Junior Achievement Manatee/Sarasota moves to Lakewood Ranch office space donated by Unittus

LAKEWOOD RANCH – Junior Achievement Manatee/Sarasota, a local chapter of the non-profit organization that teaches young people about the financial realities of life, announced that it has moved its regional offices at Lakewood Ranch.

 The new address is: 5319 Paylor Lane, near the State College of Florida campus. The phone number remains the same: 941-907-9229.

Maggie Haley

“Thanks to this generous space donation by Unittus, we are able to continue to grow and increase the financial education programs we bring to thousands of Manatee and Sarasota county students,” said Maggie Haley, vice president of  operations for Junior Achievement of West Central Florida. 

“We are excited to help further the mission of such a worthy organization as Junior Achievement,” said Jon Anthony Astore, founder, chairman and CEO of Unittus. “Junior Achievement aligns with one of the core commitments at Unittus, and also with my personal passion as an entrepreneur for more than four decades. We look forward to developing further synergistic relationships with Junior Acheivement in the future.”

For more on Junior Achievement and how it funds its programs, visit recent coverage in the Bradenton Herald and Lakewood Ranch Herald.

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/02/21/3888668/annual-golf-tournament-benefit.html

Local family enters dance video to aid All Children's Hospital

The Higgins family is trying to raise funds for All Children's Hospital with their dance video. (provided photo)

A local family whose child attends Primrose School at Lakewood Ranch is in the running to win a cash reward for All Children's Hospital through Primrose's national Family Dance-Off video contest.

Jessica and Sean Higgins’ want to give back to All Children's for the care the hospital gave their son, Ryan.

As a one-year-old Ryan began having persistent seizures.

The alarmed couple took Ryan to All Children's where doctors placed tubes in his ears. The treatment worked and the couple has found calmness and peace.

The Higgins family’s video  has earned them a spot in the finalist round and has already won $1,000 for the hospital. This week -- March 26-30 -- their video will compete against 15 other finalists to win an additional $15,000, $20,000 or $30,000 donation.

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Tin Goose really stands out

Prolific flier? Not me.

Countless others have flown millions more miles.

But I have been fortunate to hitch a ride on enough  aircraft that are unique that I have trouble remembering them all.

Some highlights: a Stearman biplane in Clewiston, the Goodyear blimp in New Smyrna Beach, and in Vietnam there was the DeHavilland  Otter, DeHavilland Beaver, the U21, the C-7 Caribou, the C-123 Provider, the C-130 Hercules, as well as Chinook,  Huey, and Loach helicopters.

In 2010, there was the WP-3D Orion hurricane hunter that flew a lawnmower pattern over the Gulf of Mexico dropping sensors to detect the presence of oil from the great BP spill.

Commercial aircraft don't count. Besides who can keep up with the 727s, 747s, etc.?

All except one.  Monday, I got a chance to ride in a "Tin Goose," 1929 Ford Tri-Motor aircraft, considered by some the first commercial airliner. It went slow (85 mph) and low (1,000 feet), but it was a thrill. The plane will be at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport through March 28. Check out our story, gallery and video at the link below.

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/27/3963576/tin-goose-offers-a-blast-from.html

Make sure your kids get in on the big egg drop in Parrish on Saturday

PARRISH — Woodland-The Community Church will be presenting the “Egg Drop – Parrish” Event! 9 a.m.- noon Saturday at Buffalo Creek Park.

Parents, children and their families from around Manatee County are invited for music,  games, crafts, and  a colossal Easter egg hunt where more than 5,000 Easter eggs will be dropped by helicopter.

To attend, sponsor or learn more about the “Egg Drop-Parrish Event," visit: www.EggDropParrish.com or contact Holly McAndrew, sponsor coordinator at 941-753-8588, ext. 224.

LECOM students receive national recognition for community service

By Nick Williams
nwilliams@bradenton.com

For the fifth consecutive year, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its volunteer work in the community.

LECOM medical and pharmacy students attending the Bradenton and Erie, Pennsylvania location volunteered over 30,000 community service hours during the 2010-2011 academic year. The students participated in service projects with Habitat for Humanity, YMCA Healthy Kids Day and the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

Locally, LECOM students have been involved in after school tutoring at the Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranch in Parrish.

In other news, LECOM and the State College of Florida have signed an articulation agreement for the LECOM Doctor of Pharmacy program. The Early Acceptance Program calls for LECOM to reserve five slots for SCF students who complete an undergraduate or associate degree, including or in addition to required higher-level math and science courses. Thirty-three of the 60 prerequisite credit hours required must be in the math and sciences to apply to the LECOM pharmacy program.

University Park women take in Orioles-Yankees baseball game at Ed Smith Stadium

A friendly rivalry: Pam Yulke, wearing a New York Yankee T-shirt, poses with the Baltimore Oriole. (Provided photo)

Katy Arillaga, club historian for the University Park Woman's Club, says club members recently went out to the ballgame at Ed Smith Stadium where the Baltimore Orioles hosted the New York Yankees in a preseason game.

Members enjoyed hot dogs, hot bats, soda and beer with friends.

"Thank you to UPWC so-social chairs Shirlaine Hayes and Judy Jones for arranging this popular event with Barbara Robinson  group tickets sales for the  Baltimore Orioles." Katy said.

Tom and Janet Turek with Mary and Bob Bennett. (Provided photo)

Picnic at the ballpark: seated around the table, lecft to right,  Candice Miller, Patricia Brennan, Patricia Cerjan, Vickie Cox -- granddaughter of Patricia Brennan visiting from Pittsburgh -- and Gail Schaeffer. Standing in the background, from left, David Miller, Ted Ellis, and Steve Cerjan. (Provided photo)

New East Manatee charter school on fast track

Work was underway Thursday on a new charter school site off 30th Street East. (Photo James A. Jones Jr.)

A new charter school proposal for 3806 30th St. E. that drew heavy opposition from neighbors is a proposal no more.

For several weeks, crews have been at work preparing the site and putting down foundation.

School officials are in a hurry to get the school built in time to open for class in the fall.

How quick were construction workers off the mark? Well, the last public hearing was Feb. 28. That's pretty darn quick.

For more, see Christine Hawes' recent story:

//www.bradenton.com/2012/02/02/3840475/school-proposal-triggers-traffic.html