East County Observer 5.18.23

District chooses superintendent

History gets fresh look at Willis

Ethan Zhang, a Robert E. Willis Elementary School third grader, stood tall with dozens of medals around his neck.

He had his swim cap, goggles and warm-up jacket on as if he were ready to jump into the pool to swim, just like Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

Next to Zhang was Yug Patel, standing in his black suit and white shirt, acting as Martin Luther King Jr.

Zhang and Patel shared facts about Phelps and King as if they were the historic figures during Willis Elementary’s living museum May 12.

Zhang chose to be Phelps because he is a swimmer as well. He said Phelps’ numerous medals and broken records inspired him.

Patel chose King for his accomplishments in the fight for civil rights.

“He helped fight against discrimination so we’re not judged by colors anymore,” Patel said.

Building relationships

About 100 guests gathered at the Mandeville Beer Garden on May 12 to mark two Willis Smith Construction anniversaries. CEO David Sessions was celebrating 35 years with the company, and Senior Marketing Coordinator Liz Brookins (above with Sessions) was celebrating 30 years.

Sessions still remembered Brookins’ daughter Kaitlin Moore running down the hallway with a pink blanket. She was 4 and has since interned for the firm.

“When people say that a company is like a family, it sounds like a cliche, but sometimes, it is true,” Brookins said. “We all kind of look out for each other.”

Brookins prepares the proposals. Her favorite part of the job is watching a project turn from paper into a building.

“If there is a definition of the most loyal and perfect employee, that would be Liz,” Sessions said.

Lesley Dwyer

Retired

U.S. Army Col. Gill Ruderman is the grand marshal of the 2023 Tribute to Heroes parade in Lakewood Ranch.

Kindergartner Cason Collier is beaming with pride as he serves water to customers.

Liz Ramos

Lesley Dwyer

Everything’s peachy again

Peach’s in Creekwood Crossing reopens after closing for nearly two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

When a restaurant closes, people tend to find the next closest restaurant. But not Peach’s customers, who are willing to travel.

When the location at Creekwood Crossing on State Road 70 remained closed after the COVID-19 pandemic, River Club residents Pete and Judy Wayer drove up to the State Road 64 location. They were not alone.

Between the two neighboring locations on S.R. 64 and University Parkway, customers and staff alike drove past other restaurants to the next closest Peach’s.

Before the pandemic, the Peach’s chain, owned by Alison Thomas, included 10 restaurants between Venice and Ellington. During the pandemic, the strategy was to keep the busier locations up and running and redistribute the staff between the remaining restaurants.

The Cortez Road, 26th Street and Manatee Avenue locations were all closed during COVID-19. Only the Manatee Avenue location will reopen. Regional Manager Patrick Thomas said it’ll be open sometime over the next few months.

There was one attempt to reopen the Creekwood Crossing location that lasted about a month, but the pandemic was still keeping most people at home. The majority of sales were coming from online orders. There wasn’t enough business at the time to keep it going, so Creekwood closed for nearly two years to the day. Shut down on April 15, 2021, the restaurant reopened on April 14.

“The first day was actually a pretty surprising start,” Thomas said. “It was definitely a lot busier than

I thought it was going to be. That weekend was pretty crazy because it was a Friday that we opened.”

Regulars who’d been traveling to nearby Peach’s restaurants were given notice of the reopening by staff members and returned as soon as possible.

The Wayers dine at Peach’s a few times per week. While they say the food is tasty and affordable, it’s the service that garners such a loyal clientele.

“I am one of the loyal Peach’s patrons who is very happy the

location at 70 and Creekwood has reopened after a two-year hiatus,” East County’s Regina Dubois wrote in an email. “When it closed in April 2021, we followed our beloved wait staff to the location on S.R. 64.”

Candy Belt is part of that wait staff. She’s been a server at Peach’s for more than 18 years.

“I never meant to stay,” laughed Belt. “I had a job to help my son through college, but I just truly enjoy the company. I enjoy the people. I enjoy the staff. It’s run family style. Everybody knows everybody. It’s

IF YOU GO

PEACH’S IN CREEKWOOD

CROSSING

Where: 7315 52nd Place E., Bradenton

When: 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Tuesdays through Sundays

On the menu: Eggs, breakfast sandwiches and wraps, pancakes, waffles, french toast, skillets and more.

More information: Visit Peachs.net

very personal.”

Belt is willing to travel, too. The S.R. 64 location is closer to her home on Upper Manatee River Road but said it’s more about the relationships. She’s been serving the Creekwood customers for 15 out of her 18 years with the company.

But it wasn’t easy during the pandemic. With staff changes and having to work between three different locations, she considered calling it quits. Out of the 20 employees at the Creekwood location prior to the shutdown, Belt is only one of two to last through the pandemic and return. Her regulars, who have also

become friends, kept her going.

“Candy, Beth and Andrea have a huge following,” Thomas said. “(The guests) appreciate the genuine conversation, which is what they provide.”

Management struggled through the pandemic too. Thomas said it was difficult to run so many locations with little to no staff. He was the general manager at the Ellington and Manatee Avenue locations before taking on the role of regional manager.

“We just kind of took the beating and decided to close these two stores with the hope that we’d be able to focus on reopening them again,” Thomas said. “Just a few months back, they put me in this role, so that way I could work on getting these two locations reopened.”

Creekwood is back in full swing. The address is 7315 52nd Place E., Bradenton. The hours are 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

The Creekwood Peach’s staff: Austin Despot, Haileigh Olson, Patrick Thomas, Tricia White, Tel Percell, Floyd Sharp, Peter Yacino, Candy Belt and Ashley Sloan

Judy and Pete Wayer enjoy eating breakfast at the reopened Peach’s in Creekwood Crossing.

The Peach’s location on State Road 70 in Creekwood Crossing has reopened after a two-year hiatus.

School District of Manatee selects superintendent

The School Board of Manatee County voted 4-1 to select Wysong, who is currently serving as the deputy superintendent for Seminole County Public Schools.  School board Chair Chad Choate was the dissenting vote.

Wysong will take the helm of the district after Cynthia Saunders, the district’s current superintendent, retires June 30. His anticipated start date is July 1.

The school board will enter into negotiations with Wysong, and a vote to approve the contract will be taken at a school board meeting at an undetermined date.

Choate said Wysong will begin shadowing Saunders to begin the transition approximately June 1.

Wysong said it will be an honor to be Manatee County schools’ next superintendent.

“The Manatee County community is awesome,” he said. “It certainly would be an honor to come here and be responsible for student outcomes and working with families and the business community as well.”

Wysong has been serving as the deputy superintendent for Seminole County Public Schools since 2021. Prior to his current position, he served as executive director of instructional excellence and system equity as well as executive director of education pathways and strategic partnerships in Seminole County.

School board members Richard Tatem and Mary Foreman were adamant about selecting Wysong as the next superintendent compared to the other finalists, Scott Schneider from Duval County Public Schools and Doug Wagner with the School District of Manatee County.

“I value substance rather than style, and Dr. Wysong is the only candidate with qualifications,” Foreman said. “The 100-day plan that he presented in the interview was incredibly detailed and well thought out. He is going to bring some insight that will be very helpful in the future to this district. He’s going to be a quick learner. I don’t think we’re going to have to wait a year for him to know the district. I’m sure he’s going to jump right in.”

Tatem said as the lone deputy superintendent for Seminole County, Wysong has experience overseeing all aspects of education including budgets, instruction and operations.

Although board member Cindy Spray was not “100% sure” that any of the three finalists met all of her qualifications and requirements

PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE

Although the School Board of Manatee County will have to come together to determine priorities for the new superintendent, board members shared what they would like to see Jason Wysong accomplish.

Board member Chad Choate said he wants Wysong to get to know the School District of Manatee County, how it works and how it’s structured as well as the students and employees. He wants to see Wysong connect with the district’s community partners and business partners.

Both board members Richard Tatem and Cindy Spray want to see Wysong address reading scores, especially for third graders.

Tatem also wants Wysong to address transportation concerns and the bus driver shortage to ensure students are not getting to and from school late.

Spray wants to see Wysong evaluate current programs and propose new programs to continue the district’s success.

She also wants fiscal responsibility, accountability and transparency.

FIRST GLANCE

Before ultimately selecting Jason Wysong as the next superintendent in a 4-1 vote, each board member shared who they initially wanted to lead the district.

n Chad Choate — Scott Schneider

n Mary Foreman — Jason Wysong

n Richard Tatem — Jason Wysong

n Cindy Spray — Not convinced any finalist was worthy

n Gina Messenger — Doug Wagner

for the position, she voted in favor of Wysong because he “checked all the boxes” except for the financial background she wanted to see in a candidate.

Spray ultimately was the board member who put forth the motion to select Wysong as the next superintendent, which was seconded by Foreman.

Tatem and Spray said Wysong will be able to provide fresh ideas to the district as he’s coming from outside Manatee County.

“I said at this dias, ‘We need change,’” Spray said. “We do need fresh eyes in here, a different perspective.”

Although board member Gina Messenger’s preference would have been to select Wagner for his experience and knowledge of the school district as well as trust he’s built within the community, she said if there’s a consensus among the board, she would “happily support” Wysong.

“He is deeply intelligent,” Messenger said of Wysong. “He is a careful decision maker.”

Messenger said even though the vote wasn’t unanimous, the board needs to come together to support Wysong.

“We all have to get behind that person so they can be successful for the students in Manatee County,” she said.

The biggest concern board members expressed with choosing Wysong is his communication skills. Tatem and Spray said Wysong did not do well during the interview with all five board members, and they could see he was stressed, but he was much better at communicating and more personable during their one-on-one interviews with him.

“He had humble confidence,” Tatem said about Wysong during his one-on-one interview. “He listened well. It was a great conversation that we had back and forth.”

Wysong said his time serving as a deputy superintendent has prepared him to become superintendent.

He said the similarities between the school districts in Manatee and Seminole counties help him to feel ready to be superintendent of the School District of Manatee County. He said the districts are similar in

size, are committed to innovative programming and parent expectations.

While visiting four schools within the district May 10, Wysong said he was able to see first hand the dedication and passion from students and staff.

“You all should be very proud of what your principals and teachers are doing,” Wysong said to those who attended the superintendent finalist meet and greet May 10. “We saw lots of great innovative instruction happening at a very busy time of year with testing and in the lead up to graduation. What effective schools all have in common is strong leaders who benefited from leadership development programs and principles.”

Wysong said the role of the district office is to support the principals.

“The district sets the vision, the (school) board establishes the budget and policy and then the leadership team’s responsibility is to make sure that every principal is successful because they are closest to that local community,” he said. “When they tell us they need something, it’s our job to figure it out.”

As a district leader who has a 10-year-old son in school, Wysong said he always considers whether the decisions he’s making that will impact the thousands of students in the district is in the best interest of his son.

“If the answer is no, I’m not going in the right direction because when we make decisions that impact families and students, we ought to be able to live with those decisions,” Wysong said.

As Saunders prepares for retirement, she said the next superintendent will need to continue the collaboration between school district staff, the community and partners of the district because it will be key to success for the district.

As funding from the state that was provided as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic expires in the fall of 2024, Saunders said Schneider will need to be able to navigate how that impacts the budget.

Saunders said one of the biggest challenges the next superintendent will face is the constant growth in population in Manatee County, which is resulting in more students in the school district.

Wysong said with growth comes opportunities for the school community, which he’s excited to be a part of as superintendent.

“The interesting thing about growth is some people are excited by it and then other people are like, slow down, right?” he said. “Some people love new schools and then some people love that this is the school that their parents went to, and all that kind of tradition.”

He said the challenge is understanding the district’s and county’s vision and direction, the economic development of the county, the community’s viewpoint, growth projections and potential for real estate acquisition.

TIME TO RETIRE

With the announcement of the new superintendent of the School District of Manatee County, Cynthia Saunders can start preparing for her transition out of the school district.

Saunders, who has been superintendent since 2018, will retire June 30, after more than 30 years in education in Florida.

She said leading the School District of Manatee County has been a blessing.

“The resiliency of our school community has risen to every challenge that we have faced, some of which have never been written in the history books,” she said. “Who would have thought you would have to endure a global pandemic as superintendent. But no matter what challenges we face, our staff, students, parents and partners all kind of rally together, and we achieve great things because of that. I feel very fortunate I was superintendent in this community that values education and our students so greatly.”

As she heads into retirement, Saunders said the school district is stable with it being in the best financial position to date as well as ranking 25th in the state, the highest ranking the district has ever had.

