Sarasota Pops Orchestra

Home from North Carolina!

hklauber — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:57:54 +0000

Hello Everyone! Sorry we haven’t posted or done much lately! We unfortunately had a house full of sick children… then sick parents. We also took a nice family trip to Topton North Carolina! The weather was cool and the views were stunningly beautiful. If I could ever recommend a Floridian go somewhere, it would be to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall. The leaves changing was breathtaking. We loved taking walks in the mountains, picking up and naming the orange yellow and red leaves, campfires, smores, and sitting in the hot tub! We are so excited to be on this amazing journey together with our children keep up to date with what we are doing!! Don’t Forget to PURCHASE your tickets and MAKE DONATIONS in Heather and Jordan’s name! XOXO

Welcome

emlovesjoe — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 20:14:10 +0000

Welcome friends, family and Sarasota Pops lovers!

I’m excited to use this platform to share our journey through the contest. Both Joey and I feel extremely blessed with this opportunity. Not only for the chance to win our own wedding but to bring awareness for this great organization. Our goal as a couple is to raise “gifts” for the Pops through donations, ticket sales and fundraising events.

February 10, 2013 “Nights in White Satin” is our featured concert, starring Graeme Edge, who happens to be the drummer for the Moody Blues! How cool?? Joey and I are looking forward to meeting all those who attend this concert! Make sure to purchase your tickets through our site, as this helps to get us one step closer to wedding bells!

I couldn’t think of a better way to gear up for this wedding season than to start with a fabulous engagement shoot. Thanks to Jessica Kurant, owner of JvK photography, and a beautiful sunset at Siesta Key Beach, we have images that will be cherished for a lifetime. I would like to share a few with you, but to see more head on over to Jessica’s blog here.

Thanks for stopping by, leave us a comment and remember to keep checking back for updates, events, and more!

xoxo Emily…aka. soon to be Mrs. Sckowska

Our Story – Kevin Sanderson & Caitlyn Miller

admin — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 23:43:41 +0000

Little did Caitlyn Miller and Kevin Sanderson know that going to a business networking event would change their lives. In April 2010, each went to an after-hours meeting of the Young Professionals Group at the Ringling Museum of Art and they returned there for their first date.

Caitlyn was rather impressed with Kevin when he was asked, very early on in their relationship, to be a board member of KAETA (Kids and Elders Through Arts), started by members of the Sarasota Orchestra.

How did Caitlyn know Kevin was a keeper? When he took time out of his Monday night to go to SCF and see Caitlyn’s 15-year-old mentee perform with the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.

Caitlyn works at Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida. Kevin works at Merritt & Sanderson, P.A.

After two-and-a-half years together, Kevin proposed on Caitlyn’s birthday in early October. We’re excited to share our wedding with the Sarasota Pops and think it will be a memorable adventure!

Our concert on October 28, 2012 will be poignant for the couple as the Church of the Palms held Caitlyn’s father’s funeral in 2000.

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dianosal — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 19:42:11 +0000

A weekend with our children and grandchildren.

Our Story – Jordan Hawley & Heather Klauber

admin — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:37:04 +0000

On September 15th 2012, Jordan and Heather took their two children Ayden and Skyler to the Florida aquarium. Jordan had planned a fabulous family day, but appeared very anxious and nervous. The entire drive he kept commenting about making it there in time to see the coral exhibit. Upon arriving Jordan quickly shuffled his family into the large shark tank to watch the exhibit where there were special seats assigned the “Hawley” family. As the show went on there suddenly appeared two scuba divers, one with a sign and one with a large stick to fend off any hungry sharks. As the sign rolled out and said ”Heather Will You Marry Me?”, Heather looked over and Jordan was down on his knee with their 4 year old son holding out a ring. Heather, holding the baby, rushed over crying tears of joy and took the ring as quickly as possible. The family will embark on the best journey of
their lives together.

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Our Story – John and Diane Nosal

admin — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:36:56 +0000

We were blessed to celebrate forty years of marriage this summer. Our story began in the fall of 1971, the first year out of college for both of us, in Pittsburgh, PA, where Diane was an elementary art teacher and John was working for Westinghouse. We met by chance at a college hangout near the University of Pittsburgh. Less than a year later, on August 26, 1972, we were married. Our relationship developed from friendship into a desire to spend the rest of our lives together and although much has happened in those 40 years, we are still best friends and would rather be with each other than anyone else.

