Wellen Park Living | Summer 2024

WELLEN PARK

FORKFUL Villani & Co. features a refreshing and lively summer Tropical Shrimp and Scallop Salad.

TOGETHER

65 Captured | Wellen Park Marathon and 5K

68 The senior community is invited to live in luxury at Grand Living Wellen Park, a brand-new, vibrant community in Downtown Wellen. 72 Southeastern Guidedogs’ puppy raisers share a day in the life spent working with these amazing dogs. 76 Sit back, relax and enjoy a great summer read.

80 Parting Shot.

SPECIAL SECTION

44 Explore Wellen Park’s neighborhoods and the builder’s model homes.

EXPLORE THE WELLEN PARK EVENTS

There is always something going on in Wellen Park. Whether you’re in the mood to exercise, socialize, or be entertained you’re invited! Turn to page 63 for upcomng events.

EXPLORE

9 From renowned public elementary, middle and high schools to exciting new charter schools and college preparatory schools, families in Wellen Park have many options for a well-rounded educational experience. 16 Beat the heat with refreshing summer salads from The Banyan House, Mad Salads, and Villani & Co. 20 Three refreshing drinks to help you stay cool this summer. 24 The Venice Area Audubon Society encourages birders to check out Grand Lake, a new birding hotspot. 28 After 74 years, a Category 4 hurricane wasn’t enough to slow down the Venice Theatre. Executive Director Kristofer Geddie shares how the organization has found resilience from within the community. 34 Spend a day immersed in nature at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. 40 Summer goods.

Welcome to your new friend: Wellen Park Living. You’ll find stories about the people behind fun-loving experiences in the neighborhood and beyond, sips and forkfuls of scrumptious food and crafted beverages and ways to soak in the abundant outdoor adventures just around the corner.

HEART

Explore raising a Southeastern Guidedogs’ puppy.

Dr.

is Head of School at SCF Collegiate School Venice, a truly unique school that creates a pathway for students to attain their high school diploma and Associate in Arts degree simultaneously upon graduation.

EXPLORE Inspiring Minds

From renowned public elementary, middle and high schools to exciting new charter schools and college preparatory schools, families in Wellen Park have many options for a well-rounded educational experience. WORDS BY DYLAN CAMPBELL

LEFT

Karen Peck

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN | SRQ

EDUCATION IS THE BACKBONE OF EVERY BURGEONING COMMUNITY. It’s often the reason why families pack up their entire lives and relocate, sometimes to a different town or even different part of the country. The importance of learning, of expanding one’s mind may be the one thing that people can universally agree on. Fortunately for families in Wellen Park, there are plenty of great options to choose from, from renowned public elementary, middle and high schools to exciting new charter schools and college preparatory-oriented charter schools. The opportunities for education don’t end with the child, however. Organizations like Mote Marine and the Venice Theatre bring classes and workshops geared toward adults directly to Wellen Park. Initiatives like the State College of Florida’s (SCF) Sarasota County Connect Series aim to educate local entrepreneurs and small business owners and the college’s Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development program offers classes in everything from computer coding to the performing arts to HR management. It turns out that wherever one looks in Wellen Park, opportunities to expand one’s mind are never far away.

SCF VENICE CAMPUS

Located in the heart of the community, SCF’s Venice Campus is equidistant from Venice, North Port and Englewood and is home to nearly 3,000 in person and online students. Since the campus’ inception in 1985, the SCF Venice campus has continued to provide the best of what SCF has to offer: an education that will meet you where you are. The 100-acre campus offers a plethora of educational opportunities, for both the registered student and the community member–the Sarah H. Pappas Professional Development Center is home to SCF’s Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development programs. For the student, SCF Venice offers just about everything one could ask for: from Associate in Arts Degrees (A.A.) that are designed for students to eventually transfer over to a four-year university or Associate in Science Degrees (A.S.) with relevant workforce certifications, the campus has it all. SCF’s Venice Campus is home to some of the college’s signature programs, such as Gator Engineering at SCF–a program that allows a select group of students to begin their engineering studies at SCF before matriculating into the University of Florida– the SCF Honors Program, a full A.S. in Nursing degree as well as the college’s A.S. in Engineering Technology and Construction Management degree.

State College of Florida Collegiate School Venice

At SCFCS Venice, students are pushed to shoot for a brighter, bigger future. The Venice Campus, which begins in 9th grade–a separate campus in Bradenton starts in 6th grade–is home to a tuition free, open enrollment charter school with an educational pathway like no other. While students may enter SCFCS Venice in the 9th grade like a normal high school, this charter school is by no means normal. That’s because if the student can meet the required qualifications, the start of their junior year occurs on the SCF Venice campus–as dual enrolled students both in the school and the college itself. “Our mission at the Venice campus is to guide and mentor student achievement by equipping students to attain their high school diploma and an Associate in Arts Degree simultaneously upon graduation,” says SCFCS Head of School Dr. Karen Peck. “It is a very rigorous academic environment using technology and we also use demanding and innovative initiatives to encourage independent learning because we are preparing students for college at an early age.” If students meet the required qualifications–an unweighted 3.0 GPA and a passing score on the entrance exam–then they are effectively dual enrolled: the college classes at SCF Venice meet the state requirements for a high school diploma in addition to jumpstarting students with their Associate in Arts Degree. “We don’t have traditional junior/senior classes. It is all completely on the college campus,” says Dr. Karen Peck. “Our juniors and seniors are on the college schedule, they are mixed in with the general population of SCF and involved in SCF extra curricular activities. We do support them with an academic advisor and a high school counselor as well as with me as Head of School.” Students of SCFCS Venice typically move onto a post secondary university after graduation. The entire Florida college system accepts the two year Associates degree and SCFCS even offers scholarship opportunities for Florida Gulf Coast University and New College of Florida.

ABOVE

its doors in August 2023.

Dr. Christina Britton heads College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park, a tuition-free charter school that opened

College Prepatory Academy at Wellen Park

The newest school to come to the community is the College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park, a tuition-free charter school that opened its doors this past August. The charter school, currently K-6 with plans to be K-7 next year and K-8 in the coming years, is one of the more unique and interesting educational offerings in the area. Helmed by Dr. Christina Britton, an educational leader in southwest Florida for over 25 years, College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park has exploded in growth over the course of the school year. Even still, the charter school is devoted to maintaining a relatively small size to ensure a close connection between faculty and students. “We opened small because we were so new. We currently have 275 students, K-6, next year in K-7 we’ll have about 415. Ultimately with K-8 we’d be looking at about 760,” said Dr. Britton. “It’s nice and small. I’ve been a principal of huge schools and a principal of small schools and size really does matter in terms of being able to know your students and your teachers and your families.” A slightly different type of learning model is used at College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park as opposed to many other schools. “Our environment is very different. We have a village model and in a village model there is a large shared space for collaboration and instruction. Then there are learning labs, which are smaller classrooms off to the side. Those smaller classrooms help facilitate small group instruction and that personalized learning whether a student needs help catching up or they’re ready to move forward,” says Dr. Britton. “It’s a very mobile and collaborative space. It’s not just a standalone classroom where teachers are all by themselves teaching all five subjects alone.”

LEFT Principal Tomas Dinverno pushes his students to be the very best they can be at Venice Middle School.

SARASOTA COUNTY CONNECT

SUMMER SERIES

With more people, come more ideas. As a steady stream of families move into Wellen Park, more and more opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners are presenting themselves. This year, Sarasota County has been named the number-one place in the entire country to start a new business. The trick then is learning how to take those seedlings of an idea and grow them into a profitable business. Fortunately for the business-minded people of Sarasota County there is a guiding light: the Sarasota County Connect Summer Series. This series of workshops and programs, presented in conjunction by SCF’s 26 West Center, Sarasota County EDC and Truist Financial aims to give burgeoning small business owners and entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed. “The number of new business startups just in the city of North Port alone is pretty high. They’re seeing people go from basically their garage to maybe a food truck then to a retail storefront,” says Josh Ewen, vice president of economic development services at the EDC of Sarasota County. “There are quite a few home-based businesses in south county that may not be overly aware of the resources available to them, whether it’s small businesses owner classes at SCF, the economic development corporation, the city government, even partners such as local chambers of commerce and the small businesses welcome center. There are a lot of resources to help get that entrepreneur in that business development pipeline so that they can have long term growth and meet their aspirations for their business.” From April through July, the Sarasota County Connect Summer Series will feature five different workshops led by local business experts: Business Networking and Panel Discussion, Build Your Brand: AI Marketing for Small Business Workshop, How to Solve Any Business Problem: Design Thinking For Entrepreneurs Workshop and the Business IDEA Lab.

