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YOUNG AT ART
AGING
MASTERFULLY
PLANNING ADVICE
s e r u t n e Adv Time For New
“If you can imagine it, we can build it.” – Steve Ellis & Grant Castilow
Building Unique, Sustainable Homes 205 North Orange Avenue, Suite 102, Sarasota | 941.366.7280 | mgbbuilt.com LICENSE: CGC 1510640
(941) 366-7667 ~ 1301 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida ~ SarasotaBayClub.com
Discover the Many Benefits of Luxury Retirement Living in the Heart of Downtown Sarasota Just minutes from the symphony, the ballet, the opera, and the museum, Sarasota Bay Club is surrounded by a rich array of arts, culture and some of the most incredible dining and shopping on the Florida Gulf Coast. When it comes to choosing the perfect location for your retirement lifestyle, Downtown Sarasota is truly a place of never-ending activity that can be found just outside your door. Sarasota Bay Club offers exquisite condominium residences featuring a broad selection of expansive floor plans, designed for comfort and convenience, each with its own uniquely gorgeous view. Sarasota Bay Club boasts an unrivaled list of first-class amenities, including award-winning dining and a wide range of healthcare services, all set in an exclusive resort-style campus overlooking sparkling Sarasota Bay, with Saint Armand’s Circle and Longboat Key just minutes away. You’ll enjoy a wide variety of activities in our state-of-the art theatre, including world-renowned live entertainment, lectures, and a full array of opportunities to enrich your life. For those who demand nothing less than the very finest of lifestyle choices, this is the ultimate retirement address. Right where you want to be!
Please Be Our Guest to Experience the Difference for Yourself! Call Linda Ware Or Dana Moe At 941-552-3284 To Schedule Your Personal Tour of Sarasota Bay Club Today.
Luxury Retirement Living On The Bay (941) 366-7667 ~ 1301 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida ~ SarasotaBayClub.com
CONTENTS features
36 YOUNG AT ART
Boomers pick up pens and brushes and discover new joys by Ryan Van Cleave
40 AN EXTENSION OF FAMILY
Omega Communities enters senior care living in Sarasota with two new communities by Sue Cullen
46 AGING MASTERFULLY Two important initiatives
empower and support seniors by Ryan G. Van Cleave
51 RETIRE WELL
36
by Jacqueline Miller Legal and financial professionals help Boomers with retirement security
58 TIME FOR NEW ADVENTURES
Photographer John Revisky captures fun ways to get involved
40 ON THE COVER Realtor Suki Scollo and her husband Vince, both avid art collectors, enjoy the waters of Siesta Key Beach. | Photographer: John Revisky
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J.L. BAINBRIDGE & COMPANY, INC.
We put our clients first. And have for more than 35 years.
J.L. Bainbridge’s legacy of fiduciary responsibility dates back to 1981. So whether the financial future you envisioned is here, close at hand or still in the distance, trust us to help you get there safely.
If we sound a little different, it’s because we are. • We sell no products and receive no commissions. • Our fiduciary duty binds us by law, as well as personal ethics, to put your interests first. • Our conservative investment approach minimizes risk and promotes long-term gains. • Our investment portfolio managers speak with clients personally, and we also provide straightforward monthly communications that track investments and share expert insight. • Our minimum makes professional money management available to a variety of investors across a spectrum of needs. • And you have no obligation to pay our fee unless you are completely satisfied with our services.
Contact us today to take the next step into your financial future.
YOUR BRIDGE TO FINANCIAL SECURITY
JLB is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) specializing in the portfolio management of investment, trusts and retirement accounts. Including IRA’s, SEP-IRA’s, SIMPLE -IRA’s, 401K’s, PCRA’s, as well as, pension, profit sharing and charitable foundation accounts. All managed assets are held in client owned accounts with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
Discover the difference with a Registered Investment Advisor.
1582 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34236 | (941) 365-3435 | (800) 899-5171 | www.JLBainbridge.com
BRENDAN RAGAN PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTENTS departments
61
32 71 EDUCATION MATTERS Kids love the Fab Lab by Ryan G. Van Cleave
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92 REAL TALK People, places and things with Sheryl Vieira
96 IN HEALTH Dr. Andrew Marlowe shares his guide to hearing loss and hearing aids
SOCIAL SCENE
ARTS & CULTURE
INSIDER
BEACH READS
23 THE LIST
75 GET INSPIRED
32 THE FIND
Events Calendar
Cultural happenings brought to you by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County
Home, beauty and lifestyle products
84 THE GENTLE UNPACKING OF MUD
PHILANTHROPY 34 SPREADING GOODWILL Sandy and Jeanie Kirkpatrick help Goodwill Manasota open a new art, music and book store by Steven J Smith
80 BEST SEATS Performing Arts Calendar
82 LITERARY SCENE Ryan Van Cleave reviews three great reads to close out the summer
97 BUSINESS: [SCENE] New businesses, good deeds and awards
ON THE TOWN 65 SCENES FROM AN INTERVIEW Gus Mollasis interviews famed Olympic Gymnastics Coach Aimee Boorman
by Kerri Dieffenwierth
88 TWO VELVETS by Jarret Keene
Be Informed Be Entertained Be SCENE scenesarasota.com
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LIMITED TIME PRE-CONSTRUCTION PRICING 4 9 S PA C I O U S T O W E R R E S I D E N C E S F R O M $ 1 . 6 M I L L I O N
FROM THE DEVELOPER OF THE RITZ-CARLTON SARASOTA AND THE CONCESSION
ROOFTOP ZERO HORIZON POOL
EXPANSIVE FLOORPLANS & ULTRA-WIDE TERRACES
SWEEPING VIEWS OF DOWNTOWN & THE BAY
LARGE WINE CELLAR & INDOOR DRIVING RANGE
VIRTUAL REALITY SALES STUDIO NOW OPEN R I G H T I N T H E H E A R T O F S A R A S O TA ’ S F A M E D B O U L E V A R D O F T H E A R T S
500 Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236
BLVDSarasota.com | 941.316.1499 ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES,TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. NO FEDERAL AGENCY HAS JUDGED THE MERITS OR VALUE, IF ANY, OF THIS PROPERTY. ALL PRICES AND FEATURES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL DRAWINGS ARE CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS AND DEVELOPER EXPRESSLY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS.
A S P E CTAC U L A R V I E W
of Living
At Plymouth Harbor, wellness is defined by continuing broad interests and a healthy lifestyle for an active mind and body. Our new 10,000 square foot wellness center engages both equally. Here you will find a rich myriad of activities surrounded by spectacular views of Sarasota Bay. Start your day with a workout in the fitness center, a soothing Tai Chi class, or a dip in the pool. Maybe you prefer the creative outlet of our woodworking shop or art studio. Join in on a game of bocce or a sit in on an educational lecture. There is so much to choose from, the possibilities are endless. And it is not just a possibility, but everyday life here at Plymouth Harbor.
Once you see Plymouth Harbor and meet the vibrant people who call it home, you will change the way you think about your future. Residents treasure the time they spend in their lovely, spacious apartment homes – yet appreciate all of the thoughtful services and amenities that are part of the Plymouth Harbor lifestyle. And they love the beautiful setting that looks like a first-class resort, but feels just like home. Come see for yourself – and get a new perspective on retirement living. Call us today for a tour of our award-winning campus, our new wellness center, luxury accommodations and amenities.
A S P E C TA C U L A R V I E W O F R E T I R E M E N T
Call Today to Schedule a Personal Tour & Lunch 700 John Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 • (941) 365-2600 • www.PlymouthHarbor.org A Not-For-Profit Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). OIR #88039
from the executive editor
M
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THE QUINTESSENTIAL GRANDMOTHER — a dear, sweet woman who was always happy to see her family, never complained, and made the best food. She was comfort personified. My grandmother left her homeland at age 20, endured many hard times, the Great Depression, two World Wars, other wars and world threats, many early deaths of loved ones and more. My brother, sister and I just knew we should never disappoint her. She left us a legacy of strong faith, family and values. I don’t think there was an official name ever given to my grandmother’s generation other than a tag Gertrude Stein decided on — the Lost Generation — used by Stein to define American writers who became expatriates and moved to Paris. It stuck and seems to now be used by some encyclopedias and resource books to define that entire generation. My grandmother was an immigrant who came to this country to work hard, assimilate, and become an American. I don’t believe Lost Generation is an appropriate label for those like my grandmother born in the late 1800s and the turn of the 20th century. To me, they weren’t lost at all. They were trying to be found, searching for a better life. I would instead call them the Bravest Generation. Many left their homeland as young people in their late teens and early twenties for a better life in America, crossing the Atlantic packed like cattle in steerage on the lowest decks of the ships. Many got sick and died before they landed. I am sure most of them were terrified, not knowing what they were going to find or how their life would be without their parents and other family members around them. Next, my mother’s generation. They were, as Tom Brokaw proclaimed, part of the Greatest Generation, another non-official designation, but nonetheless a correct assessment of those who endured the Great Depression and fought in World War II. Stop and think about it. A madman dictator was spreading a monstrous ideology, murdering millions of innocent people in his path, including the murder of 25 million Jewish people. He was on the brink of taking over the world. Brave, young Americans went off to fight a World War across an ocean with no fear — just sheer guts and passion for their beliefs in the fight for freedom knowing they had to stop this crazy monster and help save the world. Kids as young as 15 were forging papers, lying about their ages, just to be able to fight. They were willing to fight and die in far away lands to stop evil.
DID YOU KNOW? There were 75.8 million Americans born during the Baby Boomer period — 1946 to 1964. There were approximately 1.05 male births for every female birth. The biggest year of the “boom” was 1957 when 4.3 million boomers were born. The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, and the 65-andolder age group’s share of the total population will rise to nearly 24 percent from 15 percent.
As I approach my senior years, I find myself thinking more about the early lives of people born during these two generations, and how different my early life was growing up as a child in the 50s and early 60s. They were mostly “Ozzie and Harriet” years. The only tough thing we endured as youngsters were the duck and cover air raid drills in our school from kindergarten through second grade. Young children ducking from bombs that may one day drop on our heads. After all, it was the Cold War and the then Soviet Union could bomb us. This was part of a life we understood. And after we stopped ducking, life went on as normal. It seems to me that the Boomer generation, of which I am a part, just might be the very last of the generations that understands and appreciates the hardships endured and the lessons learned from the Bravest Generation and the Greatest Generation. We listened to stories from our grandparents and parents, learning about the evils they faced, and learning world history in school, appreciating our freedom as we ducked for cover as they did.
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“More Advanced than Platelet Rich Plasma, Restore™ is a different type of cellular therapy that has a remarkable ability to promote healing.” – Dr. Joe Greco, PhD, PA/C
from the executive editor I can now understand why my grandmother became so outspoken as she reached her 80s, saying what she really thought, not caring about the consequence. She had enough of ill mannered, spoiled and ungrateful people — people who could never understand what it meant to live in real hardship and fear as she did. Enough was enough. They needed to be told. Sometimes I wish my grandmother was around to speak her mind to some of our young people today. Many are absolutely wonderful, but many grew up getting mostly everything they wanted, communicating with their friends on tablets and phones, having little personal contact, and few manners. I guess we should not be surprised. For the most part, the lessons of our history have been lost to them, and while young people also have to deal with the threats and challenges of today’s world, I don’t believe it seems real to them.
The internationally renowned Greco Medical Group in Sarasota has been at the forefront of developing patented, proprietary processes using growth factors and other healing components from a patient’s own blood for a wide variety of regenerative purposes from cosmetics to orthopedics.
Now, Dr. Greco introduces a natural, and potent tool of birth and renewal from amniotic fluid • Tendons, Ligaments & Joints • Cosmetic Enhancements • Hair Restoration
Dr. Greco’s work has been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, U.S. News & World Report, Men’s Journal, and USA Today. He has pioneered biologic treatments for Alopecia Areata and Androgenic Alopecia, and these results were included in an international study published in the prestigious American Journal of Dermatologic Surgery.
You really can’t blame them, either. They are the product of the doting of their Boomer grandparents and their Generation X parents, who want to give them everything, and protect them from anything that would cause them stress. To me, stressful situations make you stronger. You have to find your way out, learning lessons along the way. School curricula has changed. American and World History? Who cares what happened in the past? But Boomers know better — the lessons learned should never be forgotten. When Hitler is a mere paragraph in their studies, it is no wonder they throw his name around so easily. They have no idea who he really was and what they are really saying. Remember Gertrude Stein’s Lost Generation, the wrong label given to my grandmother’s generation? Perhaps that label should be given to the latest generation, many of whom certainly seem lost. And as parents and grandparents, I think it just may be our fault for not showing them the way. It seems we have really failed in lots of ways. So Boomers, let’s remember the lessons learned from the time of our parents and grandparents. Let’s do a better job of making sure these valuable lessons never get lost for our children, our grandchildren and for future generations. If the children of today truly are “lost,” we really do need to look in the mirror. As if you couldn’t guess, this is our Boomer issue. Look for some retirement advice from local financial and legal professionals, learn about the artistic talents of Boomers seeking fun and rewarding ways to spend time, and the important initiatives on aging in our town that are part of national programs. We also have two more cool “Beach Reads,” short stories written by local authors. I’ll be back in September with our Arts & Culture issue and our annual arts and culture guide.
941.952.3300 | GrecoMedicalGroup.com 16
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julie@scenesarasota.com
Forget about chores, home repairs and maintenance:
It’s
Island
time!
Experience a complete retirement lifestyle that’s equal parts relaxing, exciting—and well-planned!
Village On The Isle is the only Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) on the Island of Venice. Surround yourself with conveniences and new friends, just minutes from downtown and a variety of shopping, dining, arts and culture! Truly relax knowing you have 5-star health care and asset protection for life.
Call 1-877-258-3239 to RSVP to a Dine & Discover luncheon.
Join us for an event or schedule a tour:
Join us an event or schedule a personal tour. Callfor 1-[call-tracking #] or visit www.VillageOnTheIsle.com/hop Call 1-877-258-3239 or visit www.VillageOnTheIsle.com/time OIR #88005 VOI-800000 Ad [7.25 x 4.875] MECH.indd 1
920 Tamiami Trail South | Venice, FL 34285 7/17/17 3:47 PM
The golden image
wild and free.
3 0 s . pa l m av e . , s a r a s o ta , f l 3 4 2 3 6 mymkdesigns.com / (941) 364-8439
AUGUST 2017 | SCENE
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AN EXCEPTIONAL, LUXURIOUS NOT-FOR-PROFIT CARE FACILITY
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MEDICAL CARE & SUPERVISION
SPECIALIZED REHABILITIATION SERVICES
• Accepts Medicare, Insurance and Private Pay Patients
• Through the innovative “Bounce Back” program, you can Rehab, Recover, Return Home®
• With its 120-bed Skilled Nursing facility, the amenities and services are exceptional
• Interdisciplinary Team of Experienced Professionals
• Personal Physicians
• State-of-the-Art Therapy Equipment
• 24/7 RN, LPN and CNA Staffing
• Evidence-based care & Individualized Treatment
• Licensed Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapists
• Physical, Occupational & Speech Rehabilitative Therapies
• Registered Dietician and Nutritional Management
• Case Management to Maximize Benefits
• Social Services
• AJs Fitness, an onsite, outpatient Center, helps you focus on Flexibility, Strength Training, Balance & Endurance
• Full-Time Activities Director
License # SNF130471051
EOE
CALL OR STOP BY FOR YOUR PERSONAL TOUR 5381 Desoto Road | Sarasota, FL 34235 | 941.355.6111 | www.hawthornevillageofsarasota.com AUGUST 2017 | SCENE 19
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Vol. 60
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No. 08
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CEO/President Ronald Milton Publisher/Executive Editor Julie A. Milton Account Executive Tiffany Wenzel Art Director Mark Calvin Howell Communications Specialist & Editorial Assistant Bobbilynn Hollifield Creative Intern Victoria A. Sinclair Distribution Dick Jackson
Perfect for those times when you don’t want or have time to cook but still crave something delicious. Morton’s kitchen offers an amazing array of gourmet entrees and comfort foods, all prepared from scratch and packaged to go. Save time, money and effort while savoring the city’s best take-out, hands down. Don’t miss our huge selection of freshly made salads too!
Contributing Writers Sue Cullen Jacqueline Miller Gus Mollasis Steven J. Smith Ryan G. Van Cleave Sheryl Vieira Cover Photographer & Photo Director John Revisky Contributing Photographers Nancy Guth Kelly Kearns Josh Webb
443 John Ringling Blvd. Ste. #F | Sarasota, FL 34236 941.365.1119 | Fax: 941.954.5067 | scenesarasota.com
Historic Southside Village 1924 South Osprey Avenue Sarasota ∙ (941) 955-9856 MortonsMarket.com 20
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RJM Ventures LLC, dba SCENE Magazine of Southwest Florida publishes 12 issues a year. Address editorial, advertising and circulation correspondence to the above address. Sufficient return postage and self-addressed, stamped envelope must accompany all manuscripts, artwork and photographs submitted if they are to be returned or acknowledged. Publisher assumes no responsibility for care of return of unsolicited materials. Subscription price: $12.95 per year, $19.95 for two years. All contents copyrighted. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
Charting A New Course Before beginning any new adventure, it’s important to have a plan. Icard Merrill can help guide you through the complexities of today’s world. From business matters to civil disputes to family concerns, our lawyers have the specific skills and experience to advise you in a wide range of legal fields. We offer a comprehensive approach to the practice of law, with the well-being of our clients always a top concern. No matter the obstacles of your particular journey, we will do our best to ensure smooth navigation along the way.
941.308.7178 • icardmerrill.com Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte & Lee Counties
Where Casual Ambiance
Meets Authentic Italian
5104 Ocean Blvd. | Siesta Key | 941-349-1423 | cafegabbiano.com OPEN DAILY 5PM-10PM. TASTING MENUS AVAILABLE SUNDAY TO THURSDAY.
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Art After 5
Through August 25
The LIST AUGUST 2017 EVENTS CALENDAR
9th Annual Dog Days of Summer Show Art Uptown Gallery Juried open art exhibit featuring community artists artuptown.com
1-5
Sarasota Slam Fishing Tournament PICK YOUR FAVORITES!
