We host a monthly luncheon with a program each month (except in the summer when many members are away). The speakers provide a presentation on relevant topics, both local and international. This includes reports from our City Directors, descriptions of exchanges with our sister cities and developments with community organizations as shown below.

Examples of Luncheon Presentations

Luncheon presentation topics either feature one of our sister cities or another community organization as shown in the list below

Future of New College of Florida

Dr. Patricia Okker, New President, New College of Florida

Circus Arts Conservatory - Sailor Circus

Jennifer Mitchell, VP/COO

Embracing our Differences Program

Sarah Wertheimer, Executive Director

Embracing our Differences

Friendship Center Programs - People Helping People

Robert Rogers

Director of Community Outreach

Perspectives on Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Jennifer Rominiecki, President & CEO

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Asolo Repertory Theater: Company, Communit & Artistry

Paul Adolphsen, Dramaturg & Literary Mgr

Asolo Repertory Theatre

The Impact of the Arts in Sarasota

James Shirley, Executive Director

Arts & Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County

The Other Europe – Today

Wojtek Sawa, Multimedia Artist, Sarasota

Margot Zarzycka-Whitelaw, Violinist Sarasota Symphony

Madagascar and the Lemurs

Dr. Alison Grand, Executive Director Lemur Conservation Foundation, Myakka City

Barbara Frey, Sarasota Sister Cities

Cuba AC/BC: After Castro/Before Castro

Eladio Amores – Cuban Native, Member Sarasota Sister Cities

Global Body Language

Kenney DeCamp, Sister City Board Member

Economic Development in Sarasota

Craig Hullinger, VP Economic Development, SCAS

Steve Stancel & Destin Wells, Economic Development Corp, Sarasota

Sylva Kanderal, Sarasota Sister Cities

War & Peace

Craig Hullinger - USMC Retired Colonel

Troy Scott - US Army Retired Colonel

Beth Ruyle - Former IL Commission For The Support of the Guard & Reserve

Raymond Young - Fulbright Scholar

Luncheon / Annual Meeting May 9, 2014

ONE WORLD AWARD LAUREATES

“An ode to our common humanity: “One World – Out of Many, We are One.”

Honoring extraordinary people and organizations

The One World Award is the Sarasota Sister Cities premier international award that honors one remarkable individual and one organization that have enhanced “understanding and respect” among citizens of the world through their extraordinary work or volunteer service.

This award shines the spotlight on individuals and organizations that have demonstrated their continued ability to create and maintain strong bonds of peace and understanding among the world’s citizens through their extraordinary work and service to the community.

The awards are presented to honorees at our annual Gala Dinner Event.

Individual Award Winners

2011 – Robert Roskamp

Roskamp Institute is a worldwide leader in finding cures for Alzheimer’s disease and mental disorders.

2012 – Nicholas Bollettieri

IMG Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which became the IMG academy, and now expanded to additional sports training.

2013 – Former Mayor Lou Ann Palmer

As Mayor, she led the development of Sarasota for many years and personally enhanced relationships with five Sarasota Sister Cities.

2014 – Linda Rosenbluth

Former President & City Director for SCAS. Linda organized the first “phonathon” for United Way & Sarasota’s first “AIDS Awareness Week”.

2015 – Andrew Ezzell & JoAnn Patrick Ezzell

Give Something Back Foundation. SCAS Patron members, Andrew and JoAnn’s foundation built schools and classrooms in SE Asia and Haiti, and established an international online education program.

2016 – Dolly Jacobs and Pedro Reis

Co-founders of the Circus Arts Conservatory, Dolly and Pedro continue the circus tradition of performance & education programming, outreach programs serving children & elderly.

2017 – Dr. Mary Elmendorf

Internationally known anthropologist, Nobel Prize laureate.

2018 – Kate Alexander

Actress and Director at the Florida Studio Theater, Kate Alexander established the “Write-a-Play” program as part of the Young Playwrights Festival for our international Sister Cities students, and also established other educational programs at FST.

2020 - Maestro Victor DeRenzi - Led the Sarasota Opera, completed the Verdi Cycle - performed all of Giuseppi Verdi’s work, Verdi’s home is Busseto, our new Friendship city.

Organization Award Winners

2012 – The ORT Organization

Jewish global educational program.

