People & Business: Friday

Friday, January 11th, 2019
THE SARASOTA SCENE
People & Business
To submit your news for consideration, please send press info to scenemagazine@scenesarasota.com.

The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has selected students from Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties as regional winners of its 2018 Attendance Awareness Poster Contest. Through the contest, students created posters illustrating the message “Every Day Counts” to raise awareness on the importance of going to school every day.

In total, 49,911 students from 82 elementary schools in the four counties participated in the annual contest, which was held by the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in September in recognition of Attendance Awareness Month. The theme for the 2018 contest was “Strive for Less Than Five Days Absent” to encourage students and their parents to set goals for the school year. Beginning in Pre-K and kindergarten, chronic absenteeism — missing at least 10 percent of the school year — increases the risk of being unable to read proficiently by the end of third grade, a key predictor of continued success in school and life.

“Creating an original piece of artwork for the Attendance Awareness Poster Contest gives students an engaging way to internalize the importance of attending school every day,” said Beth Duda, director of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading for The Patterson Foundation. “The messages the students incorporate into their posters serve as a reminder for parents and families that outstanding attendance is an important component in realizing their hopes and dreams for their children.”

The following regional winners will receive their awards at upcoming school board meetings in their respective counties: 

Charlotte County
Rylee McDougall, Sallie Jones Elementary
Alexis Cruz, Sallie Jones Elementary
Emma Drake, Deep Creek Elementary
Lily Harrison, Sallie Jones Elementary
Jillian Kulman, Neil Armstrong Elementary
Ridhi Patel, Myakka River Elementary

DeSoto County
Darsh Patel, West Elementary School
Joselyn De Santiago, Nocatee Elementary
Davinius Wolford, Nocatee Elementary School
Yoselyn Santiago, Memorial Elementary
Cristian Dominguez, Nocatee Elementary
Kimberly Galindo, Nocatee Elementary

Manatee County
Jaxon W. Cline, Myakka City Elementary
Sophia Cryer, Anna Maria Elementary
Sarai Castillo, Samoset Elementary School
Lily Wojtkowski, Gilbert McNeal Elementary
Abigail Vera, Virgil Mills Elementary School
Isabelle Flores, Tara Elementary School

Sarasota County 
Greta Jones, Ashton Elementary School
Abby Lee, Tatum Ridge Elementary School
Adrian Chavarria, Cranberry Elementary
Anna (Xinyu) Zhang, Pine View School
Sydney Coxe, Lakeview Elementary School
Jazmin Smith, Taylor Ranch Elementary

New Sarasota High-End Shoe Boutique Shoe Elegance 

Shoe Elegance, a new high-end shoe boutique, recently opened in Sarasota in the Westfield Siesta Key Mall at 3501 S. Tamiami Trail. The boutique carries an extensive collection of very competitively priced European-made men’s and women’s shoes.

Shoe Elegance features over 50 styles of men’s and women’s high-end dress and casual luxury footwear including loafers, derby, oxfords, brogues and monk straps, to name a few. The shoe collection meets the rising demand for high-end, high quality, elegant shoes, and are mostly handcrafted, Goodyear welted from premium European leathers and other natural materials. Shoe Elegance will also introduce to the US market the NORD brand from Poland.  The factory, one of the few in the world using the top shoe technology known as the Goodyear Welt Technique, is committed to creating unique footwear for men and women, using the best natural materials, craftsmanship and design.

Shoe Elegance owners Janina and Victor Orloff spent over two years researching, visiting and inspecting many high-end shoe factories in Europe. Shoe Elegance in Sarasota is the first of more Shoe Elegance boutiques they plan to open across the country.

More information about the boutique and footwear can be found at www.YourElegantShoes.com.You may also email info@yourelegantshoes.com or call 941.320.0004.

Manatee County accepting applications for Health Care Advisory Board

Manatee County is accepting applications for two vacancies on the Manatee County Health Care Advisory Board, a volunteer group that evaluates, monitors and discusses the healthcare system in Manatee County and makes recommendations to the County Commission regarding the funding of healthcare services in Manatee County.

Manatee County is accepting applications for one representative of the health care industry and one representative of the higher education field. 

Applicants should be willing to meet a minimum of eight times per year on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 5 – 7 p.m. in the 9th Floor BCC Conference Room of the County Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W.

Other meetings may be scheduled as necessary.  Employees, owners or voting board members of agencies that receive funding from Manatee County Government, or individuals who contract with agencies that receive County funding are ineligible to serve on the board, with the exception of a practicing physician who may receive no more than 1 percent of their gross income from County-funded healthcare. 
 