The “dog days” of summer are here, but we’re feeling anything but lazy this month. While we gear up for the fall season, we make use of our hot, sultry weather by enjoying the water — be it fishing, boating or swimming. We’re also beating the heat while we appreciate art exhibits, wine tastings and craft shows; for the not-so-faint of heart, there are many outdoor concerts, guided hikes and festivals. Evidently, slow season is a thing of the past in our fun-packed little town!
Marina Jack Fun for all ages with inshore, offshore and junior angler divisions. Supports Harvest House & other local charities. Registration: $25 - $3,500 sarasotaslam.com
The Ringling Thursdays | 5:00 p.m. Explore the Museum of Art and Circus Museum & enjoy music and insights into the collection through gallery discussions. Tickets: $5 - $10 ringling.org
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Music on Main Lakewood Ranch Main St. 6:00 p.m. The Klick Band will fill the air with classic rock and the deejay will keep you dancing; the event will benefit the Tiny Hands Foundation. Free to attend; food and drink will be available for purchase lakewoodranch.com
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941-552-0959 | BenevaPlantscapes.com 941-552-0959 | BenevaPlantscapes.com 229658
1958 68’ Trumpy
When you board a Chitwood Charter, you have the comfort of being aboard some of the most sea-worthy and dependable yachts in the world. We offer the Rolls-Royce of Grand Banks Trawlers and Selene Passagemakers with inviting salons and two or three luxurious staterooms.
4-HOUR CHARTER PRICING: 36’ Grand Banks | 10 person max | $575 42‘ Grand Banks | 14 person max | $675 50’ & 53‘ Selene* | 16 person max | $1500 *2-Hour Charter Available | $1000 Charter includes Captain, tax and fuel.
For a memorable, high-quality experience, short or long distance, call and reserve your charter today!
941.383.5232 | Chitwood-Charters.com Docks at Hyatt Sarasota & Marina Jack | 3591 Bayou Circle | Longboat Key, FL 34228
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229658 229658
941-552-0959 | BenevaPlantscapes.com
Offering living walls, the latest in green design, and full service plantscaping for your home or Offering walls, latest design, and full service plantscaping for your home or business.living Contact usthe today for in a green free on-site consultation. Bring life to your space! business. Contact us today for a free on-site consultation. Bring life to your space!
Offering living walls, the latest in green design, and full service plantscaping for your home or business. Contact us today for a free on-site consultation. Bring life to your space!
Plant Walls | Custom Designs | Event Rentals | Full Ser vice Maintenance Plant Walls | Custom Designs | Event Rentals | Full Ser vice Maintenance
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Village of the Arts First Friday Artwalk Village of the Arts, Bradenton 6:00 p.m. Discover unique galleries, studios, specialty shops, healing arts, food and music during this popular monthly event. Free to attend. villageofthearts.com
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Live from Downtown — It’s Friday Night Five Points 6:00 p.m. Live performances by musicians, entertainers and performing arts organizations. Free to attend dsasarasota.com
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((ecko)) Sarasota Bay Cruise Hyatt Regency, Sarasota 9:00 a.m. Learn about wildlife, habitats and cultural history of Sarasota Bay firsthand as you explore the estuary’s hidden bayous, bay islands and inlets only reachable by boat. Price: $155 (includes picnic lunch) eckotours.com
5
Princess and the King Tea Party 4 Girls Event Robert L. Taylor Community Complex 5:00 p.m. Father-daughter event featuring dinner, photo opportunities and more. Free registration trulyvalued.org
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Summer Music Workshops Music Compound Saturdays | 10:30 a.m. Theory, changing guitar strings, vocal riffs, music appreciation, songwriting, and more will be offered each Saturday. Cost: $5 - $10 musiccompound.com
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9th Annual Very Merry Jerry Day Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center Patio, 525 Kumquat Court, Sarasota 4:00 p.m. A celebration to remember the late Jerry Garcia of the band The Grateful Dead. Live music and more. Admission: $15 mkt.com/wslr-inc/item/verymerry-jerry-day
6
Guided Scrub Walk Oscar Scherer State Park A guided walk on the sand hiking trails through some of the 400 acres of scrubby flatwoods. Free with paid park entrance friendsofoscarscherer.com
8
Sarasota Opera Guild’s Summer Salon Luncheon
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Mysteries of Native Florida Hike Emerson Point Preserve 8:30 a.m. Explore Florida native habitats and ancient archaeology with your expert guide. Price: $49 eckotours.com
Michael’s On East 11:30 a.m. Includes lunch and a musical performance by Brad Williams, principal trombonist with the Sarasota Orchestra, and Jamie Williams, principal trombonist of Deutsches Opera Berlin. Tickets: $39 sarasotaopera.org
10
Gallery Walk & Talk – Portraits The Ringling Museum of Art 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Museum staff introduce you to feature artists and their subjects. Included with museum admission. ringling.org
11
Kindness at Work Speaker Series: August Luncheon Goodwill Mecca, Sarasota 11:30 a.m. Goodwill has engaged leaders in the local business community to share their experiences – at work and beyond – to make our community a better place. Tickets: $20 experiencegoodwill.org
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Concert in the Park Centennial Park 7:00 p.m. Bring a chair or a blanket and enjoy a free concert featuring Nat Langston. Free to attend visitvenicefl.org
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8/12 - 9/10
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Selby’s Museum of Botany & the Arts (Payne Mansion) 10:00 a.m. Cash prizes will be awarded in each of five categories, plus an overall “Best in Show” winner will be named. Visit Selby Gardens’ website for rules and registration. selby.org
Michael’s On East 11:30 a.m. “The View from the Campus” - Speaker Seffi Kogen, AJC’s Campus expert, will discuss trends, issues, and promising signs from colleges and universities. Tickets: $28 Sarasota@ajc.org
Selby Gardens’ 37th Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition
AJC’s 8th Annual Summer Lunch & Learn Series
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JFSM College Lecture Series
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STAR: Storytelling at the Ranch Sarasota Polo Field Club House 10:00 a.m. Presented by The Players Centre for Performing Arts, Storytelling at the Ranch features characters Jack and Annie from The Magic Treehouse series as they perform Stage Fright on a Summer Night. Tickets: $10 - $15 theplayers.org/movies/ storytelling-theatre-at-theranch/
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SYS End of Summer Bash Sarasota Sailing Squadron 10:00 a.m. Party, fun sail and fall sailing announcements. Familyfriendly. Free sarasotasailingsquadron.org
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Conversation: Skyway: Bridging the Gap Chao Lecture Hall 10:30 a.m. Lively discussion among artists and curators from Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. Tickets: $5/free for museum members ringling.org
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Gem, Jewelry & Bead Show Sarasota Municipal Auditorium 10:00 a.m. Vendors from around the country selling gems, jewelry, beads, crystals and more. Admission: $5 srqauditorium.com
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Downtown Venice Wine Walk Historic Downtown Venice 5:00 p.m. Stroll and shop while enjoying discounts and specials at participating merchants. Free to attend visitvenicefl.org
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The Argus Foundation: Meet the Minds Sarasota Yacht Club 11:30 a.m. Dominic Calabro, President & CEO of Florida TaxWatch, Inc. discusses productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on citizens and businesses. Registration: $35 - $40 Argusfoundation.org
Art Exhibition: Literary Heroes — Portraits by Mike Hanlon Selby Public Library, Downtown Sarasota All day Eighteen oil portraits from artist Mike Hanlon’s Literary Heroes exhibit will be on display on the first and second floors of Selby Public Library through August 19. Free literaryheroesexhibit.com
8/19 - 9/4
Englewood Pioneer Days 2017 Celebrate the town of Englewood with familyfriendly events such as cardboard boat races, chalk painting, fish-a-thon, kids shipwreck party, pioneer days festival, a parade, and more. englewoodpioneerdays.com
Zell Room at The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee 7:00 p.m. Insider tips to college admissions, presented by Debra Landesberg, M.S. founder of My College Resource aeiffert@jfedsrq.org
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Gallery Walk & Talk — Fabulous Food Ringling Museum of Art 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. What would you have eaten 500 years ago? Find out in this guided tour. Included with museum admission. ringling.org
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Friday Fest Outdoor Concert Van Wezel bayside lawn 5:00 p.m. Featuring Jah Movement Reggae Band. Food will be available for purchase from vendors. Free vanwezel.org
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Concert in the Park Centennial Park 7:00 p.m. Bring a chair or a blanket and enjoy a free concert featuring Koko Ray. Free to attend visitvenicefl.org
SAVE THE DATE
PRESENTS
GREY MATTERS
A SYMPOSIUM ON ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 TO BECOME A SPONSOR OR REGISTER TODAY PLEASE VISIT ROSKAMPINSTITUTE.ORG
FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CALL (941) 552-9832
BACK TO
L O O H C S
941.225.6520 | www.SarasotaBallet.org
OPEN HOUSE
AUGUST 19, 2:00-5:00PM 10 N LEMON AVE. SARASOTA
FREE CLASSES!
REGISTER FOR THE FALL
Proudly Sponsored By AUGUST 2017 | SCENE
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UPCOMING events New patient appointments are available within
one week!
Whether it be robotic surgery, MRI fusion prostate biopsy, or HIFU, our physicians at
Florida Urology Specialists are always at the forefront of new
technologies to improve patient care.
Setup your appointment today!
(941) 309-7000
SEPTEMBER 2 - 3 Sarasota Sailing Squadron 71st Annual Labor Day Regatta
SEPTEMBER 9 Taste of Downtown Food & Wine Festival
1717 Ken Thompson Parkway Attended by 300+ sailors from ages 8 to 80 and drawing nearly a thousand visitors each year, activities include five separate race courses, live music, barbeque, refreshments and awards ceremony. Registration: $60 - $95. Free viewing for spectators. regattanetwork.com
Sarasota Opera House 1:00 p.m. Enjoy menu tastings from over twenty downtown restaurants, along with fine wine and beer pairings. Benefits the Sarasota Youth Opera. Tickets: $65 sarasotaopera.org
SEPTEMBER 2 - 3 9th Annual Downtown Venice Craft Festival Downtown Venice, Miami Ave. 10:00 a.m. Browse and purchase a wide variety of ceramics, jewelry, stained glass, metal works and much more. artfestival.com
SEPTEMBER 15 12th Annual Intertape Polymer Group Leadership Breakfast Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club 7:30 a.m. The honorees are Rod Hershberger, CEO of PGT Industries, and Sarasota County Libraries Director Sarabeth Kalajian. Tickets: $50 bgcsarasota.com
SEPTEMBER 4 61st Annual Pioneer Days Parade St. Raphael’s Church, Englewood 9:00 a.m. The parade wraps up the two-week Pioneer Days celebration. Route follows Olde Englewood Road, Dearborn Street, and north McCall Road. englewoodpioneerdays.com
SEPTEMBER 7 Ringling Underground Museum of Art Courtyard Featuring an eclectic mix of local and regional live music. Admission: $0 - $15 ringling.org
1 S. School Ave, Suite 200, Sarasota, FL 34237 FLUrologySpecialists.com A Division of 21st Century Oncology, LLC 28
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SEPTEMBER 23 Ringling Museum Day Live! Enjoy free admission to The Ringling and other participating museums throughout the United States. ringling.org
V IS IT S C EN ES A R A S O TA . C O M for the latest party pics & a complete listing of local events
A New Opportunity at Autumn of Sarasota!
A Wonderful Way To
™
There’s so much to do at Autumn… and we want you to know about it all! A move-in concierge will help your loved one during their transition to a new, wonderful life at Autumn. They will be introduced to: – Their new neighbors and surroundings – Our daily live music that plays twice a day – Cooking classes and demonstrations – Scenic bus rides – Lunch Bunch outings – Specialty classes, including flower arranging, painting and more – Feeding our swans, Willie & Grace – Exercise programs held twice a day by our fitness expert
Save NOW on your private, all-inclusive assisted living memory care residence. – 24/7 in-house nurses – Family-style social areas – Beauty salon – Delicious dining choices: traditional favorites, gluten-free and Mediterranean-style – State-of-the-art security system throughout – Bring your pet!
Ask About Our All-Inclusive Pricing A Wonderful Way to Begin Life at Autumn! Autumn of Sarasota | 941.444.9398 3251 Proctor Road | Sarasota, Florida 34231 info@AutumnALF.com | AutumnALF.com Autumn of Sarasota Assisted Living License #AL12551
CALDWELL TRUST Partnering with the Right Trustee is Key to Successful Retirement Plans
E
stablishing a retirement plan for employees can offer many benefits to business owners by attracting and retaining good employees, providing valuable tax advantages, and creating greater retirement security not only for employees but for owners and their families. It also is a highly regulated and complex area that–if not handled correctly–can burden owners with additional responsibility and potential liability. “Owners are looking for a partner to help them in this area because it is so highly regulated that you don’t know what you don’t know,” said R. G. “Kelly” Caldwell, CEO and President of Caldwell Trust Company (941.926.9336 | ctrust.com), which has offices in Sarasota and Venice. Because a retirement plan entrusts business owners to manage money that does not belong to them, plans must comply with the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), which sets standards for private industry pensions and criminal and civil penalties if those standards are not met or funds are misused. “Many business owners aren’t aware that if they have an insurance company or brokerage house providing their 401(k) that they themselves may be the trustee of their own plan with the responsibility and liability that goes along with that role,” Caldwell said. “It’s the difference between buying a product where the salesman walks away after the sale versus paying a fee to someone who provides ongoing service. In our case, we prefer to offer ongoing trust services for a fee and will not accept a commission from anyone for the investments we select so that we have no conflict of interest.”
Being a trustee includes responsibilities for designing the plan, selecting and monitoring the performance of investments, ensuring fees are reasonable, and communicating effectively with employees about their options and investments and helping to ensure they are happy with the plan. “Even if an employer pays someone to advise them regarding investments or has a manager with authority to choose investments, the employer still retains the trustee role,” said Tony Blasini, Vice President of Employee Benefits. “They may not be aware that 70 percent of 401(k)s audited by the Department of Labor have at least one discrepancy. At Caldwell Trust, as retirement plan fiduciaries, we offer discretionary trustee services to help the plan stay in compliance.” While there are responsibilities that go along with offering a 401(k), there are significant tax and other benefits. Sixty-nine percent of employees said they might choose one job instead of another if it offered better benefits, and having a 401(k) also can help business owners achieve their own retirement goals, Caldwell said. Many times owners spend years channeling their financial resources into growing their businesses at the expense of retirement savings, and there are strategies that can help with that. “Often a business has to have a 401(k) plan in order to provide a retirement plan for the owner,” Caldwell said. “Because of his background and experience, Tony Blasini is really good at coupling a 401(k) with plans, such as a cash balance plan, for owners and their families.” Blasini recently joined Caldwell Trust’s employee benefits department and has more than 30 years of experience with retirement and pension plans,
Tony Blasini (left) and R. G. “Kelly” Caldwell (right)
including design, administration, implementation and document review for legal compliance, and in holding educational meetings for plan participants. He is certified by the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries as a Certified Pension Consultant and, since 1998, as a Qualified Pension Administrator. Because the firm also offers a full range of fiduciary services to individuals, Caldwell Trust often helps business owners with personal financial planning needs as well including trustee services, custodian, investment advisor, financial manager and personal representative. “We help our clients with their 401(k) requirements and personal retirement planning all in one place,” he said. “Many times we start working
with a business owner who wants to save more money for retirement, but then get into estate planning and other issues. Maybe they have a child they are worried about, and we end up developing plans for the owner’s family. By being a trustee, we are able to take care of their spouses and children after they are gone.” Business owners are welcome to come in and discuss a new or existing 401(k), and the first step for prospective clients often is a complimentary assessment of their plan, Caldwell said. “Whether we are working with an individual client or a business owner’s 401(k), we take care of people,” he said. “Our clients want a partner that can help navigate risk and provide them with peace of mind, and that’s what we do.”
insider
The FIND
A SPARKLING STATEMENT by Jacqueline Miller
FROM FASHION TO HOME AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, THESE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS.
The luxurious composition of Odette’s modern design forms a statement-making piece. Odette, which features emerald-cut, solid glass crystal panels for breathtaking sparkle, is offered in a gleaming polished nickel or lustrous gunmetal finish. Odette by Hinkley Lighting, 30” W x 19.3” H. $1,499 Bee Ridge Lighting | 3909 Bee Ridge Rd | 941.922.2626 | beeridgelighting.com
SOFT & SNUG Verellen is where Belgian conception meets American perfection: Hand-crafted in High Point, NC, every Verellen piece is made to order with unique and customizable details. Santiago suede chair. $5,210
SUNSHINE TOTE This tote by Spartina 449 is the perfect companion for a lunch date or trip to the market. Featuring an opentop design with a simple lobster claw closure, roomy interior plus three slip pockets and one zip pocket. The sturdy cotton canvas lining is brightly colored and fun. $88 Molly’s Boutique | 1874 Stickney Point Rd | 941.921.1221 | mollyssarasota.com
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Pecky | 100 Central Ave, #1026 | 941.957.0300 | peckysrq.com
insider
CLEAN & PURE Made with ultra-premium extra virgin olive oil and infused with citrus, Aphrodite Olive Oil Soap includes no preservatives, artificial coloring or dyes, filler oils, or environmentally unfriendly products. Leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean with a lovely fragrance. $6 The Ancient Olive | 26 N Boulevard of the Presidents | 941.388.1414 | theancientolive.com
NATIVE COOL Created exclusively for Tommy Bahama, Island Life Sunglasses by Maui Jim® are uniquely detailed with matte metal finishes and artfully crafted wooden temple tips reminiscent of native Hawaiian woods. $329 Tommy Bahama | 300 John Ringling Blvd | 941.388.2888 | tommybahama.com
ANCIENT ILLUMINATION
FRESH & BREEZY Give your outfit a finishing touch with the Ocean Wave Sundial Scarf. This lightweight dual cotton gauze scarf is the perfect accent to your outfit. Two colors: Luna & Papaya Fruit. $29 Fresh Produce | 1 Boulevard of the Presidents | 941.388.1883 | freshproduceclothes.com
This unique table lamp (19” x 19”) is made from selenite and marble containing prehistoric fossils from the Devonian period, about 360 Million years ago. $500 Pangaea Industries, Inc. | 8124 Blaikie Ct | 941.379.7711 | fossilsplus.com
TREAT YOUR FEET The Backless Cooper — comfortable, supportive, and available in three colors, this favorite features slide-in straps on a 2.25” espadrille wedge. $135 Charleston Shoe Co. | 472 John Ringling Blvd | 855.996.7463 | charlestonshoeco.com AUGUST 2017 | SCENE
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philanthropy
Goodwill Spreading
By Steven J. Smith
ALEXANDER “SANDY” KIRKPATRICK AND HIS WIFE JEANIE chose to honor their adopted hometown by helping to support the recent refurbishment of Goodwill Manasota’s Manatee Book & Art Store at 5512 Manatee Ave. West in Bradenton. “It’s a pleasure to contribute time and resources to Goodwill,” said Sandy, who is also current president of the board of Turning Points, a homelessness prevention organization. “I was flattered to be asked to join the board of Manasota Goodwill in 2013. Jeanie and I are particularly delighted to support the new art, music and book store near our home and look forward to patronizing it frequently in the coming months and years.”
