Community News – Manatee Spotlight July 31, 2011

New Facebook pages highlight
Manatee County programs, services, events

Manatee
County added to its social network presence earlier this month, launching
several Facebook pages dedicated to keeping followers cued in on important
County news, announcements and events.

The following County Departments and programs
now have a Facebook page:

• Animal
  Services promotes adoption specials
  and animal-interest stories for local pet owners.
•  Aging
  Services gives seniors an idea
  of where to obtain local services, offers tips for the aging and elderly
  and provides information on upcoming events geared toward seniors. 
•  Natural
  Resources Department is dedicated
  to promoting the natural side of Manatee County, showcasing the County’s
  publicly owned preserve system as well as the exciting educational and
  volunteer opportunities that are available to residents and visitors.
• Neighborhood
  Services Department is serving
  up information on business incentive packages, housing assistance and resources
  for neighborhoods and associations.
•  Parks
  and Recreation Department gives
  followers a glimpse of the many programs, athletic leagues and fitness
  activities hosted in Manatee County’s Parks system.
• Public
  Library System offers a great
  look at the upcoming events being held in Manatee County libraries along
  with inside scoops on new arrivals and other resources for book lovers.
   
• Veterans
  Services helps Manatee County
  veterans and their families learn about the benefits they earned during
  military service to our country.

These pages join the primary Manatee
County Government Facebook page,
along with Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau pages on Facebook,
YouTube,
Twitter
and Trip
Advisor. The University of Florida’s
local Florida
Friendly Landscaping Program,
a program within Manatee’s Agriculture and Extension Service division,
also has a home on Facebook.

Manatee County Information Outreach Coordinator
Nicholas Azzara said the new Facebook pages are a free and easy way to
keep residents, visitors and fans in the loop on county government news
and events important to them.

“Facebook is great because you can really
target your audience with the announcements most important to your followers,”
Azzara said. “The people who live, work and play here can now opt-in to
updates on the programs most pertinent to themselves and their families.”

---

 

A New Kind of Love Triangle: The Safety Triangle

 

We’ve all heard of the Love Triangle and the Leadership Triangle. What do you know about the Safety Triangle – the Community Partnering Program?

 Craig McSmythe of Sure Footed Flooring, LLC has created the Safety Triangle with Non-profit Organizations and Client companies. While hundreds of companies partner with non-profit organizations daily, McSmythe feels the strength in this three-prong approach for Community Partnering will touch hearts, and allow children and older adults to touch the floor – with only their feet – and stay more Sure Footed while walking.

 “I’ve walked on floors for over 45 years and ever since I could read, I paid close attention to the sign caution when wet so that I didn’t slip and fall or hydroplane into something,” says McSmythe. “After applying our non slip treatment to floors, I listen time and again to people tell me they feel safer on their floors when the floors are wet. So now I’m on a mission to provide anti slip walking areas everywhere in the community. It’s the Safety Triangle for Community Partnering.”

 How does it work? McSmythe responded, “For every square foot we treat (between 200 to 5,000 square feet) for a commercial client, we will provide non slip floor treatment to equal square footage (between 200 to 5,000 square feet) of that client’s favorite charity floor. Once our client chooses their favorite charity, we arrange a time with that designated charity to provide the product and service. It’s therapy for floors in the Sarasota, Bradenton, and Venice communities; and it’s a handshake with our clients to identify where those slippery floors are, seek out the problem areas, and provide the solution. Initially, we provide a letter to the non-profit indicating that the client has chosen them as the recipient of our services, and succeeding the application of the treatment, we provide a two-year warranty to the charity in honor of the client. It will be on our developing website. And we’ll be Tweeting about it!”

 McSmythe added, “In this case, people don’t have to ‘see it to believe it’. Just walk on it. For the most part, they won’t see it, but they will sure feel it!  When the product penetrates the floor, it creates a tread-like surface and allows for a more Sure Footed step.”

 “It’s the ‘Wow!’ factor we are after,” nodded McSmythe, “as when a client exclaims, ‘Wow! I can walk again!’”.

 So, it’s like taking BOGO to a new level within community partnering – the service company, the client, and the client’s favorite non-profit organization. Know of a slippery floor at a favorite non-profit? There’s no reason to tip toe around the matter – or on the floor – when most agree that the More Sure Footed U R, the SAFER U R.™

 The passion behind this community spirit drives McSmythe and his team to work all hours into the night in the name of Safety and for love of the community they live in. Their mission lies in the community spirit and a ‘One for All’ type of agreement. It all began when a person on McSmythe’s team slipped on a wet floor in the hallway of an organization. After McSmythe caught her in his arms, he declared, “Let’s start a program to help non-profits like these alleviate their slippery floors and yet not have them pay for it in this economy…We’ll partner with our clients!” And the Safety Triangle was born.

 If you want to see how McSmythe’s Safety Triangles keep connecting, you will be able to follow him soon on Twitter at SureFootedUR. He just opened the Twitter account and is just starting his Tweeting lessons.

