FOCUS MAGAZINE BRANDON MAY 2015
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can’t miss event THE TASTE OF BRANDON
On Saturday, May 30, be sure to check out this annual family fun day at The Barn at Winthrop (11349 Bloomingdale Ave., Riverview). Come enjoy tastes from your favorite restaurants, caterers, and bakeries. Cast your vote for the 2015 Best Taste Award and Best Dessert Award. This year’s event will include beer and wine tastings along with music and fun for the whole family. Tickets are $5 for children ages 3 through 11, and the VIP Taste Ticket is only $25. For more information, contact Mary Faulk of the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce at 813-689-1221 or mfaulk@brandonchamber.com.
MAY 02 SATURDAY Kentucky Derby Party The Regent 6437 Watson Rd., Riverview A silent auction, mint juleps, race contests, ladies hat contest, and dapper gentleman contest are just a few of the special events scheduled for the fourth annual Kentucky Derby Party, with proceeds benefiting the Brandon Outreach Clinic. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at brandonoutreachclinic.com. For more information, contact director@ brandonoutreachclinic.com or 813-654-1388. Walk/Run for Their Life Westfield Brandon 500 S. Gornto Lake Rd., Brandon This chip timed 5K and Walk benefits the LifeCare Network of Brandon and Southshore. Register for the event at lifecarenetwork.net. Cost is $30 for the 5K or Walk. Participants receive a metal and dry-fit shirt. For more information, contact Jessica at 813-6540491 or jessica@lifecarenetwork.net.
05 THURSDAY Community Service Forum Riverview High School | 6 to 8 p.m. 11311 Boyette Rd., Riverview Need community service hours? The Community Roundtable is here to help, hosting a community service forum in which students and adults can meet and greet many charities in the Brandon area. Over 20 organizations are scheduled to attend. For more information, call Janine Nickerson at 813661-4350. Give Day Tampa Bay ECHO | All Day Event 507 N. Parsons Ave., Brandon Sponsored by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay and Give Local America, Give Day Tampa Bay raised over $1 million for local charities in 2014. Donate this year to ECHO, an area organization that provides emergency care in the form of food and clothing to residents of Eastern Hillsborough County. For more information, visit echofl.org or givedaytampabay.org.
08 FRIDAY Vine to Wine: Shimmer and Glimmer The Regent | VIP Admission at 6 p.m., General Admission at 7 p.m. 6437 Watson Rd., Riverview The Trey Curry Foundation presents this annual event to benefit A Kid’s Place. Guests will have the opportunity to sample exclusive wines paired with gourmet food while having a chance to bid on a wide array of fabulous auction items. Purchase your tickets online at treycurryfoundation.org or call 813-655-0269. For more information, email marybeth@treycurryfoundation.org.
PLANT CITY MERCANTILE
09 SATURDAY Mayoral Event: Barbecue Cook-Off Join Honorary Mayor Candidate Dwayne Lewis for a barbecue cook-off. Come for a great competition, 50/50 raffle, and vendors. For more information contact Dwayne at 813-6531590. Postal Food Drive Through the Stamp Out Hunger campaign, ECHO is gearing up for the largest food drive of the year, with volunteers ready to collect and sort tons of food collected by postal workers. Volunteers are needed to help the postal workers at all four post offices involved in the effort in Brandon, Riverview, Seffner, and Valrico. According to ECHO, this is their largest food drive of the year, amounting to 40 percent of their donated nonperishable food. For more information on how you can help, call 813-685-0935.
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Mayoral Event: 9 Pin No Tap Tournament The Alley at SouthShore | 9:30 a.m. 10221 Big Bend Rd., Riverview Support Melissa Hartmann in her race to become the Honorary Mayor of Riverview. Funds raised support her charity of choice: The Greater Tampa USBCA Youth Scholarship Fund. Cost is $25 per player. The tournament includes three divisions: Men Under 50, Men 50 and older, and Women. All bowlers will bowl three games. Space is limited to 96 bowlers. Register by calling 813-672-8353 or 813-234-5944.
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Paint the Town Logo in chalk on race route with Dianna Galia (PR Coordinator) & Devyn McElligott (volunteer).
