SRQ DAILY Jan 1, 2026
Thursday Family and Recreation Edition
"We have a very good relationship, both on a professional and a personal level."
Professional sports are an interesting entity. Fans can only see what is on the field—the success of an organization becomes binary—did your team win or lose? What drives that success, however, is more than just the collaborative on-field efforts of the players—it stems from a tight knit culture within an organization, where everyone, from the water boy to the owner, is on the same page.
Building that culture is one of the reasons why Chandler O’Dwyer signed with the Sarasota Paradise this December. O’Dwyer, a 26-year-old English midfielder, comes to the Paradise as a seasoned veteran of USL League One—he spent the last four seasons playing for the Richmond Kickers. O’Dwyer understands the toll of a nine-month long season, and how the relationships within an organization are the catalyst for on-field results. “Being at the same club for four years was great,” says O’Dwyer. “I built a name for myself in the league, but I also got to the point where I was ready for a new challenge—being a part of a club that was transitioning to the professional level, of a team where I could be one of the most senior players and a staple of what the culture could look like—was extremely exciting for me.”
Part of creating that culture, O’Dwyer maintains, is fostering a sense of community through every facet of the club. “When I spoke with (owner and sporting director) Marcus Walfridson, everything he told me aligned with what I look for as a professional. Merging the bridge between players and front office staff, for example, is important,” says O’Dwyer. “In Sarasota, players will be mixing and merging with the office staff, building relationships with each other. Seemingly small things like that, in this level of sport, make a big difference, especially considering the length of our season.”
Getting the chance to play for Paradise Head Coach and Technical Director Mika Elovaara, who was an assistant coach for Richmond during O’Dwyer’s tenure, was another reason the midfielder found himself heading south. “Mika was the person that found me, that got me interested in the Kickers, so I’m excited to play for him again,” says O’Dwyer. “We have a very good relationship, both on a professional and a personal level. I know his family well. It’s a relationship that goes beyond just the typical player-coach connection, but it also doesn’t cross boundaries in a way that’s unprofessional. As soon as we go to work, it’s all football.” 
Chandler O'Dwyer. Provided photo.
On December 14, creativity, teamwork, and engineering skills came to life at the Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab (Fab Lab) as students from grades 1-7 participated in the third annual LEGO® RoboRumble competition. More than 60 students, including homeschoolers from Sarasota and Manatee counties, dedicated two months to designing, building, and programming their LEGO® robots. Their hard work culminated in an exciting day of competition attended by over 150 family members and community spectators. This year’s RoboRumble featured a variety of challenges, including a color sensor task, a high-striker carnival game, and sumo-style robot battles. Throughout the competition, students demonstrated perseverance and ingenuity, impressing everyone in attendance.
Michael Saunders & Company proudly announces the addition of veteran real estate professional Cheri Castro and her team, The Castro Group, to its Bradenton office, further strengthening the company’s presence in Manatee County. Castro, who has nearly a decade of experience in the real estate industry, recently made the move from Keller Williams on the Water to the prominent regional luxury brokerage.Recognized for her dedication to results achieved via a concierge-like real estate experience, Castro focuses on the values of integrity, loyalty, and professionalism, aiming to make every client transaction effortless from start to finish. She operates under the philosophy that luxury is not about a price tag; it’s about the experience.
Join us for Small Business Development for Minority Entrepreneurs, a series of free educational seminars where you’ll gain practical insights and actionable strategies to launch or grow your business in Newtown. Learn from experienced professionals and network with other entrepreneurs in your community. Free one-on-one mentorship opportunities.Register now! Limit 20 attendees.
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) is pleased to announce that Wilhelmine Wiese‑Rometsch, MD, was named the 2025 recipient of the “Outstanding Contributions to Advancing the Careers of Women in Medicine Award” by the American College of Physicians, Florida Chapter.The prestigious award recognizes physicians whose leadership, advocacy, and mentorship have advanced meaningful opportunities for women in medicine across Florida. As Chief Academic Officer at Sarasota Memorial, Dr. Wiese-Rometsch oversees the health system’s expanding graduate medical education (GME) programs and research initiatives, which are helping create a robust pipeline of new physicians serving Florida and the Suncoast region.
This exhibition highlights contemporary Native design, craftwork, and art that employ the formal and aesthetic elements of abstraction as meaningful motifs and coded tools of Indigenous expression to communicate tribal cultures and histories, ancestral knowledge, and the lived experiences of the artists and their communities. Explored in a variety of media, including basket weaving, beadwork, collage, clay, textiles, photography, metalwork, and printmaking rooted in ancestral technologies, their work shares similar stylistic and social concerns, such as vibrant color, hard-edged geometries, curvilinear patterns, and bold mark-making, all infused with personal stories and those of their kin.
Ringling Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, FL 34243
Hatch’s newly commissioned “plate painting,” Amalgam (2023), was created specifically for Sarasota Art Museum. Consisting of more than 450 earthenware plates hand-painted in white, blue, and gold luster, the abstract lines and shapes in Amalgam are drawn from a variety of historical ceramics from around the globe.
Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S Tamiami Trl, Sarasota, FL 34236
The monthly Saturday Night Sketch Club offers chill, creative vibes with costumed models or themed still lifes, and refreshments. Come solo or bring a friend. No experience needed.
ArtCenter Sarasota, 707 N Tamiami Trl, Sarasota
From Billy Joel to Alicia Keys, from Ray Charles to Freddie Mercury, Three Pianos celebrates the piano legends who refused to play by the rules. These aren’t your cookie-cutter rock stars: they’re the rebels, romantics, and risk-takers who turned 88 keys into pure magic.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Lights in Bloom will feature more than two million lights illuminating the gardens and walkways of our Downtown Sarasota campus and is a fun holiday tradition that offers photo opportunities, activities, and entertainment.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Join us under the stars for a night of good eating and great observing! We have partnered with the Local Group of Deep Sky Observers (LGDSO) to bring Sidewalk Astronomy to The Bishop. At this free event, you’ll have a chance to see Jupiter, Saturn, and much more through powerful telescopes!
Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th Street West Bradenton FL 34205
You’ve never seen Snow White like this before! Two quick-changing actors bring an entire fairy tale world to life in this inventive retelling of the classic story. From the evil queen and the magic mirror to the seven dwarfs and a brave princess, this fast-paced adventure delights audiences of all ages with creativity, heart and humor.
Florida Studio Theatre, 1241 N Palm Ave, Sarasota, FL 34236
Mike Block is a cellist, singer, composer and member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, who has been hailed by Gramophone Magazine as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene.” Block is teamed with equally virtuosic partners Joe K. Walsh, a bluegrass mandolin player, and bassist Zachariah Hickman. The trio fertilizes American roots and Appalachian folk music with contemporary and international influences, bringing an exciting and personal perspective to the acoustic music scene.
Plantation Golf and Country Club, 500 Rockley Boulevard, Venice FL 34293
Art immersion class for children ages 6-18. Small classes with fine arts materials. Visit linarinconart.com for more information and to register.
Creative Liberties Artist Studios, Gallery & Creative Academy, 927 N Lime Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237
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