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FEBRUARY 2025 941.312.0665 | 27TH STATE MEDIA, LLC
The Landings Compost Station in 2025
IMPORTANT DATES
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Reviewing Important Guidelines
6 By Maralyn Kaufman, Environmental Committee Chairperson
LOOK, UP IN THE SKY THE VULTURES ARE COMING
The Landings Compost Station, that opened in Feb. 2023, has experienced robust participation from inception to its approach into its third year! An additional bin has been added to manage the site and produce usable compost on a regular schedule. Volunteers have been exemplary at managing and maintaining the bins and the interest shown by Landings participants has been
steady and high. The end of 2024 and beginning of 2025 is a great time to review important guidelines that will keep the Compost Station performing smoothly and efficiently. .Please be cognizant of and fulfill the following important guidelines: - Read the signs on the bins (the signs provide timely, changing information). Please respect and adhere to the
important guidelines on the bins at the compost station – each bin is clearly marked to indicate it’s availability. Do not add new food scraps to any bin that is marked ‘DO NOT USE’ and please do not open (unscrew) the bottom hatch. - After depositing your items, cover them with a thin layer of browns (brown leaves and scoops are in basket)- and remember, too much browns fills the bins unnecessarily
and slows the compost process - Please chop large food items into smaller pieces to facilitate composting process (e.g., cut up whole pumpkins or squashes, etc.) - Please do not deposit animal products, oils, dairy products I look forward to hearing from you with any questions or suggestions by email (mkaufmanphd@ gmail.com) or text (585-820-3303)
Lauren Kurnov: A Celebration of Learning By Joan Lowery one’s actions could lead to positive social change.
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DAY TRIPPING: Exploring Tarpon Springs & Dunedin
Lauren Kurnov
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“LOVE LETTERS” PERFORMANCE
There is a major standout quality that describes Lauren Kurnov: Love of learning! Lauren’s curiosity, combined with her commitment to women’s issues specifically, as well as social justice and educational issues more generally, has enabled her to succeed in several different, yet related careers. I recently sat down with her to explore how Lauren’s career trajectory ties into her deepest values and commitments. J: Lauren, you grew up in Sarasota. What was that like? L: It was wonderful! I had a devoted family, it was beautiful, and I got to spend my high school years at Pine View, where I received a fantastic education. Also, our family visited my grandmother on Florida’s east coast a few times a year. Her deep commitment to women’s issues played a formative role in my life. She taught me how
J: Did you decide what profession, or major you wanted to pursue while at Pine View? L: Yes. I got to serve as Representative Dan Miller’s Page on Capitol Hill during the summer after my sophomore Year. The summer between my junior and senior year I interned at the Republican National Convention in San Diego. It was a great opportunity because I thought I wanted to go into politics. Given my interest in politics, I applied to George Washington University. During my freshman year at GW, I worked as an intern to Representative Miller on Capitol Hill. J: That must have been very exciting. L: It was. But I must tell you that after I got to witness firsthand how the governmental bureaucracy works, I decided that politics wasn’t for me. I wanted to have a more direct and concrete impact on making a positive difference in people’s lives. Politicians get bogged down in so many areas that are unrelated to doing that. So, I decided to change my major to Philosophy. J: Why Philosophy? L: GW had a fantastic Philosophy Department, and I wanted to broaden my horizons in terms of exploring different schools of thought and perspectives on reality.
It was a great choice. J: What then? L: After college, I moved to Philadelphia where I pursued a master’s degree in social work administration from the University of Pennsylvania. I studied organizational management, leadership, strategic planning and community organizing. I wanted to learn how to effectively actualize my passion for advocacy and social justice. I was particularly interested in making a difference in women’s lives as I believe that women’s rights are fundamentally human rights! J: Did you take a job in a non-profit after you graduated.? L: Yes. I worked at Planned Parenthood in Philadelphia for two years and absolutely loved it. I came full circle as my grandmother had been very active in Planned Parenthood in her community and often shared what a great contribution it made to women’s lives. J: What did you do there? L: I ran their volunteer program and worked with student advocacy groups at local colleges. I also organized 60 buses of students to attend The March for Women’s Lives in Washington, D.C. J: You then moved to New York City. Why did you leave Philadelphia? L: My then-fiancé got a job in
finance. It was a great opportunity. In NYC, I continued my work in the non-profit space for a few years at the Central Park Conservancy. I then transitioned into the field of higher education which has turned out to be my niche. J: How so? L: Given that learning has always been my passion, working in the educational field and helping students to succeed was a great match for me. I worked on student success- related issues at Hunter College in New York, at USF here in Sarasota and as a consultant at New College. My growing interest in education led me to pursue a doctorate in Educational Innovation while working at USF. J: What brought you back to Sarasota? L: We always knew that Sarasota would be a great place to raise our family. While living in NYC was very exciting, we couldn’t afford a place that was large enough to comfortably raise our family and dog. We didn’t want to move to the suburbs, and we always had moving back to Sarasota in our tentative long-term plans. It was a good move. J: That was ten years ago. So, it sounds like you’re here for good? L: Yes. Story continues on page 8
New Faces Join the LRC Board By Carolyn Friday page
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KID’S CORNER LIAM GROSS, 3
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Doesn’t it seem that every time you are at the Club you notice something new and improved? That is thanks to the dynamic LRC Board and the General Manager Kevin Lechlitner and his hardworking team. Every January, the seven-member board sees some changes. After a staggered two-year term, members step down and new ones take up the mantle. This year, Richard Stern and Linda Long are the new faces, as Beth Cotner and Bob Golicher, after many years of outstanding service, leave. Neil Goldman is a hybrid; he’s part of the new as well as the departing group, since he chose to run for a new two-year term. With only three candidates for three open seats, no election was required this year. Richard Stern is a familiar face to many. First, he has lived in The
Landings for an incredible 40 years. After owning two houses, Stern and his wife Kathy, settled in Eagles Point two years ago. But you also may recognize Stern because he is a local television celebrity. He has been sharing his expertise on business developments for Sarasota’s ABC Channel 7 for almost four decades. He is also still active in the financial field helping his son, Jeff, manage the successful Stern Wealth Management of Raymond James in downtown Sarasota. Linda Long is a relative newcomer to The Landings, although she and her husband Robert know Sarasota well. They met Kevin when he worked at The Oaks. Linda’s career as an educator in the Milwaukee Public Schools is impressive as is her volunteer resume. She has served on the boards
of the Sarasota Military Academy and Bayview Homes, and chaired the Guardian Ad Litem Tennis Fundraiser. Today, she is on the program committee of Sarasota Tiger Bay, and Eagle’s Point Circle landscaping committee. Stern and Long join incumbent board members Paige Packman, George Ulrich, Roger Blanken, and Agnes Schipper. Roger and Agnes (who have both been profiled recently in The Eagle) replaced Norm Olshansky and Ellen Demos, over the course of last year. With all these capable and enthusiastic board members, the LRC will remain in excellent hands. The club is grateful to Cotner, Golicher, Olshansky, and Demos for their outstanding stewardship while they helped make the LRC what it is today.
Richard Stern
Linda Long