CENTER PLACE FINE ARTS AND CIVIC ASSOCIATION
variety of other hands-on projects. “We had several make-it-take-it crafts for kids at different booths,” Rodriguez informs. A silent auction was also held in the grand room of Center Place, with Buy It Now items available. Barbeque lunch plates were conveniently available for purchase, and water was complimentary. Big Beats Entertainment was honored to play the music. Center Place was widely successful in their first annual 5k run, with over 100 attendees. Sponsors were permitted to set up booths, and a variety of businesses were promoted on behalf of the run, including Music Showcase, Total Imaging, Odiorne Insurance, Stubbs Orthodontics, the Brandon League of Fine Arts, the Greater Brandon Arts Counsel, as well as the Community Round Table. The purpose of this event was family fun, and encouraging the creativity in our local area was the main goal. “Keep
the arts alive in your neighborhood by supporting this great event!” the advertisement read. And the results achieved were more than satisfactory. “We would like to thank everyone who came out to support the arts, as well as all of our staff and sponsors,” says a grateful Rodriguez. “It was a wonderful day,” she added, and it certainly contributed to an excellent cause. Because of the success of their first run, Center Place is excited to continue to host more 5k fundraisers in the years to come. On April 16, 2016, the next Paint the Town is scheduled to take place, and this one will be chip timed. To find out more about Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association, go to www.centerplacebrandon.org or call 813-685-8888. To make a donation, visit www.centerplacebrandon.org/donations. All donations are tax deductible. Center Place is located at 619 Vonderburg Dr. Brandon FL, 33511.
PAINTS THE TOWN BY ANDRIA BARRIOS
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n the past, the various art programs at Center Place of Brandon have been greatly aided by the annual fundraiser held each April, on the third Saturday of the month. Customarily, a banquet is hosted in order to raise money for these program, which include art exhibits, art education, and the performing arts. But this year, on the 31st annual patron event and membership drive, Center Place decided to try a new and fresh approach. On Saturday, April 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., a Paint the Town 5k was held at Center Place, also home of Brandon Regional Library, for the benefit of children’s art programs, live theater, and scholarships for the youth in the community. “We thought this would be a great way to involve the whole family and draw the public in,” explains
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Lisa Rodriguez, Marketing Director at Center Place. This untimed 5k run was routed around Clayton Lake on S. Parsons Avenue and started and ended on the deck at Center Place. Water stations were placed throughout, and various additional activities were also included. A silent auction, game and craft booths, adult bar, and tents from various sponsors were all part of the exciting event. Not only was the fundraiser made enjoyable for adults, but children were catered to as well. A children’s obstacle course was held at 9 a.m. and educational and artistic booths served as entertainment for kids. Creative activities lightened up the day, such as sand and marble art, face painting, caricatures, balloon bending, photo booths, and a
Group shot of Event Volunteers at the finish line.
Cass Womack –local chalk artist – came out and decorated our race route with chalk drawings.
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TASTE OF BRANDON MUSIC, FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL
BY CHERYL JOHNSTON | PHOTO COURTESY OF HUTH & BOOTH PHOTOGRAPHY
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or its 27th year, the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce is pleased to present its trademarked “Taste of Brandon™”event. Don’t miss this wonderful community affair and opportunity for delicious samplings from local restaurants on Saturday, May 30, 2015. The fun takes place from 3PM to 10PM at The Barn at Winthrop, 11349 Bloomingdale Avenue in Riverview. Attendees will savor tastes from some of the area’s best dining establishments, bakeries and caterers. They will also cast votes to determine the winners of 2015 Best Taste Award and Best Dessert Award. The following competitors among the 25 at the 2014 event received recognition: 2014 Best Taste Award Winner: Cheddar’s Casual Café Runner up: Ciccio Cali 2014 Best Dessert Award Winner: Mimi’s Café Runner up: Corner Bakery Café 2014 Best Booth Award Winner: Tampa Bay Times Runner up: BayCare Health System
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Tickets are affordably priced at $15 for adults and $5 for children, ages three and older. If you enjoy beer and wine with your sampling, your best bet is the $25 VIP Taste ticket, which includes those. Tickets are available online at brandonchamber.com, for pick up at the Chamber office, prior to the event (330 Pauls Drive in Brandon) or for purchase at the door. Area businesses enjoy promoting their products and services as well. The display booths showcase the participating companies and engage visitors in conversation about how their organizations function in the community. The fun atmosphere provides a great marketing opportunity for networking, leads and increased sales. The GBCC is also still accepting sponsors and display applications from additional restaurants or businesses. Simply e-mail Mary Faulk at mfaulk@ brandonchamber.com or phone 813689-1221 for details.
