wcw MAY 2023

MAY 2023
DEBORAH
Robbins Millman
Executive Director,
The Lemur Conservation Foundation
Also in this issue:
■ Good News Dept.
■ Mental Health and Exercise
■ Dining In: World Cocktail Day
■ Tiffany Treasures at
Selby Gardens

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2 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

MAY 2023
contents
Editor and Publisher
Louise M. Bruderle
Email: westcoastwoman@comcast.net
Contributing Writer
Carol Darling
Contributing Photographer
Evelyn England
Art Director/Graphic Designer
Kimberly Carmell
Assistant to the Publisher
Mimi Gato
West Coast Woman is published
monthly (12 times annually) by
LMB Media, Inc., Louise Bruderle,
President. All contents of this
publication are copyrighted and
may not be reproduced. No part
may be reproduced without the
written permission of the publisher.
Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs
and artwork are welcome, but return
cannot be guaranteed.
In the Merry Month of May…
Focus on the arts
Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty
in Nature is at Selby
Gardens through June 25,
2023 at the Downtown
Sarasota campus
p13
HOW TO REACH US:
Email: westcoastwoman@comcast.net
Here are our columns:
n Out & About: includes
fundraisers, concerts, art exhibits,
lectures, dance, poetry, shows
& performances, theatre, film,
seasonal events and more.
n You’re News: job announcements,
appointments and promotions,
board news, business news and
real estate news.
Dining in
World Cocktail Day is May 13…
Try these drinks for inspiration
p26
FOLLOW US AT:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
WCWmedia
EARS
WCW
35
YEARS
WCW Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 819
Sarasota, FL 34230
email:
westcoastwoman@comcast.net
website:
www.westcoastwoman.com
west coast
WOMAN
Healthier you
Mental Health Benefits of
Exercise —Whether you
want to alleviate stress,
sharpen your brain, or boost
overall happiness, here’s how
moving your body can help
p28
departments
4 editor’s letter
7 Out & About: listings for things to do
live and/or online
9 happening this month:
“Clowns Like Me”
11 focus on the arts: Sarasota Orchestra
13 focus on the arts:
Tiffany at Selby Gardens
15 good news, too:
Sarasota Memorial Hospital
16 west coast woman: Deborah Robbins
Millman, Executive Director,
The Lemur Conservation Foundation
18 feature: Lemur Foundation
20 more good news department
24 you’re news
26 dining in: World Cocktail Day is May 13
28 healthier you:
Mental Health Benefits of Exercise
30 travel news
■ on the cover: Deborah Robbins Millman, Executive Director, The Lemur Conservation Foundation.
■ Image: Louise Bruderle
MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 3

just some
thoughts
Louise Bruderle
Editor and Publisher
West Coast Woman
Deborah Robbins Millman
I felt I was back on safari (photographic) in Kenya
when I hit the road to visit this month’s WCW, Deborah
Robbins Millman at the Lemur Conservation
Foundation in Myakka City. You head west— as in
west where Fruitville Road ends — then a bit further
west where asphalt ends, and then you’re in deep
sand that makes even an SUV twist and turn unless
you go very slowly.
But instead of big game, I experienced the small
creatures known as lemurs who have made Sarasota
their home for years. Make that, Sarasota has made
lemurs their home as their ancestral home, Madagascar,
makes them at great risk for extinction.
The Foundation has an experienced, seasoned leader in Deborah. She
Deborah Robbins
Millman
Photo: Louise Bruderle
“has more than 20 years of for-profit and nonprofit management, strategic
development and animal advocacy” according to her bio, including
10 years at The Humane Society of Sarasota County.
She gave me a personal tour of the area in the conservancy where
the lemurs live and, it seems, where they do a lot of playing, which was
meaningful to experience given how many protections are in place to
make sure they stay healthy.
For now, the conservancy does not offer visitor access, but that might
change so follow them and support their work at www.lemurreserve.org.
Sad to Hear that…
Sarasota County Commissioner Nancy Detert,
who has been involved in Sarasota County politics
for 30 years and served in both the Florida House
and Senate, died April 5.
Nancy’s entry to electoral politics came in
1988 when she won a seat on the Sarasota County
School Board and served one term. Nancy was
elected to the Florida House of Representatives in
1998 and served through 2006, and was elected to
the Florida Senate in 2008, serving through 2016.
She mostly served and represented areas of south
Nancy Detert
Sarasota County, including Osprey and Venice
A Republican, Nancy was elected to the Sarasota
County Commission in 2016 and subsequently
re-elected in 2020. She served as vice chair in 2017 and chair in 2018, in
addition to being vice chair this year.
Out of all her awards and accolades, the bill Nancy was most proud of,
according to her bio, was a bill that extends foster care from age 18 to 21. The
Senate President named it the Nancy Detert Caring and Compassionate Act.
Nancy moved to Florida from Chicago in 1978 with her husband and
three sons, and she founded and ran Osprey Mortgage Co. 25 years. In
addition to her three children, Nancy has nine grandchildren. Kids have
lost a strong advocate in Nancy. We’ll miss her compassion and wit.
All Faith For Bank Leader Retiring
All Faiths Food Bank CEO Sandra Frank will retire by the end of 2023. In
her 11 years at All Faiths, Frank has led the organization to rethink and
re-envision the food bank to ensure that ending hunger extends beyond
the traditional “food in – food out” model and targets underlying causes
to end hunger before it begins.
With her board of directors and leadership team, she launched a new
mission and rebranding of the organization in 2018. She also helped
create the foundation for All Faiths’ fundraising
program, including the Campaign Against
Summer Hunger, which provides food to students
and their siblings during the summer
months when schools are closed (see below).
While Frank has been considering retirement
since 2020, a triple-header of crises – the
pandemic, the resulting economic impacts,
and Hurricane Ian – caused her to pause her
plans. In late 2022, with professional and
volunteer leadership in place and the organization’s
new strategic plan being implemented,
she decided it was time to begin preparing
for her next chapter. To learn more about All
Sandra Frank
Faiths Food Bank, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org
And Speaking of
All Faiths Food Bank…
On March 26, All Faiths Food Bank held its annual Walk to End Summer
Hunger, the kick-off event for the 10th annual Campaign Against
Summer Hunger, which supports efforts to feed area schoolchildren –
and their siblings – when they do not have access to free or reduced-cost
meals and pantries at school.
More than 500 community members participated along with All
Faiths staff, board members, and volunteers. $900,000 had been raised
from investors – including the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation
and Gulf Coast Community Foundation – to serve as a match for all
donations made by the community.
Nearly 50% of Sarasota County and 100% of DeSoto County students
rely on free and reduced-cost meals at school. The summer months can
be especially difficult for the children of families struggling to put food
on the table, as they lose access to these meals as well as school pantries
that provide nutritional assistance during the school year.
You can contribute matching funds through May 15. Last year,
approximately $2 million was raised. With this support, All Faiths was
able to provide more than 35,000 students and siblings nearly 2.5 million
nutritious meals, through 333 programs and partners.
“While summertime should be a wonderful time for area children
and their families, there are approximately 40,000 children in our
community who are at risk of hunger this summer,” said Frank. To learn
how you can help feed children this summer, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.
From this month’s Good News
Column
While high school students typically associate Spring Break with trips,
fun and relaxation, 50+ teens recently joined Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota
and DeSoto Counties for the 9th Annual Alternative Spring Break
(ASB) on March 13-17, and dedicated hundreds of hours of community
service to 12 local nonprofit organizations.
ASB is a free, annual opportunity
offered by BGCSDC
for all Sarasota County high
school students to experience,
discuss, and understand
community issues in
a meaningful way while earning
community service hours.
“Connecting with
like-minded peers to make
a positive impact in our
community is the best way
I could possibly spend my
spring break. Our generation is the future of this country. We must pay it
forward and give back to the community that built us,” said Sierra M., in
the 11th grade at Riverview High School.
Projects included; packing and distributing food for local families in
need with All Faiths Food Bank; prepping horses for classes at Prospect
Riding Center, assisting with a 100th birthday celebration at Senior
Friendship Centers, organizing a car wash for family and youth transport
vehicles at Children First, and park beautification activities at various
Sarasota County Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources sites.
“I loved attending ASB! I was able to volunteer at new places around
the community and make new friends. I can’t wait to come back next
year,” said Olivia B., a Sarasota High School 10th grader.
Other community partners who benefited from student volunteer
efforts included Cat Depot, Easterseals Academy, Harvest House, The
Pines of Sarasota, and Salvation Army of Sarasota County.
To learn more, visit bgcsdc.org.
Louise Bruderle | Editor and Publisher |
westcoastwoman@comcast.net
We welcome your thoughts and comments on this column and on other columns and features in this issue.
You can reach us at westcoastwoman@comcast.net. We’re on the web at www.WestCoastWoman.com.
4 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

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your healthier health you
Craniosacral Therapy Can Be Life Changing
CST treats the whole body physically, physiologically, mentally, emotionally and energetically
Clients come to me because they are in physical
pain such as neck, back, pain and TMJ as well as
for chronic headaches and migraines.
Pain and stress caused by
shortened Fascia
Fascia (strong connective tissue) encases all
our muscles, organs, brain and spinal cord.
Whenever fascia shortens any place in the
body, the entire network of fascia creates an
increased tension affecting the functioning
of our physical body as well as our organs,
our brain and spinal cord.
Our body is the history of every major
trauma we have experienced physically and
emotionally beginning with birth issues, falls,
head trauma, car accidents, childhood abuse
issues, death, divorce and other emotional
issues. Our body tries to minimize each trauma
by shortening fascia to isolate the energy
coming into the body from that trauma.
Shortened fascia results in pain, loss of mobility
and range of motion, organs becoming
less efficient and with parts of the brain and
spinal cord becoming stressed.
To keep the brain functioning, the body
transfers some of your functional work play
energy (7:00 AM-10:00 PM) to the brain resulting
in less energy to make it through each
day. As we age, the accumulation of all the
tightened fascia, from every major trauma
in life, begins to restrict every aspect of our
body’s functions resulting in pain, loss of mobility,
mis-functioning organs, loss of energy,
as well as our brain losing some its sharpness.
How Craniosacral
Therapy Works
The Craniosacral Therapist creates a safe
place, with gentle holding techniques, that
engages your body’s ability to self correct,
reorganize and heal itself with the release
of some of that tightened fascia during
each session. As the Craniosacral Therapist
engages your body, you will feel fascia releasing.
As the fascia releases, pain begins to
decrease, range of motion and mobility improve,
organs begin functioning better and
with less stress on the brain feels, it returns
the energy it borrowed at the time of each
trauma resulting in an immediate increase in
your energy levels. Rarely does anyone leave
from my first session not feeling better.
Short Leg Syndrome
Eighty-five percent of my clients have one
of their legs pulled up 1/2 to 1 by shortened
fascia. The tension from short leg syndrome
on the sacrum (5 fused vertebrae at bottom
of the spine) is transferred up the dural tube
that encases the spinal cord into the lower
and upper back, the neck, the cranium and
The physical stress in bodies caused by shortened
fascia (connective tissue) shuts down
energy flows to certain organs. Short leg syndrome
by ½ to 1 in (where one leg is pulled up
by shortened fascia) shuts down energy flow to
the spleen (an important part of your immune
system) and the small and large intestine. With
the release of that shortened fascia, energy returns
to these organs.
the brain. Headaches, migraines, TMJ and
neck problems can originate from the fascial
stress in the sacrum.
Releasing this sacral stress increases energy
in the bladder, sex organs, kidneys and
the chakras as well as releasing major stress
in the upper part of the body.
Cause of Shallow Breathing
A great majority of the clients who come to
me for various problems are also shallow
breathers. Fascial stress in the diaphragm
restricts the depth of breathing by restricting
energy flow to the lungs, the pericardium
and the heart. With the release of fascial diaphragm
restriction, the client immediately
starts breathing deeply and energy is restored
to the pericardium and the heart.
Shoulder blades that are cemented to the
body also restricts how much the rib cage can
open and thereby also restricting depth of
breath. Without proper breathing, your cells
do not get enough oxygen. Everyone, especially
people suffering from bronchitis, asthma
and COPD as well as shallow breathing can
benefit when the fascial stress is released.
Specialized Training
to work with Brain
Dysfunctions
Just as the body physically gets stressed from
physical and emotional trauma, the functioning
of the brain is also affected by fascial stress. For
our brains to remain healthy, we need dynamic
production of craniosacral fluid which performs
the important function of bringing nourishment
to all the cells in the brain and spinal
cord as well as cleansing all the metabolic
wastes given off by those same cells.
Once the craniosacral fluid cleanses these
metabolic wastes, efficient drainage of these
metabolic wastes into the lymph system is
absolutely necessary. Research has shown,
that at night, craniosacral fluid cleanses amyloid
plaques from the brain. If the drainage
is inefficient, then the brain is being bathed
in a toxic slurry. How does 15 or 20 years of
your brain being bathed in a toxic slurry
affect you: senile dementia, Parkinson’s,
Alzheimer’s and other brain dysfunctions?
A Craniosacral Therapist, who has received
training in working with the brain, can reverse
that stress on the brain that eventually can
result in those brain dysfunctions. As we all
know, the proper functioning of the body is
dependent on a healthy functioning brain.
Babies and Children can benefit
■ Our little boy Leo, four years of age, had a
difficult birth and at 7 months was put on antibiotics
for an ear infection and as a result developed
c-diff. His development came to a stop.
At 3 years, with the help of an OT, he started
to walk and talk. In spite of the improvements,
he was unable to answer questions and his
communication skills were very poor. Leo
had very poor muscle tone, a lot of stress in
his body and physical activities such walking,
jumping and climbing were difficult for him.
Beginning with the first session with Terry,
he began showing improvement and with each
following session. Everyone from his teachers
to his grandparents noticed an increase in his
■ “I was in awful pain and the
MRI showed 2 pinched nerves
and stenosis. I scheduled surgery.
My daughter suggested Craniosacral therapy.
After only 2 visits the pain was reduced to
advanced craniosacral about 80% and therapy I canceled the surgery. I went
for a 3rd visit and I am about 90% better.”
■ “Simply Amazing! One visit was all it took for
Terry to relieve 85% of my year long, nagging
(sometimes severe) neck/shoulder tightness/
pain!! My breathing improved tremendously.”
physical strength, as well as improvements in
comprehension, speech and communication
skills. For the first time, he started participating
in class lessons and interacting with his
classmates. Terry has made a huge impact on
getting Leo to a place a little boy should be at
age four. We cannot thank Terry enough.
■ Terry’s treatment helped our 6 week old
baby boy from recent hospitalization into
the first series of healthy bowel movements
when seemingly nothing could help. Our son
was able to latch onto the breast and for the
first time completed his feeding. He was much
calmer after working with Terry.
■ “He was able to relieve tension that I have
been carrying around for 15 years or more.
I left his office table with more energy than I
have had in years.”
■ “I began working with him because I was
dealing with anxieties, depression and lots of
emotional pain inside and out. You don’t realized
how much stress can cause damage to
your body, mind and soul. I can say Terry was
a big help.”
Terrence Grywinski
of Advanced
Craniosacral Therapy,
B.A., B.ED., LMT #MA 6049
Testimonials from Clients
SOURCE:
■ Terrence Grywinski of Advanced Craniosacral Therapy,
B.A., B.ED., LMT #MA 6049. Terry has specialized in Craniosacral
Therapy since 1994 when he began his training at the Upledger
Institute. Described by his teachers, clients and colleagues
as a “gifted healer”, Terry’s intuitive sense and healing energy
provides immediate and lasting relief from injury, pain, mobility
issues as well as dysfunctions of the body and the brain. Part
of Terry’s ongoing education, he has completed 4 craniosacral
brain and peripheral nervous system classes which enables him
to work at a cellular
level and with brain
dysfunctions.
Call 941-321-8757
for more information,
Google Advanced
Craniosacral
Therapy.
■ “On a recent vacation to Siesta Key, I re-injured
my back. I found Terry online. I can say
with complete joy that was the best decision
I made in the history of my back pain. I have
sought many modalities and visit a CST regularly
and never have I had such a healing in
my entire body.
After 3 sessions, I made a 16-hour drive
home with no pain or discomfort in my entire
body. Unbelievable. My body has a sense of
moving freely and that is completely new. I’m
advanced craniosacral therapy
so grateful to Terry for his knowledge, for his
sensitivity to my needs and his kind generosity
in healing my body. I will see him when I return
next year.”
■ “I am a snowbird who spends 7 months
in Sarasota. I have had back problems for 25
years. Terry’s techniques have led to a great
deal of release and relief in areas that have
been problematic. I have been seeing him over
the years when my body says ”it’s time”. Usually
after a few sessions, I can tell a huge difference.”
6 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023
PAID ADVERTORIAL

