People & Business: Friday 3/29/19

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

 Selby Foundation Improves Outcomes for Easterseals Adults

Easterseals Southwest Florida has been awarded a substantial and generous capital grant from The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation.  The Selby Foundation has made a significant impact on the lives of persons served at Easterseals Happiness House, thousands of people in the greater Sarasota Community, and on operations of hundreds of charitable organizations in Sarasota.  In addition to the Selby grant, Easterseals received match funding from The Roberta Leventhal Sudakoff Foundation, The Harry Sudakoff Foundation, The James Doss Foundation, Bayside Community Church, and in-kind donations from Air & Energy.  The grant and matching funds have provided a modern gait training system, dynamic equipment for muscle development and balance, therapy tables, storage, and a media center to provide complementary instruction, motivation and entertainment during therapy sessions. Four bathrooms have been renovated and outfitted with new y-shaped body support lifts.  Safe, hospital-grade flooring, fresh paint and new window coverings have refreshed the rooms where adult participants attend Easterseals Life Skills Development Program. One of the first users of the new gait training system was an adult client whose mother shed tears as her son took his first steps toward her.  After primarily utilizing a wheel chair throughout his life and despite the great effort needed to take those first steps, the man flashed a bright smile in response to his latest achievement.   For 73 years, Easterseals Happiness House has provided exceptional human service programs leading to increased independence.  The organization and its staff are leading the way for those with disabilities through comprehensive programs including early intervention, therapeutic, early childhood, adult, behavioral, family support and educational services.  Easterseals Happiness House provides resources and support to over 1250 children and adults with disabilities, their families, and the communities of the Gulf Coast Region. Vice President of Programs, Jacque Ruch explained, “This new equipment, physical therapy space and facility improvements have made a significant impact on the physical and mental well being of the adults that rely on Easterseals for adult day programs and therapy services.  We are thrilled to see our clients achieve greater health and outcomes as a direct result of this funding.”

Wilde Jaguar Sarasota Named 2018 Outstanding Dealer 

Wilde Jaguar Sarasota is pleased to announce that it has received the prestigious Outstanding Dealer Award for 2018 from Jaguar Clubs of North America, presented during the 2019 JCNA Annual General Meeting on March 23 at Jaguar Land Rover North American headquarters.

The Outstanding Dealer Award is given annually by JCNA to the Jaguar dealership that has made the greatest difference to its local club, working closely with a JCNA affiliate and its individual members in organizing and participating in mutually beneficial activities. Wilde Jaguar Sarasota is proud to be exclusive partners with Sun Coast Jaguar Club, supporting the club’s regional activities and, in particular, presenting the JCNA sanctioned Sun Coast Jaguar Club Annual Concours d’Elegance.

“The Sun Coast Jaguar Club 33rd Annual Concours d’Elegance was one of the finest concours events I have ever had the pleasure of attending,” said JCNA Southeast Regional Director Ron Gaertner. “The support and contributions provided by Wilde Jaguar Sarasota are a true reflection of JCNA’s primary goal to foster a spirit of cooperation and friendship between Jaguar dealers and JCNA affiliated clubs.”

The Sun Coast Jaguar Club 34th Annual Concours d’Elegance, presented by Wilde Jaguar Sarasota, is set to take place Oct. 12 at St. Armands Circle.

“It was an absolute honor to accept this award on behalf of Wilde Jaguar Sarasota,” said Sun Coast Jaguar Club President John McCarthy. “Our alliance is fully integrated in our efforts to introduce people to Jaguar automobiles, sell Jaguar vehicles, help owners enjoy their Jaguar experience and collectively build the Jaguar brand.”

Local Foundations Release Sarasota County Youth Mental Health Report

Untreated mental health issues in children, youth, and young adults devastate individuals, extend to their families, and spread across the community to cost taxpayers dearly. But the barriers that prevent youth from receiving the care that they need are not insurmountable. 

On Tuesday, March 26, Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation hosted a presentation to update the community on a yearlong research scan of child and youth mental health in Sarasota County that was commissioned by the two foundations and conducted by the University of South Florida. Focused on young people up to age 24, the study aimed to identify strengths and gaps in mental-health services and prioritize ways to make the system work more effectively.

Eight key recommendations were identified to ensure effective transformation of care. They center on strengthening the system of care, supporting families, educating service providers, and eliminating the stigma of receiving mental health care.

“No one should be alone in dealing with a mental health crisis,” says Teri A Hansen, President | CEO of Barancik Foundation. “Our goal is to weave the social fabric of mental health care to ensure that no child or family falls through the cracks.”

The report estimates that the economic cost due to untreated mental illness for children and young adults in Sarasota County is more than $86 million per year. The primary drivers of this cost are suicide, criminal justice, education, and worker productivity. Only half of children with a mental health condition under age 15 received mental health services in the previous year.