“We’re still striving to improve and ensure that our students are adjusting to the new standards, but the improvement each year of how our students are performing, the programs we’ve added to each of our school and the opportunities we are affording them, I would say, are things I am glad to have been a part of,” she said.

Seminole County’s Jason Wysong will lead the district as its top administrator.

File photo Cynthia Saunders

LIZ RAMOS | SENIOR EDITOR

Jason Wysong has been named the new superintendent of the School District of Manatee County.

Liz Ramos

Lakewood Ranch’s Phil Burghardt talks to Jason Wysong, who has been named the School District of Manatee County’s next superintendent.

Advisor

Menards could be following the path set by Kelly’s Roast Beef, a Boston institution that recently opened at UTC, with plans for nine more eateries in the region over two years. Pinellas County got one of the state’s first Raising Cane’s and Noodle & Co., popular in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, is looking for franchisees to open up to 30 new locations in the Tampa and Sarasota markets. And 16 Handles, a New York self-serve yogurt shop, is opening in Englewood and Naples, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Major Midwest hardware retailer buys land in Myakka

A major, and beloved, Midwest home improvement retailer has bought 30 acres of property with a 56,000-square-foot building on it in east Manatee County.

Wisconsin-based Menard Inc., which owns more than 300 Menards stores across 15 states, closed on the agricultural land in Myakka City last month, paying $10.3 million.

Sarasota: (941) 329-6286 direct Atlanta: (404) 231-6535 direct (678) 575-1399 cell | broching@stifel.com

In an email, Nick Brenner, a real estate representative for the company, wrote “I appreciate you reaching out, but Menards is not looking to expand into Florida at this time.” He did not respond to a follow up email asking what the company intended to use the property for.

The property is at 43175 State Road 70 E. just outside of Lakewood Ranch and about 12 miles east of Interstate 75. County property records show that a 56,040-square-foot building sits on the parcel. LoopNet, however, shows the building has 70,000 square feet of rentable space.

Menards is a family-owned retailer that first opened in 1958. It is a wellknown and popular chain across the Midwest, carrying products for construction, renovation and home improvement as well as appliances, lighting, flooring, hardware and plumbing supplies. Some stores, according to the company’s website, carry pet products and groceries.

For now, at least, its stores are mostly in Midwestern states including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska. It does have three stores in the South, with two in Kentucky and one in West Virginia.

Sarasota-Manatee market to get new Trader Joe’s

A new Trader Joe’s in the booming UTC area, with the actual location in Manatee County, plans to open its doors this year.

The Monrovia, California-based grocer, which generates considerable social media buzz with new and potential new locations, confirmed the opening on its website May 5.

The location is 8473 Cooper Creek Blvd., in The Shoppes at University Town Center, the company said. The Benderson Development-owned shopping center is across the street from the Mall at University Town Center. (The mall is in Sarasota County, while across University Parkway, the The Shoppes is in Manatee County.)

Other tenants in the The Shoppes include T.J. Maxx, Fresh Kitchen, Total Wine & More and JOANN Fabric and Crafts.

“We’ve consulted our maps and compass and have found a terrific location for a store in Sarasota,” a statement on Trader Joe’s website read. “We are proud to be joining the neighborhood, and to continue our commitment to providing nourishment to the surrounding communities through our Neighborhood Shares program.”

Trader Joe’s operates 23 stores statewide, with one location in Sarasota off South Tamiami Trail. It also has locations in Tampa and St. Pete. Grocery store competition is heavy in the UTC area. Within 1 mile is a Fresh Market, a Whole Foods and a Publix.

Courtesy photo

The Midwest chain Menards has purchased 30 acres in Myakka City.

No set timeline on administrator search

LEADERSHIP TURNOVER

Since Ed Hunzeker retired in March 2019 after 12 years of service, Manatee County is set to hire its third administrator.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

Manatee County’s search for a county administrator doesn’t appear destined to end any time soon.

While District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said May 15 that she would like to see the position filled by the fall, fellow Commissioner Jason Bearden said he could see the position filled early in 2024.

Bearden’s projection could cause consternation among a public that already has witnessed strange circumstances since former Administrator Scott Hopes resigned under fire in February.

At the time, the commissioners named Lee Washington, who was the director of Community and Veterans Services, to be the interim administrator while a national search was taking place. Washington received glowing reviews from the commissioners, who said he could calm the environment among staff members who had been uneasy since Hopes took over in 2021 with a mission of cleaning house. He lasted 22 months after replacing former Administrator Cheri Coryea.

A red flag emerged in April, when commissioners decided to offer Jon Mast, the CEO of the Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association, a contract to replace Washington as the interim CEO.

Considering Hopes had been hired as the interim administrator, then quickly was offered the permanent job after the national search was canceled, it appeared commissioners were again repeating their previous pattern.

However, commissioners balked when County Attorney Bill Clague reported that Mast had been offered a contract with a proposed salary of

$225,000 a year. Hopes was making

$215,000 a year when he resigned.

Mast was offered a renegotiated contact of $195,000 but then took himself out of consideration for the job.

What is left is Washington still acting as interim administrator, even after commissioners made it apparent they wanted him replaced.

Commissioner George Kruse was somewhat relieved that the attention is focused once again on a national search.

“People have been burned before here, and I was on the board,” Kruse said. “I made votes to support a national search last time this came up and lost.”

Kruse said he can understand why people are angry when the commission promised a national search and then hired Hopes without one.

“Their comments are based on facts,” he said. “Their comments are based on history, and we build the history that they base their impressions of this board on.” Baugh would like to move swiftly forward to find a new administrator, and perhaps calm the waters. She said she would be willing to meet with potential candidates after the commissioners’ one-month summer recess begins in mid-June.

“I’m open to whatever we need to do to expedite it,” Baugh said. “But then again, I’m only one commissioner. There’s seven of us, but I’m sure that it’s safe to say that all commissioners know the need and that we need to get this done as soon as possible.”

Bearden said if the commission can pull from a larger pool of people, it will be able to hire the best person.

“We need to hire a county administrator, but we’re not in so much of a rush that we need to have someone

right now, due to budget season and things of that nature,” he said.

Budget season will begin when Washington delivers a recommended budget to county commissioners sometime between now and June. Bearden said a county administrator would most likely be hired at the beginning of the new year.

To help with the search, Manatee County has assigned staff members to the search and have hired the search firm Colin Baenziger & Associates.

“We will be addressing appropriate ways for the public to interact in the search process as we move forward, but nothing has been finalized yet.” said Bill Logan, Manatee County’s information outreach manager.

Founded in 1997, Colin Baenziger

& Associates is a consulting and municipal recruiting firm with clients in 34 states. The firm’s website offers “personal testimonials,” and at the top of the list is a reference from Tom Barwin, Sarasota’s former city manager.

“CB&A’s recruitment brochures are terrific, the best in the business,” Barwin wrote. “They just flow and convey the lay of the land so well for potential candidates — or for anyone else who just might want to learn about a community. So good, even though I am retired, I am tempted.”

Colin Baenziger told commissioners the flyers are positive but realistic. Because people are busy, the approximately 10-page flyers save the candidates time by offering a full picture of not just the job, but

Cheri Coryea: March 2019-February 2021 Scott Hopes: February 2021-February 2023 Next?

the local area, too. Among the information is the salary, weather, cost of living, school district and challenges that come with the job.

Manatee County has had three county administrators over the last four years. Considering the turnover, Baenziger said filling the position comes with challenges. He said those who apply for such a job are confident they can fix any current problems.

“It’s just a different situation, so there’ll be some who will be discouraged by it, and there’ll be some who will be thrilled by it because they like a challenge,” he said. “We’re looking for the ones who are thrilled by it and looking for that next challenge.”

To cast a net for candidates, the firm begins with an internal email list of about 13,500 people who are interested in public sector management.

They advertise with trade publications and simply “look for people.” Baenziger said his firm has performed two-thirds of the searches when a city or county in Florida has hired a recruiting firm over the past 26 years.

The municipality gives the firm search criteria, and typically, with a position like this, the firm comes back with six to eight candidates. Baenziger said the job is likely to be posted by May 23, which was pushed back from an earlier date due to the commission’s upcoming recess.

No. 9 in sales volume for the Sarasota region of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty

Lake Club

Sold to Our Buyers at The Lake Club

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh would like a new administrator in place by the fall, but other commissioners support taking more time.

File photo

District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh is hoping to have a new Manatee County administrator in place by the fall.

Jay Heater

Builders join Community Fund project

Builders Give Back program will help area nonprofits through the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

Mike Woolery, vice president of land acquisition for Pulte Homes, was attending a Schroeder-Manatee Ranch builders party Dec. 13 at Lakewood Ranch Country Club.

SMR had granted a presentation by Lakewood Ranch Community Fund Vice President Mark Clark, who told the builders about a new program called “Builders Give Back.”

The hope for the program was that, if the builders were willing to get on board, that each new home sale

would lead to a $100 donation to the LWRCF, paid by the builder, in the name of the new owner.

The new owner, meanwhile, would receive a welcome to the community letter, explaining the mission of the LWRCF.

“We heard the presentation,” Woolery said. “We thought, ‘We have to be part of that.’”

With construction costs having skyrocketed the past two years and a nation suffering from inflation, why would any of the builders be willing to commit to an extra cost?

“We build in Lakewood Ranch,” Woolery said. “So we want to make a positive impact. And the more we can get the word out (about the LWRCF), that is great.”

Pulte was the first builder to join the program, signing in February.

Six major builders have followed — Anchor Builders, Homes by Towne, John Cannon Homes, Lee Wether-

ington Homes, AR Homes, and Stock Luxury Homes.

SMR has agreed to match each donation up to $10,000 a year.

The program officially began April 1.

“I thought it was well received,” LWRCF Executive Director Adrienne Bookhamer said. “Then Pulte was first on board.

“This is incredible. Seven builders is a great place to start ... and, yes, we have room for more.”

Because most of the builders involved in the program produce luxury homes, Bookhamer said it will likely be next year before the program begins to roll for area nonprofits. Then, Bookhamer said, a very conservative estimate would have the builders closing on 20 homes a month, meaning $2,000 a month in donations to the LWRCF, which since its founding in 2000, has granted more than $1.5 million

BUILDERS GIVE BACK PROGRAM

How it works: Builders in the program present a $100 donation to the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund when a home closes. Homeowners receive a welcome letter with information about the LWRCF SMR’s support: The Lakewood Ranch developer will match each $100 donation up to $10,000 in a year

Possible impact: $34,000 or more annually

What builders are participating: Pulte Homes, Anchor Builders, Homes by Towne, John Cannon Homes, Lee Wetherington Homes, AR Homes and Stock Luxury Homes

What happens to the funds: The LWRCF grants the funds to region nonprofits each year in its annual grant presentation

to more than 100 region nonprofits.

Over the course of a year, the program could produce $34,000 or more added to the amount the LWRCF could grant to nonprofits during a normal year.

“We had the conversation about how we could include the builders in such a program,” Bookhamer said of the fund’s board. “How could we get access to new residents?”

The board members pitched the idea to SMR, which liked the idea and has been helping to bring the program to reality.

“SMR has been very involved,” Bookhamer said. “They set up the initial meeting with the builders at the (Dec. 13) party. And it was a winwin situation for both the LWRCF and the builders.”

The hope is the new area homeowners will support the LWRCF in the future.

“This program allows new residents to experience the welcoming and giving culture of Lakewood Ranch right when they move in,” Bookhamer said.

Dena James, of John Cannon Homes, said her company wanted to contribute since it has experienced

so many good years building in Lakewood Ranch.

“If there is a way we can give back to Lakewood Ranch,” she said. “We want to do it. We’ve had such a great partnership (with SMR) for so many years, we are happy to participate.”

Svetlana Stelmach said Homes by Towne thought the program will be “amazing.”

“This is something new, and it is time for something like this to come together,” she said.

Stelmach said it will be important to show new owners what kind of philanthropy is available to them.

“We deal with people out of the state and out of the country,” she said. “People do want to give, and donate. They just don’t know where to go. This will give them an option.”

Dominick Giallombardo said Stock Development has only a fiveto six-year history building in the Lakewood Ranch area and therefore it is important to show “we want to be part of the community,” he said. “In our communities, we try to help whenever possible.”

Jim Grittner of Nelson Homes (AR Homes) said his company “automatically” wanted to be part of the program. Ashley Miller, also of Nelson Homes, said most of the new homeowners want to be involved in the community.

“It is only natural to give back,” she said.

