A work of art, whether it’s a masterpiece hanging in a famous museum or a simple smiley face drawn on a bathroom wall, can have a transformational effect on its viewer. At Balance, a boutique fitness and wellness studio in Sarasota, Owner Mark Eakins has curated an inspiring space filled not with TVs, but pieces of art from local artists.

At first glance, art seems to have little in common with the act of exercising, but at Balance, they intertwine. “We believe that incorporating fine art on our walls can significantly enhance the exercise and wellness experience. Art can inspire and motivate individuals during their workouts, creating a more enjoyable and immersive environment,” says Eakins. “The presence of art can spark thoughtful discussion, contribute to reducing stress levels, promote relaxation and elevate the overall gym atmosphere.”

In addition to working with personal trainers, practicing yoga or getting a massage, patrons can take in creative and thought-provoking pieces throughout the space. A variety of forms, like photography by Barbara Banks, paintings by Tom Stephens and multidisciplinary installations by Nathan Skiles adorn the walls. Giclee prints of images featured by Embracing Our Differences are also on view. Guests have the opportunity to purchase all of the works, further supporting the area’s arts community. New pieces often pop up, keeping things fresh and exciting. “Supporting local artists is crucial, especially at a time when the traditional avenues for showcasing, such as local galleries, are dwindling. It’s an investment in cultural diversity and vitality,” Eakins adds.

Like exercise, art can have a positive impact on people of all ages. In the monthly Kids Yoga and Art Class, children engage their bodies and creativity with an art project following the exercises, fostering a love for both activities from an early age. “When we support local artists,” he says, “we’re not just promoting their individual talent; we’re preserving the richness of our local arts culture.”

Balance, 711 South Osprey Avenue, Suite 2, Sarasota, 941-365-6581, balancesarasota.com. 

Pictured: The Art of Balance installation by Nathan Skiles inspires patrons at Balance in Sarasota. Photo Courtesy of Balance.

Balance

Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park

This neighborhood park is your go-to for a day of horseback riding on its 3.7 miles of trails. Situated on 160 acres under an oak canopy, it is also ideal for hiking, biking and camping. The Myakkahatchee Creek Connector Bridge connects the park to the Carlton Reserve. The footbridges, pavilion and public restrooms make the park a winner for family outings. 

6968 Reisterstown Rd., North Port.

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The Pickleball Club, the leading developer and operator of private, membership-based high-amenity indoor pickleball facilities throughout Florida, recently expanded its team with six new hires. David Dubendorf, Dana Richcreek, Zach Combs, Weston Fugitt, Chris Westlake and Brenda Whittle all joined the team in August. Dubendorf and Richcreek were hired as member coordinators; Combs as a full-time instructor and programming coordinator; Fugitt as food prep; and Westlake and Whittle as retail sales. Last month, the indoor pickleball club also hired Scott Brynski as its new general manager for the Lakewood Ranch location. The club is still seeking additional pickleball instructors for both full- and part-time positions. In continuing to act as a leader in the industry, The Pickleball Club in Lakewood Ranch recently held a workshop accredited by the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR). On Friday, July 28, members and staff of The Pickleball Club were offered the opportunity to become PPR certified. During the workshop, the club had 13 individuals certified. The certification workshops are designed to guide instructors who are working with adult pickleball players at the beginner and improver levels towards certification. Each certification workshop is delivered by highly trained clinicians responsible for creating an effective learning environment for all coaches. The 33,393-square-foot club is located at 1300 Sarasota Center Blvd. and features championship-grade courts with permanent nets, an outdoor players’ courtyard, Pickles Café, Dink’s Pro Shop, an indoor players’ lounge observation deck, locker rooms and a HEPA filtered air-conditioned environment. The club has six additional facilities underway, with a goal of opening at least 15 over the next five years. 

Pictured: The Pickleball Club at Lakewood Ranch team members.

Daiquiri Deck, an iconic bar and casual restaurant that delivers a quality experience, great times, good vibes and the best frozen daiquiris around, is celebrating the end of summer and the start of football season with a party on Thursday, Sept. 7 from 6 p.m. to close. Taking place at all five of the restaurant’s locations during the first game of the season, football fans can enjoy festive fanfare while watching the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. Each location will be decked out in football-themed decor, with fun giveaways and free Jello shots at the bar during every touchdown. Various food and drink specials will also be available all day for dine-in only, including: Wing platter with 2.5lbs of wings and choice of all current hot sauces, celery and either ranch or bleu cheese for dipping - $28; Taco platter with six beef, chicken or shrimp tacos and served with guacamole and chipotle aioli - $25; Beach Keg cup with 34-ounce Landshark draft - $24; Refills available on Beach Keg cup with Landshark - $10; Beach Keg cup with 34-ounce 1993 margarita on the rocks - $24; Refills available on Beach Keg cup with 1993 margarita on the rocks - $16; Beach Keg cup with 34-ounce daiquiri - $24; Refills available on Beach Keg cup with daiquiri - $14; Throughout football season, Daiquiri Deck is pleased to offer viewings of all the Thursday, Sunday and Monday games, and encourages football fanatics to come cheer on their favorite teams at the deck. Reserve a TV on Sundays for your favorite team by calling the specific location of interest. 

