The Child Protection Center, Inc. (CPC) has partnered with the International Sarasota Chalk Festival’s Avenue of Art to illustrate the innocence of childhood as part of their permanent sidewalk mural installation project. The Avenue of Art stretches from Mound St. to the Burns Court area, and over 300 sidewalk squares will be on display by this Fall.

Over 50 sidewalk squares have already been transformed into an immersive walk outside of CPC at 720 S. Orange Ave. in Downtown Sarasota. The collaboration of more than fifteen artists with Avenue of Art leadership, plus countless hours of time and planning, have created a bright, interactive, and educational section that the community is invited to come see. Partners that helped bring this project to life include Easterseals Southwest Florida, Second Heart Homes, Lipstick Lex, Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency Pinellas-Sarasota, Pine View School Honor Society, and Sarasota Children’s Museum. Artists in addition to that include Beck Lane, Nicole Pleau, Annie Dong, Mandy Fulton, Kirsten Pruitt, and more.

“Quintessential aspects of sunny Sarasota are included throughout,” shares CPC , Capital Campaign Manager, Elizabeth K. Topp, who also happens to be of the talented artists participating. “There will be a sailboat under the Ringling Bridge, native Florida plants and insects, a ballerina, the Florida Highwaymen, and more. Also on display is a manatee reminding all that protecting children is everyone’s job, CPC’s mission illustrated above a pinwheel field and breathtaking butterflies and florals.”

In addition to the art on display, there will be numerous interactive pieces including an affirmation hopscotch, “I SPY,” and whimsical maze that are sure to engage anyone that walks by.

“Community members will see tiny handprints and tiny footprints, which is one of the most special parts of this journey,” says CPC’s Vice President of Philanthropy, Sheila Miller. "The Child Protection Center strategically worked with each artist and organization to illustrate the ‘innocence of childhood’ and to be a bright and immersive space to walk outside of CPC’s offices.”

Join the Child Protection Center, the artists, and our community on June 18th, 2024, anytime from 4-6:30 PM for a free event including a ribbon cutting for phase one of the project. Guests can expect beverages, interactive activities for kids, tours of CPC, a meet-and-greet with therapy dogs of PAWS, and delicious bites by The Empanada Girl food truck.

The Child Protection Center will be very happy to accept donations of art supplies for the clients in their therapy program to further embrace the healing that can be found in artistic expression. For more information on CPC or to inquire about ways to get involved, please visit them at www.cpcsarasota.org or call 941-365-1277. 

Pictured: Children were involved in the creation and design of many sidewalk squares for the CPC sidewalk mural project. Photo courtesy of CPC.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat (Sarasota County, Florida) announced today that five Florida public school arts teachers will spend part of their summer on Manasota Key while working on their own artistic endeavors. They are the recipients of the 2024 State Teachers Artist Residency program (STARs) – now in its fourteenth year – presented by the Hermitage Artist Retreat in partnership with the Florida Alliance for Arts Education (FAAE). This year's recipients were selected from dozens of impressive applicants, and the five teachers selected from across the State of Florida include three visual arts educators working in various mediums, a musician who leads the steel band at their high school, and a theater teacher recognized for his playwriting talents. The five receive a residency at the nationally renowned Hermitage Artist Retreat, where they can focus on their own work as creative artists. These five teaching artists will present a family-friendly showcase of their work on Friday, July 12th starting at 2pm. This special event will be held throughout the Hermitage’s beachfront campus on Manasota Key; entrance at 6660 Manasota Key Road, Englewood, FL 34223. The program is presented in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota and Desoto Counties and the Englewood YMCA. In addition to the students and families attending from the YMCA, this Hermitage community program will be free and open to the public with a $5/person registration fee. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org. The five recipients of this honor, selected among dozens of impressive applicants, include: Greg Burdick, a theater arts educator, director, and playwright in Central Florida (Polk County); Dealey Dansby, a sculpture and ceramics visual artist currently teaching elementary and middle school art at Carrollwood K8 in Tampa (Hillsborough County); Shaun Fergus, a passionate art instructor at Fort White Middle School (Columbia County); Dr. Kayleen Justus, Director of Steel Bands at Leon High School in the Tallahassee area (Leon County); and Vanessa Watkins, a distinguished glass artist with a focus on restoration art at Markham Woods Middle School (Seminole County). 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties (BGCSDC) was recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of America with three prestigious awards at the organization’s 2024 National Conference in Atlanta. BGCSDC’s Tom & Debbie Shapiro Career Resource Center received the Roxanne Spillett Program Excellence Honor Award for Workforce Readiness. This coveted award recognizes programs that set new standards for program quality and excellence and equip youth with essential social-emotional skills for successful careers while exposing them to diverse career opportunities and work-based learning experiences. The organization’s Tom & Debbie Shapiro Career Resource Center has provided college and career training, exploration opportunities, vocational training, and entrepreneurial education to local youth since 2016. President/CEO Bill Sadlo, Vice President for Teen Initiatives Suriya Khong, and longtime Board member, former Chair, and Vice Chair of Special Projects, Tom Shapiro accepted the honor. Sadlo stated, “Since its inception, the Tom & Debbie Shapiro Career Resource Center has grown to serve over 200 teens each year. The program covers a range of subjects, including career exploration, entrepreneurial education, and vocational training in fields such as plumbing, automotive, and culinary arts. As a result, participating teens have reported increased confidence in their career goals, and even those who decide not to pursue trades or start a business leave with valuable life skills.” In addition, Roscelyn Guenther, Director of Program Services at BGCSDC, was recognized with the CAPE: Safety Superhero Award (National Trainer Initiative) and the Commitment to Safety Award presented by BGCA Child Safety & Quality Assurance for her unwavering commitment to safety and training excellence. Guenther stated, “Ensuring the safety of our staff and Club members is paramount in my role at BGCSDC. I am dedicated to continuously reviewing and improving our safety policies and procedures while also fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected and feedback is welcome.” She continued, “This sets the tone for a productive learning experience so trainees can engage meaningfully with the curriculum. I look forward to continuing to share tools and resources with the team for a greater impact on the members we serve.” For more information about how to support BGCSDC, please visit bgcsdc.org or call 941-366-3911.