“This important research exposes the gaps and unmet needs that we have suspected for a long time,” says Mark S. Pritchett, President | CEO of Gulf Coast Community Foundation. “We now need to work together with our mental health providers on setting priorities and begin building a complete system of mental health care.”

Informed by this data, local foundations and other funders will work with public and private stakeholders across the community to create an action plan and execute the recommendations to improve the mental health care system. A fund has been established at Gulf Coast Community Foundation to accept charitable gifts to help support this work.

To view the full report or an executive summary, visit www.BarancikFoundation.org. To learn more or donate to the Mental Health Project Fund, go to www. GulfCoastCF.org. 

City launches Newtown Historic Building Preservation Pilot Program

The City of Sarasota has launched a pilot program aimed at preserving historic structures in the Newtown community.

The Newtown Historic Building Preservation Pilot Program is intended to encourage more restoration, rehabilitation and renovation of properties in Sarasota’s historic African American community.

The project also aims to stabilize and improve Newtown’s property values and tax base and enhance the appearance and appeal of the community as a place to live, work or visit.

“One of the goals of the program is to preserve the rich cultural history that is evident in Newtown’s buildings. By doing so, we can help further establish the community as a heritage destination for visitors and a vibrant place to do business,” said Office of Economic Development General Manager Steven Stancel.

Property owners interested in making improvements or restorations to their buildings could be eligible for a portion of the $200,000 available in funding for the pilot program. The program is funded via Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds.

To qualify, the building must be at least 50 years old and located within the Newtown Community Redevelopment Area, from 17th Street to Myrtle Street and U.S. 41 to Leonard Reid Avenue and the Seminole Gulf Railway.

All proposed work must meet the Federal Secretary of the Interior’s standards for rehabilitation, and the majority of the proposed work must be to the exterior of the building. The property owner must have a clear title.

Preferences for the grant funding will be given to applicants who agree to locally designate their historic building with the City’s Planning Department, sign a 10-year covenant to preserve their building, give preference to local labor within the Newtown community for the restoration work or whose buildings are located along the African American Heritage Trail, part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

For more information regarding the program, contact the Office of Economic Development at 941-365-2200, ext. 3223, or visit the office at 1782 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Sarasota.

Team Tony Cancer Foundation unveils new Cancer Connection Center

 The Team Tony Cancer Foundation, a Sarasota-based nonprofit organization that provides free peer-to-peer cancer support and resources to cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers in the local community, recently unveiled its new Cancer Connection Center at 3562 S. Osprey Ave. in suite c in Sarasota during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 12.

The Cancer Connection Center (C3) is a coffee-shop-style concept that provides a safe, warm, supportive and welcoming environment designed to deliver peer-to-peer support, create a sense of belonging and provide free resources and educational opportunities to enhance the well-being of those impacted by cancer.

C3 houses a casual, self-service coffee bar with a kitchen area that offers coffee, tea, water and light snacks. Those seeking support can grab a cup of coffee and connect with a survivor teammate. Cancer fighters or caregivers are matched with a survivor partner with similarities to put together a journey plan that is specific to the fighters’ diagnosis. A profile is created to track their doctors and national and local resources, among other things.

“We pair cancer survivors with cancer fighters for peer support,” said Tony McEachern, founder of the Team Tony Cancer Foundation and a 16-year brain cancer survivor who was diagnosed at age 33. “It would have been helpful to have someone who had gone through the process to offer some insight and inspiration. The Cancer Connection Center is the first of its kind, and in the short time we’ve been open, more than 100 people have come through our doors, looking for help and wanting to contribute.”

The Werlin Education Center features a large, glass-walled area in the middle of C3 and provides space for training, workshops, educational classes, meetings and collaborative sessions with community partners. Visitors can learn about cancer services and resources in the community or attend a workshop. There is also a room for confidential, one-on-one conversations.

“With the Cancer Connection Center, we wanted to take the clinical out of cancer,” said McEachern. “The community came together to build a place for the community, and I am so grateful for the support of our mission to help those battling cancer.”

Drawn to that mission, local companies graciously gifted many of the equipment and necessities needed for the center. PGT Innovations donated the premium windows and doors, Michael Saunders & Company outfitted the space with computers, Tri-County Air Conditioning supplied state-of-the-art air conditioning and venting system and Sharp contributed a 60-inch touch-screen TV.

The space will also feature a 50-quote wall to inspire, motivation and empower those that come to C3 for support. So far, the quotes in English, Italian, Russian, Danish, Portuguese, Swedish and Spanish will adorn the wall, which has been donated by Sir Speedy.

Other significant contributions include a community table and water feature by Jake Brady Concrete by Design, bistro tables and chairs by Sarasota Collection and the self-service coffee bar by Aroma Coffee Service.