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THE ARTS of BRANDON By Heather Davis The arts have been proven to not only enhance human development, but also can help shape the social, physical, cultural, and economic identity of a community, spurring economic development, creating stronger social cohesion, and revitalizing disinvested communities. There is a concept that has been around for some time “place making” which refers to the development of distinctive, livable places through community engagement. Taking a spin on those words is the newer, emerging term “Creative Placemaking”. Creative Placemaking is the intentional intersection between arts and culture and community revitalization. It is an evolving field of practice that intentionally leverages the power of the arts, culture and creativity to serve a community’s interest while driving a broader agenda for change, growth and transformation in a way that also builds character and quality of place. The four tenants of Creative Placemaking are as follows; Place: which denotes more potential than just creating a location but rather it holds the promise of creating an essence – identifying, elevating, or assembling a collection of visual , cultural, social, and environmental qualities that imbue a location with meaning and significance.
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Community Engagement: Creative Placemaking, to be truly successful is created with and by a community. Community engagement through arts provides a voice for residents in shaping the future of their community as well as contributes to social cohesion. Embrace of Community Development Systems: Arts and culture, even if rooted in place and tied to community engagement will contribute to community revitalization only to the extent that they engage private, public, and nonprofit policies, practices, and investments. They have to interact with the financial, government, and nonprofit sectors. Outward Orientation: The willingness and capacity of arts and cultural organizations to assume an outward orientation. In a nutshell Creative Placemaking is a clarion call for a creativity that is rooted in place and engaged with community to actively engage the defining issues of our time. When we’re able to connect to a city or a neighborhood through an individual or shared cultural experience, there’s a magnetic pull. You want to stay committed. You want to invest. You want to build a future. These are the conditions for civic transformation. There are within the Brandon/Winthrop area a few specific people with like minds who are reaching out to create space for Creative Placemaking and as a result making astonishing things happen. Bryant Martinez is one such individual. Known as the town artist for the community of Winthrop he has been creating both an art destination and cultural mecca for the artists in the area of Winthrop and the surrounding Brandon area. Bryant is of Cuban descent, born and raised in the Tampa area where he has since lived, painted, created art and raised a family. His desire and passion is to create and leave a legacy where Art is the driving force behind it all. As a proud father of two Bryant wants to give his kids the opportunity to create, explore and be exposed to art in all its many forms and variations. “We are surrounded by fabulous artists right here in our midst. I want to have a chance to showcase them and let my kids as well as others have a chance to experience what is out there.” Bryant’s visions and dreams are becoming manifest and a reality through
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his determination, hard work and perseverance to never give up. Winthrop and the surrounding communities all benefit greatly from all of the efforts made on his part to create Creative Placemaking in the Brandon area. Some of the many projects, events and ideas that are coming to fruition from a place of heart, soul and passion are as follows;
Winthrop Art Festival
In its eighth year the Winthrop Arts Festival provides an engaging, family fun-filled arts event that will delight everyone with its artistic excellence and musical entertainment. Located at the Winthrop Town Centre in the Riverview / Brandon area, the festival showcases the work of 40 selected artists in categories ranging from oil paintings to ceramics to jewelry. The Winthrop Arts Festival is passionate about creating an arts environment for Winthrop and the greater Brandon area. The festival strives to bring together the community through the beauty of the artistry and musical performances to enhance the art appreciation of everyone attending this wonderful event. Every year all proceeds from the Art Festival is donated to a local charity. This past year the money received from vendor fees were donated to the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Foundation (HCFR). When: Saturday,March 19, 2016 – 10:00AM until 5:00PM Sunday, March 20, 2016 – 10:00AM until 5:00PM Awards Ceremony: Saturday, March 20, 2016 at 5:00PM, At the Main Stage Where: Winthrop Community Located at the corner of Bloomingdale Avenue and Providence Road in Riverview, FL Other: Admission is free. Email: Info@WinthropArtsFestival.org Website: http://www.winthropartsfestival.org/
