Sarasota County names new Director of Parks & Recreation
Shawn Yeager was recently named Sarasota County’s Director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, bringing more than 30 years of public sector experience to the role, including over a decade of service with the county.
Yeager, who has served as interim director since January, will be responsible for overseeing operations that include more than 150 park sites and 55,000 acres of managed and preserved land.
“Shawn has spent three decades in this field. He’s helped manage everything from barrier island state parks to red tide recovery efforts to major capital projects, and he’s done it while keeping our environmental resources and our residents’ experience at the center of every decision,” County Administrator Jonathan Lewis said.
“He also prioritizes the efficient use of funds that the Sarasota County Commission invests in our system. That kind of range is rare, and it’s the type of leadership that is needed.”
Yeager previously served the county as Senior Manager of Parks, Programming, and Stewardship and as Division Manager of Beaches and Water Access. He began his career in parks management with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Recreation and Parks. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Natural Resource Management from the University of Florida.
“My motivation is to provide our amazing and dedicated team of park professionals with the resources they need to accomplish our mission of clean, safe, and accessible parks with diverse opportunities for all,” Yeager said.
Neighborhood tree program offered to Sarasota residents
Sarasota residents can register to participate in the Neighborhood Canopy Program, which includes the installation of a mature, 2-inch caliper tree between the front plane of a resident’s home and the street.
Residents will pay $100 for the tree, with the city covering the remainder of the cost up to $500 for the selected tree. The Neighborhood Canopy Program is paid for by Sarasota’s Tree Mitigation Fund, which collects a portion of tree removal permit dollars for urban canopy programs.
The Neighborhood Canopy Program offers 10 species: green buttonwood, gumbo-limbo, live oak, D.D. Blanchard magnolia, redbay, royal poinciana, shady lady black olive, southern red cedar, sycamore, and winged elm. Registration ends on Aug. 17, with tree planting scheduled between Aug. 31 and Sept. 21.
For registration, visit tinyurl.com/4dxy7dbb. Questions about the Neighborhood Canopy Program should be directed to NeighborhoodCanopyProgram@SarasotaFL.Gov.
SPD hosts ‘Pack the Patrol Car’ for back-to-school supplies
The Sarasota Police Department, in partnership with the Sarasota City YMCA, is accepting school supply donations through July 31 at police headquarters, 2099 Adams Lane, Sarasota (6 a.m.-6 p.m.); Sarasota City YMCA, 1075 S. Euclid Ave.; and online through Amazon.
SPD is accepting new school supplies for students of all ages and grade levels, including backpacks, glue, notebooks, paper, calculators, pencils, pens, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, rulers, folders and highlighters.
Following the “Pack the Patrol Car” school supply drive, members of SPD will distribute donated school supplies to students throughout the community before school begins on Aug. 10.
SMA plans to merge schools on Fruitville Road campus
The Sarasota Military Academy Board of Directors has approved a plan to consolidate the Academy’s High School and Prep Middle School onto a single campus on Fruitville Road.
The decision is designed to strengthen the Academy’s long-term sustainability, enhance educational opportunities, improve student safety, and allow more resources to be invested into academics, athletics, and student programs, the school said in a press release.
Under the plan, SMA’s High School and Prep Middle School will operate on a unified Fruitville Road campus while maintaining separate, age-appropriate learning environments for middle and high school students. Also, the school’s Orange Avenue campus in Sarasota’s Rosemary District will be marketed for sale.
Around and about
· The Florida Freedom Tour, a Mobile History Museum initiative designed to bring Florida’s history to communities across the state, will stop in Ellenton at Gamble Plantation Historic State Park on July 21 and in Sarasota at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art on July 22. The 18-wheeler traveling museum is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Info: america250fl.com.
· Manatee County has opened a seasonal elections office at the Manatee County Administration Building in Lakewood Ranch (9000 Town Center Parkway) to serve voters throughout the 2026 election cycle. The location (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) is open through Nov. 6.
· Blood donors of African American or of African descent with rare O Negative blood are sought for an 18-year-old teen in crisis in Fort Lauderdale. Donors can visit oneblood.org/Gigi to make an appointment, learn their blood type, and to find a OneBlood donor center or Big Red Bus blood drive.
Submissions by Monica Yadav, Sarasota County Media, City of Sarasota, Genevieve Judge, Angela Cohen, Earl Midlam, Manatee County Government, and Pat Michaels.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County appoints new Director of Parks & Recreation
Reporting by Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Special to the Herald-Tribune, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
