Osprey Observer Bloomingdale/FishHawk April 2023

ALAFIA RIVER CANOE RENTALS HAS BEEN LOCAL SOURCE ON THE ALAFIA FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS

For those looking for a fun activity for the whole family or maybe just an afternoon in nature, look no further than Alafia River Canoe Rentals, located on the banks of the Alafia River just of of Lithia Pinecrest Road. Tucked among the trees, Alafia River Canoe Rentals has served the Southeastern Hillsborough County area for close to 50 years. For a mere $25 for a full day’s rental of a canoe, it is difcult not to have a good time navigating the twists and turns of the Alafia.

When you pull up to Alafia River Canoe, you are quickly greeted by owner and founder Sybil (who prefers her last name not be used), from where she operates the business beneath her house, as she has for decades. From the time you approach the stand to when you return to the docks, Sybil is the epitome of customer service. With her answering any questions you may have about the river and the area she knows like the back of her hand, you can feel confident that you will have a great day on the river when renting here.

This long-standing business came to be in 1976 when Sybil’s husband went out to get a canoe to navigate the periodi-

RANDALL MIDDLE

SCHOOL GYM DEDICATED TO INAUGURAL PRINCIPAL MARCIA ELLIOTT

By Lily Belcher

By Jonathan Hurst

cal flood waters that would come around their house — and ultimately returned with four of them.

Over the next decade or so, those four canoes grew into a fleet of canoes and kayaks, peaking close to 200 in the 1990s. While the success sparked two other canoe rentals nearby in the past, in 2023, Alafia River Canoe Rentals stands alone as the oldest canoe rental for the Alafia River.

“We just stuck it out through the floods and some tougher times, and we are still here,” Sybil said.

While it has sold of about half of those canoes in recent times, that has not led a downturn, as the company is firmly entrenched in the community it serves, and there are no plans to go anywhere anytime soon. Most popular in the springtime, as that is when the river is the most stable, it attempts to operate year-round.

If you find yourself interested, it is recommended to call ahead of time to make sure the river is navigable. For more information, call 813-689-8645 or visit its Facebook page, Alafia River Canoe Rentals. It is located at 4419 River Dr. in Valrico.

Randall Middle School dedicated the gymnasium to its inaugural principal, Marcia Elliott, at the end of February.

Elliott served as Randall’s principal from its opening in 2000 until 2008 and was responsible for laying the foundation of a productive learning and teaching atmosphere for students and faculty.

“It was challenging at first because I wanted everything to be perfect for everybody. I wanted an atmosphere that everyone could live and learn and be free of having to worry about anything,” said Elliott. “… I wanted everybody to feel [like] a part of the school.”

The gymnasium was ofcially proclaimed the Marcia Elliott Gymnasium by the school board at the beginning of 2020 for the school’s 20th anniversary. The gymnasium was chosen because, prior to serving as Randall’s principal, Elliott was a physical education teacher. Due to COVID-19, the school did not have a chance to host a gathering of current and retired faculty and staf to recognize Elliott until this year.

“When she was here, she set a very strong foundation for both academics and student behavior. And it’s very hard to open a school because, not only do you have to oversee the physical building of the school, but you have to build the camaraderie,” said Claire Mawhinney, current principal of Randall.

When Randall’s middle school team

was founded, Elliott appealed to local teachers to come join her new staf and establish a school that the community would trust to educate their kids. She also broke from the traditional seven-period structure followed by most schools and established a five-in-five block that would allow teachers to fully dive into a topic and ensure their students understood it before going home for the day.

“It’s always student-focused, and that’s always what we’re trying to do, and she really drilled that home. And I think that has carried on,” said media specialist Cynthia Hardy, who has worked at Randall since it opened.

Elliott’s contributions to Randall Middle School extended beyond overseeing the construction of the building and formation of a teaching staf. As the inaugural principal, she was responsible for establishing a mission statement, teaching environment and student code of contact that would withstand community, generational and social changes in the following years.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Te Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival has returned with a globally inspired culinary experience featuring 79 chef-crafted and mixologist curated tastes inspired by cultures from around the world. Plus, 23 headlining acts from diferent genres will take the stage throughout 11 event weekends. Te festival runs now through Sunday, May 21.

