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| Volunteer! |
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| Help us keep our parks clean, safe, and a breath of fresh air for all the people of Sarasota. |
Clicking on the images below will bring you to more about our programs and
activities |
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| Paw Parks of Sarasota |
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| A Worthy Store |
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| Check out the Worthy Cause Store – great items, great prices, and a portion of your purchase goes to the Friends! |
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November
GREETINGS from the Friends of Sarasota County Parks
Did you remember to Fall Back?
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| Special Event: Veterans Summit |
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Here’s a series of events that Friends’ Prez Terry Redman wants us to all be especially aware of: It’s a Conference celebrating Service and Sacrifice at the Sarasota National Cemetery.
Read about it here, and let your friends know that they are seeking able-bodied volunteers.
There’s plenty of work to go around. Contact Alicia Chalmers, the volunteer coordinator, at aliciaC0831@gmail.com, or 941-735-6074. |
| Chapter Notes |
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Taste of Culture
The Venice Cultural Campus is staging aprogressive dinner on Fri. Nov. 14th where you can meet famed international chalk artists. Call to reserve: 941-485-7136.
Phillippi Farmhouse Market
Priscilla Brown writes to say:
Phillippi Farmhouse Market opened October 1st for its 6th season. Friend Fred Whitehouse is the market’s volunteer coordinator for set up, running the market and clean up. Friend Grace Whitehouse handles the Welcome Tent, dispensing information, flyers and customer service par excellence! Other Friends volunteer at the market, but more help would be gratefully accepted by these hard-working members of FOSCP.
The Farmhouse Market had a banner day on Wednesday, Oct 29, when more than 1,100 cars full of shoppers arrived to enjoy the hilarious Howl-O-Ween doggie costume parade. The market partnered with theHumane Society of Sarasota County to promote their adorable, adoptable dogs and cats. The day was a success as several pets went to their new, loving owners and homes.
As the market heads into November, the spotlight will be on produce growers and bakery items with Thanksgiving just around the corner.
Phillippi Farmhouse Market is the Original Wednesday Farmers Market in Sarasota and the only all-volunteer farmers market in the area. Friends of Sarasota County Parks should be proud of their contribution to the community. Thank You!
The market is open every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 29, 2015.
Friends of the Legacy Trail
Ed Wolfenbarger says the sewer line repair at the north end of the Legacy Trail has been completed and landscaping will be done soon. Rapid flashing pedestrian crossing signs are being installed at Central Sarssota Parkway. Bruce Dillon reports that the Extend the Trail Campaign is close to making the goal of $72,251 to pay the public sector share of the feasibility study to explore bringing the trail all the way to downtown Sarasota. An update will be given to the County on Nov. 4. |
| Volunteer Sarasota Site is gathering steam |
VOLUNTEER Sarasota County now offers updates, news, and volunteer photos. It reports:
A BIG thank you to the 1,593 volunteers who contributed 8,337.45 hours in September at a value of $184,591.14!
Volunteers keep our beaches, parks and roadways cleaner, our library shelves filled with books, our preserves protected and so much more.
Refer to the document section – Summary of Volunteer Activity to learn more about community impact of volunteering.
Ever wonder how they compute the value of volunteer time? Here’s a clue.Remember, three good things come with renewing your volunteer registration:
- Benefits in accord with Florida Workers’ Comp are afforded only to registered volunteers.
- Recording your work hours for the Friends and for the County can mean more grant money for new worthwhile projects for your Chapter. You can also track mileage.
- You get to belong to the elite group of volunteers that contribute so much to Sarasota’s parks, trails, public lands and more.
Don’t forget to sign up — it’s required, it’s painless, and, as Friends volunteers keep finding out, it opens the way to many good things.
Reach out to Vickie French vfrench@scgov.net, or Brenda Canales bcanales@scgov.net with any questions! |
| Thanks to Sen. Bob Johnson |
A buddy and I heard there was a Celebration at Sen. Bob Johnson’s Landing the other day. Sounded interesting, but we couldn’t get down there that day. A couple of days later we headed down – it’s on Tamiami just south of where River Road runs into it – but our visit was a bit premature. The Senator’s Landing isn’t open quite yet.
This didn’t stop us from putting our kayaks in across the road on a lovely afternoon. The Myakka was peaceful; drawn by the setting sun, groups of birds from all directions headed for a mangrove rookery in the middle of the river.
So what we now can say is, when it’s open, Sen. Bob Johnson’s Landing will be a splendid place to float a quiet boat on a quiet stream.
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| A few more things |
Master Gardeners’ Success
The Master Gardener’s Annual Plant Sale was well attended, and full of amazing plants as well as some Bees and Chickens. We picked up some lovely plants that seem to like the back yard. Too bad the sale’s only once a year!
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| Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale at Twin Lakes |
Parks and Nature for November
Lots of cool things happening in the parks and preserves this month – exotics to watch out for, birds, climbing aster, bicycling, strolls – we’ve put the County’s list here.
Members of the Bee Ridge Community Garden were out in force the other day as well to mark “Eat Local Week“:
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| Bee Ridge Community Garden |
It’s a growing season. Snows are already dusting towns to the North, but here November brings the clamber of vine, flower and tendril.
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| Photo: Teguh Santosa |
Tschüss!
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The Newsletter of the
Friends of
Sarasota County Parks
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