FOCUS MAGAZINE BRANDON APRIL 2015
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can’t miss event PAINT THE TOWN 5K
Each year Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association hosts a patron party, and this year’s event theme is Paint the Town 5K, taking place on Saturday, April 18. Cost of the 5K is $30 for pre-registration and $40 day of event. Each runner has a chance to win $100 cash! Race begins at 8 a.m. Families can sign up for the 9 a.m. Fun Walk/Run with Children’s Obstacle Course which is $10 pre-registration, $15 day of event. All Day Family Fun tickets can be purchase for $1 each gaining access to fun games, sand art, marble art, balloon bending, face painting, caricature, food, drinks, and more. Enjoy a Buy it Now! and Silent auction as well as music by Big Beats Entertainment. For more information or to register for events, check out centerplacebrandon.org.
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Charity Thrift Sale ECHO of Brandon | 8 a.m. 507 N. Parsons Ave., Brandon Help ECHO refresh its stock and raise money by purchasing discounted overstock clothes and small household items. For more information, contact Joni Damico at 813-685-0935.
BSAC Casino Night The Regent | 7 p.m. 6437 Watson Rd., Riverview Join Brandon Sports and Aquatic Center for a night of Roulette, Black Jack, Craps, Texas Hold’em, and a Silent and Vertical Auction. Don’t miss this fun event. For more information, contact Eric at 813-689-0908 ext. 122
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Charity Thrift Sale ECHO of Brandon | 8 a.m. 507 N. Parsons Ave., Brandon Help ECHO refresh its stock and raise money by purchasing discounted overstock clothes and small household items. For more information, contact Joni Damico at 813-685-0935.
Charity Thrift Sale ECHO of Brandon | 8 a.m. 507 N. Parsons Ave., Brandon Help ECHO refresh its stock and raise money by purchasing discounted overstock clothes and small household items. For more information, contact Joni Damico at 813-685-0935.
5th Annual Crawfish Festival Winthrop Town Center | Noon to 4 p.m. Bloomingdale Ave. Hosted by the Fishhawk-Riverview Rotary Club, the Crawfish Festival offers visitors live music, food, drinks, vendors, and activities for children. Entry is free but crawfish meal tickets are $15 and must be purchased before April 12. Other food items will be available for purchase at the event including Cajun food, hamburgers, hotdogs, and more. Proceeds benefit the Rotary Club’s scholarship fund and charity projects. For more information, visit fishhawkriverviewrotary.org.
02 SATURDAY 4th Annual Kentucky Derby Party The Regent | 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a live stream of the most anticipated horse race of the year while raising money for the Brandon Outreach Clinic, the area’s only clinic providing free healthcare to the low income, uninsured. This year’s event will feature the “Taste of the Derby” with local restaurants handing out their favorite fare. As always mint juleps will be on hand and partygoers can participate in several hat contests. For more information,t call 813-654-1388.
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Volunteer dads (L-R) Mark Vega and Chris Misnik with teen volunteer Ryan Grabau arrange the juicy strawberries for the children to make their own shortcakes.
OPERATION STRAWBERRY FEVER TAKE TWO
always have a great group of moms who volunteer, but I have to say we had some super amazing dads come out for this event. They absolutely ROCKED!!” Volunteer Bob DePalo noticed especially “how excited and wellmannered the kids were,” adding, “Participating in this event gave me a feeling of accomplishment.” “Rowjoihn continued, “I cannot say enough about the teens who gave up their Saturday to join parents in helping with our day…their maturity, their willingness to do whatever was necessary to help...and how wonderful they were with the little ones. They were respectful, polite, SO intelligent, and just all around amazing young men and women. I was thoroughly impressed and to their parents, I say, ‘You’ve obviously done a wonderful job raising such amazing kids! With teens like those, I’m not concerned at all about leaving my future in their hands!’” Teen volunteer Katie Chastain was thrilled to be involved. “It’s always a pleasure to work with children and to give them experiences they wouldn’t normally get,” she said. “They are great children and it was nice to put smiles on their faces. That’s what I cherish.”
And Rowjoin believes the message Friends of FishHawk received from A Kid’s after the event sums the day up best. Read on— “Hi Kelly: …Our kids had A BLAST on Saturday! I can’t thank the Friends of FishHawk enough for hosting what has become a favorite event for our kids! The posted Facebook pictures were so respectful of our privacy issues and really showed a fun event for everyone. Not only did the kids have fun picking the berries and making shortcake, but since then we’ve had strawberry milkshakes, shortcake, smoothies, a few pies, and even chocolate dipped strawberries. Justin asked when he can go back, and has decided he wants to be a strawberry farmer when he’s old enough. The little guy who said he was going to put strawberries in his pockets and take them home with him was amazed he was able to take so many. You treated our children like royalty and made a wonderful memory for them. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! (Signed) Mary” To learn of future charitable opportunities, please visit http://www. friendsoffishhawk.com or request to join the closed group on Facebook.