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Opened in June, the store offers 5,800 square feet of retail space and an attended donation center to take donations of unwanted items from the community, according Veronica Miller, Vice President of Goodwill Manasota Foundation. “The new store now holds 17,00020,000 books and a very large selection of art for sale,” Miller said. “This location was previously a traditional Goodwill retail store, selling donated goods such as apparel, shoes, home goods and more. The store was closed in April so that inventory could be redistributed to other locations and the interior could undergo
philanthropy a complete makeover — from painting and unique displays to new flooring.” Miller added the cost to renovate it was in the neighborhood of $160,000. “The paint was deliberately selected with diluted colors to help enhance the artwork for sale,” she said, “as well as the selected flooring to brighten the location and make it look more like an art gallery.” In 1985 Sandy founded Kirkpatrick Energy Associates, Inc., a specialized investment bank serving the oil and gas industry from offices in Denver, Dallas and Houston. He moved to Bradenton in 2000 and became a licensed real estate agent facilitating commercial real estate transactions through Michael Saunders & Company for seven years before retiring. Jeanie moved to Sarasota from Boston in 2005 to be near her daughter, a practicing attorney. Jeanie and Sandy soon met and were married in 2008. Since then, the couple has been looking for ways to give back to their community. “Jeanie and I love being part of a network of wonderful community volunteers who are collectively maintaining and improving the quality of life in our town,” Sandy said. “Manasota Goodwill has helped many thousands of persons to overcome barriers to employment and become contributors to
28,207 People Served
755 Jobs Placed
240 Veterans Assisted
$92.1M Community Impact
society. The leadership is competent and dedicated.” Jeanie added volunteerism and philanthropy are important to her as well. “I loved volunteering for my church, our children’s schools, a national sorority and many other worthy causes,” she said. “When I became part of the ‘Kirkpatrick team,’ I found that I loved our community and wanted to be involved at any level of a worthy nonprofit organization. I have found some wonderful nonprofits and being a partner with Sandy for the Goodwill organization has been a real honor, too.” Miller said the Kirkpatricks’ assistance in transforming the book and art store would have a significant impact on the surrounding community. “We have found that our customers absolutely love our bookstores and we also know how this community loves art,” she said. “It was the perfect opportunity to reopen this location to engage the cultural community. While the square footage did not really support the traditional inventory of our retail stores, the size is perfect to showcase the generous donations made from our
community. This concept was created after listening to our customers and through our desire to create a unique customer service experience.” Jeanie added Goodwill Manasota is an organization that offers jobs and opportunities to those facing many daily challenges and obstacles. “It’s such a worthy organization with great leadership,” she said. “Goodwill Manasota adds so much to all the good things about Manatee and Sarasota counties.” In 2016, Goodwill Manasota served 28,207 people, placed 755 people in jobs and assisted 240 veterans as they reintegrated back into the civilian workforce. The organization’s economic impact back to the community has been calculated at $92.1 million. Goodwill is one of the pioneers of the reduce-reuse-recycle movement and this past year diverted more than 40 million pounds out of landfills. It serves its mission through a network of Good Neighbor Centers in Sarasota, Manatee, Hardee and DeSoto counties and its Mission Development Services around North America.
F O R M O R E IN F O R M AT IO N
visit www.experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.
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“Some of the most powerful works of art have been produced by older Americans—by hands that have engaged in years of hard work, eyes that have witnessed decades of change, and hearts that have felt a lifetime of emotions.” —HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
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Young at
Art By Ryan Van Cleave
AUGUST 2017 | SCENE
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B
Y 2030, THE NUMBER OF ADULTS who are over 65 years old will make up 20% of the US population. And let’s face it. Sometimes it seems as if the majority of them live right here in Sarasota. It’s one of the things we’re most known for, after all— being a first-rate retirement destination. Beyond world-class beaches, the other thing that comes to mind when people think of Sarasota is that we’re an arts-loving, arts-supporting, and arts-making community. Where else beyond a major city are you going to find a vibrant theater scene, a first-rate opera company, a wonderful orchestra, a premiere art and design college, and numerous art-centered community organizations? Small wonder then that more and more of our seniors are making the arts a vital part of their lives. Just ask Patrick Gray who grew up in a small, now-rusting northeastern Ohio city but has lived in Sarasota since 2003. After several careers—including working for the US Navy as a sonar technician on submarines—he’s now a fiction writer. His writing “in some ways makes me feel like a child and that’s wonderful. I’ve made new friends. I’ve entered an ever-expanding new world of magical goodness that I didn’t know even existed.” He adds that he doesn’t care about fame or fortune. He simply wants to engage with friends and family, and to “know more about who I am, to better understand who I have been, and to help guide myself into who I’ll become. That is the legacy that I want to leave to my family and friends.” Last summer, one of Gray’s short stories was included in one of the summer Beach Reads issues of Sarasota Scene. “Until then, I’ve never seen my work in a magazine such as you’re now holding in your hands,” he says. “It was one of the most pleasant experiences I’ve ever had.” Thanks to the educational offerings of art-centered, education-focused community organizations like Art Center Sarasota, more and more seniors will discover that same joy and sense of reward that Gray knows so well. Their Education Director, Elizabeth Goodwill, notes that the two most popular art classes they offer are mixed media painting and watercolor painting, though their classes in
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photography, printmaking, and life drawing are wellreceived, too. Art Center Sarasota has been serving the community since 1926. Throughout the years, novice and wellknown artists have had the ability to both exhibit and sell their work. “Art classes bring together people who have a common interest,” says Goodwill, “to learn and to develop their skills with
professional instructors.” Offering free access to their four galleries gives us all a chance to see innovative and diverse work from local, national, and international contemporary artists in curated and juried exhibitions. When asked about her
favorite success story, Goodwill says that she loves it when students who’ve been attending classes and workshop at Art Center Sarasota come back to tell her they’ve got their own opening in a gallery space in town or sometimes in another
state. “Their success and happiness makes my job even more fulfilling and shows the success of both the education program and the exhibition program. Art Center Sarasota provides a great service to the artists, art lovers, and the community with all of its programs.” Thanks to The Patterson Foundation’s initiatives such as Age-Friendly Sarasota and Aging Mastery Program—see more on those in a different article in this issue—President and CEO Debra Jacobs knows a lot about the impact the arts can have on an aging population. “Whatever our age, we can still get lost in a story,” she says. “We can smile at a melody, we can gaze at a sculpture. Arts can bring purpose—and whatever our age, our humanity is enriched through the arts.” She cites an example of the power of the arts as “when Laughter Unlimited visits the Memory Care Unit at The Pines, and the piano strikes a tune? The slumping, solitary resident smiles and taps their fingers and begins singing.” Lesley University Dr. Racquel Stephenson’s research as a professor of Expressive Therapies and Program Coordinator for Art Therapy shows that seniors creating art can counteract isolation and depression, as well as promote self-esteem, motivation, and social connection. It’s more than
just therapeutic, though, because “older adults have a high capacity for creativity because they are willing to take risks.” Taking risks can lead to powerful work that resonates with others. It can stand out from the crowd. So join or start up a writing group as Gray has done with his peers, meeting once a month at the new Goldstein Library at Ringling College of Art and Design. Or sign up for the “Printmaking in Old Havana” workshop and tour that runs in November through Art Center Sarasota. Or participate in one of the many initiatives and programs supported by The Patterson Foundation. Quite simply, art is part of our community and it’s part of who we are. Most important, it can change your life, as it did with Gray, who recalls a visit to the Rodin museum in Philadelphia some years back where he watched as one couple reacted to a pair of bronze hands called “Cathedral.” The woman appeared fascinated. The husband? Obviously bored. But Gray himself? “I silently cried—tears streamed down my cheeks. It was the first time I had cried since my mother died. How a simple piece of bronze could stir my emotions in that way is still a mystery to me.” But he knows the answer. We all do. It’s the power of art.
F O R M O R E IN F O R M AT IO N O N A RT C EN T ER S A RAS O TA
please visit www.artsarasota.org or call 941.365.2032
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OMEGA COMMUNITIES
An Extension of Family
O
By Sue Cullen
OMEGA COMMUNITIES HAS DEVELOPED A MODEL for senior living communities that combines a holistic approach based on wellbeing of the body, mind and spirit with care delivered by skilled and dedicated professionals in communities designed to meet the needs of today’s seniors and their families. The company chose Sarasota to showcase its first two Florida residences, The Springs at South Biscayne and The Fountains of Hope. With a mission approach to senior living, Omega Communities distinguishes itself by creating senior communities in an affinity relationship with churches, and by drawing on Greenbrier Senior Living to manage operations for the communities. Omega also drew on the expertise of Sarasota-based Lawson Group Architects for its two local residences because of the firm’s extensive experience in senior living design. “The most important thing people need to know about of our associates have a calling to serve, and this is an us is that it’s all about the care we provide,” says Bill extension of family.” Bambrick, Director of Sales for The Springs at South The two-year-old community is on nine-acres adjacent Biscayne (800.639.9690|thespringsatsouthbiscayne.com), to South Biscayne Church on U.S. 41 in North Port. It which was the first community built by Omega in houses 95 private assisted living apartments with five Florida. “The beautiful community itself is the bricks and floor plans that include one- and two-bedroom suites. mortar, but it’s the associates who create the experience, “Our community is purposely built with wide open the value and the respect that we want for our extended hallways, an abundance of natural light, and a warm, family. Our team is a critical differentiator for us. All inviting décor,” Bambrick says.
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The Springs at South Biscayne — Clockwise from top: Exterior and Main Entrance; Serenity Cove Dining Room; Salon; Alpha Model Floor Plan; Library; Main lobby.
The Fountains of Hope — Clockwise from top: Exterior and Main Entrance; Living Room; Hallway; Library; Wellness Center; Fireplace in Main Lobby.
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The Springs also has a secure Memory Support wing with offers all day dining service. This allows residents to select the 38 private suites in two neighborhoods. Care is provided for time they would like to have a meal. Our chef is on the board residents with early through late stages of memory loss with a of a local culinary school, and much of the food is homemade, “best friend” approach that fosters connection and trust. This including breads, cakes and pizza crust. For someone who approach to assisted living and memory care has resonated needs additional assistance, we can help with bathing, dressing within the North Port community. The Springs was named Best and medications.” Assisted Living in the North Port Sun’s Readers Choice Awards Amenities include a large, secure landscaped courtyard, and was named Rookie of the Year and Business of the Year by covered lanai, and Exploration Center with a full sound system, the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce. movie screen, two large flat-screen televisions, and a stage Once someone decides to become a resident, next steps area for live entertainment. “Something is always going on for involve truly capturing someone’s life story and understanding those who want to participate. We have opportunities to go their interests, concerns and needs. “The more we understand shopping two or three times a week, transport residents to local our residents, the more we can help them make personal appointments, and take residents out for ice cream or a visit to connections with those who have some commonality of interests the Ringling Museum,” Goff says. “The amenities are great, but and bridge the gap from one resident to another,” Bambrick says. the real question is what is most important to each individual “Our main goals are to celebrate our residents’ independence resident. Some people prefer to stay in their room and watch a and for us that means having choices. We also want to be a ballgame. Sometimes people think that once they get here, they trusted resource to the community for anything senior-centric. can’t leave. But our residents often go to dinner and spend the That could be home care, skilled nursing or assisted living. I’ve night with friends or take vacations with their families.” been doing this long enough to know that not everyone can move Because The Fountains of Hope is a faith-based community, into our community, but I can put them in a better position to a close relationship is maintained with the Church of Hope. understand the choices they have in life. The more information “We are partnered with the church and have a good relationship they have, the better decisions they can make.” with them. Volunteers from the church come in to help, and the For those who are not sure that assisted living is right for them, pastor does a Bible study here,“ she says. a “Staycation” of up to 30 days allows them to experience the “WE HAVE “However, we have people from all faiths lifestyle as a resident, which helps relieve the anxiety of going and religious leaders come in for services PEOPLE into an unfamiliar situation. “It’s an emotional decision, and I can with them.” FROM ALL empathize and put myself in their position,” he says. “I try to give Residents also have the convenience them solid facts and an understanding of what we can and can’t of medical care on site with visits from a FAITHS...“ do. I want to help them find the solution that gives peace of mind.” mobile lab, mobile x-ray, dermatologist Both The Springs and The Fountains of Hope are pet-friendly and are rental communities and podiatrist. A physician visits once a with predictable monthly pricing, no long-term commitment or large upfront entry week, and a secure website portal can fees. The two communities also have Extended Congregate Care licenses, which is the allow residents’ children, who often are highest level of licensure available in Florida, and offer nurses on site 24/7, providing out of state, to review the doctor’s notes and greater opportunities for residents to age in place. While Omega Communities has a email questions about their parents’ care. faith-based approach, residents do not need to be affiliated with the church although Respite care also is available for 14 to 30 participation is an option for those who want it. days for someone who requires assistance All residences have kitchenettes with full-size refrigerators, microwaves and solidwith daily living and whose family or surface countertops. Bedrooms feature walk-in closets for ample storage and spa-like caretaker may be going out of town. private baths have walk-in showers and granite-topped vanities. The communities also “Respite is an opportunity for a have an onsite salon and spa, all-day restaurant-style dining, fitness studio, and central potential resident to be introduced to our activity room. Activities off-site and within the community promote spiritual and social community, and a lot of times they end wellbeing, intellectual pursuits and an active physical lifestyle. Complimentary shuttles up enjoying the community and decide provide transportation for shopping, dining, medical appointments or group outings. to stay,” Goff says. “I’ve been doing this a The Fountains of Hope (800.603.1756|fountainsofhope.com) is next door to long time, and our team is amazing. We the Church of Hope located north of Fruitville Road near I-75 and has 68 assisted aren’t perfect, but if we make a mistake, living apartments and 38 memory care apartments, called Hope’s Place. It also has we’ll get it resolved in a timely manner. accommodations for short-term respite care. “We provide a smaller, home-like setting We always want our communities to be and have a lot of unique amenities to offer,” says Cindy Goff, Director of Sales. “We are welcoming and our residents treated with a cruise ship on land. Housekeeping, laundry and meals are provided. The community dignity and respect.”
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Puppy PuppyEdition Edition
Most days, thethe canine trainees at at Southeastern Guide Dogs look likelike your Most days, canine trainees Southeastern Guide Dogs look your average pooches. But thethe truth is,is, forfor their human companions, they’re average pooches. But truth their human companions, they’re superheroes—all trained right here in in your backyard. ToTo honor thethe heroic work superheroes—all trained right here your backyard. honor heroic work they do, we’ve celebrated them in statue, then given them to area artists to they do, we’ve celebrated them in statue, then given them to area artists to reveal thethe heroes inside. Which willwill bebe your favorite Southeastern Superhero? reveal heroes inside. Which your favorite Southeastern Superhero? Take a closer look at at thethe over 4040 puppies onon display at at sponsoring Take a closer look over puppies display sponsoring businesses throughout thethe area and vote forfor your favorite at at businesses throughout area and vote your favorite guidedogs.org/superheroes guidedogs.org/superheroes
F_GSHS_SceneMagazine_Half_H_070617.indd 1
7/6/17 12:23 PM
In 1989 I purchased “Eco-Conscious Dry Cleaning”
Carlson Cleaners.
At 23 years old I worked
tirelessly as any young
ENTREPRENEUR
would do to grow their business.
I have learned the ins & outs
of running a smooth operation.
I think you will see this in our
QUALITY & SERVICE. Sincerely,
Don Carlson Sr. 3115 Southgate Circle Sarasota, Fl. 34239
(941) 275-4647
5193 Clark Road Sarasota, Fl. 34233
AUGUST 2017 | SCENE
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G AING Masterfully By Ryan Van Cleave
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LET ME BE HONEST, I WRITE A LOT OF ARTICLES
for Sarasota Scene on a lot of local groups/organizations, but one of my favorites to write about? The Patterson Foundation. The reason why is simple—they do a whole range of amazing, impactful things. Their mission statement explains it, saying that “The Patterson Foundation strengthens the efforts of people, organizations, and communities by focusing on issues that address common aspirations, foster wide participation, and encourage learning and sharing.” What does that REALLY mean? It means that they are open to supporting good work, quality projects, and useful initiatives of all types. That’s something that a writer can get excited about because it’s always fresh and exciting. Just like their two current initiatives on aging. Here’s the 411 on those, with a bit of extra help from President and CEO Debra Jacobs and Dr. Kathy Black, Professor of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, who’s also an Initiative Consultant for The Patterson Foundation.