Team Tony Cancer Foundation’s four staff members will work out of the center.

C3 houses several organizations, including the Team Tony Cancer Foundation, Cancer Resource Network and Coming Together Against Cancer.

WEDU PBS Appoints Paul Grove as New President & CEO

WEDU PBS has named Paul Grove as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 10, 2019. Grove is joining WEDU from WTCI PBS in Chattanooga, where he has served as President and CEO for thirteen years. WEDU’s board of directors selected Grove after conducting a national search to replace Susan Howarth, who led the public media station for eight years; Howarth died in September. Vice president of content Jack Conely has served as interim president and chief executive during the search process.

“Paul’s leadership skills and experience will take WEDU into an exciting next chapter,” says Brian Keenan, chair of the board and head of the search committee. “Coming from WTCI – a station going through its own period of growth – he has a proven track record in forging new partnerships and thinking expansively about leveraging technology. Paul has a clear passion for public media, with more than 25 years in the business, and is able to inspire innovative approaches to programming, underwriting, and funding support.”

The move marks a return to WEDU and Tampa for Grove. Prior to taking the CEO role in Chattanooga, he served as vice president of national programming and production at WEDU, helping launch the long-time Emmy-winning series “A Gulf Coast Journal.” He was at the station for 12 years.

As WEDU celebrates its 60 years of serving the public, Keenan says, having the top job means being able to stay on strategy but also pivot when necessary to adjust to ongoing changes across the public media landscape. “Paul will help WEDU build on our strong fundamentals but also adapt to the shifting realities of funding, platforms, viewer habits, and more. We are teeing up for the next six decades of meeting our communities’ needs.”

“WEDU is recognized as one of the top PBS stations nationwide – for its content, reach, and overall excellence,” says Grove. “It would take a truly extraordinary place and team to compel me to move from a wonderful station like WTCI, and this is that opportunity. I am thrilled to return to WEDU and to such a talented, dedicated organization. I am also happy to come home to Florida – to be a part of the growth and changes happening in this region, and to enjoy and explore the richness of the culture, politics, and personalities in this area.”

Hermitage Founding Executive Director  Bruce E. Rodgers to Retire in December

 Debbi Benedict, president of the Hermitage Artist Retreat’s board of trustees, announced today the pending retirement of Hermitage founding executive director Bruce E. Rodgers as of December 31, 2019. Rodgers served on the original steering committee organized by the Sarasota County Arts Council and co-founders Patricia Caswell and Syd Adler to restore and adapt the five historic buildings into an artist community. After the organization received its not-for-profit status in 2002, Rodgers became a founding trustee. He stepped down from the board to become the acting director in 2004 and was appointed the first Hermitage executive director in 2005.

“Since our beginning, Bruce has been our guiding light and a remarkable visionary, taking the Hermitage further than we could imagine,” said Benedict. “Our entire board, past and present, wish him great happiness in his retirement and thank him for leading us on this incredible journey.”

As the founding director, Rodgers set the operating policies and procedures for the organization and grew its annual operating budget from $80,000 to its current $700,000-plus level. He oversaw the completion of the historic campus restoration that was begun by the Sarasota County Arts Council; established the first endowment program; and created many local, regional, and national partnerships. In 2008, in partnership with Bob Greenfield, then president of the Greenfield Foundation, Rodgers created the Greenfield Prize at the Hermitage Artist Retreat—a $30,000 prize in the form of a commission for a new work—which raised the organization’s profile to national status.

In addition to his many achievements as executive director, Rodgers has given back to the local community and to the field of artist communities. He served on the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County’s board of directors; Sarasota Film Commission Community Advisory Board; on panels for the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs; and nationally, for 10 years, on the board of the Alliance of Artists Communities.

“In 2004, I was given both the honor and challenge of leading this new kind of cultural organization in our community—an organization that serves writers, painters, poets, composers, playwrights, and visual artists who are creating the art of our time,” says Rodgers “This challenge could only have been met with the steadfast partnership of our dedicated trustees, our staff, our National Curatorial Council, our volunteers, and our community. With the solid platform we have established, it’s a perfect time to pass the leadership to the next generation who will continue to use this platform to dream and to create future possibilities for the Hermitage. The blessing of this position has been the incredible talented and generous people I’ve had the privilege to work with and to know. They are my friends, and I will always keep them in my heart.”

A search committee, chaired by Englewood businessman David Dignam of Key Agency and comprised of both trustees and community members, has been formed to oversee the national search for the next leader to build on the foundation that has been created. An email address has been established for interested candidates to send their resume along with a cover letter for the executive director role to HermitageEDSearch@gmail.com.

