WORDS: Kara Chalmers
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
You know you have something good when former players come back to coach for you. In Nancy Cothron’s case, that something good is Manatee Area Volleyball, of which she is the director and head coach.
At 30 years old, the club is the longest-running independently owned volleyball club in Manatee County. It offers indoor and beach volleyball to boys and girls ages eight through …
WORDS: Kristin Louis
The majority of us work hard for our futures, with the overarching attention on survival, followed by happiness. Owning a house, starting a family, and paying off your student debt are all benchmarks that can help set you on the path toward future success. However, life has an unpredictable way of occurring, which is why it’s important to have contingencies in place for when the unexpected arises.…
WORDS: Jenny Miller
Children are young humans, and like adults, they tend to love learning when the subjects are personally meaningful; even if we don’t grasp something right away, our interest makes us want to keep trying to learn more. Typical classroom environments, bound by approved curricula and standardized testing, can’t focus solely on subjects children enjoy.
But when certain fields don’t come easily, the outdoors provides a rich classroom …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
A clock ticks just shy of 4:30 p.m., and a dozen round, hopeful young faces pressed against a glass window smudged with handprints and reflecting an army of sparkling gold trophies standing guard across the room. Squirmy anticipation rolls through the roster of six to 12-year-olds like a case of contagious wiggles. The children, sporting gym shorts and T-shirts and a few crumbs from an after-school …
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Lifelong baker and chef Pavel Hasenohrl has, in many ways, his dream job. Along with his wife Tracy, he owns Cremesh European Restaurant and Cremesh Coffee & Bakery, both in Bradenton.
The restaurant is open for dinner only and offers upscale dining, allowing Pavel to create inventive dishes using ingredients and methods from across Europe. The bakery and coffee shop allows Pavel to bake …
The From Cradle to College Foundation (which acts as a supporting organization to benefit the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County) was proud to launch Operation W.I.T. last October. Eager to learn more about this new program, Nextgen Family Magazine interviewed Rachel Spivey, Director of Community Educational Initiatives, and Stephanie Washington, the Operation W.I.T. Program Manager to get an insight on what Operation W.I.T does.
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WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
If you ever have a chance to meet Virginia (Gini) White, you might assume she’s an angel on earth. Over the last 39 years, Gini has fostered more than 300 children, most with severe medical needs. She has adopted three of her foster children and is in the process of adopting a fourth. Gini is also the proud mother of three biological adult sons.…
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
On Saturday mornings, a group of teens meets in a hangar at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport to build an airplane. An actual, two-seat, 20-foot-long airplane with a 26-foot wingspan.
This “light-sport aircraft” is small, lightweight, and simple to fly. It comes unassembled in a “kit” – a 1,000-pound crate – containing multiple aluminum sheets, plus everything else needed to assemble the plane, including …
WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Even in these precarious times, business is booming for Your CBD Store. However, founders Rachael and Marcus Quinn are not content to enjoy the spoils of their success alone. This husband-and-wife team prefers to pay it forward.
The Quinns’ CBD journey started in March 2018, when Rachael opened her first store in Bradenton. After using CBD oil herself with incredible results, she wanted to …
WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
From 2012 to 2020, Betsy Benac served tirelessly as a Manatee County commissioner at-large. Although she decided not to seek re-election, one thing is certain: Betsy’s unwavering dedication to the community will continue to have an impact for years to come.
“Local government is where things get done, so I was very excited to get elected eight years ago,” she reflects. “It was a …
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
The COVID-19 pandemic has been disastrous for visitor and tourist attractions worldwide, and Sarasota Jungle Gardens, a beloved, Old Florida park that’s been around for more than 80 years, is no exception.
However, things are starting to look up. Jungle Gardens has returned to its pre-COVID schedule; it’s hopeful to continue a seven-day-a-week schedule. The park, which in March cut 80 percent of its staff, is now …
WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Way back in 1971, a gang of pirates invaded Anna Maria Island, and they’ve been making waves across Manatee County ever since. But these aren’t your typical swashbucklers. Known as the AMI Privateers, this krewe is on a quest to help kids in the community.
The organization’s official mission is to have a positive impact on the area through community service and activities and …
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
On a recent Wednesday evening, in the Sunday School room at Trinity United Methodist Church in Bradenton, eight little girls danced. Matched by height and ability in groups of two, the girls kicked, tapped, and spun, sometimes holding hands, always smiling.
This was a typical Irish dancing class at the O’Reilly School of Dance. These younger girls ages four to 10 practice from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
To a symphony of humming vacuums, strawberry, leather, and jasmine air freshener scents floated among the soap bubbles at American Car Center, an iconic car wash perched along the main artery of West Bradenton and luring in A-list residents like former Florida State Senator Bill Galvano, Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown and Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells since the mid-90s.
Many loyal customers would …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
A hollow silence replaced screeching basketball shoes, whistles, and hollers from cheering parents and booming coaches that usually trumpet the commencement of basketball season at the Police Athletic League’s gymnasium in Bradenton. Lights dimmed, bleachers emptied, and the rhythmic dribble of the basketball hushed as COVID-19 – the pandemic that shocked the world and shuttered businesses, schools, and sports on a pivot – …
