Florida Celebrates Midwives Week this October

Florida Friends of Midwives is proud to join the American College of Nurse Midwives, theMidwives Association of Florida, and communities statewide in celebrating National Midwifery Week and Florida Licensed Midwives Week during the first week in October.

Midwifery Week is a chance for midwives and the women they serve to reflect on their experiences and midwifery's contributions to women's health care, including attending births and providing well-woman care. Throughout Florida, regional groups of Florida Friends of Midwives are celebrating with awareness events, social gatherings and local Mayor's proclamations.

One such proclamation will be read at the Sarasota City Commission meeting October 3rd. “Midwives make a strong contribution to the health and well-being of mothers and babies through proper care and treatment in all phases of childbirth," says Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell. “I look forward to welcoming all those involved in this important effort.”

Midwives have a long and valued history in Florida. The state first passed legislation to license direct-entry midwives in 1931, and the first Certified Nurse Midwife was licensed in Florida in 1970. Florida’s midwives have continued to tirelessly serve the families of Florida and to ensure the continued availability of safe, evidence-based birthing options for Florida’s families.

Florida Friends of Midwives celebrates midwives in Florida and throughout the world during this special week. For more information about midwifery in Florida, please visit flmidwifery.org.

ABOUT FLORIDA FRIENDS OF MIDWIVES (FFOM): Florida Friends of Midwives (FFOM) is a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting the Midwives Model of Care and supporting the practice of midwifery in Florida. Florida Friends of Midwives was formed to support midwives who offer safe, cost-effective, evidence based care to Florida's Families. FFOM members are consumers and birth advocates committed to organizing the community to support midwives and to assure the continued availability of midwifery care in the State of Florida. For more information, please visit flmidwifery.org.

September: Infant Mortality Awareness Month

September is National Infant Mortality Month, but for Orlando midwife Jennie Joseph and her dedicated team, the fight to provide quality prenatal care to all expecting mothers and reduce the high infant mortality rate is a year-round campaign.

“Simply put, our babies are dying!” states Joseph, executive director of Commonsense Childbirth Inc. and the founder of The JJ Way® Maternity Health Care System, a program that successfully demonstrates reduced levels of infant mortality. “People just don’t realize the impact of infant mortality in our communities.” Joseph’s innovative maternal child health (MCH) program is designed to educate the public, community leaders, and elected officials on te need to reduce infant mortality and the practical steps to achieving that goal.

Joseph, who also operates The Birth Place, a multi-site birthing center , women’s health clinic and midwifery training program in Central Florida, remains committed to eliminating one of this country’s saddest and most preventable medical concerns – the high death rate among African American newborns and babies under the age of one. Statistics show that the infant mortality rate among African-Americans continues to be more than twice the rate among White babies and, according to a new report out just last week, babies in the United States have a higher risk of dying during their first month of life than do babies born in 40 other countries[1].

Medical experts agree that the two most prevalent causes of high infant mortality are premature births before the 37th week of pregnancy, and low birth weight. The Florida infant mortality rate has hovered around 8% for all races and 14% for African American women annually[2]. “These fragile babies are actually a result ,” says Joseph. “The cause is the lack of access to quality maternity healthcare as well as a lack of education and support, particularly for disenfranchised women who face multiple obstacles to finding help.”

A 2007 study[3] conducted at The Birth Place, utilizing The JJ Way® Maternity Health Care System, provided 100 participants with education, support and vital prenatal care. As a result, there were only 4 low birth weight babies born overall and no low birth weight babies to the African American or Hispanic women in the study. While national agencies such as Healthy Start and March of Dimes have led the charge by stressing the need to address this serious issue, Joseph believes that increased community awareness is essential to the campaign to eliminate these disparities. To that end, Commonsense Childbirth and The JJ Way® have developed extensive training and certification programs to increase the number of maternity healthcare providers, doulas, childbirth educators and community agencies willing to tackle this problem.

Additional information including a video can be found at http://commonsensechildbirth.org/jj-way.

Jennie Joseph will be speaking at Bentley’s Cafe (805 Donald Ross Road Juno Beach) at 6:30pm on September 23rd. The event is open to the public. Ms. Joseph will also be holding a Doula Training September 24th and 25th at the Palm Beach Marriott. For more details regarding these events or information about Commonsense Childbirth, The Birth Place or The JJ Way, please contact Kathy Bradley at (321) 213-1112 or email kathy.ccsmidwifery@gmail.com.

[1] http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/newborn-death-rates-1849/

[2] http://www.marchofdimes.com/peristats/pdflib/999/pds_12_all.pdf

[3] Funded by Winter Park Health Foundation, Evaluated by Health Council of East Central Florida

RISE: Sarasota's First Kitchen Share

For many culinary entrepreneurs, the initial investment of launching a food business is enough to squash their dreams. Sarasota baker and local food enthusiast Christine Nordstrom knows these challenges first hand, and has seen them stand in the way of success for many talented chefs in her own community. This summer, she decided to do something about it. Introducing RISE, Sarasota’s first licensed commercial kitchen share.