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Modest lifestyle changes can produce big results. AGE-FRIENDLY SARASOTA Sarasota is the first community in Florida to be officially recognized as an “age-friendly community” by the World Health Organization and the AARP, which serves as a national affiliate of the global effort of more than 500 communities worldwide to benefit 155+ million people. To put it succinctly, AgeFriendly Sarasota is a county-wide effort to promote active, engaged, and healthy living for people of all ages, Jacobs explains this idea further, saying, “Age-Friendly Sarasota is a community in which people are able to thrive and strengthen their sense of well-being throughout their lives. It’s a community featuring assets within its infrastructure, social environment and support services guided by the aspirations of residents. Whether you’re 8 years old or 80, an age-friendly community is designed to promote livability at all phases of life. We each want to live, work and play in ways that resonate with who we are — so exploring possibilities will benefit all ages.” They recently completed a community action plan that was developed with feedback from nearly 1,200 Sarasota County residents. This plan outlines goals and objectives across several community features to enhance the quality of life for people at any age. Curious about the findings? The entire document is available at www.AgeFriendlySarasota.org Some of the other actionables include: • Conducted training on age-friendly park features with staff from Sarasota County government and municipalities (City of Sarasota, North Port, Longboat Key, and Venice) • Contributed to Florida Studio Theater’s plays and panels on aging • Collaborated with AARP and Uber on ride-sharing forum • Aligned efforts with Neighborhood Association Challenge
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• Conducted nine focus groups and surveyed all Sarasota county zip codes Dr. Black notes that “our community and its sectors are united to promote healthy and dignified aging as we are all stakeholders in an aging society.” Some of the partners in the Age-Friendly Sarasota initiative include AARP Florida, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Florida Policy Exchange Center on Aging at the University of South Florida, Sarasota County government, and the University of South Florida SarasotaManatee. Jacobs explains that since Age-Friendly Sarasota’s inception, “The Patterson Foundation has supported this collaboration, developing connections between each entity while scanning for potential connections on the horizon.” This fall, The Patterson Foundation will present the Age-Friendly Festival to the community on Saturday, October 28 at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. Jacobs explains that the goal of the event is to “highlight the network of business, government, nonprofit, media, and individual advancers throughout Sarasota promoting age-friendly practices and principles that optimize the community’s assets and enhance quality of life for all ages. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy exhibits and education opportunities, experiences, and entertainment at no cost.”
AGE MASTERY PROGRAM ® This engaging and innovative 10-week education program was developed by the National Council on Aging to help communities create a clear path to strengthen the physical, financial, and emotional wellness of older adults. Initially, the MetLife Foundation funded a pilot program for 225 people in five states—South Carolina, Indiana, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Its success record justified an expansion so it’s now available throughout the country and it has the goal
of reaching 5 million older adults by 2020. Thanks to support from The Patterson Foundation, local organizations are offering the Aging Mastery Program. There’s a small fee to participate and class size is limited in each location, such as: • Jewish Family and Children’s Service of the Suncoast (Sarasota) 941-366-2224 • Aging in Paradise Resource Center (Longboat Key) 941-383-6493 • Enrichment Center at Renaissance on 9th (Bradenton) 941-749-0100 • The Friendship Centers (Sarasota and Venice) 941-556-3236 Why participate in the program? Because the classes focus on ways that older adults can create their own effective paths for aging well. Jacobs points out that participants of the programs have demonstrated clear increases in their social connectedness, physical activity, healthy eating habits, understanding of preventative benefits, communication with healthcare teams, and use of advanced planning. The agencies running these programs? They’ve been amazed at the change they’ve seen in the participants. Central to the Aging Mastery Program is the idea that modest lifestyle changes can produce big results and that people can be empowered and supported to cultivate health and longevity. For those of you who struggle with follow-through, there’s a reward system built in that will help keep you on track!
S
o this writer says “Thanks!” to The Patterson Foundation for giving me such interesting things to write about. And our community says “Thanks!” to them as well for continuing to keep us all connected, healthy, and learning.
F O R M O R E IN F O R M AT IO N
on The Patterson Foundation and initiatives such as Age-Friendly Sarasota and the Age Mastery Program®, please visit www. thepattersonfoundation.org or call 941.952.1413
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Matthew Otto, aif®, cfp® Matthew MatthewOtto, Otto,aif® aif® , cfp® , cfp® Why did you choose your profession? Why Why did did youyou choose choose your your profession? profession? I am passionate about helping others grow and protect their Many of my clients have worked entire lives I amIlegacies. am passionate passionate about about helping helping others others grow grow andtheir and protect protect their their to overcome financial adversity and build better futures for legacies. legacies. Many Many of my of clients my clients havehave worked worked theirtheir entire entire liveslives themselves and their families—I am build honored to be entrusted to overcome to overcome financial financial adversity adversity andand build better better futures futures for for with the management of their wealth all that ittomakes possible. themselves themselves andand theirtheir families—I families—I am and am honored honored to be entrusted be entrusted withwith the the management management of their of their wealth wealth andand all that all that it makes it makes possible. possible.
What are your practice’s core values? What What are your your practice’s practice’s core core values? Trust,are transparency, communication andvalues? deep client-advisor
relationships. Mycommunication team and I value each of ourclient-advisor clients as individuals, Trust, Trust, transparency, transparency, communication and and deep deep client-advisor and we appreciate that different We believe relationships. relationships. My My team team andthey and I value Ihave value each each of our of needs. our clients clients as individuals, as individuals, successful financial plans are customized per each client’s andand we appreciate we appreciate thatthat theythey havehave different different needs. needs. We We believe believe objectives and enhanced a commitment personal successful successful financial financial plans plans arewith are customized customized per per eachto each client’s client’sservice. objectives objectives andand enhanced enhanced withwith a commitment a commitment to personal to personal service. service.
What are some essential elements of an What What areare some some essential essential elements elements of of an an excellent client experience? excellent excellent client experience? experience? The hallmark ofclient excellent service is an uncompromising focus on
the client. Excellent service is isrooted the understanding thaton a TheThe hallmark hallmark of excellent of excellent service service anisuncompromising aninuncompromising focus focus on client’s financial needs often beyond a trade or that investment the the client. client. Excellent Excellent service service is rooted isextend rooted in the in the understanding understanding that a a consultation. Theneeds ability to anticipate these needs proactively client’s client’s financial financial needs often often extend extend beyond beyond a trade a trade orand investment or investment service them what makes a client experience truly memorable. consultation. consultation. Theis The ability ability to anticipate to anticipate these these needs needs and and proactively proactively service service them them is what is what makes makes a client a client experience experience trulytruly memorable. memorable.
Matthew Otto, AIF®, CFP® Managing Diretor, Partner Matthew Matthew Otto, Otto, AIF®, AIF®, CFP® CFP® Managing Managing Diretor, Diretor, Partner Partner
1605 Main Street, Suite 900 1605 1605 Main Main Street, Suite Suite 900900 Sarasota, FLStreet, 34236 Sarasota, Sarasota, FL 34236 FL 34236 (941) 203-7200 (941) (941) 203-7200 203-7200 hightoweradvisors.com/otto hightoweradvisors.com/otto hightoweradvisors.com/otto
Financial confidence and security should Financial Financial confidence confidence and security security should should not be considered aand luxury. We believe in not not be be considered considered a luxury. a luxury. We We believe believe in empowering investors with knowledge in empowering empowering investors investors with with knowledge knowledge and building portfolios that help them and and building building portfolios portfolios that that help help them them realize their dreams. realize realize their their dreams. dreams.
Fidelity Investments provides custody services to the Otto Group. Fidelity Investments is an independent company, unaffiliated with The Otto Group or HighTower, Fidelity Fidelity Fidelity Investments Investments provides provides custody custody services services to thetoOtto the Group. Otto Group. Fidelity Fidelity Investments Investments Investments is a service provider to them. There is no form of legal partnership, is an independent is an independent company, company, unaffiliated unaffiliated with The withOtto The Group Otto Group or HighTower, or HighTower, Fidelity Fidelity agency affiliation, or similar relationship between your financial advisor and Fidelity Investments Investments is a service is a service provider provider to them. to them. ThereThere is no form is no of form legal of partnership, legal partnership, Investments, nor is such a relationship created or implied by the information herein. agency agency affiliation, affiliation, or similar or similar relationship relationship between between your financial your financial advisor advisor and Fidelity and Fidelity Fidelity Investments has not been involved with the preparation of the content supplied Investments, Investments, nor isnor suchis asuch relationship a relationship created created or implied or implied by thebyinformation the information herein.herein. by The Otto Group and does not guarantee, or assume any responsibility for, its Fidelity Fidelity Investments Investments has not hasbeen not involved been involved with the withpreparation the preparation of theofcontent the content supplied supplied content. Fidelity Investments is a registered trademark of FMR LLC. Fidelity Clearing & by ThebyOtto The Group Otto Group and does and not doesguarantee, not guarantee, or assume or assume any responsibility any responsibility for, itsfor, its Custody SolutionsSM provides clearing, custody, and other brokerage services through content. content. Fidelity Fidelity Investments Investments is a registered is a registered trademark trademark of FMR of LLC. FMRFidelity LLC. Fidelity Clearing Clearing & & National Financial Services LLC or Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Members NYSE, SIPC. Custody Custody SolutionsSM SolutionsSM provides provides clearing, clearing, custody, custody, and other and other brokerage brokerage services services through through 789502.1.0 National National Financial Financial Services Services LLC orLLC Fidelity or Fidelity Brokerage Brokerage Services Services LLC. Members LLC. Members NYSE,NYSE, SIPC. SIPC. 789502.1.0 789502.1.0 Securities offered through HighTower Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC/MSRB, HighTower Advisors, LLC is a SEC registered investment adviser. Securities Securities offered offered through through HighTower HighTower Securities, Securities, LLC, Member LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC/MSRB, FINRA/SIPC/MSRB, HighTower HighTower Advisors, Advisors, LLC isLLC a SEC is aregistered SEC registered investment investment adviser. adviser.
RETIRE N
Well
o matter the level of your wealth, sound planning strategies and carefully researched investment advice for a fruitful, worry-free retirement is rarely achieved without the advice of professionals. Here are answers to some important questions we hope you’ll find helpful. After all, we are living longer and healthier lives. Isn’t it time to get serious about your retirement security?
By Jacqueline Miller
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Do you still need to worry about estate tax if you are Florida resident and have a net worth of less than the $5.49 million federal estate tax exemption?
You might. Many Florida residents think that by virtue of their Florida residency and their net worth they are immune from estate tax. That may not be the case if they own real estate, such as a vacation home, in a state with a state estate tax. Such states usually impose their estate tax on non-residents who die owning real estate in the state, and many have much lower exemptions than the federal estate tax exemption. For example, in 2017, the Massachusetts estate tax exemption is $1 million, the Connecticut estate tax exemption is $2 million, the Illinois estate tax exemption is $4 million, and Pennsylvania has no estate tax exemption. (Pennsylvania’s estate tax rates vary based on the decedent’s relationship to the beneficiary, from 0% if the beneficiary is a surviving spouse to 15% if the beneficiary is an individual unrelated to the decedent.) All of the decedent’s assets, not just those located in the state imposing the tax, are considered when determining whether the value of the decedent’s estate exceeds the state exemption. Fortunately, paying state estate tax can be avoided on the death of the first spouse if the marital deduction (or in Pennsylvania, the 0% tax rate) applies, and there are techniques available to avoid state estate tax altogether, such as contributing the out-of-state residence to an irrevocable trust or a limited liability company and leasing it back.
What is the least mentioned but most common financial mistake?
Attorney J. Allison Archbold Shareholder with Fergeson Skipper, P.A. 1515 Ringling Blvd., 10th Floor Sarasota, FL 34236 9 41.957.19 00 fergesonskipper.com
The most common mistake I see is that individuals and families do not have complete and accurate financial statements that account for all of their assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Countless surveys arrived at the same conclusion – that the most important financial question for individuals and families is “do I have enough to maintain or enhance my lifestyle?” This includes the $25 million and up Ultra Affluent segment. It’s impossible to answer this question without financial projections. If this is your number one question, how are you answering it? A Net Worth statement represents your financial strength today. Knowing your net worth is a fun fact, but it can easily be impacted by market fluctuations, inflation, income taxes, and also by creditors, estate taxes, and property and casualty perils. A properly constructed net worth statement will have not only values, but will also spell out ownership and asset location. All clients have the ability to protect their families from multiple perils, but first you must identify those to which you are exposed. Once you have a Net Worth statement, this is a valuable tool to share with your trusted advisors including your attorney and CPA. A Capital Sufficiency Analysis is designed to project your future and forecast how your net worth might evolve. No, there is no crystal ball. But if you and your advisor use accurate data, along with reasonable but conservative assumptions, and monitor it annually, you may be surprised at how accurate it can be. We will experience significant financial events, like 2008, again in the future. My experience with financial plans created prior to that event confirmed that reasonable assumptions would play out over time. It took a couple years, but those that stuck with their plans Mitchell Helton, CPA, CFP experienced positive results. Senior Wealth Strategist Whether you have “enough” or not, I encourage you to approach PNC Wealth Management your finances in a positive and fully engaged manner. Planning 1549 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 your future without strong financial statements is like building your 941.363.5090 dream home without blueprints, only much more important.
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What recurring mistakes are most frequently observed in your clients’ retirement plan beneficiary designation forms?
Attorney Todd D. Kaplan Icard Merrill 8470 Enterprise Circle Bradenton, FL 34201 941.907.0006 icardmerrill.com
In my practice, many new clients desire to obtain sophisticated wills and trusts. However, many of these same clients are unaware of the critical role that their retirement plan beneficiary designation forms play in their overall estate plan. When I ask clients what their beneficiary designation form states, I frequently get a look of surprise or concern when they learn that their will or trust generally does not control the beneficiary of their retirement plan. Some of the more frequently observed mistakes include outdated forms that were signed when family situations were different, failing to name contingent beneficiaries, designating minors as beneficiaries, missing or lost forms, and naming beneficiaries who fail to or are unable to take full advantage of stretching the income tax deferral benefits of the plan. Each of the specific mistakes above will tend to create their own set of unique problems if not timely addressed and could result in unintended beneficiaries of the plan, loss of creditor protection, unnecessary income taxes paid and lost income tax savings opportunities.
Should I delay my social security benefits?
Deciding whether to delay your Social Security benefits is a critical choice — and one that can have potentially significant financial payoffs. Take your benefits at your full retirement age and you’ll get 100 percent; wait a year and you'll get 108 percent; delay even further until you’re 70 and receive 132 percent. However, choosing to postpone is a very personal decision and there are many factors to consider. If you’re still working when you reach your retirement age and start collecting Social Security, your benefit payments could be subject to taxes. Although you won’t be taxed on more than 85 percent of your benefits, if your Adjusted Gross Income is above a certain point, the federal government will take a portion of your benefits. Claim your benefits even earlier and the Social Security Administration will withhold a certain amount on every dollar you make above a defined threshold. You will also need to evaluate your lifestyle and needs in the coming years. Can you live comfortably through other sources of income, like a pension or a retirement account? Finally, consider your life expectancy and your break-even age (where the cost of waiting is counterbalanced by the increased benefit). These will help you determine whether it’s worth Jerry Bainbridge, President it to take your earnings now, or delay for several years. J.L. Bainbridge & Company Before you make this important decision, we encourage you to 1582 Main Street speak with an investment advisor who can provide a full spectrum of Sarasota, FL 34236 wealth management guidance and retirement advice. With a trusted 941.365.3435 financial partner, you can maximize your benefits for a happy, jlbainbridge.com worry-free retirement.
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How often do I need to update my estate planning documents?
A few days ago, I was fast asleep and it was 2:00 a.m. when a heard a “chirp” that startled me from my sleep. I knew instantly what it was. The smoke detector battery in my bedroom needed to be changed. Of course it was the middle of the night, and of course the ladder was in the garage behind an obstacle course of junk. I reminded myself that this wouldn’t be happening if I had followed the rule of thumb and changed the battery when the time changed. If you are one of the 36% of Americans that has an estate plan, you should give yourself a pat on the back. However, like a smoke detector with a dead battery, your estate plan may not be of any use to you if it is out of date. The rule of thumb is to review your estate plan every three to five years to ensure that it is up to date. Death, divorce, marriage and births are just a few reasons to take an earlier look at your estate plan. Changes to state and federal laws may also necessitate a review and change. Within the past five years, we have had significant changes to the estate tax laws that may allow you to greatly simplify your estate plan. If you have sold an asset that is specifically referenced in your Will or Trust, you should update your estate plan in order to avoid confusion. Beneficiary designations on IRAs, annuities and life insurance should be re-checked regularly. Finally, personal property lists should be updated. Feuds John M. Compton Shareholder with Norton, among siblings often begin over the division Hammersley, Lopez & Skokos, P.A. of personal property after a parent’s death. Estate Planning & Asset If you happen to be one of the 64% of Preservation Americans without an estate plan, then you Business & Corporate Law have a little more work to do. I will promise 1819 Main Street, Suite 610 Sarasota, FL 34236 to change all of the smoke detector batteries 941.954.4691 in my house and clean my garage if you nhlslaw.com promise to get an estate plan.
Are your financial advisors for your retirement accounts fiduciaries?
Most investors understand the retirement assets (IRA’s, Roth IRA’s, retirement plans like 401k’s, etc.) are different from other investable assets. The first and most important distinction is related to the purpose of trying to secure a standard of living for the individual well after one’s ability to earn money has ended. As such, there should be care to make sure retirement funds get the best advice that does not have conflicts of interest associated with it. The federal government (the Department of Labor) and now even some state governments (Nevada is the first) are starting to mandate that financial advisors be fiduciaries rather than selling Michael D. McNiven, PhD financial products on commission. This means that Managing Director & they—like a doctor giving medical advice—should not Portfolio Manager receive more fees by recommending to you one style Cumberland Advisors 2 N. Tamiami Trail, Ste. 303 of investment versus another. In short, they should be Sarasota, FL 34236 focused on you first and foremost. Their compensation 941.554.4352 should not vary based on their recommendations. Ask Cumber.com your financial advisor if they are a fiduciary. If the answer is no, buyer beware.
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With interest rates as low as they are, how does one solve for a more productive cash flow in retirement?