out &about
Volunteers Needed:
JFCS offers a variety of volunteer
opportunities. Contact Carolan
Trbovich for more information at
ctrbovich@jfcs-cares.org.
Volunteers are needed for the following:
• Savvy Seniors Program – Volunteer
needed to develop and implement
a program titled Savvy Seniors
that pairs high school seniors with
senior citizens to increase their
knowledge of iPads.
• Aging Services Volunteer/Group
Facilitator – Volunteers needed to
work with Aging Services staff to
help facilitate an online caregiver
support group. Volunteers will be
trained by Aging Services staff to
facilitate this group.
• Administrative Assistant Veteran
Services - Assist director with
scheduling, veteran call routing, and
greeting veteran walk-in appointments
with case managers. Sending
emails, Stand Down Planning.
• Ignite Ambassador - Work collaboratively
with Outreach Specialist to
promote the Ignite Fatherhood Program
to organizations and partners
in Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte
Counties.
• Camp Mariposa Volunteer Mentor -
Provide a place for kids to have fun,
build confidence and learn critical
life-skills to help manage feelings
and practice self-care and to offer
campers positive choices in life
and to connect campers with ongoing
support and resources to meet
needs that are identified.
• HR Assistance - Assist with filing
and data entry.
• Receptionist – Answer phones,
transfer calls to proper extensions,
and answer the door for deliveries
and visitors.
• Facilities – Assist facilities with
various tasks such as landscaping,
paint touch-ups, and small general
maintenance duties.
▼
Chamber Event
The Greater Sarasota Chamber
has Kim Richmond, Director of 26
West Entrepreneurship Center,
as the keynote speaker at the 2023
Women at Work Luncheon on May
11 at Michael’s On East.
Richmond will be presenting on how
to be fearless - five ways to conquer
self-doubt and imposter syndrome
and achieve even more. Attendees will
learn how to think about themselves
and their accomplishments differently.
Whether they are a veteran in their
industry, just starting out, or considering
a career change, attendees will
gain insights and tangible techniques
that they can use to conquer self-doubt
and be the best (women, executive,
mom, partner) every day.
The Sarasota Chamber encourages
not only business leaders but the
entire community to attend Women
at Work Luncheon. Not only will attendees
hear from Richmond, but
attendees will enjoy a champagne
reception and have the opportunity
to network with other women business
and community leaders.
Register early at Sarasota
Chamber.com.
▼
Fun Raisers
▼
The Circus Arts Conservatory
(CAC) has a new event, for
supporters as well as new
fans while benefiting its
youth education programs.
WONDERBALL, featuring
twice Grammy Award-nominated
electronic dance music
(EDM) artist and music
producer, Steve Aoki, is on
May 12 in the Sailor Circus
Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St.,
Sarasota.
During Aoki’s set, professional
aerial artists will perform
high above the floor,
while stilt walkers and other
circus artists will weave
among the guests.
Opening up for Aoki is
DJ Peter DiCaro. His styles
include House, Tech House,
Tribal and EDM. During
DJ DiCaro’s set, students
from the CAC’s Sailor Circus
Academy and Booker
Middle School and Sarasota
High School magnet programs
will perform.
This is an all-ages welcome
event; alcohol and bar
service will be available to
guests ages 21+. Guests can choose
from several ticket levels, from tables/
lounge pods for 10-12 to floor standing
(dancing) only. Guests are encouraged
to dress in their flashiest clubwear.
The immersive concert experience
begins in the Sailor Circus Arena
at 8 p.m. Tickets: CircusArts.org or
call (941) 355-9335.
Sarasota Alliance For Historic
Preservation Board invites the public
to dine in the Grand Foyer of the
Van Wezel on May 6, from 4-8 p.m.,
when Mattison’s caters dinner during
the Heritage Awards program, with
Master of Ceremony, John McCarthy.
Following honoring Sarasota’s
history and architectural heritage,
dessert is served at sunset on the Terrace.
Tickets for members are $135,
nonmembers $150. Checks may be
mailed to Sarasota Alliance For
Historic Preservation, PO Box 1754,
Sarasota, FL 34230 or visit www.
eventbrite.com.
▼
The Women
Contemporary
Artists Members
Spring Exhibition
Women Contemporary Artists
present the WCA Annual Art Exhibit
at Art Center Manatee, 209 9th St.
West, Bradenton. The exhibit will be
on display through May 19. There is
no fee for this event.
The event will showcase the work of
the WCA whose membership includes
painters, photographers, sculptors,
ceramicists, printmakers, mixed
media artists, fabric artists and more.
Event info: www.artcentermanatee.
org. For more info on WCW, visit www.
womencontemporaryartists.com.
▼
Mote Marine
Laboratory &
Aquarium
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
has on exhibition, “Voyage to the
Deep,” an interactive exhibition will
▼
Reclaiming Home, Contemporary Seminole Art runs
through September 4 at The Ringling. Image by Hulleah J.
Tsinhnahjinnie (Taskigi/Diné [Navajo]/Seminole
be on display until May 21.
“Voyage to the Deep” is based on
Jules Verne’s famous 1870 novel,
“20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” The
exhibition brings to life the deep-sea
adventures of Captain Nemo, his fantastical
Nautilus submarine and the
mythical world he inhabited.
Guests can climb aboard the fivepart
interactive Nautilus submarine,
which includes a bridge, control room,
salon, living quarters and engine
room to explore. The exhibition’s educational
content is approachable for
all ages, and it covers topics such as
marine life, submarines and various
maritime archaeology.
Through a collection of settings
and props, guests will imagine they
are submarine captains. Visitors
can take up the controls at the helm,
peer through the periscopes, crank
the propeller, test out the bunks and
explore Captain Nemo’s Cabinet of
Curiosities full of wonderful marine
specimens. This indoor, “underwater”
playground includes speaking tubes,
a squid-themed slide, puzzles and an
Atlantis Performance stage.
Tickets: mote.org/visit.
Venice Symphony
The Venice Symphony in partnership
with Atlanta Braves Spring
Training will present the fourth
annual Patriotic Pops Concert and
Fireworks at CoolToday Park on May
27 at 7:30 pm. Gates open at 5:30 pm.
Parking is free and shuttles are available
from the lot to the stadium.
Purchase tickets at the CoolToday
Box Office, 18800 S. West Villages Parkway,
Venice and at ticketmaster.com.
Music Director Troy Quinn will lead
the orchestra in a concert of beloved
American music including “The Star
Spangled Banner,” “God Bless the
USA” and the “Armed Forces Medley.”
Other highlights include music from
Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein
and John Williams and “A George M.
Cohan Overture.” Vocalists Liberty
Voices will accompany the orchestra.
A spectacular fireworks display will
follow the concert.
Info: www.thevenicesymphony.org.
▼
Artist Series
Concerts of
Sarasota
Vivaldi and Mendelssohn—Rimma
Bergeron-Langlois, Nikki
Chooi, Jun Iwasaki, Emerson
Millar, violins is on May
9, 7:30 p.m. at the Sarasota
Opera House. Superstar
concertmasters from four
American orchestras share
the role of soloist in Vivaldi’s
iconic Four Seasons. Mendelssohn’s
beloved String
Octet sees all four together,
with four additional artists,
performing the masterpiece
Mendelssohn composed
when he was only 16.
• Viola Royale with Paul
and Steven Laraia, violas,
is on May 14, 4 p.m. at First
Presbyterian Church, 2050
Oak Street, Sarasota.
The sultry alto voice of
the string family gets its
moment in the spotlight in
this program by the Laraia
brothers, both world class violists.
Paul is with the Grammy Award-winning
Catalyst String Quartet and has
been acclaimed by The Strad for his
“eloquent” and “vibrant” playing.
Steven is with the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, having begun his career
as principal violist of the Sarasota
Orchestra. Their program features
music by composers who played the
viola, including a viola quintet by
Mozart where they will be joined by
several Sarasota Orchestra colleagues.
Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or
call 941-306-1202.
▼
UF/IFAS Extension
Sarasota County
May 9—EcoWalk: Unique Preserves
of Sarasota County - Sleeping
Turtles South. Join a UF/IFAS Extension
Sarasota County educator for
a leisurely stroll through beautiful
and environmentally sensitive lands
that have been preserved in Sarasota
County and learn more about what
makes these areas so unique and
important, the plants and animals
that inhabit them, how to be watershed
wise, and the management
issues faced when trying to preserve
these lands for future generations.
• May 22—EcoWalk: Meditation in
the Parks - Red Bug Slough. Join in for
an exploration of finding peace within
nature. Many traditions use some form
of meditation, focus, contemplation,
reflection, or breath work to quiet the
mind and center the body and spirit.
Wear comfortable, loose clothing
and bring water and a portable chair
or blanket to sit upon for stops to sit
along the trail. Instructor: Dr. Katherine
Clements, UF/IFAS Extension
Sarasota County ecology and natural
resources educator.
For questions or information, call
941-861-5000. Register at ufsarasota
ext.eventbrite.com.
▼
At Designing
Women Boutique
On May 10, 11:30 am-2 pm , their
Salon Series 2023 continues with:
▼
Anti-Aging Integrating Eastern and
Western Medicine, featuring Dr.
Derrick DeSilva and Jackie Rodgers,
House of Hilt plant based skin care.
Featuring Barbershop a cappella student
performance.
Tickets: designingwomensrq.org.
Designing Women Boutique, 1226 N.
Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
Bishop Museum
of Science and
Nature
In the field of engineering, human
achievements receive the most recognition,
but Eco Engineers, the new
temporary exhibit at the Bishop
Museum of Science and Nature,
shifts the spotlight to the flora and
fauna that shape ecosystems with
their own engineering feats.
The exhibit pays homage not only
to furry friends like beavers, but
also to plants like red mangroves
and live oaks that leave an indelible
mark on the landscape. The exhibit
is divided into three zones, including
the land, water’s edge, and sea
sections. Giant photos of the featured
species fill the space, creating
an immersive environment.
A selection of photos bring each
species to life, with the largest photos
measuring about 3 by 6 feet. The
coral photos, lent to the Bishop by
the Coral Restoration Foundation,
will stun visitors. 3D elements, like
corals and a beaver skull from the
museum’s collections complement
the photos and text.
Eco Engineers runs through Sept.
3. Bishop Museum of Science and
Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton,
bishopscience.org.
▼
Choral Artists
Coming up is American Fanfare
on Tuesday, July 4, 4:30 p.m. at
Sarasota Opera House. Join Choral
Artists of Sarasota and the Lakewood
Ranch Wind Ensemble as
they celebrate who we are as Americans
and what Freedom means to
us through beloved American songs.
Experience choral fireworks and
rousing Sousa marches.
For tickets, visit www.ChoralArtists
Sarasota.org or call 941-387-4900.
▼
The Sarasota
Orchestra
Discoveries: Musical Postcards
on May 13, Sarasota Opera House.
Joseph Young, conductor with
Bokyung Byun, guitar. They will be
performing Villa-Lobos – Bachianas
Brasileiras No. 9; Rodrigo – Concierto
de Aranjuez; Mendelssohn – Symphony
No. 4 (Italian).
For information, visit www.Sarasota
Orchestra.org.
▼
Sarasota
Art Museum
Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling
College presents Richard Benson:
The World Is Smarter Than You
Are, on view through May 7. Benson
was an American photographer,
printer, and educator. This exhibit is
the first in-depth survey of Benson’s
own photography.
▼
continued on page 8
MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 7