Venice Middle School

“Developmentally, middle school is a unique time in our lives,” says Tomas Dinverno, principal of Venice Middle School. “We’re coming from that concrete, sequential progression of elementary school to starting to think a little more outside the box as we grow older. In middle school, we’re really helping foster students’ understanding of those foundational skills and continue to build on what they learned in elementary school, but we’re also pushing them to think more critically. We want them to be ready for those grade level standards. It really ramps up in 6th grade and by 8th grade we have high school offerings here.” Venice Middle School, with a student body of over 700 students from 6th through 8th grade, prides itself on offering a comprehensive approach to preparing students for the next level of education. It does so through a combination of strong academic standards, a high level of communication between families and faculty and a number of extracurricular programs and after school clubs. Students at Venice Middle are encouraged to explore any number of these programs, cultivating their interests into passions that can be continued into high school. “We have all the arts here and we can offer more comprehensive options–at the elementary level they might be on a rotational basis where they go to music class once every three weeks—but then here they can take it every day,” says Dinverno. “They can go out and perform in the community, our arts program is really strong in the community. Once they see that that’s something they like to do, they can take it every year in middle school and that gets them ready for high school where they’re going to build on that.”

SCF LIFELONG LEARNING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Talk to anybody affiliated with the State College of Florida and one thing becomes immediately apparent: there is an intense motivation, a want to connect with the surrounding community. There’s a reason why it’s such a huge draw for college-bound students in Manatee and Sarasota counties as they offer an immense array of options from associate to bachelor degrees and everything in between. SCF looks to connect with the community at large, however, and does so through their noncredit educational offerings, the most prolific of which being their Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development programs. The breadth of these programs is immense and probably best described by who they are designed for: everyone. From summer camps designed for elementary aged children to the ever popular retirement planning courses for senior citizens, SCF’s Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development programs are truly meant to serve the needs of the community. “Anybody that attends our programs is our student. We are the community college and for us it’s important to meet the needs of our community. We always say that ‘at SCF we meet you where you are’,” says Jamie Smith, associate vice president of communications and government relations at SCF. “We’re everyone’s college because of the fact that we have camps that serve kids in elementary school to lifelong learners, all it does is contribute to the ongoing education of our community.”

education

Venice High School

Venice High School is big. With a student body of over 2,000 and a campus that stretches 70-acres, there is nothing small about it. But that’s not a bad thing. Because with a large student body, comes a large amount of responsibility to do right by them and that’s just what the faculty and staff at Venice High strive to do. “What is unique about us are not only the numerous opportunities that students have to engage in potential career paths, but also the focus we have on what students are going to do after they graduate” says Zoltan Kerestely, principal of Venice High. “Whether they go on to higher education or to a career path, we want to make sure that when they finish they have a good plan for how they’re going to better themselves and be a part of society.” Along with a sea of college-credit courses and highly advanced performing and visual arts programs, Venice High has their International Baccalaureate (IB) program and their Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways. The IB program is a rigorous academically focused curriculum for students in 11th and 12th grade preparing for post-secondary education. For students who plan on entering an American university, the IB Diploma can promote university acceptance and grant college credit as well. For students looking to attend European and international universities, the IB Diploma is often the only guarantee for university admission. Within the CTE pathway, some of the main focuses are on the principles of engineering in preparation for post-secondary engineering programs, a two-year construction pathway and a health science pathway as well to help students prepare for their future careers. “Something that makes us stand out are all the different opportunities for students to find their path, whether it be a college path or career path. We have a Rotary Futures program that we have right on campus to help students get scholarships for college and help with what they’re doing after high school,” says Kerestely. “We also have a college and career person on campus who helps them one-on-one with their plans after high school.”

SCIENCE TALKS WITH MOTE

For the team at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, education doesn’t stop at the end of one’s academic career. “We have a lot of adult education programming going on here, one of the things we discovered, we like to say we educate from K to gray,” says Pamela Siderski, a Philanthropic Engagement Officer at Mote Marine. For the second year in a row, Mote Marine is bringing their educational programming to Wellen Park, where people from all over the area can congregate to learn more about the region’s immense biodiversity and ecosystems. This spring, Mote has offered in depth educational sessions including Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals. On April 22, the program offered a virtual excursion into Sarasota Bay atop Mote’s floating education platform in celebration of Earth Day. Attendees had the opportunity to ride along with a marine biologist and explore the various corners and habitats of the estuary. On May 20, the series concluded with a lecture on the Science of Harmful Algae Blooms, such as Red Tide. “What’s so neat about this program is that they take the same content used for children and students and adapt it to the audience that we’re reaching out to,” said Siderski. “The educators that we work with are all biologists as well, they all have a science background, so the gift that they bring is they’re able to translate science into something digestible for the general population. So it’s not too heady, but it’s more in depth than what would be offered for a child.”

Taylor Ranch Elementary

Taylor Ranch’s principal, Tara Spielman is well aware of the importance of schools as a haven for families and children throughout the area. Over a decade ago, Spielman was a mom, volunteering in her daughter’s kindergarten class at Taylor Ranch, when the infectious spirit of the school caught hold of her. Soon after Spielman became a teacher, then eventually an assistant principal, before coming back to Taylor Ranch as the new principal in 2020. Now, Taylor Ranch Elementary is a bustling school of just over 900 students from Pre-K to 5th grade. Taylor Ranch has maintained high academic standards by having continuity throughout the faculty and creating a familial culture within the school. “My kids are 26 and 27 now and there are many teachers who were here when my kids went here,” says Spielman. “People do not leave. When you have continuity of staff and that sense of belonging in a community and family, I think that is one of the largest ingredients for the recipe of success for our school. Because then you have that collective we: these are our students, this is our school, it’s not ‘my class’.” Taylor Ranch Elementary also prioritizes giving back to its community. “There’s a real heart for service and focus on community service. We do that through K-Kids community service club with fundraising or making things for local heroes, caroling for people in nursing homes during holidays and doing beach clean ups,” says Speilman. “We even work with the Southeastern Guide Dog School. We adopt a Southeastern Guide Dog every two years and raise funds to help pay for that dog’s training and then that dog gets to visit with the kids. Then every week, a whole pack of therapy dogs comes and read with the kids in the classrooms as well.” WPL

Salads Abound

Three local eateries are serving up sensational summer salads. WORDS BY KATE WIGHT

LEFT The savory-sweet Local Golden Beet Salad at The Banyan House is the epitome of summery sophistication. ABOVE Villani & Co. is known for its fresh seafood, beautifully showcased in the zesty and refreshing Tropical Shrimp and Scallop Salad.

AS TEMPERATURES RISE, THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE THE FRESHNESS AND SIMPLICITY OF A SUMMER SALAD. Packed with mouthwatering ingredients including crisp veggies and juicy fruits, these refreshing dishes are a delicious way to beat the heat. Local restaurants like The Banyan House and Villani & Co are serving up their own takes on this summer staple featuring unique flavors and ingredients. Whether you’re craving something light and zesty or earthy and satisfying, there’s a summer salad out there for everyone.

Tropical Shrimp and Scallop Salad

Looking for a light yet lively lunch? You’ll love the Tropical Shrimp and Scallop Salad at Villani & Co. Chef Michael Leopold has created a summery symphony of a salad, where textures play as big a role as taste. This mixed green salad uses both fruits and vegetables. The crisp elements of the salad like savory red onion and refreshing cucumber contrast with bright and juicy elements like fresh pineapple and mixed berries. The salad is dressed with a housemade sweet chili-mango vinaigrette that dances the line between sweet and sour while goat cheese adds a touch of tanginess and toasted coconut introduces tropical flavor and texture.V illani & Co is known for their seafood, and that’s what takes this dish to the next level here. Each salad is topped with a generous portion of fresh pan-seared scallops and succulent shrimp. This dish is exclusively featured on the lunch menu, so find a reason to set a lunch date. Villani & Co, 19790 Wellen Park Blvd. Suite 101, Venice, 941-584-4434.

BELOW

At The Banyan House, you can taste the rainbow when you order the multicolored Local Golden Beet Salad.

Local Golden Beet Salad

The Local Golden Beet Salad at The Banyan House is a thoughtful and complex dish that strikes the perfect balance between savory and sweet. Peppery arugula is lightly dressed in a sweet and tangy housemade apple cider vinaigrette, then topped with red and gold beets. The red beets are pickled in a mixture of red wine, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt as well as aromatics like anise stars, cinnamon sticks and juniper berries. Meanwhile, the golden beets are slow roasted for three hours in a salt bed that has been infused with the same aromatics. Julienned Granny Smith apples add a touch of tartness that plays well with the earthiness of the beets, while candied pecans bring in additional texture. Finally, the salad is topped with tangy aged goat cheese that cuts through the sweetness and ties all the ingredients together. The Banyan House Restaurant, 19725 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice, 941-584-5300.