---

 

Florida Clinical Research Center Welcomes Summer Intern, Lauren Patrusky

 

Florida Clinical Research Center, LLC (FLCRC)
is hosting summer intern, Lauren Patrusky, to offer her real-world
experience in clinical research for studies related to mental and
medical disorders, such as ADHD, depression, and binge eating.
Throughout the summer, Lauren will gain clinical and regulatory
experience by assisting, observing, and performing tasks associated with
the day-to-day operations of a clinical research site.     

 

Lauren is visiting from Orlando, FL where she is a junior at the University of Central Florida.  She
will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in the summer of 2013 in
psychology and elementary education. Her long-term goal is to remain a
resident of Florida, attend graduate school, and work with children and
families affected by mental illness, such as Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

 

“I
am thrilled to be interning for Florida Clinical Research Center,” said
Lauren Patrusky. “I am gaining relevant research experience, learning
about numerous disorders, and fulfilling my dream of working in the
field of clinical psychology.”

 

Florida
Clinical Research Center is a complete clinical research facility with a
state-of-the-art clinical laboratory, two exam rooms, and will allow
Lauren to observe patient interviews and medical procedures.

 

“Academics
is where I began my career,” commented Dr. Andrew J. Cutler, CEO and
chief medical officer of Florida Clinical Research Center. “I am
thrilled to give back to the community and offer future healthcare
professionals, such as Lauren, interactions with patients and research
to further their education and feed their passion.”

---

 

Center For Sight’s Dr. Lahners and Dr. Fezza Earn
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Achievement Award

 

The
American Academy of Ophthalmology has announced that Center For Sight’s
Dr. William J. Lahners and Dr. John P. Fezza are recipients of its 2011
Achievement Award. This award honors members for their contributions to the
Academy and the field of ophthalmology based on points earned by participating
in annual meetings, authoring industry papers, supporting advocacy efforts and
other activities. The Academy will grant the awards at its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, in October
2011.

 

Dr. Lahners is a specialist in
LASIK, cataract and glaucoma surgery, and has authored many papers and textbook
chapters on refractive surgery, in addition to being a principal investigator
for ongoing FDA LASIK and Intraocular Lens Studies. He has been a clinical
investigator for various types of non-penetrating glaucoma surgery, such as the
AquaFlow device. In addition to his certification by the American Board of
Ophthalmology, Dr. Lahners is also board-certified in LASIK by the American
Board of Eye Surgery. He is an active member of the American Academy of
Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery,
International Society of Refractive Surgery and the American Medical
Association.

 

“It’s an honor to be
recognized with this Achievement Award,” said Dr. Lahners, “but the
real honor is in helping improve modern glaucoma surgery and developing new
types of non-penetrating surgical procedures that deliver life-changing results
to my patients.”

 

Dr. Fezza is a nationally recognized
author and lecturer on cosmetic facial and laser surgery, a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic
Surgery, the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery,
the American Board of Ophthalmology and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.
He is on the prestigious National Education Faculty for Botox, a Lumenis Laser
teacher for physicians worldwide, an ad hoc preceptor for ASOPRS fellows and an
active Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of South
Florida.

 

“I’m honored to be
recognized with this Achievement Award,” said Dr. Fezza. “Ever
since I was the lead instructor of the Academy’s first course on cosmetic
facial surgery 10 years ago, I have been interested in speaking and teaching
others about the most recent facial rejuvenation techniques. At the
Academy’s annual meeting in Chicago last year, I was
invited to teach a course on upper eyelid tucks to an audience of thousands of
people from all over the world. I recently published a paper on that subject in
Ophthalmology Times, a national peer-to-peer
industry magazine.”

---

 

It Works! Global Gives Facelift To Hope Family Services
Shelter

 

It Works! Global, a local
health and wellness company, kicked off the start of their Gives Back program in Manatee County with a trip to HOPE Family
Services. It Works employees volunteered to give the local shelter a ‘facelift’;
by the end of the night, the interior of the shelter was painted and looked
brand new.

 

As a direct sales company with the
majority of their independent distributors being women, the It Works! Global’s Gives Back program wanted to highlight a
service that promoted female empowerment. It Works! Global searched for a
service with a philosophy similar to their own: encouraging women to gain
confidence and financial freedom with their life-changing products.

 

“We wanted to find a cause that would
allow us to give back to other women in need. Painting the shelter was a way
for us to make a small impact on the lives of these women,” said CEO Mark
Pentecost.  “We encourage our team to
give back to those who are less fortunate and we enjoy sharing our blessings
with others.”    

 

The values of It Works! Global are in
line with the mission of HOPE Family Services: to promote safety, strength and
well-being, while teaching the power to choose and accept results for personal
choices.

