SRQ DAILY Oct 12, 2023
Thursday Family and Recreation Edition
"With footy, the exciting thing is that everybody gets to be the quarterback. Everybody gets the chance to have the ball in their hands and decide where to go with it next which is really unique."
It turns out that nearly 10,000 miles away from the United States, football still reigns supreme. No this is not a clever word for “soccer”, this is something much more exciting: Australian Rules Football. Australian Rules Football or “footy” as it is often called Down Under, can best be described in the most complimentary way as organized chaos. Often played on modified cricket grounds, Australian Rules Football is a full contact mismash of soccer, rugby and American football. Eighteen players on each team engage in a near-continuous battle of high-scoring action–points are scored by kicking the laced oval ball, a mix between a rugby ball and American football, through central or outer goal posts stationed at the ends of the field.
This weekend, footy is coming to Lakewood Ranch’s Premier Sports Campus for the 26th Annual United States Australian Football League Nationals. The tournament is the world’s largest Australian Rules Football tournament, bringing in over 43 teams from five men’s and two women’s divisions across the United States and Canada. The tournament will feature a full weekend of competition, with a skills competition on Friday and the winners of the men’s and women’s championships being crowned on Sunday. “The teams are ranked in divisions based on their regular season performance, record and success in the regional tournaments,” says Doren James, USAFL Executive Director. “We held three regional tournaments throughout the summer on the East Coast, West Coast and Midwest.”
James, an American now in his 10th year as the Nationals tournament director, has made a career in the sport after falling in love with footy while studying abroad in Australia during college. “ I grew up playing soccer, football and rugby in college. When I went to Australia to study abroad, my roommate was a big footy player and introduced me to the sport. I was hooked straight away because it had all three of those games wrapped up into one and immediately started playing and joined the Milwaukee team in the USAFL when I returned home to the states,” says James. “With footy, the exciting thing is that everybody gets to be the quarterback. Everybody gets the chance to have the ball in their hands and decide where to go with it next which is really unique.”
The Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch, 5895 Post Blvd., Lakewood Ranch. 
Pictured: 2022 USAFL Nationals between the DC Eagles and Austin Crows. Photo by Jerry Long.
It’s no secret that many students struggle with anxiety. Whether that be work overload, family strain or maybe even monsters under the bed, learning to manage the incredible stress that comes with life at any age or stage can be tough. Eleven-year-old author, Talia Jean Campbell, hopes to help kids like herself understand that anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is it something that cannot be overcome, by publishing her own book Monster Tea Party with the help of her mother Ellie Campbell.
Talia Jean is an avid reader and has been creating her own stories since she learned to write, even going on to finish multiple series complete with her own illustrations. Her stories are immensely creative, with detailed, developed plots and a diverse array of characters. “I just love to write books, I have all my life,” Talia Jean says. “I wrote one when I was in second grade about a silly old lady and then one about a group of children who like to help animals and they have a club. And then I also have one fantasy book about fairies.”
The idea to create Monster Tea Party was born through Ellie and Talia Jean’s work in therapy, which the pair had been attending since Talia Jean was around five-years-old to help with combatting her anxiety. “She was just coming up with these super creative ideas for how to handle things that were worrying her,” Ellie says. “Our therapist said ‘You probably need to put these down on paper. You need to write them down and help other kids’. So through that we decided to write our first book together.”
The creativity and storyline was Talia Jean’s work, with a plot based around monsters living inside a young boy named Sam’s closet. While at first, the monsters are scary and mean, once Sam gets to know them he learns that they are funny and kind, and maybe even a little scared of him too.
After sourcing a printer out of England and an illustrator out of Hungary, Monster Tea Party was born, a process that took nearly a year for the mother-daughter duo. The book is a perfect way to teach children not only how to cope with anxiety in a light-hearted way, but also that going to therapy is a normal and positive part of life.
The pair will be participating in a reading of Monster Tea Party at Bookstore1Sarasota on October 14 at 11am. Registration for the event is free and includes stickers, fun printouts and delicious tea. Copies of Monster Tea Party will also be available for purchase.
Talia Jean hopes that Monster Tea Party will help other kids who struggle with anxiety by showing them that they’re not alone. “It’s giving them a creative way to treat something that seems really frightening to them,” Ellie adds.
For more information about the reading at Bookstore1Sarasota, visit sarasotabooks.com/events. To order a copy of Monster Tea Party, visit bebravepress.com.