CoolingDown

WHEN THE SUMMER HEAT STARTS CREEPING IN, there’s nothing like a refreshing beverage to cool you down. Local eateries like Foxtail Coffee Co., Acqua Pazza, and Villani & Co. are ready to revitalize you with flavorful and creative handcrafted beverages. From booze-free refreshers to cocktails with a kick, there’s something fresh and fabulous waiting for you in Downtown Wellen Park. Get ready to sip, savor, and soak up the summer vibes with these delicious drinks. WORDS BY KATE WIGHT

Bellini Martini

Acqua Pazza is bringing Coastal Italian cuisine to Wellen Park, and that mission also extends to their drink menu. The cocktail menu features several iconic Italian concoctions and the Bellini Martini is a particularly refreshing take on a classic. The Bellini cocktail was created in the iconic Harry’s Bar in Venice Italy in the 1930s by Giussepe Cipriani, the bar’s founder and owner. Made from sparkling Prosecco and peach purée, the original bellini is a light and refreshing cocktail that captures the essence of the summer. The Bellini Martini at Acqua Pazza captures the Bellini experience, but takes it to the next level. Peach vodka and peach purée are shaken together over ice and poured into a chilled martini glass before being topped with a floater of Prosecco. This cocktail features the freshness and effervescence of the original with an extra punch of peach. Acqua Pazza Coastal Italian Restaurant, 19750 Wellen Park Blvd. Unit D, Venice, 941-244-5147.

BELOW The classic Bellini cocktail gets a glow-up at Acqua Pazza.

BELOW The Foxtail Coffe Co. Delta Rising Iced Tea Shaker is the prefect antidote for a hot, sticky day. The Around the World Martini at Villani & Co. will take your taste buds on a trip.

AROUND THE WORLD MARTINI

Alexis Mattern is the General Manager of Villani & Co. but she also has extensive experience bartending. After sampling a candy-sweet purple sake-based drink at Epcot Center she was determined to create her own version so she could have it in her everyday life. Once she perfected her Around the World Martini it made its debut as a cocktail special at Villani & Co. It became so popular, it’s now a permanent addition to the drink menu. This playful cocktail is made with Toki Suntory whiskey, Sho Chiku Bai sake, and a desert pear liqueur which gives the cocktail its vibrant purple hue, then finished with fresh lemon juice. The juicy, sweet flavor of the pear liqueur is incredibly refreshing, while the lemon juice adds just enough tartness to brighten the drink up. The Around the World Martini is shaken and served in a martini glass, then topped with fresh edible flowers. It’s truly summer in a glass. Villani & Co, 19790 Wellen Park Blvd. Suite 101, Venice, 941-584-4434.

DELTA RISING ICED TEA SHAKER

Foxtail Coffee Co. is a local coffee chain that is known for its ethically-sourced craft coffee, but they also boast a diverse and impressive tea selection that includes shaken iced teas like the Delta Rising Iced Tea Shaker. The base of this drink is Delta Rising tea, an energizing American Yaupon blend that balances brisk peppermint and soothing spearmint with earthy lemongrass and tangy lemon myrtle. The tea is steeped for three to four minutes, then shaken over ice with coconut syrup and orange bitters. While the drink is coconut-forward, the orange bitters cut the sweetness and the tea provides complex herbaceous undertones. If you’re starting to wilt in the Florida heat, this invigorating drink is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Foxtail Coffee, 19795 Wellen Park Blvd. Building 4 Suite A, Venice, 941-584-5370.

wildlife SpreadYour Wings

Discover the wonders of birding with the Venice Area Audubon Society at Grand Lake. WORDS BY LAURA PAQUETTE

OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS LOVE WELLEN PARK JUST AS MUCH AS WE DO. 78 different species of birds have been seen by birders at Wellen Park’s Grand Lake, capturing the attention of the Venice Area Audubon Society. Founded in 1965, the Venice Area Audubon Society gets the community involved with and excited about the local environment and wildlife.

Bob Clark hosts birdwatching at Wellen Park’s Grand Lake.

The Society meets at the Venice Audubon Center and the Rookery Park, where they host classes, monthly meetings, bird walks and other programs, like the award-winning 2nd Grade Birdwatchers Program. “We go into the classroom to teach about birds and birding, how to use binoculars, and things like that. Then, we bring the kids in the morning to the rookery, pass out binoculars to them and take them for a walk around the pond,” says Society Member Bob Clarke. This special program reaches around 1,200 students each year and welcomes new volunteers. “It’s a great experience that mixes some generations around,” he adds. While the Venice Audubon Center is only open during select days and times, the Rookery Park is always open to the public. From January to April, the Rookery hosts a morning docent program. In the evening, docents provide binoculars, birding scopes and books to help visitors spot the birds. Birds, like the migratory Purple Martin from South America, roost and nest at the Rookery. A group of the Society’s volunteers monitors the Purple Martins, who live in houses on the property. Nighttime visitors will see birds coming in to roost and bats heading out for the night. Along with the Rookery, Grand Lake at Wellen Park has become a favorite birding destination for the Society. When a Society member came across a rare ruddy duck at Grand

Lake, other birders flocked to the site, which is home to a wide variety of birds. Features like the littoral shelves, which protect the shoreline, house native plants and create wildlife habitats make the lake an ideal destination for birds like the least bittern, pied-billed grebe and green heron as these birds enjoy the lake’s tall reeds and bulrushes. “A few of us were impressed enough at what was going on there that we said ‘Why don’t we sponsor a bird walk for Audubon at that location?’” Clarke says. They helped make Grand Lake a hotspot on Cornell Lab’s eBird app, a tool that identifies the best birding locations and provides a log of the birds found. The Society hosted a bird walk at Grand Lake this past February and April, and will likely sponsor more when the birding season starts back up in October and runs through next April.

In the meantime, study up on Grand Lake’s resident birds with the eBird app, and spend some time exploring the two-mile-long trail surrounding the lake in preparation for a bird walk. “The best birding is always in the morning because the birds are getting up to look for their breakfast and they’re singing more,” Clarke adds. “It’s a great way to exercise at a slower pace because you’re looking up and to get out there in nature and enjoy the outdoors.”

Venice Area Audubon Society, 4002 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice, 941-496-8984, veniceaudubon.org.

CLOCKWISE Red-bellied Woodpecker at Wellen Park and Belted Kingfisher with fish, photos by Margaret Viens; and Bob Clarke at Wellen Park.

PHOTOGRAPHY

arts BuildingBack

Over a year after the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian, the Venice Theatre is continuing to be a cultural pillar in the community as it builds back better than it was before.

WORDS BY DYLAN CAMPBELL

IN LATE SEPTEMBER OF 2022, HURRICANE IAN RIPPED THROUGH FLORIDA’S GULF COAST, its gale force winds destroying nearly everything in its path. The Venice Theatre, the region’s preeminent community theater for the past 74 years, found itself in the eye of the storm. Over a year has passed and the cultural institution is still feeling the effects of the storm: the torrential winds and rain from the Category 4 storm ripped off nearly the entire roof and back wall of the company’s main auditorium, the 432-seat Jervey Theater, causing millions of dollars of damage.

One might expect that after such a devastating event the company would take some time off to lick its wounds, recuperate and figure out what’s next. However, just months later, the community theater kicked off a condensed season, operating out of two auxiliary spaces. Now, in 2024, thanks to the unyielding support and passion of its community, the Venice Theatre is marching forward, more resilient than ever. “At Venice Theatre, our mission and it’s one that I love, is to make a dramatic impact on all stages of life,” says Kristofer Geddie, Executive Director of the Venice Theatre. “It’s pretty simple and straight to the point, but it says who we are and what we do. We’re definitely making that dramatic impact and thankfully I’m part of this organization that’s been doing it now for 74 years which is pretty amazing to me.”

The Venice Theatre looks to make that dramatic impact in a multitude of ways, from their community engagement programs to their classes and camps and even technical apprenticeships and scholarships that they offer. However, it all starts with the theater’s seasonal programming, which especially in the wake of Hurricane Ian, is emblematic of the theater’s position as a pillar in the community and the tenacity of their patrons and volunteers.

“Community theater has always been a love of mine–we’re organizations that look at people where they are. Community theater is a place where those folks who have been overlooked by professional theater or decided that they didn’t want to go into it flock to, this where you see your neighbors on stage,” says Geddie. “It embraces community and that is such a joy for me. One of the reasons I’ve stayed here is because I see people who leave work or leave their day job and come here even after that for the love of the theater.”

The company’s 74th season kicked off last summer and has been the first to take place solely in the theater’s two auxiliary spaces–the temporary, 130-seat Raymond Center, previously destined to be an educational space–and their 90-seat black box Pinkerton Theatre. The “season of resilience” as Geddie refers to it, wasn’t defined by the fact that the company couldn’t operate in the Jervey Theatre. If anything, it was propelled by it. Volunteers and patrons came out in numbers that the Venice Theatre had never seen before–at times, there were too many volunteers for the jobs they had available.

“I am so proud and so honored and privileged to work among this community who has supported us through all these years and has supported me. I just look back and I’m in awe of how resilient this staff is for one and how our actors, performers and crew members believe we can do this,” says Geddie. “Because after a traumatic incident like a hurricane partially destroys our property, there’s many folks that would’ve said hey that’s it, we’re done. But not our volunteers, not our community. It brings me to tears to think about it.”

