Real TALK

Sheryl Vieira shares thoughts on the community, good deeds and important things, big AND small.

How often do you ponder which of your five senses is your favorite? Hard to truly determine and say which is your most favorite. Listening to and hearing music is such a part of my life, yet so is tasting great food.

For Kevin Stalker, perhaps it’s his hearing. He might not have been adopted by one of his instructors, who became an incredible mother and mentor to him, had he not listened to and heard all that was said while growing up in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County.

Maybe for our “Maytag Man,” Lee Thacker, touch is his most endearing sense. After all, he always touches people’s lives and has had an astounding impact on many as a board member, co-worker, loyal friend, husband, father and grandfather.

A Round of Applause at The Concession

What do you get when two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, professional athletes and sports fans across the nation join forces at The Concession Golf Club? A successful 7th Annual Archie Griffin Celebrity Golf Classic that raised nearly $130,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County to provide high-quality educational and recreational services to more than 5,000 local youth, empowering them to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. To date, The Concession Charities has raised nearly $650,000 through this event!

Kicking things off, the Pairings Party featured a cocktail hour before dinner with a silent and live auction, as well as celebrity pairings for the next day’s golf tournament. Bruce Cassidy, Sr., owner of The Concession Golf Club, and Archie Griffin welcomed guests. Local celebrity and comedian Les McCurdy kept guests laughing throughout the live auction.

Also in attendance were professional athletes Mike Alstott, Leroy Hoard, Isaac Curtis, Will Allen, Cedric Saunders, Robert Smith, Keith Byars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Jameis Winston. But the toughest athlete of life in attendance was Duquesne University Junior Kevin Stalker. He grew up in the local Boys & Girls Club of Sarasota County and was later adopted by one of his instructors. His roots with the club have made him quite a successful young man. He now speaks on behalf of Boys & Girls Clubs and mentors children once like him. His powerful, humble determination and passion are profound. He possesses a warrior spirit and is clearly driven by a much bigger purpose.

The winning team of the golf tournament included Keith Byars, Hampton Ballard, Bruce Cassidy, Sr., Bryan Snyder and Chuck Whirlow. Interested in their 2018 event? Save the date – March 5-6, 2018. They’re hoping Jameis Winston will join them again and are hoping for a return of Tim Tebow and others. Kudos to all! We’re still clapping!

The Maytag Man

…and in keeping with the great work of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), did you know that Sarasota has their very own Maytag Man?

Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to meet Lee Thacker, Jr., whom I would describe as the perfect man with legendary decades of long community service, and a never-ending commitment to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Maytag^® even chose him as one of only 25 nominees in the country to be a “Maytag Dependable Leader”, honoring him “in recognition of his demonstrated commitment to dependability and dedication to keeping youth on the path to achieve great futures.” Lee is a Duke alumnus, proud father of two, grandfather of five and husband to Suzanne Thacker. Congratulations are also in order as Lee just celebrated his 20th work anniversary at Caldwell Trust.

Milestones are reached, but aren’t always celebrated. I couldn’t let this one pass by! 

Thee Leee Thackahh, as I refer to him with a smile on my face and untethered enthusiasm, has been a BGCA board volunteer in Columbia, SC, Orlando and Atlanta. Since his arrival in Venice, he has chaired the Florida Area Council, was honored with the BGCA Medallion Award and Council Pacesetter of the Year awards, served as board president, chaired key committees, was named “Dream Maker” in 2010 and subsequently received the Maytag^® Award. He is currently a director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County where he, along with others, was instrumental in bringing the Robert and Joan Lee Boys & Girls Club to Venice. He has also served on the board of Venice Theatre, where he was treasurer and past president. His friendship and mentorship over the years has touched many.

Lee is the absolute epitome of a loyal friend, an insightful leader, a strong ally and an extremely intelligent, oh-so-strategic executive.

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Quiet and unassuming, we believe he would have been quite the opposite if his alma mater (Duke) made it to the NCAA Final Four which he and his lovely bride personally experienced in Phoenix, Arizona! Nothin’ but net, baby, and congratulations Thee Leee Thackahhh!

Savory, Succulent and Sustainable Swallowtail Farm-to-Table Dinner

Feeling the need for some fresh air and a way to reconnect? Just three hours north you can experience a tranquil, delicious, unique four-course farm-to-table dinner at Swallowtail Farm in Alachua. All that is required is to be an adventurous eater. Other than that, pack your things, jump in your car and go!

Gainesville-area celebrity chefs, highlighting their local food culture, artfully prepare food from Swallowtail Farm and surrounding local farms. You’ll also enjoy a tour of the farm, learn about the owners and their partners, and the courses that are carefully prepared and enjoyed. Their mission is make the farm better through the support of their community. They have quite a few people who support them faithfully through the grit of their labor. According to the Swallowtail Farm website, “The dinners enable you to uplift the farm with a wine glass in place of a spade.”

My host was kind enough to purchase this special treat as a holiday gift for me. He was thoughtful enough to call ahead and inquired about where to stay. Lo and behold, the owners of the farm have a private cottage they rent out, and it happened to be available.

As we walked from the guest cottage through the woods, we crossed a running stream with a small, arched wood bridge. I felt like I was in the “The Bridges of Madison County.” We dodged a few cow patties on the way to the event registration and already had smiles on our faces. Roosters digging, dogs and pigs playing, buzzing bees and mooing cows were there to greet us.