A plaque in front of the gymnasium was fxed to dedicate the gymnasium to Randall Middle School’s frst principal, Marcia Elliott.

Current Randall Middle School Principal Claire Mawhinney unveiled a plaque dedicating the gymnasium to Marcia Elliott.

Sybil, owner and operator of Alafa River Canoe Rentals, has maintained this local business since 1976.

FUTURE ALAFIA ENGINEERS WORK TO PROTECT CARGO DURING EGG DROP

Prior to spring break, the entire student body at Alafia Elementary School went together to watch the egg drop, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) competition.

In her first year at the school, AGP teacher Amy Monteiro brought the contest to Alafia. She had sponsored the event previously at Lopez Elementary School, where she taught for the last 20 years.

According to Monteiro, “The students must create a free-falling container that will protect a raw egg, which will be dropped from increasing heights.”

Students in grades 3-5 were invited to create individual containers, and in grades K-2 each class made one together.

This project takes critical thinking, but for the elementary crowd, there is nothing more exciting than watching your eggs drop in the hopes that they will not break. About 115 students participated, and each container was unique and well thought out.

The dimensions could not exceed 1 cubic foot in volume, and students had to follow the rules provided for putting their containers together. Prior to the competition, Monteiro checked each container to be

By Michelle Colesanti

sure they met the requirements.

On the day of the competition, the students reported to grade-level tables to receive their eggs, then place their containers in the drop zone and watch as a TECO bucket truck dropped them from heights starting at 15 feet. If the egg survived, the students moved to the second drop zone and onto greater heights.

As the morning progressed, you could feel the excitement of the students watching as the bucket height increased and eggs survived the fall.

In the end, 30 winners received a prize. Awards were given for the surviving eggs as well as for containers using the best application of science, most creative, most complex, most spectacular splat, loudest landing, smallest and largest successful container, best container name, most school spirit and for slowest descending container.

“The idea of the competition is to promote STEM-based conversation and experimentation. Just a fun way to get hooked on STEM,” said Monteiro.

Alafia Elementary School is located at 3535 Culbreath Rd. in Valrico. Call 813744-8190 for more information.

RIVER HILLS FIFTH ANNUAL CHILI COOK-OFF BENEFITS A KID’S PLACE

On February 26, the River Hills HOA hosted its fifth annual chili cookof at the River Hills Country Club. With 17 competing teams and over 250 attendees, the event was considered another community success.

Julie Rule, chair of the River Hills Social Team, explained, “The goals for the annual event were to provide a fun community event for families, friends and neighbors to gather together; support River Hills Country Club; and partner with a local charitable agency to allow our residents to give back.”

This year, A Kid’s Place (Brandon) was selected to be the chili cook-of ’s charity of choice. A Kid’s Place is a local safe haven for foster children. Its campus of homes accepts donations of all kinds, but this event had a wish list with specific needed items. Donations were brought on the day of the event or ordered via Amazon and shipped directly. On-site, a QR code was also available to accept monetary donations. Over $250 in cash and 14 cases of pantry items were donated.

Attendees judged each competing team in these categories: spiciest, most original, people’s choice and grand champion. Each category winner received a River Hills Country Club gift certificate, an engraved wooden spoon and bragging

By Julie Rule

rights. The grand champion’s coveted green apron has also become quite a fun tradition in the River Hills community. Volunteers signed up in advance to help set up, decorate, work checkin, assist with the contests and kids’ games and tear down/clean up. Students were awarded Bright Futures service hours and neighborhood-resident adults managed the teams.

Kudos go out to this year’s chili cook-of chairperson, resident Karen Morrell. She was instrumental in the preplanning and continuous promotion of the event, and she even acted as emcee throughout the day and presented the awards.

After the event was over, Morrell also had the honor of delivering the pantry donations to A Kid’s Place. “It was my pleasure to lead this year’s event. I so enjoyed working with Julie, our volunteers and our contestants. The creativity, delicious chili and table presentations were amazing. Our community loves getting together, and this event was no exception. It was a great day and so beautiful to see the outpouring of donations for A Kid’s Place,” said Morrell.

