VOL. 27 NO. 6
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JUNE 2025
The Boys & Girls Clubs Of Martin County’s Second Annual Songwriters In The Round The Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County’s Second Annual Songwriters in the Round, presented by Beth and Steve Svopa and Brown & Brown Insurance, was a crowd pleaser. On a starry night that included a rocket launch, guests wore boots, jeans, dresses, and cowboy hats for an unforgettable evening of country music, barbecue, and dancing. Songwriters in the Round made its debut in 2023, and for the second time, the event was sold out. Set among the country-style barn and decor, guests enjoyed cocktail hour, a silent auction, and delicious appetizers by the Fork in the Road food truck by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County’s culinary program. There was a special performance by local musician Kurt Stevens, who is known for blending laid-back trop-rock with the storytelling soul of country. Guests enjoyed an intimate musical experience that offered a “behind-the-music” concert with the best of Nashville’s singer/songwriters, Brice Long, who has enjoyed a successful 25-plus year music career. As a songwriter, he has had over 175 of his songs cut with artists The Boys & Girls Clubs on page 4
Culinary student
Brice Long, Beth and Steve Svopa, Phillip White
Dazzling 10-Foot Marlin Sculpture Shines At Lighthouse ArtCenter’s Roadside Reveries Exhibition A r t i s t R e n e Gibson’s Lucky Mike blends beauty, resilience, and Florida flair with nearly 100,000 hand-placed crystals. Roadside Reveries, on view at Lighthouse ArtCenter through August 1, brings together 22 contemporary artists from across Florida and the U.S. to explore the strange beauty and nostalgia of Florida’s vacation culture. Rene Gibson with Lucky Mike
From hand-painted signage and souvenir-like sculptures to surreal taxidermy and mermaids, the exhibition captures the quirky spirit of roadside attractions and the wonder they inspire. Among the standout pieces is Lucky Mike, a 10-foot-long sculpture of a leaping marlin by mixed-media artist Rene Gibson, encrusted with nearly 100,000 shimmering crystals that catch and reflect the light in dazzling, ever-changing ways. Curated by Anthony Record, Roadside Reveries, reflects on how Florida’s tourist destinations blur the lines between history and fantasy, and between the natural and the manmade. Curator Record expressed, “Pieces like Lucky Mike show how art can transform the way we see nature, not just as a scenic backdrop but as something alive, full of possibility and character.” Gibson’s Lucky Mike anchors that vision with shimmering intensity. Composed of crystals in 36 different colors and enhanced with 13 specialty coatings, the sculpture glows Lighthouse ArtCenter on page 6
Council On Aging Honors Seven Martin County Seniors With Sage Awards The Council on Aging Martin County honored seven Martin County seniors at the Ninth Annual Sage Awards Celebration in April, proving that age is not an indicator of impactful community involvement. All seven honorees have an impressive record of accomplishments for all they did throughout their working lives. Each of them is also creating a legacy of service to the community in their senior years. At the Sage Awards Celebration, Council on Aging CEO Karen Ripper noted that the honorees come from various walks of life but they share a remarkable demonstration of leadership, unwavering dedication, and deep compassion for others. The 2025 Sage Awards honorees are: Gert Rodgers, Chairman’s Award, an accomplished healthcare administrator with a passion for quality care for all and a tireless advocate for seniors and issues of aging; Tom Campenni, Charlie Kane Award, the founder and publisher
of the community digital newsletter Friends & Neighbors; Nick Blount, Community Service, a longtime leader and volunteer for causes and projects that improve the life of the community; Tony Anderson, Education, a former teacher and school board member and an energetic champion of education; Kristal Wion Eckhardt, Arts and Culture, the founder of the highly successful
Michael and Diane Dadko, Board member Steven McGovern, Jeannie McCall, Board Chair Dr. Neil Boland, Honoree Gertrude Rodgers, Michele Davidson, Jill Burton, Board member Bert Giscombe, Shawn Perrigo Council On Aging on page 6