Meet Kara Tanner - 2016 poster contest winner

You may already know Kara Tanner, this year’s Safety Harbor SongFest Poster Contest winner, but we wanted to write a bit about this multi-talented artist, mom and entrepreneur. 

Kara and her husband came to the Harbor around the same time as Todd and Kiaralinda’s fencepost painting SHAMc fundraiser four years ago. She holds a Bachelors in studio art and a Masters in art therapy but says that as her kids grow up she finds more time to focus on being creative. “I enjoy doing art with my kids,” she says.

Besides winning the contest, Kara has also recently completed a flamingo for the library’s Flamingo Art Fundraiser and she’ll be one of the artists at this year’s Chalk Fest March 19-20.

“We were so excited when we saw Kara’s entry,” says Kiaralinda, “because the musical manatee sure felt right, since we have manatees right near the pier on the festival grounds. It’s a cute mascot and it would be cool if the real ones knew how to play instruments! 

“It was exciting to find out that the winner is from Safety Harbor and that she also painted a fence post that is still at SHAMc,” Kiaralinda adds. “It’s also nice to know that she is aware and watching what we are doing and is supporting the arts and getting involved.”

And Kara has definitely gotten involved in the community in the past four years! Take for example her family's new company. Every Saturday at 1:15 p.m., Kara's husband takes groups of 2 to 12 through Safety Harbor. She, her sister, brother in-law and husband started Harbor Food Tours in January and locals have been very supportive so far. “It’s been pretty successful,” she says. “We’re excited about it.” 

Kara explains that tours visit nine different restaurants, pubs, bakeries and also stops at Francie’s for a glassblowing presentation. “There is a lot of history within these places and just going out and talking to the owners, you learn so much more about where we live,” she says. 

The cost is $50 per person and the tour ends at the 8^th Avenue Pub for food and a drink, which is included. All gratuities for business owners are included in the cost, (but if you’d like to tip your tour guide, that would be separate.) To read more about it and to book a tour, visit www.harborfoodtours.com. 

We’ll post more information before Song Fest regarding the posters and when you can get yours.

An Aside

My twenty year-old daughter is enrolled at USF. She’s smart, funny, and she is a good person. Really good. Yesterday morning she rode her bike downtown to study. The house was too quiet; the sun too bright to stay inside.

Even though we have lived in Florida for two years, little things still fill me with a sense of gratitude, especially when I compare Safety Harbor to other places I’ve lived. I still stop to watch a turtle cross the street. I like those ugly ducks that swim in all the ponds. Egrets are beautiful and manatees are gentle elegance. The sound of the train makes me smile and going to bed with frogs singing in my yard induces the best night’s sleep…

I don’t remember appreciating little things as much as I do now. Maybe it’s because I am in my forties and I see things differently; Maybe it’s the way our town avoids graffiti and lights our streets at Christmas; Maybe it’s because I’m involved and have gotten to know a lot of people. Maybe I’m too sentimental.

I knew something was wrong when I answered my cell phone. My daughter was talking to a woman whose voice I did not recognize. The concern in my daughter’s voice was apparent as she promised she’d return, cash in hand.

“It’s really okay," said the unfamiliar voice. “I believe in karma and you have an honest face. Go home and bring the money when you can.”

Her worry became mine. “Where is your wallet?” I asked. “I have a little cash. Where are you?”

She was obviously embarrassed, and after telling me she had gone downtown, eaten lunch, then realized her wallet was not in her backpack, she told me where she thought she had left it. All the while the kind woman in the background assured her that it was okay, and she could bring the money later.

This small, seemingly unimportant occurrence choked me up. Who does this anymore? Who believes in the honesty of strangers?

My answer came as I turned onto Main. I’m not going to tell you which restaurant my daughter waited in, because I doubt her experience would have been different in any or most of Safety Harbor’s businesses. We live in a good place. A really good place, and I just wanted to remind you.