Lee Wetherington Homes CEO David Hunihan has lived in either Mill Creek or the River Club more than 20 years. He said he wanted to live near the Lakewood Ranch area because he felt it would be a big part of his future as a builder.

“This area has benefited my career,” he said. “We build here, and we live here. We’ve always supported Lakewood Ranch. And Lakewood Ranch has been so good to us and has supported us.”

Even though Hunihan has long known about the LWRCF, he said he now is finding out more details about the nonprofit.

“This program just makes sense,” he said

Harry Fendt, the builder rep for Roy Dupuis, Anchor Builders, said, “The sooner you communicate how easy it is to contribute (to the community), the better. This is about awareness and education.”

Svetlana Stelmach (Homes by Towne), Harry Fendt (Anchor Builders), Mike Woolery (Pulte Homes), Jack Cannon (John Cannon Homes), Adrienne Bookhamer (LWRCF), David Hunihan (Lee Wetherington Homes), Dominick Giallombardo (Stock Development) and Ashley Miller (AR Homes) gather at Waterside Place to announce the Builders Give Back program.

Your Friends Are Waiting

When was the last time you swung a racket or hit a golf ball, biked the trail or simply took a long walk with your favorite person to talk to?

Joint pain can creep up on us, faster than we’d expect, robbing us of the activities and experiences we used to treasure. Shoulders get stiff. Hips hurt. Knees creak and the back aches.

Before you know it, you’re spending more time watching Friends than seeing your own.

At Sarasota Memorial, our award-winning team of orthopedic specialists and surgeons is nationally recognized for excellence in joint repair and joint replacement, using the latest robotic and minimally invasive techniques to rebuild and restore, so you can get back to the things you love and the people you love sharing them with.

smh.com/ortho

So don’t wait . Life’s too short to spend it on the sidelines.

A grand parade for retired colonel

Two-time Purple Heart recipient honored as Tribute to Heroes Parade grand marshal.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

It was a typical first Friday of the month at Wolves Head Pizza & Wings off State Road 64 in Lakewood Ranch, with 10 people crowded around a table.

A row of beers was awaiting lunch orders to join the party.

It could be a scene from any restaurant, except this gathering was special.

The veterans at the table had fought for the U.S. military in countries such as Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Bosnia and Iraq.

Members of the Braden River VFW Post 12055 and their spouses meet at Wolves Head on the first Friday of every month. On this particular day, the conversation turned to the upcoming Tribute to Heroes parade May 28 and the fact retired U.S. Army Col. Gill Ruderman, one of their own and an East County resident, was chosen as this year’s grand marshal.

“It couldn’t have gone to a more deserving individual. He’s been giving back to this community for so many years,” said fellow VFW member Dave Daily, who lives in Mill Creek and who was the parade’s grand marshal in 2019.

Daily said in 2019 that there were more deserving soldiers than him in the area to be the grand marshal. He said Ruderman was one of them.   Ruderman said Daily is like an adopted son, and that summed up the family style atmosphere around the table at Wolves Head. They tell their stories, but they also look out for each other.

Sarasota’s Barbara Sweet-Iredale’s husband, Bill, died in 2018 at 92 years old. Bill spent his 18th birthday on the beach at Iwo Jima during World War II.

Even though Bill is gone now, the group welcomes Sweet-Iredale to the gatherings.

“They still include me,” SweetIredale said. “Once you’re with a veterans’ organization, they look after you.”

Ruderman embodies SweetIredale’s statement, as he has been looking out for fellow veterans, especially those in Manatee County, for years. Not only is he an active VFW member, he volunteers for organizations that support veterans, such as Southeastern Guide Dogs and Tidewell Hospice.

“My father was in the Army,” Ruderman said. “I don’t think I ever knew of anything else I wanted to do.”

Military life kept Ruderman on the move throughout his childhood and his Army career. Up until moving into Greenfield Plantation with his wife, Florence, in 2001, he had never lived in one place for more than five years. Florence is a huge part of his life,

IF YOU GO

TRIBUTE TO HEROES BLOCK

PARTY & PARADE

When: 6-8 p.m. May 28

Where: Main Street at Lakewood Ranch

Price: Free Details: The pre-block party begins at 6 p.m., and the parade starts at 7 p.m. There will be food, drinks, kids activities and more. The parade will feature bike and golf cart decoration contests. More information: MyLWR. com

as Ruderman acknowledges on the 29th day of each month. On May 29, a day after the parade, they will be celebrating their 24th anniversary. But that day will start the same as the 29th of each month.

Ruderman will write a note that says, “Happy anniversary,” and he puts it in Florence’s coffee cup.

“He’s the nicest person I’ve ever met in my life,” Florence said of her husband. “Truly, he is amazing.”

RUDERMAN’S MILITARY BACKGROUND

Ruderman began his career at West Point, graduating in 1967. Since the Army needed officers in Vietnam at the time, West Point graduates weren’t put through basic training and reported straight to active duty units after some Ranger and airborne schooling.

Although he was among the nation’s elite by graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he found that his superiors let him know quickly his credentials didn’t make him special in a war zone.

“My first boss told me to my face on my first day on duty, ‘I tried to have you diverted to another unit because I do not like West Pointers,’” Ruderman remembered.

He earned respect, and two Purple Hearts, on his first tour with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam.

In 1968, a fellow soldier was moving something off the ground when he set off a booby trap. Ruderman was hit by fragments from the explo-

sion, lodging in his lower chest. Two other soldiers were injured as well, but all three lived through the ordeal.

A first lieutenant at the time, Ruderman took a 30-day leave due to his injuries, and had the choice to accept an assignment somewhere other than Vietnam. He chose to return.

Back in Vietnam with his division, Ruderman was part of a helicopter crew that was doing reconnaissance, circling over a Viet Cong force. The helicopter came under heavy fire, with five founds penetrating the helicopter.

Ruderman, then a Lt. Col., was shot in the foot during the flurry and had to be evacuated to Japan.

He was the only member of the crew to be injured. Two days later, though, he found that fate might have blessed him.

“Two days later, I’m getting put on a stretcher to go on a plane to Japan, and I look over, and two of the other three people (in the helicopter crew) were on stretchers,” he said. “The chopper had crashed.”

Those two men had suffered compression fractures to their backs, but they recovered.

After his first tour, Ruderman was back in Vietnam for a second tour from 1970 to 1971. Fortunately, he wasn’t injured again.

By 1972, Ruderman was back in the U.S., playing rugby. He started playing at West Point and went back to the sport during his first year of graduate school at the University of Florida.

At the time, the Army offered officers options to earn their master’s degrees while still in the military. The exchange for Ruderman was to teach ROTC at the university. He taught for two more years after earning his degree.

After 26 years of military service, Ruderman is proud and humble when it comes to his numerous recognitions. In 2016, Ruderman was named Manatee County’s Veteran of the Year, and in 2021, he was inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame.

“I would say that the idea of being considered for these honors is as rewarding, if not more so, than being selected,” he said.

VFW POST 12055, BRADEN RIVER

The veterans hope to have their own building at some point, but for now, they hold monthly meetings at 7 p.m. every third Wednesday at the East Manatee Fire Rescue, 3200 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. “We have no overhead, so every bit of our money goes to taking care of veterans and supporting our community,” Post Commander Graham Ellis said. “We also do $1,000 scholarships for each of the high schools.”

The VFW supports camaraderie through shared experiences and charitable work. Currently, there are more than 140 members, but a veteran does not have to be a member to receive assistance. For more information, visit VFWPost12055. org.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

Publisher and President / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com

Associate Publisher — East County Observer / Lori Ruth, LRuth@YourObserver.com

Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com

Managing Editor / Jay Heater, JHeater@YourObserver.com

Senior Editor / Liz Ramos, LRamos@YourObserver.com

Sports Editor / Ryan Kohn, RKohn@YourObserver.com

Staff Writers / Lesley Dwyer, LDwyer@ YourObserver.com

Digital & Engagement Editor / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com

Copy Editor / Gina Reynolds Haskins, GRHaskins@YourObserver.com

Senior Editorial Designer / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com

A+E Editor / Monica Roman Gagnier, MGagnier@YourObserver.com

Black Tie Editor / Harry Sayer, HSayer@YourObserver.com

Director of Advertising / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com

Sales Manager / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com

Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com

Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com

Advertising Executives / Richeal Bair, RBair@YourObserver.com; Beth Jacobson, BJacobson@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver. com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver. com; Brenda White, BWhite@ YourObserver.com

Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Lexi Huelsman, LHuelsman@ YourObserver.com

Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com

Sales Coordinator / Account Manager Lori Downey, LDowney@YourObserver.com

Digital Fulfillment Specialist / Emma B. Jolly, EJolly@YourObserver.com

Tributes Coordinator / Kristen Boothroyd, Tributes@YourObserver.com

Director of Marketing / Robin Lankton, RLankton@YourObserver.com

Marketing Specialist / Melanie Melone, MMelone@YourObserver.com

Director of Creative Services / Caleb Stanton, CStanton@YourObserver.com

Creative Services Administrator / Marjorie Holloway, MHolloway@ YourObserver.com

Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com

Director of Information Technology / Adam Quinlin, AQuinlin@YourObserver.com

Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com

Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@YourObserver.com

Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon@ YourObserver.com

President / Emily Walsh

File photo Gill Ruderman, right, always has been active with the VFW.

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Florence and Gill Ruderman outside their home in Greenfield Plantation.

Post Commander Graham Ellis and Gill Ruderman enjoy a laugh over lunch at Wolves Head Pizza & Wings.

Along for the ride

Three-hundred-and-four.

As of May 11, that’s the number of students mentioned in school stories I had written or in school-related photos I had taken for the East County Observer print edition since the school year began last August.

I’d say at least 100 more students were in photos posted online as part of galleries.

This school year, I’ve covered everything from the superintendent search to JROTC teams winning state championships to elementary students making animals out of fruit.

It always puts a smile on my face when I walk into a classroom and hear, “That’s the lady from the newspaper.”

To some, these stories might not mean much other than a little insight into what’s happening in our schools, but I know they make a difference to the students who see their names and faces in the newspaper.

Talking to the students and capturing their moments of success … and sometimes failures …  are the best parts of my job.

But one of my greatest joys every year comes from graduation.

Much like the Class of 2023, I started a new journey four years ago. While they were entering high school, I was starting my job as the education and community reporter for the East County Observer

So this class of graduates holds a special place in my heart. They’re the first group of students I was able to cover from freshman year to the moment they walk across the baseball diamond at LECOM Park to accept their diplomas.

In 2020, I remember interviewing Braden River High’s Bella Pasquale, now a senior, when she was a freshman for a story on the inspirational message her class was creating to help students through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The interview was conducted over the phone, and I didn’t meet her in person until fall 2021 when I was working on another Technology Student Association story in which she’s a member. Since, I’ve written about her numerous successes as a member of the school’s TSA chapter.

I’ve been able to see her grow as a leader in the chapter, navigating through challenges.

Covering my first state band championships in 2019, I took more than 500 photos. Nearly 60 photos were published in the photo gallery online, and in that bunch, there’s a photo of Shelby Henry, a Braden River High senior, who gave it her all while playing flute for the Marching Band of Pirates.

The band won its third consecutive state championship that year. As someone who played in a marching band from my freshman year of high school all through my senior year at the University of Missouri, I know the time and dedication it takes. Being there to see the success of Braden River and Lakewood Ranch’s bands made the trip to Daytona Beach and the 20-hour workday worth it.

This school year, I saw Henry take on the demanding vocals of Elsa from Disney’s “Frozen” in the high school’s cabaret show in September and later have fun with friends at her senior prom in April.

Kaylee Shear, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, went from showing Thanos, a pig, at the Manatee County Fair her freshman year, to helping teach students about the agriculture industry during the school’s Little Ranchers summer camp last summer.

I’ve seen Ella Raistrick, now a senior at Parrish Community High School, grow as an artist. She was a student artist showing her work at the Waterlefe Art Show for the first time in 2019. Since then, she has shown her work at every Waterlefe

Art Show that’s been organized. She went from showcasing paintings her freshman year to using the digital art skills she learned in class on her latest work.

The past four years have given me the opportunity to see these seniors grow in more ways than one. I’ve met academic all-stars, talented musicians and artists, students who have overcome challenges and so many more.

I’ve seen them navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the regular trials and tribulations high school sometimes has to offer.

These students never cease to amaze me. It’s not just the Advanced Placement classes they take, but it’s that along with the numerous extracurriculars, the community service, sports and more. It goes on and on.