Photo courtesy of Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.

In celebration of Pride Month and in response to the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ seniors, Senior Friendship Centers (SFC) is proud to announce the launch of "Rainbow Connections," a new program dedicated to fostering community, support, and celebration among LGBTQ+ older adults. This monthly mixer will take place every second Thursday at SFC’s Sarasota campus. The recurring event will feature a member of the arts community who will speak and perform, followed by a casual Q&A session. Attendees will enjoy complimentary creative culinary bites and beer/wine. Statistics highlight that LGBTQ+ seniors are twice as likely to live alone, four times more likely to have no children, and often face shrinking social networks, leading to a lack of traditional support systems. Fear of disclosing their LGBTQ+ identity further results in a four times lower likelihood of accessing community aging services, which exacerbates the risk of holistic health challenges and financial hardship (Generations, American Society of Aging) SFC’s senior programs, which cover nutrition, economic assistance, caregiving resources, adult day care, wellness classes, and socialization, are all-inclusive. June Rainbow Connections Mixer: Thursday, June 13, 2024 | 4:30PM – 6:00pm, 1888 Brother Geenen Way, Sarasota. Featured Guest: Violinist Francesca Jourawleff. To register, visit eventbrite.com and search Rainbow Connections Senior Friendship Centers.

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast proudly presents the second annual Integrate Summit, set to take place on Thursday, June 20th at the State College of Florida, Lakewood Ranch campus. This enriching event provides an opportunity to hear from a variety of professionals and thought leaders on how we can best pursue balance in our minds, body, spirit, and communities. The summit will feature keynote speaker Dr. Jesse Fox, PhD, Associate Professor of Counseling Education at Stetson University and author of Bringing Religion and Spirituality into Therapy and Avoiding Difficult Emotions: Working with Spiritual Bypass. Additionally, from 8:30AM- 4:30PM attendees can meet with exhibitors from local organizations passionate about mental wellness and choose from 12 different breakout sessions led by 25 different presenters. A wide range of topics include childhood experiences on self-esteem and adult brain function, grief and ageism, recovering and healing from manipulative relationships, the power of peer support, and more. Licensed clinicians can earn up to five continuing education units (CEUs) during the Summit, but the event is open to all interested individuals. Community Care Director John Gregory states, “We’re thrilled to bring back the Integrate Summit after a successful first year. The speaker lineup has something for everyone, and we hope the community takes advantage of this opportunity.” Tickets range from $29 to $75, and sponsorships are still available. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.samaritangulfcoast.com/events/integrate-summit/  

 In the child welfare realm, it is not uncommon for fathers or paternal family members to be absent during the case planning process, particularly in comparison to mothers or maternal figures. As Father’s Day approaches, local child welfare organization Safe Children Coalition (SCC) understands the importance of paternal involvement in ensuring the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and youth – and they’ve launched new programming to affirm just that. In 2022, the Florida Legislature appropriated over $68.9 million to support services for fathers, create an awareness campaign related to responsible fatherhood, and provide evidence-based parenting education to meet the individual needs of fathers. Of the total funding, local child welfare organization Safe Children Coalition (SCC) received approximately $150,000. A portion of that funding went toward three grants designated for the comprehensive needs of fathers, evidence-based education programs for fathers, and mentorship programs for at-risk male students. Short-term goals for SCC’s fatherhood initiative include ensuring fathers’ voices are heard, that there is data-informed knowledge of the actual needs of fathers in our communities, and that case managers and stakeholders are aware of all available resources throughout the community. Longer-term goals include increasing the number of fathers with mentors/parent partners or role models, increasing the monthly contacts by fathers with their children, and increasing the percentage of fathers reunified with their child/ren. The Father Engagement Coordinator for SCC is Aaron Bellamy; he is responsible for building relationships with fathers, helping to identify needs, assisting fathers in accessing services, addressing any gaps identified in services, and communicating the particular challenges faced by fathers so it’s understood how to appropriately meet their unique needs. Through partnership with several community agencies,  SCC is committed to providing fathers with the support they need to thrive, and to connecting them with positive role models. So far, more than 60 fathers have been served in Circuit 12, which includes Sarasota, Manatee, and Desoto counties. For more about SCC, visit sccfl.org.