The 74th season included a litany of productions across both the Raymond Center and Pinkerton Theatre as well as throughout the community. Old favorites returned in style, like the 23rd annual performance of A Christmas Carol and the 30th annual Silver Foxes: Broadway at the Sea came to the Raymond Center. In the Pinkerton Theatre, last year’s sold out hit The Cemetery Club returned for a special engagement and a new series, Solofest premiered in December with three solo shows.

The Venice Theatre’s trademark musicals also dotted the season, with productions like Reefer Madness, Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville, The Spitfire Grill and The Addams Family appearing in both the Raymond Center and Pinkerton Theatre. It was the creativity surrounding the production of The Addams Family, which premiered in October of 2023, that stood out to Geddie as emblematic of the efforts made by the production and design teams over the course of the 74th

THIS SPREAD Rendering of the South-West view of Venice Theatre as presented to the city council of Venice, June 2023. The cast of The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On performing in the Pinkerton Theatre. The Spitfire Grill, a heartwarming musical about second chances, was part of the Venice Theatre’s 74th season.

arts

BELOW Executive Director Kristofer Geddie holds a BFA in Musical Theatre, an MA in Arts Administration and has performed on stages around the world. Rendering of the new front elevation of the Venice Theatre as presented to the City of Venice in June of 2023.

season. The production team behind The Addams Family, a musical typically defined by large scale set pieces and design elements, had to think outside the box when staging the show in the Raymond Center. With a lower ceiling, no flyloft and audience surrounding the stage on three sides, the production team had to make the musical fit within the space, while still doing right by the story. “It’s an adaptation where we said let’s look at how we’re approaching the show and approaching our storytelling and let’s focus on the story. What set pieces are a necessity? What do we have to have? Out of that, our set designer came up with this idea of making the stage into a comic book,” says Geddie. “So the entire set opened like a book, with places and cutouts where actors stood on stage while the set changed around them. It was ingenious and something that I don’t know we would’ve thought about doing on the much bigger stage of the Jervey.”

HURRICANE RESTORATION

To understand just how far the Venice Theatre has come since Hurricane Ian made landfall last September, one has to know the full extent of the damage. In essence, Hurricane Ian completely destroyed the Jervey Theatre. The back wall of the main auditorium was ripped away and with it, the fly loft, the space above the stage where curtains, lights and all types of set pieces can be hoisted above the stage and out of view during the production. The collapse of the back wall demolished the main stage, additionally the exploding fly loft created over 200 holes in the roof. The exposure of the wind and rain led to even further damage: all 432 seats were rendered useless and the electricity that supplied all other parts of the Venice Theatre’s main building had caved in with the back wall and looked like spaghetti. “There was also three to four million dollars worth of damage done to other areas of the theater. The walls were waterlogged so they all had to be replaced. All of that happened before we really reopened the Pinkerton Theatre. And we’re still just now finishing demolition of the main stage so we can start the rebuild there,” says Geddie. Just 56 days later, however, the Venice Theatre was up and running again, premiering a show in the newly renovated Raymond Center. Now, over a year later, the company is in the final stages of demolishing the Jervey Theatre, with the objective to build back better and stronger than ever before. “Now it’s about raising money and the fundraising is going well, but because of the escalating costs, things have gone up a lot. We

thought we needed to raise X amount of dollars but now we need to raise more–hopefully in the coming weeks we get a final price of exactly how much it’s going to cost,” says Geddie. “And yes, we’re building back taller—but not just to be taller it’s to build back safer. The codes that were in existence in the 1970s when our original fly tower was added are not the codes that are here now. We’re adding stairways so our volunteers can get up to the fly loft. We’re adding a lift to the stage so that folks with mobility issues can get on stage. These weren’t things that we thought about in the ‘70s, but it’s something we must think about now because we’re rebuilding the theater not for today, but for the future.”

Outside of their immediate campus, the Venice Theatre continues to be as active as ever throughout the community. The company currently supports six different community engagement programs: Pinky’s Players, a program that gives adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to perform; the Silver Foxes, an audition-based collective of singers and actors aged 55 and older that tour throughout the state; TheatreMatters, a partnership between the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County and the Venice Theatre; their Youth Production Company, which creates opportunities for high school aged students, their Teen Improv Troupe; and Troupe in a Trunk, which stimulates young minds by bringing live performances Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte County elementary schools.

Additionally, Venice Theatre offers a bevy of classes and camps for adults, children and homeschooled students alike that can be found throughout the area and will extend this summer into Wellen Park. Ticketed and free performances will also take place in Solis Hall throughout the year. “We look forward to a wide assortment of classes ranging from acting to discussion classes like Musical Theatre History coming to Wellen Park,” says Geddie. WPL Venice Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice, FL, 34285. 941488-1115, venicetheatre.org. Sign up for Wellen Park classes on the Venice Theatre website, venicetheatre.org/vt-education.

day trip

InBloom

Spend a day immersed in nature at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. WORDS BY

EXCITEMENT IS ALWAYS IN BLOOM AT THE MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS. Encompassing the 15-acre Downtown Sarasota Campus and the 30-acre Historic Spanish Point Campus, Selby Gardens invites visitors to explore our native plant life and regional history with an eye toward future preservation. Experience either campus on one of the various tours offered or go at your own pace. Read on to discover what each campus offers and how to make the most of your day trip.

LAURA PAQUETTE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN

Downtown Sarasota Campus

This campus is an urban oasis nestled between downtown and Sarasota Bay. Once the home of William and Marie Selby, a wealthy yet humble couple, the campus specializes in epiphytes, defined by the Gardens as “a plant which grows upon another plant, but does not take anything from it like a parasite would.” Encounter epiphytes such as ferns, orchids, bromeliads and Spanish moss as you wander the property. You’ll also enjoy the Tropical Conservatory and Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden, along with the koi pond, mangrove walkways, stunning bay views and more. Don’t miss the new buildings that are part of Phase One of the Gardens’ Master Plan, the Yayoi Kusama: A Letter to Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit and lunch at The Green Orchid.

Phase One of the Master Plan

Opened in January, Phase One of the downtown campus’ Master Plan, which features new buildings, like the Living Energy Access Facility (LEAF) is covered in vertical gardens. Come June, when the installation of a nearly 50,000-square-foot rooftop solar array is completed, the Selby will be “the world’s first net-positive energy botanical garden complex, generating more energy than we consume,” says Selby President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki. LEAF houses a parking deck, gift shop, edible rooftop garden and The Green Orchid restaurant, which is poised to become the world’s first net-positive restaurant. Phase One also includes a new welcome center, gallery and theater, as well as a lily pond, Florida Glades garden and multiuse recreational trail, all of which provide an excellent starting point for a visit to the gardens. Underneath the entire project lies “a major stormwater management system with a stormwater vault that allows us to collect, clean and filtrate stormwater before returning it to the bay,” she adds.

Another component of Phase One is the Steinwachs Family Plant Research Center. “All of our research collections are housed in this building. We have a molecular lab, a herbarium for our pressed plant specimens for research purposes and a spirit laboratory for our liquid-preserved specimens—we have the second largest collection of liquid-preserved specimens worldwide, second only to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in England. In addition, we have a botanical library, with rare books and prints dating to the 1700s,” says Rominiecki. Soon, visitors will be able to embark on a behind-the-scenes tour of the center, broadening their understanding of the Gardens’ research. Stay tuned for updates regarding Phases Two and Three.

LEFT TO RIGHT The Steinwachs Family Plant Research Center and the new Welcome Center are part of Selby’s Phase One. Selby offers plenty of nooks and crannies for a peaceful respite.

day trip

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE The new Welcome Center encourages visitorship to explore the Gardens; indoor and outdoor installations make up the Yayoi Kusama: A Letter to Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit.

Yayoi Kusama: A Letter to Georgia O’Keeffe

Through June 30th, experience the Yayoi Kusama: A Letter to Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit, which celebrates the relationship between modernist American painter Georgia O’Keeffe and contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. O’Keeffe is best known for her compelling and abstract depictions of flowers and bones, as well as urban and natural landscapes, and Kusama is famous for her colorful and playful paintings, sculptures and immersive works, like the Infinity Mirror Rooms. Hoping to learn from O’Keeffe, who was 42 years her senior, a young Kusama sent the painter a letter, to which O’Keeffe did reply. The two established a dialogue that inspired Kusama to move to the United States where she developed her career. Both artists share an early exposure to the natural world that is highlighted in the exhibit, which is divided into ten displays spread across the Downtown Campus. Each display highlights motifs and themes found in both artists’ works, often tying them together. “Kusama is very much interested in pattern and repetition and is most famous for the use of the polka dot,” says Vice President for Visitor Engagement and Chief Museum Curator David Berry. “We have not used polka dots, but we have used sources in nature that are either round or spherical.” One delightful play on the dot concept can be found in the tropical conservatory, where large spheres seem to float on the top of a goldfish-filled pond. The fish can swim up and into the spheres, which magnify their appearance. In another display, epiphytes hang like stars dotting the night sky above visitors. Some displays feature desert dwellers, like cactuses, which call to mind O’Keeffe’s experience living and working in New Mexico. As a nod to Kusama, the cactuses are arranged in a repetitive pattern. Scan each display’s QR code to reveal a quote from one of the artists relating to that portion of the exhibit, inviting you to enter into the dialogue with the artists. In the Museum of Botany and the Arts, works by O’Keeffe and Kusama and snippets of their writings—including Kusama’s original letter—bring the exhibition full circle.

day trip

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE Savor crispy Yucca Fries from The Green Orchid; wonders are around every corner at the Historic Spanish Point campus. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Downtown Campus, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota, 941-366-573; and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Historic Spanish Point Campus, 401 N. Tamiami Trl., Osprey, 941-366-5731, selby.org.