out and about continued
The exhibition includes approximately
100 works that convey Benson’s
exploration of photographic processes,
his embrace of technologies old
and new, and his deep empathy for his
human subjects as well as the objects
and environments they have built.
• Also on exhibit is A Beautiful
Mess: Weavers & Knotters of the
Vanguard, on view through June
25. From micro artworks the size of
your hand to mammoth, room-sized
installations, the 11 women artists
represented in A Beautiful Mess push
the boundaries between craft and fine
art, taking the art form to new heights
both conceptually and physically.
• Stephanie J. Woods: my papa
used to play checkers runs May
28-September 17. In her first solo
museum exhibition, Woods presents
new multidisciplinary works inspired
by her firsthand experience of
West Africa and with themes focusing
on transatlantic cultural continuity
and memories.
There will be an Artist Talk with
Stephanie J. Woods on May 27 at
Sarasota High School Alumni Auditorium
in the Wendy G. Surkis & Peppi
Elona Lobby. Preview Stephanie J.
Woods’ exhibition my papa used to
play checkers before hearing the artist
speak about her artistic practice,
including her use of material language,
photography, and the creation
of the term, “moving audio photography,”
to describe her video works. She
will also discuss her collaborations
with poet Laura Neal and sound artist
Johannes Barfield.
Sarasota Art Museum is located at
1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Information:
SarasotaArtMuseum.org.
Art Galleries
The newest artists at Art Uptown
Gallery will be featured in the May
exhibit, “Unique Differences” showcasing
their original paintings. Meet
the artists, Ian Begg, Lynn Armstrong
Coffin, and Tammy Keller, at
the First Friday public reception on
May 5, 6-9 p.m.
All four award-winning artists are
local, full-time residents of Sarasota.
The exhibit runs through May 26. In
June, Art Uptown Gallery will present
“Small Works Show,” showcasing
small framed pieces of their original
art. Meet the artists at the First Friday
public reception on June 2, 6-9 p.m.
The exhibit opens on May 27 and
runs through June 30.
Art Uptown Gallery, 1367 Main St.,
Sarasota. Info: 941-955-5409 or
www.artuptown.com
▼
At Art CenterSarasota: The Sarasota
County Schools North County
Spring Art Show features artwork
from students in the northern part
of Sarasota and includes all of the
Sarasota County public and public
charter schools in that area and runs
May 8-20.
Annually, more than 1500 pieces
of artwork from young artists in
grades K-12 are hung in the galleries
and enjoyed by hundreds of families,
students, artists, and visitors. This
unique and longtime partnership
allows students to visit and experience
seeing their work displayed in a
professional setting.
Art Center Sarasota supports
the show with two annual awards
▼
for high school students.
Award-winning seniors are
celebrated with an evening
award ceremony to highlight
their accomplishments, and
the Art Center stays open late
for two nights for families to
come and view the artwork
after hours.707 N. Tamiami
Trail, Sarasota, www.
artsarasota.org.
Key Chorale
Key Chorale has its season
finale, Grace The Spirit
of Aretha with Westcoast
Black Theatre Troupe on
May 8. This high energy celebration
of the “Queen of Soul”
includes songs from the 1973
Grammy Award-Winning
album Amazing Grace and
her most famous R&B classics.
keychorale.org.
▼
At The
Ringling
The Ringling has Gods & Lovers:
Paintings and Sculpture from India.
The exhibit provides a rare opportunity
to get up close to works from the
16th, 17th and 18th centuries from a
variety of cultures in India (along with
a few much older pieces from John
Ringling’s original collection). On
view through May, 2023.
▼
• Reclaiming Home, Contemporary
Seminole Art runs through September
4. This group exhibition marks
The Ringling’s first presentation of
contemporary art by Native American
artists with ancestral, historical, and
present-day connections to Florida.
An imperative step toward establishing
a meaningful relationship
with the Native American artistic
community, Reclaiming Home will
highlight the breadth and depth of
the artwork by Seminole, Miccosukee,
and mixed-heritage artists from
Florida with the important work by
internationally-recognized artists.
The exhibition will expand the conceptual
framework of Native American
art made in Florida today and
provide a fuller understanding of the
complexities of issues within the art
of the Seminole diaspora.
The John and Mable Ringling
Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd.,
Sarasota. Info: www.ringling.org.
At The Hermitage
May 5—Bess Wohl conversation
at Urbanite Theatre’s Modern Works
Festival. Sarasota audiences will
remember Wohl from the recent production
of Grand Horizons at Asolo
Rep as well as the in-process showing
of selections from Camp Siegfried
on the Hermitage Beach prior to its
recent run in New York at Second
Stage Theatre. This Tony Award-nominated
playwright and returning Hermitage
alumna will discuss her works
and career at Urbanite Theatre, 1487
2nd St., Sarasota.
▼
• May 12—“Black Women in our
Collective Culture” with Delita Martin
and Imani Perry, two acclaimed
Hermitage Fellows who share a common
subject: redefining the role and
representation that Black people and
Black women occupy in our collective
Steve Aoki
headlines the
Circus Arts
Conservatory’s
May 12 fundraiser,
WONDERBALL.
— Photo by Aldo Carrera
culture. Combining various creative
practices such as collaging, drawing,
painting, printmaking, and sewing
techniques, Martin has been exhibited
both nationally and internationally.
Author of seven books including
South to America: A Journey Below
the Mason-Dixon Line to Understand
the Soul of a Nation, Perry is
the Hughes-Rogers Professor of African
American Studies at Princeton
University. Registration required at
HermitageArtistRetreat.org. Held
T Hermitage Beach, 6660 Manasota
Key Road, Englewood.
• May 19—Hermitage Sunsets@
Selby Gardens: “Cello on Point”
with Karen Patterson, Hermitage
Alumna and cellist. From classical to
jazz to spirituals, her work celebrates
cultural diversity, the dynamic
beauty of artistic expression, and the
strength of community. Registration
is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
Held at Selby Gardens at
Historic Spanish Point, 401 North
Tamiami Trail, Osprey.
• May 26—“Moved to Music: Violin
on the Bay” with Rebecca Crenshaw
and Mazz Swift. The ability of music
to elevate our moods, build community,
and express big ideas is central to
the work of these musicians and Hermitage
Fellows. Swift’s style encompasses
a wide range of established
genres as well as unique improvisational
techniques Mazz has created.
Rebecca Crenshaw balances the skillsets
of modern rock-folk performance
with a pedagogical and yoga practice
to create a holistic experience rooted
in creativity.
Registration is required at Hermitage
ArtistRetreat.org. Held at The Van
Wezel, 777 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
• May 31—VIRTUAL PROGRAM
– Hermitage Artists and Thinkers
Series “Stewing with Zora Howard”
with Hermitage Fellow and Pulitzer
Prize Finalist Zora Howard. As the
generations of Tucker women convene
in the kitchen to prepare a meal for a
large gathering later that day, it begins
to emerge that “the secrets we keep
from our mothers eventually become
the secrets we keep from ourselves.”
Presented on Zoom, Hermitage
Programs Director James Monaghan
is joined by Howard to explore how
food and its preparation contain
generational memory. How
have historical and economic
trends shaped the
societal role of the Tucker
family? Registration required
at HermitageArtist-
Retreat.org.
Theatre
At Manatee Performing
Arts Center:
• They have Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s Sunset Boulevard
through May 14. Based on
the Billy Wilder film, the
musical version of Sunset
Boulevard is a tale of faded
glory and unfulfilled ambition.
Lloyd Webber’s Tony
Award-winning masterwork
of dreams and desire in
the land called Hollywood
includes “With One Look,”
“As If We Never Said Goodbye”
and “Perfect Year.”
▼
• They also have the Annie
KIDS Show on May 6.
Annie KIDS is equally full of pluck
and positivity. This adaptation of
the Tony Award-winning musical
follows little orphan Annie as she
searches for the parents who left
her years ago on the doorstep of an
orphanage run by the cruel Miss
Hannigan. Despite Miss Hannigan’s
evil plans, Annie’s enduring optimism
leads her on a heartwarming
adventure through NYC.
• DraMature Presents “A Hollywood
1940’s USO Radio Musical.” Travel
back in time with DraMature to the
1940’s era of Bob Hope, USO tours,
and radio plays. This show is filled
with songs, skits, and old-fashioned
commercials and family-friendly
fun. Dates: May 9 at 2 p.m. and May
10 at 7 p.m.
• The Penguin Program is a musical
theater production that cast artists
ages 8 and up with disabilities in
all roles. This individuals (Artists)
get assistance from on-stage peers
(Mentors).
• Penguin Players (ages 23 and up)
perform May 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.
• Penguin Project (ages 8-22) perform
May 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Box Office: 941-748-5878. Manatee
Performing Arts Center, 502 Third
Avenue W., Bradenton. Tickets: www.
manateeperformingartscenter.com.
Florida Studio Theatre presents
the World Premiere of Visit Joe
Whitefeather by award-winning
playwright Bruce Graham. It’s the
1970s in Beaver Gap, Pennsylvania, a
small town with a problem. Tourism
has declined and its doesn’t look like
there is any hope on the horizon.
When a new resident joins forces
with the bewildered city council, they
devise a plan to rename the town to
honor a dead, Native American war
hero who had never visited the town
before. It’s a plan so wild and insane
that it just might work. Visit Joe Whitefeather
is in FST’s Gompertz Theatre.
Visit Joe Whitefeather is inspired by
real events. In the 1950s, a small town
formerly known as Mauch Chunk,
Pennsylvania, was renamed after Jim
Thorpe, the first Native American to
win a gold medal for the United States
in the Olympics. The idea to rename
the town after the late athlete came
▼
from civic leaders’ efforts to strengthen
the local economy. Today, Jim
Thorpe is a popular tourist destination
in the Pocono Mountains.
Visit www.floridastudiotheatre.org/
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
closing the season is “Big Sexy: The
Fats Waller Revue.” Thomas Wright
“Fats” Waller was an American jazz
pianist, composer, singer and comedic
entertainer. His Harlem stride
piano style influenced the sound of
modern jazz piano. Waller realized
his dreams at an early age: he began
playing the piano at the tender age
of 6 and became a professional keyboard
player at 15. In 1922, by the age
of 18, he was a recording artist. Nate
Jacob’s original tribute to this oneof-a-kind
artist and composer of over
400 songs is not to be missed. Tunes
include “Ain’t Misbehavin,” “Honeysuckle
Rose,” “Lulu’s Back in Town,”
“Your Feet’s Too Big” and “The Joint
is Jumpin’.” Jacobs will direct. Show
runs through May 28.
Tickets: call 941-366-1505 or
visit westcoastblacktheatre.org.
▼
Asolo Repertory Theatre has
Man of La Mancha, May 10-June 11.
Considered by many to be one of the
best musicals of all time, MAN OF LA
MANCHA is brilliantly reimagined
with a contemporary urgency by
celebrated director Peter Rothstein,
who immerses us in Miguel de Cervantes’s
retelling of Don Quixote and
his quest. The winner of five Tony
Awards, including Best Musical, and
featuring a soaring score, including
“Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)”
and one of theatre’s most beloved
songs, “The Impossible Dream,” this
classic musical celebrates the power
of theatre, the bravery of holding
strong to our dreams, and the resilience
of imagination.
Tickets: asolorep.org.
▼
At Venice Theatre:
• To May 14: Death of a Salesman
by Arthur Miller. This Pulitzer and
Tony Award Winner tells the story
of Willy Loman who made his living
riding on a “smile and a shoeshine.”
About to lose his job and haunted
by missed opportunities and a troubled
past, he continues to chase his
elusive American Dream while his
wife struggles to help him.
• VT’s Pinky’s Players present Keep
a Song in Your Heart on May 19-21.
Pinky’s Players is a Venice Theatre
community engagement program
- with heart - that gives adults with
intellectual and developmental disabilities
a chance to experience the
delight of performing on VT’s Raymond
Center Stage. The theme of
this year’s show is Memories of the
Lawrence Welk Show.
Tickets: venicetheatre.org.
▼
Urbanite Theatre has its Modern
Works Festival, May 3-7. Back for
the fourth time and returning to an
in-person experience, the Modern
Works Festival is a playwriting contest,
reading festival and celebration of
women in theatre. See all three finalist
readings and become eligible to vote
on the festival-winning playwright.
Urbanite Theatre, 1487 2nd Street,
Sarasota. Tickets: (941) 321-1397 or
visit www.urbanitetheatre.com.
▼
continued on page 10
8 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

happening this month
“Clowns Like Me”
Shines Spotlight on
Mental Health
May is
Mental Health Awareness Month
Each year,
the month
of May is
nationally
recognized as
Mental Health Awareness
Month. Healthcare
experts throughout the
country take the opportunity
to bring attention
to the nation’s overall
mental health crisis and
the resources available
to assist. This year, a
local man is bringing the
awareness campaign a
little closer to home for
Sarasota and Manatee
Counties.
In his world premiere
one-man show “Clowns
Like Me,” Sarasota actor
and storyteller Scott
Ehrenpreis tells his profound
story of living with
mental illness to a local
audience. Spectators are
in for a performance that
will make them laugh,
cry and leave thinking differently about the
stigmas tied to mental health. “Clowns Like
Me” will debut at the Cook Theatre at the
FSU Center for the Performing Arts on
May 18-28.
The show reveals the enlightening,
heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting true
story of Ehrenpreis’ personal journey as
he struggles against OCD, bipolar disorder,
Asperger’s Syndrome, social anxiety and
depression. Ultimately, Ehrenpreis reveals
that being on stage gives him the power,
even for just a couple hours, to step into the
light and leave the shadows of his mental
health struggles behind.
It takes courage to step on stage and
tell a personal story – especially one about
facing mental disorders and illnesses. The
talented Ehrenpreis has always enjoyed
being on stage and talks opening about this
during this “Clowns Like Me” performance.
He earned a B.F.A. in performance from
Ohio University. He recently performed as
part of the ensemble cast in “Network” at
the Florida Studio Theatre. He also has taken
the stage in various other performances
in Sarasota, including performances for
Theatre Odyssey.
Those in the community that have heard
developmental script readings have said
that the performance is powerful.
“I was deeply moved by the severe internal
and emotional struggle that a person
with a mental health issue faces,” said
Susan Loesel of the Doll-Loesel Foundation,
one of the show’s sponsors. “If this
performance helps only one other person
or one family who is struggling, then it will
be a great step forward. It offers hope and
understanding for everyone involved.”
This will be the first production by Lifeline
Productions, which is led by
Scott Ehrenpreis’
world premiere one-man show
“Clowns Like Me” May 18-28
Ehrenpreis’ father, Joel
Ehrenpreis, and Jason
Cannon, chief creative
officer. Lifeline Productions
formed last year
with a mission to present
artistic programs,
including theatrical,
artistic and musical
performances, to foster
a broader awareness of
mental illness and help
fight stigmas attached.
“We want to use the
power of storytelling
to take you inside the
minds of those who
struggle with mental
health disorders and
offer an enlightening
and entertaining experience
that leaves you
walking away feeling
differently about mental
illness,” said Ehrenpreis’
father, Joel.
The debut of “Clowns
Like Me” comes at a
time when the nation
is struggling with a mental health crisis.
The American Psychological Association’s
2022 COVID-19 Practitioner Impact Study,
released in November 2022, showed the demand
for mental health treatment, including
for anxiety disorders, depression and
substance abuse, continued to increase for
the third consecutive year. An estimated 6
in 10 practitioners reported they no longer
have openings for new patients, while on
average, psychologists are being contacted
every month by more than 15 potential new
patients seeking care.
Lifeline Productions Inc. has been able to
secure a series of community partners from
the mental health space, including NAMI of
Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Compeer,
The Florida Center for Early Childhood and
many others. Information about these partners
will be made available at each show
for anyone seeking information.
“The show puts a spotlight on the conversation
about mental health in our community,”
said Colleen Thayer, executive director of
the local NAMI affiliate. “I had the opportunity
to listen to a developmental script reading
and the story is a powerful and important
one for people to hear. It was incredible.”
Sponsors of the show include Michael
Saunders & Company, Hoyt Architects, the
Community Foundation of Sarasota County,
the Here4YOUth Mental Health initiative
(a joint initiative of Charles & Margery
Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community
Foundation), the Sarasota Southside
Rotary, the David, Adrianne and Jordan
Rubin Fund, The Melissa Wides Foundation,
the KBR Foundation, the Dina Wirt Trust,
the Doll-Loesel Foundation and more.
Tickets are $20 and are on sale at
ClownsLikeMe.com.
MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 9

