While serving on the GLBT Community Center Exploratory Committee, Jim Ferri was struck by the dirth of information on social opportunities for members and friends of Sarasota's GLBT community. In response, he started to send out an email under the heading "Things to Do" to a few friends and associates. Soon he started receiving promotional materials from local organizations hoping to make it into the weekly e-mail.

Not long after, recipients began looking forward to the Wednesday missives as a prime source of information for local hotspots and happenings.

Jim Ferri added rainbow colors, a quaint graphic, and alternate version of his name and Fairy Things to Do was born. From there, word of mouth took control. Recipients soon started asking Jim Ferri to add their friends to his distribution list. Before long, the list included over 400 people – locals, visitors and new arrivals.

In March 2006, Sarasota businessman Matt Orr got involved and suggested the creation of a permanent web presence.

Orr came to Sarasota in 2002 from his hometown of Burnsville, NC. He knew instantly that Sarasota was beginning its renaissance, and saw himself as fortunate to be a part of it.

As an advocate for the GLBTQ community Matt commits his time to helping Sarasota realize its potential, sitting on the boards of directors for the Sarasota Young Professionals Group, The Players Theatre, the Sarasota Chamber, and the Sarasota Film Festival.

Never one to settle for what is, Orr looks forward to helping Sarasota plan for informed growth in the best interest of all of its varied constituencies.

Thus, FerriThingsToDo.com was born.

Our mission is to serve the GLBTQ community on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Church of the Trinity MCC anually awards the Robert E. Pierce Award to a person, which has done something outstanding to help our community or the community at large. In October 2006 they presented the award to Jim Ferri!