News Briefs 04.28.11

+ Dragon boats race into East County
Organizers will host the Sarasota Dragon Boat Festival May 7 at Nathan Benderson Park.
The sport of dragon boat racing is a paddlesport that uses a canoe-shaped boat painted and adorned with a Chinese dragon head, tail, drum and scales.

Organizers are seeking teams to participate in the first-time event. All equipment, including boats, lifejackets, paddles, a team tent and coach, will be provided. Entry fees included at least one coaching session the week prior to the race.

Teams comprise 20 paddlers of all ages and abilities. At least eight paddlers per team must be female.
A community entry fee starts at $800 — or $40 per person. Corporate entry fee is $1,200.

For information or to register a team, contact Christine Canevari at (813) 600-9100 or [email protected].

+ Anti-incorporation group launches drive
The group opposing the incorporation of Lakewood Ranch has launched a petition drive against the idea.
Friends of Lakewood Ranch last week launched an online petition against incorporation on the group’s website, www.friendsoflwr.com. Organizers say the petition will give residents the power to stop the move toward incorporation by showing local legislators their opposition to the idea.

+ Lakewood students honor teachers, staff
Lakewood Ranch High School students on April 14 honored the school’s teachers and staff members with a special faculty awards night.

The ninth annual event included dinner, skits performed by members of the Student Government Association and an awards presentation.

Awards presented were: Administrator of the Year: Don Sauer; Guidance Counselor of the Year: Janet Hunter; Cafeteria Worker of the Year: Patty Conway; Custodial Worker of the Year: Patrice Crawford; Athletic/Media/Tech/Clinic of the Year: Andrea Stratton; Discipline/SRO Worker of the Year: Brenda Browning; Support Staff of the Year: Ellen Thayer; Social Services/VPK Worker of the Year: Jessica Hagood; Vocational/JROTC Teacher of the Year: Bobbi Colson; English/ESOL/STAR Teacher of the Year: Becky Austerman; ESE Teacher of the Year: Melissa Koehlinger; Fine Arts Teacher of the Year: Roxanne Caravan; Foreign Language Teacher of the Year: Lillian Martinez; Math Teacher of the Year: Felicia Chasey; PE and Health Teacher of the Year: Perry Hankins; Science Teacher of the Year: Bryan Thomas; Social Studies Teacher of the Year: Ben Hall; Most Likely to be Prom Queen: Macie French; Most Likely to be Prom King: Matt Pascuzzi; Most Likely to Keep in Touch: Elaine Bowling; Student at Heart: Faust DeLazzer; New Kid: Mark Napier; Most Quotable: Thomas Honsa; and Colonel Award: Linda Nesselhauf.

+ Non-profit to host golf tourney
Emma’s Little Helpers, a non-profit that assists families with children undergoing medical treatments, will host a golf fundraiser at 8 a.m., May 7, at the Preserve Golf Club at Tara, 7310 Tara Preserve Lane.
Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., with festivities kicking off with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. An $80 fee includes greens fees, cart rental, a gift bag, raffle ticket and lunch.

For information, visit www.emmaslittlehelpers.org.

+ Tidewell Hospice names new directors
Tidewell Hospice has named Shannon Dickson as its new director of admissions north and Gene McCroan as administrative director of finance.

Dickson, who joined Tidewell in 2006, will cover north Sarasota and Manatee counties, supervising the admission of patients from Blake and Manatee Memorial hospitals and the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. McCroan joins Tidewell from Citrus County, where he served as chief financial officer.

+ Clarification
Regarding the “Store Around the Corner” story that appeared online April 22, 2nd Ann Rose owner Barbara Smith is not affiliated with The Women’s Resource Center.

+ Edward Jones adviser to open office
GreyHawk Landing resident and Edward Jones Financial adviser Julie Mekhail will open her new office to the public with a special grand opening celebration at 2 p.m., May 4, at the office, 11053 Gatewood Drive.
“I am excited to be opening an Edward Jones office in Lakewood Ranch because I really see a need for the type of service we provide,” Mekhail said. “This firm concerns itself exclusively with the needs of individual investors and small-business owners, and I’m happy to be bringing that kind of personalized service to this community.”

+ Book clubs can win visit with best-selling author
Local book clubs have a chance to sit down with New York Times best-selling author Andy Andrews, writer of “The Traveler’s Gift” and “The Noticer.”

Interested clubs can enter online at www.andyandres.com/pages/bookcub to register for a chance to get a personal visit from Andrews at their club. The deadline for entering is June 14.

One book club will be selected for the award on June 15.

+ Burglars target Mote Ranch
The Mote Ranch community felt the sting of a string of burglaries in the early morning hours of April 19.
A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report states unknown persons entered three vehicles and one business, removing items from within.

Suspect(s) stole a GPS device, a small amount of aluminum, three Oxycotin pills and about $25 in cash, the report states. The burglar(s) also entered the rear of Iberry Plastics by cutting through the chain-link fence and removed about $500 in aluminum from the outside of the business.

+ Neal welcomes new Central Park builder
Neal Communities has welcomed Lakewood Ranch-based builder Lee Wetherington Homes as its newest builder in Central Park.

Lee Wetherington will be building in the Longview Lake Park neighborhood, which has the largest home sites in the community. It’s first model is the Springfield II, a two-story, 2,945-square-foot home with three bedrooms and a three car garage.

“I’ve known Lee for many years and respect his craftsmanship, professionalism and work ethic,” Neal Communities President Pat Neal said. “He brings his own distinct style which will complement what we have in Central Park. The community is truly an outstanding blend of a variety of attractive home styles, sizes and amenities.”