E A ST COUNTY
Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
Gift of giving on display.
PAGE 10
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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FREE THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020
VOLUME 22, NO. 26
YOUR TOWN
An order of grit Restaurateurs work to persevere as their customers decide whether it is safe to return. PAGE 3
Liz Ramos
Connection cycle Jeff Wilson (above) and Mark Wojcicki, physical education teachers at Freedom Elementary School, biked 13.5 miles through Heritage Harbour on April 27, stopping to talk to any students they see on their route. Three times per week, the teachers run or bike through Freedom Elementary neighborhoods before returning to the school to do their e-learning videos. Families can track the pair on an app to see when they get near their house. “It’s nice to get out and talk to [the students],” Wilson said. “The kids love seeing us.”
Burden to bear Bearadise Ranch struggles financially during COVID-19 pandemic. SEE PAGE 8
Pam Eubanks
Bruno is eager to get a biscuit from Monica Welde, whose Bearadise Ranch in Myakka City has lost significant income due to the pandemic. Courtesy photo
Safe landing Three days after Ellie the cockatiel escaped from her home in Greenbrook on April 24, she found a landing spot 15 miles away — on the shoulder of Myakka City’s Laurel Schiller. Schiller and her daughter, Annie, were working at their nursery, Florida Native Plants Nursery and Landscaping, when Ellie landed. They brought Ellie inside and, within 20 minutes, had identified her owner through social media. The Putnam family — Alissa, Jim, Drew and Brooklyn Putnam and Caila Winkelman — were thrilled after three days of searching. “We could not have been more fortunate,” said Alissa Putnam (above with Ellie).
Lessons in love
Pam Eubanks
Ryan Rothhaar says his grandmother, Judy Robinson, hugs him so tightly he can hardly breath and that she makes him feel loved. His sister, Allie Rothhaar, agrees.
Lakewood Ranch moms say their mothering skills have been passed down through the generations. SEE PAGE 15
‘Tribute’ parade called off Tribute to Heroes Parade in Lakewood Ranch gives way to a virtual event on Memorial Day. SEE PAGE 2