The advisory board reviews evidence-based practices,  programs and related data to enhance the long-term stability and effectiveness of the programs available to citizens of Manatee County who have no other meaningful means of access to health care.

Efforts will be made to have a Board that is reflective of the diversity of the community. Manatee County residents from minority communities, including but not limited to members from African-American and Latino/Hispanic heritage, are encouraged to apply.  
 
Applications are due Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. The application may be found online at www.mymanatee.org/advisory_boards

JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation partners with Epilepsy Services of SW FL for Transportation

JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation is partnering with Epilepsy Services of SW FL to help individuals who are unable to drive due to their seizures.  In the State of Florida, individuals diagnosed with epilepsy are prohibited from driving until they are six-months seizure free.

Vinnie Dilego, Case Manager of ESSWFL presented pharmaceutical patient assistance program information to the members of the monthly Epilepsy Support Group sponsored by JoshProvides in January.  At that meeting, Andria Bilan, CEO and Sandi Chapnick, Co-Founder of JoshProvides awarded ESSWFL 25 SCAT bus passes for individuals who attend the medical clinic and have no other means of transportation. 

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that will impact 1 in 26 people during their lifetime.  It is estimated that more than 400,000 individuals in Florida have been diagnosed with epilepsy.  Seizures are unpredictable and directly impact the health and safety of the individual.  

The Epilepsy Support Group is held the first Tuesday of the month at the State College of Florida, Lakewood Ranch Campus.  For information about the Epilepsy Support Group please call JoshProvides at 1-800-706-2740 or contact by email at: info@JoshProvides.org

Sarasota Museum of Art Kicks Off 2019 with New Season of Programs

The Sarasota Museum of Art announces its spring 2019 season, featuring a dynamic series of programs ranging from a collector’s master class and film screening to a live performance and several talks with artists and curators. Welcoming thought leaders in the art world to discuss an array of topics, season highlights include: Cara McCarty, Curatorial Director of the Cooper- Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, on design for all types of abilities; Amanda Hawkins, Curator at Design Museum Foundation, on the importance of play; Valerie Cassel Oliver, Curator at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, on Howardena Pindell; and a live music and video performance by the multi-disciplinary duo, Princess.

9th Annual Taste of St. Armands – Saturday, January 19th, 2019, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, in St. Armands Circle Park      

St. Armands Circle Association, Wagner Realty, Tervis and Second and Seed present the 9th annual Taste of St. Armands! St. Armands Circle is renown not only for its upscale boutiques, galleries and fine shops, but also for its award winning restaurants. We proudly showcase our outstanding St. Armands Circle restaurants as they share a sampling of some of their delicious recipes. The variety is as wide as the world we live in – from continental cuisine to seafood, Italian to Irish, Spanish to Cuban and a little taste of Floribian thrown in for good measure. A taste to please every palate! Over 17 restaurants are participating in the beautiful setting of St. Armands Circle Park, along with noteworthy wineries and microbreweries or maybe you’d like to try this year’s Taste of St. Armands specialty drink. Musical sounds will fill the air and set the mood for an evening of fine food, libations and perhaps…a little dancing. There will be a Silent Auction and fundraising activities to benefit Satchels Last Resort Animal Shelter/Sanctuary and St. Armands Circle Association. Please keep in mind, no pets will be admitted into the event area. St. Armands Circle Park is the perfect setting, for a night of great food, great wine, and the sounds of beautiful music!
 
General admission tickets, which include all food and drinks, are available for purchase in advance of the event for $75 and for $85 at the door, the day of the event.

ADVANCED TICKET SALES WILL END SATURDAY, January 19th at 3:00pm
Advanced ticket can be purchased through Eventbrite:  Taste of St. Armands
 Rain date: Sunday, January 20, 2019 5:00pm – 8:00pm

Sirius Day Spa: All Things Wellness and Beauty Coming to Cooper Creek (UTC) 

 Sirius Day Spa, an innovator in professional day spa franchise concepts based in Scottsdale, AZ, announced its second location in the area with Richard and Karen Medford of Sarasota, Florida. 

Karen Medford, said “We are thrilled to be opening our 2nd Sirius Day Spa in Florida. The excitement and momentum from the community and local business partners have already set the foundation for the 2nd 3800 sq ft beauty and wellness center.”“Sirius Day Spa hit all the metrics we were looking for – luxury, affordability, structure, extensive options, and pedigree,” added Richard Medford on why the Sirius Day Spa concept was the clear choice for them in the health, wellness and beauty space after looking at numerous concepts. From guided meditation in the serenity lounge to detoxification aromatherapy in the infrared wraps. Sirius Day Spa offers over 50 services to accommodate guests, events, wedding parties and more.