Bonds have essentially been in a bull market for over 35 years. Put another way, interest rates have been declining since 1981, which has been a positive tailwind for those holding bonds and or bond funds thus far. Global central banks have cut rates nearly 700 times and bought more than 12 trillion in assets since the financial crisis. Back in July 2016 with most of Europe at negative bond yields, the Swiss government could have borrowed money for 50 years out to 2066 and gotten paid to do so. All of this is unprecedented and it sets up for a potentially treacherous path for investors who believe their bond fund holdings are safe investments. The commonly owned TLT or the iShares 20+ Year Treasury ETF is currently yielding around 2.5%. This ETF hit a high in July of 2016 and post the US election dropped over 17% in less than five months through December 2016. Investments considered “safe” need to be better understood by the investing public. People are living longer. The “solve” for this dilemma of longevity and record Matt Otto, CFP®, AIF® low rates should start by working with a sophisticated team who acts as a true fiduciary legally bound to their clients. Secondly, access to alternative fixed income solutions that own income producing real assets is one of many examples. Cash flow, liquidity, and risk analysis done by a CFP and or Fiduciary (or credentialed individual) is critical before implementation of any such investment strategy.
Managing Director Partner The Otto Group 1605 Main St., Ste 900 Sarasota, FL 34236 941.203.7200 hightoweradvisors.com/otto
Can I work while receiving social security benefits?
The answer is certainly yes, however if you continue working there are some important tax implications to consider if you choose to work while receiving Social Security Benefits. You may begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, however full retirement age is between 65 and 67, depending on your year of birth. People age 65 and younger who continue to work while receiving Social Security will have their benefits reduced by $1 for every $2 they earn over $16,920 in 2017. If you reach full retirement age in 2017, your Social Security benefits will be reduced $1 for every $3 you earn over $44,880 in the months before you reach full retirement age. Earnings include gross wages from a job or net self-employment income, however it does not included pensions, annuities, investment income, or other retirement income. However, beginning the month you reach full retirement age, your benefits will not be reduced no matter how Melodie Rich, CPA much you earn. Mauldin & Jenkins Your Social Security benefits received may be taxed depending 1401 Manatee Avenue West, on your earnings. If your adjusted gross income, tax-exempt interest Ste. 200 and 50% of your Social Security benefits exceeds $25,000 as an Bradenton, FL 34205 individual, or $32,000 for a married couple filing jointly, you may 9 41.747.4483 mjcpa.com be subject to income tax on as much as 85% of your benefits.
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As small business owners with a 401(k) profit sharing plan who are looking to maximize tax savings, how much more tax-deferred money can we put away, since laws are limited to $54,000 ($60,000 if over age 50)?
How much more money a small company employer can contribute will depend on their age, how many employees, their ages, as well as the dollar amount the employer is able to invest depending on various variables in relation to life goals and levels of risk. A census is required to do an actual calculation but on average, the employer may be able to contribute anywhere from $50,000 to $200,000.
How can I make sure that I am meeting my fiduciary responsibilities?
As participants are added to plan, the responsibility of the trustee increases significantly. The Trustee is responsible for the overall management of the investments in the plan. The trustee is responsible for monitoring the investments and making sure they are suitable for the plan. They are also responsible for making particular investment changes as needed. Lastly, the Trustee is responsible for making sure the fees associated with the plan are reasonable for the services being provided. Many employers don’t know or understand the responsibility of being the Trustee and the penalties that go along for failing to keep the plan in compliance. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974 clearly specifies these responsibilities and the penalties associated with failing to comply.
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Tony Blasini Vice President of Employee Benefits Caldwell Trust Company 1561 Main Street Sarasota, FL 34236 941.926.9336 ctrust.com
Photography by John Revisky
You’re retired. What do you do now? Become a couch potato? Heavens no. Not in our town. Be adventurous. We have too many ways to have fun.
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What can be more rewarding than watching a child’s face as they marvel at the different species of coral and the colorful and fascinating creatures of Florida’s reefs at Mote Aquarium? Visiting or volunteering at our many local cultural and educational centers is bound to bring you a new perspective on many things. Sharing it with a child makes it even better.
The Culinary Innovation Lab at USF SarasotaManatee is a state-of-theart teaching facility for students in the Hospitality Management program. “Bulls Bistro” happens there on Thursday night. It’s open at 5:30 p.m. to the public for $25 a ticket, and includes two glasses of wine or two glasses of brewed beer, the tasting of three different hors d’oeuvres and one sweet tapas. What a great way to meet new people while supporting and enjoying the creations of our future chefs!
The physical and mental benefits of dance are numerous and best yet, you can make great new friends. Toni Simpson of Punta Gorda travels an hour once a week to attend Smooth and Rhythm lessons at Empire Ballroom in Sarasota. Toni, who has been dancing for ten years, is featured here with studio owner Sid Pocius (right) and her instructor Vidas Orlovas (left).
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We all know that working out can help us live longer, healthier lives. These ladies are trying to do just that at the Ageless Fitness class with Syndi Toale three days a week at Sarasota’s Studio South Fitness on Palm Avenue. This low-intensity and low-impact workout has garnered a large following. The class incorporates strength and endurance exercises for total body conditioning, and best yet, new friendships are forged while everyone is having a great time.
It’s About What Others Are NOT Wearing: Unique Design Jewelers One visit to Unique Design Jewelers and you will soon realize why its name is so fitting. Many of the beautiful and unique custom pieces are handcrafted by a master artisan and are an expression of true individuality. The next time you are looking for something unique for someone who deserves more than the designer duplicates you find at most other jewelers, stop in to Unique Design Jewelers and find out what others are NOT wearing. You will enjoy your unique and timeless piece for many years to come. CUSTOM DESIGN | DIAMOND SETTING | ONSITE REPAIRS 8491 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota | 941.925.7100 | unique-design-jewelers.com
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on the town
Scenes from AN INTERVIEW
A Life Well Coached: Aimee Boorman by Gus Mollasis
P
erhaps because she’s from the Midwest, when you meet Aimee Boorman, you immediately feel at ease. Her warm, balanced way coupled with a beaming smile and a sincere gaze make talking to her easy. In her gymnast’s coaching bag that helped her protégé, Simone Biles, reach Olympic gold medal heights, there are no secrets, only virtues. Virtues packed tightly to share with anyone who comes into her world. Honesty. Integrity. The ethic of hard work. Respect and trustworthiness. Added up, these virtues didn’t only help her to coach an Olympic champion to gold, they’ve helped every athlete she’s coached. In her often frantic and busy life, she’s sought the balance needed in her athletes as they’ve performed on the floor, in the air and on the beam. When her dream of becoming an elite gymnast faded at an early age, she didn’t quit. She instead jumped feet first into coaching gymnastics, and that’s what she’s done ever since. Today, she’s the Executive Director of Women’s Gymnastics at EVO Athletics, where she’s once
again sharing her knowledge, wisdom and talent with a new generation of athletes. It’s a move that’s delivered results that even an Eastern European judge would give her a perfect score on. As I sat down in her office, just steps away from a gym full of athletes working hard on techniques, I couldn’t help notice how much fun they were all having. I also couldn’t wait to be coached a bit by Aimee Boorman as we took a look at some scenes from an interview of her life.
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on the town Where were you born? Chicago, Illinois. Congratulations on the Cubs. Thanks. 108 years between championships. That’s all it took. (Laughs) Being from Chicago, you’re a fan if you can say you’re a fan, then you are a fan. You have been tested and through all the ups and downs. What was your favorite way to spend a day as a child? I was a latchkey kid. Single mom. We lived close by the park district where I started doing gymnastics. Then when I switched to private club gymnastics, I would go home and get ready for gym. I’d eat a snack, get on the public transportation and go to gym. My mom would pick me up after and that’s pretty much what I did every day, because my life was gymnastics. Was it your dream to be a gymnast and win Olympic gold? Yes. To be in the Olympics, absolutely. I think that any little girl who’s on a competitive team, that’s just what they dream of.
Who was that gymnast you watched on TV that you most admired? It was 1984 and that’s probably when I was at the peak of my focus. Sure, Mary Lou Retton influenced me, but my absolute favorite gymnasts were Julianne McNamara and Tracee Talavera. Interestingly now, I looked up to them when I didn’t know them and they were stars in my eyes. Now we’re friends who chat occasionally on Facebook. (Laughs) It has come full circle. Bart Conner too. I consider Bart a friend. When did you realize you would not become the gymnast you dreamed of becoming? I was probably around 12 years old and hit my growth spurt. Everything became difficult.
But I still loved gymnastics. It wasn’t that I was going to stop gymnastics; I just knew that I wasn’t going to be an Olympian. How did you channel that into something else and eventually get into coaching? I started coaching when I was 13. I was doing it to pay my tuition and I was [an] assistant coach. I started there and just kept going. There has only been one full year in my life since I was six in which I wasn’t involved in gymnastics and that was between age 12 and 13. At 13, I went back to the gym and I have been involved in it ever since. I went away and missed it so much. When I went to college I was a communications major, like every freshman, and I was coaching a little bit, but not much. I realized how much I missed gymnastics and thought I would just coach. That’s because I quit being a gymnast when I was 18. How soon do you know when someone has that ‘special something’ it takes to be a champion? You can see a spark in a kid, but you never really know how far they’re going to go, because it’s all a matter or circumstances. You have to have the passion, the body type, the drive, the financial assets, and the ability to stay healthy. You have a lot of things that [need to] go right. You have to get with the right facility and with the right people. When people ask me when I knew Simone (Biles) was going to be great, or when I knew that Simone would make the Olympics, I answer “When she made the Olympics.” That was it. Now, we knew going into that Olympic year that if she was healthy, she was going to be on the team, but that’s a huge thing. This sport is incredibly dangerous and you never know when something happens and you’re done. So if you see one of these gifted athletes walk in your door today and she has everything going for her, you just don’t know if it’s going to happen because you don’t know what’s inside them? Yes; you don’t know what’s inside them in terms of passion and drive. In the case of Simone it was fun. She came in during a field trip. You walked in and you see all these 6-year olds on a field trip. She got a note sent home with her that said, “Hey, do you want to come in and try some classes?” It was my mother who actually saw her first. My mother said, “Aimee, you have to come and see this. You have to see this kid.” I told her I was busy coaching the team.
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on the town I blew off my mom about Simone. (Laughs) The moral of the story is listen to your mother. Luckily, Simone did end up signing up for classes. When I saw her in a class, she caught my eye. She was just this little spunky thing. I will see kids like that here (EVO Athletics), but there is just such a balance of getting all of that and knowing from the professional perspective of how hard to push, when to push and when to pull back. To me, they need to be kids, first and foremost. Yes, Simone became a superstar, but she was just an average teen like any teen I have here, until she made the decision to take it to the next level. She was 14 years old when she made that decision. She worked out 20 hours a week. Her parents were involved, but not over-involved. They dropped her off at the gym, picked her up and paid her tuition. What is the most gratifying part of your coaching profession? I think the most gratifying part is the relationships that are made. I love when a kid stays in a sport and I get to watch them grow and develop. It’s not about the gymnastics. It’s being a part of raising them and being able to mentor them. Having that relationship. There are a lot of kids who have quit gymnastics that I still have a friendship with. They are parents now. They will send me baby pictures of their children. And that’s nice. My goal is always, no matter how good you are, that when you leave the sport, you leave loving gymnastics. You don’t leave it because you hate it. You leave it because you’re done. Everybody gets done with things in their lives. Everybody does that
Simone Biles
at some point. You stop playing with dolls at some point and at some point you stop gymnastics. But it’s still in your heart and you still love it. Then they enroll their children into gymnastics. It evolves. And it’s something that just fills my heart. What is the most difficult part of being a coach? As far as the hardest part, I don’t think people realize this, but it is what the coaches have to sacrifice. It’s probably like this in most youth sports. Our jobs don’t start until the kids are out of school, so that means that my husband knows I won’t be home until after 9 p.m. every night, because I’m spending time with other people’s children. As you get up in the higher levels, you’re working more hours and traveling. I missed three of my youngest son’s birthdays in a row because I was in another country coaching gymnastics. There is a lot of sacrifice. Luckily, my husband knew what he signed up for, and for my children, it was kind of what their life has always been. Now that I made the switch to Sarasota, I’m making sure that my family is my priority. Now they say things like, “Oh, you’re here this weekend, Mom?” Before, I would go away for weeks at a time. The longest trip was to the Olympics for six weeks. I was very lucky that my mom lived with us for most of that time. Grandma was there helping to raise the kids and that was fantastic. Describe the 2016 Olympic team, and how gifted Simone Biles was and what made her so good. As far as Simone goes, she has star quality. She did really ugly gymnastics when she was
little, but she was powerful. She was this teeny little thing. People would see how high she would tumble, how dynamic she was, and that she had this smile from ear to ear because she was doing what she loved. It was just fun for her. I knew that she always had star quality. Her floor music would come on and even judges who were judging other events would stop and wait to start judging the next routine until Simone was done because they wanted to watch her. She had “it.” She absolutely had an “it” factor. The light went off in my head, but we had to keep it fun. Describe the many hats as a coach you wear with your athletes. Simone has said that I was like a second mom to her, but I prefer to be known as the cooler aunt. (Laughs) Because that’s the more fun role and I don’t actually have to parent you. But I did have to parent her in the gym, and I do that with the kids that I coach now. If you were to ask her about me, she would say that I knew when to push her and when to step back. There were times when I had to put my foot down and there were times when I would say, “Let’s go play.” What is the most important word that embodies that relationship? I think it is trust. We were together for 12 years. It was a long relationship. She was kind of daughter to me. There was trust and respect, which went both ways. She respected me as her coach, and I respected her as an athlete who was making a choice to do this. Her parents and I told her that she didn’t have to do this, that she was driving the bus.
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on the town As you have stated many times, you consider what you do to be just a job. Please explain. It’s ‘just gymnastics’ because we’re not curing cancer here. We’re teaching kids how to do cartwheels and move their bodies, but more importantly, we’re teaching them life skills. That’s the biggest part of our job. We’re teaching them about respect, honor, sportsmanship, self-discipline, time management. All the tools that are going to help them as adults. But the gymnastics is going to fade in them, just like playing with dolls. Even Simone, who is superstar Olympian, is going to get to the point when gymnastics is what she did in her past, and she’ll have to look at and focus on what is coming up in the future. She’s only going to be a gymnast for so long. There is a point where you are no longer going to be a professional athlete. How thin is that line between getting a bronze medal and a gold medal?
I don’t know. I haven’t seen a bronze medal in a long time. (Laughs) Actually one on the beam from Simone. What was it like when she fell and miraculously caught herself? Yeah, and she still got a bronze medal. It was pretty much a miracle what she did there. She was well trained and knew how to fight. When you talk about what’s the difference between a gold medal and a bronze, I look at being a part of team USA. It is such a dominant program, and Simone is the most dominant athlete in the world for four years straight. The hardest part for us was not winning. It was the pressure and expectations that was put on her to win. It wasn’t about the gymnastics, but the high expectations from everyone else. When she was starting to get overwhelmed with the pressure and expectations, I would tell her, “You’re not responsible for other people’s expectations. You’re only responsible for your expectations.”
Finish the following sentences: When I watched Simone Biles win gold in the Olympics, I…
I was proud. That was the biggest thing. I felt like we had come full circle from where we started. We reached the apex of our journey.
The greatest thing I can do for all my athletes is…
Teach them how to always love what they are doing and teach them that what they do does not define who they are.
A good coach will always… Stands up for their athlete. The great athlete will always… Be true to who they are. I’m a good coach because… (Laughs) I don’t have a big ego. I like to stand behind the athletes and let them shine.
The essential quality to be a great champion is…
Dedication and passion.
An Olympic gold medal is… Wow! 68
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2016 Team USA at the White House
What is the most important thing that you hope your athletes take away from their time with you? That they learn how to communicate with whoever they are working with, whether it’s a co-worker, boss or employees. The line of communication is so important because everybody has something to say. Usually with these kids, I need to know if they’re not feeling well, or if they are sick or injured, or even sad, because it’s going to affect how I deal with them. When you feel safe with someone, you can talk with them in a very respectful way that they trust. They should be able to carry that through life and in their relationships, moving forward. What do you tell the athlete or their parents when they tell you they want to become an Olympic champion, or that they want their child to compete for gold in the Olympics? People call me and say, “Tell me about your elite program.” And I tell them, “I don’t run an elite program.” I teach gymnastics and I have the knowledge to teach your child whatever they are capable of learning. And then everything else has to fall in place as well. I give them tools for success, but success isn’t handed to you. You have to work at it. How did you find your way to Sarasota? Jason Collins, who is one of my partners, actually came to work with me in Houston, but for personal reasons had to come back to Sarasota. Right around the Olympics, my husband and I were looking for something different. We had been in Houston for 21 years. Simone and I had come full circle on what we had started. It was the completion of that and we were ready for something new in our lives. We came here for a visit, and Jason urged us to come and check it out. My husband got a great job offer and my son got into a great music school and we’re five minutes from the beach. I’m so happy to be here. Tell me about EVO Athletics and your new role there. I’m one of the owners, and I specifically run the Women’s Gymnastics Program. I oversee the recreation and preschool, and I work with the boys sometimes in the teen program with Jason
on the town
What is your advice to young gymnasts and other athletes with Olympic or professional dreams? Just make sure that you are loving what you do. Find the joy in it. Not every day is fun, but you still have to love it. Because if you don’t love it, then it’s not worth doing. If you love it, it will carry you forward. Tell me about your most recent award, being named the U.S. Olympic Coach of the Year, and what that — and awards in general — mean to you? These awards are cool right now. The U.S. Olympic Coach award is really special. It represents all of the Olympic sports, from both winter and summer, and all the governing bodies. It’s kind of funny, I have these three plaques and I got these three for coach of the year selected by my peers and there is a joke that I got one to represent each one of my children for all the years that I’ve been gone. (Laughs) What is your favorite way to relax in Sarasota? It’s the beach and we belong to a boat club, so we enjoy taking a boat out on the water. But my favorite thing, honestly, is just being able to spend more quality time with my family. Hopefully many years from now, what is the first thing that you hope people mention when they bring up your name? Oh wow! That I was a good person with a good heart, compassionate and cared about others. I feel like when you are a coach, your job is to give back. If you’re doing it for your own glory, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons.
