COMMUNITY: New JFCS officers; gun violence vigil; grants for Birds of Paradise, Satchel's

JFCS Suncoast board
chooses new officers

The JFCS of the Suncoast recently elected new officers for its 2021-22 Board of Directors, including board chair Kathleen Roberts. Dean Miller was elected vice board chair, Jim Naber treasurer, and Johanna Gustafsson secretary.

In addition to serving on the JFCS Board of Directors, each officer has served in other governance and leadership roles in the community. Roberts was a board member for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for nine years, serving as board chair for two years. She is a former senior vice president of Human Resources Management for the Federated Department Stores.

Miller served as board chair of the JFCS for five years and had a 35-year career in the financial services industry. Naber is a former board member and chairman of the Audit Committee for Apple Financial Holdings. Gustafsson is a senior vice president of wealth management at Merrill Lynch and a senior partner at Gustafsson Pinckney Group Wealth Management.

The JFCS offers programs that support youth, families, seniors and veterans, inspired by the Jewish tradition of helping all people. For more information, visit JFCS-Cares.org or call 941-366-2224.

Fifth annual vigil planned
for gun violence victims

The Brady United chapter of Sarasota will hold its annual vigil to honor victims of gun violence in the U.S. on Dec. 10 from 6-7 p.m. at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1031 S. Euclid Ave., Sarasota.

Speakers will include Christian Heyne, Brady national VP for Policy and a gun violence survivor. Local singer-songwriter Mindy Simmons will provide music and candles will be lit to commemorate the victims.

Nearly 40,000 people die in gun violence each year in the U.S. All are welcome to attend in person. For a Zoom link, email Sarasota@BradyUnited.com. For more information, visit fl.bradyunited.org.

Birds of Paradise, Satchel's
gain grants for animal care

The Birds of Paradise Sanctuary & Rescue in Bradenton and Satchel’s Last Resort in Sarasota recently received grants from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to support their missions.

The Birds of Paradise Sanctuary & Rescue, a safe haven for abused or unwanted exotic birds regardless of species, age, special needs or behavioral issues, received a $10,000 grant. The funds will be used to help the nonprofit remodel a building for an Emergency Veterinary Intake and Adoption Center. The sanctuary, 17020 Waterline Road, is planning an open house on Dec. 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit birdsofparadise.org.

Satchel’s Last Resort, a no-kill animal shelter/sanctuary that rescues, rehabs and re-homes dogs and cats, received a $7,800 grant to support rescue efforts. The grant also funds an update to Satchelslastresort.org and creates a YouTube channel.

Last year, the Community Foundation awarded $48.9 million in grants and scholarships in the areas of education, arts, civic engagement, animal welfare and the environment. Visit CFSarasota.org or call 941-955-3000.

Goodwill Manasota partners
with community food banks

Goodwill Manasota is reminding the community that it accepts food donations as well as items such as clothing, home goods, books, sporting goods and electronics.

For many years, Goodwill has placed food barrels at its stores and donation centers in Sarasota and Manatee counties. The beneficiaries are The Food Bank of Manatee and All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota and DeSoto counties. In 2020, a total of 144,396 pounds of food was collected at all Goodwill locations.

"While our mission is more focused on the career services side of social services, we felt compelled to assist when we learned just how prevalent hunger is in our communities," said Donna Evans, Goodwill Manasota's director of donation development. "We have numerous locations that are convenient and fully staffed – it is both easy and incredibly fulfilling for us to partner with our area food banks to help our neighbors who are struggling to put food on the table."

Smiles: Free Dentistry Day
at Lakewood Ranch office

Residents in Lakewood Ranch and surrounding areas will have an opportunity to receive free dental services on Dec. 11 at Smiles in Lakewood Ranch.

Dr. Ana Monzin, Dr. Jacob Berger and the Smiles team will provide cleanings, fillings and extractions between 8 a.m. and noon at 14606 E. State Road 70, Lakewood Ranch, as part of Free Dentistry Day, an annual event dedicated to the growing number of Americans without dental insurance. “This event is a great opportunity for us to share our time and resources with those less fortunate and give back to the community,” Monzin said.

For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 941-216-3803 or visit FreeDentistryDay.org.

Around and about ...

Nature and wilderness photographers Clyde and Niki Butcher will autograph books and photographs during a "Meet the Artists" event on Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Venice Gallery & Studio, 237 Warfield Ave, Venice. Clyde Butcher's books include "America the Beautiful," "Big Cypress Swamp – The Western Everglades," and "Celebrating America’s National Parks, Preserves, Monuments, Recreation Areas." For information, call the gallery at 941-486-0811.

• A book sale to benefit CHAPS Food & Hygiene Pantry is set for today at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Venice, 1971 Pinebrook Road. The books, ranging from 25 cents to $1, include children's, young adult, cookbooks, art, travel and current fiction and nonfiction.

• Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 1100 S. McCall Road, Port Charlotte, is offering free carry-out dinners on the first Monday of each month. Monday's menu includes baked ham, scalloped potatoes, and peas. Visit GulfCoveChurch.com; email GulfCoveUMC@gmail.com; or call 941-697-1747 to reserve a meal.

• The Manatee Genealogical Society will host a virtual seminar on Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. featuring experts who will focus on elusive ancestors. Joshua Taylor, author, lecturer, and researcher, will present, “Bridging the Gap: Finding Ancestors in the U.S. between 1780 and 1840.” Other presenters include Judy G. Russell, Karen Stanbary, and Gena Philibert-Ortega. For more information and to register, visit mgsfl.org.

Compiled from community submissions

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: COMMUNITY: New JFCS officers; gun violence vigil; Birds of Paradise