For information on additional events and next year’s cook-of, email Rule at julierule001@gmail.com.

Karen Morrell, chili cook-of chair (left), with Brad Gregory, CEO of A Kid’s Place and Julie Rule, chair of the River Hills Social Team.

Winners of Alafa Elementary School’s frst egg drop competition. Prizes were awarded to those whose eggs survived as well as in other categories.

Amy Monteiro, AGP teacher at Alafa Elementary School, headed up the egg drop, a STEM competition, just prior to spring break.

nitishrele@gmail.com

LUXURIOUS LEXUS GX 460 CAN TACKLE TOUGH ROADS!

It may be “long in the tooth,” as Consumer Reports points out, or o f ers “subpar overall drivability,” according to Edmunds, but the 2023 Lexus GX 460 still can claim being a robust ride that responds with quickness in any driving situation while loaded with lavish treats. And if you fancy going o f the beaten path, do it in style and luxury, we say. The 5,198-pound, body-on-frame, full-size SUV impresses with 0 to 60 in 7.8 seconds.

LEXUS GX 460 AWD (LUXURY)

Tires: P265/60R18

Wheelbase: 109.8 inches

Length: 192.1 inches

Width: 74.2 inches

Height: 73.8 inches

Suspension: double-wishbone front, four-link rigid rear

Steering: power-assist rack-andpinion

Fuel capacity: 23 gallons

Under the hood resides a 4.6-liter V8 engine cranking out 301 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 329 pounds-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. It is mated to a standard sixspeed auto gearbox. Showing o f a muscular posture, the GX 460 sports a refreshed but massive spindle mesh grille flanked by triple-beam LED headlights and daytime running lights; chrome accents deck up its lower rear bumper. As soon as we stepped into the airy and well-appointed cabin, we noticed the two spacious captain’s chairs while the 50/50 third-row seat folds flat via the touch of a button. New for 2023 is a standard 17-speaker Mark Levinson sound system. A 4.2-inch TFT LCD screen displays a larger analog speedometer and tachometer, along with smaller fuel and temp gauges. Some goodies include tri-zone auto AC, 10-way power heat -

Mileage: city 15, highway 19

Base price: $67,080

Price as tested: $72,800

Website: www.lexus.com.

ed/cooled front seats, power tilt/ telescopic steering column, and a moonroof.

Aluminum accents and gray sapele wood convey a cool appearance. Clearly labeled audio, nav and climate buttons make it a breeze to use the 10.3inch touchscreen. And there is a CD player to boot, whether you use it or not.

Its dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag, driver knee airbag and front-passenger cushion airbag are standard, as are the blind-spot monitor with rear cross-tra f c alert, side-impact door beams, four-wheel antilock brakes, electronic brake distribution and brake assist, vehicle stability and traction control, rearview camera, push-button start, three-point seatbelts with pretensioners and front/rear crumple zones. These are complemented by a pre-collision system that detects pedestrians and bicyclists, lane-center and departure assist and dynamic cruise control, all part of the no-cost Lexus Safety Sense+.

If in the market for a full-size sturdy but luxury SUV that can tackle the challenging landscape (thanks to multiterrain select and crawl control) with self-confidence, the GX 460 is your ride. You won’t be disappointed as long as the steep price tag is within your reach.

EDGE POOLS IS TITLE SPONSOR OF WATER SMART TOTS ANNUAL GALA

Water Smart Tots (WST) is hosting its second annual charity gala to raise aware ness for childhood drownings at the be ginning of May. The “Every Child, Water Smart” Gala, to be hosted on Friday, May 5 at The Westin Har bour, located at 725 S. Harbour Island Blvd. in Tampa, will feature live music, dancing and dinner for guests.

All proceeds raised at the gala through ticket sales and com munity donations will benefit Water Smart Tots Founda tion, a nonprofit or ganization dedicated to combating child hood drownings in the Greater Tampa Bay area. The gala replaced the bingo fundraiser in order to include more people from the community.