Sirius Day Spa delivers a beautiful, pampering and highly professional day spa experience offering a myriad of luxurious spa services including customized facials, manicures, pedicures, event and blow dry bar services, customized massages, aromatherapy, waxing, body wraps, teeth whitening, guided mediation, eyelash extensions and more. Sirius Day Spa also offers a unique wellness program (although non members are welcome) which includes 30% or more off services, a dollar for dollar monthly credit, no long term contracts and more.

The new location is slated by the end of the first quart at 8502 Cooper Creek Blvd, situated in the new construction building between Marriott Courtyard and LA Fitness.

Lakewood Ranch is now open at Lakewood Ranch Blvd and State Road 70, in the new development called the Green which is also centered around Health and Wellness with neighbors Earth Fare, LA Fitness, So Fresh, DogPerfect, Modern Gents, Panera Bread, Starbucks and more

SCF Offers Leadership Development Program

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) and Leadership Simplified will offer a 12-week leadership development program. Doug Van Dyke, CEO of Leadership Simplified, will offer the training sessions from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursdays beginning Jan. 17 in downtown Bradenton at the offices of Leadership Simplified, 1310 3rd Avenue West. The cost of the program is $3,500.

Each participant will receive a thumb drive with five audio sessions to help reinforce material covered during the training sessions. They also will receive a copy of “Leadership Simplified – The Field Guide for Savvy Leaders.” Throughout the training participants will have access to Leadership Simplified’s online resources. Each participant also will receive a total of two-hours of one-on-one coaching with Van Dyke. The agenda for each one-on-one session will be tailored to best benefit the individual participant.

Clients who have turned to Leadership Simplified include American Express, Lockheed Martin, PepsiCo, Nielsen Media Research, Sysco Foods, Union Pacific Railroad, Amazon, National Grid, Humana, Charter Communications and Bealls Department Stores.

For more information, contact Lee Kotwicki at KotwicL@SCF.edu or 941-363-7218.

Allure Medical Hires Roberts as Florida Marketing Manager
Allure Medical announces the hire of Sara Roberts as south territory marketing manager over its new Florida offices.

In her new role, she will focus on the patient experience and community relations while integrating departmental efforts in service delivery, marketing communications, and public relations.  Roberts, a veteran marketing expert and entrepreneur, previously served as director of marketing and public relations for a local landscape maintenance and design firm.

  ELC Awarded $5000 Grant From The SCF MLK Day Of Service Team  

The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, Inc. (ELC) was awarded a MLK Day of Service grant of $5,000 from State College of Florida to provide 1,325 quality children’s books that promote diversity and harmony among all cultures to children from birth through twelve years of age at multiple locations in Manatee County. 
 
The ELC will distribute books at four locations and events:  • The Educational Consultants Consortium, Inc. will distribute at the Read-A-Thon Event in Palmetto on Saturday, January 19 • Just for Girls will share the books at their locations beginning January 22 as part of the MLK Day of Service • Books will be distributed on January 23 as students from Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School volunteer to read and mentor students at Team Success School of Excellence • The ELC will provide books to help stock the Community Children’s Library at the Anna Gayle STEM/MLK Children’s Library Resource Center and the Kelly-Brown Career Development Center in Palmetto
 
The books selected for this project will lead children to aspire to an even greater understanding of not only the legacy of Martin Luther King, but of the world around them. 
 
A primary focus of the ELC is to provide opportunities in every community of Manatee County that enhance learning and development in a child’s early years. The ELC is continually looking for new ways to increase family engagement and support parents as their child’s first and most important teacher. 

South Florida Museum  Expansion Showcase

South Florida Museum honored their Founders, Patrons & Supporters during a special cocktail reception sponsored by Northern Trust that included a short presentation by David Piper of Brilliant Creative Fabrication. Brilliant, the creative minds behind some of Orlando’s most noteworthy theme park attractions, is developing and fabricating exhibition components for the MBU. More than 100 guests were fascinated to see how this new universe is coming to life and learn that they’re on track for a mid-2019 opening of these exciting new spaces!

Neal Communities notes consistent growth in 2018

With 31 communities spanning from Apollo Beach to Naples, Neal Communities noted 1,061 sales and 1,148 home closings in 2018 and heads into 2019 with a positive outlook for the regional real estate market. The southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder is gearing up for six grand openings this year and two more in early 2020.

Sales started off briskly in early 2018, which exceeded expectations, but slowed during the last quarter of the year, eroding gains that had the builder initially ahead of its business plan for the year.