SRQ DAILY Sep 14, 2020
Monday Business Edition
"Boating is a way to naturally socially distance, and you get outside after feeling cooped up because of the closures."
Not every business in hurting for customers because of the pandemic. For boat clubs, a search for safe and healthy recreational activity created a wave of new business. John Giglio, president of Venice-headquartered Freedom Boat Club, has seen a record spike in membership.
“Boating is a way to naturally socially distance,” he said, “and you get outside after feeling cooped up because of the closures.”
Like many businesses, Giglio said Freedom shut down in March as the unknowns of the pandemic struck in Florida and nationwide. During that time, the company looked toward ways to safely reopen. When management announced business would resume in May, Giglio found enormous pent-up demand. More than 150 new memberships in Southwest Florida were sold in April, a record month for the 31-year-old business despite the fact the company was not opening to the public until May 1. The new record didn’t stand for long as May saw an even greater number of memberships sold.
Nationwide, Freedom Boat Club saw nearly 50,000 new members at 235 locations. “This isn’t just happening locally or in Southwest Florida,” Giglio said.
The company offers a chance for individuals to enjoy boating regularly without the expense of buying a boat. The Venice operation opened in 1989. Giglio first started working there in 2004 and bought the company in 2011. It’s since been sold to Brunswick with Giglio staying on as president, and now has francises sold across the country, though all locations between Bradenton and Marco Island in Southwest Florida remain corporate owned.
Giglio said there certainly have been changes in day-to-day operations. While Freedom Boat Club long prided itself on company service with employees helping members move all equipment from the parking lot to the docks, workers no longer can touch that personal equipment. Employees all wear masks, and reservations have been staggered to avoid crowds of people spontaneously arriving and crowding facilities at once. Giglio said the goal is keep the same flow of business come through the club, but space it out so Centers for Disease Control guidelines can be followed.
At this point, the company has seen such a boom in interest there’s now a limit on new memberships so the club can maintain a 10-to-1 member to boat ratio. The surge in business means the club can expand, limited only by the ability of boat makers to manufacture new vessels. 
Freedom Boat Club location in Venice.
Engage Sarasota is a community orientation program for anyone who is eager to establish business and civic relationships, meet area leaders and wants to fast-track their knowledge about the inner working of greater Sarasota – all with a minimum investment of time. The program runs from October until May and includes an orientation and eight luncheons, hosted by key representatives at local venues. Each event provides an overview of an integral aspect of our community including economic development, the arts, media, government, medical facilities and education. The first session is on Monday, October 5.
For the second month in a row, passenger traffic at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) remained at 43% of the 2019 level. Passengers totaled 58,115 for August 2020 compared to 135,467 passengers in August 2019. Year-to-date figures show that airport passenger traffic is down 34% compared to 2019 with 834,545 passengers using the airport so far this year. Rick Piccolo, President, CEO of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport said, “We are happy to see travelers continue to safely use our airport as we slowly rebound from COVID19. The safety of our passengers continues to be our top priority and we have implemented numerous layers of cleaning and sanitation measures to ensure those traveling through our facility are safe."
Veteran real estate broker Andrew Vac has joined RE/MAX Alliance Group in the Sarasota office. He returns to RE/MAX after four years with the Matusiak/Vac Real Estate Group. The Sarasota office is located at 2000 Webber Street. Vac can be reached at (941) 350-6577 or andrew@andrewvac.com.
The Players Centre for Performing Arts is thrilled to announce the Board of Trustees for the 2020-21 season. At the annual meeting on August 26, 2020 the 91st season Board of Trustees and Advisory Council Members were ratified. "The four new trustees have demonstrated exceptional dedication while recently serving on the Advisory Council for The Players. They are joining our existing amazing trustees,” says Board Chair Donna DeFant. “We are also pleased to announce four new Advisory Council Members joining our existing council members as well.”
Trustees: Donna DeFant, Bill Porter, Gayle Logan, Sarah Glendening, Joe Kaminsky, Bill Rusling, Amy Weinberger, and Angela Massaro- Fain.
The From Cradle To College Foundation (FCTCF) is delighted to announce a new food distribution and COVID-19 prevention program that will continue the fight against the impact of the on-going health pandemic in Manatee County. FCTCF received a grant of almost $315,000 from Manatee County CARES Act funding to purchase a brand-new school bus that will be converted into a mobile food distribution vehicle and COVID-19 prevention resource unit. Paul Sharff, FCTCF Managing Director said: “We would like to once again thank Manatee County administration for this critical funding as the community pulls together to continue the fight against COVID-19."
Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson’s received a grant of $1,000 from The MSC Foundation to help provide over 5,000 Parkinson’s Disease Resource Guides at no cost to the local Parkinson’s community. MSC Foundation has helped underwrite printing and distribution of over 20,000 Parkinson’s Resources Guides since 2017. It’s important that people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers know they are not alone in their journey and that journey starts with finding the right care, support and information to help them become self-sufficient in managing every aspect of the disease: physically, psychologically and emotionally. "The initiatives and growth of Neuro Challenge are possible due to the generous support from the community. This continued partnership with MSC Foundation will provide essential service to the local Parkinson’s community today,” said Robyn Faucy-Washington, CEO of Neuro Challenge Foundation. The Parkinson’s Resource Guide provides comprehensive information that empowers people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers to live their best life with determination and hope in a supportive community.
Trendsport: Coffee Cocktails.
Click here to read the full article from SRQ's New September 2020 edition.
Yoga Instructor Ashley Stewart will lead a yoga session the front lawn of Ca' d'Zan. With your health and safety as a top priority, these classes are limited to 50 participants and at least 7 feet of distance will be maintained between people. Class size is limited, tickets must be purchased in advance
The Ringling, 5401 Bay Shore Road
Matthew McGee, a well-known performer in the Tampa/Sarasota area, will host ALSO Youth’s upcoming Virtual Variety Show “Better Together” on September 26th from 6:30 to 8:30. Mr. McGee has performed locally with the Asolo Rep, freeFall Theatre Company, Stageworks, American Stage in the Park, and the Suncoast AIDS Theatre Project. He is a two time Theatre Tampa Bay Award winner and a Broadway World’s Best Actor in a Musical winner. The Virtual variety Show will feature performances by local theater, dance, circus arts, and drag performers as well as cooking and cocktail demonstrations. An online auction featuring vacation stays, experiences and gift baskets will begin two weeks prior to the event and will conclude at the end of the Variety Show. Proceeds from the event will support ALSO Youth’s programs for LGBTQ+ youth. For more information about the event contact TonyBoothby@michaelsaunders.com or james@alsoyouth.org.
Nostalgia can be a powerful trigger of emotions and memories, sometimes even invoking forgotten past events, places, and moments. Nostalgia also sells. Products replicating or calling back to the 1980’s and 1990’s have seen a surge (resurgence?) of popularity recently. These products are often marketed to younger generations who are fascinated with the decades, right along with the adults who actually owned the original items - or still do.
Dean photographs both the popular and old toys he still has from his childhood. Well-known toys that evoke nostalgia in others, the obscure tokens, and the items made by companies that no longer exist; all have histories which have been lost to time. In doing so, Dean found himself pondering the origins of the objects, who might have designed and created them, how many of them were made, the persistence of similar colors, and how many still exist. Over time, each object also picks up its own unique set of bumps and scratches, becoming tiny fragments of years that only grow more distant. Dean creates new art out of the mass-produced trinkets. He makes new memories out of the old, playing with color and shape; creating something for the viewer to enjoy looking through. Perhaps connecting with them as well by unlocking a buried snapshot of a distant time and place.
Patrician Thompson Gallery in the Keating Center, 2700 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
From Young Concert Artists comes one of the most versatile string quartets in classical music today. The Omer Quartet is quickly gaining a reputation for “fearless renderings” (the New York Times) of the standard quartet repertoire as well as compelling performances of works by today’s composers. The ensemble burst onto the scene with top prizes at Borciani, Trondheim, and Bordeaux in Europe all in one year, having already captured the Fischoff National Competition Grand Prize. The quartet was awarded first prize in the 2017 Young Concert Artists (YCA) International Auditions and recently debuted at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall. Joining the quartet from Young Concert Artists is accordion virtuoso Hanzhi Wang. Praised for her captivating stage presence and performances that are technically and musically masterful, this groundbreaking young musician is the only accordionist in 59 years to win a place on the YCA roster. 3pm Pre-Concert Wine Reception. Tickets are $42.
Bruce Hornsby, the creatively insatiable pianist and singer-songwriter from Williamsburg, Virginia, always has succeeded on his exceptional gifts, his training and his work ethic. He has collaborated with Ricky Skaggs and the Grateful Dead. He has scored films and performed with symphony orchestras. Hornsby describes his new album Absolute Zero as “a compendium of what I like and moves me.” Prepare for a multi-faceted ride on November 11, 2021 at 7pm.
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 North Tamiami Trail
Forty Carrots Family Center announces its 18th annual Free Educational Community Speaker Event, presented in partnership with the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. This year’s event transitions to a virtual platform, broadcasting at 7 pm on Wednesday, Sept. 23rd. The event is free and open to the community, but advance registration is required. Dr. Brackett will present insights from his book; “Permission to Feel” helping parents, caregivers, teachers and professionals understand how emotions influence our lives; cultivate emotional intelligence in our children and develop tools for greater well-being and success. Dr. Brackett is a research psychologist and the founding director at Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University. He has developed a remarkable effective plan to improve the lives of children and adults – a blueprint for understanding emotions and using them wisely to help, rather than hinder, an individual’s success and inspiration in equal parts. Advance registration is required. Click to register online.
Virtual.
SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email |
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