Here on the Gulf Coast, bodies of water are a part of everyday life. From beach days to swimming pools to fishing piers and boat docks, residents are constantly interacting with the water. That also means that children are around water—and that the inherent risk of being in the water grows greater the smaller the human involved. From May 11-17, Aqua-Tots Sarasota is hosting its annual “Swim With Your Clothes On” Water Safety Week in recognition of National Water Safety Month.

“Statistically speaking, when kids have an accident around water, they are fully clothed and not in swimming mode,” says Lindsay Leary, co-owner of Aqua-Tots Sarasota. “It’s an entirely different sensation to have wet clothes and shoes on that weigh you down when you’re swimming. We want them to experience that.”

For “Swim With Your Clothes On” week, Aqua-Tots Sarasota, which offers indoor swim lessons for children aged four months to 12 years, instructors modify the typical curriculum to give children this new experience. The concept is that if you’ve fallen into the water fully clothed before—and received instruction on how to safely extract yourself—if it happens in real life, the situation can be met with a sense of preparedness and not panic.

“We’ll do activities like “throw don’t go,” where if a friend has fallen in a pool or in water and needs help, how do they get to that friend without putting themselves in danger? Sometimes that means getting something long that the friend can grab onto,” says Leary. “There are other techniques such as how to alert an adult for help or get to their back to get air if they were to fall in or how to easily take off their shoes and tread water.”

Leary also emphasizes the ABC’s of water safety: adults, barriers and classes. For the kids, getting to swim with their clothes on, has been a real treat. “For the kids, it’s really fun,” says Leary. “Wearing your clothes in a pool feels like you’re breaking all the rules.”

“Swim With Your Clothes On” Water Safety Week, May 11-17, Aqua-Tots Sarasota, 3750 S. Tuttle Ave, Sarasota. 

A child prepares to dive in during Aqua-Tots

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The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County (ELC) has received $18,000 from Bradenton Kiwanis in support of ReadingPals, the ELC's early literacy program that brings trained volunteers into local preschool classrooms to read with children each week. ReadingPals serves 4-year-olds in prekindergarten classrooms across Manatee County. Through weekly shared reading sessions, children build early language and literacy skills while growing more comfortable with books and storytelling during a key stage of development.For more information about ReadingPals, or if you're interested in volunteering, visit https://www.elc-manatee.org/ReadingPals. 

Shumaker Partner Christa Sullivan has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing educational opportunities for students and supporting excellence in teaching across the community.  The Education Foundation of Sarasota County is guided by a mission to enhance the potential of students, promote excellence in teaching, and inspire innovation in education through strategic philanthropy. Through its programs and partnerships, the organization works to provide educators with resources, recognize outstanding teaching, and help students succeed both inside and outside the classroom. 

Sarasota County Schools recently celebrated its amazing volunteers, business partners, and community partners at the school district’s annual Outstanding Volunteer Awards reception. Held annually in April in observance of National Volunteer Recognition Month, the Outstanding Volunteer Awards reception recognizes those who have gone above and beyond to support Sarasota County’s students, teachers, staff members, and school communities during the school year. Sarasota County Schools’ Department of Strategic Engagement noted a combined 88,522 hours of service during the 2025-2026 school year so far – 5,598 hours more than the previous year — equaling a cash value of in-kind hours totaling $2,815,025.04. Vist sarasotacountyschools.net for more information. 

Forty Carrots is honored to receive $75,000 investment in the agency’s Mental Health Internship & Training Program, thanks to Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Sarasota and Manatee County are suffering from a shortage of mental health providers, and Forty Carrots Family Center is at the forefront of the effort to increase families’ access to child and family mental health therapists in our community. The program serves as an invaluable training ground for new mental health professionals, immersing graduate students in an intentionally scaffolded training curriculum. Graduate students gain experience working with families from all walks of life, learning critical skills to support the unique and varied mental health concerns of children and their caregivers, no matter their life circumstances. Visit www.fortycarrots.org for more information. 

In celebration of 100 years of service, the Rotary Club of Sarasota has selected Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties (BGCSDC) as its Centennial Project and is funding a food pantry for the Newtown community at the new Roy McBean Boys & Girls Club on the Irving and Marilyn Naiditch Campus, located at 1790 21st Street in Sarasota. This project expands on Rotary’s initiative to continue addressing food insecurity throughout our community. More than 25 years ago, Rotary helped launch the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Kids’ Café program at the Roy McBean Boys & Girls Club, ensuring Newtown-based Club members had access to snacks and meals after school and during the summer. Now, that initiative continues with the development of the Rotary Club of Sarasota Food Pantry as part of the new Roy McBean Boys & Girls Club capital initiative, which will provide families with consistent access to nutrient-rich food and extend the Club’s support to the Newtown community in collaboration with All Faiths Food Bank. For more information, visit bgcsdc.org or call 941-366-3911.  

For more than 46 years, Harry's Continental Kitchens has been bringing people together around the table. This June, the beloved Longboat Key restaurant invites guests to do that once again for a cause much bigger than dinner service. On Friday, June 6, Harry’s Continental Kitchens will host its 2nd Annual Sea to Table Wine Dinner, presented by Jackson Family Wines and benefiting Pine Island Redfish and MANG Foundation, two organizations working to restore and protect Florida’s fragile coastal ecosystems through innovative aquaculture and mangrove restoration initiatives. The evening begins with a welcome reception featuring sparkling wine, freshly shucked oysters, and passed hors d’oeuvres before guests settle in for a thoughtfully curated four-course dinner paired with wines from Jackson Family Wines.

Second Annual Sea to Table Wine Dinner, Friday, June 6, 6:00pm, Harry’s Continental Kitchens | 525 Saint Judes Drive, Longboat Key, Benefiting: Pine Island Redfish and MANG Foundation, Tickets: $185/guest + tax. 

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Mr. Monopoly is making his way to Sarasota, and he wants local residents and visitors to be part of his next venture! Top Trumps USA, the American division of Winning Moves International and creators of classic games and puzzles, is rolling out MONOPOLY: Sarasota County Edition under license from Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company. The company is seeking well-established businesses and nonprofits to be part of this historic way to honor communities across the county. MONOPOLY: Sarasota County Edition will replace the perennial board game’s famous Atlantic City squares, from Boardwalk to Park Place, with Sarasota County-based businesses, nonprofits and landmarks. The Sarasota Countyboard will also include a customized Community Chest, Chance playing cards and MONOPOLY Money, ensuring each detail of the game pays homage to the Sarasota community. When it debuts in 2027, MONOPOLY: Sarasota County Edition will be available in stores and online at retail partners, including Barnes & Noble, Amazon and select local Sarasota retailers. To learn more about MONOPOLY city experience boards, visit www.toptrumps.us. 

Sarasota Memorial’s Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute is enrolling local patients in the international ADVANCE study, which aims to improve prenatal screening through a single maternal blood test that screens both mother and baby for a range of genetic conditions. Led locally by Larry Matsumoto, MD, an OB-GYN with SMH’s First Physicians Group, the study is designed to provide families with earlier, more accurate information during pregnancy. For more information or to find out if you are eligible to participate in the local study, contact the research team at (941) 917-2225 or researchinstitute@smh.com.