EVENTS
WALKMS 2010 - National MS Society’s 11th annual MS Walk to raise funds to help find a cure for multiple sclerosis. 8 a.m., registration, with walk beginning at 9 a.m. March 20 at JD Hamel Park; 2- and 2.5-mile routes available.
ST. PATTY’S DAY BICYCLE POKER RUN - March 14, 11 a.m., at the Humane Society of Sarasota, 2331 15th St. Cost: $10 per hand or 3 hands for $20. All proceeds benefit the animals at this nonprofit. Cash prizes for the best and worst hands. All poker run stops are Irish pubs/restaurants. First bike out, 11:30 a.m.; last bike out, noon. All bikes in by 3:30 p.m. at Rasher Tierney’s Irish Pub, 5106 14th St., Bradenton. For more information call Trish at 539-6909 or visit www.rossiterharleydavidson.com and click on HOG Chapter.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION - March 17, noon to midnight at the Irish Rover Pub, 6518 Gateway Ave. Live music under the tent all day. Irish music, Celtic bagpipes, Irish Step Dancers and more. Food available for purchase. $7 cover at the door, a portion of which goes to Sarasota charities.
HAITI BENEFIT - March 14, reception and silent auction at 3 p.m. with performances beginning at 4 p.m. "Reach Out and Touch Haiti" is set in the new Riverview Performing Arts Center, Riverview High School, One Ram Way. Tickets: $15, adults; $10, college students; and $6 for those of high school age and under. For further information, contact Katt Hefner at 941-306-8574 or katthef2@hotmail.com.
SARASOTA AREA CROP WALK - March 21, with registration at 1:30 p.m.; walk beginning at 2 p.m., at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church, 40 N. Adams Dr.. Participants in the rain-or-shine event secure donations from friends and neighbors, with 75 percent of donations going to Church World Service to relieve hunger worldwide and 25 percent to All Faiths Food Bank of Sarasota. Donor envelopes and other information may be obtained from Pastor Binder at 922-8633. More information available at www.churchworldservice.org and at 1-888-CWS-CROP.
CHILDREN’S WORLD - March 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at 4525 Bee Ridge Rd. Celebrate the first day of spring with a professional builder from CitiBlocs, who will build gigantic Easter baskets and bunnies out of wood blocks. Cameras welcome. Children can get free tips on how to build things themselves. For more information, call 955-6999
CRAB FEAST - March 18, 5:30 p.m., at Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway. Argus Foundation hosting "Claws and Cluck," an elected official appreciation. All-you-can-eat stone crabs, chicken, cole slaw, beer, wine, etc., for $95. Make checks payable to The Argus Foundation. Mail RSVP to The Argus Foundation, P.O. Box 49361, Sarasota, FL 34230. Any questions, contact Sharlene at 365-4886.
FUN AND FASHION - March 16, with check-in at 11 a.m., program at noon. St. Michael’s the Archangel Women’s Guild presents its annual Fashion Show/Luncheon at Michael’s on East, 1212 East Ave. South. Fashion’s by Dillard’s at Southgate Mall. Tickets: $40. Call Helen at 349-7679 for reservations.
BOOK SIGNING - March 12, 1 p.m., at Circle Books, 478 John Ringling Blvd. Florida author Ark Adkins, who won 2008 Detective Suspense Book of the Year from Books-and-Authors.net, will sign books.
CELEBRATING AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS - March 18, 11 a.m., at Michael’s on East. Proceeds go to the Literacy Council of Sarasota. Eight published authors available for informal discussion and book signings, 11 a.m. An author or illustrator will be seated at each table for conversation during the luncheon at noon. Cost: $35. For additional information, call 955-0421 or e-mail LCSAuthors@yahoo.com.
TENNIS TOURNAMENT - March 14, The Meadows Tennis Center hosts the 2010 "Battle of the Club Professionals." Sixteen tennis professionals from nine of the area’s top clubs will take part in a doubles shoot-out competing for $1,000 in overall prize money. All matches begin at 9:30 a.m. Semifinals to follow at 11 a.m. Finals scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Food and beverage service available. Free. For more information contact the tennis center, 378-5265.
ZEITGEIST DAY - March 13, 2:30-4:30 p.m., at North County Library, 2801 Newton Blvd. Film screening and discussion. The Zeitgeist movement is the activist arm of The Venus Project, a philosophical blueprint for humanity’s future. The aim is to work towards a goal of social sustainability. Excerpts of the film, "Zeitgeist Addendum," to be shown, with panel discussion to follow. Free.
ARTISTS’ MARKET - Every Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Historic Burns Square, corner of Pineapple and Laurel Streets. Open through May 8. Call 927-6845; visit artistsmarket.shutterfly.com.
FARMERS’ MARKETS - Downtown every Saturday, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., at Lemon Ave. and Main St. Call 951-2456. Siesta Key Village Market every Sunday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., on Ocean Blvd. at Davidson’s Plaza. Visit www.siestafarmersmarket.com.
LGBT NIGHT AT THE OPERA - March 12, 7 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House Pavilion, a performance of the double-bill of "Cavalleria rusticana" by Pietro Mascagni and "Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo. Special discounted ticket price: $75; includes wine and cheese reception and an orchestra seat for the opera. Tickets and more information available by calling the box office, 366-8450, ext. 1, and mentioning LGBT night. Tickets may also be purchased on the Internet, www.sarasotaopera.org; use promotion code LGBTOpera.
SPORTS LEGENDS WEEKEND - March 12, cocktail/silent auction at 6:45 p.m. and dinner/live auction at 7:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency, 1000 Blvd of the Arts. Benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters. Hosted by all-star athletes. Tickets: $175. For more information, call 488-4009 or 311-4376 or visit www.bbbssun.org.