We immediately indulged ourselves in the various beverages being offered. Large glass pitchers filled with rose water and rose petals, strawberry limequat-ade, and black tea were displayed on the makeshift bar covered in a shabby-chic tablecloth. Swamp Head Brewery provided a Wild Night brew of honey and cream ale, Big Nose India Pale Ale, and Midnight Oil of Oatmeal Coffee Stout. Wines poured that evening were from Montinore Estate, which only produces certified organic/biodynamic wines. Selections included a Borealis white table wine, a Pinot Gris and a Pinot Noir.

As we settled in and took in the beautiful views and the rolling hills, we noticed the local, organically-grown blooms placed in mason jars set on the family-style wooden harvest tables.

Noah Shitama, co-founder of the farm, gave us a tour of the property and explained the various programs and pursuits of providing their community with clean, nutritious, healthy food. He explained how they have crafted the farm as a model of sustainability and stewardship, with a focus on conservation of resources and nature-produced fertility. No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or chemicals ever touch their fields or their food. Their supporters are happy, as are their healthy animals. They believe the animal element is essential to a healthy farm organism and they vow to treat their creatures with dignity, love and respect.

Yup, I’m in the right place.

The farm-to-table dinners also feature ingredients cultivated on nearby farms. Chef Justin Langer prepared a menu of veggie crudité with a yogurt and herb tahini for dipping along with burnt scallion and garlic chive pesto. Our second course was a green soup of broccolini, Tuscan kale, green garlic, and coconut milk. Our main course was Asian-style roast pork, purple sweet potatoes, collards, chard, and bok choy. For our yummy ending, we had compressed drunken strawberries with whipped cream, an oat crumble, and sweet coconut milk. The vegetables and pork were from Swallowtail, the milk and yogurt from the Swallowtail Creamery, the vegan pasta from Vine, the fresh roasted coffee from Flagship Roasters, the olive oil from Saporito Oil, Vinegar and Spice, and the fresh, soft bread was brought in from Big Cypress Bakery. I had brought a red sweater poncho in case it got a bit cool at night as the sun set and the full moon rose, but when they placed bread baskets that resembled miniature picnic baskets with the bread it in on the tables, I had to put my red poncho on and pose like Little Red Riding Hood holding her basket as she stood in the vast forest. All night long we took in background music performed by Long Over Duo.

It’s a one-night-only seasonal dinner prepared with great love and respect. We surely tasted it, heard it, saw it and felt it.

We were long overdue.

“The Greatest Gift of the Garden is the Restoration of the Five Senses” 

– Hanna Rion

A Caliente Noche at Mote!

A Hot Havana Night was enjoyed by over 400 guests at the sold-out 9th annual Party on the Pass fundraiser for Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. Thanks to major sponsors PNC Wealth Management and the Sarasota-Manatee Originals, guests grazed on an assortment of ceviche, spring rolls, sushi, shack shrimp and grits, andouille sausage, ground beef sliders, flank steak and a chocolate fountain to dip your strawberries and house-made profiteroles in! Siesta Key Rum even came up with a signature drink for all to sip on which was aptly name Mote-jitos. But most importantly, because of these sponsors and many others, Mote’s animal hospitals can continue to treat and care for the animals that come to Mote in critical condition, with problems ranging from entanglement in fishing gear, ingesting plastic bags and debris, and injuries from boat strikes to fibro papilloma tumors and other life-threatening conditions.

Mote has treated more than 615 sea turtles and 71 dolphins and small whales. They are dedicated in their efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release back to the wild these protected species of marine life. In the process, they learn about the animals’ biology, health and disease processes, and life history in the wild. Their science is leading the way to curing many diseases and we’re blessed to have such a facility in our backyard.

Sea’n in the crowd were Michael and Sandy Albano, Mote Board of Trustees Chairman Lowe Morrison and daughter Ashley Morrison, Judy Graham, Gordon and Jennifer Abbott, Tom Waters, Scott Collins, Marge and Vinnie Maisto, Tommy and Norm Vanbirch, Sonya Kristie, Erin Kabinoff, Stacy Alexander and Sofie Wachtmeister.

Once Upon A Time

A sprinkle of pixie dust through cascading twinkle lights greeted the crowd of more than 300 for Children First’s Annual Fairytale Ball at Michael’s on East. Co-chairs for the event were Donna and David Koffman, Jacqueline and Lacy Ray, Patti and David Wertheimer, and Sarah Wertheimer. Affairs in the Air created large trees out of the three main pillars in the ballroom. Lighting from Sights and Sounds set the ambiance with forest silhouettes and colored lighting. You could almost hear the twigs snap as you danced through the enchanted forest full of fairies, butterflies, oversized mushrooms, and other mystical elements. Some guests, like Lisa Kates and Richard LaBrie, celebrated the theme with fairy-inspired outfits. The Bay Kings Band kicked things off with a Peter Pan tribute singing “Lost Boy” as guests were seated. Carol Butera, Children First Vice President of Development, welcomed attendees and Michael Klauber led the mobile “paddle raise” where donations reached record highs for the organization. Philip Tavill, President and CEO, spoke about the benefits of the Children First program for vulnerable children and their parents.

When one of your senses is lacking, they say your other senses are heightened. When you stop and think about it, it’s amazing how our senses come into play in all of our life experiences, including the ones I’ve written about here! We certainly heard how important the programs are at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. We are thankful to Lee Thacker for touching lives and for being such a special kind and caring, soul. We tasted the food from our good earth. We saw lots of good being done at Mote through the hospital care and attention they give to our stranded, hurt marine life, and we could smell the woods where critters live in the makeshift forest at Children First’s Fairytale Ball.

Listen intently. Give fully. Grow a garden. Help others out. Play in the dirt. And always appreciate your senses and that includes your sense of humor!

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