Let’s take Maria Shaw, a senior

at the Out-of-Door Academy, as an example. If you read my feature on her in the May 4 edition, you’ll know Shaw is an excellent scholar, athlete and musician. She’s taken a few AP classes, participated in orchestra, jazz band and advanced chamber ensemble as well as participated in cross country, track and field, soccer and more. On top of all that, she interned at HCA Florida Blake Hospital.

And I thought I was a good student in high school taking two AP classes my senior year while being the editor in chief of the school newspaper, playing in the band and running cross country.

I can’t help but wonder when these students have time to sleep.  Graduation is a time to acknowledge and celebrate all of these students’ accomplishments.

Every year since I started reporting on these high schools, one of my favorite photos has come from graduation. It’s the excitement on the student’s face after receiving the diploma, the wave to the crowd to thank family members or the giant cutouts of students’ faces bobbing in the stands.

So, seniors, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you and share your stories.

While you all go off onto your next adventure whether that’s going to college, starting a career or joining the military, I’ll be here at the Observer writing and taking photos of the students that will follow in your footsteps.

Congratulations Class of 2023!

Smile big for the camera. Dance across the stage to get your diploma. Jump for joy. Hug your friends and family.

Who knows, you might end up on next week’s front page.

Bella Pasquale, a senior at Braden River High School, has seen numerous successes as a member of the school’s Technology Student Association chapter over the past four years.

Parrish Community High School senior Ella Raistrick has been showing her artwork at the Waterlefe Art Show since she was a freshman.

Courtesy photos

Shelby Henry performs as a freshman in the Braden River High School Marching Band of Pirates. She’ll graduate this year.

Liz Ramos is the senior editor for the East County Observer. Contact her at LRamos@ YourObserver.com.

Major league shift for senior

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Baseball always has been an integral part of Benny Hedgepeth’s life.

He started playing the sport at 4 years old, and for as long as he can remember, he, his dad and brothers were always around the diamond.

“It’s always been baseball,” he said, a week before he graduates with his fellow Braden River High School classmates on May 20.

The site of the graduation? The LECOM Park baseball diamond, of course.

“Baseball has always been on the weekends ... we were playing baseball on weeknights ... we were going to late-night practices,” he said. But now that his high school career will be over, will baseball continue to be a big part of his life?

Hedgepeth, who followed in the footsteps of his brothers Calvin and Trenton Hedgepeth by playing baseball for four years at Braden River High, said he will follow the Seminole Pathways program. That means he will attend Tallahassee Community College for a semester (earning 15 units) before transferring to Florida State University, where he will major in sports law.

He said his dream job would be working in the FSU athletes program or for the Tampa Bay Rays and even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Hedgepeth said his desire to major in sports law came from his desire to work in the business side of sports, learning about the trades, signings, contracts and other behind-thescenes aspects of sports.

“It’s pretty cool to see my dreams turn into a reality, studying at my dream school, just knowing I’ll be able to put myself in a great situation to kind of fulfill my childhood dreams,” he said.

The inspiration for his dream job

ABOUT BENNY HEDGEPETH

School: Braden River High

School

Year: Senior University: Florida State

University

Major: Sports law

Dream job: General manager for a sports team

Extracurriculars: Baseball, football, student government association

of being a general manager for a Tampa Bay sports team stems from two movies: “Moneyball” and “Draft Day.”

The movies focus on the business aspects of professional sports.

“It showed me there’s so much more to sports than just what you see on the screen,” Hedgepeth said.

Although baseball is his favorite sport, football has become a meaningful sport in his life. Hedgepeth tried out for the football team his freshman year as a way to be in the gym every day and to be in shape. He didn’t know it was going to lead to him meeting some of his best friends and having memories to last a lifetime.

He recalled the football home game against Palmetto High School in his final season on the team.

“We were not supposed to win the game at all,” he said. “They were a better team than us, talent-wise at least, but at Braden River we always find a way to pull through.”

His team was able to tie the game and take it into overtime before the Pirates won 27-20. The student section was behind him, so he grabbed water bottles and squirted them at the student section to get everyone excited.

“It was the loudest I’ve ever heard that stadium, and it just gave you chills,” Hedgepeth said. “When we ended up winning the game, everyone was storming the field giving everyone big hugs. It was a cool moment, not only to beat a rival, but it also just brought everyone together on the team.”

Hedgepeth said one benefit of

being on the football team was that head coach Curt Bradley always had the team working with students in special education. He learned to appreciate his high school life and he took it upon himself to share his joy by making his fellow students and the special education students smile. In December, he dug out the Pirates’ mascot costume,

IF YOU GO

What: Braden River High School graduation

When: 8 a.m. May 20

Where: LECOM Park, 1611

Ninth St. W., Bradenton

Must be ticketed: Those who want to attend must have a ticket issued by the school.

More information: ManateeSchools.net/BradenRiver (click on seniors tab)

put it on and walked into a special education classroom.

“I know their favorite thing in the world is the mascot,” he said. “I went down there, and I just saw everyone’s smile was so big. They were all coming up and giving me big hugs. It was just a really special moment. It definitely made my year, and I hope it made some of their days as well.”

As much as Hedgepeth enjoyed his four years of high school, which included him being named Prom King as well as countless moments of laughing and joking around with his friends in class, he said he’s ready to step out of his comfort zone and head toward a big university.

Hedgepeth said attending his dream school of Florida State means he’s building on the legacy of his father, Brian Hedgepeth, who also attended the university.

“It’s a pretty cool family thing for me, that my father knows one of his sons is going to be attending and graduating from the same university he did,” Hedgepeth said.

He hopes he can intern for Florida State’s athletic department, especially after growing up attending FSU baseball and football games.

“I love the atmosphere that comes with college sports,” he said. “I love the bands. I love the student section.

“Florida State is one of the most established sports departments in the whole country. They’re in one of the biggest conferences. Growing up watching those teams on TV, going to all the games, high-fiving players. It would just be a full-circle moment knowing all the hard work I’ve put in to not only getting into my dream school, but then working for the sports department.”

Benny Hedgepeth’s love for sports inspired him to pursue a career in sports law after graduation.

Courtesy photo

Benny Hedgepeth, a senior at Braden River High School, has played baseball since he was 4 years old. He looks forward to continue with his passion for sports at Florida State University.

Traffic woes, but we still live in paradise

Dear editor, A great and timely article (Jay Heater column, May 11). I moved into Palm Aire in 1984. I’ve seen it grow from zero on County Line Road ... nothing but a  nearby 7-11 on Lockwood Ridge ... to where there are now 60 choices for dining between Lockwood Ridge and I-75. Regarding ideas to improve traffic:

Overpasses over I-75 seem to make the most sense and that should be fast tracked. Also, Desoto Road should be punched through westbound through Longwood Run. Also, giving a parallel east-west access road to UTC near Mote and Benderson Park, west to the airport. Desoto Road would also need widening.

Best way for me to leave the UTC area is south and west via Cattlemen to Fruitville or Desoto to Honore or 47th Street rather than fight back north on Cattlemen. There are no easy answers. But it is still paradise to me.

SAM LEONARD PALM AIRE

Diverging diamond needs a tweak

Dear editor,

Thanks for your article (May 11) on growth.

They made a huge mistake at the diverging diamond at UTC by making only one lane coming from Lakewood Ranch around the entrance to I-75 into the mall.

If you aren’t in that one lane, it is nearly impossible to get to the left into the three turn lanes. At Christmas,  it took me 45 minutes to get to UTC from Lakewood Ranch.

My friend from Longboat Key got there quicker than I did. I think I read there were going to be some adjustments to the diamond. Sure hope that is one of them.

PAM BECHTOL LAKEWOOD RANCH

Local anglers pleased with Observer

Dear editor, The Lakewood Ranch Anglers Club held two annual events in March. Each year we teach our area young people how to fish and respect our environment.

The first event was our annual Learn to Fish Seminar of classes on March 18 at the Summerfield Pavilion. You sent Liz Ramos, senior editor, out to cover it with us.

Liz met with us a few days before the tournament and made notes. She is so personable and thorough. She gave us excellent coverage. We had many nice comments on her coverage.

On March 25, we held our annual Youth Fishing Tournament on Lake Uihlein. We had 70 youngsters participate and enjoy the time together. Jay Heater, managing editor, covered our tournament.

Jay took his time to interview our anglers and take photos. He did a wonderful job.

We thank the East County Observer for being a sponsor and for your appreciated coverage of both our events.

JEANETTE WIRZ LAKEWOOD RANCH

Timed lights would calm traffic mess

Dear editor, Loved your forward-looking story about traffic and overloaded intersections in (the May 11) East County Observer.

One thing that could help is timed lights. The lights have gotten worse as its seems that the side streets have a buried cable and a single car can trip the traffic light and a big flushing of cars has to break, so one car can turn. State Road 70 is not a green highway, in fact with the current traffic light timing, it is opposite of green in that lots of gas is wasted in stopand-go traffic.

ERIC COFFIN LAKEWOOD RANCH

It’s Time For a New Look

Compassionate Care Just

Upgrades beef up school barn

• Management of routine and high-risk pregnancies

• Vaginal delivery after cesarean section

• Diagnostic procedures and treatment of gynecologic conditions

• Robotics, minimally invasive and advanced laparoscopic surgery

• Pelvic pain and endometriosis management

• Family planning

6310 Health Park Way, Suite 200 Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

To make an appointment, call 941-348-1144 or schedule online at lakewoodranchmedicalgroup.com

The team delivers babies at the beautifully appointed, spa-like Women’s Center at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. The hospital received Newsweek’s award for Best Maternity Hospitals in 2023. Scan the QR code to learn more.

The future of the Lakewood Ranch High School agriculture lab has been rewritten with more pens.

New upgrades have doubled the space in its beef barn and have led to the construction of a new state-ofthe-art swine facility.

There are now 15 beef pens, 17 hog pens and 16 wash pens in the swine facility.

The agriculture program celebrated the upgrades with a ribbon cutting April 28.

McKenzie Gorskey, an agri-science teacher and FFA advisor, said the pens will already be full for the 2023-24 school year as more students can take on beef and swine projects.

Gorskey said even if students don’t house their animals on campus, the more than 160 students enrolled in the school’s agriculture program will be exposed to the industry through

the agriculture labs, which provide hands-on learning opportunities. For example, students learn how to do injections on the animals as well as how to tag them.

“For them to be able to gain this exposure at Lakewood Ranch gives us more of an impact as far as raising future consumers and then potentially future producers as well for the industry,” she said.

When students are in the upgraded agriculture lab, Gorskey said they are getting insight into what the industry is doing in barns across the country. The program is able to model the best handling practices and animal welfare practices.

Gorskey said having an agriculture program at the high school is a “lifeline for the ag industry.”

“It gives students an ability to see what we do, but also gives them an appreciation and understanding for it,” she said. “It helps plug them into what could possibly be available to them in the industry as far as careers or even internships.”

Before the upgrades, Gorskey said students and staff members faced challenges with taking care of the animals. She said cattle like to work in circular motions and in groups, but they way the barn was set up, they couldn’t keep them together.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

The agriculture lab underwent upgrades that doubles its beef barn and provides a new swine facility.

Courtesy photo

Kelli Kennedy, with the School District of Manatee County’s Adult, Career and Technical Education department, cuts the ribbon to Lakewood Ranch High School’s upgraded agriculture lab.

A+E INSIDE:

< CALENDAR: The best things in arts and culture to enjoy this week. 16

REVIEW: ‘Man of La Mancha’ hits its mark. 17 >

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

TO MENTAL ILLNESS STANDING UP

Comedy boot camp helped Scott Ehrenpreis prepare for his one-man show, ‘Clowns Like Me.’

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Stop me if you’ve heard this one. “Clowns Like Me” is premiering this month at FSU Center for the Performing Arts. Scott Ehrenpreis is starring in the lead role. Actually, it’s the only role.

It’s a one-man show; Ehrenpreis is the man in question. He’s playing himself. The play’s about his life, but he’s not the author. Director/playwright Jason Cannon wrote the script, distilled from hours of anecdotes and stories he’d absorbed hanging out at the actor’s home. Why go to all that trouble?

Because the actor’s story was worth telling.

According to Cannon, “Clowns Like Me” is a character study. (Strictly speaking, a character study of a character actor.) It’s what Ehrenpreis does. And he’s very good at it.

He’s played a dimwitted boy-toy in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” a high-strung TV technician in “Network,” a hardboiled police

reporter in “The Front Page” and a bullying Little League baseball coach in “Manager.”

I’d seen the actor’s shape-shifting talent on stage. But I didn’t see the mind-war inside him.