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(Collins), who oversees the boys’ program. We also do a Ninja Warrior program, cheerleading, and volleyball. Eventually we’re going to bring in other sports. It’s really about providing a wholesome and positive place to raise kids. For me, anybody that works under me and on my staff has to have a similar philosophy. It doesn’t mean that we always have to agree, but ultimately when it comes down to the core of it, it’s about how the children are treated and how we’re treating the parents as clients.
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Education MATTERS By Ryan G. Van Cleave
THE FAB LAB IS TOTALLY FAB(ULOUS)!
that end, it had high-graded industrial machines, vinyl cutters, CNC routers, and embroidery machines, among other tools, which meant community members could make nearly anything, from plaques to puzzles, gaskets to games, and cups to chairs. The lab received accreditation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which is a top honor for fab labs around the world.
WHEN MY DAUGHTERS BEGGED ME to take them to the Fab Lab, I assumed they were talking about one of three things: • Some kind of teeny-bopper dance club • One of those boutique stores for kids that specializes in high-priced STEM-friendly stuff that more often than not has a “MENSA approved” sticker • A super-hero lair I was wrong. The Fab Lab is the shorthand name for the Faulhaber Fab Lat at the Suncoast Science Center. Founded in 2014 as a stand-alone entity with a mission “to inspire and support tomorrow’s innovators through experiential learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math,” the Fab Lab really got its start a few years prior at the now-defunct GWiz Science Museum. The late Dr. Fritz and his wife, Ping Faulhaber, donated $400,000 to launch a fabrication lab where the end result is almost always a physical product vs something merely digital. To
When GWiz went under in 2012, the Faulhaber Family Foundation bought back most of the important tools at auction and then worked to set up the new Fab Lab on the campus of Suncoast Technical College. What’s different, though, is that it’s anything but a museum. A better way of thinking about what the Fab Lab is? A shop class of the future that’s open to any community member,
$400,000 Initial donation by the Faulhabers to launch the Fab Lab.
from students to retirees. All it requires is a reasonable monthly fee for unlimited use of the facilities and machines. Community Engagement Manager Kati Burns explains the value of having the Fab Lab here, saying “the lab provides a space for multi-generational, hands-on experiential learning and access to equipment only found at manufacturing facilities or select universities.” She notes, too, that it’s more than just a workplace with cool tools. They have several volunteers on hand to share their expertise in areas such as computer programming, electrical engineering, and machining. It makes perfect sense that the Fab Lab has a robust high school volunteer program. Who wouldn’t want to work at a place with 3D printer, plasma cutters, and gear head lathes? Burns explains that “we’re proud to say our volunteers have been accepted to Purdue, MIT, Georgia Tech, Tufts, and the list goes on and on. All of these students credit their
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experience at the Fab Lab to achieving their goal of being accepted to the school of their dreams.” Burns knows firsthand what the Fab Lab can do for a student. Her son, Rocket, was a take-it-apart kind of kid from early on, so to no one’s surprise, he began volunteering and creating at the Fab Lab the minute it opened in May 2015. One of his Fab Lab projects? “Meltdown,” a full-size electronic arcade game built from scratch that plays 60 of the most popular older video games. He’s also partnered with a Pine View graduate and patent attorney to set up Hackerboxes.com, a subscription-based service where hands-on builders like him can purchase boxes of components to experiment with and explore. They all have cool names such as “Raspberry WiFi,” “Cellular Metal,” or “Cache the Planet.” My daughters already are begging me for “Robotics Workshop” and “Circuit Circus” boxes. “We’ve got big plans!” they warn me. Florida’s “Entrepreneur of the Year,” Nick O’Donnell, used the Fab Lab to create works of art for his company Terraform Design. Burns says that his “parametric design process” uses mathematical algorithms to design furniture and accessories, which he then creates using the CNC Router and laser cutters. His furniture
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has been featured at Art Basel, an international art fair in Miami, and he now boasts a number of domestic and international corporate clients.
“We’re going to make a giant fire-breathing robot.”
The demand for fab labs has increased nationwide to match the growing interest in STEM careers and education. More and more, students like Rocket and my own daughters come in and get hooked. Those hands-on experiences help science become real and fun. “We’re going to make a giant fire-breathing robot,” my daughters tell me. And with all the Fab Lab has to offer in the way of manufacturing possibilities, they may well be able to create just such a thing. Oh, boy. Burns sums up the importance of the Fab Lab, saying, “It’s remarkable to have a space like this in a community where people of all ages, genders, and educational backgrounds can come together to learn, create, and collaborate without barriers.” So, come out to the Fab Lab yourself and see what all the buzz is about. (And watch out for giant fire-breathing robots.)
F O R M O R E IN F O R M AT IO N
on the Fab Lab, please visit www.suncoastscience.org or call 941.840.4394
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arts&culture
GET Inspired CULTURAL HAPPENINGS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE ARTS AND CULTURAL ALLIANCE OF SARASOTA COUNTY
Sarasota native LEAH VERIER-DUNN is the Artistic Director and CoFounder of Moving Ethos Dance. She received her BFA from New World School of the Arts in Miami where she worked closely with renowned choreographer Robert Battle. Professionally, she has worked with Keigwin & Co., Adele Myers and Dancers, and Karl Rogers/ Red Dirt Dance, among others. After a professional dancing career in both
Miami and New York City, she decided to bring her voice back to her hometown — to the delight of many. Since 2008, Leah has worked on expanding the boundaries of dance in Sarasota. She is known for tearing down the so-called “fourth wall” between audience and performer; it gets you in the gut and has been described as “psychological dance theater” by Carrie Seidman of the Herald Tribune.
In addition to the work she does locally, she tours nationally with Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre. Leah is a certified life and recovery coach, a
certified yoga teacher, and a recent graduate of Seth Godin’s altMBA where she received the Wendy Kopp Award for her generosity in helping others.
LEAH VERIER-DUNN We asked Leah how and why the arts in Sarasota influence and inspire her: “Because of my amazing parents, a love for
the arts was deeply ingrained in my system. I was immersed into a world of imagery, creativity and self-expression from day one; in essence, the arts helped raise me. Sarasota’s beautiful community of artists and collaborators, most notably Florida Studio Theatre, Florida Ballet Arts and Booker High School, created a unique space for my artistic growth. Now, as a professional creating work here, I’ve recognized that Sarasota has a fierce willingness and desire to feel, grow and be challenged. That hunger fuels me to push beyond what I know is possible to bring meaningful experiences to audiences I have the pleasure of serving.”
Moving Ethos’ next performance premieres September 13-17, 2017 at Urbanite Theatre. Tickets available at urbanitetheatre.com. | movingethos.org
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Inspiring EVENTS PEOPLE, EVENTS & PLACES SHAPING OUR RICH CULTURAL LANDSCAPE
Art Uptown Gallery presents Dog Days of Summer OPENING RECEPTION: AUGUST 4, 6:00-9:00 p.m. EXHIBIT THROUGH AUGUST 25 Art lovers look forward to this annual juried art exhibition presenting the works of area artists working in 2D and 3D. In addition to merchandise awards, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners’ art will be displayed in the gallery’s Main Street window for two weeks, a good way to see high-quality art and meet the artists during August’s First Friday Walk on Main Street. Art Uptown Gallery 1367 Main Street, Sarasota 941.955.5409 artuptown.com ringling.edu/galleries
Island Gallery West presents Wild and Wonderful, an exhibition of acrylic paintings by Patrick O'Neill AUGUST 1-AUGUST 31 MON.-SAT., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Patrick O’Neill’s art centers around realism and capturing the intricate details that bring his subjects to life in his August Featured Artist exhibit of acrylic paintings, Wild and Wonderful, at Island Gallery West. Island Gallery West 5368 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island 941.778.6648 islandgallerywest.com
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arts&culture
BOOKSTORE1SARASOTA PRESENTS THREE MEET THE AUTHOR EVENTS Bookstore1Sarasota 12 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota (941) 365-7900 sarasotabooks.com
Art Center Sarasota presents Florida’s Finest, a statewide juried exhibition ON VIEW THROUGH AUGUST 11 MON.-SAT. 10:00 a.m.4:00 p.m. Florida’s Finest was created as an annual exhibition to showcase the wide-ranging talents of Florida-based artists, and includes two- and three-dimensional works in a variety of media. Lynn Whitelaw, former Director and Curator of the LeepaRattner Museum of Art, juried this year’s exhibition, which is installed in all four of the center’s galleries. Art Center Sarasota 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota 941.365.2032 artsarasota.org
READING: PICTURE BOOK AUTHOR DIANNE OCHILTREE AUGUST 8, 11:00 a.m. Dianne Ochiltree is the author of many beautiful picture books including It’s a Seashell Day and It’s a Firefly Night. She’ll be reading aloud, so bring the kids. She’ll also bring along creative writing lessons that teachers, librarians and parents can use with children from preschool to grade 4.
BOOK LAUNCH: THE LAST GIRL BY DANNY LÓPEZ AUGUST 7, 5:30 p.m. Meet the author, Danny López, who was raised in Mexico, Texas, and Florida. He did numerous jobs before becoming a photojournalist, which allowed him to travel around the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean and meet many of the characters that populate his stories. The Last Girl, set in Mexico City, is published by Oceanview Publishing.
BOOK LAUNCH: HOW DO I GET THERE FROM HERE WHEN THE OLD RULES NO LONGER APPLY? BY DR. GEORGE SCHOFIELD AUGUST 19, 5:30 p.m. Schofield’s book explores how to tackle aging in an era when people regularly live into their 90s and beyond. This is a book about navigating the new normal, which demands conscious engagement, diverse interests, updated expertise and skills, health in longevity, and the ability to adapt regularly. This book helps you plot your direction. Dr. Schofield has been widely published in publications such as the Huffington Post, the New York Times, nextavenue.com (PBS), ABC, Forbes, MSN, and Fox Business News.
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arts&culture The Ringling presents Posed: Portrait Photography from the Permanent Collection THROUGH OCTOBER 29 7 DAYS, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (THURSDAYS UNTIL 8 p.m.) This exhibition, part of The Ringling’s continuing series of photography shows, highlights portraits from the permanent collection. Featured are works by many preeminent 20th century artists such as Richard Avedon, Cindy Sherman, Diane Arbus, Edward Weston, and Andy Warhol. Several recent acquisitions will also be on view, including intimate studio portraits taken in the early to mid-1900s by Mike Disfarmer as well as a series by August Sander, who documented a cross-section of German society during the Weimer Republic. Additionally, luminary artists and writers are seen through the eyes of photographers including Louis Armstrong, Truman Capote and Diego Rivera.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens presents Celebrate Selby! 37th Annual Juried Photographic Exhibition AUGUST 12-SEPTEMBER 10 7 DAYS, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Explore photography that celebrates the flora and fauna of Selby Gardens. Entries are divided into five categories — Favorite Selby Scene, Plant Life, Selby Gardens’ Geometry, Selby’s Birds, Bugs & Critters, and Selby in Black & White. Selby Gardens 900 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota 941.366.5731 selby.org
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Museum admission is $25. The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota 941.359.5700 theringling.com
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special events
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Best SEATS PERFORMING ARTS CALENDAR
Asolo Repertory Theatre
941.351.8000 / asolorep.org Double Indemnity August 8-27
Florida Studio Theatre
941.366.9000 / floridastudiotheatre.org The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey Through August 6 Doublewide August 2 - 20 The Blue-Eyed Bettys Through August 20 Roar! The Music of the 1920s and Beyond August 22 - September 24
Manatee Performing Arts Center
941.748.5875 / manateeperformingartscenter.com
The Ringling
941.358.3180 / ringling.org
941.374.2914 / SarasotaOpera.org
The Producers August 10 - 27
Amadeus (National Theatre Live) August 4
Opera Film: Otello August 6
The Father August 24 - September 10
Exhibits: Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art Through September 10
Ballet Film: Swan Lake August 13
The Players Theatre
941.365.2494 / theplayerstheater.org The Players New Play Series Through August 4 Madagascar, Jr. August 4 Arsenic and Old Lace August 9 - 20 Mammoth Bones August 22 - 27
Amazing Acts of the Greatest Show on Earth Through September 11 Skyway: A Contemporary Collaboration Through October 15 Posed Through October 29
Sarasota Opera
Film: Cavalleria/Pagliacci August 20 Tales of a Lovable Thief August 26 Opera Film: Faust August 27
Urbanite Theatre
941.321.1397 / UrbaniteTheatre.com Pilgrims August 4 - September 10
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall The Blue-Eyed Bettys
941.955.7676 | vanwezel.org Friday Fest ’17: Jah Movement Reggae Band August 25
Venice Performing Arts Center
941.480.3191 / veniceperformingartscenter.com Madame Butterfly: Art Nouveau, Adventure, & Arrogance August 1
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arts&culture Singer Song Writers Symposium August 3 Women of Comedy August 8 Dave Morgan Jazz Trio August 10
Venice Theatre
941.488.1115 / venicestage.com Zombie Prom Through August 12
The Local Spotlight Festival Eli Schildkraut: “Songs You’ve Never Heard Before (And Maybe Some You Have)” August 3 - 6 Sinning Sirens August 4 - 5 SummerStock Performers: “Zombie Serenade, Songs in the Key of Aaaiiieee!” August 9 - 11 VT Staff: “Don’t Quit Your Day Job” August 10 - 11 Alana Opie: “Classic Country Cabaret” August 12 - 13 Ann Morrison: “Ann’s Furniture Set” August 13 Syreeta Banks & Ariel Blue: “Soul Sisters, a Celebration of Divas” August 17 & 20 Random Acts: “Hold My Beer…” August 18 - 19 Stephen Ditchfield: “Through the Years” August 20 & 27 Melissa Cripps: “Turning Point” August 24 - 25 Kim Kollar: “BABS! Bad Ass Broads of Song” August 26 - 27
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LITERARYScene By Ryan G. Van Cleave
A QUIRKY SOUTHERN NOVEL, A FUN DATING-GONE-WRONG NOVEL, AND A HISTORICAL COMING-OF-AGE NOVEL ARE A TERRIFIC WAY TO CLOSE OUT THE SUMMER!
EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES: A NOVEL by Daniel Wallace First, a confession—I’m fond of stories about quirky Southern characters, and I’m super fond of Daniel Wallace’s novel Big Fish (yes, the novel, not the movie!). So it’s no shocker then that his newest novel, Extraordinary Adventures, grabbed me from the first sentence: “Bronfman won a prize.” And indeed that’s the premise—Edsel Bronfman, a junior executive shipping clerk for a Korean flatware importer—has won a seven-day vacation at a beachfront condo in Destin, Florida. The only hiccup? It’s one of those timeshare pitch deals for a couple, not a single. And poor Bronfman doesn’t have much in his life beyond work, home, and his mom’s house. So how’s he supposed to take advantage of this intriguing opportunity—in no less than 79 days—without someone to bring with him? Sure, Bronfman is a bit socially awkward, but is this the kick in the relationship pants that he’s needed? This is a kind-hearted book about making the shift to living life from letting life live you. As Operator 61217 says when she offers him the trip, “Anything could happen in 79 days...” and in this story, it does. Sidenote—if they make a movie out of this, I could see a younger Bill Murray playing the lead (Edsel is 34). In short, I found this book to be charming, clever, and deceptively deep at times. Wallace’s signature wit and story pacing is again in play and will likely propel this book to the bestseller charts.
SINGLE-MINDED: A NOVEL by Lisa Daily You know Lisa Daily—she’s a Siesta Key Beach resident who’s also the love and relationships expert on the morning TV show Daytime, and she’s the author of numerous dating how-to books as well as two novels, Beauty and Fifteen Minutes of Shame. She’s at it again with a new novel that’s centered around the world she knows best—dating, romance, and love. It all starts with a seemingly perfect marriage (Alex met her husband at the Play-Doh table in kindergarten!) with a big house on the bay and great careers, but he has a secret and it blows everything up. Now she’s back on the dating scene with a plethora of advice from unlikely (and wacky) sources, like a masochistic yogi, a foul-talking political consultant, and a weed-loving octogenarian. For Alex, the world of modern dating seems fraught with booby traps and emotionally perilous situations. Clearly Daily knows a thing or two about how to tell compelling stories because this breezy book will have readers chuckling, cheering, and charging through the pages as they root for Alex to find that sometimes-elusive second chance at love.
Rating:
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www.DanielWallace.org
www.lisadaily.tv
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arts&culture
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THE COW IN THE DOORWAY by Gino B. Bardi West Coast Florida author Gino B. Bardi claims to have done pretty much every type of writing... except a novel. Now, he can check that off the list with the publication of The Cow in the Doorway, which received first prize in the Royal Palm Literary Awards by the Florida Writers Association. The main character, Tony Vitelli, is trying to make his way at Cornell in the 1960s. Unfortunately for him— and perhaps luckily for readers—he makes most of the mistakes a first-year self-deprecating college kid can make while avoiding the Vietnam War, looking to lose his persistent virginity, and struggling with academics because it’s not his area of real interest. The story really turns on the introduction of Melissa, Tony’s first real love interest. But I’m a bit more taken by some of the other characters, though, such as Country Bob and Steve the Freak (who I think was MY roommate in the 1990s!). Bardi is a talented writer, and there’s much to like about this chuckle-worthy book that looks back on “simpler” times. Still, I’m probably too young to fully appreciate novels set in the 1960s, and humor is a super-subjective thing, so feel free to kick this rating up a half a latte, depending on your own taste. (I suspect Baby Boomers might push the rating up a full cappuccino thanks to the nostalgia factor.) Rating:
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THE GENTLE UNPACKING OF MUD By Kerri Dieffenwierth | Illustration by Christian Saenz
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n the last morning of their mother-daughter trip to Santa Fe, Ann grabbed a lace sachet of sage at the Farmer’s market and breathed in its scent, not gracefully, wondering about the $8 price, when she heard a voice behind her: “You know, I’ve been considering this a lot lately - really pondering — and all I can say is what it all comes down to is love. Love is the only thing that ever mattered.” Not that she often eavesdropped (yet she did), but the woman behind her back sounded like someone from one of those Oprah specials, so Ann turned to glimpse what wisdom in the form of a kinder, possibly better-in-every-way-woman looked like. The lady looked just like Ali MacGraw from the movie Love Story. Though Ann might have been wrong, since she was only seven when the movie came out. But she vaguely remembered MacGraw’s yoga photograph from a book jacket and thought she recognized the striking beauty — dark eyes, high cheekbones, and perky nose. McGraw wore faded bohemian denim and silver bangles that jangled against lean wrists. Silver highlights framed her tan face. It had to be her, and so Ann listened a few more moments to try and absorb more movie star love karma. It felt like free therapy. Then Ann’s mother hollered for her from the goat cream booth. When Ann agreed to head to Santa Fe with her mom, those close to them both were shocked. Some even wondered aloud if Ann were a saint, a martyr, or just a fool. But how should adult children of parents deal with those parents who’d seriously wounded them in so many crushing ways? Each in their own way perhaps. Still, Ann knew the truth: Santa Fe was a selfish trip. Her mother believed it was all for her, when really, it was mostly for Ann. She could sense that the woman who caused her life major pain was coming closer to the end of hers. Ann needed this trip to forgive her because the anger Ann directed her mother’s way for decades only twisted back into Ann. Therapy only helped a little, and truthfully, she couldn’t afford it any longer. Plus, she needed the light.