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ARTS FACTORY
Winthrop after-school arts & music programs Combining both a Love of the Arts with helping the community, the Arts Factory and the Music Factory are outdoors, rugged after school programs providing a creative environment where kids can create art from used, donated and recycled items, learn to make music, create primitive instruments, participate in community gardening and connect with the community through artistic expressions. For: Kids 5-18 who love arts & music When: Mondays: 2:30 - 3:30p.m. | Tuesday & Thursday: 4:00-6:00p.m. Location: Winthrop Pole Barn Activities: Arts, Crafts, Music & Community Garden Cost: $5 per hour Contacts: Art: Brianna bgalatioto&@gmail.com Music: Neil leonardneil151@gmail.com Info: Bryant 813.601.3129 bryantmartinez@gmail.com
Community Gardens
The community gardens is another opportunity for the community to come together through satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, and offer a sense of community and connection to the environment. The gardens also combat two forms of alienation that plague modern urban life, by bringing urban gardeners closer in touch with the source of their food, and by breaking down isolation by creating a social community. Community gardens provide other social benefits, such as the sharing of food production knowledge with the wider community and safer living spaces. The community gardens at Winthrop are doing just that, but taking it even a step further by bringing students from Riverview High school Community Based Training (CBT) to work and participate in maintaining the garden. As a result the garden is providing an opportunity to give the students first hand training and experience the joy of gardening. As a side benefit, some of the students have been able to establish personal relationships with the local restaurants and shops and as a result obtain employment.
Community and Special Events
Within the Riverview/Brandon/Winthrop area there are occasions for many community and special events. Several events that are coming up include; April 25, 2015 5K St. Stephen Run 5K - 7:30a.m. / 1 Mile Fun Run - 8:45a.m. Cost: 5k - $25 / 1 Mile Fun Run - $15 Location: Winthrop Town Centre Park Square (behind The Egg and I) Registration: www.active.com April 30, 2015 (and every last Thursday of the month) Movie Night - 7:00p.m.
Winthrop Common
Ever more conscious of the importance of outward-looking leadership through the arts, Bryant Martinez stays tuned into the possibilities of working with many local non-profit and art related organizations that contribute to the greater good of the community. Some of these organizations that he works directly with and in collaboration with and of whom benefit from his efforts include; the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Organization, ECHO, USF, and MOSI. Many of his kids who are participants in the Arts Factory are involved first hand in making and creating items and objects for all the community events allowing them the chance to experience first-hand what it is to work for the greater good. Bryant call the art factory kids his “Art Army”. The work of Creative Placemaking for Bryant and his “Art Army”, is far from over and continues to evolve in remarkable and sometimes unpredictable ways. It epitomizes how an arts and cultural organization can shed conventional boundaries and work at the sharp edge of risk and change. Cultural creativity and the need for Creative Placemaking may well be the driving force of community revitalization in the 21st century. Bryant Martinez and his efforts are a driving force of such a revitalization in the Brandon/ Winthrop area. The results will be a more adaptive way of seeing, understanding, experiencing, and transforming where we live, how we work, what we dream. For more information on the Arts Factory, Winthrop Arts Festival, the Community Garden or any other events you can contact Bryant Martinez at 813.601.3129 or through email at bryantmartinez2010@gmail.com.