Pictured: Mother-daughter duo, Ellie and Talia Jean Campbell, with the book they published together. Photo courtesy of Ellie Campbell.
Sarah Wertheimer, executive director of Embracing Our Differences (EOD), announced recently that the organization has appointed Chloe Niebuhr as a STAR student board member. Niebuhr, a 12th-grade student at Pine View School, is a member of The Boys & Girls Club’s STAR (Students Take Active Roles) Leadership Training program. After completion of the program, students are eligible to give back to a cause they care about by serving as a voting board member for one of STAR’s 90 partner agencies.
The Out-of-Door Academy is pleased to announce the expansion to a third campus in the Sarasota area. In addition to the current campuses on Siesta Key and in Lakewood Ranch, ODA’s third campus will be located on Clark Road just east of Lorraine Road. The additional campus will open in August 2024 with pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and Grade 1 classes, with plans to add an additional grade level each year thereafter up to Grade 5. Out-of-Door experienced tremendous growth and enrollment interest in recent years and began exploring potential expansion opportunities as part of its strategic planning. After listening to the desires of parents and staff, along with unprecedented interest in enrollment at the pre-K through Grade 5 age group, the school embarked on a mission to find an additional location closer to the Lakewood Ranch area and on the east side of I-75. ODA will soon celebrate its Centennial with a year-long program of events. While the Uihlein Campus in Lakewood Ranch housing the Middle School and Upper School opened in 1996, the Historic Siesta Key Campus dates back to 1924 with the school’s founding. Despite now opening a third campus for the same age group on Clark Road, the school has no plans to change its operations at Siesta Key. Out-of-Door is currently accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year. To inquire about enrollment at The Out-of-Door Academy, please visit www.oda.edu/admissions.
Pictured: ODA Clark Road Rendering.
New College of Florida unequivocally stands with Israel and the Jewish people during this difficult moment in history. We will aggressively uphold our legal obligation to ensure Jewish members of our campus community are protected during this time. As a member of the State University System, New College faithfully executes its responsibility under state law to ensure that all education programs, activities and opportunities are offered free from discrimination. These responsibilities are affirmed in section 1000.05, Florida Statutes, signed as HB 741 by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019, and in numerous statutes amended under 2023 HB 269. It is important to emphasize that it is a first-degree felony under section 775.33, Florida Statutes for any person to provide material support or resources to any designated foreign terrorist organization, including Hamas. Any individual or group at New College providing support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. At New College, we simply will not tolerate violence, intimidation, harassment, or threats against Jewish students, employees, or communities.
Due to popular demand and the success of the past three years, The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) is pleased to announce its Fourth Annual Halloween Drive-Thru on Saturday, October 28, from 6 - 8 p.m., at the agency’s Sarasota headquarters. “While this event originated due to the pandemic, it has grown and become a highly anticipated annual event,” commented Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman. “It is easy to attend; quick, safe, and fun for families; and allows our agency members to interact with the community.” That same evening, Sarasota locals have a second option for family fun! The Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Sarasota Film Festival will present Howl-O-Ween Movie Night Spooktacular at Ed Smith Stadium starting at 5 p.m. – another great community event. For information about the SCSO Halloween Drive-Thru, connect with the sheriff’s office on social media or contact the Community Affairs Office at 941.861.4005.
Wellen Park pet parents now have a convenient location for daycare and overnight boarding. Bayside Pet Resort is hosting a grand opening event Saturday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and it will be open to the public. Attendees will have an opportunity to tour the new location and win a variety of prizes. This is Bayside Pet Resort’s fourth location at 8800 South Tamiami Trail – a freestanding 16,000-square-foot building offering overnight accommodations for 100 dogs and 18 cats, two doggie daycares for large and small dogs, grooming, and obedience and agility training. The grand opening event will have a variety of raffle prizes for attendees to win. Guests could win a discount on a reservation, a gift basket full of dog toys and treats, lottery tickets and more. The building, situated on 2.5 acres, is a new prototype with larger dog runs and outdoor spaces. It will have various-sized kennels, including overnight boarding in 100 air-conditioned dog suites – most with popular indoor-outdoor runs – and 18 kitty condos and penthouses. The kennels are humidity-controlled with fresh air circulated every 10 minutes and are equipped with webcams for owners to check in on their pets. Bayside Pet Resort also provides fresh linens and soothing music. Bayside Pet Resort also accepts turtles, fish, bearded dragons, guinea pigs, rabbits and hedge hogs. A pot-bellied pig is also a frequent guest. Horses, birds and poisonous animals are not accepted. For more information, visit baysidepetresort.com.