SPRING FEVER IN VENICE - March 19-20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Indoor sidewalk sale with great savings in select shops. For more information call Sandy, 484-9911.
RELEASE PARTY - March 19, 10 p.m., at Borders, 3800 S. Tamiami Tr. for "Twilight Saga: New Moon" DVD. Guests encouraged to dress in vamp fashion while enjoying "New Moon" movie awards, trivia and give-a-ways while awaiting the stroke of midnight. For more information, call 366-7970.
CLASSES/PROGRAMS
LAW AT THE LIBRARY SERIES - March 15, 6-7:30 p.m., at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Topic: "Be Your Own Boss: Starting a New Business." A business attorney and a representative from the Economic Development Corporation will address what federal and local assistance is available for new business owners. For more information contact the Sarasota County Bar Association, 366-6703.
JUNG SOCIETY - March 12, 7 p.m., at Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Rd. In this lecture Sandy Ochin, M.A., will explore how Jung became interested in astrology and why he described it as the "first form of psychology." Cost: $10, members; $20, non-member; $8, students. March 13, 1-4:30 p.m., at UU Church. In this workshop, discussion to focus on the planets as archetypes, describing in what way an astrological chart is the soul’s mandala. Cost; $30, members; $45, non-members; $10, students. For more information, visit www.cgjungsarasota.org.
AUDUBON SOCIETY - March 16, 7:30 a.m., at the gazebo on Palmer Blvd.: "The Big Celery Fields Sit." Armchair birding – bring a lawn chair, snack and have fun birding/socializing. For more information, contact Kathryn Young, 612-760-1771.
SEMINAR ON AFGHANISTAN AND TERRORISM - March 17, noon, presented by Col. Michael Pheneger, director of intelligence, U.S. Special Operations Command, retired, at the Sarasota Democratic Party Headquarters, 7358 S. Tamiami Tr. Donation: $10 suggested. Register by calling 914-330-9400 or by e-mailing www.sarasotadems.org.
JOBS AND ECONOMICS - March 12, 9-10 a.m., at Waterside Estates, 4540 Bee Ridge Rd. Kathy Baylis, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, to present the region’s short- and long-term economic outlook and discuss Sarasota County’s strategies for creating jobs at a League of Women Voters "Food for Thought" breakfast. Continental breakfast provided; $3 donation requested. For reservations or information, contact Kim Noyes at 921-9778 or lwvsc@verizon.net.
HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION - March 17, 1:30-3 p.m., at Selby Library, 1331 1st St. Guest speakers to demonstrate for free how Web CapTel, an Internet-based service, allows individuals who can speak, but have difficulty hearing, can read word-for-word captions on their computer screens or mobile devices. All you need is a telephone (any kind of phone will do) and a computer with Internet connectivity.
SAFE BOATING COURSE - March 20, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., at McClure Auditorium, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. USCG Auxiliary, Flotilla 83, will conduct a public education, safe boating course. Free; however, approved workbook is $40. Bring a friend, spouse or child and the second book is $20. E-mail to confirm: F83PEduc@aol.com, or call 752-6273 for more information.
GOOD PRUNING - March 17, 10-11 a.m., at Twin Lakes Park, Extension Building conference room, 6700 Clark Rd. Program to explain the correct methods of pruning to achieve attractive and healthy plants and show how pruning young trees prevents big problems later. Registration required; 861-9900.
SINGLES ON THE GO TRAVEL CLUB - March 14, 1:45-3:45 p.m., at the Bent Tree Country Club, 4700 Bent Tree Blvd. Program: "The National Parks," with a video by AAA Travel. Presentations of future travel opportunities and social activities for adult solo travelers. Refreshments served. Free; 779-9195 or 342-8540. Visitors welcome.
MEETINGS
LONGBOAT KEY DEMOCRATIC CLUB - March 16, 11:30 a.m., at the Chart House restaurant on Gulf of Mexico Drive. "Who Runs America … Was Eisenhower Right?" presented by James McCartney, former columnist for Knight-Ridder newspapers. Cost: $25. For more information, call Jane Albaum, 387-4362.
SCF PHILOSOPHY CLUB - March 17, 3 p.m., at SCF Venice, 8000 S. Tamiami Tr., building 800. Manatee-Sarasota Philosophy Club to host Buddhist nun Gen Kelsang. Event to raise awareness about the Buddhist religion. Free and open to the public. Also, a resident teacher at Kadampa Meditation Center in Sarasota to present "The Inner Source of Happiness: A Buddhist Perspective," plus discussion, and demonstration of Buddhist meditation. For more information, contact Dr. J. Woody McCree, 408-1503.
YES - Young Entrepreneurs of Sarasota share success strategies every Tuesday, 11:30 a.m., at Clayton’s Siesta Grille, 1256 old Stickney Pt. Rd., Siesta Key. Cost: $12 at the door, includes lunch. Visit www.yes941.com.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - Siesta Key Men’s Group meets at Siesta Beach Shelter, south side of Siesta Beach, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. Open to all. Call 951-6810.
ETC.
BLOODMOBILE SCHEDULE - March 12, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Sarasota Bay Club, 1301 Tamiami Tr. March 13, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Phillippi Estate Park – Big Truck Day, 5500 S. Tamiami Tr. March 13, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at YMCA Community Health, 1991 Main St. Suite 200. March 14, 8:45 a.m.-noon, Grace Baptist Church, 8000 Bee Ridge Rd. March 15, 8-11 a.m. at Tri-Par Estates, 1616 Presidio St. For more information, call Suncoast Community Blood Bank, 954-1600.