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Every Friday was Show and Tell day and it’s something he looked forward to. It clicked one day that a play on words, Sew N Tel, would be the perfect name for her business. Now when she leaves her home in the morning she doesn’t think about going to her job. She is doing something she loves and has a talent for. That makes all the difference. “I never get up in the morning and wish I didn’t have to go to work”, says Karen. “I look forward to going in where I can be creative. There is no better gratification than doing a job well and making others happy”. Next time you are thinking of getting clothing taken in, let out, hemmed, zippers replaced, alter pants,
SEW N TELL
ALTERATIONS “ONE STITCH AT A TIME” BY JUDY RONEY
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aren DeGuenther was a dedicated accountant for a few large firms for many years. When she and her husband, Bob, had their first child, everything changed. Her son had a stroke at birth and the doctors couldn’t tell her much more than he would likely have brain damage. Karen quit her job and dedicated her time and efforts into their son’s rehab. In a little over a year her son, Bobby, caught up with all the kids his age and was a perfectly normal little boy. She and her husband, Bob, felt like they had been handed a miracle. Karen decided to go back to work but she didn’t want to go back to accounting. She wanted to do something she really loved. Karen’s best friend, sister-in-law Denise Jones, owned an alterations shop and wanted to teach Karen the business. She was sure it was something Karen would love. Karen soaked up all the information
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as she worked alongside Denise for two years. Karen was hooked. She felt ready to go out on her own with a new talent, a new dream and another healthy son, Benjamin. She worked for a couple of years from her home doing alterations for several Dry Cleaners in the area. She enjoyed being able to be an at-home mom and doing the alterations, too. She knew she wanted a shop and that was at the back of her mind and her husband, who has always been supportive, agreed that is what she should do. In 2008 a shop in Winthrop Centre became available. She knew it was an amazing opportunity and she took advantage of it and began her new career in earnest. She set up a colorful business that became quite busy simply by word of mouth. The name for her new shop, Sew N Tell, came from her oldest son, Bobby.
INFORMATION SEW N TELL ALTERATIONS “One Stitch at a Time” 6032 Winthrop Town Centre Riverview, FL 33578 Store hours: Tues – Fri 9:00-5:30 Owner: Karen DeGuenther
shirts, blouses, dresses, jackets, suits, slacks or draperies, stop by Sew N Tell and let Karen know what you want. She mends, fixes, and repairs just about anything, including leather jackets. Her specialty is formal gowns, wedding gowns, & prom gowns. She can take a size 26 gown and make it a size 10. She fits the clothes to you and she’s satisfied when you are.
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ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
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GIRLS PLAY FOOTBALL TOO BY OLIVIA GOTTMAN
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enlee Andreu has soulful passion for doing what makes her happiest and that is flag football. She has been playing for the past two seasons. Kenlee plays at the Halfback position on offense which means it is her job to block for the quarter back, without using her hands. When she isn’t playing flag football she’s volunteering her time as Durant volleyball’s team manager, planning school events as a Student Government Chairman, organizing community service as Vice President of Leo Club, and challenging herself academically as a member of National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. Kenlee always does her best to keep a positive attitude and put her team first. She is a great believer in the quote “Do what makes you happiest.” The wins don’t come unless the team acts as one. “We have amazing team camaraderie and every time we step on the field I get so much joy from playing hard with my team,” Kenlee described. “Each girl on the team is their own
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individual, and they all have their own unique personalities. When they play as a team, everyone comes together and the only thing that matters is their love for the game,” added Andreu. Flag football is much different from boy’s football. The girls aren’t as physical, because they don’t wear pads like the boys. But the players both share the same amount of aggression and determination. It is quite challenging playing flag football because Andreu and her team mates can’t be too aggressive. If they are it could result in a penalty. “A lot of referees have different ideas of what is fair so sometimes it’s frustrating when you get a flag on something that usually isn’t a problem.” Kenlee explained. Kenlee and her team mates play for fun because there are rarely college scholarships for Flag Football. Kenlee plays specifically for love of the game. Congratulations, Kenlee Andreu for being Athlete of the Month!
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TEAM OF THE MONTH
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LADIES ON THE BEACH BY OLIVIA GOTTMAN
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icole Kjosa and Lindsay Vasiloff have been close friends and team mates. These two are both in eleventh grade but attend different high schools. Nicole goes to Riverview High School and Lindsay goes to Durant High School. They both share the same love for volleyball. Nicole and Lindsay have been beach volleyball partners together for three years now. The girls started playing club volleyball together on the same Plant City Elite
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team, when their coach created a beach volleyball program and the girls both joined. Beach volleyball is very laid back compared school and club volleyball for the girls. “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose we just play to have fun.” Nicole explained. Along with this, the girls get to decide their own schedule which includes when they practice, how long they practice, and what tournaments want they play in. The girls practice more
during the summer to get ready for the bigger tournaments. They placed fourth in their most recent tournament. Nicole and Lindsay believe beach volleyball is more difficult than indoor volleyball because there are only two people to cover the whole court, whereas indoor volleyball includes six people on the court. The outside elements also contribute to the challenge, wind makes the ball do unpredictable things and it being Florida the weather is always really
hot it which gets the girls tired quickly. “Many people think beach is easy but is actually pretty hard.” Lindsay admitted. The sand also makes any movement harder to execute in passing and hitting during a game. But beach volleyball helps to improve speed and makes the girl’s vertical higher when it comes time to play in doors in the fall. When Nicole and Lindsay aren’t playing volleyball they are watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix, hanging out with their friends, and trying to make it through their Junior year. Congratulations on being Team of the Month!