out and about continued
Summer Camps
Sarasota Youth Opera invites
young people between the ages of 8
and 18 to explore the world of opera
through its annual Summer Camp.
The camp runs on weekdays from
June 12 to June 23 from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. with a one or two-week session
available for children aged 8 to 10. The
camp takes place at the Sarasota
Opera House. Tuition fees vary
according to age and session with
tuition assistance available. The program
is designed for all skill levels
with no audition required. Registration
deadline is May 15.
The camp will take place at the Sarasota
Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple,
Sarasota. For information, visit sarasotaopera.org
or call 941-328-1329.
▼
At The Van Wezel
A sampling of upcoming shows:
• GORDON LIGHTFOOT: THE LEG-
END IN CONCERT AT THE VAN
WEZEL HAS BEEN CANCELED.
• Tom Jones: Ages & Stages Tour
will take place on May 13.
Pre-show dining is available
through Mattison’s at the Van Wezel
which is located inside the theatre.
Reservations can be made on Van-
Wezel.org or through the box office.
▼
Local History
Manatee Village Historical Park
has Living Off the Land: Florida’s
Pioneering Efforts to Make a Living.
The exhibit explores the various ways
settlers in the mid-1800s through the
early 1900s took advantage of readily
available natural resources of the
land and sea.
As Manatee County developed
during the Pioneering Period (1830-
1918), a number of commercial activities
grew out of the environmental
realities people moving into the
area built upon. One of the earliest
brought fishermen who set up seasonal
camps along our shores. These
fishermen set up semi-permanent
Fishing Ranchos where they caught
and prepared schools of mullet and
other fish for Cuban markets.
In the 1840s, when the first waves
of American expansion into the area
started, sugar production became a
major economic engine. At its peak,
there were over a dozen sugarcane
plantations established within the
Manatee River area. By the mid-1800s
and early 1900s, Florida’s population
was growing along with its economic
prosperity. With the development of
steamship lines, connected to the first
railroads, local businesses began to
send products to ports and destinations
around the nation and throughout
the world.
Living Off the Land: Florida’s
Pioneering Efforts to Make a Living
will be available on-site at Manatee
Village Historical Park through
November, 2024.
Manatee Village Historical Park
is located at 1404 Manatee Avenue
East (SR64) in Bradenton, Florida. For
more information, call 941-749-7165,
or visit www.manateevillage.org.
▼
Selby Gardens
▼
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
has Seeing the Invisible at its Historic
Spanish Point campus.
The most ambitious and
expansive show to date of
contemporary artworks created
with augmented-reality
(AR) technology, the exhibition
launched last year at 12
botanical gardens around
the world. Selby Gardens is
one of four inaugural sites
that will continue to host
the show for a second year,
through September 2023.
Six new garden and museum
sites will join the global
exhibition in October.
Seeing the Invisible features
works by more than
a dozen internationally acclaimed
artists, including Ai
Weiwei of China, El Anatsui
of Ghana, Isaac Julien CBE
RA of the United Kingdom,
and Sarah Meyohas of the
United States. At Selby
Gardens’ Historic Spanish
Point campus, the show’s
13 AR works are installed in
carefully curated locations
throughout the 30-acre
preserve. Visitors engage with the art
through an app that can be downloaded
to a smartphone or tablet.
Seeing the Invisible is the first exhibition
of its kind to be developed
as a collaboration among botanical
gardens around the world. The same
commissioned artworks are placed
in outdoor settings at the participating
institutions, creating parallels
and contrasts between them. The AR
nature of the exhibition has allowed
for the creation of expansive, immersive
works that engage with existing
features of the natural landscape, going
beyond the limitations of what is
possible with physical artworks.
For information, visit www.selby.org.
At Bookstore1
Sarasota
PoetryMic introduces you to a varied
group of talented poets that live in
and around Sarasota.
• May 7, 2-3 p.m—PoetryMic with
Jack Massa and Lois Betterton: Readings
of Original Poems by Local Poets.
Jack Massa has a BA from New College
of Florida and an MFA in Creative
Writing from the University of Massachusetts
at Amherst. As an author of
speculative fiction and poetry, his interests
include ancient civilizations, magic
and mysticism, quantum physics, space
science, and artificial intelligence.
Lois Betterton grew up in Yonkers,
New York and now reside in Sarasota’s
Historic Rosemary District. She began
reading and writing poetry as a young
child and has embraced the written
word all her life. She founded The Word
Show poetry group in 2012 in Sarasota
that showcases local, free range,
organic Poetry at Blvd Cafe in the
Rosemary District. In the loft at Bookstore1Sarasota,
117 S. Pineapple Ave.
This is a free event, but registration
is required. RSVP here: www.sarasotabooks.com
▼
Book clubs:
These meet in person in the loft at
Bookstore1 at The Mark, 117 South
Pineapple Ave.
• May 9 at 11 a.m.—May’s pick is A
Rage in Harlem, a ripping introduction
to Coffin Ed Johnson and
▼
On May 19, Hermitage Sunsets@Selby Gardens presents
“Cello on Point” with Karen Patterson, Hermitage Alumna
and cellist. Registration: HermitageArtistRetreat.org.
Grave Digger Jones, who patrol New
York City’s roughest streets in Chester
Himes’s groundbreaking Harlem
Detectives series. A fee of $16
is required for participation. This
includes a copy of A Rage in Harlem
to be picked up at Bookstore1 and the
book club meeting.
• May 10 at 2p.m.—The Poetry Book
Club’s May selection is American Melancholy,
a new collection of poetry
from Joyce Carol Oates, an American
literary legend, her first in 25 years.A
fee of $18 is required for participation.
This includes a copy of American Melancholy
to be picked up at Bookstore1
and the book club meeting.
• May 17 at 11 a.m.—The Short and
Satisfying Book Club led by Georgia
Court will explore A Woman’s Battles
and Transformations by Édouard
Louis, a portrait of the author’s mother
by the acclaimed writer of the
international bestsellers The End of
Eddy and History of Violence.
A fee of $20 is required for participation.
This includes a copy of A Woman’s
Battles and Transformations to be
picked up at Bookstore1 and the book
club meeting.
• May 23 at 11 a.m.— The Banned
Book Club’s May’s pick is The Awakening
by Kate Chopin, the daring
story of a woman’s search for personal
freedom that was so controversial in
1899 that it ended its author’s career. A
fee of $10 is required for participation.
This includes a copy of The Awakening
to be picked up at Bookstore1 and the
book club meeting.
Registration for all book clubs: www.
sarasotabooks.com/bookclubs, or
call 941-365-7900.
Walking Tours
This one is at The Ringling’s Arboretum
on May 29. This walking tour
led by volunteer guides will introduce
you to interesting botanical specimens
on the estate while providing a
historic overview of the development
of the estate. The Ringling Arboretum
has been accredited at Level II
through ArbNet and there are over
2350 trees within the arboretum representing
native, exotic, historical,
and culturally significant trees.
▼
Garden Tours are available
Saturdays, Sundays,
and Mondays and take
place entirely outdoors.
It is 90 minutes in length
and covers approximately
1 mile. Bring bottled water,
and wear appropriate footwear,
preferably closed-toe,
sunblock, and hats. There
will be a maximum of 10
participants per tour. Tours
are subject to weather
conditions. Tickets will be
available 30 days prior to
each tour. Go to www.ringling.org/events.
Art Around
the State
The Boca Raton Museum
of Art has Whitfield
Lovell: Passages is in
South Florida at the Boca
through May 21. The tour
continues across six states
throughout the American
South and the Midwest.
This is the largest exhibition ever presented
of Lovell’s work that focuses
on lost African American history,
and raises universal questions about
America’s collective heritage. Lovell’s
interest in spirituality, healing,
and ritual, together with his use of
reclaimed and found objects, aromas,
music, and sound, has long informed
his practice which investigates the
circularity of life. bocamuseum.org/
▼
• Tampa Museum of Art has Identity
in the Ancient World on view
through March, 2025. Today, we recognize
various expressions of identity,
such as personal, social and national
identity. Certain frames of identity
are well-defined or fixed, others are
based on personal choice or may
change over time. Think of economic
class and social status, education and
profession, culture and nationality.
Also, language, lifestyle, musical
preference, personal companionship,
political allegiance or religion. These
frames of identity may invoke a sense
of belonging or form exclusive alliances.
They may also provoke feelings of
marginalization, even policies of segregation.
Or, they may create demands
for acceptance and equal treatment.
This exhibition engages the public
to reflect upon the differences and
similarities between the ancient world
and our contemporary society. Some
themes the visitor may encounter include
masculinity and femininity, intimacy
and ethnicity.
In the ancient world such expressions
of identity could not always be
articulated explicitly because the terminology
for voicing thoughts about
personal, cultural and national frames
of identity often did not exist. That is
not to say that Egyptians or Persians,
Greeks or Romans did not experience
a sense of belonging to a certain group
sharing a cultural, linguistic and historical
heritage. They recognized biological
differences between men and
women, and they believed that certain
social roles belonged to the different
genders. Ancient societies were unambiguously
patriarchal and hierarchical,
with certain political rights held
as privileges of well-defined classes.
Others were excluded – such as enslaved
persons, peasants, women and/
or resident aliens (even when living
in the same country for generations),
who had little or no rights.
Tampa Museum of Art, Cornelia
Corbett Center, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza,
Tampa. tampamuseum.org/
• Best In Showdogs in Art is at The
MFA through August 6, 2023. The
MFA curators (and resident dog-lovers)
have collaborated on an exhibition
linking their disparate areas of
expertise and media across time and
space with a unifying theme—in this
case, our beloved canine partners.
Humans and canines have been
co-evolving for over 30,000 years,
developing a rich and complex set of
relationships that is revealed through
works of art. Working exclusively from
our collection, our curators have chosen
their favorite works that memorialize
this special relationship.
From ancient times through contemporary
times, dogs have been constant
companions. They have assisted
by hunting and guiding, supported
through their steadfast loyalty, and
amused with their energy and antics.
This small focus show—drawn entirely
from the MFA Collection—highlights
the ways dogs have been represented
throughout the history of art.
Also on display is Shashin Japanese
Photographs From the Meiji Era, 1870-
1900. Runs through July 23, 2023.
Although photography was invented
in 1839 in France, shashin—the Japanese
word for photograph— was not
fully introduced in Japan until the
mid-1860s. Learning the craft from
European photographers, Japanese
photographers were quick to embrace
the ambrotype, albumen, and cartede-visite
processes. Most opened
studios in the 1870s amid stiff European
competition, but by the 1890s,
Japanese photographers dominated
the market.
While many Japanese studios
adopted the earlier conventions established
by European studios, photographers
like Kusakabe Kimbei
(1841–1934) incorporated subtle variations
in content which underscored
the movement toward modernization
prevalent in Meiji-era Japan (1868–
1912). Discovering a new approach to
present local subjects to a primarily
foreign audience, his meticulously
hand-painted genre images reflect a
dynamic merging of the subject matter
and artistic sensibility of Japanese
woodblock prints with photographic
technology. Ogawa Kazumasa (1860–
1929)—a pioneer in photomechanical
color printing—produced lusciously
colorful botanical works that emphasized
the artistic merits of photography.
Ambrotype portraits housed
in handmade kiri-wood boxes—a
uniquely Japanese presentation—
served as personal mementos of loved
ones. Later, cartes-de-visite made images
of family and notable personalities
accessible to everyone.
This selection of photographs showcases
the skill and innovation of Japanese
photographers working in Japan
from 1870–1900. Comprised of almost
50 works from the MFA Collection,
early Japanese photography served a
multitude of functions including mementos
for remembrance, collectibles
for tourists, and furthered the notion
of photography as an art.
The MFA is located at 255 Beach Dr
NE, St. Petersburg. mfastpete.org
10 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

focus on the arts
WOMEN’S WORK
Women Play Key Roles in Annual
Sarasota Music Festival
Sarasota Orchestra has always been
ahead of the curve when it comes to
having women musicians in leadership
positions. From 1971-1997, at a
time when female Concertmasters
were rare, the Florida West Coast Symphony,
(as it was then called), was led by longtime 1st
violinist Anita Brooker. In 2013,
Estonian conductor Anu Tali assumed
the role of Music Director
of Sarasota Orchestra, becoming
one of only a handful of women
at the helm of a full-time American
orchestra.
Sarasota Music Festival,
a program of Sarasota Orchestra,
has continued that trend,
with women comprising a large
percentage of the extraordinary
faculty who arrive in Sarasota
each June from every corner of
the music world. This year the
Festival, which runs from June
5-24, boasts 38 gifted faculty
artists, of whom 17 are women.
Some of them, like Julie Landsman,
former Principal Horn of
the Metropolitan Opera, are
longtime faculty members, having
come to Sarasota to teach
and perform for decades.
Others, like the extraordinary
violist Yura Lee, the Harlem
Quartet’s violinist Melissa White,
and flute soloist Jasmine Choi,
are joining the Festival faculty
for the first time in 2023. Together,
they bring a depth and
breadth of experience that is
unrivaled in the classical music
world. The beneficiaries of that
extraordinary pool of talent are
the 60 pre-professional music
students who vie for the chance
to be among the Festival fellows
each summer, studying and performing
with their musical idols.
The classical music world has
changed dramatically over the
past decades, and women now
comprise more than 50% of most
major symphony orchestras.
That shift accelerated with the
advent of “blind” auditions in
the 1970’s, as musicians began
competing for positions behind
screens so that the committee
judging them had no idea of their
gender. It didn’t take long before
the ranks of women in major
orchestras began to swell, as it
became clear to everyone that
women played every bit as well
as their male counterparts did.
Hornist Julie Landsman was a rarity in 1985
when she won the position of Principal horn in
the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the first female
brass player in the Met Orchestra’s history.
She went on to a 25-year career at the Met and
became a teaching legend at the Juilliard School
in New York. In 2012 the International Women’s
Brass Conference awarded their Pioneer Award
to Landsman, recognizing “women who have
been pioneers in the top levels of brass performance,
breaking down barriers and living their
lives effecting change for those who have followed.”
She has been inspiring young hornists at
the Sarasota Music Festival since 1994.
Joining the Festival for the first time in 2023 is
internationally renowned violist Yura Lee, who
is a true “A-List” celebrity in the viola and violin
Julie Landsman
Yura Lee
Melissa White
Jasmine Choi
world. She won the Debut Artist of the Year prize
at the “Performance Today” awards given by National
Public Radio when she was only 12 years
old, and has gone on to win top prizes at multiple
international competitions performing on both
violin and viola. She is in high demand as a soloist
and chamber musician, and has performed
with major orchestras across the
U.S., Europe, and Asia.
Another newcomer to the
Festival faculty in 2023 will be
the Harlem String Quartet’s
violinist Melissa White. Her
performances with the Harlem
Quartet have been hailed as
“bringing a new attitude to
classical music, one that is
fresh, bracing and intelligent”
(Cincinnati Enquirer). One of a
new generation of classical musicians,
she has forged a career
performing as soloist with orchestras
across the world, but
has also branched out to embrace
other genres, performing
with several pop artists including
Pharrell, Bruno Mars, Alicia
Keys, and Lauryn Hill.
The Festival’s announcement
that flutist Jasmine Choi would
join the faculty this summer
stirred tremendous excitement
among flutists across the country.
Choi is a Festival alumna
who was a Fellow in 2003. She
went on to win positions as
principal flute of the Vienna
Symphony and associate principal
flute of the Cincinnati
Symphony, before turning her
attention to solo performing
and recording. She is among
the next generation of classical
artists forging a strong presence
on social media where she connects
with flutists worldwide.
These extraordinary women
and the rest of the remarkably
talented Festival faculty offer
the young pre-professional musicians
who attend the Festival
a window into not only the most
traditional career paths as a
soloist, chamber or orchestral
musician, but also into the
myriad new paths being charted
by gifted young 21st century
artists. They offer we lucky
Sarasotans the opportunity to
hear them perform and teach in
person, as the Festival presents
not only 9 concerts, but also
daily masterclasses over the
course of the 3-week Festival,
all open to the public. The masterclasses provide
an extraordinary window into the lives of
the fellows as they strive to perfect their craft,
and into the careers of the outstanding faculty,
as they share the wisdom gained through years
of professional performing.
For more information, visit sarasotaorchestra.
org or call 941-953-3434. Do not miss the
opportunity to be moved and amazed by these
and other extraordinary women of the Sarasota
Music Festival as they bring their gifts and
inspirational stories to the next generation of
classical musicians.
— SOURCE: By: Betsy Hudson Traba
PAID ADVERTORIAL
The Power
of Storytelling
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JEFFREY KAHANE, MUSIC DIRECTOR
Classical musicians from around the
world converge on Sarasota for three
weeks of breathtaking performances.
ARTIST SHOWCASES
Thursdays |4:30 pm |Holley Hall
JUNE 8, 15, 22
FESTIVAL CONCERTS
Fridays | 7:30 pm | Sarasota Opera House
JUNE 9, 16, 23
SATURDAY SYMPHONIES
Saturdays |7:30 pm
Sarasota Opera House
JUNE 10, 17, 24
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SarasotaMusicFestival.org
941-953-3434
This advertising made possible through the generous
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MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 11