Turtle Beach Park and Campground
It’s hard to find a more beautiful place to camp than Turtle Beach, with its direct beach access. The campground is full of amenities such as RV hook-ups, restrooms and showers, washers and dryers, and a playground. Swim and kayak in the Gulf of Mexico, or hike on nearby trails before taking a free trolley ride to Siesta Village for beachside shopping and a bite to eat.
8918 and 8862 Midnight Pass Rd., Sarasota.
The Hermitage Artist Retreat announces that world-renowned and Grammy Award-winning string quartet ETHEL will headline the Hermitage’s signature fall fundraising event, “The Artful Lobster: An Outdoor Celebration!” on Saturday, November 11th from 11:30am to 2pm at the Hermitage campus on Manasota Key. This is the first time in many years that all four members of ETHEL – Ralph Farris, Kip Jones, Dorothy Lawson, and Corin Lee – will be reuniting at the Hermitage to celebrate this milestone anniversary of the event. This year’s Artful Lobster will also feature a performance by new Hermitage Fellow Emi Ferguson, a celebrated flutist and performer. For more information about the Hermitage and upcoming programs, visit HermitagArtistRetreat.org.
Creative Liberties Family Art will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 9am to noon. Bring the whole family and participate in free art projects led by professional artists. In a special edition of FAD, artist Judy Levine will team up with Art In Common Places co-founder and poet Teresa Carson to lead families in making story bracelets and poetry. For more information, visit creativeliberties.net.
Due to popular demand and the success of the past three years, The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, SCSO, is pleased to announce its Fourth Annual Halloween Drive-Thru on Saturday, October 28, from 6-8pm,, at the agency’s Sarasota headquarters. “While this event originated due to the pandemic, it has grown and become a highly anticipated annual event,” commented Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman. “It is easy to attend, quick, safe, and fun for families and allows our agency members to interact with the community.” For information about the SCSO Halloween Drive-Thru, connect with the sheriff’s office on social media or contact the Community Affairs Office at 941.861.4005 or visit SarasotaSheriff.org.
Join The Bishop and other community partners for safe, family fun at Boo! At the Bishop on October 28 from 6-8pm. Trick-or-Treat within the Museum while visiting with local community members. Light activities will also be provided for children to explore with our Education Department. Child-friendly costumes are encouraged. You will leave with candy and plenty of great memories! Tickets are $5, children under 2 can attend for free. For more information, or to register visit bishopscience.org.
In celebration of The Bay’s first year as a beloved and sustainable gathering place for the community, there will be five days of free activities, programs and events from October 18-22. On Sunday, October 22, 7-9 p.m., Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe will close out “The Bay Turns One!” celebration with a free “Soul & Sass” concert, featuring the hottest soul and R&B hits of the 1960s and 70s. The performance takes place at the Rusty Anchor Stage at The Bay Park, 10th Street entrance. The concert will feature songs from favorites such as Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, The O'Jay’s, Gladys Knight, Donna Summer and more. The community is invited to come sing along and dance the night away with the most exciting, show-stopping group on Florida’s Cultural Coast. The concert is open and accessible, free and welcoming to all, however, registration is encouraged at www.thebayturnsone.org/wcbtt-concert. Guests should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets as seating will not be provided. For more about “The Bay Turns One” and explore additional free offerings, visit TheBayTurnsOne.org.
Enter–if you dare–as the Suncoast Science Center and Faulhaber Fab Lab opens its doors for its annual Halloween Workshop. Workshop attendees will learn how to create or find a custom design to be etched onto a pumpkin using the Fab Lab's high-tech laser engraver. New this year, guests will also learn how to solder their own circuit board LED flashlight, perfect for illuminating your trick or treating pathway! Explore Halloween with a spooky STEM twist while spending quality time as a family. Bonus, an engraved pumpkin lasts much longer than a carved pumpkin in the Florida heat! No experience is required, and all ages are welcome to learn and explore at the workshop. Hour-long sessions are available from 2-7pm on Saturday, October 21 and from 1-4pm on Sunday, October 22, at the Fab Lab at 4452 S Beneva Road, Sarasota. Up to three guests may attend per $45 registration. Registration includes one laser-engraved pumpkin and one LED flashlight. Please reserve multiple slots if more children or adults would like to attend. The Halloween workshop sells out every year, so reserve your spot now! To learn more and register for the workshop, visit suncoastscience.org/classes-workshops.
