Venetian Community Grateful to Fire Chief for CPR & AED Training

On November 18, Venice Fire Chief Frank Giddens conducted two classes for residents on CPR, AED, and Heimlich Maneuver training. This training, sponsored by your Community Association, has been ongoing at the VGRC for over a decade, training hundreds of residents in life-saving techniques. Notably, training residents has directly resulted in at least two lives saved at the Venetian. This information was previously reported in an article on this website in August 2023.  

Fire Chief Giddens estimates that over a dozen citizens have been saved in Venice over the past few years through the Fire Department’s CPR and AED services. He recommends that residents download the PulsePoint app on their smartphones for guidance, tips, and pulse count signals when performing CPR.

City of Venice Holiday Parade November 29th

Kicking off the holiday season for over 45 years, the City of Venice Holiday Parade is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The 49th parade is Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025 beginning at 6:30 p.m. and kicking off the City’s Centennial Celebration. See details HERE.

Register for SharPfest — Event on November 22

Click HERE to register.

Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency Seminars

The Community Association hosted two educational seminars on November 3 about Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) and Cryptocurrency. Residents were enlightened on the subjects and peppered the speakers with questions on both subjects. Roger Navarro, Information Technology Director for the City of Venice, and Captain Eric Wood, Venice PD, presented on “AI”.

According to Mr. Navarro, AI means computers learn and think similarly to humans. AI uses data patterns to help machines understand the world. We were asked to think of AI as a smart tool like a calculator processing images and words efficiently. It can be used on a computer or phone, as part of software in a robot, such as a car, lawnmower or a two-legged machine.

Dallas Stiles, author of “Thrivin’ Now! Achieve Success, Build Wealth & Be Happy in a Post-Covid World”, presented on “Cryptocurrency” which is digital or virtual currency secured by cryptography. Each cryptocurrency operates on a blockchain to track its transactions. There are many cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency and blockchain ever invented. It was created in 2009 by “Satoshi Nakamoto”. Satoshi’s original bitcoin was valued at $100 in 2009 but now may be worth $124 billion! It has never been transacted. Currently, 19.8 million bitcoins have been “mined”. Of these, 3 to 4 million have been lost, ie, the “keys” to access the coins on the blockchain were lost by the owners. (In cryptography, a key is a piece of variable data used with an algorithm to encrypt and decrypt information, like a physical key to lock and unlock data.)  There is a limited supply of bitcoins: 21 million coins will be ultimately mined, by about 2140. That’s years, not military time!

Save the Date: January 21, 2026

On Wednesday, January 21st, at the River Club, there will be a presentation to inform residents of the responsibilities of the various organizations in the Venetian community, including the Community Association, the CDD, the Property Owners Association, as well as the different HOAs. New residents will find this presentation particularly beneficial, while long-time residents may find it a very useful refresher course. A Q&A session will be included, and refreshments will be served. More information will be released in the coming weeks.  

Updates from the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Seminar

Stacey Corley, the Foundation President at Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH), provided an update on the remarkable growth and development at SMH. During a seminar held at the River Club on October 28, several growth initiatives were discussed. Notably, Sarasota Memorial stands as the only hospital in Florida to have consistently earned the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid’s highest 5-star rating for overall quality and safety since the rating system was introduced in 2016. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota has earned its fifth consecutive Magnet recognition, the most prestigious designation for quality patient care and nursing excellence in healthcare organizations. This achievement is remarkable, as fewer than 2% of the nation’s hospitals have attained this distinction. The Venice hospital is well on its way to earning that distinction as well.

Residents were presented with renderings of the two-story, 24,000 square foot addition that will enhance radiology and MRI services in Venice Fall 2026. Furthermore, the SMH-Venice Rehab Pavilion is expected to be completed in early 2028.

Venice, a 65-acre hospital located just a few miles from the Venetian, opened in 2021. It offers a comprehensive range of hospital services, including an emergency room, cardiology, orthopedics, rehabilitation, and comprehensive labor and delivery.