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Ann had been to New Mexico before, climbed the steep wooden ladders in Frijoles Canyon to sit in Pueblo cave dwellings that had long ago been carved into soft mountains, the volcanic tuff that even soft tools could chew through. During that first visit, she’d sit with her back against the coolness of gritted walls and stare through the giant circular openings while her soul tried to scoop out some peace for later. Maybe it was the Indian lore that settled into the rock that would rub off on her, like she could absorb survival techniques. Or maybe it was the sun, soft gold in late afternoon, the smell of pinion, or the browned red of the earth. Perhaps sacred just hangs in the air there because it’s still needed. It is the kind of place where you can forgive someone for the price of a round-trip ticket. For three days, Ann ushered her mother to galleries, restaurants, and shops. For the middle of the trip, she’d saved Chimayo and its holy chapel and healing dirt and stories of miracles, in case miracles weren’t enough, in case she needed more. An hour’s drive north of Santa Fe, on what’s called the high road, waited a special chapel, a place where anyone could find forgiveness. She hoped. The rain had been coming down since their arrival at Chimayo. In fact, there was more rainfall in that week than during the past 90 years. “I love the rain,” said Ann’s mom. She was trying extra hard to be sweet, like she knew Ann had some kind of plan. Rain in New Mexico softens the land and creates rivulets across paths. It was tough to point out to her mother the thousands of crosses placed on Chimayo’s simple chain link fence near the parking area when she was trying to keep her from falling. Finally, cold and wet, they approached the front of the chapel. Ann opened the thick wooden door of El Santuario de Chimayo and stepped in quietly, hoping her mother would stay quiet, too. The polished pews were smoothed by hundreds of years of standing and sitting, pushing and sliding — in grief or anger or hope or thankfulness. Dusty relics and groupings of votive candles surrounded the two women but the rest of the dwelling was empty of visitors. As they stepped closer to El Pocito, the little well of sacred dirt, they could see notes and photographs and
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beachreads was two inches tall, black and shiny except for matte circles around an area just for baby-related tragedies, torn slips of paper as evidence the eyes and the front of its chest. It had dozens of tiny etched notches of humans begging for miracles or just mercy. Crutches hung from the all over its back. ceiling and lined the adobe walls. Some had leather straps that spoke “This is my spirit animal,” said the man. “I’ve been carving owls of nothing but pain. Ann wondered for the first time if there was a thin since I was seven years old.” He looked in his mid-fifties, stout, with line between sacred and scary. dark jeans and a black western style shirt with pearl snaps. His hair When they stooped to enter El Pocito, Ann’s mother handed her was as shiny as the carbon surface of his owls. a tiny container that she pulled from her purse, the one Ann made “I don’t have any Indian blood, but I think it’s my spirit animal, too,” her bring to the chapel. “Do mine,” she said, more of an order than a Ann said as she continued to caress the smoothness. “If that’s even request. Ann knelt and took a few ounces, enough to fill both their possible,” she added, ashamed to tell a Native American that she tins. She lingered in the low room, savoring the story of the priest who shared his spirit animal. At home, she had in a book on her shelf: Power found a buried cross on his land. He’d taken it to a local church but the Animals, by Steven Farmer. On the page of the owl: Some say I’m a cross kept showing up buried in his soil again. He built the chapel on portent of death, but that’s not necessarily so. Death is only an aspect of the exact spot where it kept appearing. Ann thought hard about the darkness. The shadowy realms can be kind of scary, yet there really isn’t meaning of that story and how or why dirt could heal. She went back anything to fear. The darkness is just as sacred as the light, and in it there and forth between being a believer to being suspicious, then back to is magic, mystery, and ancient knowledge. You can’t have one without believer again. She didn’t want to falter now, not when she had come the other, and the light will always dissipate the this far. She leaned over and raked grooves in darkness. the dirt with her fingers, working the sand into a “I believe that it can be your spirit animal too,” tiny Zen garden. Then she worried about mixing said the carver. “And it’s very symbolic that you religions and patted down the dirt with her palm. The darkness chose that one since it’s smaller than the rest.” When she looked up, her mother was gone. “It kind of spoke to me” Ann said with a nod. Ann found her near the heavy wooden is just as sacred “I’m not sure why.” entrance door, talking to a man who looked like “That’s the grandfather owl,” he continued. a keeper of the grounds. Brown wrinkled skin. as the light, “He’s the only one with feathers. He’s earned Tools. Pure kindness in his eyes. Her mother was those feathers.” The artist tilted his head a little pointing to the grayish green mud dripping down and in it there and kindly sized up Ann. She stared right back, the exterior walls of the chapel. “It’s all crumbling sensing that this owl should oversee her desk, her away,” she told him with sincere, endearing alarm. is magic, mystery, mornings, and her decisions. Perhaps she would It had been a long time since Ann heard motherly hand her life to the owl. concern not laced with judgement or felt so much and ancient “How much?” warmth toward her. knowledge. “Seventy dollars.” “Ah, yes, it crumbles now,” he said in a thick That was a lot of money for Ann, for a souvenir. Spanish accent, nodding at her. “But you will be But it seemed like more than a souvenir. She could surprised. The locals come and with their hands hear her mother moving behind her. She stood they put back together. They love that much.” and turned to face her, still holding the owl against her chest. The man There was something about this man. Ann looked up at the sky and spoke behind Ann: “There was a woman who bought an owl like this. shook her head. She was really overdoing the spiritual thing. Maybe She went to Taos and was hit by a car crossing the street, but the owl she thought forgiveness would feel differently, like the sudden lifting in her pocket absorbed the impact and the doctors were amazed that of a dark shadow or a heavy weight. On the way out, Ann happened she wasn’t injured more than she was. But the owl was shattered in the to notice a typed note from the chapel’s priest. “The pilgrimage will accident so she had her son drive here and buy another one while she help you to empty your heart of anything that is not of God.” The old recovered in the hospital.” man near the front door offered to take a photograph of Ann and her Ann’s mother shrugged. “Well, with all the time you’ve spent talking mother. The rain had stopped. It was a good picture of them both. to him, you should go ahead and buy the thing.” He carefully wrapped Another day of rain found the mother and daughter shopping at the owl in newspaper before Ann handed him cash. the Palace of the Governors, where Native Americans display their “I’m giving you my card in case you end up having an owl story. You’ll crafts on colorful blankets along a long porch. The artists traveled know what it means when it happens,” said the man. Ann’s mother from nearby pueblos and reservations and represented Hopi, Navaho, stepped forward, too close, since she had what Ann’s therapist called Jicarilla, Mescalero, and Apache tribes. Every morning, they drew “boundary issues,” and snapped a picture. When they returned home, numbers to see which space they’d occupy along the portal, as they Ann’s mother framed the photo of the her and her daughter in front of have since 1936. Ann stopped to hold various pieces of jewelry and the chapel and displayed it on a wicker table in her living room. talk to the artists. She was a little surprised that her mother didn’t The owl stays on Ann’s desk. Sometimes she picks it up, strokes the share any appreciation for the Indian art. She hung back, antsy, even notches for feathers, and smells the top of its head. But the owl has no nervous. Ann kept moving, pretending she wasn’t aware that her smell. It seems to watch her, waiting perhaps, for her to comprehend mother was ready to go. When she saw a man with a small group of at last. owl carvings, Ann knelt, picked one up, and stroked its side. The owl
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TWO VELVETS By Jarret Keene | Illustration by Nicolas Sierra
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trips to Asian massage parlors, but Greg never expected his tickets to n a desert valley relentlessly blasted by a giant blow dryer be used for such nefarious purposes. set to kill, Greg roamed downtown Las Vegas during the Worse, Donna had seemed genuinely excited about the two of them deadly month of July, scouring the Fremont District in search experiencing Brett Velvet in all his white-tiger-taming glory. Greg of a hooker named Popsicle. He had no idea if Popsicle still believed Donna was eager to land a decent man like himself. Ok, he’d possessed his “Brett Velvet: Master Magician” tickets, but she had some gambling problems well into his forties, but now he liked to was his only lead. He pushed on. think of himself as a responsible and fully mature adult. Brain like soup boiling in his skull, he ducked into an Mouth bloodied, Larry had confessed everything. He’d indulged in establishment called the Gryphon. Though he ordered Popsicle’s carnal pleasures and, having no money to pay her, used the Jameson with a few rocks, he received more ice than whiskey. tickets to avoid a savage beating at the cruel hands of her pimp. Larry Maybe it’d cool him off. didn’t wish to be thrashed in his own apartment, you see. “Heard of a woman calls herself Popsicle?” he asked the “You invited Popsicle here?” said Greg. bartender. Larry shrugged, then coiled a Kleenex and inserted it into a nostril. The young man wiped down a video poker screen, refusing “I didn’t have money for a room.” to make eye contact. “Doesn’t sound like someone we’d know.” “There’s an hourly motel across the street! Twenty bucks!” Greg lit a cigarette to keep his eyes from rolling and placed a fiver “She works Fremont. You’ll find her there. Just ask around.” on the bar. “Thanks,” he said, downing his drink. Some of the whiskey “I’d better. The show is sold out!” spilled onto his shirt. He didn’t bother to reach for a napkin; he brushed Thus, Greg, on the verge of heatstroke, searched at the droplets like they were dandruff. for what was rightfully his—the keys to unlocking “Sloppy,” he announced to no one in particular. Donna’s sugar walls. Where was this damned It took everything he had to wrench himself out Popsicle person anyway? of the comfortable air-conditioned bar and into the Eventually night fell. Under the brilliant He’d asked oven of the street. Sunglasses would have helped. canopy of the Fremont Street Experience, he felt Too bad he had left them in his grubby downtown her to sit besieged. Some kind of computerized supernova apartment. It wouldn’t be his apartment much was erupting overhead instead of the usual sports longer. He had to admit that part of him—the with him, and classic rock formula. As soon as he stopped most malicious part—achieved deep satisfaction to look upward, a ball-capped tourist wielding a from having punched his roommate’s face. After and they plastic football of beer stumbled into him. all, it was Larry’s fault. Greg knew better than to “Watch out,” the man slurred. leave money lying around, but he never thought instantly “Whatever, buddy.” Larry would sink so low as to barter magic show Beyond the tourist’s shoulder, Greg spotted a tickets in exchange for the services of a downtown hit it off. plump hooker near the pawnshop on Fourth. He prostitute. made his way toward her. Greg knew the economy was in the crapper, but “Hello, ma’am? Popsicle?” Not wanting to scare Christ, man. Were things so bad that hookers were her, Greg had approached her with what he now accepting Brett Velvet passes in lieu of actual would have defined as a casual jog. currency? Sounded more like Kazakhstan than the U.S. of A. “What you want, baby? Delicious frozen treat?” Front row tickets were to have been a pivotal move in his pursuit “Are you Popsicle?” he said again. Winded, he leaned forward onto of Donna, a young housekeeper whom he wanted to impregnate. his knees. He should really stop smoking. They worked together at the Baja Palace Hotel & Gambling Oasis on “The motor lodge got AC and I got the sugar, baby.” Boulder Highway, having met in the employee dining room. They’d “No, I mean, I’m asking if that’s your name.” bumped into each other at the drink station, locking eyes in a way “My name Shirley. Oh, you looking for the white girl Popsicle?” Greg could only characterize as blatantly inviting. He’d asked her to sit “You know her?” with him, and they instantly hit it off, mostly because Greg followed “I know where she stay.” Mira Quién Baila pretty closely, just like Donna. “How much to take me there?” “I really like Erik Estrada,” he told her at one point. “I’ve admired him “Fifty.” since CHiPs.” “Twenty.” Donna nodded, putting a napkin to her mouth whenever she “Ok,” she said. smiled. Coughing, he fished in his jeans for a twenty-dollar bill and handed God, she was gorgeous. Which is why he had purchased the Brett it to Shirley. Velvet tickets, carefully placing them next to his keys on the coffee She took the limp bill, sniffed at it. “Three more of these day, baby, table near the door. Yes, he knew of Larry’s propensity for late-night AUGUST 2017 | SCENE
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“This right here is some BS,” he said. and you get the best around the world you ever dreamed of.” Shirley took this moment to exit the bathroom and explain things “I’ll give you another twenty if we actually find Popsicle.” succinctly. “He looking for the Master Magician.” “Deal,” she said, tucking the bill into her bra. “The what?” said the man. They headed east, arriving at some apartment buildings on “Honey, let me handle this,” said the woman. Maryland Parkway. Shirley led him to a unit with bed sheets covering “Are you Popsicle?” asked Greg. the windows. Paint peeled off the door in long strips. “Some call me that.” Greg rapped it sharply three times. He heard nothing. “I want my tickets.” “We can get in right here,” said Shirley, indicating a side window. “Who are you?” “You done this before?” said Greg. “The cop that’s going to bust your ass if don’t show me two Velvets.” “Hell yeah.” Shirley took a nail file from her purse and used it to pry He balled his fists in an effort to look like a menacing authority figure, open the window. “Guys first.” which, of course, he wasn’t. “Thanks,” said Greg. He squeezed himself headfirst into the Arms still crossed, Popsicle gave him a hard look. Finally, she opened bathroom, which was filthy. He scanned the cluttered sink but saw her pocketbook, revealing the tickets, which she extended to Greg. nothing resembling tickets. Hopefully, he’d find them on the kitchen “Oh, this is a whole lot of BS,” the man added, brandishing a table or somewhere in Popsicle’s bedroom. If not, he’d have to turn handkerchief to wipe his forehead. “He ain’t no the place upside down. Having knocked and not cop.” heard a dog, he still felt a twinge of anxiety. Greg felt it was growing hotter in here, too. “Move your ass,” said Shirley, who had pushed Inhaling the man’s bad vibes, he yanked the herself through the window. tickets from Popsicle. “Thanks,” he said. “Do I owe “Look for a pair of tickets.” He stood still, you money on behalf of Larry?” Shirley scrunched her face. “Thought you was Before Popsicle could answer, the man looking for drugs. What kind of tickets?” praying whoever whimpered like a dog before charging Greg. “Brett Velvet, Master Magician.” Formidable Shirley, however, managed to get She studied Greg for another second. “What had entered the between them, stabbing the man’s thigh with her you want with him?” nail file. “I’m taking my woman to see his show.” apartment The man let out a shriek before he crumpled to “ You trying to impress a lady with a gay would soon the ground, the file sticking out of his leg. magician?” “Violence,” said Shirley, “is not the answer.” She “Yes.” He badly wanted to light a cigarette. leave. then stooped down to slap the man’s face. “Mmm-hmm,” said Shirley, nodding her head. Naturally, this caused Popsicle to tear at She began to examine herself in the bathroom Shirley’s hair, the two of them careening into the mirror. “These tickets must be hard to come by. dresser and shattering a lamp. How did Popsicle steal your tickets?” During the melee, Greg took the opportunity “She didn’t. My roommate took them to pay for to escape out the bathroom window. He ran a few blocks down Popsicle’s services.” Maryland before turning again toward Fourth, checking behind him “She love magic, be the reason.” every few seconds to make sure no one followed. He laughed at his “Fine. But they’re still my tickets. I’ll pay for them again if I have to. good fortune. After a while, he might even tell her how a night with But not at those insane scalper’s prices.” Brett Velvet was nearly lost only to be found at the last minute through “Who be scalping Mr. Velvet?” his determination and cunning. Greg made his way into what must be Popsicle’s bedroom, kicking He went back to the Gryphon and ordered another Jameson with over piles of laundry. He went through a few dresser drawers, but three rocks. And then another. A different bartender was pouring found only more clothes. drinks with divine generosity. Greg sensed a profound transformation He heard voices from another room and what sounded like the in the works. He patted his shirt pocket to make sure the tickets were front door closing. He stood still, praying whoever had entered the still in his possession. They were. Also a fresh pack of Marlboros. He apartment would soon leave. couldn’t help but smile at the evening’s bright promise. A woman stepped into the room and, seeing Greg frozen in place, “To Popsicle,” said Greg, raising his glass. crossed her arms and frowned. She was lean, hawk-nosed, with Everyone ignored him. platinum-fried hair. “What the hell?” she said. Jarret Keene is an Assistant Professor in Residence in the English “Just looking for my tickets,” answered Greg, raising his hands. Department at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he teaches A slender dude with a ragged beard remained at the doorframe. creative writing and ancient literature. 90
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on the town
Real TALK SHERYL VIEIRA shares thoughts on the community, good deeds and important things, big AND small.
W
hat personal passions have developed in your life that you never realized you were exposed to growing up? What is the one thing you wish you could teach the world to help make everyone feel better or help them overall? Which family recipes shared through the generations have become your very favorite to share with your friends and family members any chance you get? This month’s Real Talk is all about heritage and how it shapes each of us, whether we realize it or not. And sometimes, it’s the children teaching the parents!