Plant and crystal shop Salt Your Soul Gift Co. is hosting its first Plant Swap of the season on Sunday, October 15 from 9AM-2PM. Attendees are encouraged to bring 1-5 healthy plants to swap, although bringing a plant is not required to participate. There will also be a raffle for a rare Philodendron Jose Buono valued at $200. This event is open to all ages and all levels of plant enthusiasts, even if that means you are just curious about plants but have never been able to keep one alive. Members of the local plant community will be available to help during the swap and discuss plant care and propagation. Just look for their “Ask Me About Plants!” name tag. In addition to the plant swap there will be several vendors including Butterflies & Blossoms, Denim & Moss Designs, Floral Lab, Forever Linked Permanent Jewelry, It Takes Your There Vegan Treats, K and T Designs Tie Dye, Lennox Art, Nichole Moranda Arts, Seastar Lemon Bubbles Lemonade, Serendipitous Satori and Veganology Vegan Hot Dogs. For more details visit saltyoursoul.com.
Wellen Park pet parents now have a convenient location for daycare and overnight boarding. Bayside Pet Resort is hosting a grand opening event Saturday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and it will be open to the public. Attendees will have an opportunity to tour the new location and win a variety of prizes. This is Bayside Pet Resort’s fourth location at 8800 South Tamiami Trail – a freestanding 16,000-square-foot building offering overnight accommodations for 100 dogs and 18 cats, two doggie daycares for large and small dogs, grooming, and obedience and agility training. The grand opening event will have a variety of raffle prizes for attendees to win. Guests could win a discount on a reservation, a gift basket full of dog toys and treats, lottery tickets and more. The building, situated on 2.5 acres, is a new prototype with larger dog runs and outdoor spaces. It will have various-sized kennels, including overnight boarding in 100 air-conditioned dog suites – most with popular indoor-outdoor runs – and 18 kitty condos and penthouses. The kennels are humidity-controlled with fresh air circulated every 10 minutes and are equipped with webcams for owners to check in on their pets. Bayside Pet Resort also provides fresh linens and soothing music. Bayside Pet Resort also accepts turtles, fish, bearded dragons, guinea pigs, rabbits and hedgehogs. A pot-bellied pig is also a frequent guest. Horses, birds and poisonous animals are not accepted. For more information, visit baysidepetresort.com.
The cultural phenomenon continues on the big screen! Immerse yourself in this once-in-a lifetime concert film experience with a breathtaking cinematic view of the history-making tour. Taylor Swift Eras attire and friendship bracelets are strongly encouraged! Tickets available for October 13-15 and October 19-22. For more information visit filmsociety.org.
Experience some of the best food and flavors of the region with more than 100, and still growing, curated vendors. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch has fast become a favorite weekly tradition for people from all over the region seeking farm-fresh produce, delicious prepared foods, and specialty items and gifts. Aside from all the goodies you can shop at the Farmers Market, find your flow in a free yoga class or have the kiddos get creative during weekly-hosted workshops. 1561 Lakefront Dr., Lakewood Ranch.
Bringing Up Down Syndrome will hold its 21st annual Buddy Walk on Saturday, October 28th from 10 am to 2 pm at Bayside Community Church, located at 15800 FL64 in Bradenton, Florida. This exciting event is the largest Down syndrome awareness and celebration experience in the area. This event will feature live music with celebrated vocalist and DJ, MoTown Ross Brown, silent auction, carnival games, a 50/50 raffle, food and beverages, and a variety of other family friendly activities. All donations support programs and services offered to over 250 families across Manatee and Sarasota counties. Register now at manasotabuds.org.
Geckos Grill & Pub’s Award-winning Trivia-Think While You Drink! If you love Trivia, join the fun at Geckos all year round. All Trivia starts at 7:30pm. We will have prizes, giveaways and specials plus the Geckos made-to-order fare, signature cocktails and hospitality you love. Monday trivia will be held at the Clark Road location in Palmer Crossing and on Tuesdays at the SR 64 location in Braden River Plaza. The SR 64 location will be taking a break from Trivia in October, but will start back up in April. On Wednesdays, trivia will take place at the Hillview Street location in Southside Village. www.GeckosGrill.com.