The actor’s father, Joel Ehrenpreis, saw it every day. He was close to his oldest son. Scott Ehrenpreis has waged a lifetime battle with OCD, bipolar disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, social anxiety and depression.

There was nothing to do but keep fighting. One day, the father made a suggestion to his son: “You’re an actor. Telling engaging stories is what you do. Why don’t you tell your own story?”

Scott Ehrenpreis loved the idea. And he tells his story in “Clowns Like Me.”

It isn’t a vanity project. It’s a survival strategy. And a call to action.

But a one-man play isn’t a oneman job. The father-son team had many talents. But writing plays wasn’t one of them. So they sent out a call to the local theater community. Florida Studio

Theatre veteran Cannon answered.

“This project basically fell in my lap,” Cannon says. “The three of us met — and we just clicked. Once I understood Scott’s story, I felt compelled to help him tell it.”

During that first brainstorming session, the young actor bubbled with funny, touching anecdotes. Cannon knew they didn’t add up to a play. He had to find the Big Story that tied all the little stories together. He wasn’t worried. Cannon had done this before.

To tell the man’s story, the playwright had to get to know him. And that would take time.

“I spent the first few months pulling stories out of Scott,” Cannon says. “I’d go to his condo a lot. No timetable, no pressure. He’d talk, I’d listen. I got to know how Scott lived, what he’d been through. I also talked to his parents and other people who knew him in different phases of his life.”

The young actor’s stories hit him with a revelatory punch. The impact reminded Cannon of Mike Birbiglia’s, Hannah Gadsby’s and Chris Gethard’s stand-up comedy. These come-

IF YOU GO

‘CLOWNS LIKE ME’

When: May 18-28

Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota Tickets: $20

Info: LifelineProductionsInc. com/Clowns-Like-Me

dians all had mental health issues.

Very different struggles. Very different stories. But a similar approach.

“They all work in the intersection of storytelling, stand-up comedy and one-man theater,” Cannon says.

“They’d all found that sweet spot. I knew that’s where we had to go.”

OK. Just do what Birbiglia, Gadsby and Gethard do! That’s a cakewalk if you’re a stand-up veteran. If you’re an actor, it’s a long hard road.

That road included a stint at boot camp. Not the one on Paris

Courtesy photos Scott Ehrenpreis rehearses May 12 for the debut of his one-man show, “Clowns Like Me,” which runs from May 18-28 at the Cook Theatre at the FSU Center for Performing Arts.

“Once I understood Scott’s story, I felt compelled to help him tell it.”

Jason Cannon, director/ playwright

Island, but Comedy Boot Camp at McCurdy’s Comedy Theater.

Ehrenpreis is a great actor. Wouldn’t his skills make him a great comedian?

Cannon shakes his head no.

“Stand-up is a very different skill set,” he explains. “You break the fourth wall; you open yourself up; you directly address the audience. Scott lacked those skills. As an actor, he didn’t need them. In scripted theater, that’s not the way it’s done. To perform the play I had in mind, he’d have to learn how.”

Cannon stresses that “Clowns Like Me” isn’t improv. There’s a script, and he wrote it. But it’s written in stand-up style, with audience interactions. To do it right, Ehrenpreis would have to master the notso-gentle art of stand-up. Makes sense. But why would a playwright need stand-up skills?

“Because Scott needed a buddy,” he says. “I’d done improv at FST — and taken McCurdy’s Comedy Boot Camp course before. But it’d been awhile, and my skills were rusty. A refresher course couldn’t hurt.”

Actor and playwright took McCurdy’s crash course in standup. Three days. Twelve hours. Both

earned their comedy black belts. Then the play’s development process kicked into high gear.

Cannon polished “Clowns Like Me” over a series of drafts. He would perform the latest draft for a live audience. What gets a laugh? What falls flat? Based on audience feedback, Cannon would fine-tune the work-in-progress. The actor would then perform that version. Rinse and repeat. Five times.

At the end of nine months, Cannon finally had a play on his hands. “That’s normal for a baby,” he laughs. “It’s pretty quick for new play development.”

“Clowns Like Me” hasn’t opened yet. Lacking a time machine, I haven’t seen it. But I have read the script. I like it. Cannon’s a damn good writer. And he gets to the heart of the actor’s story.

Ehrenpreis doesn’t whine. His one-act play isn’t a poor-me story. He owns his mental illness but doesn’t let it define him.

The play’s not a diagnosis. It’s an introduction. Meet Scott Ehrenpreis! He’s large; he contains multitudes. Simply put, he’s a person. After seeing the play, you’ll get to know that person. But you have to see the play.

Courtesy photo

Scott Ehrenpreis workshops “Clowns Like Me” to help get the script right.

Father knows best

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Joel Ehrenpreis doesn’t think small. Yes, he wants to give his actor son, Scott Ehrenpreis, a creative outlet to talk about his personal struggles with mental health. But that’s not enough. He wants his son’s project to be a critical and commercial success.

Joel, a Baltimore transplant who spent a career in marketing, understood that while Scott is a talented actor, he isn’t a playwright or director. So Joel went out and found one.

After making the rounds in Sarasota’s vibrant theater community and interviewing potential collaborators, Joel hired Jason Cannon to work with Scott to develop his oneman play.

Before the pandemic caused him to pivot from plays to publishing, Cannon directed a variety of productions at Florida Studio Theatre, including the award-winning “Dancing Lessons.” He was eager to use his talents to making Scott’s vision a reality. Thanks to his creative collaboration, the play gradually took shape. Cannon also helped give it a name: “Clowns Like Me.”

Live theater development isn’t cheap. Joel reached out to philanthropists and foundations in the Sarasota area to help finance and market the production. Some donations came in over the transom after benefactors saw a workshop production of “Clowns Like Me.”

Joel created a nonprofit called Lifeline Productions to make this play possible. It did. And that opened up more possibilities.

“I realized we weren’t just doing a show for my son,” he says. “‘Clowns Like Me’ is part of a larger mission.

Lifeline Productions gave Scott a platform to tell his story. Hopefully we’ll empower other storytellers in the future. We’ll be using art to dent the stigma around mental illness.

Scott’s one-man play is a great step in that direction. But it’s only a first step.”

Scott wasn’t available for interviews about his upcoming show because he was busy with rehearsals. His father stood in for his son. Along with acting as a producer for “Clowns Like Me,” Joel is also its hard-working publicist.

Videographer Brad Bryan will capture two of Scott’s performances of “Clowns Like Me” with a threecamera set-up. He’ll then edit the footage together along the lines of “Hamilton.”

“Along with the film, we’re planning a short documentary,” says Cannon. “We’ll also be publishing the script. We’ll get the story out there every way we can.”

Joel Ehrenpreis used his marketing prowess to get his son’s one-man show off the ground.

Courtesy photo

Joel Ehrenpreis (right) helped son Scott find Playwright/Director Jason Cannon for “Clowns Like Me.”

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

MEET THE ARTISTS: OPENING RECEPTION

5-7 p.m. at Creative Liberties at Gaze Gallery, 340 Central Ave. Free Visit CreativeLiberties.net.

Join Creative Liberties for an opening reception to welcome artists David Munoz and Emily Baar as the May and June artists-inresidence at Gaze Gallery.

FRIDAY

‘THE DROWSY CHAPERONE’

7 p.m. at The Players Studio, 1400 Boulevard of the Arts, #200 $15 Visit ThePlayers.org.

The Players Kids Next Gen presents “The Drowsy Chaperone,” about a Broadway fanatic who is visited by characters of the Great White Way as he listens to a recording of a fictional 1920s musical comedy.

Continues Saturday.

‘KEEP A SONG IN YOUR HEART’

7:30 p.m. at Venice Theatre’s Raymond Center, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice

$22

Visit VeniceTheatre.org.

Pinky’s Players gives adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to experience the thrill of performing on stage. The theme of this year’s program is “Memories of the Lawrence Welk Show.” Continues Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

OUR PICK HERMITAGE SUNSETS

@ SELBY GARDENS:

‘CELLO ON POINT’

Hermitage alumna and cellist Karen Patterson plays favorites as well as original work as the Hermitage returns to Historic Spanish Point. From classical to jazz to spirituals, Patterson’s performance will celebrate cultural diversity and the resilience of community.

IF YOU GO

When: 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 19

Where: Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Tickets: $5 Info: VisitHermitageArtistRetreat. org.

SUNDAY

JAZZ ON THE WATER

2:30 p.m. at Marina Jack II at Marina Plaza $30-$35

Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Cruise to the beat of Art Siegel and Panama Drive during this two-hour musical excursion sponsored by the Jazz Club of Sarasota. Refreshments and snacks are available for purchase.

CHORAL EVENSONG

5:15 p.m. at Church of the Redeemer Sarasota, 222 S. Palm Ave. Free Visit RedeemerSarasota.org.

Don’t miss the last Evensong of the season. The Church of the Redeemer presents this choral series on the third Sunday of the month from September through May under the direction of organist and Choirmaster Sam Nelson.

SARASOTA CUBAN BALLET SCHOOL’S END-OF-YEAR SHOW

7:30 p.m. at Riverview High School, 1 Ram Way

$37 Visit SRQCubanBallet.org.

All levels of SCBS dancers, including the Gulfcoast Studio Company, will be featured in classical and contemporary works. Seating is informal and not assigned.

MONDAY

JAZZ AT THE CABARET: LA LUCHA TRIO

7:30 p.m. at John C. Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $34-$39 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

The trio features Alejandro Arenas, Mark Feinman and John O’Leary. Opens at 6:30 p.m. for dinner and bar service.

‘TITANIUM: A SOUL EXPERIENCE’

7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $23-$98 Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.

WBTT’s second Young Artist Program showcase of the season is a musical journey chronicling Raleigh Mosely II’s pursuit to cultivate his inner “titan” and to inspire others to listen and do the same with moving soul, R&B and gospel music.

DON’T MISS

OPENING OF ‘LORNA BIEBER: NATURAL

WORLD’

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 20

Where: John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bayshore Road

Tickets: Free with $25 museum admission Info: Visit Ringling. org.

This solo exhibition includes new pieces by Lorna Bieber making their debut in the Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Gallery. Bieber’s art, which appropriates, recycles and manipulates imagery, developed while she was working as a photo editor for major magazines.

The Jazz Club of Sarasota will host a two-hour cruise featuring Art Siegel and Panama Drive on May 21.

Courtesy photos

“Lorna Bieber: Natural World” opens at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art on May 20 and runs through Oct. 15.

A Man on a Mission

‘Man of La Mancha’ captures a parallax view of a passionate dreamer in a stunning Asolo Rep production.

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

The literary quest of Don Quixote is a tangled odyssey of forgeries, distortions, translations and adaptations, so I’ll cut to the chase.

“Man of La Mancha” playwright Dale Wasserman, lyricist Joe Darion and composer Mitch Leigh’s 1965 musical adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes’ satiric novel has finally come to the Asolo Rep stage.

The skeleton of Cervantes’ plot is largely intact. Time: the 1600s. The place: La Mancha, an arid region of Spain. Alonso Quixano (Mauricio Martínez), an aging gentlemen on the lowest rung of nobility, reads too many heroic tales about knights in the days of chivalry. He reads, broods and loses his mind. He starts thinking that he could be one of those knights.

Reinventing himself as “Don Quixote,” he goes on a quest with his faithful sidekick, Sancho Panza (Aaron De Jesus). He tilts at windmills. He reimagines the lusty barmaid Aldonza (Janely Rodriguez) as the chaste Dulcinea and defends her honor. The world responds to his mad idealism with beatings and contempt.

In the musical’s clever frame story, the Spanish Inquisition throws Cervantes in a dungeon to await trial for heresy. The other prisoners try him first. The charge? Being an idealist, a bad poet and an honest man. The author pleads guilty. To incline the court to leniency, he acts out his famous book.

In this musical’s conceit, the novel is also a “troupe in a trunk” traveling show — and the author (conveniently) has the trunk with all the costumes. So … it’s showtime!

Director Peter Rothstein’s inventive, Broadway-quality production brings Quixote’s quest to the 21st century. The show’s prison and inmates evoke the modern-day holding pens of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service.

Michael Hoover’s set design is beautifully ugly. When Cervantes and his cast of prisoners act out Quixote’s quest, Marcus Dilliard’s lighting and Greg Emetaz’s projections transform the stage into the scenes of his story.

What you see is clearly a world of the imagination brought to life by the author’s words. Hoover, Dilliard and Emetaz bring it to life on stage. It’s

pure magic. Fabian Fidel Aguilar’s costumes also serve the musical’s parallax vision. They shift beautifully from the prisoners’ shabby garb to the rags and feathers of the play-within-a-play.

