People & Business: Friday 2/22/19

Friday, March 29th
THE SARASOTA SCENE
People & Business
To submit your news for consideration, please send press info to scenemagazine@scenesarasota.com

Partnership of Goodwill Manasota and Local Food Banks Helps to Feed the Hungry

While Goodwill Manasota is well known for accepting donations of gently-used items from the community and selling those goods in its retail stores – with revenues funding its mission of changing lives through the power of work – it’s not just items like clothing, home goods, books, sporting goods and electronics being accepted. For many years, Goodwill has placed food barrels at all donor doors at its stores as well as at its attended donation centers in Sarasota and Manatee counties; the beneficiaries are The Food Bank of Manatee, owned and operated by Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, and All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota. 

In 2018, Goodwill collected 75,083 pounds of food for All Faiths Food Bank and 40,156 pounds for The Food Bank of Manatee County, a total of 115,239 pounds – 57,620 tons, or approximately 96,000 meals – for those who are hungry. Each year, the food collection totals have grown larger as community members have realized they could drop off goods and food in one convenient stop. Goodwill Manasota collected 106,000 pounds of food in 2017 and 103,000 pounds in 2016. The food collection has grown over the course of many years into a significant annual effort.

  “While our mission tends to focus on the career services side of social services, we felt compelled to assist when we learned just how prevalent hunger is in our communities,” said Donna Evans, Goodwill Manasota’s director of donation development. “We have numerous locations that are convenient and fully staffed – it is easy and incredibly fulfilling for us to partner with our area food banks to help fight the scourge of hunger.”
   
    The Food Bank of Manatee provides nutritional assistance and caring supportive services to individuals in need throughout Manatee County by distributing food to nonprofit agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, and churches. In 2018, Meals on Wheels Plus distributed 201,000 nutritious hot meals and dinners to approximately 750 home-bound seniors, distributed 4.1 million pounds of food through The Food Bank of Manatee, and 110,000 weekend meals to children in need over the summer months when school is out of session.  
   
    Together with its partners, All Faiths Food Bank provides healthy solutions to end hunger in our community. All Faiths Food Bank, the hub of hunger relief in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, serves more than 82,000 individuals in need through its programs and member network that includes human services organizations, schools, faith-based and secular organizations, and other groups that serve the community. Last year, All Faiths Food Bank distributed 10.5 million pounds of food equating to 8.75 million meals to children, families, seniors and veterans in need.
   
    “We truly value our partnership with Goodwill Manasota and its dedication to hunger relief on the Suncoast,” said Maribeth Phillips, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee. “Goodwill has many convenient locations to make critically needed non-perishable food donations. The Food Bank of Manatee ensures all of those food donations are promptly circulated throughout Manatee County for those in need.”
   
    “We appreciate our partnership with Goodwill very much,” added John Livingston, chief of operations at All Faiths Food Bank. “Having our bins in Goodwill locations throughout Sarasota provides a convenient way for people to donate food and allows us to be more efficient with our food collections.”
   
The organizations plan to continue the food collections at Goodwill locations. For more about Goodwill, go to experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.

Orioles to Honor Orioles Legend & Hall of Famer Frank Robinson throughout 2019 Season

Throughout the 2019 season, the Orioles will celebrate the life of Orioles Legend and National Baseball Hall of Famer FRANK ROBINSON, who passed away on February 7 at the age of 83.

 In honor of Robinson’s commitment to advancing civil rights for African Americans, the Orioles Charitable Foundation will donate a total of $60,000 to several civil rights and African American museums. A donation of $20,000 will be made to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History & Culture in Baltimore, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., and the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington D.C. A representative from each organization will be recognized as part of Opening Day ceremonies at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, April 4, prior to the 3:05 p.m. ET game against the New York Yankees. The Orioles will present the donations and honor Robinson’s legacy with a video tribute and a moment of silence.

“Throughout his 50-year career in professional baseball, Frank Robinson blazed a trail for the African American players, coaches, managers, and executives who followed in his footsteps,” said JOHN ANGELOS, Orioles Executive Vice President. “In honor of his tireless commitment to civil rights issues – including his efforts to improve housing opportunities for African Americans here in Baltimore – the Orioles will partner with three remarkable institutions that highlight the achievements of African Americans throughout our nation’s history.”