Visit Fresh Harvest, the newly launched weekly farmers market in Downtown Wellen. Fresh Harvest offers a selection of local goods from nearly 40 local vendors. Fresh Harvest takes place every Sunday in Downtown Wellen from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees can peruse different vendor booths and stock up on a variety of goods. Vendors will offer a wide variety of locally grown and produced food, including herbs, spices, cut flowers, teas, canned and preserved fruits and vegetables, syrups, baked goods, pickled foods, fresh seafood, meats, poultry, eggs, milk and prepared food and beverages. A limited selection of craft vendors also participate in the farmers market. For a listing of participating vendors and more information on Fresh Harvest Farmers Market, visit wellenpark.com/events/fresh-harvest-farmers-market. Downtown Wellen, 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice.
Raise a glass with Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium during Sharktoberfest, a craft beer festival in the Aquarium after hours sponsored by Gold Cost Eagle Distributing. The event will feature local and regional breweries that will provide samples of their staple selections alongside unique, seasonal brews. Each guest will receive a commemorative tasting glass for sampling and a branded gift bag. Sharktoberfest guests will experience Mote Aquarium as they never have before, enjoying live entertainment, food stations, merchandise vendors and special experiences provided by the Mote Education department. A limited number of VIP Tasting tickets are available for a private tasting experience that will be held at Mote prior to the start of Sharktoberfest. Presented by 99 Bottles Taproom and Bottle Shop, the VIP Tasting will feature six sample selections from local brewers. A curated menu of light bites will be paired with each brew. Guests will enjoy a guided tasting experience where representatives from each brewery will provide insight into the creation of each brew. At the completion of the VIP Tasting experience, guests will enter the Aquarium for the start of Sharktoberfest. Rain or shine event. Must be age 21 or older to attend. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, mote.org.
This monthly gathering of car enthusiasts brings together automobile lovers from every walk of life, not to mention a wide array of spectacular cars. Bring your own vehicle (all makes and models are welcome) to show off, or check out the hundreds of cars on display. Each month, the event sponsors a different charity, and attendees are encouraged to donate $10 to benefit the charity. The event, occuring on the second Sunday of each month, will feature live music, complimentary coffee and more. To learn more, visit facebook.com/carsandcoffee941. Sarasota Cars and Coffee, The West District at University Town Center near Ford’s Garage, 295 N. Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota.
Siesta Key Rum runs free year-round tours for guests to learn the story of the craft distillery, the awards they have won and the secret to how they make their rums taste so good. During our 30-45 minute tour we will discuss the following topics: history of Siesta Key Rum, an overview of the awards our small company has won, what makes our rums taste so good, the rum-making process from mashing and fermentation to distillation, barrel aging and bottling of our rums. After the tour, we welcome you to sample a freshly made Siesta Key Rum cocktail, stock up on your favorite rums and browse our gift shop. 2212 Industrial Blvd., Sarasota.
Calling all Jeep Enthusiasts! The Sarasota Hooters location is hosting Jeep Night on the third Thursday of the month starting at 6pm. Hooters is giving away raffle prizes during the monthly events. The September 21 raffle prize is a Flashcal For Jeep Superchips Calibration Tool. Congratulations to Shawn Miller who won a Jeep Tow Kit during the August 17 Jeep Night. Upcoming Jeep Nights will take place on December 21. Hooters of Sarasota is located at 6507 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Visit Hooters during Jeep Night and present your Jeep key for 15% off food and non-alcoholic beverages and an entry for the giveaway. Jeep Night has become a favorite thing to do for the Sarasota community. From regular customers to Hooters Girls who own Jeeps and Jeep lovers everyone is enjoying this opportunity. For more information, visit www.HootersFlorida.com.
Realize Bradenton is happy to announce the return of the Bradenton Market to its weekly schedule. This beloved community gathering will be held Saturdays through May 25, 2024 from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm on Old Main Street in Bradenton. Founded in 1979, the Market has expanded to include more than 90 local vendors. In addition to the weekly shopping and music, the Market hosts special event days throughout the season. Halloween at the Market will be held on Saturday, October 28. This family-friendly event includes trick or treating with vendors, face painting with Manatee School for the Arts Academic Team from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm, and a dance performance by Slick Motion Studios at 10:00 am. For more information, visit RealizeBradenton.com.
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