Props become clever substitutes, as when suitcases stand in for horses.

The actors all have magic of their own.

Martínez’s gripping portrayal of both the author and his famous creation is from the heart. He makes you believe in the impossible dreamer and the writer who dreamed him up in the first place. On top of that? Damn, the man can sing!

De Jesus delivers a great comic performance as Sancho Panza. His character could easily come off as a sucker or a sap for putting up with his friend’s antics.

Rodriguez is also a standout. Her nuanced portrayal of Aldonza evokes a tough, working-class woman who’s been kicked around by life but refuses to be broken.

As Dr. Corrasco, the fiance of Quixano’s niece, Rodolfo Nieto is a haughty, manipulative sociopath. It’s a searing portrait. (When the bad doctor comes to life as a monstrously gigantic puppet, the scale of his heartlessness becomes clear.)

Quixote’s quest is a battle between good and evil — but it’s also a battle between imagination and reality. This musical paints him as a Christ figure. (His vigil under the stars echoes Christ’s night in the Garden of Gethsemane.)

“Man of La Mancha” is the passion of Don Quixote. But this is a musical, not religion. Is the trip worth taking? Most definitely.

IF YOU GO

‘MAN OF LA MANCHA’

When: Through June 11

Where: FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

Tickets: $33-$93

Info: Call 351-8000 or visit AsoloRep. org.

Cliff Roles

Aaron De Jesus and Mauricio Martínez star in Asolo Rep's production of “Man of La Mancha.”

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Feast for families

Kindergartners take on roles within the restaurant, which serves Italian, Peruvian, Thai and Vietnamese food.

LIZ RAMOS SENIOR EDITOR

Blake Coleman, a Tara Elementary School kindergartner, put on his chef’s hat and stood in line at his station.

With the help of his teacher, Josephine Johnson, Coleman scooped out a portion of chicken canton noodles with vegetables and put it on a plate. He then grabbed some tongs to put a spring roll on the plate.

He smiled as he saw how happy the customers of the Banana Leaf Restaurant were to receive the homemade food.

Johnson’s kindergarten class opened the Banana Leaf Restaurant at Tara Elementary for its annual one-night run in the school’s cafeteria May 11.

Each of her students worked in the restaurant as waiters, chefs, greeters, servers and more.

The restaurant’s menu included cuisines from Italy, Vietnam, Peru and Thailand.

Johnson said the culinary diversity was a result of her students’ families being willing to cook authentic food representing their cultures.

“We need to embrace everybody’s culture,” Johnson said. “We are bursting with a desire to be accepted. When we share, we feel like we’re at home. In my classroom, I want them to feel at home.”

Kindergartner Alice Delia’s family made penne al ragù with meat, while Brian Nguyen’s mother, Triot Nguyen, made sesame balls. Samantha Long’s parents made a Peruvian dish, causa peruana, which is mashed potatoes with chicken, mayonnaise, avocado, eggs and black olives.

Long’s mother, Fiorella Long, said she was excited for people to try her dish, which was accompanied by a Peruvian drink, chicha morada.

Johnson had the students help with making the spring rolls, which incorporated lessons in math, reading, vocabulary, writing and more.

The class used ingredients growing in the school’s garden.

She said the students loved being a part of the process and getting to taste what they made.

Exceptional student education teacher Loreena Durrance said the students remember the Banana Leaf Restaurant experience for years.

Durrance’s son Seth Durrance was a part of the restaurant when he was a kindergartner and now her grandson Brantley Emmons was a waiter at the restaurant this school year.

“It’s an authentic hands-on experience,” Durrance said.

“This is one thing that the children will always remember. Not only the children, but the parents and grand-

parents as well.”

Teresa Johnson, whose kindergartner Logan Johnson was a cashier at the restaurant, loved seeing the students interact with the guests and take their jobs with such seriousness.

“The kids do everything,” she said. “It’s a big moment for them. I love the food and watching the kids just enjoy it. You’ll see the servers walking back and forth, and they feel so big and proud.”

Teresa Johnson’s daughter Tesla Johnson, who is now a sixth grader at Braden River Middle School, returned to the restaurant to volunteer.

“Tesla still raves about her expe-

rience (with the restaurant),” Teresa Johnson said. “She was a manager for hers.”

After dinner was served, Josephine Johnson’s class finished the night with a performance.

Her students went on stage and sang and danced to a few songs.

“It was just absolutely adorable,” Teresa Johnson said about the performance.

Tara Elementary School’s Loreena Durrance helps chef and kindergartner Francis Lantican serve rice.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Kindergartner Logan Johnson is happy to be a cashier at the Banana Leaf Restaurant.

Triot Nguyen makes sesame balls for her son Brian Nguyen’s class and the Banana Leaf Restaurant.

“We need to embrace everybody’s culture. We are bursting with a desire to be accepted.”

Josephine Johnson

Ranch Nites stay cool

The streets in Waterside Place were lined with food trucks, vendors and cornhole boards May 10 for another installment of Ranch Nite Wednesdays. Strolling straight down the middle of the street came three men in matching neon yellow T-shirts that read, “Two in the bush, one in the hole.” Lakewood Ranch residents Pat Geyer, John Caplan and Ed Agasi just finished a round of cornhole in MVP Sports & Social’s league.

With the weather warming up, the Siesta Pops truck stayed busy all night. If not a craft cocktail or cornhole bag in hand, it was an artisan ice pop. Forget grape when

flavors include spicy mango and blueberry lemon basil.

People also took the opportunity to pick up a few Mother’s Day gifts. Sarasota’s Ellie Harris bought string-of-pearls for her mom and a friend from Pilea Plants & Things. Less expensive than sea pearls, the flowering succulent vine was the perfect recommendation from owner Taylor Robison.

Ranch Nite Wednesdays is about to wrap up for the season. The last Ranch Nite is 6-9 p.m. May 31.

— LESLEY

enjoy the live entertainment. They live in Sarasota’s San

neighborhood and have become regulars at Ranch Night Wednesdays.

DWYER

Photos by Lesley Dwyer

Lakewood Ranch residents Sophia Siegrist and Zoe Hackwelder enjoy ice pops and a laugh.

Jim McCaffrey and Ann Koppenhaver

Palermo

Palmetto resident Philip Winchester looks at Venus through the telescope brought by the Sidewalk Science Center.

Michael and Sabine Schlechtendahl are visiting Sarasota from Germany.

Mission accomplished through support

Victoria Brown, founder of Dollar Dynasty in Sarasota, was thrilled to be a recipient of a grant from the Palm Aire Women’s Club once again.

Brown founded the nonprofit, which serves people who are homeless as well as underprivileged adults and children. Dollar Dynasty was founded in 2003.

Brown said there are “almost no words” to show her gratitude for the women’s club’s donation. She said the donation is a blessing.

Dollar Dynasty was one of six nonprofits in Manatee and Sarasota counties to receive a grant from the women’s club during a luncheon May 12 at the Palm Aire Country Club. The women’s club provided $5,000 in grants.

Carolann Garafola, chairman for charities for the women’s club, said the grants are a way to support the community.

“We support all aspects of a community — teenagers, babies, adults, anybody who is in need — through these charities,” she said.

Barbara Price, vice president of Baby Basics of Sarasota County, said the $1,000 grant will give the nonprofit the ability to provide diapers for a family for a year.

“(The women’s club) has supported us in a number of ways for years,” Price said. “When you have something that interrupts our process, like COVID, this kind of donation from them is wonderful to keep us sustainable.”

— LIZ RAMOS

Palm Aire Women’s Club’s Carolann Garafola presents a grant to Rosemary McMullen, who is a member of Mothers Helping Mothers’ advisory board.

Photos by Liz Ramos

Mary Beth Rempp, a member of the Palm Aire Women’s Club, says the grant the women’s club gave to Valerie Green and Erline Constant with the Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County will go toward recruiting and training more health counselors.

Palm Aire Women’s Club’s Sally Reed congratulates Leslie Kudia on winning a basket in a raffle.

Candace Holloway, a member of the Palm Aire Women’s Club, talks about the mission of Baby Basics of Sarasota County before presenting the nonprofit with a $1,000 grant.

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, MAY 18 THROUGH

SUNDAY, MAY 21

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs each day from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. This week’s music includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), The Fat Tracks Band (Friday), The Divebombers (Saturday) and Zack Pomerleau (Sunday). A $5 cover is charged on Fridays and Saturdays and the other days are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding. com.

SATURDAY, MAY 20

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

Begins at 8 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. The Sarasota International Dragon Boat Festival is an annual event that offers racing for competitive teams in a Sport division and for entry-level teams in a Community division. Races in the Sport division will be 200 meters, 500 meters and 2,000 meters. Food and entertainment vendors will be on site. The event is free for spectators; on-site parking is $5. For more information, visit NathanBendersonPark.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 21

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s activities and live music. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.

VEGANFEST SARASOTA

Begins at 11 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle, Sarasota. VeganFest Sarasota is a celebration of vegan foods, with vendors offering tasty dishes to purchase. Whether you currently eat vegan or are curious about plantbased food, the festival will have something for you. The event will have a kids fun zone with face painting, hula hooping and other activities. Admission is free, but donations to the festival are encouraged. For more information visit VeganFestSarasota.com or call 984-900-6800.

YOGA IN THE PARK

Begins at 9 a.m. at Waterside Place Park, 7500 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities offers yoga that is free to residents; $10 for nonresidents. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24

BINGO FOR ALL

Begins at 10 a.m. at Greenbrook Adventure Park, 13010 Adventure Place, Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities hosts Bingo. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 27

VEG HEAD MUSIC & WINE

FESTIVAL

Runs noon to 6 p.m. at Parking Lot 4 of the Mall at UTC, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. The Veg Head Music and Wine Festival makes its debut as part of the Spring Indie Market at UTC. The outdoor event will feature veggie and vegan food trucks, love banks, wine sampling and a market featuring more than 60 artisans. Tickets are $10 at

BEST BET

FRIDAY, MAY 19 AND SATURDAY, MAY 20

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs from 6-9 p.m. both days at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. The Blue Pelicans will entertain the crowd strolling through Waterside Place on Friday with their classic rock, while singer/songwriter David Munoz will perform on Saturday. For more information, go to WatersidePlace. com.

the gate; $5 if ordered online (go to MallatUTC.com); kids younger than 18 admitted free. Tickets include wine samples for those 21 and above. More than a dozen vegan, vegetarian and alternative diet food chefs will be on hand. For more information, call 552-7000.

SUNDAY, MAY 28

TRIBUTE TO HEROES PARADE

Runs from 6-8 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. The annual Tribute to Heroes Parade attracts thousands of fans to Main Street each year to honor the nation’s military veterans

and current soldiers along with first responders. The pre-parade party begins at 6 p.m. while the parade begins at 7 p.m. The pre-parade party features food and drinks, activities for kids and more. The parade features more than 70 entries. The event benefits VFW Post 12055 Braden River and the Del Webb Lakewood Ranch Association of Veterans and Military Supporters. Those who attend are welcome to bring chairs and pets (on a leash). No coolers or outside food and drink are allowed.

The Blue Pelicans

ONE PARK SARASOTA IS COMMITTED TO RAISING THE BENCHMARK OF LUXURY LIVING

Surrounded by a lively and evergrowing neighborhood, stunning waterfront, and expansive park, One Park Sarasota development is primed to elevate luxury within Sarasota’s real estate market. The property’s collection of masterfully crafted residences designed by Sarasota-based firm Hoyt Architects offer buyers an unmatched and sleek form of sophistication central to waterfront living. Its continued robust sales success underscores the demand for this level of high-quality, luxury condominium residences in the Sarasota market.

What sets apart One Park Sarasota is its commitment to providing a caliber of living experiences previously unseen in its neighborhood.

No element of comfort or convenience has been left unearthed in its design This includes generous floor plans, more than 13,000 square feet of retail, dining, and outdoor café seating at its base, and over 63,000 square feet of richly appointed amenities.

One Park Activates Community Connection

Outdoors on the ground level, One Park Sarasota will deliver an expansive beautifully designed, well-lit and safe breezeway above Quay Commons with access to The Quay and The Bay Park from the Boulevard of the Arts. This dynamic pedestrian walkway will

widen sidewalks and lush greenery to an otherwise vacant space but will also activate the space for Sarasota locals and residents. While the City of Sarasota code does not require the project to have any retail space, the developers of One Park are planning more than 13,000 square feet of retail space will be devoted to offering topnotch retail, dining, and outdoor café seating for those looking to meet up with friends, find respite during a particularly rainy or hot summer day, or shop the latest trends footsteps from home. This space will also attract business and liveliness to the area that will aid in maintaining its energy for years to come.

