When a path doesn’t emerge, sometimes you have to carve one out yourself. That’s what Eric Claessens, president of the Sarasota County Off-Road Riders (SCORR) did 15 years ago. Claessens, an avid cyclist who moved to North Port in the late 1980s, was looking for a place to ride his mountain bike. After friends introduced him to the Carlton Reserve, a sprawling 24,565 acre preserve in South Sarasota County, he came up with a plan.

“There was no organized way of riding whatsoever—people were riding illegal trails or through private property,” says Claessens. “It was like the wild west. I created the club to try and make everything more legal.”

Claessens came into contact with the land managers at the Reserve and slowly, but surely, developed around 25 miles of singletrack mountain biking trails. Today, the largely interconnected network of trails spans throughout the Reserve and the bordering areas of Carlton Ranch and Myakka River State Park. “When we first started, we weren’t allowed to use anything other than hand tools to create trails. We’d agree with the land manager on where the trail would be and then try to follow the path of least resistance,” says Claessens. “Everything is very flat here, so we tended to make winding, twisty trails because we thought that would be a lot more fun than just riding in straight lines.”

There are three main access points to the trails: the parking lot at the Carlton Reserve, the Myakkahatchee Environmental Park in North Port and a trailhead off East River Road at the north end of the Myakka State Forest. The creation of the trails—and the continual upkeep—is no easy task. For Claessens and the rest of the dedicated volunteers, or “Trail Thugs”, however, their toil is well worth it. SCORR is not exclusive—simply ‘friending’ the page on Facebook essentially grants you membership—and hosts a bevy of trail rides throughout the season, which typically lasts from around September through June or July. SCORR also hosts larger events, such as Piggy’s Revenge, an endurance ride through Carlton Reserve in which riders can choose to ride the 10, 20 or 40 mile mountain bike route, a 60 mile trail or a 20 mile gravel bike loop that over 300 people annually attend. “When we started 15 years ago, there was nobody in the Carlton Reserve parking lot on the weekends. Nowadays, it’s slammed with visitors, which is awesome,” says Claessens. “You get to see part of the state you never typically get to see. There is more to Florida than just the beaches—there is so much wildlife out there.”

Sarasota County Off-Road Riders, Facebook@SCORR Riders, scorrider@gmail.com 

Provided photo.

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Sarasota Yacht Club proudly celebrates Sailing Director Dalton Tebo, who recently captured the 2025 Formula 18 North American Championship title with teammate John Casey. The pair dominated the four-day regatta, hosted by Sail Newport in Rhode Island, securing first place against 29 elite teams from around the world, including Argentina, Canada, Chile, and the United States. Racing their Nacra Evo El Cucuy, Tebo and Casey won eight of 13 races, finishing with a commanding 15 points to secure the championship. The competition featured a wide range of conditions, from light and shifty breezes inside Narragansett Bay to heavy 20 knot winds off Brenton Reef, but the duo’s consistency and focus carried them to the top. 

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The New College Foundation is proud to announce the return of one of Sarasota’s most cherished traditions—the 46th Annual Clambake, to be held on Wednesday, November 6, 2025, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the scenic Bayfront campus of New College of Florida. The event’s co-chairs, Elizabeth Moore and Mary Gratehouse, are committed to making this year’s event even more extraordinary – bringing together community leaders, philanthropists, alumni, and friends for an unforgettable evening of coastal cuisine, live entertainment, and spirited support for New College students. Guests will enjoy a festive New England–style clambake under the stars, while overlooking Sarasota Bay’s stunning sunset views. 

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The Florida Center for Early Childhood has received a $7,500 grant from The Reinhart Foundation to expand speech and occupational therapy for children with developmental delays. The funding helps more local kids get the steady support they need to keep moving forward and reach important milestones. The $7,500 gift funds more than 60 hours of speech and occupational therapy for local children. “Early intervention isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline,” says Nickolas Reinhart, president of The Reinhart Foundation. Based in Sarasota, The Reinhart Foundation focuses its giving on strengthening communities, especially by supporting children with health challenges and ensuring they don’t lose access to therapies that prepare them to succeed in school and in life. 

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The Key Chorale Student Scholar Leadership Program is designed to prepare gifted high-school students for college-level success in music. Funding for this program is provided in part by the John J. Weiss Memorial Fund, the Martha Leiter and Nancy Streetman Fund II, and the Allen Wirtz Nobbe and Jo Bowen Nobbe Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. “We’re deeply grateful to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for their generous support of our Student Scholar Leadership Program. This grant empowers us to expand a program that’s not only shaping stronger musicians, but also nurturing confident, responsible young leaders. It’s about more than music—it’s about unlocking potential and building character through transformative experiences,” said Joseph Caulkins, Artistic Director and CEO. 

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The first three concerts of the season feature a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, local favorites performing Russian works, and royal fun with The Queen’s Six. Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota presents Grammy Lifetime Achievement winner Nicholas Eanet with Jungeun Kim, Natalie Helm, and Bharat Chandra in Contrasts on October 12 at First Presbyterian Church. Legacy – a soirée with Dr. Joseph Holt, Daniel Jordan, and Christopher Schnell performing the works of Russian composers – is October 20 at the Fischer/Weisenborne residence. The Queen’s Six returns to Sarasota on October 28, following a sold-out concert in 2023, this time performing at First Congregational United Church of Christ. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org or call (941) 306-1202. 

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Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design (SAM) is pleased to announce it will launch a new monthly live music event series, After Hours. From Jazz, Motown and Rock n’ Roll to Classical Holiday Favorites and more, each event will feature a different musical genre and style. In addition to live music, select programs will also include a 30-minute introductory dance lesson in the style of the night’s theme. After Hours will take place on the last Tuesday of each month in the Marcy & Michael Klein Plaza at Sarasota Art Museum. Tickets are $25 for SAM Members and $30 in advance or $35 at the door for Not-Yet Members. Tickets are now on sale at SarasotaArtMuseum.org/After-Hours. 

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