SUPPORTING FAMILY FARMERS AND THE NEXT GENERATION The average age of today’s farmer is 58, and as the generations go on, they’re choosing not to stay in the farming industry to continue running their family’s farming business. The Next Generation Scholarship Fund was created to offset the declining number of farmers. The Fund invites the next generation to attend college to study agriculture, and to take farming to the next level with hopes of keeping family farms in business. One local chef learned of this special project through Niman Ranch and wanted to get more involved. In order to do so, Chef Paul Mattison traveled to Iowa last summer to experience a different way of farming. The Niman Ranch’s family farmers and ranchers raise livestock traditionally,
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humanely and sustainably in order to deliver the finest tasting meats. For over 30 years, Niman Ranch has been at the forefront of supporting sustainable agriculture, animal welfare and U.S. family farmers and ranchers. Chef Paul was moved — so much so that he now orders his meats from Niman for his restaurants. Additionally, he brought his newfound knowledge about Niman to share with Sarasota through a five-course wine dinner featuring wines from the Benziger Family Winery in Sonoma County, meats from Niman Ranch, and inspirational cuisine from his talented team at Mattison’s 41. All four of Chef Paul’s longtime friend Chris Benziger’s estate vineyards are Demeter-certified Biodynamic, which aligned with what Chef Paul imagined for his special wine dinner. The Benziger Family Winery, recently nominated by Wine Enthusiast as one of the Best Winery Experiences in Sonoma, spans 85 acres and produces wines using a holistic farming philosophy called Biodynamics. Biodynamics is the highest level of ethical, organic farming, viewing the vineyard as a single organism. By eliminating synthetic chemicals, encouraging biodiversity, relying on natural predator-prey relationships, composting, covered crops, and the animals that live on their estates to keep
COURTNEY LAUDERDALE
on the town
their vineyards healthy and balanced, the best of what the land possesses is reflected in the characteristics of the wine. Take an exceptional chef, throw in caring ranchers and award-winning winemakers, and you have an exceedingly delicious and informative evening. All proceeds from this special event helped ensure agricultural education for the next generation of farmers. In attendance was Anthony Scheer, the scholarship’s first recipient. The Iowan started farming at age eight through Niman Ranch, and now, he and his father now have 50+ pigs between them. Also seen were Russ and Susan Smoke of Niman Ranch, Jason Sango, Andy and Valerie Dorr, Letia Short, Kristiana Serbin, Andrew Vac and Chef Steve Phelps.
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We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach. —Gloria Steinem
”
GOING HOME WHEN HOME ISN’T HOME ANYMORE Most of the time, change is for the best; however, it seems to be especially difficult to accept when it relates to home. For the first time since I relocated to Sarasota twenty years ago from upstate New York, home just isn’t home anymore. As with age, we must make life simpler, and with that comes complex decisions regarding home, health and wealth. We hope our parents are well enough to make these decisions on their own without significant help from family members. Alas, my mother and her husband ultimately decided to sell the lake house that served as the hub for our family gatherings for decades. Many memories have been made and shared there: engagements, baby announcements, job promotions, relocations, and yes, even a couple of divorces as they rippled through our family. I delayed the trip home long enough, as I just didn’t want to face the fiddler. As reality hit home, I finally broke down and cried, reliving the special moments the home provided my family. It was a place I could hang my hat and be myself. No one needed anything from me, and my soul greatly appreciated the time, space and country quiet which allowed me to take a breather from the stresses of modern life. If I had to do anything at all, it was help weed the beautiful gardens, husk the corn, find and play the Nora Jones CD before dinner, open a bottle of wine and get some glasses down. Nothing was rushed, and I treasured the relaxed pace while at our lake house on Keuka. Upon returning from a boat ride around the 22-mile Y-shaped lake, I slowly walked backwards up my parents long, steep driveway. I knew it was the last time I could soak up this incredible view, enjoy this beautiful, expansive, comfortable lake house and read a book in absolute quiet on the wrap-around porch facing the lake. I haven’t thought much about Keuka Lake and the home my parents sold until now. They’ve been
in their new condo since December, and immediately came down to Sarasota for the season, returning to New York in April to finally get unpacked and settled into their new home. It’s darling, and much more conducive to their lifestyle and age. They’re enjoying it immensely, which makes it all so much easier to accept. We enjoyed wine tastings on a different lake called Canandaigua. We helped at a food pantry, camped and boated on Honeoye Lake, and fished in a refreshingly cold creek in Naples. I met my youngest sister’s boyfriend (soon to be fiancée) and his family from Syracuse and I read a book on my parent’s new sunporch. I am still helping with the weeds, opening the wine and husking the corn, but we’re looking for a different CD to play, making memories in their new home!
STEEPED IN THREE CENTURIES OF RICH TRADITION First contested in 1851, the America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sports and is yachting’s biggest prize. As the schooner America passed the Royal Yacht in first position, and saluted by dipping its ensign three times, Queen Victoria asked one of her attendants to tell her who was in second place. “Your Majesty, there is no second,” was the reply. The phrase, just four words, is still the best description of the America’s Cup and its representation of the singular pursuit of excellence.
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on the town Every four years, the best sailors in the world contend for the America’s Cup. This is the longest international sporting event in history, and surprisingly, not many people talk about it or follow it. I started following the sport four years ago with my dad, a sailor and former commodore of the Cortez Yacht Club on Anna Maria Island. My dad has shared with me his passion for the water, boating, the sport of fishing. As far as I can remember, my father has always needed to be near water. Be it a lake or the Gulf of Mexico, he lives on or is near it. My dad and I, along with a couple of his friends, recently chartered a boat to do some tarpon fishing. I could see how much work it ended up being for my father and that his heart just wasn’t in it any longer, so I am thankful we have something else to bond over. The 35th America’s Cup just commenced and we watched every race together since the event began on May 28th. As I pondered the last day of racing (as Team USA lost), my mind drifted to my father, who is turning 75 this month. I reflected back on his sailing days and the significant technological changes in the boats since he started watching the races back in the early eighties, but I mostly wondered if he thought he might never see another America’s Cup again in his lifetime. I don’t ask, and only plant the seed of us going together to the next race in Auckland, New Zealand in 2021 in hopes of getting him excited about Team USA’s next opportunity to take the oldest sporting trophy back to America. We tip our hearts and hats to all on the USA Oracle Team. Skipper Jimmy Spitall is a fine example of what a true leader is. Calm, kind, honorable, patient, skillful and always giving guidance and pats on the back, even when his team was behind. All were complete sportsmen no matter the outcome for them.
THE COMMOTION OVER THE FERMENT LADY Jillian Ross, better known as the ferment lady, has been helping people build healthier immune systems for eight years now. On a personal quest to self-heal after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and head-to-toe psoriasis, she has been experimenting with the traditional fermentation of different foods and beverages. The word ferment means ‘to cause a commotion or excitement.’ Fermentation is used for preservation of certain foods, as well as for producing alcoholic beverages like wine and beer. NOW we understand the excitement over the Ferment Lady. Any group of living organisms as an agent, such as an enzyme, catalyzes fermentation. It turns juice or grain into alcohol. Lacto-fermentation is the traditional way food had been preserved for centuries. The foods preserved by lacto-fermentation contain a ton of probiotics, and are rich and healing for the digestive system. After years of research, Jillian discovered The Art of Fermentation, by Sandor Katz, her guru of all things fermented. Through his teachings, she was able to completely overhaul and restore her body to its optimal health, with zero medications. That is exciting! Driven to teach and help others “love their guts,” Jillian shares her knowledge on the science and methods of how to properly ferment foods and beverages. She teaches students how to make kimchi, kombucha, kvass (nourishing tonic), milk/water kefir, ginger bugs (for various homemade probiotic sodas), various lacto-fermented pickles/vegetables and more. Eager to find out more, I attended two of her classes at the Florida Maritime Museum. The first taught the basics of fermentation and the other was a lesson on how to make kombucha. As people heard that I was attending these classes, they would share things like “my grandmother used to do that” or “my mom loves to make sauerkraut.” I have yet to experiment with the food fermentation process, but look forward to trying it in the near future. I did, however, recently complete my first batch of kombucha.
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The main ingredients are tea bags, mineral water, sugar and a culture, and it takes approximately 20 days for the entire process. A culture is a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), or a kombucha mother, which is a mix of cultures of bacteria and yeast present during the production of kombucha. Jillian suggests you talk to your SCOBY as you would your household plants. She also suggests naming them as you would your household plants. I named my SCOBY Oby One Canoby and it seems quite happy in its new digs. My digestive system also seems to be in better order. The Ferment Lady offers classes at Four Pillars, JDubs Brewing Company, The Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum, and Wild Ginger Apothecary: Studio + Lounge. Recycling is a part of Jillian’s daily life and she cares deeply about the environment. She is eager to accept any glass jars and containers that are no longer needed. Please reach out to her to donate items via her Facebook page, the Ferment Lady.
on the town PHELPS HELPS SUSTAIN SEAFOOD Chef Steve Phelps and fishing? Yes. Chef Steve Phelps, owner of one of the most successful restaurants in our area, involved with increasing longterm economic benefits and ensuring a sustainable supply of seafood? Yes. Chef Steve Phelps, head chef at Indigenous in Sarasota meeting with senators, representatives and political aides in Washington, D.C.? Yes. Chef and others were in Washington during the Capital Hill Ocean Week to discuss the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 1976 federal law governs marine fisheries to increase long-term economic benefits, ensure a sustainable supply of seafood, and prevent overfishing; any modifications could undo four decades of challenging work and progress. The changes being discussed call to relax seasonal timelines and catch limits when environmental conditions and unforeseen or unusual occurrences could interfere with who brings back what to the docks. Chef Steve will know more later this summer when he heads back up to Washington, D.C. for a second round of discussions with influential law makers and breakers. We wish him a boatload of luck.
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ur younger generation seems more demanding in how everything, including their environment, contributes to their life, whether positive or negative. Somehow, they seem to have seen and experienced it all, and seem to know something about everything. They ask the tough questions and if they don’t like the answer, they innovate. I only hope in their zest for life and quest to change that they don’t forget their rich family histories and how they ultimately shaped them into who they are today, and that they can always go home — no matter the address. It’s all about family and heritage. Enjoy your summer travels with your family!
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MORE THAN $7.8 MILLION IN GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED AUGUST 2017 | SCENE
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InHEALTH
By Dr. Andrew Marlowe
A GUIDE TO HEARING AIDS Dr. Marlowe is board certified in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and has completed fellowship training in Craniofacial/ Skullbase surgery and Otology/Neurotology.
When we start to lose our hearing, it can be traumatic. There are so many questions that come to mind; all of which I have answered through my many years of evaluating my patients’ hearing loss issues and providing them with the best possible outcome – whether it be surgery, hearing aids or implantable devices. In order to help you navigate through the many questions you may have, here’s my guide to hearing loss and hearing aids. What should you look for in the purchase of a hearing aid? Today more than ever there is a lot of confusion in the process. Every corner in our town seems to have a hearing aid dispensary. We have more places to get a hearing aid than we have fast food restaurants. There is a deluge of advertising. Everyone makes claims of incredible technology and has “special offers.” How are you to feel comfortable enough to make a decision to pursue hearing improvement? Here is my best advice based on my knowledge: as a board certified Ear Nose and Throat physician serving this community for nearly 12 years, as a fellowship trained ear surgeon, and as an electrical engineer. Most importantly you want to buy from a physician directed facility – preferably from an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat) with a particular interest in hearing care. It should not cost any more to avail yourself of this expertise. Consumer Reports most recent article on the subject in July 2009 makes this same recommendation. Using hearing aids sometimes means that you have increased medical needs for your ears, such as removal of wax, treatment of skin conditions in the ear and monitoring of your remaining hearing. Nobody is more qualified to do that than the otolaryngologist. There are times
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About 20 percent of Americans, 48 million, report some degree of hearing loss. At age 65, one out of three people have a hearing loss.
when a hearing aid patient experiences a sudden change in their hearing. It may be difficult for the patient to determine if the problem is related to the hearing aid or the ear. If the ear doctor dispenses the device both issues can be addressed in the same place at the same time. Lastly, the physician is more likely to remain in business and not close or move his practice. The physician is putting a hard earned medical reputation on the line with each sale and this gives added incentive to give the best care possible. What happens if I wait until my hearing gets worse? The people that struggle the most to regain hearing are the ones that waited. The reason is that hearing loss leads to lack of brain stimulation…the tones you don’t hear are forgotten. The longer you have the loss without correcting it the worse it gets and the harder it is to rehabilitate. The people that do the best are people that start early and keep up with their loss as it progresses (almost all hearing deteriorates as we age). Is my hearing bad enough that I need two hearing aids? The need for two hearing aids has nothing to do with how severe the loss is. The brain is wired to hear from both ears and uses the “stereo” information to help localize sound and hear in background noise. There are really only two conditions were it is correct to fit one hearing aid: If one ear has normal hearing or if one ear has hearing loss so severe that it is not aid able. Why do I know people who have hearing aids and are very dissatisfied? There are many reasons for this situation. The obvious one is that in general people who do well with their aids don’t really talk about them… they just wear them and find better topics of conversation. Not all hearing aids work well and even well made hearing aids can be fit poorly. Consumer reports found that people are fit incorrectly about 60% of the time. Lastly, many people are basing their hearing aid experience on old outdated technology. Hearing aids that are more than 3-4 years old may be “antiques” which is fine for cars and furniture, but not for computers and hearing aids. In summary: Don’t “wait until it gets worse.” Seek the highest level of expertise. It doesn’t cost more and may save you from a costly mistake. Don’t base your decision on other people’s situation or old information. The state of the art of hearing restoration has never been better. Marlowe & Marrs Ear, Nose and Throat, 5432 Bee Ridge Road, Ste. 150, Sarasota, FL 34233 941.379.3277, marlowemd.com
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Business: [Scene] NEW BUSINESSES, EXPANSIONS & RELOCATIONS SOUTHERN STEER BUTCHER With its outstanding array of fresh cut meats, marinated specialties, salads and sides, high-quality deli selections, grocery items, craft beer and sodas, and an international wine selection, Southern Steer is Sarasota’s newest family-owned marketplace. This neighborhood shop, operated by the Snyder Family, also offers weekly food prep classes. 4084 Bee Ridge Rd., Sarasota | 941.706.2625 | southernsteer.com
SARASOTA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SMH continues to increase access to health care in the community with the grand opening of an Internal Medicine Practice on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Newtown. Sarasota Memorial’s first class of resident physicians will work side-by-side and under the supervision of SMH attending physicians both at the Hospital and at the new Newtown practice. The Newtown practice has been named the Jean & Alfred Goldstein Health Center after one of its donors. smh.com
SOFT SURROUNDINGS Soft Surroundings will open a new location in The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota on August 11. Soft Surroundings offers stylish and comfortable clothing, accessories, and beauty and home goods and is best known for its extremely soft fabrics, global inspiration, customer service and convenience. The beauty department will feature complimentary cosmetic and skincare consultations as well as regular beauty events. The first 100 customers in line for the August 11th opening will receive a Soft Surroundings gift bag filled with some of its top products. Mall at University Town Center | www.softsurroundings.com
MARCOTTE’S CUSTOM DESIGN Taking over the Rustic Rooster space on Pineapple Avenue, owners Jenni Martin and Chris Turcotte are opening Marcotte’s Custom Design, their second Florida location. The store features an array of traditional, vintage and modern home goods, barn doors, cast iron décor, and Annie Sloan paint and products. They also specialize in custom farm tables, barn doors, consoles, built-ins, pallet and barn wood walls and more. 532 S Pineapple Ave., Sarasota | marcottedesign.com
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News, Grants, Appointments
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GRANT CHALLENGE FOR SOUTH FLORIDA MUSEUM
Florida Studio Theatre announced a oneto-one match challenge gift of $500,000 toward the Kretzmer Artist Housing project from Ed and Susan Maier. Funds or pledges must be raised by December 31, 2017. The funds will enable FST to open the Kretzmer Artist Residence debt free and provide an additional reserve fund for the future, floridastudiotheatre.org
Museum supporter Carrie Yearwood has tasked South Florida Museum with raising $50,000 by September 1, 2017. Ms. Yearwood will match the $50,000, which will support the Museum’s programs and operations, including caring for three new manatees, which joined Snooty in May. southfloridamuseum.org
VENICE REGIONAL APPOINTS NEW CEO
Venice Regional Bayfront Health has appointed Bob Moore as Chief Executive Officer. Moore served as CEO of hospitals in Pennsylvania, Missouri and Illinois and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. veniceregional.com
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS MANATEE ANNOUNCES GRANT CHALLENGE In honor of former Club President Carl Weeks, the Deerbrook Charitable Trust will match each dollar donated up to $1 million in support of the Invest in Kids campaign. Funds will help build a new DeSoto Boys & Girls Club capable of tripling the number of children and teens currently served by the Club. bgcmanatee.org / InvestInOurClubKids.org
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BANK OF AMERICA SUPPORTS LOCAL ECONOMIC MOBILITY Bank of America announced $140,000 in economic mobility grants to be distributed to 15 local nonprofits working to increase basic needs and workforce development and education opportunities in the Sarasota and Manatee communities. bankofamerica.com/about
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Accolades
FST ANNOUNCES MATCH CHALLENGE GIFT
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THE HAVEN AWARDED $250,000 GRANT
The Haven, which provides programs and services for children and adults with disabilities, has been awarded $250,000 through Able Trust’s Strategic Employment Placement Initiatives grant to help support The Haven’s Careers Without Limits program. communityhaven.org
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SARASOTA OPERA RECEIVES SUPPORT FOR YOUTH OPERA The National Endowment for the Arts has granted $20,000 to Sarasota Opera in support of the commissioning and world premiere of Sarasota Youth Opera’s Rootabaga Country, a new opera by composer Rachel J. Peters, which will mark the company’s 6th world premiere. SarasotaOpera.org
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LAMUSICA NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR La Musica announced the appointment of Mark Noble as its executive director. Noble began working for La Musica in 1990 and has served as production manager since 2003. lamusicafestival.org
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