“At the gala, we will be highlighting what WST has done all year, including scholarships and outreach programs,” said Glen Woo.

One of the scholarship winners is Cambria, who started in the Watch Me Swim program when she was 2 years old. This year, she is returning for more lessons. Cambria was awarded its level-two scholarship to support her family and her participation in the swim programs.

“[She is returning] for her refresher

$1,100. Sponsorships are still available from $250-$2,500.

For more information on Water Smart Tots or to purchase tickets for the gala, visit https://www.watersmarttots.org/.

VALRICO

The Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its second annual Kickball Tournament, sponsored by HiTech Automotive, on April 22 at High 5 Inc. in Brandon. The event kicks of at 8 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.

Each year, the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce honors one local organization as the ‘Charity of Choice.’ The 2022 tournament raised $3,075 for Impact, and eforts are underway to beat that total this year.

The 2023 Kickball Tournament Charity of Choice is Faces of Courage. Faces of Courage is a local organization that provides day outings, educational workshops and medically supervised overnight camps at no cost to women, children and families touched by all types of cancer and blood disorders.

Base sponsors, teams, players and volunteers are still needed to help make this year’s tournament a success. This is a family event, and players need to be just 13 years old to participate in the tournament. There is a bonus round of jumbo kickball that is sure to bring laughs and fun.

During the event, High 5 will open its facility and ofer day passes to guests to access activities like swimming and laser tag. This

Staf

is an excellent opportunity to check out all that High 5 has to ofer families in the community.

Teams will be provided with lunch by Chick-fil-A of Lake Brandon Village and Bloomingdale. Throughout the day, chamber members will be selling 50/50 rafe tickets. Sugar Lees Gourmet Cofee Service and Kona Ice will be selling specialty cofees and icy treats as well.

The Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce supports local business owners and nonprofit organizations through positive networking, business education and community involvement. The members are involved in building relationships and friendships that make a diference. With approximately 250 members representing businesses of all sizes, the chamber is proud to focus on building a “know, like and trust” approach which leads to members using and referring others to fellow chamber members.

To learn more or register for the event, visit https://tinyurl.com/VFCCKB23 or email info@valricofishhawk.org.

To learn more about Faces of Courage, visit https://facesofcourage.org/. High 5 is located at 405 Beverly Rd. in Brandon.

If you’re going to enjoy a comfortable retirement, you should know, among other things, how much money you’ll need. And you may have a much better chance of knowing this if you get some professional help. Consider these fndings from a 2021 study by Dalbar, a fnancial services market research frm:

• Investors who worked with a fnancial advisor were three times more likely to estimate what they would have saved at retirement than “do-it-yourself” investors.

• More than two-thirds of investors with a fnancial advisor were satisfed with the amount they would have saved at retirement, compared to about 27% of the do-it-yourselfers.

How do fnancial professionals help their clients in these ways?

First, consider the issue of determining how much money will be needed for retirement. It’s not always easy for individuals to estimate this amount. But fnancial professionals can help clients like you arrive at this fgure by exploring your hopes and goals. How long do you plan to work? What kind of lifestyle do you anticipate enjoying in retirement? Where would you like to live? How much would you like to travel? Are you open to pursuing earned income opportunities, such as consulting or working part time?

Next comes the other key question: How much money will be available for retirement? This big question leads to many others: How much do you need to save and invest each year until you retire? About what sort of investment return will you need to reach your retirement income goals? What level of risk are you willing to take to achieve that return? What is the role of other

income sources such as Social Security or any pensions you might have?

Having a fnancial professional help you gain a clear idea of your retirement income picture can certainly be reassuring. But there may be other reasons why “going it alone” as an investor might not be desirable.

For example, when the fnancial markets are down, as was the case for much of 2022, some investors make decisions based on short-term volatility, such as selling investments to “cut their losses,” even if these same investments still have solid business fundamentals and good prospects for growth. But if you work with a fnancial professional, you might decide to stick with these investments, especially if they’re still appropriate for your long-term strategy. Other times, of course, the advice may be diferent — but it will always be advice based on your goals, needs and time horizon.