All Orioles players and coaches will wear a commemorative “20” patch on their jerseys throughout the 2019 season, including all Spring Training games in Sarasota. At Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the ballclub will honor Robinson before the season by displaying a large “20” banner on the east side of the ballpark warehouse. During the season, the club will honor Robinson with a black band across Robinson’s no. 20 retired number marker located on the upper deck façade in left field. At Ed Smith Stadium, the Orioles will also pay tribute to Robinson with a “20” display above the scoreboard throughout the spring and with a video tribute and moment of silence prior to Saturday’s Spring Training home opener against the Minnesota Twins at 1:05 p.m.

The Orioles are also planning to host a public celebration of life for Robinson at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in April. The ceremony will include a video tribute and remarks from a variety of guest speakers. Additional details, including the selected date, will be announced at a later time. 

Robinson spent more than half a century in Major League Baseball as a player, coach, manager, and executive. He joined the Orioles in 1966 and propelled the club to its first World Series championship, winning the Triple Crown and earning MVP honors in the process. A two-time MVP, 14-time All-Star, and two-time World Series champion, Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier as the first African American manager in Major League history in 1975 and was an advocate of civil rights issues throughout his entire career.

Robinson was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1982. He played for 21 seasons in the Major Leagues, including six with Baltimore. Robinson spent 16 years as a manager, guiding the Orioles from 1988-91, where he earned American League Manager of the Year honors in 1989. To this day, Robinson remains the only person in Orioles history to serve as a player, coach, manager, and front office executive. He most recently served as a Senior Advisor to the Commissioner and Honorary President of the American League.

2019 CVA Honoree Luncheon hosted by Michael’s on East

2019 Honorees:

Julie Milton

Julie was a former executive with a Fortune 500 company and reported directly to the chairman of the board. In 1990, she moved to Florida and was instrumental in marketing healthy dairy alternatives for a company in Orlando for which she also handled investor relations. In 2007, Julie became publisher and executive editor of Sarasota Scene Magazine: the longest running community magazine. She and her husband also own Café L’Europe.

Jon Thaxton

Jon is a leading advocate for protecting Florida’s natural environment. In 2000, he was elected to the County Commission and became a leader for environmental issues. He was featured in National Geographic. Today, Jon creates key strategies for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation for transforming our region’s nonprofit community and provides leadership on emerging issues.

Gayle Guynup

Gayle is a native Floridian. After receiving her degree in Mass Communications, she spent 3 years in Atlanta and NYC honing her magazine skills. Returning to Florida, she became general manager for Sarasota Magazine for 3 years. She then became marketing director for the Klauber-family businesses for 14 years. For 18 years she was editor of the Herald-Tribune’s Style Magazine. Then, 8 years ago, she became social editor for the newspaper covering more than 250 events yearly.

Dr. Larry Thompson

Larry has been president of Ringling College of Art and Design since 1999.He is past president of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design and currently serves on its executive board. He is a lawyer and educator who is a member on the boards of numerous local art and civic organizations. In addition, Dr. Thompson is the recipient of many academic and humanitarian honors and awards for being a visionary leader and educator.

Luncheon SEATS    $100.00 each

TABLES of TEN   $1000.00 – if available

Special “FRIENDS and FANS” Signage – $1250 for a 10 seat table if available

PLEASE CALL (941) 365-7052

Or E-MAIL: communityvideoarchives@gmail.com

Or mail information to: 

CVA

1235 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota, Florida 34239

Allegiant Launches Two New Flights to Sarasota

 Allegiant  this week begins new service to Sarasota / Bradenton from two cities: Asheville, North Carolina and Baltimore. To celebrate, the company is offering fares on the new routes each way as low as $59.*
   
    “We’re thrilled to kick off Allegiant’s major expansion at SRQ with these two flights,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant vice president of planning and revenue. “The demand for service from Asheville and Baltimore to Sarasota / Bradenton has been tremendous and we look forward to welcoming thousands of travelers each year to the area on nonstop, ultra-low-cost flights.”
   
    New year-round routes to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) include:
   
    1.  Asheville, North Carolina via Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) – beginning Feb. 22, 2019 with fares as low as $59.*
   
    2.  Baltimore via Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) – beginning Feb. 22, 2019 with fares as low as $82.*
   
    These two routes kick off the launch of nine new routes to SRQ announced in November of 2018 and are expected to bring nearly 162,000 visitors to the Sarasota / Bradenton area annually. The additional seven routes will begin in early April and include: Cleveland; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Nashville, Tennessee; Richmond, Virginia; and Syracuse, New York.
   