The Bay Park Conservancy announces The Bay Turns One! – a five-day First Anniversary Community Celebration beginning Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Over the past year, The Bay has become a beloved and sustainable gathering place for the community. More than 250,000 people have already visited The Bay to enjoy all that the park has to offer including more than 10 acres of revitalized greenspace, a tree-shaded Mangrove Bayou Walkway, a larger-than-life Ibis Playground, sprawling Common Ground lawns, restored and preserved mangroves and shorelines, the architecturally stunning Nest Concession, The Oval mini-amphitheater with stadium-sized LED screens, an ADA-accessible paddle launch, and spectacular sunset views. A signature bayfront public park designed to be “one park for all,” the park’s First Anniversary community celebration will feature “the best of The Bay” and provide free, exciting, and diverse programming for the entire community to enjoy. The full schedule of events can be found online at www.TheBayTurnsOne.org. Headliners of The Bay Turns One! five-day celebration include free bayfront concerts by Journey former lead vocalist Steve Augeri (playing hits that made Journey one of America's most accomplished Rock & Roll bands); and by Sarasota’s own Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe performing “Soul & Sass” (featuring a mix of R&B and Soul favorites). Other Signature Events include a Latino-inspired dance party, a one-year community celebration party for one-year old babies and couples celebrating their one-year milestone together, Boo! at The Bay Halloween festivities; the second annual Multicultural Festival, and the second annual “Taste of The Bay” food festival in partnership with The Sarasota-Manatee Originals. The entire celebration is intertwined with everyday free programming such as guided kayak tours in partnership with Ride & Paddle, fitness classes provided by CoreSRQ, yoga taught by local yogis, guided nature walks, and music featuring some of the area’s favorite artists. Everyone is encouraged to bring family, friends, co-workers, Meet-up and other groups to attend any of the free events offered in the park. For more information and to register for various The Bay Turns One! events, visit the website at www.TheBayTurnsOne.org. The community is also invited to subscribe to The Bay newsletter and follow The Bay on Facebook and Instagram. The Bay Turns One! is sponsored by generous Friends of The Bay including: Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Jody Beresford and Bob Mayer, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, DreamLarge, Michael & Terri Klauber, AG Lafley, Cathy Layton & Pete Russell, Leading To Win, Michael Saunders & Company, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, and others. 

The School District of Manatee County will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for a school addition and renovation project this Friday, September 8, 2023. The event is taking place at 8:15 a.m. at Haile Middle School, which is located at 9501 State Road 64 East in Manatee County. The school addition and renovation was approved by the School Board of Manatee County in March 2022, and the scheduled opening of the building is Fall 2024. The project includes construction of a new 10-classroom building and modernization of the entire campus including the replacement of roof systems, mechanical systems, plumbing systems, building systems, kitchen reconfiguration and partial equipment replacement. Site improvements include canopies, concrete walks and associated drainage deep energy retrofit. The project budget is $46.2 million. Architect: Long & Associates architects | engineers, inc., Construction Manager: Halfacre Construction Company. We hope you can join us this Friday. All visitors must check in at the front office and present a photo ID before entering Haile’s campus for the ceremony. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Melissa Parker at parkerm@manateeschools.net. 

PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI), a national leader in the premium window, door, and garage door industry, is achieving results with its Pathway to PGTI program, as it recently welcomed Andrew Clark, a Venice High School alum, into its four-year apprenticeship program in the Tool and Die Department at the company's Venice facility. Clark is the first hire to come from the program, which aims to build interest and awareness in manufacturing career opportunities. The program places PGT Innovations at the forefront of the movement to provide local students with a direct pipeline to rewarding, growth-oriented jobs. Clark was introduced to PGT Innovations in 2022 as a high school senior enrolled in the Pathway to PGTI program. In the program, Venice High School students spend two hours of each school day at PGT Innovations, with part of that time dedicated to classroom training at PGT Innovations’ on-site training center and the rest of the time working alongside a skilled mentor. The program provides an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to develop skilled trade experience while still in school, and students benefit from a technical education path, guided training, and a viable employment opportunity after graduation. After completing the Pathway to PGTI program earlier this year, Clark was invited back to PGT Innovations for a full-time paid summer internship opportunity in the Tool and Die Department. During his time interning, Clark had access to more hands-on activities throughout the department, including working on the mill and grinder, welding, and learning a variety of new skills. Upon completion of his summer internship, Clark was admitted into the four-year apprenticeship program for the Tool and Die Department at PGT Innovations, starting Aug. 1. Clark is working directly with Mike Edmunds, a Journeyman Tool and Die maker with over 45 years of experience, who will serve as his mentor throughout the apprenticeship. PGT Innovations launched its apprenticeship program, sponsored by CareerSource Suncoast, in 2018 for the Tool and Die Department, and currently has one in development for Line Maintenance. The apprenticeship programs must be designed, developed, and then approved by the Department of Education before they can operate. Per the Department of Education's annual apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship report for 2021-22, an increasing number of employers across the state recognized the value of such programs, with 275 active apprenticeships, 53 active pre-apprenticeships, and 3,600 participating employers reported. As PGT Innovations continues to lead the industry in workforce development, it proudly champions the impact of innovative programs like Pathway to PGTI in shaping the future of manufacturing. 

Pictured: Andrew Clark, full-time apprentice at PGT Innovations, with Mike Edmunds, Journeyman Tool and Die maker at PGT Innovations.

New College of Florida (NCF) has been named Florida’s best “Hidden Gem” by College Raptor for a sixth consecutive year. College Raptor is a widely utilized college matching service with more than a decade of successfully helping students find their ideal college. College Raptor highlighted NCF’s contract system, under which students receive written evaluations instead of letter grades and contractually arrange with their advisor a set number of classes to pass each semester. The focus on academic experimentation and intellectual curiosity was also noted. The results of a New College education speak for themselves: Students benefit from a 7:1 student to faculty ratio for a personalized experience. NCF is 12th nationally for students who go on to earn PhDs as a percentage of its graduates, and 77% of Florida’s Fulbright Scholars have come from New College. 

IT'S A DOG'S WORLD AFTER ALL | At their new dog bar, Bobb Boivin and Mindy Kaufman bring canine comforts to the Rosemary District, September 2023. 

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