Furthermore, if you’re investing on your own, you may always be measuring your results against the major market indexes, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. But in reality, your portfolio should contain a wide range of investments, some of which aren’t contained in these indexes, so you might not be assessing your performance appropriately. A fnancial professional can help you develop your own, more meaningful benchmarks that can show the progress you’re actually making toward your goals.

In some areas of life, going it alone can be exciting — but when it comes to investing for your future, you may beneft from some company on the journey.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Hillsborough County Hiring For Seasonal Parks & Rec Jobs School will let out soon for the summer, and many of those children will enroll in Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation summer camp programs. This means that the county is now hiring recreation leaders for the season. The jobs are 40 hours a week and last for 10 weeks. Summer camp leaders will work with children ages 5-16 years old in a variety of educational and outdoor recreational activities. Applicants must have first-aid and CPR certification before starting, along with a driver’s license and having graduated high school or earned a GED certificate. To apply, go to www.hcflgov.net/jobs.

Drive Out Pediatric Cancer Golf Tournament

Small but Mighty Heroes is hosting its first Drive Out Pediatric Cancer charity golf tournament on Saturday, May 13. The tournament will take place at Summerfield Crossing Golf Course, located at 13050 Summerfield Blvd. in River-

view. Registration opens at 11:30 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 1 p.m. The entry price is $125 per golfer or $500 per foursome. For more information, visit https://smallbutmightyheroes.org/ or email info@smallbutmightyheroes.org.

Bloomingdale Bulls Clay Shoot

The Bulls, Bloomingdale High School’s football team, will be benefiting from a clay shoot being held on Saturday, April 15. The event will take place at FishHawk Sporting Clays, located at 13505 Hobson Simmons Rd. in Lithia. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., followed by safety instructions, and the shoot will begin at 10 a.m. The cost is $110 per person or $400 per foursome and includes 50 clay targets and lunch. No shooting experience is necessary. There will also be rafe prizes available and a 50/50 draw. If you have questions about the event or would like to sign up, email gobullsfootball@gmail.com.

Hillsborough Pet Shelter Has A New Number

Residents wanting to adopt or foster a dog or cat from Hillsborough County’s

Pet Resource Center have a new number to call: 813-301-PETS (7387). The number for the Pet Resource Center is now separate from the number for animal control, increasing efciency and reducing wait time; animal control’s number remains 813-744-5660. In addition to the new number, residents can contact the Pet Resource Center by email at petinfo@hclflgov.net.

Operation Recovery To Host Its First Annual Golf Tournament

Operation Recovery, a Tampa-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports American veterans, will host its first annual golf tournament fundraiser on Saturday, April 22. The event will benefit its 2023 initiatives: providing support and professional development to veterans and transitioning service members, as well as funding the organizations humanitarian activities

in Ukraine and Afghanistan. The tournament will take place at Westchase Golf Club’s 18-hole course in Tampa. Tournament check-in and breakfast will begin at 7 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The event will conclude with a lunch reception, silent auction and awards. Registration is $150 per player or $500 per foursome and includes breakfast, lunch and a swag bag. Golfers can win prizes and will have exclusive bidding access to the silent auction and rafe prizes. Space is limited; registration can be found at https://operationrecovery.org/golf/.

Bingo Fundraiser At Te Talking Pint Bar & Bistro

The Kappa Kappa Chapter of Kappa Delta Phi will be presenting a charity bingo fundraiser at The Talking Pint Bar & Bistro in Riverview. Join them for a night of fun and bingo prizes on Tuesday, April 4 at 7 p.m.. Come early to secure a table for yourself and your friends, as this is a first-come, first-served event and bingo will start at 7 p.m. Bingo cards are $20, and a 50/50 drawing will also take place. The Talking Pint Bar & Bistro is located at 13418 Boyette Rd. in Riverview.

East Hillsborough Democratic Club Meeting

The monthly meeting of the East Hillsborough Democratic Club will take place on Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is both in person at Brandon Crossroads Bowl, located at 609 Crater Ln. in Tampa, and via Zoom. For more information, visit www.easthillsboroughdems.org, email ehcdclub@gmail.com or call 813-645-6324. All like-minded individuals are welcome.