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941-306-1202
ArtistSeriesConcerts.org
DAILY TROLLEY TOURS
ENTERTAINING • INFORMATIVE
Ever Onward Season 27
VIVALDI
and MENDELSSOHN
May 9, 7:30 pm
Sarasota Opera House
Concertmasters Nikki Chooi,
Rimma Bergeron-Langlois, Jun
Iwasaki and Emerson Millar are
joined by Daniel Jordan (violin),
Steven Laraia (viola), Bjorn Ranheim
(cello), Michael Turkell (violin),
Stephanie Block (viola), Natalie
Helm (cello), John Miller (bass),
and Jonathan Spivey (keyboard)
for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and
Mendelssohn’s String Octet.
VIOLA ROYALE
May 14, 4:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church
Brothers Paul Laraia, with
the Grammy Award-winning
Catalyst String Quartet, and
Steve Laraia, with the Boston
Symphony Orchestra, present
a program by composers who
played the viola.
This project is supported in part by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County; Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs,
the Florida Council of Arts and Culture and the State of Florida (Section 286.25 Florida Statutes); The Exchange; Gulf Coast Community Foundation;
National Endowment for the Arts; the Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues; and the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.
SUNSET CABARET
Music & Craft Beer Tour
Enjoy a Musical Sunset Tour With STEVE!
Hear Jokes, Stories, Songs & Trivia With Stop
At Sun King Brewery For Beer Tasting!
THURSDAYS 6:00-8:00 PM
Dermatology of Coastal Sarasota
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microneedling, tinting, peels & facials.
DINE ALONG TROLLEY
Progressive Dining Experience For Foodies
• Appetizers, Main Course & Dessert
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• Tour Led By Chef & Guide Kelley
WEDNESDAYS 4:00-6:30 PM
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941-260-9818
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12 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

focus on the arts
Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature
On view at Selby Gardens through June 25, 2023
Marie Selby
Botanical
Gardens
presents Tiffany:
The
Pursuit of Beauty in Nature
as the 2023 installment
of the Jean & Alfred Goldstein
Exhibition Series, running
through June at the Downtown
Sarasota campus.
The exhibition will showcase
the creativity and innovation of
the American artist and designer
Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-
1933), who founded Tiffany
Studios and served as the first
design director of Tiffany &
Co., the renowned jewelry and
silver firm established by his
father, Charles Lewis Tiffany
(1812-1902).
Louis Comfort Tiffany was
one of the most influential
American artists and designers
of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. He was closely associated
with Art Nouveau, an
international style of art and
design characterized by organic
line and natural form.
Tiffany began his career as
a painter, but later turned his
attention to decorative arts,
particularly stained glass, for
which he became best known.
His work as an artist and designer
was part of his life-long
goal, which he described as
“the pursuit of beauty.”
His unique aesthetic was based
on his belief that inspiration for art
and design should be found in
nature. The rich hues that
distinguished his stained
glass and other decorative
arts were
drawn from the
colors of plants,
especially flowers
and fruits. To
realize his creative
vision, Tiffany employed a team
of skilled designers and craftspeople,
who translated his ideas
into beautiful objects of almost
every artistic and decorative
medium. The team included
several talented women,
who contributed to every
aspect of glasswork,
from initial design to
final product. Tiffany
encouraged
his team to look
to nature – from
dragonflies to daffodils
– and to interpret it
imaginatively.
Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in
Nature will be the first exhibition of
its type to be presented in a botanical
garden, a particularly appropriate
setting in which to highlight the connection
between Tiffany’s work and
the natural world. Tiffany’s celebrated
stained-glass windows and lamps will
inspire stunning horticultural displays
in the Tropical Conservatory and
throughout the Gardens.
These kaleidoscopic displays
of flowers and foliage will play
with light, color, and material
to create a truly immersive
experience that blurs the line
between art and nature.
Accompanying the horticultural
displays will be examples of Tiffany’s
work, in various media, on
view in the Museum of Botany &
the Arts. Lent from a local private
collection, this group of lamps,
vases, and other objects will be
used to tell the story of Tiffany
and his firm, which revolutionized
glassmaking and elevated the status
of American decorative arts at
home and abroad.
The objects will also be used to
explain their innovative methods
of manufacture, and to emphasize
the significant role of the designers
and craftspeople who helped
Tiffany to achieve his objective of
furnishing complete, coordinated
interiors filled with objects of the
highest quality, all reflecting the
beauty of nature.
Selby Gardens
Downtown Sarasota
Campus
1534 Mound Street, Sarasota
Visit www.selby.org.
MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 13

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14 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

good news too
Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation
Receives $ 1,000,000 Grant
Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Supports
Behavioral Health Services At SMH
Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation
recently received a $1,000,000 grant
from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.
The grant will support inpatient and
outpatient programs at the new state-ofthe-art
Cornell Family Behavioral Pavilion
at Sarasota Memorial (SMH) including
a new intensive outpatient program for
youth ages 13-17.
The new 95,000-square-foot Cornell
Family Behavioral
Health Pavilion
will provide
expanded
and centralized
care for people
of all ages. One
of the newest
programs is an
intensive outpatient
program
(IOP) for
adolescents. Last
year, there were
close to 1,000 adolescent
admissions
at SMH’s
existing facility
representing
nearly half of all
admissions there.
“We are so
grateful for this
generous grant
from Barancik
Foundation,” said
Healthcare Foundation
president
Stacey Corley. “Community
support is
critical especially for
those who may forego
treatment due
to lack of resources
or who are unaware
that help is available here at home.”
The new IOP will serve teens ages 13-17
in need of a higher level of care to help
manage their condition—sometimes as a
transition from a psychiatric hospitalization
or as a step up from more standard
outpatient therapy. The four-to-six-week
program will be held after school, using
evidence-based, creative and fun therapeutic
interventions in a group therapy
format. It will assist in strengthening a
behavioral health continuum of care for
youth in our community.
“Presently, we have an IOP for adults,”
said Terry Cassidy Sarasota Memorial’s
Behavioral Health Services executive director.
Since implementing the program
in 2019, we have reduced the readmission
Cornell Pavilion Exterior Rendering
Updated Cornell Pavilion Lobby Rendering
Adolescent Social Space Rendering
rates from 15% to less than 3%. We aim to
see the same results for teens.”
The Cornell Family Behavioral Health
Pavilion is on schedule to open late this
fall. The modern facility will have private
rooms with large windows letting in natural
light, and other design elements that
help reduce stress and promote recovery.
The first floor will have therapeutic spaces
dedicated for the health system’s expanding
outpatient treatment and counseling
programs.
“There is a growing need for behavioral
health services in the community and a
lack of funding to support it,” says Charles
& Margery Barancik Foundation President
and CEO Teri A Hansen. “Many patients are
uninsured or underinsured and intensive
outpatient programs are not reimbursed
by Medicaid. This investment supports
the creation and expansion of programs
that foster community behavioral health
needs, including for youth ages 13-17.”
For additional information about
behavioral health services at SMH,
call 941-917-2660 or visit smh.com/
behavioralhealth.
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SUMMER TROLLEY TOURS
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MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 15

DEBORAH
Robbins Millman
She’s the Executive
Director of
the The Lemur
Conservation
Foundation which
is “…dedicated to
the preservation and
conservation of the
primates of Madagascar
through managed
breeding, scientific
research, education,
and art,” and they do
that successfully in
Myakka City.
16 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