Junior League of Sarasota Supports Youth in Nature Initiative

The Junior League of Sarasota granted $5,000 to Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast for the Youth in Nature Initiative. The initiative connects at-risk youth to incredible experiences in nature, promoting self-led discovery, building self-esteem, and expanding their understanding and appreciation of the environment.

“Conservation Foundation is excited to help foster a love of nature and the outdoors in the next generation,” notes Christine Johnson, president of Conservation Foundation. “Experiences like hiking, kayaking, and exploring can be the “wow” moment that changes a life forever.”

Conservation Foundation is committed to ensuring that youth education and engagement is central to its mission. The program emphasizes discovery, active nature-based activities, playing nature-based games, and providing experiences that do not take place before an electronic screen. A growing body of research indicates that children experience reduced stress levels and improved social skills as a result of greater activity in nature. Benefits also include increased concentration, greater attention capacities, and higher academic performance.

Local Teacher Receives Grant for Poetry Listening Immersion Program

 Bonnie Destakasi, a language arts teacher at Sarasota Military Academy, a local, public charter school, recently received the 2019 PoetryLife’s Teaching Grant to create a Poetry Listening Immersion Program. SMA Captain Destakasi was awarded the $500 grant during the Coffee, Conversation & Lunch event held in February 2019 at the Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota.

“Thank you to the PoetryLife organization for the grant to help foster a greater appreciation for storytelling and poetry in our classroom,” said SMA-CPT Bonnie Destakasi, Sarasota Military Academy Language Arts Teacher. “In our new Poetry Listening Immersion space, cadets will be able to read and listen to poetry from a selection of anthologies and favorite poets in a relaxing, inviting environment. My plan is to make the space beautiful and comfortable – a place where cadets will feel creative and inspired.”

Through the new Poetry Listening Immersion Program, SMA-CPT Destakasi aims to spark and foster a greater appreciation for and understanding of poetry for cadets at Sarasota Military Academy as her curriculum explores language that addresses, celebrates, and explores the human condition.

“One of the main reasons PoetryLife exists is to encourage and inspire the joy of poetry in our schools,” said Georgia Court, PoetryLife Founder and Bookstore1Sarasota Owner. “Teachers like Bonnie Destakasi not only inspire their students; they go the extra mile to make that inspiration come to life.”

“It is incredibly important to make poetry accessible and relatable, and this grant will help us offer a haven of sorts from the pressure and constant activity that comes with attending high school and being a teenager,” said SMA-CPT Destakasi. “The ultimate goal would be to eventually find equipment and ways for students to record their own poetry for others to enjoy.”

The PoetryLife event, a project of Bookstore1Sarasota, featured a guest panel including poets Terrance Hayes and Simon Armitage, musician and painter Bill Buchman and moderator Kate Alexander. PoetryLife grants were awarded to two teachers in Sarasota. To learn more about PoetryLife, visit https://www.sarasotapoetry.com/.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County releases 2018 Impact Report

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County released the 2018 Impact Report that includes numbers of youth served in various program areas, financials and some of the past year’s highlights ranging from awards received to the opening of the new Arcadia Boys & Girls Club in DeSoto County.

Sarasota Philanthropists’ $500,000 Gift Establishes New Scholarships

Andrew and Judith Economos have generously donated $500,000 to New College of Florida to fund scholarships for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

The Archimedes Scholars Program, named after the Greek mathematician and scientist, will provide a $10,000 scholarship annually to a New College student and a $5,000 scholarship yearly to two graduates of high schools in Sarasota or Manatee County pursuing studies in a STEM field.

The Economos, who are funding the Archimedes Scholars for the next five years with the goal of extending and broadening the scholarship program after the pilot phase, said: “We hope that it will aid outstanding scholars in pursuing careers in STEM fields” The first scholarships will be awarded in fall 2019.

“This is a unique and incredibly generous undertaking on which Andrew and Judith have embarked,” states New College President Donal O’Shea. “The Economos exemplify the breadth and intellectual generosity that we seek to cultivate in our students.”

Andrew and Judith Economos have lived lives that move seamlessly among art, philosophy, mathematics and computer science. Both hold Ph.D.s; both wrote code in the early phases of the computer revolution; both paint, sculpt, carve and write. Andrew founded and led the successful broadcasting software company RCS, which he sold after 30 years. Judith played a key role in building the company. A poet and artist, she taught philosophy at Princeton University briefly when the couple was starting out. Andrew grew up in Sarasota, and the couple retired back to the area.

“New College, which ranks among the top eight universities in the nation for the percentage of its graduates who go on to become scientists, is the perfect place for this scholarship program,” President O’Shea says. “It not only allows New College to better compete for the most gifted science students, it also directly benefits Sarasota-Bradenton high school students, no matter where they decide to study. The Archimedes Scholars Program will enhance New College’s reputation by placing it at the center of a scholarship program of national reach.”