BY WENDY DEPALO | PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMY LINDBERG MCLANE
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ne look at the delighted faces of 31 children from A Kid’s Place, who recently enjoyed a day in the strawberry fields and you’ll have a glimpse of Strawberry Fever. Under the direction of Kelly Rowjohn, founder of Friends of FishHawk Foundation, Inc., volunteers were determined the children who had suffered abuse or neglect could experience a day of berry picking and eating the fruits of their labors. Rowjohn established the community-based non-profit to create awareness of philanthropic pursuits and humanitarian needs in the community. A primary goal is to provide charitable opportunities in which local volunteers might serve. And, as a home for abused and neglected children, A Kid’s Place is
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certainly one of those. The 2nd annual Strawberry Fever Day started out on Sunday, March 7 with a little chill in the air. But even before the group reached Spivey Farms, children from ages two to 17 were anxious to work and play. Soon after they arrived, strawberry juice dripped from their happy faces as they ate the fresh picked deliciousness. Activities during the time well spent included a picnic lunch, craft making, games, a “make your own strawberry shortcake” dessert, and one hour of hands-on berry picking. Amy Lindberg McLane, the group’s volunteer pinch-hit photographer, captured the most amazing snapshots and took extra care to keep the children’s identity private. In appreciation, Rowjohn wrote: “We
Teen volunteers (L-R) Kayla Dasta, Ryan Grabau, and Katie Chastain put the whipped cream finishing touch on the strawberry shortcake each child created.
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DEL SOL LTD BY MORIAH BARNHART
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any industries are finding a new home in the Tampa Bay marketplace, and music is no exception. Florida is renowned for its music and culture. From a weekly night club in Westchase to large scale community and charity events throughout the Bay area, one name has become a staple in the local music scene. Lucas Glass has been a musician for eleven years, and performs and produces music under the alias Glasshouse. Lucas plays the guitar, drums, bass, banjo, and trumpet, and has been DJing for about six years. When he founded Del Sol Ltd., in April of 2014, he probably couldn’t have imagined that less than a year later he would have signed 60 artists, with producers in 6 states and a dozen countries, and almost 5 dozen distributors, as well as receiving global recognition and support from the likes of Richie Hawtin, Paco Osuna, and Marco Carola. Promoting his label under the concept of “eccentric electronic,” Glass oversees every aspect of his label. While he attributes much of his success to the hard work, determination, and competitive spirit of the artists signed to his label, it is clear his own talent and dedication go
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above and beyond that of an average young entrepreneur. Even with his growing success, Glass has maintained two jobs as well as his educational endeavors as a student in school for Business Administration; and says that by combining what he is learning in school with his passion for music, a record label is his outlet for developing his marketing potential. Glass states, “Someone once told me that I was running a record label that was only a foundation for others to succeed on; and I’ve grown to accept and embrace that as pretty awesome.” Pretty awesome, indeed. This is what community is all about. Del Sol Ltd., is currently accepting demos of original mixes, remixes, reworks, and more. If you would like to have your tunes featured and/or signed to Del Sol, please submit your original productions for consideration to: delsolrecs@gmail.com Follow Del Sol Ltd. Online! delsolrecs.wix.com/delsolltd facebook.com/delsolrecs soundcloud.com/delsolrecs beatport.com/label/del-sol-ltd/41546
Mortgage Financing Loans to: · Buy · Build · Refinance · FHA, VA, USDA and Conventional Loans Up to $1,000,000
Branch Manager/Loan Officer FOCUS MAGAZINE BRANDON APRIL 2015
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everyone here. If they don’t have the bike you want, they can order it and have it in a week. Jose adds that they carry everything from helmets and trailers to performance wear and shoes. Jose makes a point of talking about the ways they try to help the community that has been so good to them. We are always looking for ways to be of service in the area. We donate bicycle service coupons to community organizations to be raffled to help raise funds for various causes. We host the cub scouts in a bicycle safety class a few times a year. We facilitate the donation of bikes to God’s Pedal Power Ministry, an organization that helps provide free bicycles for adults and children in need. We feel good about the things we are able to do. Brandon Bikeworks is well known for their service department. They offer