Compiled by Jenny Bennett jbennett@ospreyobserver.com

BOARD GAMES AND BOWLING — A NEW SPIN ON OLD CLASSICS

Lithia-based company Scarb Enterprises LLC is adding a new twist to one of the world’s oldest sports, bowling, with its bowling adventure games Dragon Bowl and Raceway Alley. Founded by Scott and Barbara Eder, Scarb began in 2020 with their partner, Matt Nantais, but the original concept of Dragon Bowl was born over half a decade ago in 2017.

As youth bowling coaches, Scott and Barbara often found that their players were bored of practice. This led Scott to begin experimenting with a method of getting his players more engaged with the practices, and the result was a very rudimentary version of Dragon Bowl, with tape, a mixture of game pieces and dragon figurines.

“Once the bowlers understood the game, we noticed they were actively strategizing for their next moves and much more involved in the process of practicing,” Scott said.

Realizing the potential that their game had, they began to refine it and make the necessary tweaks that resulted in the dragon-slaying adventure that they have now. The game for sale now is a very high-quality, professional creation with astounding attention to detail, as the game has been designed down to the most minute details and littered with bowling ref-

By Jonathan Hurst

erences throughout. Despite their relatively recent start, Scarb Enterprises has managed to spread their game to multiple states, reaching as far as Hawaii, capturing players across the country.

Dragon Bowl’s sister game, also produced by Scarb Enterprises, is Raceway Alley, which was designed to appeal all of the racing fans out there. In this game, released in December 2022, bowlers compete on a track on the game board as they race to the finish line, utilizing strategy and skill to win.

“With these games, we are able to grow the sport of bowling in innovative and fun ways,” Barbara said.

Pioneering a new industry is something that is never easy, but with its unique concept, Scarb Enterprises is well on its way to making its name known within the bowling world and beyond. For those who have an interest in board games but have never really connected with bowling, or even if you are just looking for something fun and diferent to do with friends and family, this game is something to check out.

For more information on Scarb Enterprises and its games, visit www.scarbenterprises.com or follow along on Facebook at Scarb Enterprises, LLC and Instagram @scarbenterprises.

Scott and Barbara Eder, founders of Scarb Enterprises LLC displaying their games.

HILLSBOROUGH LEADS STATE IN LOCAL PRESERVATION EFFORTS

By Brian Bokor

volunteer committees involved in every key aspect of the program.

Ofcially renamed in 2014 for former county commissioner and lifelong advocate for environmental protection Jan K. Platt (19782002), the ELAPP history project was funded by a generous donation from Gus Muench, a commercial crabber for 25 years, driving force behind the creation of the Cockroach Bay Users Group and the president of the Little Manatee Preservation Committee.

COACHING SPOTLIGHT: KRISTOPHER WILKEN BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL

By Jonathan Hurst

Development fueled by population growth has been an ongoing issue for the past few years with Hillsborough County estimated to be home to over 1.5 million residents, a head count that is higher than 12 states and the largest in Florida outside of Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Lost in all this is the fact that “Hillsborough County has the largest local preservation program in the state of Florida. Other counties may have more land, but a majority of that land is federal. When it comes to local dollars, no other county comes close to Hillsborough. And that’s all thanks to our citizens voting to fund the program three times,” explained Ross B. Dickerson, division manager of Environmental Lands Management.

The program he speaks of is the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP). Beginning as a local response to rapid development and habitat loss, ELAPP continues to preserve wildlife corridors in this highly urbanized region.

ELAPP was born in 1987 as referendum county voters overwhelmingly chose to dedicate funding to purchase environmentally sensitive lands. The program acquires parcels only from willing sellers and is voluntary and nonregulatory. Anyone can nominate a property for ELAPP consideration, which triggers a review by county staf and the public ELAPP committee. Voters chose to expand the program in 1990, and again in 2008. It is a citizen-based program with

ELAPP has protected 64,530 acres of rare and important habitat in Hillsborough County. Many of our county’s 32 nature preserves were purchased in collaboration with other agencies, leveraging nearly one-third of the funds for acquisition from non-ELAPP sources and major restoration eforts with partners such as the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Information on all 32 can be found by visiting www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/ recreation-and-culture/parks/find-a-park.