Okay, so these
button-eyed,
cute little
creatures have
something to do
with species extinction?
Yes, they’re
the world’s most endangered mammals due
in large part because their natural habitat
in Madagascar is shrinking as a result of
deforestation.
Enter The Lemur Conservation Foundation
(LCF) which is “…dedicated to the
preservation and conservation of the primates
of Madagascar through managed
breeding, scientific research, education,
and art,” and they do that in Myakka City.
How does that work?
Visiting their location takes you out to the
Florida of days gone by—past the cattlefields,
sod farms, plant nurseries and older ranch
homes — to a secluded and quiet, almost
Jurassic Park like location with vast spaces,
high fences, large enclosures and tall trees.
The Foundation recently cleaned up from
Hurricane Ian that cut a violent diagonal
path through the state after leaving the Fort
Myers area and took down some 60 trees
that damaged fencing, causing the animals
to have to stay in their enclosures. Now that
the cleanup is complete, the lemurs live
in large open spaces where they can move
freely, but with fencing to protect them from
other creatures as well as keep them from
drifting off. In total, LCF has some 130 acres
in total with animals living in approximately
20 of those acres.
Madagascar has suffered extensively
from deforestation, and it’s the only place that
lemurs live, making them the world’s most
endangered group of mammals. More specifically,
98% of lemur species are threatened in
the next 20 years or critically endangered.
That’s a tall order keeping this species
from going extinct. Fortunately, the Foundation
has an experienced CEO at the helm
who has decades of experience in for-profit
and nonprofit management and strategic
development and has worked with animal
advocacy nonprofits. Deborah was also an
award-winning journalist and vice president
of a public relations firm who came on
board at LCF in 2020.
A good part of Deborah’s career has been
in animal advocacy, locally with the Humane
Society of Sarasota County which she
ran for a decade, overseeing its conversion
to a no-kill facility.
Most recently, she spent eight years with
the Humane Society of the United States,
in different locations including five years
in Cape Cod, then in Fort Lauderdale. “Everything
fits together,” she reflects, adding,
“I’ve been lucky - I’ve loved every job I’ve
had.” And, she’s always loved animals, had
pets growing up, and her dog often comes to
work with her.
We walked from the Foundation’s office
to the animals’ locations. In the open,
there’s plenty of room for the 54 lemurs who
live at LCF to move about and climb - much
as they would do had they been born in
Madagascar. March was “baby season” and
they’re cautiously saying three babies, including
twins, were born. That’s the result
of nine lemur pairs chosen for breeding.
The Foundation's managed breeding
program follows recommendations from
the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Species Survival Plan. It’s a carefully curated
process that involves working with other
nonprofits who have lemurs to ensure gene
diversity. The Lemur Conservation Foundation
protects 16 species of lemurs.
LCF is unlike other animal attractions
like Jungle Gardens or Big Cat Habitat. For
one thing, they’re a nonprofit, managed
breeding and research center. For another,
too much activity can stress the animals.
But aligning the public with the Foundation’s
goals is also vital.
“It’s imperative - critical - that people
know what we do,” Deborah states, but
visiting for now is limited, something she’s
found people accept. She adds that her
board of directors are, “very savvy” because
they have an endowment to cover their operations.
LCF, she explains, relies 100% on
private, corporate and individual donors as
well as foundations.
When not out in the open, running, playing
and climbing, the lemurs are running
through an elaborate network of caged tunnels
that take them to their enclosures where
they go to eat and sleep. Interestingly, their
enclosures have toddler toys - sleds, swings
and the like, to entertain them. They’re
curious, cute and cuddly-looking, but not
suitable as pets. They can also bite and
scratch and need room and again, they’re an
endangered species that lives in groups but
the scientific term is “a conspiracy.”
Deborah and her staff of 8 (another 4 are in
Madagascar) have multiple responsibilities
in addition to the care of the animals. This
includes education—informing the public
and students—as well as research in which
scientists can come to study free-range lemur
colonies under natural conditions.
LCF also has a presence in the SAVA Region
of northeastern Madagascar, where
they work with conservation partners and
communities bordering protected lemur
habitats. LCF's Conservation and Research
Director, Dr. Erik Patel, spends 2-3 months
there overseeing things along with 3 staff
members. Programs there are in Anjanaharibe-Sud
Special Reserve (ASSR) and Marojejy
National Park, together spanning 320
square miles of mountainous rainforest.
In addition to losing their natural habitat
in Madagascar, the animals are pushed out
by farming and yes, some are hunted and
eaten. To help curtail those issues, LCF has
created fish farming so the local population
can eat other forms of protein. In the spirit
of cooperation, LCF also offers medical
services for people there including prenatal
care and assists other agencies. For example,
providing fuel efficient stoves can mean using
less wood and preserving the rainforest.
And then there’s their art program. Lemurs
are incredibly photogenic and The
Lemur Conservation Foundation has an art
collection which includes lemur-themed
work by artists Jean Blackburn, Craig
Rubadoux, Judy North, Joseph Santore,
Barbara Sandler, and Alexis Rockman, as
well as LCF founder and artist Penelope
Bodry-Sanders.
Future plans at the Foundation call for
a new habitat building, a vet clinic and a
quarantine space. The reason they have so
much acreage is to act as a “buffer” to development
which Sarasota is experiencing in
great numbers.
Loss of a species is tragic enough, but also
causes serious collateral problems. For example,
lemurs carry pollen on their fur and
they’re “seed dispersers.” Saving them saves
the lives of other animals as well.
Still, you may ask what’s the big deal if
a species doesn’t exist anymore? “We’re
all connected,” Deborah explains. “People
say, oh they’re so cute, but to lose a species
is a tragedy.”
Deborah feels strongly we are, “stewards”
with a responsibility to not let animals die
off. “We owe it to the Earth to maintain what
we inherited from our parents.”
Of her role at LCF and the role it plays as
stewards she states, “It’s a great opportunity
to makes a difference, plus it’s awesome to
see them up close.
STORY & IMAGES: Louise Bruderle
Note: Penelope Bodry-Sanders incorporated
the nonprofit in 1996 and is the visionary
and founder of the Lemur Conservancy
Foundation which is now in its 27th year.
Please find an accompanying article in this
issue with a detailed look at the Foundation’s
history.
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get to know
The Lemur Conservation Foundation
Founded in 1996 by Penelope Bodry-Sander,
their mission is to save and protect endangered lemurs
Inspired by the work of Dr. Ian Tattersall (Curator
Emeritus, Division of Anthropology Professor
Emeritus, Richard Gilder Graduate School
American Museum of Natural History) and
alarmed by lemurs’ spiraling decline, museum
educator Penelope Bodry-Sanders incorporated
a nonprofit in 1996.
Originally named the Lower Primate Conservation
foundation, the reserve’s initial 40 acres
were purchased in 1997 and Bodry-Sanders set
up camp - literally - on the grounds.
Within four years, a nine-acre forested lemur enclosure
was opened on land in Myakka City. An
office and research center soon followed. The
initial 11 lemurs from the Duke Lemur Center arrived
at their new home in 1999.
In 1998, Penelope
retired from New
York’s American
Museum of Natural
History after
serving over 18
years in a number
of capacities, but
primarily as education
coordinator
for the museum’s
international
Founder and former
education travel
LCF executive director,
program. She continues
her AMNH
Penelope Bodry-Sanders
affiliation as a field
associate in the Division of Anthropology.
Her biography, African Obsession: The Life and
Legacy of Carl Akeley, about the legendary
hunter-turned-conservationist, was published in
1991 and again in 1998. An Explorers Club Fellow
since 1989, she received an Audubon Together-
Green Leadership Fellowship in 2010.
Penelope’s own path to conservation was anything but
conventional: she was Dominican nun and an actress/
singer on and off Broadway before she founded LCF. Today
she makes paintings that celebrate animals undervalued
or loathed, mostly hyenas, lemurs, and invertebrates.
She envisioned a comprehensive conservation initiative
where art complements science, research dovetails with
education, and a breeding program in the United States
provides a safety net for native lemur populations, supporting
conservation programs in Madagascar. Penelope
served as LCF’s executive director until 2010.
In 2000, LCF welcomed its first transfers, two critically endangered
mongoose lemurs. A year later, the foundation
partnered with University of Miami anthropologist Dr.
Linda Taylor to host its first field-school program for college
students.
The mongoose lemurs produced the first infant at the
Myakka City reserve, Alejandro, born in 2002.
On the education front, the foundation saw the publication
of Ny Alay Ako (Ako the Aye-Aye), the first in a series
of children’s books in Malagasy and English written by the
late Dr. Alison Jolly and illustrated by Deborah Ross. The
Ako Project became the cornerstone of LCF’s conservation
education programs in the United States and Madagascar.
LCF continued acquiring land in Myakka City, adding
roads, ponds, lemur shelters, and a second forest habitat.
At the same time, LCF funded a new museum and interpretive
center for the Tampolo Reserve in Madagascar.
Capping its first decade, LCF earned certification from
the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as a certified
related facility.
The Lemur Conservation Foundation mission is “...the
Lemurs have room to climb
trees and live in a similar way
to their native and also
sub-tropical Madagascar
To feed or to seek refuge,
lemurs have safe access to
enclosures through tunnels
preservation and conservation
of the primates
of Madagascar through
managed breeding, scientific
research, education,
and art.”
Two ring-tailed lemurs
who live on the reserve
A large island nation
(bigger than California or
France) off the southeast coast of Africa, Madagascar is
one of the world’s hottest biodiversity hotspots, and the
only place where lemurs are found naturally.
From LCF’s office in the SAVA region of northeastern
Madagascar, staff work with conservation partners and
communities bordering protected lemur habitats. Our
work focuses on Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve
(ASSR) and Marojejy National Park, together spanning
320 square miles of mountainous rainforests. Dr. Erik
Patel, LCF’s Conservation & Research Director, manages
our field conservation programs, traveling to Madagascar
twice each year.
Nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ASSR
spans 108 square miles and is home to at least 11 species
of lemurs, including critically endangered indri and
silky sifakas, which are one of the rarest mammals in the
world. LCF established Camp Indri in ASSR as an ecotourism
destination.
LCF is leading lemur conservation efforts in the SAVA region
in the following ways.
• Overnight student fieldtrips to the rainforest
• Educating Madagascar’s next generation of
conservationists
• Fish farming training
• Reducing dependence on lemur bushmeat hunting
• Reforestation
LCF offers fish farming training
to the people of Madagascar
LCF also offers fuel-efficient stoves
to help reduce deforestation
• Restoring lemur habitat
• Fuel-efficient cook stoves
• Decreasing dependence on the rainforest
• Public health initiatives
• Providing voluntary family planning
• Ecotourism infrastructure
• Camp Indri, ASSR’s only established campsite
• Forest monitoring
• Removing lemur bushmeat traps
• Lemur population surveys
• Improving estimates of silky sifaka population size
Although stunningly rich in biodiversity, Madagascar
is also exceptionally poor in almost every
quality-of-life measure tracked by the United Nations
and World Bank. Population is exploding, and
most Malagasy live on less than $1 per day.
Poverty and political instability have undermined
Madagascar’s environmental management. Slash
and burn agriculture, selective logging of precious
wood (rosewood and ebony), and fuel
wood harvesting has accelerated deforestation
and erosion, which in turn has altered
microclimates, leading to droughts,
forest fires, and soil degradation. Bushmeat
hunting of lemurs has also increased
in recent years due to a lack of alternative
protein sources in rural villages as well as
the emergence of a commercial bushmeat
trade. LCF conservation programs
on the ground in Madagascar are helping
to protect lemurs and their habitat.
Scientific study is central to the Lemur
Conservation Foundation’s mission. Accredited
by the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA), the 130-acre Myakka
City Lemur Reserve encompasses fenced
forests where many of the resident lemurs
range freely. This habitat invites authentic
behaviors, enabling scientific research
and field training programs.
In addition to independent research, professors
regularly bring students to Myakka
City for intensive field schools incorporated
into for-credit courses at their
universities. At LCF, students can observe
lemurs in a controlled but natural setting,
allowing future primatologists to gain valuable firsthand
field experience.
Lemurs are Madagascar’s most famous and recognized
ambassadors, but they are the most endangered group
of mammals on the planet. With 98% of all lemur species
considered threatened with extinction, Madagascar embodies
all of the drivers of the ongoing biodiversity crisis:
habitat destruction, overexploitation, pollution, invasive
and introduced species, and climate change.
Lemurs act as an umbrella species. By protecting lemurs,
we protect large habitats that support countless plants
and animals that are found only on Madagascar.
Lemurs are a window into our evolutionary past. They
provide scientists with compelling clues about our earliest
primate ancestors, the evolution of human intelligence,
and how we came to differ from other species. To
better understand ourselves, we must first have a better
understanding of lemurs.
For more information or to make a donation, visit www.
lemurreserve.org .
Lemur Conservation Foundation
P.O. Box 249
Myakka City, FL 34251
(941) 322-8494
STORY and IMAGES: Louise Bruderle
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good news department
Barancik Foundation awards $ 250,000 grant
to Boys & Girls Clubs
Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation
recently awarded Boys & Girls Clubs of
Sarasota and DeSoto Counties a $250,000
grant to support staffing across the organization.
The grant will also support efforts
to improve the recruitment and retention
of quality team members to ensure
maximum impact and stability for
the youth and families they serve.
A strained labor market coupled
with pay and benefit constraints has
presented challenges in recruiting
quality staff for the critical youth
mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota
and DeSoto Counties. There
are currently hundreds of open positions
for childcare professionals in
Sarasota County along with a teacher
shortage, which has increased the
pressure to be competitive and resourceful
in recruiting local talent and, in particular,
youth development professionals.
With this grant from Barancik Foundation,
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and
DeSoto Counties will be able to continue
their efforts to sufficiently staff all six Club
locations and programs, while also;
• Furthering efforts to increase compensation
and benefits for both full and
part-time staff to remain competitive in
the current environment.
• Developing marketing tools and incentives
to bolster recruiting outreach and
Ms. Maxine’s art room
attract quality youth development professionals.
• Providing additional training and development
opportunities for team members
to grow their skills, thereby increasing
employee retention and establishing a
pipeline for an upward career trajectory.
For more information, visit www.bgcsdc.org.
Neal Communities Donates to
Teen Court of Sarasota
Neal Communities, a southwest Florida
homebuilder, made a donation in the
amount of $2,000 to Teen Court of Sarasota,
Inc. The donation includes two components.
The first was a $1,000 Outreach
level sponsorship of the Annual Scholarship
Awards Dinner, which was held on
March 8 at Michael’s on East. The event
celebrated the accomplishments of the
past year and honored the valued youth
and adult volunteers that participate in
Teen Court programs.
Teen Court of Sarasota, Inc. scholarship recipients at the
2023 Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner.
The other $1,000 is earmarked to provide
a total of 10 mental health counseling
sessions for teens who are struggling with
issues such as depression, anxiety and
emotional trauma. Teen Court of Sarasota
offers private counseling sessions with a
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
free of charge to program participants in
both North and South County. For many,
these sessions result in improved overall
mental and behavioral health as well as
improvement in school and home.
Heather Todd is the executive director
of Teen Courts of Sarasota which provides
students ages 8-18 with educational youth
development activities that are
designed to meet the specific
needs of at-risk youth and student
volunteers. In an attempt
to make the community safer by
reducing juvenile delinquency,
all youthful participants become
engaged in activities tailored to
confront the many challenges
facing youth in Sarasota County.
Teen Court of Sarasota offers
educational classes and intervention
services that transform the lives
of young people and help them become
active participants in finding solutions for
problems that impact their community.
Senior Residents of Bay Village of Sarasota
Donate to Wilkinson Elementary
Senior Residents of Bay Village of Sarasota
recently presented Wilkinson Elementary
with $6,905 as a result of a “Warm
Weather Clothing Drive.” The funds will
be be used by Wilkinson to purchase uniform
shirts and hooded sweatshirts to
give to students in need of warmer clothing
on colder days.
Bay Village and Wilkinson Elementary
established a partnership in 2019. The
partnership has resulted in on-going
projects, such as monthly Pen Pal letters,
annual Pen Pal picnic, Student Chorus
performances, collaborative science projects,
fund raiser for teacher’s classroom
supplies and other.
Neal Communities makes donation
to Healthy Teens
Neal Communities has made a $10,000
donation to Healthy Teens. This is the
second consecutive year that Neal Communities
has donated $10,000 to assist
the youth program.
Healthy Teens provides health and life
skills education and mentoring to hundreds
of local youth between the ages of
11 and 25 each year. The organization is
dedicated to empowering youth to make
positive, healthy decisions
for their success
and wellbeing,
providing them with
the knowledge and
skills needed to make
informed choices
about their physical,
mental and emotional
health.
Healthy Teens’ flagship
Teen Health Educator
Program trains
local youth ages 14
to 18 to serve as peer
educators and mentors
to help empower
at-risk youth in the
community. Previously trained teen educators
over the age of 18 serve as Young
Selby Gardens supports “fast track” classes
offered by CareerEdge
Eighteen community members have graduated
from tuition-free training for in-demand
local jobs in the construction trades
thanks to donors to the campaign for the
Master Plan at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’
Downtown Sarasota campus.
With an investment of $100,000 from
the campaign for its Master
Plan, Selby Gardens
supported two “fast track”
skills-training classes offered
by CareerEdge, the
workforce development initiative
of the Greater Sarasota
Chamber of Commerce.
Most of the 18 participants
had received job offers before
they completed the
training—including one who
now works full-time for Selby
Gardens.
“Our Master Plan is estimated
to have an economic impact in our
region of more than $78 million,” said Jennifer
O. Rominiecki, president and CEO of Selby
Gardens. “Investing in this innovative workforce
training partnership with CareerEdge
and the Sarasota Chamber is keeping more
of that impact and its long-term benefits her
e in the Sarasota community. It’s a model
that could be replicated at other projects in
our region to ensure that more of the jobs
they create are filled by local citizens.”
The training classes were facilitated
by CareerEdge through its “Bridges to
Careers Program.” Training was provided
in a compressed timeframe and during
Adult Leaders and support the current
Teen Health Educators.
The funding from Neal Communities will
be used to help expand the program into
Sarasota County, building on the existing
work developed in Manatee County over
the past decade, said Jonathan Evans, executive
director of Healthy Teens.
For more information about Neal Communities
visit NealCommunities.com. For
Four local teenagers who are part of the Healthy Teens program
in Manatee County stand next to a Neal Communities banner. Neal
Communities donated $10,000 this year to assist the youth program.
more information about Healthy Teens,
visit healthyteens.org.
Ten local residents graduated from a CareerEdge training
class in the electrical trade funded by the campaign for Selby
Gardens Master Plan.
evening hours, so participants could continue
to earn a wage during the day. The
students also received training in life and
career skills and employability. A unique
feature of the Selby Gardens-funded
classes was the opportunity for students
to be considered for employment by subcontractors
working on the Master Plan
project site for construction management
firm Willis A. Smith Construction.
The most recent fast-track class focused
on the electrical trade. The training
was customized to meet the current
needs of local employers, and all 10 graduates
earned their Level 1 Electrical Apprenticeship.
One future electrician from
the class, O liver McNeal, began working
for Selby Gardens’ Facilities team while
he was still participating in the training.
McNeal is now a full-time facilities coordinator
at the Gardens as well as a Level 1
Electrical Apprentice.
continued on page 22
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good news department continued
All Faiths Food Bank’
Successful Walk to End Summer Hunger
On March 26, All Faiths Food Bank held its
annual Walk to End Summer Hunger, the
kick-off event for the 10th annual Campaign
Against Summer Hunger, which supports
efforts to feed area schoolchildren –
and their siblings – when they do not have
access to free or reduced-cost meals and
pantries at school. The Walk is intended to
raise awareness of the issue of child hunger
as well as rally support for the Campaign.
This year’s event, which
took place at Nathan Benderson
Park, featured a 1-mile
“fun walk” and a 5K walk.
The capacity for the event
was reached: more than
500 community members
participated along with All
Faiths staff, board members,
and dedicated volunteers.
After check-in and light
refreshments, participants
were welcomed by All Faiths
Food Bank CEO Sandra Frank,
and then 2023 Campaign cochairs
Clare Segall and Lisa Keverian-Press
encouraged everyone to stay involved in the
effort to end hunger for area children. They
also announced that $900,000 had been
raised from investors – including steadfast
lead investors Charles & Margery Barancik
Foundation and Gulf Coast Community
Foundation – to serve as a match for all donations
made by the community. CoreSRQ
Fitness Manager Eric Hoskins warmed up the
crowd and then the Walk began.
Nearly 50% of Sarasota County and 100%
of DeSoto County students rely on free and
reduced-cost meals at school. The summer
months can be especially difficult for the
children of families struggling to put food on
the table, as they lose access to these meals
as well as school pantries that provide nutritional
assistance during the school year.
Campaign investors can contribute
matching funds through May 15,. Last year,
approximately $2 million was raised. With
this support, All Faiths was able to provide
more than 35,000 students and siblings
nearly 2.5 million nutritious meals,
through 333 programs and partners.
“While summertime should be a wonderful
time for area children and their
2023 Campaign Against Summer Hunger co-chairs Lisa
Keverian-Press (left) and Clare Segall (right) – with CEO Sandra
Frank (middle) – announce the $900,000 challenge match.
Photo by Nancy Guth
families, there are approximately 40,000
children in our community who are at risk
of hunger this summer,” said Frank. “We
are thrilled with the turnout for the Walk
to End Summer Hunger, grateful to the
Barancik Foundation, Gulf Coast Community
Foundation and all of our investors
for the generous match, and hopeful that
our generous community will – once again
– step up in the fight to end child hunger.”
Since 2014, All Faiths Food Bank’s Campaign
Against Summer Hunger has served
as the community’s strongest line of defense
against child hunger. More than $14
million has been raised over the past decade
in support of the Campaign.
To learn how you can help feed children
this summer, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.
Art Sale at LWR Raises over $ 1800
On March 11, Lakewood Ranch Women’s
Club and LWR Art League cosponsored a
Charity Art Sale held at LWR Townhall to
benefit Sarasota Association of Riding
Therapy (SMART) and Save The Children -
Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.
The fundraiser featured artwork donated
by award-winning Art League artists
and offered for sale at reduced prices. In
just over two hours, the art sale raised
over $1800 to donate to both charities.
100% of the proceeds will benefit the
two 501(c)(3) charities. SMART, is a LWRWC
adopted local charity dedicated to enhancing
the physical, emotional, and cognitive growth
of children and adults with special needs, including
children with autism, PTSD veterans, and
human trafficking victims, through quality educational
and therapeutic horseback riding and
carriage driving programs. SMART suffered over
$100,000 in damage from Hurricane Ian, but fortunately
all the SMART therapy horses survived.
SaveThe Children - Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund provides
life-saving services to Ukrainian children, in
response to the plight of 7.5 million kids who are
Pictured L-R: Ann Sledz, LWRWC 2023 President, Mary Ellen
Slenker, LWR Art League President and Event Co-Chair,
Monika Templeman, LWRWC and LWR Art League Publicity
Chair and Event Co-Chair, and Tannis Limp, SMART Volunteer.
in danger of physical harm, emotional distress,
and displacement due to the unlawful invasion of
Ukraine. The fund is used to help Ukrainian families
meet their basic needs such as food, medicine
and shelter and help Ukrainian children get access
to education and psychosocial support.
The Lakewood Ranch Women’s Club is a notfor-profit
service club with about 350 members,
founded to improve the quality of life in our community
and foster friendship among its members.
For more information, visit www.lwrwc.org.
Forty Carrots Family Center’s Generations of
Change expansion campaign
Forty Carrots Family Center’s Generations
of Change expansion campaign reached
a milestone as it breaks ground on a new
building for Mental Health and Parenting
Education services. Since 2020, Forty Carrots
has increased child and family mental
health services over 70%, and the expansion
will allow for a 100% increase in Mental
Health and 30% in Parenting Education
services over the next several years.
“The need for Forty
Carrots’ prevention,
intervention and
treatment services is
critical and timely in
the face of increasing
hardship in our
community. Over the
past 30 years, Forty
Carrots has grown
exponentially, serving nearly 5,000 clients
annually. Expanding our Parenting Education
and Mental Health services and our
unique approach to partnerships allows
us to serve all families efficiently and
broadly, regardless of ability to pay,” said
Susan Travers, Forty Carrots Board Chair.
The Generations of Change expansion
includes a new 6900 sq ft building on
Forty Carrots Campus Expansion Rendering Cattlemen Road
1.72 acres at 1350 Cattlemen Rd. It offers
a Child and Family Therapy Center with 6
therapy rooms, intake office, waiting area
and Parenting Education Center equipped
with flexible capacity with moveable wall
and observation capabilities, virtual program
rooms, administrative offices, and
program staff workspaces.
The addition of the Cattlemen campus
allows for the expansion of early education
services and administrative offices in
the existing buildings on S. Tuttle Avenue.
The Visionary Circle along with a group of
Forty Carrots donors together have committed
$7.5 million toward the $10 million
campaign goal to encompass increase in
services, financial sustainability, and the
building. www.FortyCarrots.org or call
(941) 365-7716.
Boys & Girls Clubs’ teens dedicate
spring break to 12 nonprofits
While high school students
typically associate Spring
Break with trips, fun and relaxation,
50+ teens recently
joined Boys & Girls Clubs of
Sarasota and DeSoto Counties
for the 9th Annual Alternative
Spring Break (ASB)
March 13-17, and dedicated
hundreds of
hours of community
service to 12
local nonprofit organizations.
ASB is a free, annual opportunity
offered by BGCSDC
for all Sarasota County high
school students to experience,
discuss, and understand
community issues in a meaningful
way while earning community
service hours.
“Connecting with like-minded
peers to make a positive
impact in our community is
the best way I could possibly
spend my spring break.
Our generation is the future
of this country. We must pay
it forward and give back to
the community that built us.”
- Sierra M., Riverview High
School, 11th grade.
Projects included; packing
and distributing food for local
families in need with All
Faiths Food Bank; prepping
horses for classes at Prospect
Riding Center, assisting with
Car wash for family and youth transport vehicles
at Children First.
a 100th birthday celebration at Senior
Friendship Centers, organizing a car wash
for family and youth transport vehicles at
Children First, and park beautification activities
at various Sarasota County Parks,
Recreation & Natural Resources sites.
“I loved attending ASB! I was able to
volunteer at new places around the community
and make new friends. I can’t wait
to come back next year!” - said Olivia
B., Sarasota High School, 10th grade.
Other community partners who benefited
from student volunteer efforts included
Cat Depot, Easterseals Academy,
Harvest House, The Pines of Sarasota, and
Salvation Army of Sarasota County.
“The 9th annual Alternative Spring
Break exceeded my expectations. This
was one of the best groups I have had the
pleasure to work with. Thank you to the
many community partners who collaborated
with us to make it a huge success.”
- Geoffry Gilot, BGCSDC Senior Teen Activities
Coordinator.
To learn more, visit bgcsdc.org.
22 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