Historic Spanish Point

The Green Orchid

Plants need to photosynthesize to produce their food and keep growing, and we need to eat to have the energy to explore the Gardens. Recharge at The Green Orchid, by Michael’s On East, soon to become the world’s first net-positive restaurant. One unique feature of The Green Orchid is the Drs. Andrew and Judith Economos Rooftop Edible Garden. Operation EcoVets, an organization of military veterans, manages this jungle-like wonderland, from which the restaurant sources produce like celery, fennel and tomatoes, as well as edible flowers that add a pop of color and whimsy to the dishes. We recommend the crispy yucca fries, which give traditional french fries a run for their money and are served with a delightful chipotle aioli. The eponymous green orchid salad, chock full of romaine hearts, avocado, English cucumber, sugar snap peas, edamame, toasted pistachios, mint and housemade goddess dressing is another delicious choice. Eating your veggies never felt, or tasted, so good.

Dig into the Gulf Coast’s fascinating past at the Historic Spanish Point Campus, located on Little Sarasota Bay in Osprey. You’ll travel back in time, through around 5,000 years of rich archaeological history, and learn how ancient peoples lived in A Window to the Past, an exhibit inside a shell mound. As you fast forward through the years, discover the pioneer history of the Webb family by touring the 1901 Guptill House, Mary’s Chapel and a recreation of the Webb Packing House, where oranges were prepared and packaged for shipping. You’ll also see structures like the Sunken Garden and Jungle Walk, built by Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer, who bought the property and transformed it into her winter estate. History aside, this campus boasts countless native plants and an enchanting Butterfly Garden. As you wander around the point, marvel at the Clyde Butcher: Nature Through the Lens exhibit, which runs through August 31 and features enlarged images of Butcher’s stunning photos of nature across the campus.

BeachVibes

SKIN Gift Tube - Wellen Park, $38, Breakwater Home Fashions, 19795 Wellen Pk Blvd Suite B, Venice, 941-584-5234; Florida Fresh Sea Salt Scrub 9 oz, $38, SPF 50 Sunscreen Oil Florida Sun Defense, $24, Aloe Cooling Gel 4 oz, $12, Florida Citrus Zest Olive Oil Soap, $9, Florida Sunshine & Vitamin C Olive Oil Soap, $9, Naples Soap Company, 19790 Wellen Pk Blvd. Unit 102, Venice, 941-841-2467; SkinMedica HA5, $184, SkinMedica Rejuvenate Moisturizer, $60, Eminence Organic Skin Care

19790 Wellen

Blvd. Suite 201A, Venice, 941-777-7772.

B, Venice, 941-584-5234;

Tray

SUMMER

Soothing Chamomile Tonique, $38, Florida Lake Spa,

Pk

GLASSY WATERS

Natural Wood, $62, Swirled Tropical Fish Coastal Art Glass Figuirine, $57, Wooden Boat, $30, Large Glass Sphere, $28, Medium Glass Spheres, $26, Small Glass Spheres, $24, Paper Cocktail Napkins Pack of 20, $9, Breakwater Home Fashions, 19795 Wellen Pk Blvd. Suite

Microfiber Quick Dry Towel, $24, Baseball Cap Salty Soul, $24, White Starfish, $4, Naples Soap Company, 19790 Wellen Pk Blvd. Unit 102, Venice, 941-841-2467. Compiled by Megan Mitchell

WELLEN PARK NEIGHBORHOODS MAP

MANASOTA

AMALFI LAKESPUR

CAPTIVA GRAND PALM

DESTIN FARMHOUSE GRAN PLACE

ENDLESS SUMMER IV BOCA ROYALE

GASPARILLA II EVERLY

GLADES SUNSTONE AT WELLEN PARK

HAMPTON II RENAISSANCE AT WELLEN PARK

HAVEN EVERLY

MARIA WELLEN PARK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

MARSALA ANTIGUA

PATRIOT WYSTERIA

PRESTIGE LAKESPUR

RAVENNA EVERLY

SAPPHIRE BRIGHTMORE AT WELLEN PARK

SILVER SKY II AVELINA

WARRINA EVERLY

WILLET SOLSTICE

SUMMER 2024 | GUIDE TO BUILDERS

AMALFI LAKESPUR

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM THE LOW $400S

2,529 sf | 4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths

The Amalfi is a perfectly designed 2,529 square foot 2-story home that features four spacious bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Generous kitchen with cozy breakfast nook is open to the family room. Enjoy more formal celebrations in the separate dining room. Large second floor bonus room offers additional space for the game or media room you’ve always wanted. The Owner’s suite boasts a big walk-in closet and en-suite with dual sinks and standing shower. The covered lanai is perfect for relaxation day and night.

CAPTIVA GRAND PALM

SINGLE FAMILY | FROM THE LOW $700S 2,698 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 3 Baths

The Captiva is a single family home with a three-car garage. Housing a spacious great room with an open floor plan, Captiva is designed for entertaining. Families will have access to a walk-in pantry, stainlesssteel appliances, and an island in the kitchen perfect for hosting their next event. Perfect for soaking in the beautiful Florida sun, the Captiva offers a covered lanai with an option to add a covered extension and an outdoor kitchen wall adjacent to the beautiful pool and spa. After a long day of hosting, homeowners may retreat back to the spacious master suite. This suite offers an optional coffered ceiling, two walk-in closets, and a master bath that includes two sink vanities, a garden tub, shower and water closet. The Captiva’s guest suite with a private bath provides the perfect amount of privacy for family, friends and guests. The surrounding community offers amenities such as tennis, volleyball, basketball, trails, a playground, park, and a clubhouse with a pool.

DESTIN FARMHOUSE GRAN PLACE

Introducing the Destin Farmhouse at Gran Place, a Sam Rodgers Homes exclusive enclave of 42 semi-custom homes. The Destin Farmhouse combines distinct architecture with a luxuriously functional home design featuring 2,697 Sq. Ft. including 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths and spacious Den with an oversized split3 Car Garage. Soaring ceilings of 10-12’ combined with 8’ doors throughout welcomes you to the luxury that you deserve. The heart of the home is captured in the grand Living Room with inclusive convenience to the Café adjacent to the sizeable Gourmet Kitchen. The Gourmet Kitchen with large center island includes stained wood cabinets with soft close drawers & doors, Quartz countertops, and built-in GE Stainless appliances. The built-in wet bar is an entertainment feature you and your guests are sure to love. Gran Place is a natural gas community and is a chef’s dream come true. The oversized Den with closet offers a fabulous flex space. Enjoy a private split plan, as the Primary Suite spans an entire wing with bedroom overlooking the lanai, two spacious walk-in closets, luxurious spa like bathroom with soaking tub and two separate vanities. Residents and guests alike will be more than comfortable in large secondary bedrooms with ample closet space. The home offers flexibility with optional In-Law-Suite, Bonus Room with Bath 3 and an En-Suite, or Bonus Room with Bath 3. Let’s discover your new home needs and create the perfect place for you to call home. SINGLE FAMILY | FROM $1.2 MILLION 2,697 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths | 3-car Garage

ENDLESS SUMMER IV

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM THE MID $500S

2,207 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths

Open and airy, the Endless Summer IV by Neal Communities features at its heart an open and welcoming common living area encompassing the kitchen, breakfast nook, great room and formal dining room. Cooking up a meal in the beautifully equipped kitchen with island and walk-in pantry is a pleasure. If you want to dine al fresco, add an outdoor cooking wall on the large lanai, entered through sliders in the great room. The intimate breakfast area is great for beginning your day or catching up with friends over your favorite refreshments. The opulent master suite features two walk-in closets and master bath with a French door entry, dual sinks, walk-in shower, and a private water closet.

GASPARILLA II

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM $822,990

3,618 sf | 4-5 Bedrooms | 4-5 Baths

Welcome to the Gasparilla II, a two-story floorplan offering over 3,600 sq. ft. of elevated living space. This home boasts soaring 12’ ceilings, 3-car split garages, 4 bedrooms, a den, an oversized bonus room, 4 bathrooms, and more. The open-concept floorplan and wide sliding glass doors to the covered lanai offer seamless indoor-outdoor living, ideal for enjoying the beautiful Florida weather year-round. Additionally, the Gasparilla II offers an oversized laundry room and optional structural selections to further personalize your new home to fit your lifestyle.

