CORLEY: SMH is the largest employer in Sarasota County. But I think people assume their taxes pay for everything and that there’s no fundraising or donor support needed, and that really couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s a very small percentage of what hap- pens. Certainly, there are medical things that are reimbursable through insurance or Medicare, Medicaid, those kinds of things. But providing care for uninsured, underinsured, and indigent patients as well as advancing medical equipment are things that our foundation does, as well as adding on clinical research. A lot of times, people think the hospital system must not need the money. We are not fundraising necessarily for buildings. We’re fundraising for what happens inside the buildings and the pro- grams that are on top of standard things you’d find at most hospitals.
SADLO: People would be surprised to hear some of the things that our teams are doing, whether it be through our Perlman Price Young Entrepreneur program, where youth are learning about business models, getting funding–Shark Tank style–starting their own businesses. We have youth running nonprofit busi- nesses and for-profit businesses right now through this program and also youth serving on boards throughout the county, both in government boards and nonprofit boards through our STAR Leadership program where they get 60 hours of training, learn about civic engagement and leadership, and then at the end they can serve as a full voting member on nonprofit board.
MAHLER: When we started over a hundred years ago, it was all about connecting children with a mentor and that’s about as far as it went. That’s probably what most people think we do. But what we have found is we have a wonderful opportunity to get to know the needs of the families and children. There are educational needs focused on the individual needs of the youth and their families. It’s work-force opportunity, giving them beyond school walls, getting more involved with education which we know is a major pillar in the life of our youth. If they don’t graduate high school, they’re just really a step behind in success. We work with them in more of a 360 model than when we first started out and what we found is it came from our volunteers saying, “Look, we need more help with this. Do you have more resources to help us with that?” So as they’ve become more involved with the youth, whether it is reading in education, whether it is high school graduation, or it’s workforce development, we’ve found that we’ve become more involved with their success and what’s actually going to help them be successful in life.
AN ARTS ADVOCATE | A fan of all things art related, Betty Ferguson has made an impact at The Sarasota Ballet box office, October 2023.
Celebrate 75 years of inspiring music all season long, and our Celebrate 75 special concert and gala experience will be the party to top them all. We invite you to support 75 more years, and beyond, of enriching lives through music by purchasing tickets to Celebrate 75. For access to the best seats and the full celebration, opt for a Gala ticket, which includes pre-concert cocktails and a gourmet dinner after the performance. Concert-only tickets are also available for purchase. The concert program, led by Creative Partner Peter Oundjian, captures all the euphoria of reaching this milestone in our history as Florida’s oldest continuously operating orchestra. After two stirring fanfares written by Aaron Copland and Joan Tower, legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson joins Sarasota Orchestra for the monumental Piano Concerto No. 3 by Rachmaninoff. Paired with An American in Paris by Gershwin, a rhapsodic portrait of a stroll through the City of Lights, this one-night-only program promises to thrill. Gala begins at 6:00 pm, and concert begins at 7:00 pm. Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, sarasotaorchestra.org.
The 2024 Forks and Corks Food and Wine Festival, hosted by the Sarasota Manatee Originals, will take place January 25 to 29. Grand Tasting tickets go on sale in October. A full five day slate of food and wine themed fun is planned, including the University Master Classes, wine dinners at area restaurants, wine shop tasting events, a trade tasting and the much anticipated Grand Tasting at The Ringling Museum of Art. Due to the unprecedented demand for tickets, ticket sales for The Grand Tasting launch on two consecutive Tuesdays: On October 10 at 9 a.m. there is a presale of the VIP and Early Access tickets and on October 17 at 7 p.m. General Admission tickets will be available and historically have sold out in a matter of minutes. All Forks and Corks Grand Tasting tickets will be available online only. For more information, please visit www.eatlikealocal.com.
