Holiday Etiquette 101 — RSVP ASAP

If you’re planning a party for the holiday — or if you’ve received invites to mistletoe merriment, you may want to read my annual rant about the fact that people just don’t RSVP anymore!

In the TICKET — found in news boxes throughout the city today for free or online at:

MC’s annual rant about people who don’t RSVP!

Homes … and Toys … for the Holidays

My Sense and the City column this week is about the children in our community who don’t have homes — and a lucky 27 who finally do.

It’s also about what you can do to help children without “forever families” this holiday season.

If you’re interested, you can click on the link below to read online … or check it out in tomorrow’s TICKET in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Homes … and Toys … just in time for the holidays!

Don’t miss this event! Community Leaders & Gov Officials Take to the Stage to Benefit the Homeless

The 11th annual Thanksgiving community luncheon presented by the Sarasota Ministerial Association will bring together a diverse group of government, faith and other community leaders — people like Dr. Sarah Pappas (one of my favorite Sarasotans!) — to celebrate Thanksgiving and share a delicious lunch with the homeless in our community – all while enjoying a hilarious enactment of the iconic TV program, I Love Lucy.

Written by local playwright Kathryn Chesley, “Thanksgiving with Lucy Ricardo & Friends” will be performed during the luncheon on Wednesday, November 23rd, 11:45 am to 1:00 pm, in the First Baptist Church, 1670 Main Street, Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited to this no charge, free luncheon theater.

The all star cast for the play will include Sarasota County Commissioner Carolyn Mason and Sarasota NAACP President Trevor Harvey as TV’s Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson, Commissioner Joe Barbetta and Selby Foundation President Dr. Sarah Pappas as Honeymooner’s Ralph and Alice Kramden, Sarasota School Board Commissioner Caroline Zucker and Sarasota City Commissioner Paul Caragiulo will be Lucy’s neighbors, Ethel and Fred Mertz. Of course, as in many past performances, the anchor, County Commissioner Jon Thaxton will return as Honest Abe Lincoln along with Wendy Hopkins, recently retired from the Sarasota Community Foundation, as Mrs. Lincoln.

The Reverend Dr. Tom Pfaff, who serves as Chair of the Sarasota Ministerial Association as well as Chaplain-Director of Goodwill Industries Manasota, said “The hope for this benefit is to directly bless our community’s leaders and homeless citizens by celebrating Thanksgiving side-by-side eating and laughing together. We figure everyone ought to be able to cry and cackle with Lucy while enjoying Thanksgiving turkey with all the trimmings.”

A Free-Will offering will be taken, and 100% will be given to the Sarasota Salvation Army to benefit their Thanksgiving Day meals for our community’s homeless. The 40 plus member Sarasota Ministerial Association will be inviting the homeless and others they serve and the public to come and celebrate thanksgiving together.

All Faiths Fundraising Update … 148 Thanksgiving dinners so far!

All Faiths Food Bank MC Coolidge Sense and the City fundraising drive update:

All Faiths told me on Thursday that we’ve already raised $1,780 through donations from readers! That’s 148 Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmins’ — for families of four or so …Thank you so much! The drive continues through Thanksgiving. Click on this link below if you’d like to know how to participate.

http://www.mccoolidge.com/2011/11/03/mc-reality-ticket-readers-annual-all-faiths-food-drive/

Observer-ations about the erstwhile Pelican Press

Readers still write to me in emails about “what’s happened to the Pelican Press we used to love so much!?” And just recently, a reader of this blog posted his consternation about the ways he perceives the paper has changed.

Click here to read what this longtime reader of the Pelican Press has to say.

Bloodbath at Pelican Press.

Sarasota Audience Gives Blues Fest its Soul

My Sense and the City column in today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune looks at last weekend’s Blues Fest. My take? It’s the audience that makes this concert rock.

You can read it in today’s TICKET section or click below to read it online.

Sarasota Audience Gives Blues Fest its Soul

MC Reality & Ticket Readers … Annual All Faiths Food Drive!

My Sense and the City column in today’s TICKET section of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune kicks off my annual November fundraising drive to help feed the hungry in our community through the All Faiths Food Bank. You can read the column online by clicking on this text: The Tradition of Giving Thanks By Giving to Others

Once again, I’m donating my entire earnings during November from my freelance newspaper gig — which this year will be more than prior years I’m happy to say!

If you’d like to join in with MC’s drive for All Faiths Food Bank, there are two easy ways to do so:

Online: Visit www.allfaithsfoodbank.org (just write “MC’s TICKET column drive” in the special instructions box).

Mail: Send a check, with the same notation — MC’s TICKET column drive”, to All Faiths Food Bank, 8171 Blaikie Court, Sarasota, Florida 34240-8321.

I’ll be reporting results in an upcoming TICKET column and on this blog as well.

If you’re able to participate and donate money — that’s wonderful, but, as I point out in my column, there are lots of ways to “give thanks” without specifically giving cash … one of the best ways is just by being kinder. The next time someone pulls a bone-headed move in traffic, the next time you’re waiting in a long line, the next time the older person in front of you is moving slower than a tortoise, the next time some kid is screaming his head off … just take a deep breath and be patient! If you’re in a car, waiting in line to buy something, in a hurry to get somewhere and able to hear … hey, you’ve got a lot to be thankful for!

Breaking the silence on domestic violence … thanks to readers

Thanks — merci mille fois – grazie – danke, to every one who posted such supportive comments and shared their own stories in response to my recent op/ed piece in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (to read it online just click here). I’ve heard from so many women — and several men, too — either on this blog, in direct emails, phone calls, comments in person, and in letters written to the editor of the newspaper. Thank you all for taking the time to contact me.

To read some of the comments readers have shared, click on this link here .

Le Barge and le bark in the park

This week’s Sense and the City column is about my weekend spent celebrating Mummy’s birthday … you can read it in tomorrow’s TICKET or just click here! Le Barge and Bark in the Park.

Lessons Learned from Ashton & Demi (or as I like to call them — Ashemi)

My Sense and the City column in today’s Sarasota Herald-Tribune TICKET section asks the question: What did Demi Moore see in Ashton Kutcher, anyway? You can read it by clicking here:

http://www.ticketsarasota.com/2011-10-20/section/nightlife/sense-and-the-city-lessons-learned-from-ashton-demi/