GLADES

SUNSTONE AT WELLEN PARK

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM $559,990

2,005 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths 2-car Garage + Flex Room

From the front porch to the back lanai, the 2,005 sq. ft. Glades floorplan has indoor and outdoor living space to spare. Masterfully arranged rooms around an open-concept central living area provide the ideal home for entertaining or connecting as a family. When it’s time to study, work remotely or enjoy hobbies, a separate flex room offers a versatile additional living space. The spa-inspired owner’s suite has its own luxurious bath and a large walk-in closet.

Sunstone at Wellen Park offers single-family homes and attached villas, and is located on Preto Blvd., just around the corner from Downtown Wellen and CoolToday Park. Within Sunstone’s gates, residents enjoy brand new sparkling amenities including a beach-entry pool with lap lanes and spa, clubhouse with fitness center, dog park, pickleball courts and more. Six model homes are open daily and quick move-in homes are available.

HAMPTON II RENAISSANCE AT WELLEN PARK

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM $653,990

2,230 sf | 3 bedrooms | 2 Baths | 2-car Garage + Flex Room

The Hampton II single-family home is carefully crafted to enhance your lifestyle with optimized living spaces. This open split floorplan features 3 bedrooms, a flex room, 2 baths, and a 2-car garage. As you walk into the Hampton II, you are welcomed by the spacious, airy designer kitchen with abundant countertop and cabinet space, a walk-in pantry and island with a breakfast bar. Seamlessly connected is the airy Great Room and dining area that are bathed in natural light. An oversized covered lanai is perfect for enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. The owner’s suite is a private retreat and includes a spa-inspired owner’s bath with a large glass-enclosed shower, walk-in closet, and 2 vanities. A flex room rounds out the livability of this home by providing the ideal place for a home office, hobby room or living room.

At Renaissance at Wellen Park homeowners enjoy exclusive access to resort-style amenities that are open daily, including a fun-filled clubhouse, beach entry pool with lap lanes, tennis courts, pickleball courts, tot lot and more. A full schedule of events, classes, and clubs is available at Renaissance to enjoy and make new friends.

MATTAMY HOMES

HAVEN EVERLY

SINGLE FAMILY | INCLUDING A STANDARD HOMESITE | FROM

For homebuyers on the Suncoast, aspirations for Florida living are meant to be experienced and transformed into reality with the Haven – Lee Wetherington Homes’ latest custom home design that showcases contemporary al fresco with modern influences and beautifully-layered textures. Available on impeccable 85-foot homesites in Everly at Wellen Park, the Haven’s innovative yet timeless style perfectly aligns with this masterfully planned community’s embrace of natural landscapes and premier amenities all found close to home. From a statement-making exterior, including low planters and a handcrafted, iron pivot front door to organic materials and wall details found throughout the interior, it’s a custom home that truly brings the outdoors inward to create an incomparable sanctuary with enduring appeal.

A detailed wood ceiling tray and trim makes for an elegant first impression in the Haven’s foyer. It’s a flawless, inviting segue into the open concept great room, dining room and kitchen featuring 12-foot ceilings – over 16-foot at the ridge complete with stunning pocket beams – exquisite island cabinetry, grouped light fixtures, matte black finishes and more. Across the Haven is the genuine feeling of a secluded retreat, evidenced not only in the primary suite’s stained wood trim details, the third suite’s built-in bar or bonus rooms’ built-in, back-lit wall panels incorporating soft lighting, but also the den’s contemporary metal and glass wall design. For Everly’s discerning homebuyers, the Haven is an adaptable floor plan, with an attached “casita” that allows multigenerational living to be considered.

MARIA

WELLEN PARK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM UPPER $600s 2,247 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 3 Baths

The Maria model features 2,247 square feet of living space with 3 spacious bedrooms, den, 3 baths and a 2-car garage. This contemporary home offers a spacious design that seamlessly connects the kitchen, family room, and dining area, creating an open and airy atmosphere. The kitchen is inviting and well-lit, with easy access to a covered lanai that allows for enjoyable outdoor experiences. As you enter the home, you’ll find a secondary suite situated near the entrance, which is conveniently located next to a versatile den that can be used as an office space or transformed into a home gym. Finally, the owner’s suite is thoughtfully positioned at the rear of the house, ensuring privacy and tranquility.

MARSALA

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM UPPER $300s 2,201 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 3 Baths

One of Lennar’s popular single-family floor plans. Located in the national homebuilder’s new Antigua neighborhood of only 177 homesites with water and preserve views, the Marsala has three bedrooms, three full baths, a den and a two-car garage. The Marsala waits to introduce its grand gathering areas, welcoming guests to an elegant foyer and a long hallway before opening to the spacious great room and kitchen filled with natural sunlight. The great room’s generous size makes entertaining a breeze, easily accommodating a dining area and a large gathering space with ample room for a sofa, loveseat and TV. Sliding glass doors extend living outside to the lanai which has a chic brick paver floor and provides venues for dining and sitting. Chefs appreciate the kitchen’s wide layout and appointments with white Shaker cabinetry, quartz countertops, a corner walk-in pantry and a center island that doubles as a breakfast bar. The Marsala balances its openness with cozy retreats for bedrooms and the den. The owner’s suite has a large bedroom with a king-size bed, two walk-in closets and a spa-inspired private bathroom with a luxe soaking tub, separate shower and dual-sink vanity. The model’s two guestrooms and den are located off the foyer hallway. An en suite bedroom has a private bathroom with a shower. The second guestroom offers a walk-in closet and is shown as an inviting mother-in-law suite. It shares a full bathroom with the den.

PATRIOT

WYSTERIA

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM $452,990 1,682 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 2 Baths

A single-family home with three bedrooms, two baths and a den, the Patriot offers 1,682 square feet catering to indoor-outdoor living with a custom pool and covered lanai. The model highlights the floor plan’s flexibility, showcasing the den as a second gathering destination with a desk and sectional sofa and delegating a guest room for at-home fitness with an exercise bike, TV and plenty of space for yoga and resistance training. The foyer provides a secluded location for the den and flows into the great room featuring tray ceiling with a gray inset. The adjoining kitchen has white cabinetry, gray countertops, stainless-steel appliances and an island with a trio of acrylic and antique brass stools. Sliding glass doors open the dining room to an alfresco outdoor sitting area furnished with a loveseat, chairs and a cocktail table overlooking the pool and a preserve. An expansive sundeck provides a secluded spot for two chaises next to the pool’s raised wall, clad in blue tile and featuring three sheer descent water spillovers. Blush tones accent the bed wall and bedding in the master bedroom, a large space with a king-size bed flanked by 42-inch nightstands. The suite also offers a walk-in closet and a bathroom showing a double vanity sink option, frond-patterned wallpaper and a walk-in shower. a fourth bedroom as well as several bath configurations.

PRESTIGE

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM THE HIGH $400S

2,080+ sf | 2-3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths | 2-car Garage

The new construction Prestige at Lakespur at Wellen Park offers an inspired floorplan boasting 2-3 bedrooms + a flex/ den, including a luxurious owner’s suite. The spacious kitchen and open gathering room offers plenty of room to entertain family and friends. The sliding glass doors open up to the patio to create the ultimate indoor/outdoor living space. Retreat back to the owner’s suite featuring a spacious bathroom and dual walk-in closets.

RAVENNA EVERLY

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM $777,990

3,004 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths

The Ravenna is a stately and elegant home, made for luxurious comfort, spacious entertaining and daily relaxation. With 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths across 3,004 sq. ft. of living space with a 3-car garage, this home can be customized and designed to reflect your unique taste and style. Unwind daily in the Great Room, the center and heart of the home, connecting to the dining area and gourmet kitchen. The Club Room is the perfect space to enjoy sports, watch movies or setup a billiards table. A separate den with double French doors is included, and can be used as an office or additional living space. The Master Bedroom includes two walk-in closets, separate sink vanity areas, a luxurious soaking tub, walk-in shower and private water closet. The two remaining bedrooms are located by a second full bath. A powder room is located beside the Club Room. Additional options for this home include a fourth bedroom as well as several bath configurations.

SAPPHIRE BRIGHTMORE AT WELLEN PARK

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM $610,990

2,385 sf | 3 bedrooms | 2.5 Baths | 2-car Garage + Flex Room

The 2,385 sq. ft. Sapphire single-family home offers sizable living space and one-of-a-kind features to elevate your 55+ lifestyle. The convenient morning kitchen that sits between the kitchen and walk-in pantry is perfect for taking care of meal prep and keeping culinary supplies out of sight. The Great Room flows seamlessly with the dining area and designer kitchen and is full of natural light and perfect for entertaining. A 12-foot multi-sliding glass door leads to the covered lanai, great for enjoying the outdoor Florida lifestyle. There’s also a generous flex room to be used as a hobby room, den or study. Bedrooms 2 and 3 share an adjacent full bath and are perfect for guests. The owner’s suite offers a large walk-in closet and a private, relaxing bath with linen closet, dual-sink vanity and shower.