RISE makes it possible to start a food based business for a fraction of the cost by providing all inclusive hourly or monthly rent to clients that fits their individual needs. Each client is required to obtain their own licensing, permits and liability insurance to operate a business in the state of Florida. However, RISE offers much more than refrigeration and oven space; experts are available for consultation, guidance though the food business licensing process, culinary education, and referrals every step along the way. RISE allows an idea to become a viable product.

“Every Saturday, it seemed I would meet another person with a dream,” says Nordstrom, whose bakery SIFT is a cornerstone of the Downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market. “Each conversation would end in the same way—I’d learn they didn’t have the financial investment or space needed to execute their ideas.”

Nordstrom did some market research and learned that commercial shared kitchens are thriving in larger markets throughout the country. “It’s a win-win situation. Local food, local business, and local dreams are all being supported here.”

For more information about RISE or to schedule an initial consultation with owner Christine Nordstrom, please call (941)306-6072 or email christine@watchmerise.com.

ABOUT RISE: RISE is a licensed commercial kitchen share where you can dream, create, produce and RISE. We will help your food based business grow in any way we can, from consultation to facility rental. Please call Christine Nordstrom at (941) 306-6072 or visit www.watchmerise.com for more information.

12th & East Kicks off Third Thursday Party

12th & East Home at the Beach will begin a seasonal series of artist showcases this Thursday, September 15th, from 5pm to 8pm. The event, being dubbed “Party in the Plaza,” will take place at this beachside boutique every third Thursday of the month through May.

This month’s inaugural event will feature local artists Greg Lowman, Dustin Cole, Jessica DellaTorre, Breslyn Reiber, Dani O’Neil with Lola Love, and Heather Howard with Nautical Nonsense. Live art will be performed by Cheeta and live music by Trevor Bystrom. Light fare and wine will be served.

“I have been waiting all summer for this,” says owner and designer Jessica Holmes. “This community is my home. It is an honor to be able to celebrate the artistic talent that abounds here.”

Now located at 5416 Marina Drive, 12th & East Home at the Beach brings their unique vintage modern aesthetic seaside, while continuing to hand-select and update 17th and 18th century antique treasures. This summer the boutique has introduced new lines of women’s clothing, shoes, bags, table linens, serving wares, dish soaps and more to the Anna Maria Island community. To learn more about 12th & East Home at the Beach or any of these fine artists, please call (941) 778-7440 or visit www.12thandEastHome.com.

About 12th & East Home: 12th & East Home at the Beach is a sophisticated home accessories showroom in Holmes Beach, Florida. Designer Jessica Holmes presents an ever-changing collection of vintage-inspired modern accents and expertly selected consigned antiques, establishing a unique and relevant aesthetic for today’s discerning home decorator. The Sarasota collection has expanded to include a more casual, seaside lifestyle. Please call (941) 778-7440 to learn more, or visit us on the web at www.12thandEastHome.com.

Rosemary Birthing Home Launches New Website

Rosemary Birthing Home, one of two freestanding birth centers in Sarasota, has launched a comprehensive new website (www.rosemarybirthinghome.com). The website was designed to inform families that are pregnant or considering pregnancy about the Midwives Model of Care, and to illustrate the strong community that midwifery creates.

Rosemary Birthing Home’s new website was designed and developed locally by Max Kelly Design and Seven Thirty Three, and coordinated by Kangaroo Promotions, Inc. All of the photographs on the site, with the exception of the client photo gallery, were taken of Rosemary families by Valerie Joy Photography. The site includes information for fathers and big siblings, waterbirth videos, birth announcements, meetings and events held at the birthing home, and an extensive resource guide. “Anyone considering pregnancy or looking to choose a maternity care provider should visit this website,” says project manager Laura Gilkey. “It really illustrates the kind of expert, gentle care that midwives provide. The faces in their clients’ photos say it all.”

Rosemary Birthing Home was established in 2003 and is owned and operated by Licensed Midwives. A free-standing birth center in Sarasota’s historic Rosemary District, Rosemary Birthing Home offers personalized midwifery care embedded with the philosophy that birth is a normal, healthy process that most often requires no medical intervention.

For more information, please call 941.330.9966 or visit www.rosemarybirthinghome.com.

About Rosemary Birthing Home: Established in 2003, Rosemary Birthing Home is a free-standing birth center in Sarasota’s historic Rosemary District. Owned and operated by Florida licensed midwives, Rosemary Birthing Home offers personalized midwifery care, birth center births, home births, water births, pre-pregnancy nutrition counseling, postpartum care, support groups, lactation counseling, complete childbirth education, a lending library and more. A free orientation to Rosemary Birthing Home is offered by appointment at (941) 228-7303. For more information, please call 941.330.9966 or visit www.rosemarybirthinghome.com.