 

“Survivors of domestic violence need and deserve a safe place
to go and volunteers from It Works!
Global made it their personal mission to make the shelter look
beautiful. Every day we hear stories from survivors of domestic violence and as
you can imagine, it takes its toll on one’s optimism,” said Lauren Lynch, HOPE
Family Services Executive Director. “Their thoughtfulness and eagerness to
pitch in helps us realize it’s not all doom and gloom but in fact, there are
kind and caring people who are the answer to our client’s prayers.”

 

One of Pentecost’s goals is to find the
balance between business and community. He would like to see this happen with a
long-lasting partnership between It Works! Global and HOPE Family Services,
along with other charitable organizations in Manatee County.

---

 

New Community Leadership Council members appointed at USF Sarasota-Manatee

 

The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee
has announced the new members of the Community Leadership Council (CLC)
who have each agreed to serve a two year term.  Steve Mixson, Community Advocate, will serve as the 2011-2012 chair.

 

The new members are as follows:  Ashley Abene, President  Manatee – Sarasota USF Alumni Chapter – USF Sarasota-Manatee Alumni;  Jeanne Corcoran, Director, Sarasota County Film and Entertainment Office;  Richard Gerrity, Lydian Bank and Trust – USF Alumni;  Karin Grablin, SRQ Wealth Management;  Joe Gruters, Chairman of the Sarasota Republican Party and Accountant at Shinn Company – USF Alumni;  Rebecca Gutherz, President, USF Sarasota-Manatee Student Government Association;  Kelly Kirschner, former Mayor City of Sarasota and Media Maquiladora;  Jason Krywko, Sleek Audio – USF Alumni;  Jan Pullen, St. Stephen’s School;  Teresa Rawe, Emergency Room Physician;  Ron Reagan, former representative Manatee Legislative Delegation, and MGA Insurance Group in Lakewood Ranch – USF Alumni;  Patrick Roff, City of Bradenton;  Judge Gilbert Smith, Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court of FL in Manatee – USF Alumni;  Olivia Thomas, Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center;  Jean Trammell, The Venice Company;  and Anne Weintraub, Attorney with Band Weintraub – USF Alumni.

 

The
CLC is comprised of community and business leaders from the
Sarasota/Manatee County area who represent different industries and
sectors and more than 25,000 employees.

 

The
CLC’s charge is to advise the USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus Board and
management team about program and service priorities, and advocate and
present information on campus priorities to the community and elected
officials. The council has four committees: Community Affairs,
Executive, Program, and Public Advocacy.

Share and Enjoy

West Asheville fighting crime through Facebook – Asheville Citizen

<!–Saxotech Paragraph Count: 20
–>

“My reaction was to get two dogs, a home security system, camera on my porch, a permitted weapon and a black belt in martial arts,” Turner wrote on Facebook. “I encourage others do the same. I can help with self-defense lessons.”

Note to self: Do not mess with Sage Turner!

I don’t want to paint a picture of criminal mayhem in West Asheville. I talked to a few West Asheville residents who said despite the recent crimes, it’s still a very safe place to live.

“I can leave my doors unlocked,” said Elaine Hall, who’s lived on the same street for 22 years. “I’ve never had a problem.”

Sometimes Hall returns from work early in the morning, and she’s seen police on patrol on nearby Burton Street.

Councilman Gordon Smith, a West Asheville resident since 2000, said he never locked his doors — until last week. About 11 a.m. Monday, a neighbor spotted two men lurking outside his home.

They fit the description of those involved in some of the crimes. When the neighbor alerted Smith that his home was being cased, he called the police.

He locks the place up now.

“I didn’t even know where the house keys were,” Smith said. “Now, I’m taking the precautions the police have been urging everyone to take.”

Smith said he doesn’t know anyone “outside of Manhattan” who’s militant about locking doors, even when they’re home.

Obviously, he’s never met my wife, but I understand what he means.

Smith doesn’t think residents were complacent, necessarily, but maybe a little too easygoing about the potential of crime. Smith wasn’t critical of the police, but he said the Facebook page certainly serves as a

wake-up call to everyone that this is a real problem and people want real action.

Personally, I did find the police department’s response to these break-ins a little, well, goofy.

Lt. Wally Welch said they didn’t initially tie the six crimes together because “the pattern wasn’t initially clear,” as the crimes occurred over a matter of weeks. The investigation also has been stalled by witnesses who at times were uncooperative.

I’m no crime analyst, but it seems to me if you’ve got even two crimes in which criminals are breaking into homes and displaying handguns, that’s a pretty good pattern — and reason to get the word out, loud and clear to lock your doors and be on the lookout.

Turner put it better than I can: “I would hope they want to help, and calling victims uncooperative seems like it’s not going to help anybody,” she said.

Hall had no harsh words for police, giving them credit for helping clean up the open air drug markets that plagued the Burton Street area for years.

“I think the police are doing the best they can,” she said. “They do a terrific job.”

They better keep it up. A pretty huge group on Facebook has their eye on them.

Share and Enjoy