Sarasota World Affairs Council to host forum with international human rights expert
Celebrating the circus arts
Sarasota World Affairs Council
to present human rights expert
Kelley Currie, an American human rights lawyer and former government official who served as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues in 2020-21, will headline a Sarasota World Affairs Council forum on Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Mildred Sainer Auditorium at New College.
Ambassador Currie will discuss the "The Uncertain Future of Human Rights" in honor of the 74th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration, adopted by the United Nations on Dec. 10, 1948, was the first global agreement on the basic principles of human rights.
Ambassador Currie is Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Indo-Pacific Security Project at the Center for a New American Security. She has held senior positions with the U.S. Department of State and several international and nongovernmental human rights and humanitarian organizations.
The lecture is free but reservations are suggested by emailing info@sarasotawac.org. A reception will follow.
Temple Sinai presents
'A Night at the Theater'
Temple Sinai, 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota, will present a special musical performance, “A Night at the Theater – Broadway and More,” by nationally known artists Sarah Nordin and Tyler Putnam on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.
The husband-and-wife team has appeared in concerts across the country, performing opera arias and duets mixed with classical musical, theater songs and American standards.
Nordin, a mezzo-soprano, has performed with the Metropolitan Opera and toured with the company to Japan. She is praised by Opera News for the “clear beauty” of her voice and her “spot-on comic timing” and made her solo debut at Carnegie Hall in 2021. Putnam, a bass-baritone, has performed with The Santa Fe Opera, Opera Omaha, and Manitoba Opera in Winnipeg, Canada.
The event sponsors include Greg and Alexandra Band, Myron and Kathy Bernstein, Paul and Marilyn Blankman, Robert and Judye Goldblatt, Herbert and Elinor Krasow, Pearl and Gillian Perlinski, Jeffrey and Lisa Silvershein, Sinai Men's Club and Women of Sinai. For tickets and information, visit templesinai-sarasota.org/events.
Lakewood Ranch fundraiser
contributes to hurricane relief
The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund in collaboration with Lakewood Ranch Community Activities and Schroeder-Manatee Ranch raised $9,700 during a recent Music on Main event to support nonprofits and their clients affected by Hurricane Ian.
The funds were distributed to Big Brother Big Sisters of the Suncoast ($4,000); Manatee Children’s Services ($2,500); Farmhouse Sanctuary ($1,600); and The Mayors Feed the Hungry Program ($1,600).
The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund has provided nonprofits with more than $60,000 in grants this year and a total of $1.4 million in the past 20 years. For information, visit lwrfund.org.
Downtown Sarasota Holiday
Parade kicks off the season
The 26th annual Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade, featuring roughly 4,000 participants, including lighted floats and high school marching bands, is tonight at 7 starting at Main Street and U.S. 301 and ending at J.D. Hamel Park.
“The highlight of the parade is the arrival of Santa Claus, which keeps the spirit of the season for children of all ages,” parade director Danny Bilyeu said. "Floats, marching bands, dancing schools, homecoming queens and members of local service groups will be joined by vehicles representing police and fire departments and other first responders.”
The parade masters of ceremonies will be Veronica Brandon Miller and Jeffery Kin. Parade sponsors include the city of Sarasota, Your Observer Media Group, Sarasota Ford, Gold Coast Eagle and the Warren Middleton State Farm Insurance.
Around and About ...
JFCS of the Suncoast's annual Adopt-a-Family and Adopt-a-Senior campaigns still have more than 60 children and 25 seniors awaiting support to brighten the holiday season. For information and to participate, visit jfcs-cares.org/holiday-giving or email Karen Pharo at kpharo@jfcs-cares.org. The deadline to make donations and drop off gifts is Dec. 9. More than 2,100 children have benefitted from the program since its inception in 2004.
• The Closet of Hope at Gulf Cove United Methodist Church, 1100 S. McCall Road, Port Charlotte, is now open every Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-noon. Free clothing is available for children and adults from Charlotte County, Englewood, North Port, and Venice. Donations also accepted. Info: 941-697-1747.
• Englewood Hospital's monthly Wellness Education Series will focus on digestive health on Dec. 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with Gastroenterologist Karolina Siniakowicz at the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce, 597 S. Tamiami Trail. To register, call 844-706-8773. Info: bit.ly/EnglewoodWellnessSeries2022.
• The Manasota Fossil Club invites shark tooth and fossil enthusiasts of all ages to its monthly meeting on Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Suncoast Academy School (portable room #904), 8084 Hawkins Road, Sarasota. A shark expert will be a speaker. A beach hunt for shark teeth is also planned in December. Info: manasotafossil@gmail.com; 941-549-1946.
Submissions by Sharon Kunkel, Marty Katz, Adrienne Bookhamer, Veronica Miller, Melanie Hayes, Dana Hanson, Julie Beatty, Janine Fickett.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota World Affairs Council hosts human rights expert Kelley Currie