Local Businesses Join Healthy Start to Collect Diapers in August

No child should ever wear the same diaper all day. The unfortunate reality is that here in Sarasota County, one in three families in struggles with providing the bare necessities for their babies. With the cost of diapers at more than $100 each month per child, many parents must make the difficult choice between diapers and food. Infants who don’t have a clean diaper are likely to suffer from painful urinary tract infections and other serious complications.

Throughout the month of August, the Healthy Start Coalition of Sarasota County, Inc., a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of pregnant women, infants, and young children in Sarasota County, is collecting diapers to give to families in need. You can donate unopened packages of diapers (cloth or disposable) and wipes at several convenient locations. Cash donations to purchase diapers will also be accepted at the Healthy Start Coalition office. Healthy Start will also be collecting donations at the Downtown Sarasota Farmer’s Market on Saturday, August 13th.

Drop-off locations include:

• Healthy Start Coalition Office (also accepting cash donations) at 1750 17th Street, Building A
• Healthy Start Program Office, 2nd Floor, Sarasota County Health Department, 2200 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota
• Birthways Family Birth Center, 4222 McIntosh Lane, Sarasota, FL 34232
• Rosemary Birthing Home, 800 Central Ave. Sarasota
• Media on Main, 1341 Main Street, Downtown Sarasota
• Jackson Hewitt Beneva Office; 5779 Beneva Road, Sarasota
• Jackson Hewitt Venice Office, 545 US HWY 41 Bypass, Venice, FL
• Bippy Diapers, 4911 14th St. W., Ste. 204, Bradenton FL 34207
• Walgreens, 3155 University Pkwy., Sarasota FL 34243
• Walgreens, 3535 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234
• Walgreens, 1700 N Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota, FL 34234
• Walgreens, 1947 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34236
• Walgreens, 3550 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34237
• Walgreens, 5800 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34233

For more information, please contact Ciera Galbraith, Education and Development Coordinator for The Healthy Start Coalition, 941-373-7070, ext. 303.

AC Company Keeps Sarasota Cool in Record Heat

Just in time for this summer’s record heat wave, Southwest Florida has a new choice in air conditioning service technology. Kinetic Air Services, led by experienced managing partner Lee Senseman, is the product of an evolutionary vision of home indoor air service, providing custom tailored air system solutions to clients in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Kinetic Air Services was founded on the principle that clean air matters to the health of our homes, our families, and our community. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental dangers to the public. Kinetic Air Services focuses on proper air exchange, filtration, and purification, their three tenets of healthy indoor air quality. Kinetic’s technicians are NATE (North American Technician Excellence) and EPA certified, have extensive experience in the HVAC industry, and back their work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee for service, repair and comfort.

Lee Senseman’s experience and industry involvement dates back to 1976, when he completed trade school and began work as a field technician. He moved to the Suncoast in 1985 and he then continued to evolve as a senior commercial technician, successful service manager and most recently as principal at several prominent firms. After 35 years in the industry, Senseman had cultivated a vision of providing top quality, thorough and affordable air services to our community. “Over the years, I have developed a systemic approach to providing indoor air quality that just isn’t being offered elsewhere,” says Senseman. “I decided to openKinetic Air Services to better assist my clients and my community.”

Kinetic Air Services is a full spectrum air service company. They begin by providing a complete assessment of an existing system, focused on maximizing performance and reducing energy costs, to determine the most appropriate service plan for each client. From the design and implementation of complete air distribution systems to the installation of filtration, purification, ventilation and dehumidification components to unmatched cleaning and repair, Kinetic Air Services is a concierge service for your home’s health. Please visit www.kineticairservices.com or call (941) 748-8488 for more information or to schedule an assessment today.

About Kinetic Air Services: An evolution in HVAC business philosophy, Kinetic Air Services is dedicated to providing whole home care solutions. With concierge-level service and professionalism, our master technicians will provide affordable and timely guaranteed comfort. For more information or to contact Kinetic Air Services, please visit www.kineticairservices.com or call (941) 748-8848.

Pure Barre to Open in Sarasota

Pure Barre, the workout that is sweeping the nation with its ballet barre centered technique, is opening its newest location in Sarasota, Florida this June. The third studio to open in Florida, Sarasota joins Santa Rosa Beach and Boca Raton as epicenters of this barre based regimen.

Pure Barre is a total body workout that lifts your seat, tones your thighs and burns fat in record-breaking time.The technique protects your joints, as it does not involve high impact movements such as bouncing or jumping. Utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to fantastic music, Pure Barre is the fastest, most effective, yet safest way to change your body. Students see results in an average of just 7 to 10 classes.