Additionally, Dickerson explained how the ELAPP program has provided unincorporated Hillsborough County residents with a 25 percent saving on their flood insurance premiums. “The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program under FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program that rewards communities who implement floodplain management activities beyond the minimum federal requirements with discounts to flood insurance premiums for their residents,” said Dickerson.

Currently, unincorporated Hillsborough County is a Class 5 community, which corresponds to a 25 percent discount for all residents on their flood insurance premiums. This equates to approximately $5.9 million annually. One of the creditable activities under the CRS program is ‘Open Space Preservation.’ ELAPP and associated preserved lands are integral in obtaining meaningful credit for us in this activity and help us in achieving our overall rating of Class 5.

For additional information, visit www. hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/recreation-and-culture/conservation/elapp or email dickersonr@hillsboroughcounty.org.

Head varsity baseball coach

Kristopher Wilken has been a staple at Bloomingdale Senior High School for the past 16 seasons after he was hired in 2006. In his tenure, Bloomingdale baseball has been immensely successful, as 65 players and counting have gone on to play beyond high school, and his team won the state championship in 2021.

This success did not just happen though, as Wilken and his staf have developed an incredible culture where players develop and grow their talents every year they are with his program.

“All 34 players in our program have unique value to our overall success. I think it’s hard for them to see that if they aren’t starters right now, … when they do get the turn to be ‘the guy,’ they appreciate the opportunity they have,” Wilken said.

Wilken is able to achieve this success through his openness to shift strategies and willingness to alter his philosophy and gameplans to best suit the skillsets of the players currently on the team. This multifaceted style of coaching has led to many successful seasons, like a playof run to the state finals in 2014 and a

dominant regular season showing two years prior. Combine those results with his own AAA baseball experience and this success makes complete sense. While he is completely locked in on the current baseball season, he keeps up the coaching in the ofseason, as he coaches the 16U summer team for Ostingers Baseball Academy and coached his stepson’s travel team until recently.

Helping players reach their goals is something that Wilken takes very seriously, and helping the players develop their character and skills are some of his favorite elements of coaching.

“When my kids come back at the break of their freshman year in college and tell me how much more prepared they were for college baseball life than their other freshman counterparts, that’s kinda my afrmation that I accomplished my goal both on the field and of with them,” Wilken said.

While he is focused on the now and not looking ahead, it is fair to say that as long as Wilken is at the helm at Bloomingdale, players will continue to maximize their potential, both on and of the field.

Coach Kristopher Wilken and his family.

MARINE CORPS EDUCATORS’ WORKSHOP GIVES INSIDE LOOK AT BOOT CAMP

By Marie Gilmore

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a U.S. Marine?

How physically taxing, mentally demanding and hard is it to get into the Marines these days? Me too, and after spending a week at the Parris Island Marine Corps boot camp, I can now see why Marines are considered one of the most elite military forces.

My trip was courtesy of the U.S. Marine Corps who have been hosting educators for annual Educators Workshops for more than 20 years. These behind-the-scenes, four-day tours are to give educators an idea of what training, skills and opportunities are provided for students in the U.S. Marine Corps and in branches of the military.

For our workshop in February, I joined 31 Florida, Georgia and North Carolina-based educators, school counselors, administrators and ROTC instructors to get a taste of Parris Island.

From stepping on the iconic yellow bootprints, being assigned a pair of Marine Corps drill instructors and spending the week as recruits, we also had an inside look at the training and skills imparted in our recruits who, after 13 weeks, become full-fledged Marines at the end of the 54-hour crucible and then graduate two weeks later as U.S. Marines. After 10 days of leave, the new Marines head to combat training school and, depending

upon their military occupational specialty (MOS), they then head to their first assignment.

Debbie Williams is an art and physical education teacher from Pivot Charter School in Riverview who had the opportunity to attend the workshop.

“This experience is like living a dream, as I almost joined the military,” she described. “I’m so excited to take this experience and share it with my students as they prepare to take the next step after high school.”

