Tamiami Amateur Radio Club planning 24-hour open house for 85th annual ARRL Field Day

Amateur radio club planning 24-hour Field Day open house

The Tamiami Amateur Radio Club will host a 24-hour open house on June 24-25 as part of the 85th annual American Radio Relay League Field Day for ham radio operators in the United States and Canada.

Once a year since 1933, ham radio operators in North America spend two days proving their technical skillsand emergency preparedness in a national competition called ARRL Field Day. This year, more than 35,000 amateur radio operators will set up temporary radio stations in public locations and compete for the most worldwide radio contacts in a 24-hour period. Approximately 1,500 groups are competing as well as thousands of individual installations.

In Venice, the event will run from 2 p.m. on June 24 to 2 p.m. on June 25 at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 86 Station, 1200 Harbor Drive S. The public is invited to observe as ham radio operators communicate by Morse code, spoken word, and digital modes. Guests also can take a microphone and speak to other ham stations during the event.

The Tamiami Amateur Radio Club, organized in 1960, has more than 100 members. For more information, visit tamiamiarc.org and arrl.org/field-day

Masala Giving Circle awards over $74,000 to nonprofits

The Masala Giving Circle, a group of philanthropic Black women, has awarded over $74,000 in grants to support the African American community in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The grants range from arts and education to food and housing security, including All Faiths Food Bank, Manatee ASALH Freedom School, Good Samaritan Pharmacy & Health Services, Manatee Habitat for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity Sarasota, Meals on Wheels of Sarasota, Minorities in Shark Sciences, Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, and Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County.

The focus for the Masala Giving Circle is strengthening communities of color. Visit masalagivingcircle.org to learn more.

Suncoast Charities for Children ready for summer fundraising

Suncoast Charities for Children is holding several fundraising events as part of Suncoast Summer Fest, including a Casino Night in August to support a new children’s therapy scholarship fund established in memory of Ron Foxworthy.

Foxworthy, a former Suncoast Charities board member and a founder of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival, “was dedicated to raising money to help local children with special needs," Suncoast Charities executive director Lucy Nicandri said.

Seed money for the scholarship fund was made possible by the James M. Doss Charitable Foundation. Other events include the seventh annual Bob Rizi Memorial Golf Classic on June 23 at Meadows Country Club; Friendliest Catch Fishing Tournament on June 28; Waves & Wheels Fun Run (boats, motorcycles, and cars) on July 1 in memory of former Suncoast board member Noel Speranza; and the July 4 Bayfront Fireworks Spectacular.

The events support six nonprofits serving children, teens, and adults with special needs throughout Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, and Charlotte counties. Last year, Suncoast Summer Fest raised $154,000. For information, tickets, and sponsorship, visit suncoastsummerfest.org.

Around and about ...

The Library Foundation for Sarasota County recently received a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to strengthen its online presence and provide additional digital tools. ... The Friends of the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library is seeking to fill five vacancies on its seven-member board during its Annual Meeting on June 20 from 5-7 p.m. at the library, 2801 Newtown Boulevard. Visit bettyjjohnsonfriends.org.

· Temple Sinai is celebrating Pride Month with a special reception, Shabbat service and dinner on June 16 starting at 5 p.m. at the temple, 4631 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. The event will feature Sarasota County LGBTQ leader Jason Champion, board chair of Project Pride, as guest speaker. For information and to preregister, visit templesinai-sarasota.org.

· Members of the Aphasia Community Center of Sarasota are hosting an Aphasia Awareness Dinner on June 24 at Concordia Lutheran Church, 2185 Wood St., in Sarasota. The free event aims to provide education about aphasia, a brain disorder that affects a person's ability to express and understand written and spoken language. RSVP at aphasiasarasota.org or aphasiacommunitycenter@gmail.com.

· The Literacy Council of Sarasota is seeking volunteers who want to help other adults improve their basic English communication and literacy skills. In July, volunteers will receive approximately 18 hours of interactive ProLiteracy-certified instruction over the course of four weekday sessions at the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, 1750 17th St., Sarasota. For information, contact program associate Sandra Beltran at 941-955-0421 or sbeltran@sarasotaliteracy.org.

· The Sarasota Chorus of the Keys (chorusofthekeys.org), celebrating its 74th anniversary, recently awarded Sheridan E. Brown Memorial Scholarships totaling $4,000 to Cole Laudenslager of Pine View School and Nathan Molineaux of Sarasota Military Academy.

Submissions by Su Byron, Dwight D. Sullivan, Rebecca Abrahamson, Lucy Nicandri, Kate Schwartz, George Bradt, Andrea Eiffert, Becky Reese, Roger Murphy, Tom Melville.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ham radio club plans 24-hour open house for 85th annual ARRL Field Day