    “We are happy to welcome the first of nine new nonstop destinations on Allegiant to Sarasota Bradenton International Airport”, said SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo. “Since the addition to SRQ last April, we have watched Allegiant expand from three cities to 12 in just one year. The strong community response to the new service has validated the support for new nonstop destinations at SRQ.”
   
    Allegiant offers a unique option to Florida-bound travelers with low base fares and savings on rental cars and hotels. Travelers can book their entire vacation with Allegiant for less.
   
    Flight days, times and the lowest fares can be found only at Allegiant.com.
   
    *About the introductory one-way fares:
    Price displayed reflects purchase of a round-trip itinerary and includes taxes, carrier charges & government fees. Seats and dates are limited and fares are not available on all flights. Flights must be purchased by Feb. 24, 2019 for travel between Apr. 1, 2019 and May 31, 2019. Fare rules, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Optional baggage charges and additional restrictions may apply. For more details, optional services and baggage fees, please visit Allegiant.com.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College Presents “Listening to Women”

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College (OLLI at Ringling College) presents “Listening to Women,” a 12-session series featuring women whose innovations and accomplishments are having an impact and influencing lives locally and globally. The series takes place on Thursdays at 1 p.m., March 14 to May 30, at Temple Beth Sholom, 1050 S. Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota. Tickets for all 12 sessions are $190; tickets for six sessions are $100; tickets for individual sessions are $27 for Gold Members and $30 for general admission. For more information and to register, call 941-309-5111, or visit www.olliatringlingcollege.org.

Holly Freedman serves as the chair of the Curriculum Committee for OLLI at Ringling College. She also heads up the team that created and coordinated the Listening to Women series.

 “Each week we will meet women who had the passion and determination to break barriers and overcome obstacles to become movers and shakers in their own fields,” she says. “These include women who have excelled in classical music, writing, art, film, science, entrepreneurship, media, sports, government policy, biology, and higher education.”

 Freedman adds that the “Listening to Women” series “not only brings attention to the incredible women who live and work here, but also enhances the depth and breadth of the course offerings at OLLI. Our hope is that OLLI’s students—men and women—will be inspired by these dynamic women and ask for more series like this in the future.”

The “Listening to Women” schedule at a glance (For complete details and schedule, visit www.olliatringlingcollege.org).

“Cooking for Wishes” Raises More Than $250,000 for Make-A-Wish ® Southern Florida

 Raised more than $250,000 to grant life-changing wishes for 32 critically-ill children and Featured a four-course, interactive lunch where guests at each table prepared their own meal under the direction of Michael’s on East Executive Chef Jamil Piñeda. The luncheon also featured a live auction and the celebration of Grayson Tullio, a Lakewood Ranch teen with muscular dystrophy whose wish to meet Robert Downey, Jr. was recently granted.  Terri Klauber, Renee Phinney, and Kara Saunders were the fundraiser’s co-chairs; Michael Klauber and Phil Mancini hosted at their restaurant, Michael’s on East

Manatee Performing Arts Center Announces  ROCKY MOUNTAIN PRODUCTIONS, INC.  An Evening with Judy Collins

 Manatee Performing Arts Center is pleased to announce Rocky Mountain Productions, INC An Evening with Judy Collins, for one night only March 8 in Stone Hall.
Bio of Collins The Grammy Award winning artist began her career at the age of 13 as a piano artist performing Mozart’s “Conceto for Two Pianos.”  Collins is known for interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards, as well as her original compositions.  Her rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” from her 1967 album Wildflowers is entered in to the Grammy Hall of Fame.  Throughout her more than 60 year career Collins has released 50 albums.  Aside from music she has fought against social and environmental injustices, and remains a social activist representative for UNICEF as well as other causes. She has had 6 Grammy nominations and won aGrammy Award for Best Folk Performance “Both Sides Now” (1969). Academy Award nominated for the documentary Antonia: A Portrait of the Woman (1975 Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree from Pratt Institute (2009)  Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. 
Tickets can be purchased at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Avenue W, Bradenton. Box Office hours: 10 a.m.–5p.m., Tuesday–Friday and 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturday, by phone (941)748-5875 or online at www.ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com.
 