BRANDON BIKEWORKS BY JUDY RONEY
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ose Velez doesn’t remembez anything about being three years old except his yellow 12” bike that his dad gave him and how he felt when he rode it. He’s never been without a bike since. Jose doesn’t see his natural abilities with mechanics from early on as a talent. He says he just has patience and the desire to find out why something leaks, squeaks, or rattles and he is determined to fix it. His friend, David Lupino did recognize Jose’s abilities and took him under his wing and showed him about the business side of owning a bike shop. Lupino owned Brandon Bikeworks and for two years Jose worked with his mentor until he learned what he needed to know. Lupino sold the business to Jose and Nikki (his wife) in May of 2014. Nikki is a school teacher at Mintz Elementary and loves her work there. Now Jose has his dream job, too. He
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says it’s like working every day on your hobby. Since this is a family owned company, Jose states that the Brandon Bikeworks is geared to the families. They sell bikes for children to seniors. Taking care of their customers is number one for Jose and the three employees: Taylor Van Aken, Trey Holden, and Joe Notestine. All the employees are knowledgeable and also avid bikers. They strive to make their customers happy because they know satisfied customer will be a repeat customer and tell others. Word of mouth is always the best advertising. Brandon Bikeworks has a variety of bikes from comfortable beach bikes to the fast performance bike. They are an authorized dealer for Trek and carry Rock Shox, Fox, crankbrothers, Shimano, SRAM, and Bontrager. Whether you are a beginner biker or a seasoned racer, there’s something for
INFORMATION BRANDON BIKEWORKS
6048 Winthrop Town Centre Ave Riverview, FL 33578 (813)438-8908 Hours: M-F 9a.m. -7p.m. Sat. 10-5/Sun. 12-4 www.brandonbikeworks.com
top-notch work whether you purchased the bike at their store or not. They will work on all bikes. If you are thinking about getting a good bike or your present bike needs some work, go by Brandon Bikeworks. Jose, Taylor, Trey, or Joe will be glad to see you. There’s no pressure, no hype, just a friendly family store that wants to put you on the bike that is a good fit for you.
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TENNIS ANYONE? BY OLIVIA GOTTMAN
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unior year is considered the busiest year of a student’s life. Amery VanDeGrift, a junior at Durant has adapted to the challenge with genuine enthusiasm. Amery loves to keep busy and enjoys time with her peers, she is a member of Student Government, Leo club, Varsity Volleyball and Tennis. Her knack for balancing academics, clubs and love for sports keeps her grounded and to say the least busy. “My main sport is volleyball but I love other sports. I wanted to give tennis a try since it is similar to volleyball,” explained Amery. Tennis is a combination of many sports. You are a member of a team but you have to face your opponent individually. A tennis player must be both adaptable and versatile. “I have to have endurance, accuracy, and focus on thinking ahead of my opponent. As an individual sport, win or lose it is on the player.” stated VanDeGrift. “There are
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many things that are going through my mind during a match; what I’m going to do next, what will my opponent do next, what am I going to do to win the next point?” Amery explained. It is all a moving chess game. So far this season Amery has won 3 games. Tennis is challenging because not only is it a physical game but a mental one too. “It’s great! I love the challenge of facing other school’s best players and representing Durant.” Whether it is on the court or in the classroom Amery works to do her best at all times. She has an honest love for the sports she participates in and also excels in academics, which shows hard work and dedication does pay off. Amery has proved she is more than worthy as the number one girl for the Durant team and continues to turn heads. Congratulations, Amery on being Athlete of the Month! Good luck with the rest of the season!
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Tenants have 24/7 access as well as use of the meeting rooms (upon availability). Short term (6 mos) leases are available as well as longer terms (1-2 years). Perfect for home-based businesses who have outgrown their home office or for larger companies who would like a presence in the Greater Brandon area without having to open a full office!