Pure Barre was founded by dancer, choreographer and fitness guru, Carrie Rezabek. Carrie opened her first studio in 2001, and in 2006 Pure Barre began expanding and is now offered in studios nationwide.

The Sarasota studio is being introduced by franchisees Melissa DeMore and Sara Ferguson. “Pure Barre is nothing like any fitness program that I've tried,” says DeMore. “I’m driven to Pure Barre because it provides a strength workout that helps create the long, lean body that so many women seek.” Ferguson also immediately fell in love with the low impact technique, because it gave her the ability to work out throughout her pregnancy. “Melissa and I started talking about our love for this technique, and knew that together we could bring Pure Barre to Sarasota."

Pure Barre Sarasota is opening on June 20th in the Paradise Plaza shopping center. Classes will be offered 7 days a week and is extending a New Client Special with 30 days of unlimited classes for $99. For scheduling and pricing, please visit www.purebarre.com, or email sarasota@purebarre.com.

About Pure Barre Sarasota: Pure Barre is a total body workout that lifts your seat, tones your thighs and burns fat in record-breaking time. Utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to fantastic music. Recently featured in US Weekly, Allure Magazine, Women’s Health and Fitness Magazine, Pure Barre is quickly being recognized asthe fastest, most effective, yet safest way to change your body. Please visit us on the web at www.purebarre.com.

Lollicake Queen Opens Sweet Spot in Sarasota

The Lollicake Queen, a Sarasota-based company owned by sisters Erin Zolner and Amy Nichols, has opened the doors to its Southside Village sweet shop. Erin has been making her signature “lollicakes” for her friends and their special occasions for several months. The calls and requests were coming in at such a high volume, she realized there was a real local demand for the delicious sticked cake bites.

“It is a dream come true for me to have a storefront in Sarasota,” says Erin. “We are so excited to open the doors of our Southside Village location and be able to showcase our unique treats! We have so many surprises planned!”

A grand opening reception at the new shop, located at 1821A Hillview Street, is planned for the summer. For more information about The Lollicake Queen, please visit www.thelollicakequeen.com.

About The Lollicake Queen: The Lollicake Queen creates custom cakes on a stick for any occasion! Each cake is about the size of a golf ball and is surprisingly moist, delicious and filling! Cake flavors include: Vanilla, Chocolate, Red Velvet, Carrot, Spice, Lemon, Banana Bread, Cinnamon and Cookies and Cream. The Lollicake Queen creates custom colors and designs for any occasion. Please call Erin or Amy at (941) 993-2265 or visit www.thelollicakequeen.com for more information.

Sarasota Architectural Foundation Welcomes Michael Gilkey, Jr. to Present Modern Landscapes

The Sarasota Architectural Foundation is showcasing the work of landscape architects next week by welcoming Sarasota landscape architect Michael Gilkey, Jr., ASLA, to join their acclaimed lecture series. The presentation will be held in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Community Room on Thursday, May 19, at 5:30 pm.

Michael Gilkey, Jr. is a Florida licensed landscape architect and president of Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. (www.magilkey.com), a landscape architecture, contracting and maintenance studio in Sarasota, Florida. Gilkey specializes in residential design-build landscape architecture in Southwest Florida. He brings a passion for design, horticulture, and conceptual process to his firm and to the community.

“I was honored when the Sarasota Architectural Foundation invited me to speak,” said Gilkey. “They are sharing with our community what Sarasota architecture looks like as a historical imprint, part of a greater context. To be invited to share my perspective is a great compliment.”

During his presentation, Gilkey will introduce his profession explain his design process from an architectural vantage point. He will explore what makes a landscape sustainable, and will showcase the work of his firm and our community while engaging the audience in casual conversation.

Event: Michael Gilkey, Jr. Presents Modern Landscapes, Thursday, May 19, 5:30 pm

Address: 1741 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34236

Admission: $15 SAF & AIA members - $25 non members

Reservations: info@sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org | 941-364-2199

About Sarasota Architectural Foundation: The mission of the Sarasota Architectural Foundation (SAF) is to promote preservation and awareness of Sarasota's architecture and design, beginning with the Sarasota School of Architecture and beyond. SAF was formed to focus on the ongoing preservation and celebration of the Sarasota School structures, and the promotion of architectural excellence within the Sarasota community. For more information, please visit www.sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org or call 941-364-2199.

About Michael A. Gilkey, Inc.: Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. is a landscape architecture studio in Sarasota, Florida, established in 1981. Through a passion for pure design and personal relationships with architects, contractors and homeowners, Gilkey creates expressions of outdoor space that are direct translations of their clients’ visions. For more information, please visit www.magilkey.com or call (941) 924-0132.