Join us on November 15th at 7pm to kick off the 2023-2024 season with the Tobias Quartet! Members of the Tobias Quartet initially connected during summers spent at the renowned Perlman Music Program on Shelter Island, NY. They reunited during their studies at the Juilliard School and the quartet ultimately formed in the summer of 2021 at the Music from Angel Fire Festival, located in New Mexico. During their residencies at Music from Angel Fire in 2021 and 2022, the quartet performed a wide range of repertoire including the world premiere of an octet by Elise Arancio in collaboration with the Vera Quartet. The name of their ensemble pays homage to Toby Perlman, to whom they are eternally grateful for her infinite wisdom and inspiration. Tickets will be available October 1st and this public show will be located at the Sarasota Art Museum in Thomas McGuire Hall, 1001 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, https://www.perlmanmusicprogramsuncoast.org.
Choral Artists of Sarasota presents the songs that brought hope and inspiration during military conflicts, from the Revolutionary War through Desert Storm. The featured guest artist is baritone Bob McDonald, a retired Sergeant Major from The US Army Chorus. The performance will be on Saturday, November 11, 1pm, at Church of the Redeemer, 222 S. Palm Avenue, Sarasota. Tickets are $40 for guests and $25 for Veterans. Student tickets are $5. For more information, visit www.ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is excited to welcome John Waite to Sarasota on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. John will be performing his catalogue of hits from his 40-year career as a solo artist, with The Baby’s and Bad English. Tickets for John Waite: 40 Years of Missing You are currently on sale. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at VanWezel.org, by calling the box office at 941-263-6799 or by visiting the box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups of 10 or more should contact 941-263-6726. For more information, visit VanWezel.org.
Join us in bringing hope and healing to the fight against child abuse in our community. Night of Hope and Healing will feature a wide selection of tastings from crowd favorite restaurants, fantastic live and silent auctions, and most importantly, you will leave the event knowing that you are bringing change, protection, and hope to the most vulnerable children of our community. Sponsoring this event will expose your business to a compassionate, caring, and loyal community while providing the necessary support to give local children access to life saving services. These partnerships provide hope in raising awareness, hope in bringing comfort and joy, and hope in building a world where kids can just be kids. We look forward to seeing you there. Plantation Golf and Country Club, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice, https://cpcsarasota.org/events/night-of-hope/.
Artist and gallerist Mara Torres González recently relocated MARA Art Studio + Gallery from the Rosemary District to Palm Avenue—a corridor long known for its prestigious galleries. A grand opening is scheduled for Friday, November 3, 6-8 p.m. during Palm Avenue’s First Friday Gallery Walk. The gallery is now at 76 S. Palm Avenue, Sarasota. For more information, call (941) 914-8110 or visit MaraStudioGallery.com.
Globe-trotting French singer-songwriter, Eric Vincent will be stopping in Sarasota on his farewell USA tour. He will be performing at So French Café on November 1st.
Tickets $20 online, $25 at the door. Get your tickets early as seating is limited. Doors open at 6pm, come early so you can sample a delicious menu from the restaurant before the concert. There will not be food service during the concert. Cash bar and restaurant service available. Tickets are available by phone 941-955-0700.
Due to popular demand and the success of the past three years, The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, SCSO, is pleased to announce its Fourth Annual Halloween Drive-Thru on Saturday, October 28, from 6-8pm,, at the agency’s Sarasota headquarters. “While this event originated due to the pandemic, it has grown and become a highly anticipated annual event,” commented Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman. “It is easy to attend, quick, safe, and fun for families and allows our agency members to interact with the community.” For information about the SCSO Halloween Drive-Thru, connect with the sheriff’s office on social media or contact the Community Affairs Office at 941.861.4005 or visit SarasotaSheriff.org.
Bringing Up Down Syndrome will hold its 21st annual Buddy Walk on Saturday, October 28th from 10 am to 2 pm at Bayside Community Church, located at 15800 FL64 in Bradenton, Florida. This exciting event is the largest Down syndrome awareness and celebration experience in the area. This event will feature live music with celebrated vocalist and DJ, MoTown Ross Brown, silent auction, carnival games, a 50/50 raffle, food and beverages, and a variety of other family friendly activities. All donations support programs and services offered to over 250 families across Manatee and Sarasota counties. Register now at manasotabuds.org.