In addition to the ground level experience, One Park will provide plenty for owners to do and explore at their leisure. With over 63,000 square feet of amenities. Amenities include the One Park Wellness Spa, a 120-footlong resort-style pool, a 14,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art fitness studio with high-tech exercise equipment, executive office suites, a wine room, a private theater room and golf simulator room, a children’s playroom, and hospitality suites. Additional services led by the dedicated concierge staff include valet parking, package delivery and dog walking.

Creating Space

One Park Sarasota’s sizable floor plans not only serve to delight residents, but

also provide them with ample room to live and grow as they please. Each fully finished two, three, and five-bedroom plan ranges from 2,760 to 4,280 square feet. Units feature 10- to 12-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, expansive outdoor terraces, and unprecedented efficiency through PMG’s smart home technology experience for seamless personalization with a touch of a button.

In addition to these prime spaces, One Park Sarasota offers a stunning Penthouse Collection of six residences ranging from 3,800 to 8,460 square feet. These spaces include private rooftops equipped with a plunge pool and summer kitchen overlooking Downtown Sarasota and Sarasota Bay. As such, residents are able to both enjoy and entertain from the comfort of their homes.

Rooted in Success and Community

A development is only as strong as its team and the visionaries behind One Park not only have a proven track record of success, but are committed to the Sarasota community. Partner in the development, Kim Githler has roots in Sarasota dating back nearly 40 years where she has been deeply involved in community development, non-profit work and a devoted philanthropic figure in the area focusing on foster care and parent education. Since she and her partners, PMG first started working together, their focus has been on delivering a project that will evolve

and continue to transform the bustling Sarasota scene, elevating the caliber of development in the city.

PMG’s presence on the West Coast of Florida dates back decades through land ownership, and most recently in the form of the newly opened Sage Longboat Key, which was one of the fastest luxury projects to sell out in the region. Additionally, PMG has a threedecade track record of working closely alongside communities and cities to develop not only luxury residential projects, but also multi-family, mixedused and affordable housing projects to better the lives of the residents in the areas they choose to develop it.

This powerful team is all-in on having a hand and being a catalytic force that will continue to propel Sarasota forward as One Park continues to move forward in its development timeline.

Looking Ahead to Luxury

With an idyllic location, deliberately crafted spaces geared toward promoting effortless living community, and meticulously designed living spaces, One Park Sarasota is setting its own standard for what luxury living will look like in Sarasota for years to come. As the city continues to draw more people with its five-star, bayside lifestyle, and as One Park Sarasota will present residents with a truly unrivaled experience catered to their every need.

ARTIST CONCEPTUAL RENDERING

Lake Club home tops sales at $2.6 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Lake Club topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Scott and Diane Allshouse, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 16218 Daysailor Trail to Terry Stotts and Janet Stotts, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.6 million. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,025 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,184,500 in 2018.

LAKE CLUB

Matthew Goldman and Kathleen Margaret Brazil, of North Port, sold their home at 16206 Clearlake Ave. to Gregory Brian Chorny and Kathryn Elizabeth Chorny, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.2 million. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,201 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,125,000 in 2019.

David and Sachiko Eckert, of Bradenton, sold their home at 16908 Verona Place to Janet Rogers and Timothy Rogers, trustees, of Weston, Connecticut, for $2,085,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,004 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,105,300 in 2021.

LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE

Aubrey Michael and Ian Michaels, of Templeton, California, sold their home at 724 Crosswind Ave. to Diana Geneva Friberg and Andrew Peter Friberg, of State College, Pennsylvania, for $1,625,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,689 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.5 million in 2021.

MALLORY PARK

Mary Kim Dolan, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 11905 Blue Hill Trail to Richard Ronston Jr. and Sandi Ronston, trustees, of Bradenton, for $1.3 million. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 4,115 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.3 million in 2022.

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL GOLF

CLUB

Rajendra Persaud and Ida Fallico, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5707 Arnie Loop to Robert and Elizabeth Henderson, of Gladstone, New Jersey, for $1.23 million. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,079 square feet of living area. It sold for $625,000 in 2019.

Lake Nat LLC sold the home at 17447 Hickok Belt Loop to Margaret and Mark Montgomery, of South Hempstead, New York, for $1,015,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,868 square feet of living area. It sold for $581,000 in 2020.

Kenneth Harold Riekel and Linda Carol Riekel, of St. Lucie, sold their home at 16713 Bwana Place to James Jay Bornstein and Lisa Jan Bornstein, of Louisville, Kentucky, for $880,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,006 square feet of living area. It sold for $510,500 in 2018.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

Linda Demello and George Schofield sold their home at 7527 River Club Blvd. to Eugene Rose and Kristina Skepton, of Bradenton, for $1.1 million. Built in 1999, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,261 square feet of living area. It sold for $617,500 in 2008.

Edwin and Fanny Acosta sold their home at 7509 Coventry Court

to Edward and Mary Brennan, of Lakewood Ranch, for $950,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,802 square feet of living area. It sold for $560,000 in 2019.

Niels and Marianne Trulson sold their home at 9718 Sweetwater Ave. to Kelly Carlstein and Michael Buehler, of Bradenton, for $685,000. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,612 square feet of living area.

POMELLO PARK

Brian and Monica Moure, of Tampa, sold their home at 21705 67th Ave. E. to Serene Acres LLC for $1,075,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,582 square feet of living area. It sold for $783,700 in 2021.

COUNTRY CLUB

Richard Alan Affleck and Lisa Carol Affleck, of Broomfield, Colorado, sold their home at 6626 The Masters Ave. to Ann and Jason MacClellan, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.05 million. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,970 square feet of living area. It sold for $665,000 in 2020.

Richard and Elise Green, trustees, sold the home at 7267 Lismore Court to Shirley Mandarino, of Lakewood Ranch, for $839,000. Built in 2010, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,218 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2020.

Mark Thomas, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7422 Lake Forest Glen to David and Michele King, of Center Valley, Pennsylvania, for $785,000. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,148 square feet of living area. It sold for $540,000 in 2008.

DEL WEBB Anthony Lopiano, as Personal Representative, and Philip Lopiano, of Ocala, sold the home at 17212 Corinna Place to Constance Kayser, trustee, of Bradenton, for $985,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,488 square feet of living area. It sold for $539,000 in 2018.

Carl and Adrianne Everhart sold their home at 7632 Kirkland Cove to Mark David Brukhartz and Terri Fry Brukhartz, of Oak Park, Illinois, for $625,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,730 square feet of living area. It sold for $348,400 in 2019.

Dale Douglas Johnson and Sherry Lynn Johnson, of The Villages, sold their home at 17207 Seaford Way to Charles and Regina Murphy, of Bradenton, for $611,100. Built in 2016, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,736 square feet of living area. It sold for $405,300 in 2016.

GREYHAWK LANDING

West Bryan and Maria Lin sold their home at 610 Honeyflower Loop to Yongjun Cao and Lu Yang, of Bradenton, for $945,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,297 square feet of living area. It sold for $511,700 in 2014.

Margaret Beckman, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 347 Chantilly Trail to Salvatore Farruggio and Sally Berenson Farruggio, of Ossining, New York, for $821,000.

Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,513 square feet of living area. It sold for $682,000 in 2022.

GREENBROOK Steven and Debra Montanaro, of Riverview, sold their home at 13319 Swallowtail Drive to Michael and Deborah Bieringer, of Lakewood Ranch, for $942,500. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,141 square feet of living area. It sold for $440,000 in 2017.

Peter and Beverly DeAngelis, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13416

Purple Finch Circle to Michael Grinder and Pamela Cline Grinder, of Lakewood Ranch, for $734,000.

Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,466 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 2011.

Kelly Wehner, of Bradenton, sold the home at 6219 Burrowing Owl Cove to Bradley and Donna Nanna, of Lakewood Ranch, for $689,900. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,344 square feet of living area. It sold for $261,300 in 2002.

Fabyan Realty LLC sold the home at 14230 Cattle Egret Place to Scott and Erika Thurston, of Bradenton, for $510,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,073 square feet of living area. It sold for $425,000 in 2021.

Julie Blank and Sheila Hall, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 13507 Glossy Ibis Place to KDAR Properties LLC for $500,000. Built

in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,616 square feet of living area. It sold for $267,600 in 2002.

BROADMOOR PINES

Sherry Coles, of Sarasota, sold her home at 7719 Broadmoor Pines Blvd. to Robert and Danee Barnett, of Sarasota, for $925,000. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,882 square feet of living area. It sold for $505,000 in 2013.

COUNTRY CREEK

Carrie Hannabass sold her home at 15111 Third Drive E. to Elizabeth and William Oberacker, of Bradenton,

Courtesy photo

This Lake Club home at 16218 Daysailor Trail sold for $2.6 million. It has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,025 square feet of living area.

for $835,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and is 3,139 square feet.

ARBOR RESERVE

Elizabeth and William Oberacker sold their home at 4709 Arbor Gate Drive to Michael Paul Lehan and Amyra Lehan, of Bradenton, for $810,000. Built in 2014, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,454 square feet of living area. It sold for $455,400 in 2014.

POLO RUN Robert and Elaine Collins, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, sold their home at 17025 Polo Trail to Vaclav Vogel, of Czech Republic, for $810,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,353 square feet of living area. It sold for $462,500 in 2018.

MOTE RANCH

Craig Smith, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and Melanie Smith, of Sarasota, sold their home at 6824 Coyote Ridge Court to Joshua William Lehman and Kelsey Simons, of Sarasota, for $799,900. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 3,043 square feet. It sold for $460,000 in 2017.

ROSEDALE Addition Khaled and Suzanne Elkordy, of Tampa, sold their home at 10215 Marbella Drive to Jeffrey Sheftic and Marnie Roberts, of Bradenton, for $775,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, four-and-ahalf baths and 3,023 square feet of living area. It sold for $456,900 in 2016.

KENWOOD PARK

Burnell and Eileen Meyer sold their home at 8433 Abingdon Court to Joel and Michele Pertofsky, of University Park, for $740,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,231 square feet of living area. It sold for $194,800 in 2004.

COACH HOMES AT LAKEWOOD NATIONAL

Dennis and Beth Ann Bush, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 3422 condominium at 17703 Gawthrop Drive to Geoffrey and Katherine Tatman, of Bardstown, Kentucky, for $725,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths and is 2,108 square feet. It sold for $385,000 in 2021.

HERITAGE HARBOUR

Daniel Bender, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 431 Grand Preserve Cove to James and Catherine Pfeifer, of Bradenton, for $708,000. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and

2,195 square feet of living area. It sold for $371,000 in 2008.

Catherine and James Pfeifer, of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, sold their home at 415 River Enclave Court to Nadia Asfour Knoll and Brad Stanley Knoll, of Powell, Ohio, for $678,000. Built in 2010, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,022 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2022.

RIVERSIDE AT TIDEWATER PRESERVE

Frank and Nancy Welsh, of Bradenton, sold their Unit C condominium at 1220 Riverscape St. to Mark Campbell, trustee, of Bradenton, for $700,000. Built in 2015, it has two bedrooms, two baths and is 2,332 square feet.

GREYHAWK LANDING

Gerald Bassett and Mary Feagan, of Bradenton, sold their home at 12318 Aster Ave. to Gildardo Reyes and Hilda Rosa Martinez Reyes, of Bradenton, for $685,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and is 2,648 square feet. It sold for $382,000 in 2019.

PALM WEST

Thomas Cosgrove and Marilyn Bartlett Cosgrove, of Bradenton, sold their home at 8436 Palm Lakes Court to WinterStar Group LLC for $685,000. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,332 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2020.

ESPLANADE

Dana and Darla Audo, of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 5019 Savona Run to Ronald Jason Merritt, of Bradenton, for $665,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,912 square feet of living area. It sold for $384,400 in 2014.

Donald and Geraldine Reed, of Sarasota, sold their home at 13242 Torresina Terrace to Joseph and Elizabeth Sirianni, of Saratoga Springs, New York, for $635,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, two baths and is 1,920 square feet. It sold for $334,900 in 2013.

COPPERLEFE

Joseph and Gemma Macchio, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 11501 Autumn Leaf Way to Marc Boxberger and Lisa Renee Boxberger, of Bradenton, for $650,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and is 2,268 square feet.

Fast Break

Lakewood Ranch High quarterback Clayton Dees, a rising senior, received scholarship offers from Temple University on May 3 and from the University of Massachusetts on May 11.