We had our first child, Peter, in 1975, two years later, Amanda was born and then Stacey in 1980. Our three children continue to be a blessing to us and we travel to visit them whenever we can. Pete and his wife Kelly live in South Carolina with their three children, Amanda and her husband Christopher live in New York City, and Stacey lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Another little one will join the family soon as Amanda and Christopher are expecting their first child.

Nothing in life can make you appreciate what you have like the possibility of losing it. In 1981 Diane was diagnosed with an advanced stage of malignant melanoma. After surgery and years of tests, Diane thankfully remains healthy and strong. Although it was a difficult time for us both emotionally and physically, it was a time in our lives when our faith grew and we learned to appreciate each other and our family in a much deeper way than we ever knew was possible. We look back on this hard time and are thankful for it and how it has shaped our lives and marriage.

Before settling in Bradenton in 2001, we spent over 20 years in Ohio, where the kids grew up and went to school. We left many good friends in there when we moved here to live on “vacation” full time, although we both are still employed. Diane is an eighth grade guidance counselor at Haile Middle School in Manatee County, helping shape the younger generation. John works at the Bradenton Honda Store, helping clients improve their personal transportation.

This summer at our daughter Amanda’s wedding, John was asked by one of her friends what the secret is to a successful marriage. There are many answers to that question, but he answered what had worked for us for the past forty years: our lasting commitment to our Lord, our lasting commitment to each other, and a good sense of humor. We once heard and often use the expression “murder maybe but divorce never”! That makes us laugh and then we can handle whatever seems to be causing a crisis in our lives.

Because of our daughter’s wedding this year, we didn’t do that extra special celebration that we thought we would for our 40^th wedding anniversary. Now we are thrilled and honored that the Sarasota Pops has given us that opportunity with the chance to share our life’s blessings and the renewal of our vow of a lifelong commitment to each other.

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Our Story – Joey Sckowska & Emily Forbes

admin — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 19:35:49 +0000

Like a lot of couples, we were first introduced to each other in college. We have a mutual friend that had us both over for a get-together while we were both attending the University of Central Florida in 2006. There was an instant connection, though at the time we did not know how deep that connection would be, or how far it would take us.

Within 6 months of our introduction, Joey decided to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Not knowing what the future had in store for us, Joey left for boot camp on May 14 2006. Although we thought of each other often (which we learned in later conversations, but unknown to each other at the time) we did not see or even speak to each other for 4 years. During this time, Joey spent 18 of the 48 months overseas fighting the Global War on Terrorism, while Emily continued pursuing her degree in Behavioral and Social Science and working full time to pay her own way through college.

Ironically (or maybe it was fate) Joey’s discharge date from active duty was 2 weeks prior to Emily’s graduation from UCF. The same mutual friend that introduced us was in the same graduating class as Emily and threw a graduation party in which we both attended and were re-united after 4 years apart, in May of 2010. Of course the sparks were flying again, but it wasn’t until December 2010 that another mutual friend was getting married. Emily worked up the courage to call Joey and ask him to be her formal date for the wedding (she says she had to work up the courage, but she pretty much told me that I was going to the wedding with her!). Ever since that day we started dating and have been inseparable. For the first 9 months of the relationship, Emily was living in Orlando and Joey was living in Venice. This did not stop Joey from driving back and forth several times a week to be with her, sometimes making 2 trips from Venice to Orlando in a single day. Emily moved to Venice so we could be closer together while Joey attends school at USF Sarasota Manatee.

Then came the weekend of May 27,2012. We planned a trip for a mini vacation to Naples to relax and get away from the daily grind. The focus of our trip was relaxation and doing what we enjoy, which is checking out the area and seeing the local arts and restaurants they have to offer. We attended the Naples Philharmonic and visited a few museums. We then went to a beautiful dinner and finished off the evening with a quilt and a sunset on Naples Beach. Then Joey worked up the courage to propose to Emily at Sunset, making him the happiest man in the world!

We hope to have the arts incorporated into our wedding, as it was in our engagement. This opportunity with Sarasota Pops Orchestra is the perfect way, a dream come true. We hope you all feel the same way, and will help us make this beautiful outcome a reality for us!

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Art Whisperer: Robyn on Rhythm Part Two

admin — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:30:41 +0000

Art Whisperer: Robyn on Rhythm: Beatles & Beyonce

admin — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:21:10 +0000

Symphonic Metamorphosis – IV. Marsch

admin — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 03:47:55 +0000