Sarasota Jewish Theatre is pleased to announce its 2023-2024 season. The season opens with a two-night-only special production of Charting the Lost Continent in October, which is followed by a one-night-only repeat of last season’s sold out musical, Bashert – Some Things are Meant to Be, in November. The season continues with three plays from January through May, including Fully Committed by Becky Mode, Better Late by Larry Gelbart, and The Immigrant by Mark Harelik. The plays are presented at The Players Centre Studio, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. To purchase tickets and subscriptions for $18-$93, visit ThePlayers.org or call 941-365-2494. For information, visit SarasotaJewishTheatre.org.
Sarah Wertheimer, the executive director of Embracing Our Differences, recently announced that the organization will be staging its final exhibit of EOD’s 20th anniversary season at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, October 21-November 26. “Embracing Kindness” will showcase 14 artworks and accompanying quotations selected from exhibits from the past 20 years. This free exhibit will be located on the Museum’s Great Lawn at 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For more information, visit EmbracingOurDifferences.org.
The public is invited to enjoy an elegant night out at the Powel Crosley Estate, where Sarasota-Manatee students will deliver an unforgettable hospitality experience from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 17. The event promises to delight guests with a gourmet spread, including risotto, salmon, steak, dessert and an opportunity to customize their own “potato martini” with sautéed Spanish onions, roasted garlic confit, apple smoked bacon and other savory toppings. A second dinner will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 14 at the same location. The semi-annual dinner series is an opportunity for students in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management to gain hands-on experience in designing, preparing and executing an all-inclusive dining event. “This will be a dynamic learning experience for all of them,” said Joe Askren, a professor of instruction in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, who, along with his colleague Angad Dang, will assist the students throughout the night. “We look forward to showcasing our students’ skills at these events.” Visit usf.to/taste to purchase tickets.
The Women’s Resource Center presents “You Are Worthy,” an eight-week series from September 14th through November 9th moderated by Chris Florand and Denise Whalin. This in-person series is part of the Women’s Resource Center’s life enrichment programs. The program is $25 for all sessions and takes place at WRC’s Sarasota office at 340 S. Tuttle Ave. To register, please call 941-256-9721 or visit mywrc.org/youareworthy. This program meets weekly on Thursdays from 6-8pm, with each session focusing on developing self-awareness skills, the building block where real personal growth and power to change lives starts.
Head out to Waterside Place for a rocking evening as part of the Lakewood Ranch Sights and Sounds Program. Enjoy a live concert in partnership with Easterseals and EveryoneRocks, featuring artists who are rocking their spectrum. This event is free and open to the public; there is limited seating at the Plaza, but attendees are welcome to bring their own seats. Food and beverages will be available from numerous Waterside Place merchants. For more information on shows, dates, and times, visit lakewoodranch.com/sights-sounds/. Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Dr., Sarasota.
Visit Fresh Harvest, the newly launched weekly farmers market in Downtown Wellen. Fresh Harvest offers a selection of local goods from nearly 40 local vendors. Fresh Harvest takes place every Sunday in Downtown Wellen from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees can peruse different vendor booths and stock up on a variety of goods. Vendors will offer a wide variety of locally grown and produced food, including herbs, spices, cut flowers, teas, canned and preserved fruits and vegetables, syrups, baked goods, pickled foods, fresh seafood, meats, poultry, eggs, milk and prepared food and beverages. A limited selection of craft vendors also participate in the farmers market. For a listing of participating vendors and more information on Fresh Harvest Farmers Market, visit wellenpark.com/events/fresh-harvest-farmers-market. Downtown Wellen, 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice.
This monthly gathering of car enthusiasts brings together automobile lovers from every walk of life, not to mention a wide array of spectacular cars. Bring your own vehicle (all makes and models are welcome) to show off, or check out the hundreds of cars on display. Each month, the event sponsors a different charity, and attendees are encouraged to donate $10 to benefit the charity. The event, occuring on the second Sunday of each month, will feature live music, complimentary coffee and more. To learn more, visit facebook.com/carsandcoffee941. Sarasota Cars and Coffee, The West District at University Town Center near Ford’s Garage, 295 N. Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota.