The hospital recently completed an expansion that included a 102-bed patient care tower, 31 emergency rooms, and enhanced diagnostic capabilities. The Venice hospital has the capacity to double in size, reaching over 400 private suites in the future.

SMH, a safety net hospital, serves all patients irrespective of their financial capabilities. However, not all costs are covered. Donors, on the other hand, can make a significant difference. The SMH Healthcare Foundation offers crucial resources that enable SMH to maintain its esteemed position as one of the nation’s top hospitals. You can conveniently donate online at https://smhf.org/donate/

Next Community Association Board Meeting on Monday, December 15th

Our next VGRC Community Association Board meeting will be at the River Club on Monday, December 15th at 10 am. Residents are welcome to give their views!

Dr. Cortman on being NICE

Dr. Christopher Cortman, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience, captivated the Venetian audience with an engaging presentation on how to stay connected and lead a fulfilling life in later years. The acronym NICE, which stands for Necessary, Invested, Connected, and Exercise, serves as the guiding principle for this journey for a purpose in life. Be active and don’t retire. Be involved in your community, invest in causes you care about, volunteer your time, and nurture your friendships. Social relationships are crucial for your well-being. Exercise regularly and make sure to move about regularly.

See the entire 2025-26 season of Seminars and Events HERE as well as reports and photos at some of last season’s events.

 

Summation and Photos from Medicare 101 Seminar on September 29

Key options and benefits of Medicare were presented at the River Club.  The event, sponsored by the Community Association, is the kick-off to the “Knock Your Socks Off” 2025-26 season.

The “Knock Your Socks Off” season began with a very well-received talk on Medicare.  Residents were treated to an outstanding review of current Medicare coverages, options, and costs by Venetian resident Gayle Cain.

Gayle covered basic and original coverage, prescription coverage, provider networks, benefits like dental and vision, out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles, and coverage out of state.  Original Medicare Part A covers hospital stays, nursing facility care, hospice, and some home health care.  Original Part B is the medical coverage for doctor’s services, outpatient medical and surgical services, clinical lab tests, medical equipment, and preventative services.   

Gayle emphasized the need to ask questions in order to match the right plan to your needs and goals.  Much attention was focused on Medicare Advantage Plans and Supplemental coverage.  Resident participation was high as question after question was handled expertly with insight and recommendations.  

Thank you, Gayle, from the Community Association!!

Mayor Pachota Presented Venice’s Plan for Development of Seaboard

Mayor Pachota visited the Venetian on November 17, 2025, to present and answer questions about Venice’s conceptual plan for developing Seaboard. A significant milestone will be the selection of a developer who will acquire private property in the Seaboard area and transform it to align with Venice’s ambitious plans to develop the area for residents and create diverse social amenities.  

Mayor Pachota addressed questions from Venetian residents on other matters of significance. However, he deferred commenting on the water booster station to the Venice Utilities Department. Regarding the construction timeline for the shopping center across from VGRC, he mentioned that the situation may have changed, referring to a plan to build a Walmart and Home Depot shopping center on Laurel Road across from the Laurel-Nokomis School. That development could potentially affect the timing of construction of the shopping center across the road from Veneto Blvd.

He clarified that the start of construction for the shopping center closest to VGRC is at the developer’s discretion, as all city approvals have been obtained. As previously noted by the Community Association Board, he also stated that the start of construction for widening Laurel Road, which falls under the County’s jurisdiction, depends on acquiring properties along the road. 

Seaboard is an area in Venice City, east of the Intracoastal Waterway, bounded by Venice Ave and US-41 By-pass. Venice City council approved a master plan in March 2025 for the development of the area from light industrial to mixed use and residential. See Venice City webpage for additional information. The plan includes the move of the city’s solid waster and fleet maintenance out of the Seaboard area.