YOUR TABLE
IS WAITING
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941-921-3400
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MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 23

you’re news
Accolades
■ The Government Finance Officers
Association (GFOA) has recognized
the Manatee County Clerk
of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
(Clerk) for its exemplary financial
reporting for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2021, with a series of
financial reporting awards.
The Clerk has been awarded the
Triple Crown Medallion for the
third year in a row, the highest recognition
in governmental accounting
and financial reporting. Moreover,
the Clerk has been awarded
a Certificate of Achievement for
Excellence in Financial Reporting
for its Annual Comprehensive
Financial Report (ACFR) and Port
Authority Annual Comprehensive
Report and a Popular Annual
Financial Reporting Award for its
Popular Annual Financial Report.
The GFOA has awarded the
Clerk’s office the Certificate of
Achievement for Excellence in
Financial Reporting for the County’s
ACFR for the 43rd consecutive
year. An impartial panel judged
the County’s ACFR to determine
whether the Clerk’s office met the
program’s high standards, including
demonstrating a constructive “spirit
of transparency and full disclosure”
that clearly communicates the information
that users need to assess
the financial health of the County
government themselves.
The Clerk’s office has also received
the Popular Annual Financial
Reporting Award for its Popular
Annual Financial Report for the
24th consecutive year. The Popular
Annual Financial Reporting Award
is a prestigious national award that
recognizes conformance with the
highest standards for preparing
state and local government Popular
reports.
The Clerk’s office has also been
awarded the Certificate of Achievement
for Excellence in Financial
Reporting for its Port Authority
Annual Comprehensive Report for
the 29th year by GFOA.
Angel Colonneso is the Manatee
County Clerk of the Circuit Court
and Comptroller. The reports
are available for viewing at www.
manateeclerk.com. For information,
contact their office at (941)
749-1800 ext. 6122.
Appointments
■ The Sarasota law firm of Syprett
Meshad has added Madeline
Salamone to its litigation team as
an Associate
Attorney.
Salamone is
a member of
the Florida,
New York,
and Georgia
Bars, as
well as the
Sarasota
Madeline Salamone County Bar
Association.
She will serve the firm’s clients
across all practice areas, and offers
a special background in sports law
and college athlete advocacy.
Prior to joining Syprett Meshad,
Ms. Salamone worked as a sports
attorney and college athlete advocate
representing college athletes
on matters concerning eligibility,
scholarship appeals, abuse and
mistreatment, transfer, and mental
health issues. Her career has also
included educating and consulting
on matters relating to name, image,
and likeness (NIL) within the NCAA
and working for a litigation firm in
New York City.
Salamone’s professional background
in sports and her athlete
advocacy has led to her becoming
a leading voice for NCAA reform,
college athletes’ rights, and NIL
issues. She appeared on ESPN’s
SportsCenter in 2022 to discuss
changes to the NCAA transfer portal
rules in college football, and was
featured in a 2021 documentary
“Vice Versa: College $ports, Inc.,”
which addressed the ongoing efforts
by many to reform the NCAA.
Salamone also hosts a podcast
“Speaking of Athletes,” which
address issues within college sports,
especially those affecting athletes.
She is frequently sought out by
journalists, media, and others for
comment and advice concerning
issues within college athletics and
the NCAA, as well as developments
in legislation related to college athletes.
To learn more, visit smrl.com.
■ Aimee Cogan, CFP, a Managing
Director, Financial Advisor at
Morgan Stanley’s Sarasota Wealth
Management office, has been
named to Barron’s list of “America’s
Top 1,200 Advisors: 2023 Stateby-State.”
The “Barron’s Top 1,200
Advisors” is a select group who are
screened on a number of criteria.
Among factors the survey takes
into consideration are assets under
management, revenue produced
for the Firm and quality of service
provided to clients.
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
provides access to a range of
products and services to individuals,
businesses and institutions,
including brokerage and investment
advisory services, financial and
wealth planning, cash management
and lending products and services,
annuities and insurance, retirement
and trust services.
■ S-One Labels & Packaging has
announced Sharon Beeman as
its new Vice-President of Global
Sales. She has
over15 year
experience
in the flexible
packaging
sector. Joining
the S-OneLP
family in 2018,
Beeman has
focused on
Sharon Beeman transforming
regional technical
sales in the realms of films,
primers, coatings, and cutting-edge
capital equipment within the digital
printing industry.
Sellers, who was approved by the
Manatee County School Board in
December, began her new duties on
Monday, January 9, 2023.
Beeman has garnered top sales
accolades, including the MVP
award from 2020 to 2022 and has
surpassed sales goals year-overyear
since joining S-OneLP. Before
making her mark at S-OneLP, she
was a regional sales manager at
Cosmo Films and a sales representative
at Navis Films. Discover more
at sonelp.com.
■ Sarasota Opera has announced
that Cameron Maxwell has been
hired as the new Youth Opera
Coordinator.
Maxwell
will be the
administrator
for Sarasota
Youth Opera
programs and
performances
and will also
be the liaison
Cameron Maxwell
to the parents
and community.
Sarasota Youth Opera is now
working towards the Youth Opera
Summer Camp to be held this June.
Maxwell has a variety of experience
with music and theatre both
as a performer and stage director.
She received her BA in Theater Arts
from Flagler College. After college,
she worked in the development and
marketing department of St. Johns
Cultural Council, an arts agency
aiding arts and cultural organizations.
She was active in creating
grant proposals, newsletters and
managing their performance venue.
Maxwell previously discovered
her passion for working with children
in the arts when she co-founded
a summer camp with neighborhood
kids. SarasotaOpera.org.
■ The Bay Park Conservancy, a
$200 million project on 53 acres on
Sarasota Bay in downtown Sarasota,
has a new CEO. She is Stephanie
Crockatt, who
previously ran
a nonprofit
park system in
Buffalo, New
York. Crockatt
replaces
Founding
Bay Park
Conservancy
Stephanie Crockatt
CEO A.G.
Lafley, who
had overseen the project — on a
volunteer basis — since 2019. Lafley
will stay on through the transition to
maintain the project’s momentum.
Crockatt, in the first permanent
position, will be responsible for
building out the park, a public-private
partnership with the city of
Sarasota. The Conservancy has
been responsible for designing and
developing The Bay. Once open,
the nonprofit’s duties will shift to
operating, maintaining and programming
the park.
To support BPC operations,
maintenance, programming and
endowment, Crockatt will partially
focus on bringing in funding. She
will report directly to BPC Board
Chair Jennifer Compton while also
working closely with the BPC Executive
Committee, board and staff.
Crockatt comes into the role
with development and fundraising
experience as the former executive
director of Buffalo Olmsted
Parks Conservancy, the first U.S.
nonprofit to manage and operate
an urban park system made up of
six Olmsted-designed parks over
850 acres.
She held that role for nine years,
during which Crockatt secured
park maintenance funding, annual
fundraising from private donors,
millions of dollars in capital
support and a foundation gift that
ensured sustainable conservancy
operations. Crockatt also helped
complete more than 50 capital
restoration projects.
The park’s first phase, a 14-acre
area, opened last October. This
May, development of the next
14 acres will begin. That phase
alone is estimated to cost $65
million with the entire park costing
between $175-200 million. It’s estimated
to take eight to 10 years to
complete. Funding for the park is
approximately 50% public, derived
from a tax increment financing district
in the downtown area around
the park, and 50% private funding
and grants.
■ The Players Centre have hired
Thayer Greenberg as their new
Director of
Education for
the education
branch of the
community
theatre, The
Players Studio.
Greenberg
is a graduate
of Booker
Thayer Greenberg
High School’s
VPA theater
program, holds a degree in Educational
Arts Administration from
the University of Massachusetts
Amherst, and is pursuing a Masters
in Organizational Leadership.
Greenberg has worked in a
variety of educational and theater
settings in Chicago and New York.
Back in her hometown ofSarasota
for the past four years Greenberg
has served as the Middle and Upper
School Theater Teacher and Director
for the Out-of-Door Academy.
■ The Pickleball Club, private
pickleball complex featuring
12 indoor pickleball courts and
various amenities coming soon to
Lakewood Ranch, has added Noel
Quevreaux as general manager for
the Lakewood Ranch location.
Quevreaux brings over 45 years
of experience in racket sports to the
organization. Most recently, she
served as the general manager of
the Missouri Pickleball club. Prior to
that, she was the owner and manager
of Sunset Tennis Center. During
her time there,
she constructed
the first
dedicated indoor
pickleball
courts in St.
Louis.
Located at
1300 Sarasota
Center Blvd.,
Noel Quevreaux
The Pickleball
Club will be a
private pickleball complex featuring
12 indoor pickleball courts with a
tournament-level outdoor surface,
an outdoor activity center, constantly
rotating “Food Truck Alley”,
Pickles Café, Dink’s Pro Shop, permanent
nets, and a HEPA filtered
air-conditioned environment for
avoiding those harmful UV rays and
inclement weather conditions.
The Club will feature PlaySight
video technology for live streaming
and recording for training purposes,
tournament grade pickleball courts
and luxurious locker rooms. For more
information, visit TPCLWR.com.
Board News
■ Goodwill Manasota has announced
its 2023-2024 board of
directors. Steve Boone is the board
chair. New to the board this year are
James McClure and Laura Ritchey,
who join directors Xtavia Bailey,
Betsy Benac, Rich Cautero, Debbie
Douglas, Rod Hollingsworth, Eric
Kaplan, Laurie O’Loughlin, Rob
Morris, Allen Weinstein, and Brad
West (chair emeritus). McClure is
a senior vice president and senior
wealth strategist with Northern
Trust. Ritchey is currently the COO
at Radial, Inc., a leader in e-commerce
solutions for brands.
In the coming year, some of the
priorities to be addressed with the
board’s input and guidance will
include strengthening community
collaborative efforts to maximize
impact, aligning the organization’s
operational footprint with the
growth in its territory to continue
to serve those communities and
upskilling its own workforce and the
community. Visit experiencegoodwill.org
or call (941) 355-2721.
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You’re News on our Facebook
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24 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

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MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 25

dining in
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ oz. rum
1 oz. fresh lime juice
¾ oz. orange curaçao
¾ oz. orgeat syrup (recipe below)
¾ oz. dark rum, for floating
1 orchid, for garnish
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a cocktail
shaker with ice. Shake well and pour into a
rocks glass over crushed ice. Top with dark rum.
Garnish with orchid.
Makes 1 drink.
ORGEAT SYRUP:
Makes approximately 1 ½ cups
1 ½ cups sliced almonds
¾ cup water
1 cup sugar
5 drops orange blossom water
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Spread the almonds
on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until
lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Crush
the almonds using a food processor or rolling
pin. Transfer the almonds to a medium bowl. Add
the water and let stand for 3 hours. Strain through a
sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl, squeezing
the cheesecloth, in order to extract all the liquid.
In a medium saucepan, combine the almond liquid,
sugar and orange blossom water. Cook over
medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely
dissolved. Remove from the heat. Store, covered, in
the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ oz vodka or gin
1 ¼ oz grapefruit juice
Combine the vodka, grapefruit juice, simple
syrup, and 1 basil leaf in a cocktail shaker with
ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini
class. Garnish with the remaining basil leaf.
Makes 1 drink.
Mai Tai
From Tommy Bahama: The Grapefruit
Basil Martini and Mai Tai (below) are offered
at all Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar and
Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar locations. More
drink and appetizers recipes are in their Marlin
Bar Cocktail Book.
Grapefruit-Basil
Martini
World Cocktail Day is May 13
½ oz simple syrup
2 fresh basil leaves
Try these drinks for inspiration
Grapefruit-
Basil Martini
Mai Tai
Shanky’s Whip
Cold Brew Coffee
Stambecco
Amaro
INGREDIENTS:
1 Part Gin
1 Part Stambecco Amaro
INGREDIENTS:
1 Part Shanky’s Whip
4 Parts Cold Brew Coffee
HISTORY of the COCKTAIL
The Butterfly
Cannon Blue
INGREDIENTS:
2 ounces Butterfly Cannon Blue
Tequila
7 ounces Sparkling Grapefruit Soda
Grapefruit slice to garnish
Add Butterfly Cannon Blue Tequila to
a high ball glass over ice.
Top up with sparkling grapefruit soda
and garnish with a slice of grapefruit.
Makes 1 drink.
Shake over ice. Garnish with a twist of grapefruit peel. Makes 1 drink.
Shake with ice and serve in a chilled martini
glass. Garnish with a few coffee beans.
Makes 1 drink.
The Butterfly
Cannon Blue
This drink is infused with prickly
pear and clementine plus a natural
blue color extracted from beets.
The vivid blue color of the bottle
is actually the color of the Tequila.
And surprise: It turns pink when
combined with mixers like soda,
tonic, or a squeeze of citrus juice.
Butterfly Cannon is produced in
Mexico’s most awarded distillery,
Destiladora del Valle de Tequila
and is infused with prickly pear
and clementine — with an unusual
natural blue color, it adds a little
drama to the drink as it changes
color when a mixer is added.
Stambecco Amaro
Stambecco Amaro is a delicious
Italian Amaro distilled in a bespoke
copper pot still and infused with
luxury Marasca cherries, bitter citrus
peel, local Italian mountain herbs and botanicals. Stambecco takes its name from
the Italian word for the Ibex or long-horned mountain goat which roams the
Alps near the distillery.
1 Part STARLINO Rosso Vermouth
Twist of Grapefruit Peel
Shanky’s Whip Cold Brew Coffee
Shanky’s Whip is a combination of Irish spirits and aged pot still whiskey,
blended with the natural flavor of vanilla and infused with caramel. All these
flavors combined make a deliciously smooth and creamy drink which can be
enjoyed on its own over ice or mixed in a cocktail.
The origins of the word “cocktail” have been long
been debated. The first written mention of “cocktail” as
a beverage appeared in The Farmers Cabinet, 1803 in the
United States. The first definition of a cocktail as an alcoholic
beverage appeared three years later in The Balance and
Columbian Repository (Hudson, New York) May 13, 1806.
Traditionally, cocktail ingredients included spirits, sugar,
water and bitters, however, this definition evolved throughout
the 1800s, to include the addition of a liqueur. In 1862 Jerry
Thomas published a bartender’s: guide called How to Mix
Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant’s Companion which included 10
cocktail recipes using bitters to differentiate from other drinks
such as punches and cobblers.
Cocktails continued to evolve and gain popularity throughout
the 1900s, with the term eventually expanding to cover
all mixed drinks. In 1917 the term “cocktail party” was
coined by Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. of St. Louis, Missouri.
With wine and beer being less available during
the Prohibition in the United States (1920–1933), liquorbased
cocktails became more popular due to accessibility,
followed by a decline in popularity during the late 1960s. The
early to mid-2000s saw the rise of cocktail culture through the
style of mixology which mixes traditional cocktails and other
novel ingredients.
In the modern world and the Information Age, cocktail recipes
are widely shared online on websites. Some cocktails, such as
the Mojito, Manhattan, and Martini have become staples in both
restaurants and pop culture phenomena.
26 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