The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance is excited to announce they will be the new home for the 34th Annual Hob Nob BBQ event on December 6th, previously put on by Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation. This event has been the premier networking event in the region for decades, which brings together the business community from the Sarasota, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch Region to enjoy an evening of food, drinks and fun. The event will be held at the Premiere Sports Campus from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.For more information, visit members.lwrba.org.
Grammy-nominated and internationally acclaimed Liverpool Legends will be at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Friday, December 1, 2023, at 8pm. Liverpool Legends are four talented musicians and actors, handpicked by Louise Harrison – sister of George Harrison. This one-of-a-kind Beatles show is narrated by Louise and will feature special guests Robyn Bell and members of The Pops Orchestra of Bradenton and Sarasota. Robyn has directed The Pops Orchestra for over a decade. Liverpool Legends perform songs spanning the entire career of The Beatles. With precise attention to every musical detail, along with costume changes, vintage instruments and special effects, Liverpool Legends will make you feel like you are watching the real thing! This show will be a special celebration commemorating Louise Harrison’s life and contribution to The Beatles. Louise was living in America in 1963 and she was instrumental in promoting The Beatles in their early days. Not many people know that Louise was a resident of Sarasota, spending her final years there before she passed in January of this year. For more information, visit vanwezel.org.
We invite you to join us to attend our 2nd Annual Dreams to Success Gala. This year, we promise an unforgettable evening that will resonate in your hearts for years to come. Picture a night filled with delectable dinner, live music that will move your soul, a captivating silent auction, dancing that will keep you on your feet, and inspiring testimonies from our adult and youth families who experienced the love from our programs. Expect a night filled with fun and meaningful connections as we eagerly anticipate your sponsorship and presence at our second annual fundraiser scheduled for Friday, November 17, 2023, at the Plantation Golf & Country Club. Your participation means the world to us, and it is through your support that we can continue making a significant difference in the lives of the children and families we have the privilege to empower. Plantation Golf and Country Club, 500 Rockley Blvd., Venice, laurelcivic.org.
The Women’s Resource Center presents the Power of Conversation: Embracing Generational Differences, a panel discussion that aims to explore the unique views, perspectives, stereotypes and biases of four generations, Thursday, November 16, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at The Grove, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch. Tickets start at $50 and include program and takeaway, food, and beverages. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit mywrc.org/generation.
Tickets are on sale for Brunch on the Bay, the annual marquee fundraiser for the USF Sarasota Manatee campus, which returns on Nov. 5. Attendees will enjoy culinary delights from local restaurants and caterers, and get a sneak peek at a major campus expansion project, a new student center and residence hall set to open in the fall of 2024. Proceeds from the 2023 Brunch on the Bay will support student scholarships and campus initiatives. Brunch on the Bay will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, on the USF Sarasota Manatee campus, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Visit sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/brunch for ticket and sponsorship information.
The annual SPARCC black tie gala, SPARCCle in the Garden will take place on Friday, November 3 at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Enjoy live musical entertainment by The Bay Kings, an open bar and passed hors doeuvres, a delicious three course dinner and exclusive live auction packages. All proceeds support free and confidential SPARCC programs and services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Nathan Benderson Park (NBP) is excited to host its annual Trick-or-Treat on the Lake event on Thursday, October 26, 5:30-8:00pm. Get into the holiday spirit by enjoying Halloween favorites for the entire family by the lake. Come dressed in your spookiest, silliest, star-studded costumes for an evening of trick-or-treating along a candy trail of not-too-spooky themed booths, hosted and decorated by over 35 community organizations. This family-friendly event will have an area for interactive play, storytelling, live music and an age-appropriate Halloween movie will play on the jumbotron. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is $10. For more information, visit nathanbendersonpark.org.
Explore labor through The Ringlings Working Conditions photography exhibit, running until March 3, 2024. The Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries radically changed the nature of human labor. That era is defined by a global shift from producing goods by hand to manufacturing by machines and technologies that emphasized efficiency. Working Conditions explores the myriad ways in which photographs have communicated ideas about labor since the nineteenth century through examples from The Ringlings photography permanent collection. For more information, visit ringling.org.
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