©
AUGUST 2024 941.312.0665 | 27TH STATE MEDIA, LLC
What’s going on at the Nature Trail? By Doug Booth and Suzanne BeDell
LRC TENNIS REPORT
page
Hurricane Ian exposed significant weakness at the head of our beloved Nature Trail
6
SINGERS WANTED
10
page LOOKING FOR A COMPANION?
page
17
GRADUATE PROFILE
page
20
GRAND CANYON RAFT TRIP
page
21
The high winds of Ian left a “hot mess” at the head of the Nature Trail that deteriorated as damaged cedars were overrun by Brazilian peppertrees, air potato vine, and nickerbean. These invasive plants are being removed and replaced with a microforest of native, non-invasive plants. In a microforest native species are planted close together to compete for sunlight. This technique allows trees to grow upward instead of sideways. As a result, the forest grows denser and as much as ten times faster. Microforests quick ly provide t he ecological benefits of cooling the soil, sequestering carbon, accommodating wildlife, purifying storm water runoff and preventing localized flooding by improving drainage. It will attract songbirds, pollinators and
butterflies and create a sustainable ecosystem along our Nature Trail. T h e wo r k i s b e i n g overseen by Doug Booth of LMA’s Lakes and Drainage committee. The invasive removal will be completed in August. Following the removal, volunteers will cover the cleared area with cardboard to suppress weed growth. This cardboard is then covered with organic mulch to retain moisture and contribute to soil fertility. Earthworms will perform their magic to enrich the soil below. In September a hired crew will plant the first phase, a “living wall” around the homes adjoining the head of the Nature Trail. Florida native plants will be used, and a native plant landscape designer will supervise the selection and placement of
the plants. After the living wall is in place, a microforest will be planted with native plants and trees chosen for longevity and height. Many of the plants will be salt tolerant. Microforests have been successfully installed in Sarasota County at the Celery Fields, Stoneybrook Gulf and Country Club, Herons Nest and Mangrove School. Are you interested in helping? We need people to remove air potato vine f rom sta nds of nat ive plants and to lay cardboard and mulch i n Aug ust. Contact Suzanne BeDell at suzannebedell1@gmail. com for more information or use the Com m it tee Volunteer sign-up sheet on The Landings Resident Website (click “other” for committee interest and type “Microforest”).
Landings resident profile By Joan Lowery
Michelle Kapreilian: An open heart, mind and hard work led to finding her calling Michelle Kapreilian, CEO of Forty Carrots Family Center and a Landings resident, learned early in life ‘to go with the proverbial flow.’ As we chatted, her openness to life was palpable. It has paid off for her in myriad of ways. She has enjoyed successful careers in the business and non- profit sectors. She embraces traveling around the globe and expanding her horizons. She has nurtured deep relationships with her two daughters, and she has a talent for building profound connections both personally and professionally. In short, when something feels right, Michelle is the kind of person who takes a chance and pursues new experiences with gusto. Michelle says she couldn’t have predicted that she would find her ultimate calling in educating and supporting children, teens and families to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to create healthy, harmonious lives. However, like an oyster that, over time transforms into a pearl, Michelle’s early life experiences seemed to sow the seeds for what would become her indelible sense of purpose. As CEO of Forty Carrots, she is devoted to using her skills and talents to help families thrive. Michelle grew up in a multi-generational Armenian household in Boston, New Jersey and Florida. Her close-knit family included a Bulgarian Armenian greatgrandmother who served as a model of strength, empathy and courage. The scars of the brutal Armenian genocide suffered at the hands of Turkey, along
with tragic examples of being marginalized in other countries where Armenians settled led to an urgency on the parts of American Armenians to keep their culture, values and religion alive. Enjoying close extended family ties, appreciating her ethnic and cultural background, and celebrating diversity became part of the fabric of Michelle’s life. J : Yo u r m a t e r n a l grandmother and greatgrandmother lived with you for several years. What was that like? M:My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were all mentors for me. They were smart, courageous and powerful women. My greatgrandmother had an especially deep influence on me. J: How so? M: She was amazing. She was smart, strong, savvy and brave. After her husband died in Bulgaria, and knowing no one here, she came to the U.S. with her two young children. While she didn’t speak much English her influence on me was profound. J: You excelled academically and were offered several college scholarships. You decided to accept a scholarship to Huntington College, a small private college in Montgomery, Alabama and it changed your life. Tell me about it. M: I surprised myself when I visited the college. I wasn’t planning on attending such a small school, but I loved the atmosphere. I was exposed to students from the Deep South who came from very different backgrounds than mine. I made great friends. I
was in student government, and I was my class’s ‘Token Yankee.’ They had never met an Armenian, but I felt fully accepted. J: What did you major in? M: Psychology. I always loved people and wanted to learn more about human development. I considered getting a graduate degree but changed my mind. Instead, I went into the business world. J: Did you have specific career goals when you graduated? M: No. I was pretty fluid. My goals were to travel, support myself and go back to Boston to live closer to my extended family and friends. I moved to Boston where I got a job. I soon met and married my former husband.
Story continues on page 14.
Michelle Kapreilian
Michelle’s family: Her two daughters, Michelle and her nephew in the back row (Michelle is second from left). Her mother and brother in the front row.