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JASMINE THAI FRESH FLAVORFUL AND AUTHENTIC BY HEATHER DAVIS
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ucked away in a plaza off of Lumsden in Brandon is a glittering jewel of restaurants, Jasmine Thai. Brandon is no stranger to having a few good Thai restaurants to its credit and Jasmine Thai shines as one of the best. Thai food is known typically as being fresh and flavorful when prepared correctly. Owner and Chef Peter Lerppanit, is no stranger to what it takes to create and maintain a great restaurant. His family has been in the restaurant business for many years and own several successful Thai restaurants throughout the Hillsborough County area. Jasmine Thai is no stranger to recognition as it has been rated top Thai Restaurant by Zagat and the Tampa Tribune. Jasmine Thai has made its home in the Brandon area for over thirteen years and as a result has created a strong foundation of loyal diners and customers. The dining area of Jasmine Thai is extremely welcoming and comfortable with the right amount of Thai inspired
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embellishments to make one feel as though they are dining in a place far away from Brandon. The waitresses are attired in Asian inspired clothing giving an even more authentic feel to the experience. The food at Jasmine Thai is incredible and even beyond what one has come to expect in a really exceptional Thai Restaurant. Many years of experience stand behind the food that is prepared and it shows again and again with every bite. The appetizers Chicken Sa-te and Vegetable Potstickers (Gyoza) gives one an idea of what is in store when it comes to flavors and preparation of the entire meal. The Vegatable Potstickers are stuffed with clear noodle, cabbage, carrot, tofu, onions, sesame oil and shitake mushroom. Main courses kept flowing forth from the kitchen and it was difficult to nail down a favorite. Our meat dishes included Hot Pepper (basil) with Beef, prepared with chili paste, onions, bell
peppers and basil leaves, a Spicy Noodle dish also with Beef prepared with wide rice noodles sautéed with egg, snow pea, bell pepper, tomato, and basil, as well as the Pad Thai with chicken, prepared with rice noodles sautéed with egg, bean sprouts, green onion, ground peanuts and topped with scallions. We were also served Pineapple Fried Rice with chicken, stir fried with egg, cashew nuts, raisins, onions, and pineapple. All the flavors and textures of every dish were freshly prepared and perfectly balanced. Jasmine Thai does not fail to deliver when it comes to its vegetarian offerings. In fact some of the flavors of the vegetarian dishes would even make a meat lover want to for-go meat once in a while for the vegetarian options. Fresh from the kitchen we were served Sweet & Sour (best sweet & sour sauce) I personally have ever tried with tofu, prepared with sautéed tomatoes, pineapples, onions, and bell peppers. One cannot eat at a Thai Restaurant without trying the Curry, which as was
INFORMATION JASMINE THAI 1947 Lumsden Rd. Brandon, FL 33511 813-662-3635 Hours: Mon-Sunday 11:30-2:30 4:00-9:00 (10:00 on Friday and Saturday)
everything else, equally amazing. We sampled the Mixed Vegetable Curry prepared with red curry paste cooked in coconut milk and mixed vegetables. When it came time to leave, after a desert of green tea and coconut flavored ice cream embellished with Thai donuts we were able to meet Chef and owner Peter Larppanit. As testimony perhaps to the health benefits that come from eating fresh food, Peter surprised us all by relaying that he was 55 years old, when in fact he looked no older than 40. One cannot go wrong eating at Jasmine Thai, delicious food prepared in such a way that perhaps benefits not only the taste buds, but the whole body as well.
Exquisite Fine Dining
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Butter chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Masala dosa, Garlic Shrimp, goat Curry, Whole Fried Snapper
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