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MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 27

healthier you
Whether you
want to alleviate
stress, sharpen
your brain, or
boost overall
happiness, here’s
how moving your
body can help
Mental Health Benefits
of Exercise
Many people hit the
gym or pound the
pavement to improve
cardiovascular
health, build muscle,
and get a nice bod,
but working out has above-the-neck
benefits too.
For the past decade or so, scientists
have pondered how exercising
can boost brain function. Regardless
of age or fitness level, studies show
that making time for exercise provides
some serious mental benefits.
Here are some of the ways.
Reduce stress. One of the
most common mental benefits of
exercise is stress relief. Working up a
sweat can help manage physical and
mental stress. Exercise also increases
concentrations of norepinephrine,
a chemical that can moderate the
brain’s response to stress. So go
ahead and get sweaty—working
out can reduce stress and boost the
body’s ability to deal with existing
mental tension.
Boost happy chemicals.
Exercise releases endorphins, which
create feelings of happiness and euphoria.
Many physicians recommend
that people suffering from depression
or anxiety (or those who are just
feeling blue) pencil in plenty of gym
time. In some cases, exercise can be
just as effective as antidepressant
pills in treating depression.
Improve self-confidence.
On a very basic level, physical fitness
can boost self-esteem and improve
positive self-image. Regardless of
weight, size, gender, or age, exercise
can quickly elevate a person’s perception
of his or her attractiveness,
that is, self-worth.
Enjoy the great outdoors.
Exercising in the great outdoors can
increase self-esteem even more. Find
an outdoor workout that fits your
style, whether it’s rock-climbing, hiking,
renting a canoe, or just taking a
jog in the park. Plus, all that Vitamin
D acquired from soaking up the sun
can lessen the likelihood of experiencing
depressive symptoms.
Prevent cognitive decline.
As aging and degenerative diseases
like Alzheimer’s kill off brain cells,
the brain actually shrinks, losing
many important brain functions in
the process. While exercise and a
healthy diet can’t “cure” Alzheimer’s,
they can help shore up the brain
against cognitive decline that begins
after age 45. Working out, especially
between age 25 and 45, boosts the
chemicals in the brain that support
and prevent degeneration of the hippocampus,
an important part of the
brain for memory and learning.
Alleviate anxiety. The warm
and fuzzy chemicals that are released
during and after exercise can
help people with anxiety disorders
calm down. Hopping on the track or
treadmill for some moderate-to-high
intensity aerobic exercise can reduce
anxiety sensitivity.
Boost brainpower. Various
studies on mice and men have
shown that cardiovascular exercise
can create new brain cells (aka neurogenesis)
and improve overall brain
performance. Studies suggest that
a tough workout increases levels of
a brain-derived protein (known as
BDNF) in the body, believed to help
with decision making, higher thinking,
and learning.
Sharpen memory. Regular
physical activity boosts memory and
ability to learn new things. Getting
sweaty increases production of
cells in hippocampus responsible
for memory and learning. For this
reason, research has linked children’s
brain development with level of
physical fitness. But exercise-based
brainpower isn’t just for kids. Working
out can boost memory among
grown-ups, too.
Help control addiction.
Exercise can help in addiction recovery.
Short exercise sessions can also
effectively distract drug or alcohol
addicts, making them de-prioritize
cravings (at least in the short term).
Working out when on the wagon
has other benefits, too. Alcohol
abuse disrupts many body processes,
including circadian rhythms. As
a result, alcoholics find they can’t
fall asleep (or stay asleep) without
drinking. Exercise can help reboot
the body clock, helping people hit
the hay at the right time.
Increase relaxation. For
some, a moderate workout can be the
equivalent of a sleeping pill, even for
people with insomnia. Moving around
five to six hours before bedtime raises
the body’s core temperature. When
the body temp drops back to normal
a few hours later, it signals the body
that it’s time to sleep.
Get more done. Research
shows that workers who take time
for exercise on a regular basis are
more productive and have more
energy than their more sedentary
peers. While busy schedules can
make it tough to squeeze in a gym
session in the middle of the day,
some experts believe that midday is
the ideal time for a workout due to
the body’s circadian rhythms.
Tap into creativity. A
heart-pumping gym session can
boost creativity for up to two hours afterwards.
Supercharge post-workout
inspiration by exercising outdoors and
interacting with nature. Need a burst
of creative thinking? Hit the trails for
a long walk or run to refresh the body
and the brain at the same time.
28 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

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MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 29

travel news
With many luxury and ultra-luxury
cruise lines expecting a record
number of passengers this summer,
first-time cruisers are being offered
top tips on making the most of their experience.
Planning for a first-time cruise can
be overwhelming. Panache Cruises offers a
first-time cruising tips to ensure everything
is smooth sailing.
The luxury cruise industry is soaring,
with record-breaking bookings suggesting
2023 could be the biggest year yet. More people
than ever are considering switching up
their usual holiday plans in favor of sailing
the open seas. However, cruising is unlike
land-based trips, and the extent of choice
and information available often daunts holiday
makers when booking and embarking
on their first journey afloat.
Ahead of saying bon voyage and sipping
cocktails in front of the breathtaking ocean
views, first time cruisers are encouraged to
pre-plan their trip, carefully select their accommodation
on-board and pack efficiently
for their trip.
Here are some tips:
• Considering booking through a specialist—Consulting
with a specialist cruise
retailer will massively benefit first-time
cruisers because they have detailed knowledge
of all the different service offerings.
By offering a personalized service, they will
take time to get to know ‘hopeful cruisers’
too. They will establish what best suits
their taste and preferences in order to find
the best ship for them. Cruise specialists
have extensive knowledge of the industry
and will be able to take the stress and hassle
out of the finer elements. They can also
assist with advance onboard bookings, like
shore excursions and dinner reservations,
so there is less to worry about on arrival. A
specialist cruise agent will also book your
flights (if needed) and any hotel stays at the
Top eight tips for your first-time cruise
start or end of your holiday.
• Consider a ‘no fly’ cruise—
Most first time cruises are
unaware that many popular
destinations could be served
from ships that leave their
local port. This negates the
need to take a flight to join
the ship. This has many
advantages and takes a lot of
stress out of the experience. Where long-haul
flights are required to join a ship, always consider
the effects of jet-lag. It is always sensible
to arrive in your departure port a day early
to help minimize the effects of long-haul
travel. Even when taking short-haul flights,
many people choose to arrive a day or two
early to explore the port of departure and the
surrounding area. Similarly, many people
often extend their trip to explore the final
destination on their cruise itinerary before
flying home.
• Pre-plan your trip—Organization is key
to making the most of a cruise trip, so
travelers are strongly encouraged to plan
in advance. Those who book early will be
the first to receive information and can
get ‘first dibs’ on certain things. A range of
activities and attractions will be on-board,
so try pre-booking excursions and speciality
dining reservations beforehand. If this is
not possible, most cruise lines will also have
a phone ‘app’, calendar, or planner which
lists everything going on, thereby allowing
people to get ahead of the game.
• Research the cruise line—Different cruise
lines offer very different onboard experiences,
from entertainment to dining. For
example, Oceania Cruises is the world’s
leading culinary and destination-focused
cruise line. While some lines offer resort-style
ships full of activities like mini
golf and arcades, others are traditional and
more relaxing. Different cruises will attract
different people, so cruise goers should
think carefully about the experience and
vibe they want.
• Study cruise ports beforehand—Unlike
mainstream cruise lines, many shore-excursions
are included with luxury and
ultra-luxury cruise lines, which is great for
‘new to cruise’ customers. Nonetheless, it
is still important to research and book in
advance. Cruise line tours can sometimes
be expensive when not included in the fare,
so don’t be afraid to research the ports and
explore independent tours if this is the case.
For more adventurous cruise goers who
are keen to avoid the crowds, researching
the ports beforehand is key. Find out if there
are buses or local transport in the area to
help with DIY independent tours. Always be
mindful of the ship’s departure time however
when wandering off into unfamiliar areas.
To minimize risk, first-time cruisers might
want to only book tours that are organized
by the cruise line as these are guaranteed to
return before the ship is due to depart.
• Pick a suite carefully—Travelers should
think carefully when booking their stateroom
or suite depending on specific needs.
The location should be an important consideration.
Families should consider what
facilities would be most convenient for
them to be near. The suite will be ‘home’
for the duration of the trip, so cruisers
should think about what is important to
them.Those people on longer itineraries or
who envisage spending significant time in
their cabin should think about upgrading
to a larger suite with a dining table, larger
balcony and perhaps even their own butler.
• It’s all included—First time cruisers risk
being stung by the additional onboard
costs of cruises which always appear less
expensive up front. However with luxury
and ultra-luxury cruises many onboard
items are included in the ticket price including
all drinks, WIFI, shore excursions,
speciality restaurant reservations and
gratuities / tips. Always price up the ‘total
cost’ of the cruise when making comparisons.
The cheapest prices can often be
deceptive and seldom represent the best
value. Consequently, first time cruisers
should consider all-inclusive options to
better manage supplementary costs. Given
their all-inclusive nature, luxury cruise
lines such as Oceania, Azamara, Silversea
and new cruise line Explora Journeys are
worth a closer look. It’s the cost to get off
that counts, not the cost to get on.
• It’s not stuffy on-board—Most cruises
tend to have a relaxed dress code. However,
don’t let that stop you from dressing up
in the evening when going out to dinner.
There may also be an event with a theme, so
research the cruise itinerary beforehand.
— SOURCE Panache Cruises
Coming to an
Airport near You
Top 10 tips to stay safe while solo traveling
Panache Cruises’ has these 10 safety
tips for solo travelers:
• Inform people of location—Before
going away make sure to let friends and
family know of the trip and make sure to
keep them updated with any changes to the
itinerary. Keep in regular contact and turn
on live location so someone at home knows
where you are at all times.
• Create an emergency plan—Be prepared
for emergencies by knowing where the
local hospital, police station and other
useful spots are in each city. Learn key
phrases such as ‘I need help’ or ‘Ring for an
ambulance’ in the local language as well as
the emergency phone numbers.
• Protect valuables—It’s a good idea to not
pack anything of
sentimental value
and only bring along
what is really necessary
– like a credit
card, local currency,
passport and a mobile
phone. Keep these
hidden in a secure
bag out of sight at all
times.
• Protect against
crime—Solo travelers
should stay safe
from local crime and tourist scams by
researching the destination beforehand.
Read up on travel guides, blogs, news sites,
and talk to others who have visited the area
to learn about any potential risks.
• Book solo accommodation—Booking
shared accommodation such as hostels
poses more risks than booking a solo room.
Many travel providers now make sure to
include smaller rooms or cabins for those
who are holidaying alone, such as Oceania
Cruises, but it’s a good idea to book ahead
early to get a spot.
• Choose accommodation with caution—
Check the hotel or hostel is in a safe location
and close to public transport and restaurants.
Travelers should also check the
accommodation’s check-in timings to not
spend time waiting around in an unknown
environment.
• Travel Insurance—Travelers are advised
to protect themselves from unforeseen
events by getting travel insurance. Trip
cancellation and interruption insurance
can help recover damages from issues such
as weather and natural disasters. Medical
insurance can cover unexpected costs,
while luggage insurance can help recover
losses from theft or delays.
• Study the local language—Tourists are encouraged
to learn the local language not just
to enrich their travel experience but also to
keep themselves safe, especially when visiting
less popular tourist destinations.
• Be respectful of local culture—To reduce
vulnerability and avoid drawing attention,
travellers should dress appropriately to
respect the local culture. Some countries
may require hair to be covered up and not
too much skin to be on show.
• Never tell strangers they are traveling
alone. Solo travelers should never share
too much with strangers else risk making
themselves become a target. Instead of
telling someone they are solo traveling, let
them know that friends are just waiting up
ahead or back in the hotel room.
— SOURCE Panache Cruises
In early March, the Sarasota-Manatee
Airport Authority Board of Directors
approved a major work package covering
all the vertical construction of the new
ground-based boarding concourse adding
five new gates and bringing to 18 the total
number of gates at the airport. The $71.5
million contract will build Concourse A,
which will include a separate entrance,
TSA screening and concession facilities.
That, in addition to a previously
approved escalator and utilities upgrade
package of $17 million, plus a future second
expansion to bridge the new concourse
— bringing with it three more elevated
gates, a new baggage handling system and
improvements to the existing Concourse B
— represents a $100 million investment.
Meanwhile, site prep is underway on
airport property along University Parkway
at Old Bradenton Road on the first of
several phases of parking expansion that
will eventually culminate in a vertical
parking structure either on the current
short-term lot or on land nearby.
The work is in anticipation of the need
to facilitate continued growth of SRQ in
the wake of COVID-19. Rick Piccolo, the
airport’s president and CEO, anticipates
4.5 million passengers traveling through
SRQ this year. When all the work is complete,
he said the airport could accommodate
upwards of 8 million or more per
year. By comparison, in 2018 the airport
served 1.8 million passengers.
30 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023

open for business
HAPPY
HOUR
New Monarch
Dance Studio Opens
In Bradenton
4-7 Daily
Lifelong dance
student and arts
enthusiast Winifred
Strange had seen
firsthand the problems
that dance teachers have
finding good rental space for
their specialized classes. For almost
ten years, she had followed
her instructor all over Manatee
County to different studios.
“About a year ago, I started thinking
about creating a studio and the idea just
grew,” said Strange. She enlisted the help
of her dance instructor, Bonnie Gray,
and local realtor Kris Kesling-Hays and
started looking for a suitable studio. The
trio found a space located at 862 62nd
Street Circle East, just off of I-75 and renovations
began. Of course, as long as she
was designing a space from the ground
up, Strange wanted to fill it with all of the
amenities that dance and dance-related
businesses need to thrive.
For dancers, that means actually starting
at the ground. Strange had danced on
a sprung floor before and knew that her
studio had to have one. The new space
now boasts a world-class floor of suspended
maple made by O’Mara Sprung Floors
of Flint, Michigan. This floor is not only
strong enough for percussive dance, but
soft enough for the “give” that all dance
styles prefer. “We also had to install a new
air conditioning system that will protect
the floor,” said Strange.
The studio has wall-mounted ballet barres,
a wall of mirrors, a professional sound
system, and a smart television. A kitchenette
and dressing room are available.
The Monarch Studio is operated by a
new local organization, the Dance Alliance
of Bradenton. The Alliance is made up
of a group of dance and fitness educator
entrepreneurs who will share the space. It
has an umbrella website, www.danceallianceofbradenton.com,
with individual pages
for each member. Gray is the program
PAID ADVERTORIAL
director of the
Alliance. She has
been teaching
dance in southwest
Florida since
1982 and in Bradenton
since 2001.
Gray explained
that dance is a
great form of exercise for adults. “In addition
to the cardiovascular benefits, dance
works the whole body, increases flexibility
and supports cognitive ability. Best of all,
it’s fun. You don’t have to worry about coordination
or rhythm, anyone can dance.”
A semi-retired stage performer, Gray and
her company “That’s Dancing! Dance Education
for Adults,” offer classes in Broadway-style
tap and jazz, hula and Polynesian
classes, Balletone Fitness and Hot Hula
Fitness. Home to the award-winning Starfire
Dancers and Aloha Stars, the Monarch
Studio also hosts the Diva Dance Program
which will be offering adult classes. Other
dance and fitness educators are expected
to hold classes at the studio soon.
In addition to day and evening, classes, the
Monarch Studio is available to the public
for events, small parties and private gatherings.
For more information, visit www.
danceallianceofbradenton.com or email
info@danceallianceofbradenton.com.
mattisons.com
941-921-3400
MAY 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 31

32 WEST COAST WOMAN MAY 2023