Brightmore is Wellen Park’s first 55+ neighborhood with vacation-style amenities that are under construction and brings a fresh approach to active adult living that is rooted in adventure, well-being and a sense of community. Brightmore offers 7 new beautifully designed model homes for touring and lies just around the corner from CoolToday Park and is close to Downtown Wellen. Stylish paired villas and single-family homes are complemented by events, activities and fun-filled amenities designed to stay and play all day.

MATTAMY HOMES

Sales Information 11410 Myakka Blue Drive, Venice, FL 34293 941.236.5125 BrightmoreFL.com

MATTAMY HOMES

SILVER SKY II

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM THE MID $600s

2,762 sf | 4 Bedrooms | 3 Baths

This spacious new home design in Avelina is perfect for family as well as guests. The Silver Sky II model includes a guest room with en-suite bath and walk-in closet, a luxurious master suite and two secondary bedrooms. An open leisure room can instead be a den with French doors. The foyer and gallery entry makes an elegant impression and leads to an open great room, kitchen and dining nook area. The great room with coffered ceiling offers views out to the sunny covered lanai, where you can add an optional pool bath. A large island and walk-in pantry make the gourmet kitchen especially accommodating. In the comfortable master suite you’ll find a bedroom with two walk-in closets, and bath with dual sink vanities, shower, optional garden tub, and private water closet.

WARRINA EVERLY

The elevated contemporary style of this house is apparent upon entrance into the foyer, where you are greeted with saturated color and warm wood tones. With 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths across 3,412 square feet of living space and a 3-car garage, this home can be customized and designed to reflect your unique taste and style. Unwind daily in the Great Room, the center and heart of the home, which connects to the dining area and gourmet kitchen. The Club Room is the perfect space to enjoy sports, watch movies or set up a billiards table. A separate den with double French doors is included, and can be used as an office or additional living space. The Master Bedroom includes 2 walk-in closets, separate vanities, a luxurious soaking tub, walk-in shower and private water closet. The two remaining bedrooms are located by a second full bath. A powder room is located beside the Club Room. Additional options for this home include a fourth bedroom as well as several bath configurations.

SINGLE-FAMILY | FROM $1 MILLION+ 3,412 sf | 3 Bedrooms | 2.5 Baths JOHN CANNON HOMES Sales Information: Model Sales Office Coming Soon 941.231.5402 JohnCannonHomes.com

SINGLE-FAMILY HOME | FROM $833,995

3,395+ sf | 2 Stories | 4-6 Bedrooms | 3.5 - 4.5 Baths | 3-car Garage

With a floor plan that flows effortlessly, the Willet is ideal for entertaining. The main floor features a spacious open flex room, dining room, and expansive great room with coffered ceiling and desirable large covered lanai. Overlooking a cozy casual dining area, the well-designed kitchen reveals a large center island with breakfast bar, plenty of counter and cabinet space, and ample walk-in pantry. The lovely primary bedroom suite is enhanced by a sizable walk-in closet and beautiful primary bath with dual-sink vanity, large luxe shower, linen storage, and private water closet. Central to a spacious loft, secondary bedrooms feature roomy closets, one with private bath, two with shared hall bath with dualsink vanity. Additional highlights include a convenient powder room and drop zone, centrally located laundry, and additional storage.

Main Floor

ENGAGE | COMMUNITY EVENTS

Wellen Park invites the community to settle into summer fun with a new lineup of events. Come to Downtown Wellen to enjoy a variety of local family-friendly events. From live music to fun-filled festivals, there are plenty of ways to celebrate summerat Wellen Park. Most activities are free and open to the public.

ANNUAL EVENTS

Memorial Day – Live Music Casey Church

May 27, 1-5pm Join us for Memorial Day-Live Music.

Musician, singer, songwriter and performer Casey Church will be performing under the Heritage Tree in downtown Wellen Park.

MONTHLY EVENTS

Science Talks with Mote

May 20, 6pm Join us for an eye-watering exploration of the science, impact, and solutions surrounding Florida Red Tides. Led by Mote’s ocean experts, this engaging presentation will reveal some of the mysteries of red tides and how they affect our environment, economy, and health. Through captivating visuals, real-life case studies, and interactive discussions, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the causes, effects, and management of these harmful algal blooms. Plus, learn about cutting-edge research, innovative technologies, and practical strategies that Mote is developing to protect our coastlines. Whether you’re an environmental enthusiast, a concerned citizen, or a curious learner, this presentation is a must-attend event. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge and make a positive impact on our oceans and communities.- $10 registration fee.

Summer Music Series

Wellen Park is hosting a variety of musical genres and musicians throughout each week. First Fridays will host a live band on the Solis Hall stage overlooking the Great Lawn from 6–10pm. Third

Thurdsays will feature Dueling Pianos on the Solis Hall stage from 6–10pm. Sunday Groove will feature music under the Heritage Tree from 9am–1pm. Visitors are invited to bask in the captivating scenery and waterfront vibe by bringing their own lawn chairs or blankets for maximum comfort. These musical gatherings offer an open-door policy, requiring no prior RSVP for attendance. Guests can participate in Wellen Park’s Sip & Stroll program by purchasing to-go alcoholic beverages from downtown Wellen food and beverage merchants.

Wellen Park Fitness

Get your fitness on with a dynamic lineup of weekly fitness activities for the community. Groups will meet in downtown Wellen, in front of Kind Vibes Outfitters. Yoga and Zumba classes meet on the Great Lawn.

Walking Group Meet-Up

Every Saturday from 9–10am

Cycling Group Meet-Up

Every Saturday from 10–11am

Running Group Meet-Up

Every Monday at 6pm

Yoga on the Great Lawn

Every Saturday from 9–10am

Tai Chi

Every Wednesday from 9-10am Zumba on the Great Lawn Monday from 8–9am

Cars & Caffeine

First Saturday in May and June, 7:30—10:30am Wellen Park and co-sponsors, Foxtail Coffee, and Antique Automobile Club of America-Venice Region, are excited to offer car enthusiasts of all ages the opportunity to come together for an informal early morning gathering to share their passion for all things automotive.

Event vehicles should utilize the designated “Reserved Event Parking’’ area along the closed portion of Wellen Park Boulevard. In the event that this area becomes occupied, event cars can then make use of the designated parking lot situated in front of Foxtail Coffee. Spectator parking will be situated behind the two-story downtown building, with additional overflow parking available in the designated lot in front of The Banyan House. Attendees receive 50% off drip, iced and cold-brew coffee from 7–10am at Foxtail Coffee. No RSVP is required to attend these events and no outside alcoholic beverages are permitted. No events in July and August.

Outdoor Movies on the Great Lawn

Third Saturday in May, 6-9pm Enjoy the final themed movie of the season on the great lawn in front of Solis Hall. Bring your comfortable set up; lawn chairs, blankets, etc. and kick back with food and beverages from our downtown restaurants and food containers, and enjoy an outdoor movie on the jumbo screen. After the final May Outdoor Movies on the Great Lawn presentation, you can enjoy Summer Movie Nights at Cool Today Park with stadium seating, starting on June 2 at 5pm with the movie Wonka. For more, visit cooltodaypark.com/events.

Venice Symphony Community Chamber Concerts: America’s Heroes Patriotic Pops Concert

May 25 Sponsored by Capstan Financial, enjoy an afternoon of beautiful sounds as the Venice Symphony Community Chamber Concert performs on stage at Solis Hall.

For more details on these and other Wellen Park events, visit: wellenpark.com/events

TOGETHER GrandWay of Life

The senior community is invited to live in luxury at Grand Living in Wellen Park, a brand-new, vibrant community

GRAND LIVING OFFERS INDEPENDENT, ASSISTER LIVING AND MEMORY CARE an active social lifestyle, and the convenience of dining, shopping, entertainment and outdoor recreation, all in a picture-perfect setting. Grand Living serves the 55 and older demographic in Venice and North Port, adding to the growing residential mix of single- and multi-family homes in Wellen Park. With 156 independent and assisted living apartments, 36 memory care units and abundant amenities, residences range from 450 to 1,300 square feet of living space and include studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and options with dens. The Wellen Park location is the first Grand Living that will also offer two-bedroom plus den cottages with two-car garages available for lease. “Like all of our communities, Grand Living at Wellen Park has an age-in-community approach, which means you pick your residence from day one, and if you go in as an independent living person and at some point you need assistance with medication, bathing or any type of care, you don’t have to move—we move with you bringing whatever care you need, 24 hours a day,” says Director of Marketing, Edith Roysdon. “Everything about this community is magnificent. It’s elegant but welcoming at the same time”

in Downtown Wellen. WORDS BY BARBIE HEIT

lifestyles

Illuminations™ Lights the Way

The right time to transition from independent or assisted living varies for every family and the decision is never easy. The compassionate staff at Grand Living is there to help. Knowing that choice is an important one, they are proud to offer two distinct living neighborhoods for those in need of memory care: Monarch Lane is for men and women, and Lavender Lane is for women only. Through their Illuminations™ Program, staff members build a relationship with families to help the resident live his or her best life. “If anyone is considering a senior living community, Grand Living is a wonderful place to check out,” shares resident Doug Berg. “This is an exceptional place to live.”