Left to right: Marlies Gluck, Lynn Sacks, national ORT America President in 2012, John Halbert SCAS President in 2012

2013 – Sarasota Christian School

Promoted diversity and international relationships.

2014 – Embracing Our Differences

Poster art program on City Island park promoting diversity.

2017 – Sarasota Audubon Society

Environmental protection and education.

2018 – Second Chance-Last Opportunity

Empowerment program for the underserved in our community.

2020 - The Sarasota Opera

Completed the Verdi Cycle

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In 2012, ORT America received the prestigious "One World" award at the One World Gala sponsored by Sister Cities Association of Sarasota. The following was read at the gala by Bill Wallace: "How in this One World, could one even imagine trying to organize a program to educate annually 300,000 individuals across the globe Just ask ORT – it seems able to do anything – and it’s been doing it for over 130 years! And that’s why ORT was the very first organization chosen to receive the prestigious One World Award of the Sarasota Sister City Association at ceremonies at Michael’s One East on March 28, 2012.

"ORT Group" Left to right: Betty Greenspan, Bernice Goodman, Lynn Sacks, Kim Sheintal

ORT America president, Shelley Fagel from Chicago, Illinois, flew in to be present for the evening, and was invited to accept the award with local ORT chapter presidents Marlies Gluck-Upton and Lynn Sacks. Assisting with the arrangements was Andrew Polin, Associate Director, ORT America, Gulf Coast Region and local SSCA member and Tel Mond Vice City Director, Kim Sheintal. As ORT so ably professes, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” Incredibly, ORT currently educates and develops career skills for so many individuals daily in 55 countries across every inhabitable continent. Although it is the largest Jewish educational institution in the world, it educates both Jewish and non-Jewish children and adults. Since 1960, ORT has been invited to sponsor humanitarian programs in more than 100 countries, tailoring its curriculum to the needs of the student population in that country. ORT had its beginnings in Tsarist Russia in 1880 and today incorporates a focus on science and high-tech in addition to its other multiple course offerings. The Sarasota Sister Cities Association is privileged to present its first organizational One World Award to ORT."

Attached are two photos from the 2012 One World gala.

Programs

Vice President Ray Young sets up very interesting programs at the Selby Library. We have speakers from both within Sister Cities and from outside agencies. We generally have ample time for questions and answers after the presentations. The programs are often followed by a meet and greet afterwards at a nearby interesting restaurant. Both the programs and the meet and greets are free except for what you may eat or drink.

Sep 12, 2019 Selby The Other Europe

SCAS Board Members & Friends:

Our Sarasota Sister Cities first event of the season, a presentation about Eastern Europe by Woijek Sawa, was a great success with 75 people attending. The violinist from the Sarasota Symphony, Margot Zarzycka-Whitelaw, played an exceptional series of violin vignettes from the region. Look forward to seeing you at the luncheon next Wednesday with our speaker, Sarah Wertheimer, from the Embracing Our Differences program.

Thank you for your support.

Ray Young

War and Peace 4:00 pm Community Room 1741 Main St, Sarasota - Presentation

Meet and Greets

Meet And Greets

Our programs are often followed by a meet and greet afterwards at a nearby interesting restaurant. Both the programs and the meet and greets are free except for what you may eat or drink.

Young Playwrights Festival

Sarasota Festival of New Plays - Young Playwrights Festival

Write A Play Contest

Each year Florida Studio Theatre (FST) presents a WRITE A PLAY contest for students in kKindergarten through gGrade 12. Initially only students from Florida participated but nearly 20 years ago, a cultural exchange program was established between FST and our Sister City Tel Mond, Israel. Professional playwrights and actors from FST travelled to Israel and presented in-class playwriting workshops to elementary and secondary students.

Later workshops were held in Dunfermline, Scotland and Vladimir, Russia so that and the plays poured in from those cities as well. Throughout the years, winning and honorable mention playwrights have come from the 3 cities mentioned and from our other Sister Cities: Xiamen, China; Treviso, Italy; and Perpignan, France.

SCAS invites the winning playwrights to Sarasota to see their plays performed at FST by professional actors at the Young Playwrights Festival. While here, the winners meet with the mayor of Sarasota, visit several local attractions (including the beach), and interact with Sarasotans.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the WRITE A PLAY program went virtual.. In the future, we look forward to again hosting international winners from our Sister Cities.

Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell meets with the Young Playwrights group.

Sarasota Sister Cities viewed a number of plays written by students, including students from our Sister Cities of Tel Mond, Israel, Vladimir, Russia, and Dunfermline, Scotland.

Young Playwrights from left to right Aleksandra Radmoska, Kara Mhairi Clare McAuley, Ori Segev

Eighth graders Aleksandra and Kara from St Columba's High School, Scotland are pictured with their teacher Miss McDonald. Their play was entitled, "The Bonnie Old Visit at Sterling Castle.".

Ori Segov is a sixth grader from the Shelanu School, Tami Philosph, in Israel. His play was entitled, "The Promise.".

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Back row on left Adam RatnerType caption here

Left to Right, Ray Young, Hadda Lamatte ...…. Marianna Janz-Wecke, Gloria Grenier

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Signage and Memorials

Sarasota Sister Cities is represented throughout the city with signage and memorials at numerous locations. Several highways leading into Sarasota have a sign designating our sister cities.

We are also represented on Sarasota’s Bayfront Island with several descriptive plaques and signs that include our mission of peace and understanding in the world and a list of our sister cities. Our Sister Cities Tree walk has a tree dedicated to each of our sister cities with a sign providing the date of acceptance by our city government. Bayfront Island and Park is located in downtown Sarasota near O’leary’s Tiki Bar.

Vice President Ray Young ensures that the signs are well maintained and replaced when necessary

Location of the Memorial Signs and Trees

The “Welcome to Sarasota” signs are on highways leading into the city and identify our Sister Cities. This This one is on Fruitville Road on the westbound side side just before Cardinal Mooney High School.

Rededication of the Scottish Memorial on the Bayfront.

Gala

Sarasota Sister Cities holds a Gala Dinner event once a year. This is a major social event and fundraiser. The Gala features entertainment and the awarding of our One World Award to the honorees, both individual and organizational.

Some photos below.

One World Gala March 29, 2015 University Park Country Club

Gala Organizers Kenney DeCamp and Gloria Grenier

Andrew Ezzell, Beth Ruyle Hullinger, and Joann Patrick-Ezzell

President Beth Ruyle presenting award to Andrew and Joann

Vickie Swenson, Richard Mantayla, Byron Hill, Janet Hill

Dr. David Harralson, Dr. Richard Greenspan, Mime Kenney DeCamp

Emile and Pamela Langlois

John and Pauline Mitchell

Carrie Weaver, Beth Ruyle Hullinger, Kathryn Young

Bill Wallace, Bianna Knoop

Beth Ruyle, Sarasota City Commissioner Susan Chapman, Kenney DeCamp

Werner and Brianna Knoop

Colonel Byron Hill, Carol O'Brien, Colonel John O'Brien, Janet Hill

Kenney DeCamp, Carrie Weaver

Speakers Bureau

The Sister Cities Association of Sarasota has developed a Speakers Bureau from which we offer a variety of presentations to organizational meetings, social events, etc. The list of presentations shown below are from members of our Board of Directors and display the range of interests we are prepared to convey to your group. Also attached is a list of brief biographies of our speakers.

An honorarium to our organization for the presentation would be greatly appreciated and would foster our objective to develop respect, understanding and cooperation through citizen diplomacy with our eight sister cities. Additional information about our organization is available on our website at: sarasotasistercities.org

If you have an event where you would like one of our members to give a presentation, please contact me directly by email. We would be pleased to present one of our interesting topics and get to know the members of your club.

Best Regards,

Raymond A. Young, Ph.D.

Vice President – Education

Sister Cities Association of Sarasota

e-mail <aloharay4@gmail.com>

Sarasota Sister Cities Speakers Bureau - List of Lectures for Offer

International Travel & Culture

France: A Tale of Two Cities: Paris and Perpignan - Emile Langlois, Barbara Frey & Gloria Grenier

Contemporary Chinese Culture: The Old and the New - David Harralson, Ph.D.

Traveling in Italy - Susanna Wriston

The History and Complexity of Italian Wines - Susanna Wriston

Firth of Forth in Fife - The Scottish Contribution to the World, America and Sarasota - William Wallace