• The Sarasota Farmers Market has found a new executive director, Amber Rusch.

Rusch was born in Colorado Springs and is a new resident of Sarasota. From arranging Pride events to working in property management to running a child care facility, she has experience working with people from all walks of life.

She left Colorado (and a corporate management job) in search of a more fulfilling opportunity for her family in Florida. Rusch looks forward to working closely with the market’s board of directors, staff and vendors to build upon the 43-year legacy of the Sarasota Farmers Market.

Meet her at the market’s information booth, on the corner of Main Street and Lemon Avenue, from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. Sat

• DutchCrafters, the largest online retailer of Amish furniture and home décor at http://www.dutchcrafters.com, is taking applications for its 2022 Heritage Scholarship. This year, three winners will be selected to receive $500 each.

The deadline for applications is May 1.

DutchCrafters founded the Heritage Scholarship in 2011 to offer education assistance to hardworking students. This scholarship recognizes undergraduate students who draw inspiration from their heritage to shape their vocational aspirations, add creative value to their future employers, and serve their communities.

Students currently enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a full-time student at an accredited undergraduate institution in the United States are encouraged to apply.

In addition to a statement of financial need, applicants must compose an essay on how their cultural heritage influenced their vocational aspirations and how they will use the cultural inspiration to make future contributions to their employer and community.

More information may be found at https://www.dutchcrafters.com/heritage-scholarship.

• Sarasota-based creative firm Purple Fish Creative has once again committed to supporting area nonprofit organizations through its new annual charitable initiative, Project SRQ.

The agency understands that many nonprofits deal with operational challenges, including restricted budgets and limited access to necessary resources. The program aims to help boost the development efforts of one local 501(c)(3) charity organization by awarding it a new website this summer.

Each award will include: custom design of one new WordPress website; premium WordPress theme; premium stock photos; showcase of services and upcoming events; ability to accept donations.

Other free services: social platform integrations; adding upcoming events when needed; and adding one blog per month (content to be submitted by organization).

Web hosting with Purple Fish Creative is the only cost that the selected organization will incur.

“Project SRQ is my small way of giving back and paying it forward to the organizations making a difference in the community where we live and work,” says Sue Colao, the firm’s president and lead designer.

Last year’s recipient was The Compassionate Warrior Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans and Gold Star families through a healing and holistic approach.

Organizations are encouraged to apply for the 2022 Project SRQ award or nominate a nonprofit in need at https://purplefishcreative.com/project-srq before the application window closes on March 31.

• Helios Technologies, Inc., a global leader in highly engineered motion control and electronic controls technology for diverse end markets, announced extensive R&D capability, advanced design tools, and the combined CVT family expertise drove product development teams to exceed expectations by launching 22 new products in 2021.

This is the largest number of new product releases within Helios’ CVT business (part of the Hydraulics segment) in recent history.

Subsequent product additions are planned throughout 2022.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New blood at Sarasota Farmers Market, DutchCrafters offers scholarship