The Sterling Touch™ in Action

A typical day at Grand Living Wellen Park might start with breakfast in one of the multiple on-site restaurants where residents are greeted with the Sterling Touch™, the community’s signature customer-service model, providing human connection that makes everyone feel at home. “Every restaurant is a sit-down, made-to-order style of dining where everything is created from scratch, using the freshest ingredients with menus changing daily,” shares Director of Sales, Ashley Troutman. “After breakfast, it may be off to a fitness class involving tai chi, cardio drumming or strength and balance, before heading to lunch, followed by arts & craft activities, games, poolside smoothies or a visit to the hot tub or putting green.” In addition to a full schedule of activities every day, the community hosts social hours three nights a week with live entertainment in the Grand Lounge and Bar before residents sit down to a gourmet dinner. Evening activities might include s’mores around the fire pit with a karaoke session or a movie night that happens twice a week, dancing and dessert, or lively music with dance at the 150-seat Forum Theater. Troutman shares that a favorite part of Grand Living for many residents is the option to go on community outings, such as a trip to Sharky’s on the Pier, Snook Haven and the Venice Symphony. There is also the availability of a chauffeur who can drop-off and pick-up residents anywhere within a 10 mile radius from the community. Adding to the luxury of Grand Living is the full-service salon and spa managed by a company called Rejuvenate, where residents can partake in mani/pedis, haircuts and styling and massages, all in a calming and beautiful environment. While the surroundings and amenities played an important role for residents Jim and Cheryl Deneffe when choosing their new home, ultimately, they chose Grand Living because of the staff members. “The people here are fantastic, and you know bricks and mortar make a place. The location makes a place. But really, what makes any business function is the management team. And I can’t say enough about how pleased we are with all facets of the people that work in this organization,” says Jim. WPL

LEFT TO

Puppy Perspectives

Experience a day in the life of a Southeastern Guide Dogs puppy raiser.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ANIMALS THAT SYMBOLIZE THE GULF COAST, manatees, alligators and sandhill cranes probably spring to mind, but there’s a domestic creature that’s leaving an indelible paw print on our region. With a headquarters north of Sarasota in Palmetto, Southeastern Guide Dogs has made Southwest Florida a hub for puppy raisers, who volunteer their time to help change someone’s life.

The extraordinary dogs of Southeastern Guide Dogs have been transforming the lives of people with vision loss, veteran, and children for decades—at no cost to the recipients. The

top-notch pedigrees in the program, perfected over four decades of selective breeding and thousands of hours of training, form unbreakable bonds with people who need it most. While these canine companions are indeed special, they would not be the superheroes they are without the help of volunteer puppy raisers who provide unlimited love, care, socialization and basic training from the very start.

The organization offers three, six and 12-monthlong puppy-raising programs in addition to shorter periods for very young puppies. “We have 250 puppies born on our campus every year, and ev-

PLAN A TRIP

To learn more about Southeastern Guide Dogs or become a puppy raiser, visit guidedogs. org. Southeastern Guide Dogs, 4210 77th St. E., Palmetto, 941-729-5665.

BELOW,

RIGHT Brady. Kathy, Brian and Kate Boykin with Flash, their guide dog in training.

WOR DS BY BARBIE HEIT | LAURA PAQUETTE

ery year and we need 250 puppy raisers to raise those puppies for us and help us provide services for people in need,” says Director of Puppy Raising Leslie Shepard. We talked to longtime Puppy Raiser Gina Bixby and new Puppy Raiser Kathy Boykin to learn more about the program and experience a day in the life of working with these amazing animals.

For both Bixby and Boykin, a love of dogs and a desire to give back to the community inspired them to volunteer. “Our 16-year-old Golden Retriever passed away last year, and we’d had him since we were newlyweds,” says Boykin. “We thought that it would be a good way for us to have a dog again without the long-term commitment, but also feel like we’re doing something great for somebody.” She and her husband, along with their young children and her mom, are raising Flash, who they’ll have for about a year. They’ve had Flash for over a month now and he’s just graduated from the program’s Puppy Kindergarten, a weekly class in which he learns basic obedience and receives

homework assignments that he and his raisers tackle at home. As a Puppy Kindergarten graduate, Flash has earned the iconic coat that grants him access to public places as a guide dog in training. The skills that he’s practicing, like avoiding distractions, are essential. “The kids have gotten very involved in his training. They love learning about what cues he’s working on that week, and they like to help him practice them,” she adds. And yes, throwing food on the ground in an attempt to distract Flash does count as training.

As Flash grows and continues to learn, his day will start to take on a different shape. Bixby, whose first puppy, Kayden was matched as a guide dog, has watched this transformation take place with her 17-month-old puppy, Skimmer. “A day in the life of a 17-month-old dog is very different than when I come home with my new puppy in a few weeks,” she says, explaining that he’s settled in the house and knows his rules and commands. “At this point, I’m not doing command training with him. If you ask me when I bring my

12-week home in a few weeks, I definitely will. We’d have a little training session in the morning before they fell asleep.” Nowadays, Bixby embeds Skimmer’s training into his day-to-day experiences. “Instead of doing specific training sessions, we tend to incorporate it into the things that we’re doing. If I run to Publix or Target, he comes with me, and that becomes his training,” she adds. “He’s learning to interact with the world while ignoring all of the people and dogs around him. His training is much more real-world experience at this stage of his career.”

In a few weeks, Bixby will return Skimmer to Southeastern Guide Dogs, where he’ll continue his training, and she’ll bring home a new puppy. “Of all of the places I’ve volunteered, I appreciate how Southeastern treats their volunteers. They routinely show appreciation for us, their communication and support are good and they’re constantly evaluating what else they can do to support the puppy raisers,” she says. “And they give you a puppy. What’s not to like about that?” WPL

BELOW, CLOCKWISE Kathy and Flash; Flash on a walk; and Flash and his training family.

books SummerReads

Get lost in these great books that channel Wellen Park’s fun and relaxing vibes. WORDS BY LAURA PAQUETTE

Lakeside Love

An Italian Interlude

Do you covet cavatelli and dream of strolling down the sun-soaked streets of Italian seaside towns? Get your fix of Italian fare at Acqua Pazza, which specializes in the country’s coastal cuisine, and continue the adventure by reading The Enchanted April, by Elizabeth von Armin or One Italian Summer, by Rebecca Serle. Published in 1922 over 100 years ago, this uplifting novel tells the story of four London women who spend one blissful month of self-discovery on the Italian Riviera, and its inspiring message rings true today. One Italian Summer, which came out in 2022, follows an American woman, who grieving for her mother and at a crossroads in her life, embarks on a trip to Positano on the Amalfi Coast. With a touch of magical realism and vivid prose, Serle encourages readers, and her main character, to consider their relationships with the past, present and future.

Water and oil may not mix, but water and romance are a match made in heaven, as the popularity of beach reads has illustrated. Cozy up to Grand Lake at Downtown Wellen Park, and get lost in the lakeside settings of Funny Story, by Emily Henry, and Just for the Summer, by Abby Jimenez. Henry’s fifth romantic comedy, which came out last month, introduces us to opposites Daphne and Miles, who become roommates after their respective exes get together. As they spend the summer together, the pair might learn that love can be found in the most unexpected of places. Also released in April is Just for the Summer, a love story set on Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. To break their respective dating “curses,” Justin and Emma strike up a foolproof plan, but it turns out that love has other ideas.

A Home Run

The Inside Scoop

The cure for the scorching Florida heat, breakups or bad days, ice cream can fix almost anything. But can the new owner of her family’s ice cream shop solve a mysterious murder? Find out by reading A Deadly Scoop by Abby Collette. Published in 2020, this is the first install-mint in a cozy mystery series that will have you screaming for ice cream. We recommend savoring this read with your favorite flavor from Bright Ice Scoop Shop.

Baseball and summer go together like the beach and a good book. Florida author Alicia Thompson is taking a swing at sports romance with The Art of Catching Feelings, out on June 18. The story follows the romantic relationship between professional baseball player Chris and his heckler, Daphne. If you’re longing for the days of Spring Training at CoolToday Park, grab a bite from Pop Dawgs at The Yard, put on your favorite ball cap and enjoy this home run of a book.

— Visit your favorite local bookstore to find these summer reads.

parting shot

KEEPING STRIDE

Wellen Park Half Marathon and 5K participants in Downtown Wellen Park.