Senator Marco Rubio Visits Mote to Discuss Urgent Threats in Florida’s Oceans 

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium hosted Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) at its City Island campus to discuss urgent threats facing Florida’s oceans, including harmful algae blooms affecting our coastlines and the significant decline of coral reefs. Mote President & CEO, Dr. Michael P. Crosby, and science staff from a diverse range of Mote research programs shared the latest in research and technology, while explaining the urgent need for support to continue and expand their efforts.
 
“Florida continues to experience growth in our tourism industry, with well over 100 million visitors each year, and many are coming to enjoy the beautiful and unique environment of Florida, including its coastal ecosystems and communities,” said Senator Rubio. “With the devastation caused by harmful algae blooms this past year along the Gulf Coast, and the coral disease that continues to spread through the Florida Reef Tract, the work that Mote Marine Laboratory is doing to address these issues have never been more important.” 
 
In an op-ed originally published in the Miami Herald in Sept. 2018 and co-authored by Dr. Crosby and Senator Rubio, the devastation of the coral disease in the Keys, and the need for urgent, immediate action, was brought to light for readers. “Despite continued progress on water quality, however, it is likely that our devastated coral populations will be unable to execute a quick, natural recovery of the reef,” said the authors. “That means conservation strategies alone cannot solve this dilemma. A bold restoration program to actively assist the recovery of this ecosystem is essential, and we are closer than ever to amassing the scientific knowledge, technological tools and public investment and support needed to make reef restoration a reality.”
 
At the Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration in Summerland Key, Mote’s land-based coral nursery currently has over 32,000 coral fragments being raised for restoration efforts, and Mote staff have outplanted over 43,000 coral fragments to date onto the Florida Reef Tract.
 
“Senator Rubio’s visit to learn more about Mote’s research in fighting harmful algae blooms and coral disease could not have come at a better time,” said Crosby. “The red tide bloom that southwest Florida experienced this past year may be mostly gone, but our research is far from over. We are so pleased that Senator Rubio recognizes the importance of continuous funding for red tide research, even outside of years that may have a bloom of red tide.”
 
“We were impressed by Senator Rubio’s insightful questions, grasp of the scientific complexities of these issues, and recognition of the emergency state of the Florida Reef Tract,” continued Crosby. “Mote Marine Laboratory’s coral reef programs have identified disease-resistant genotypes, and are working to grow these corals for outplanting on the reef. While philanthropic support has brought our program much success, we cannot keep up with the rate at which our reef is disappearing without significant federal support. We greatly appreciate Senator Rubio leading the effort to secure a $5 million appropriation to support this effort.”

Sarasota Students Win Regional Army Championship Competition

The Sarasota Military Academy Rifle Team competed in the Army Service Championships on February 15 – February 17 in Anniston, Alabama and received first place in the regional competition and the opportunity to compete at the National JROTC Championships in March 2019.

“We are incredibly proud of our cadets and their abilities and we are excited to bring home first place in the regional championship as we prepare for the upcoming national competition,” said SMA-SFC Riess Pellegrino, Leadership Education Training (LET) 2 instructor and rifle team coach. “Our rifle team consists of dedicated cadets who set their own personal goals and work as a team to achieve success and we are thrilled to see their efforts result in a first place win.”

This is the 9th consecutive year that SMA’s Rifle Team has received accolades and qualified to attend and compete at the national level. The SMA team this year consists of ten high school cadets; SMA senior Catherine Taylor, junior Dante Aletto, sophomores Carsyn Band, Sophia Olazabal, Guadalupe Perez, Isabella Ponce and freshmen Kendal Goebel, Xavier Olson, Phillip Pellegrino and Andersen Suter.

Of the ten SMA cadets, nine posted improved personal records and accomplishments. Several cadets achieved high-ranking individual scores and received outstanding scores in a variety of categories.

“With only 2 of the ten cadets experienced in this competition, the entire team proved themselves to be mentally and emotionally prepared for the challenge of competing against much more experienced competitors,” added SMA-SFC Pellegrino. “We are excited to see how they compete at the national level as we represent Sarasota Military Academy, our community and our region.”

To learn more about Sarasota Military Academy, visit http://www.sarasotamilitaryacademy.org/