… Several former Lakewood Ranch High softball players will take part in the NCAA Tournament starting this weekend.

Among them: Junior first baseman Avery Goelz (.271 average) and the University of Florida will play Loyola Marymount University at 6 p.m. May 19 on ESPN+; Junior outfielder McKenzie Clark (.355 average) and Clemson University will play the University of North Carolina-Greensboro at 3 p.m. May 19 on ESPNU; and junior pitcher/outfielder Claire Davidson and Duke University will play George Mason University at noon May 19 on ESPN+.

The 2023 U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships runs June 8-11 at Nathan Benderson Park. The country’s best youth rowers will compete, including competitors from Sarasota Crew. Go to USRowing.org for information.

Former Lakewood Ranch High track and field athlete James Rivera, a sophomore at Florida State University, finished second in the men’s 400 meter hurdles (49.98 seconds) at the Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held May 11-13 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Former Lakewood Ranch High baseball player Grant McCray, now with the High A-level Eugene Emeralds (San Francisco Giants), went 2-5 with a home run and two RBIs on May 11 in a 7-6 win against the TriCity Dust Devils (Los Angeles Angels).

More titles to come?

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

After a 10-16 season in 2022, it wasn’t likely the Lakewood Ranch High baseball team would challenge for a district title in 2023, its first season under head coach Colton Chupp.

After a middling 6-5 start to the season, nothing had changed.

Then Mustangs started winning.

Thanks to a strong pitching staff and a penchant for getting timely hits, the Mustangs put together a 19-8 record, winning 13 of their last 16 games. That included a win in the district championship game, 1-0 over Venice High (15-13) on May 4.

It was a win that earned Lakewood Ranch a home regional playoff game. That game came May 10 against Winter Haven High (19-8), and Lakewood Ranch once again came through with a 6-1 win.

Though the team’s season came to an end May 15 with a 7-0 loss to topseeded Plant High (19-7), Chupp and the Mustangs proved they have the core to be a true threat in 2024.

The team excelled under Chupp, who played for the Mustangs before graduating in 2015.

Chupp, 25, refused to take much credit for the team’s turnaround this

season, instead crediting the players who stepped up.

“The guys who are juniors now, they were freshman in 2021 when I coached the junior varsity team,” Chupp said. “They ended up going

SO LONG SENIORS

Lakewood Ranch High baseball graduating seniors

n Holden Pollock, infielder

n Cole Dement, pitcher/outfielder

n Anthony Izzo, outfielder

undefeated other than one tie game that season. That class has been great for us. When you have that much young talent, I mean, I knew it was going to click eventually.”

The Mustangs’ junior class includes the team’s top-two starting pitchers, Alex Vaillancourt and Lochlan Radloff. Vaillancourt, a right-hander, had a 1.63 ERA over 60.1 innings, while Radloff, a lefthander, has a 2.75 ERA over 56 innings. They saved his best for the postseason. Against Venice, Vaillancourt threw 5 2/3 shutout innings, allowing six hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Against Winter Haven, Radloff threw a complete game, allowing one run on four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.

Lakewood Ranch also had senior Cole Dement (2.67 ERA over 25 innings), among other options, waiting in the bullpen if someone faltered. Chupp said the options he had in relation to his pitching staff gave the team a big advantage over teams that leaned too heavily on one ace pitcher. Though Dement will graduate, having Radloff and Vaillancourt back for 2024 gives Lakewood Ranch a strong outlook.

Lakewood Ranch had four starters hitting .316 or better, and all of them — Radloff (.383), Ryan Kaitz (.351), Jack Muller (.316) and Andy Schroeder (.316) — are juniors, meaning the heart of the Mustangs’ order will also return in 2024. It will be supplemented by talent such as freshman Carter Sprague, who is hitting .275 with 13 RBIs and a team-leading eight steals.

The team’s lineup hasn’t always been explosive, but it gets runs at key moments. Against Winter Haven, that meant taking advantage of four Blue Devils errors and taking risks on the bases. In the fifth inning, with the game scoreless, Chupp sent senior Holden Pollock on a steal of second base, which set up Pollock to score on a single to left field by Sprague. Chupp said he didn’t expect the play to be close at the plate, but thanks to a strong throw, it was. The call went the Mustangs’ way.

Lakewood Ranch would add five more runs that inning, busting the game open.

It is that kind of aggressive baseball that kept the Mustangs thriving in 2023, and makes 2024 even more promising.

“We have the utmost confidence in them,” Chupp said of his players. “They’ve shown that they can do it now.”

File photo Lakewood Ranch High rising senior quarterback Clayton Dees has received scholarship offers from Temple and Massachusetts.

The

upstart Lakewood Ranch High baseball team is full of talent and has room for further growth in 2024.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Lakewood Ranch senior Holden Pollard slides safely into home against Winter Haven High.

Lakewood Ranch junior Lochlan Radloff threw a complete game against Winter Haven High.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Powerful local high school programs stumble

Dynasties are rare, especially in high school sports.

One East County program found out this spring that it is incredibly difficult to build upon a dynasty, while another, on the verge of stamping its run as a dynasty, couldn’t quite reach that level.

The Lakewood Ranch High softball program had been 122-10 through five seasons with head coach T.J. Goelz running the program. The Mustangs won state championships in 2021 and 2022 and likely would have won a third in 2020 if not for COVID-19 canceling the season after the team started 8-0.

However, Goelz left the program after the 2022 title, key players left and things just weren’t the same.

Meanwhile, the very successful The Out-of-Door Academy baseball program, which won a state championship in 2021 and reached the state semifinals in 2022, couldn’t keep its domination flowing.

In 2023, both programs saw their seasons end on the road in the regional quarterfinals. Not because of any fluke plays, either. They were just beaten.

The Mustangs, who lost 7-4 to Steinbrenner High on May 11, finished the season 16-11, with more losses than the previous five seasons combined. ODA, which finished 20-8, lost 3-0 to Canterbury High on May 12.

For the Mustangs, things never came together the way first-year head coach Todd Lee wanted them to work. There was always something off, he said, as if plugging one hole caused another to open. Yet even against Steinbrenner, when reigning Class 7A Player of the Year Ella Dodge was battling a stomach illness and didn’t pitch her best, the Mustangs had a shot to win.

In the seventh inning down 7-3, Lakewood Ranch had the bases loaded for senior Amanda Lee, who

hit a rocket to the Steinbrenner outfield fence. It was inches from leaving the park for a game-tying grand slam, but instead was run down and caught by the Steinbrenner outfielder. It turned into a relatively meaningless sacrifice fly and the game would end one batter later.

It was a microcosm of the team’s season, Todd Lee said, so close, but so far.

“We fought that all year,” Todd Lee said. “We couldn’t get over that hump.”

If the Mustangs are to get back to being a state championship contender, they’ll have to do it without some very special seniors who will graduate. Offensive stars

Amanda Lee, Addyson Bruneman and Cassidy McLellan, a University of Florida signee who had been an All-American caliber players since

she arrived as a freshman, all will graduate.

The Mustangs will have returnees like Dodge and junior outfielder Grace Shaw-Rockey, who hit .345 this season, and Todd Lee said the team will have a very talented freshman class in 2024.

But in many ways, the team that takes the field to start 2024 will be the beginning of a new era in Mustangs softball, one almost completely separated from the teams Goelz led to back-to-back titles. That isn’t a positive or negative thing, merely a fact of how these things go.

While Lakewood Ranch’s troubles were somewhat foretold by its regular season, ODA’s regular season looked just as strong as in past years. The Thunder won 11 of its last 13 games. But ODA ran into a stiff challenge against senior Canter-

bury pitcher Austin Schrowe, who holds a 0.77 ERA in 2023. ODA head coach Mike Matthews said he liked many of the at-bats his players had against Schrowe, but the hardest hit balls were right at the fielders.

On the mound, ODA sophomore Carter Malartsik (1.71 ERA for the season) only made one mistake to Canterbury all game, but it was a costly one, serving up a three-run homer to University of Miami commit Evan Taveras.

Matthews said the loss stung because of the expectations the program has for itself.

“We made back-to-back Final Fours,” Matthews said. “We have a ridiculously high standard. We feel disappointed. But I’m also proud of my team. We showed a lot of growth over the course of the year, off the field as well, in regards to character and leadership.”

Like the Mustangs, the Thunder will lose the biggest power bat in its

lineup, as senior Jack Hobson will graduate and play for the University of South Carolina-Aiken. Starting pitcher Luke Geske (1.39 ERA) will also graduate, alongside others. But ODA will keep three-quarters of its infield, as juniors Ryan Mohrmann, Nolan Naese and Brandon Beasley will all return. Matthews said he hopes that trio, alongside Malartsik’s growth on the mound, will give the Thunder a good base in 2024.

Is it possible that both programs regain their 2021 and 2022 postseason forms next spring? Sure.

But if they don’t, that’s how it goes, and that’s OK. These are high school kids after all, and while they’re in this to win, they also hope to learn and grow and make bonds that last. Those things can, and do, still happen, whether in the midst of a dynasty, or while trying to build one.

Todd Lee summed up those feelings when talking about his Mustangs.

“The seniors, and even some of the juniors, they have been together five or six years if you include travel ball,” Lee said. “This is the end of the road for them. Coming to the end like this, and being such a tight group, I think it hit them hard. They spend almost all their time together, and they now understand that they’re not going to be together much more.”

Both programs will return in 2024, different than before, but back all the same, and the cycle of success may swing upward again for them.

Ryan Kohn is the sports editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

Mustangs senior Cassidy McLellan will play for the University of Florida next season.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

ODA senior right-hander Luke Geske had a 1.39 ERA in 2023.

Cody Kawcak

Cody Kawcak is a rising senior tight end on the Braden River High football team. Pirates head coach Curt Bradley called Kawcak the team’s hardest worker this spring. Kawcak caught 11 passes for 294 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2022. Braden River will play its spring game at 7 p.m. May 19 on the road against Pinellas Park High.

When did you start playing football?

I started when I was 5. I would play catch with my dad (Chris Kawcak) in the backyard. Then I went straight into tackle football. I skipped playing flag. I just wanted to start hitting.

What is the appeal to you?

I love the adrenaline of it. You get to hit people and not get in trouble. You have a rush going through you the entire time. At tight end, I get to catch the ball, but I still get to hit and block people, too.

What is your best skill?

I would say catching. I didn’t get to use that skill a lot last year, but whenever I did, I tried to take advantage of it.

What have you been working to improve?

My blocking. I want to make sure that we’re always set up front. The offense starts with us in a way, so I’m always working to make my blocks as good as they can be.

What is your favorite memory?

Two years ago, we played Clear water Central Catholic on the road. It was their homecoming night. In the fourth quarter, we scored a touchdown to take a one-point lead, then went for two and got it, so we were up three (32-29). Then we had to hold their offense for one final drive, and we did.

That was just the best feeling.

If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Ryan Kohn at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

How is the team feeling this spring?

We’re going great right now, but we have to keep putting in the work this summer. We have to get in the weight room to get stronger and faster and bigger. If we work hard then we’ll get where we want to be eventually. We’re excited to start hitting people (against Pinellas Park).

Which superpower would you pick?

I’d pick flight so I could see the entire world.

What is the best advice you have received?

Stay working. Once you give up on something, it’s hard to get back into it. So you need to keep your head down and push, even through the rough times.

Finish this sentence: “Cody Kawcak is …” … Energetic. Whenever I’m with my friends, I’m the weird one in the group. I always have to be doing something. But once I get all that

“XEH AMP’S JMUK YEJKSVGPZ SVMS GY MBIMXY NDKMSVSMUGPZ, ED XEH IEHBL PKCKD NK MNBK SE NDKMSVK. XEH IEHBL AEBBMRYK.” NDGMP KPE

“GZGWTIJBRL LVVC IJSI’P GZGW JSEEGRGC BR HT XBOG JSP NVHG SP

IJG CBWGNI WGPKXI VO JGXEBRL PVHGVRG GXPG.” CSRRT IWGUV

“SPFO CNFPKR, XDZXBD RCLD CKKNRXFPZGK, INF PF’K JDAE IAZCU. ...

EZN OCJD FZ FADCF DCTO XDAKZG CK CG PGUPJPUNCB.” GPLLP ADDU ©

GREEN GROCERIES by Alex Eaton-Salners, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

Gordon Silver captured this photo of this double-crested cormorant about to swallow a catfish in Del Webb of Lakewood Ranch pond.

RED PAGES AD RATES