COMMUNITY BRIEFS: Scholarships available; Sarasota Tiger Bay; Team Tony fundraiser

Students from Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties are invited to apply by Feb. 15 for more than 70 scholarship opportunities offered through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

By completing a single application, students under age 24 have an opportunity to be selected for an array of scholarships ranging from $500 to $25,000 for the upcoming academic year. The Traditional Scholarship application is available at bit.ly/3fKc1a0. Also visit cfsarasota.org.

Students must be pursuing or plan to pursue education at an accredited university, community college, technical school, or certification program. Applicants must also be a resident, graduating high school senior, or a graduate of a high school located within the four-county region.

Recipients are selected based on need, merit, or a combination. Scholarships are designed to fulfill multiple academic goals at colleges or technical schools. Some of the opportunities include the Sarasota County Bar Association Booker Law Academy Scholarship, Destinations Florida Scholarship, and Performing Arts Scholarship.

Additional scholarship opportunities outside of the Traditional Application process include the Father Connie Dougherty Memorial Scholarship for well-rounded applicants who desire to serve others is accepting applications through March 7; and the Youth Expanded Studies Scholarship for Sarasota County students who plan to participate in a distinct educational program, such as summer programs at colleges or universities. Middle school and high school students under 18 are eligible to apply through Feb. 1.

In 2021, roughly 800 scholarships worth more than $2.2 million were awarded to youth and adult students through the Community Foundation. To explore scholarships, visit cfsarasota.org/students.

Sarasota Tiger Bay Club
welcomes author, columnist

The Sarasota Tiger Bay Club will host New York Times columnist and author David Brooks at its annual keynote luncheon and fundraiser on May 5 at Michael’s On East.

Brooks, author of "The Second Mountain," "The Road to Character" and "The Social Animal," is a major political and social analyst with a gift for bringing audiences face to face with the times through humor, insight and quiet passion. He is also a regular analyst on PBS "NewsHour" and NPR’s "All Things Considered."

For ticket and sponsor information, visit sarasotatigerbay.com. Members will receive first preference for tickets and seating. The annual keynote luncheon is the only fundraising event for the organization whose mission is to promote community understanding of current political and social issues through public discourse and the free exchange of ideas.

Team Tony to host annual
Jackets & Jeans fundraiser

The Team Tony Cancer Foundation, a Sarasota-based nonprofit organization that provides free peer-to-peer cancer support and resources to cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers, will hold its fifth annual Jackets & Jeans Fundraiser Party on March 4.

Jacket & Jeans features creative cuisine, live music provided by Reverend Barry & the Funk, and silent and live auction items. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. at Michael’s on East. For more information and to purchase tickets, become a sponsor or donate an item for auction, visit teamtony.org.

Last year, the Team Tony Cancer Foundation, which launched in 2010, provided over $31,000 for flights, medical bill payments and other items for cancer fighters in the Suncoast area.

Manatee River Garden Club
seeks beautification projects

The Manatee River Garden Club is offering grants through the Elizabeth M. Eaton Charitable Trust for community beautification projects at public areas in Manatee County. The deadline to apply is April 1.

Applications and more information are available at manateerivergardenclub.com (go to About MRGC then scroll to Grant Application). Projects funded in the past included garden improvements at Palma Sola Botanical Gardens, enhancement of the butterfly garden at the Florida Maritime Museum, and maintenance at the Washington Square Community Garden.

Completed applications with project descriptions should be sent to the Manatee River Garden Club, Attention: Director of Grants & Scholarships, P.O. Box 14662, Bradenton, FL 34280-4662.

Around and about ...

The second annual Sarasota Luxury Travel Forum is scheduled on Feb. 16 from 4-7:30 p.m. at The Meadows Country Club in Sarasota.

Travel companies coming to the forum include Abercrombie & Kent, American Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Kensington Tours, Lindblad Expeditions, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Rocky Mountaineer, Scenic Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises, and Uniworld River Cruises. For information and registration, visit bookthatescape.com/SRQLuxuryTravel.

• Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 100 S. McCall Road, Port Charlotte, provides free sit-down and carry-out dinners on the first Monday of each month. The Feb. 7 menu includes baked ziti, bread, salad, and dessert. Visit GulfCoveChurch.com; email GulfCoveUMC@gmail.com; or call 941-697-1747 to reserve a meal. ... Gulf Cove Church also is seeking vendors of handcrafted items for its Arts & Crafts Show on Feb. 11-12. For information, call 941-276-7281.

Compiled from community submissions

'Sue's Backpacks'

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: COMMUNITY: Scholarships; Sarasota Tiger Bay; Team Tony fundraiser