PLEASE CALL 813-689-1221 FOR MORE INFORMATION. FOCUS MAGAZINE BRANDON APRIL 2015
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LET’S DANCE! BY OLIVIA GOTTMAN
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he Brandon School of Arts team has been dancing together for 30 years taught by coaches: Teresa and Tiffany Oscher. Their teams compete in jazz, ballet, lyrical/ contemporary, and tap dances. Their strengths include lyrical and jazz dances. Anyone can be good but it takes dedication to be great. The girls practice
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4 times a week. In a dancer’s world it is taken just as seriously as any sport, to them it is just as physically and mentally demanding. Qualities that are needed to be a great dancer include talent, hard work, and passion. Often these dancers spend so much time together they grow life-long friend ships. They are always encouraging of
each other and are like a big family. They like to work hard together but also have fun while doing it. “I’ve been dancing since I was 3 years old and I never get tired of it. It’s my escape from the world and I love it,” Olivia Campbell described. Before every performance Teresa and Tiffany Oscher give the team a pep talk and tell them to dance their hardest and
give it their all. So far this season the Brandon School of Arts won first place over all in two age groups. In a dancer’s eyes the feeling they get onstage in front of a crowd doing what they love is exhilarating. The most challenging thing this team has had to overcome was sometimes not getting the scores they thought they deserved. They were down but it just meant they had to work that much harder to do better next time. Congratulations on the Brandon School of the Arts for being team of the Month! Good luck on the rest of the season!
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CAPPY’S PIZZERIA WINTHROP TOWN CENTER BY HEATHER DAVIS
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hen Cappy’s Pizzeria is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is great pizza in an unpretentious, but fun and funky space. Cappy’s is known for a simple menu of quality pizza, calzones, and salads. The original Cappy’s Pizzeria opened in Hyde Park in 1995, then moved to its present location in South Tampa on Bay to Bay. The second Cappy’s opened in Seminole Heights in 2005. The St. Petersburg Cappy’s opened in St. Petersburg in 2007 and the Riverview/Brandon Cappy’s opened up in Winthrop in the beginning 2011. The fifth and newest location is located in Tampa Palms. Partners Ryan Hess, Bryan Bates, and Jeff Powers who run and operate the Winthrop location wanted to open up a Cappy’s in the Brandon area. Since Cappy’s is known for being located in
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historic neighborhoods in buildings with a lot of character, Winthrop Town Center, with its neotraditional design and living spaces above businesses met their needs. Cappy’s Pizzeria is tucked between the Acropolis Restaurant and Eats American Grill, two other local Tampa chains that have found success in Winthrop. Although the menu at Cappy’s is simple, don’t let its simplicity fool you. Printed and laminated on the back of a printed copy of old album covers is a one page menu that lists all the options a true pizza lover will require. You have a choice between two different styles of pizza, New York style or Chicago Style Deep Dish. From there you can choose your toppings, or choose the Veggie or Cappy. The signature style Veggie comes with Green Pepper, Onion, Mushroom, Black Olives, and Tomato. The Cappy is prepared with Sausage, Ham, Pepperoni,
Green Pepper, Onion, and Mushroom. For those who like to get creative or adventurous, there are over twenty three toppings you can choose from to create the pizza to fit your personal taste. All the toppings and ingredients are very fresh and of high quality and it shows in the taste. The New York style pizza crust is just the way you want your crust to be, which is crisp along its edge yet soft and pliable enough beneath its toppings, with just enough sauce not to be too much. The Chicago Style deep dish features the sauce on top of the cheese and toppings and is absolutely heavenly to bite into. Across the board everything from the sauce, to the crust and toppings at Cappy’s is consistent in quality, taste and flavor. Calzones are also freshly prepared and made to order with your fillings of choice. Salad selections include Greek, Caesar, or Tossed and come freshly prepared in small or large. A really cool and unique option Cappy’s offers is the ability to hand
INFORMATION CAPPY’S PIZZERIA 6260 Winthrop Town Center Ave Riverview, FL 33578 Phone: (813) 662-4811 Dinner Hours: Sun-Thurs 5pm - 9pm Fri & Sat 5pm - 10pm
choose for yourself your beverage of choice from a well-stocked refrigerator of beverages which include IBC and a large selction of bottled Craft Beers. Wine is also available. Cappy’s Winthrop location with its cozy atmosphere, comfortable indoor booth seating and outdoor patio seating paired with delicious pizza is an excellent choice for not only a neighborhood hang-out but also makes a great destination for anyone in the Riverview/Brandon area looking for a great Pizzeria. For more information, visit cappyspizzaonline.com.
Exquisite Fine Dining
Authentic Indian Cuisine
Specialties include:
Butter chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Masala dosa, Garlic Shrimp, goat Curry, Whole Fried Snapper
FULL BAR • MILITARY DISCOUNTS
WEEKDAY BUFFET 11:30-2:30 $9.95
WEEKEND BUFFET 12:00-3:00 $12.95
689-4040 902 E. Brandon Blvd.
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ACE Heating & Cooling is a full service heating and air conditioning contractor.
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