Throughout the four-day experience, Williams and 30 additional members of the teacher unit learned to march in formation, eat in the mess hall, rappel down the tower, walk through the gas chamber, do obstacle and challenge courses, meet with recruits at all diferent stages of their boot camp experience and even shoot M16 rifles on the range. In addition, educators were able to visit the

nearby U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, where they saw fighter jets and talked to Marine Corp pilots.

Emma Schindler, calculus teacher at Pivot Charter School in Riverview, loved every minute of the workshop, and she said, “I will take this experience to become a better teacher and add some of the skills to my education strategy for my students.”

During the workshop, educators were put through a training regime but were also given access to base command. During a briefing with Brig. Gen. Walker M. Field, the depot’s commanding general, he encouraged the educators: “You have an opportunity to make a diference in our future generations.

You are here to demystify recruiting. You will learn how we make Marines and transform civilians and to give you the idea of the art of the possible and what you can do with your career.”

Twelve times each year, the Marine Corps invites high school educators and coaches from the Eastern region of the U.S. to an Educators Workshop at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. Educators Workshop is a program that provides attendees the oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Marine Corps boot camp firsthand. Highlights include discussions with recruits and Marines of various ranks, ranging from newly graduated privates to the commanding general. Attendees will also participate in many of the training events recruits go through, including the rifle range, rappel tower, gas chamber, obstacle courses, leadership and teamwork exercises, Family Day, graduation and time with the world-renowned Marine Corps drill instructors.

Those eligible to attend are current high school educators, coaches, administrators or members of the community who can demonstrate significant mentorship of young men and women through an organization.

For more information on the next workshop opportunity, call or email Sgt. Erin Morejon, marketing and communication representative for Marine Corps Recruiting Station Tampa. She can be reached by phone directly at 407-375-2509 or by email at erin. morejon@marines.usmc.mil.

Each year, the Marine Corps invites high school educators and coaches to an Educators Workshop at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina.

THE SALES AGENT WORKS FOR THE BUILDER.

This is no secret. They don’t work for you, they work for the builder! They are not representing you, they are representing the Builder. So that’s a major problem guys!

ON THE CONTRARY A REAL ESTATE AGENT REPRESENTS YOU.

You want to be represented by a professional who will make sure deadlines are met and have your best interests in mind! At the Tony Baroni Team, we deal with all of the builders and we’ve sold houses through all of them over time. There are hardly any builders locally we have not worked with or that we don’t know.

WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION, YOU DON’T SAVE THE MONEY BY NOT USING A REAL ESTATE AGENT. A lot of people think, “well, I don’t want to use a realtor because I want to save whatever that commission is. I want them them pass those savings onto me.” Here’s the news guys, the builder does not pass those savings on to you, they keep it for themselves. They fgure that a realtor is going to be a part of every transaction. If there is no realtor commission, they simply pocket it.

YOUR NEW CONSTRUCTION REALTOR IS YOUR ADVOCATE. They are going to make sure that everything is set up properly. A professional realtor knows what closing costs are. Your new construction realtor will help you negotiate what’s important to your individual needs.

YOUR NEW CONSTRUCTION REALTOR SHOULD HAVE AWESOME REFERRAL SOURCES.

So for example we have some home inspectors we work with. They go through each phase of the construction process. Also: homeowners insurance referrals, fooring referrals, etc.

A NEW CONSTRUCTION REALTOR SHOULD HOLD YOUR HAND THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

If the builder can get 20% as a deposit, they would. It’s typical that we negotiate what that is. For them to take the home of the market or start the construction process, it may be $2,000 or maybe $5,000, but if they could get 20%, they’re going to get 20% from you so you need a realtor representing you for that.

ADVICE REGARDING NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION UPGRADES

You know, what upgrades pay later when you need to go to the Design Centre, what matters when you go put stuf in, when you’d make decisions on what fnishes you should go with versus outside. We will help you weigh through all those options.

KEEPING YOUR HOME BUILDER ACCOUNTABLE TO TIMELINES

If the builder says we’re going to close on this time, we’ll try to keep them on task.

ASSISTANCE WITH SELECTING THE PERFECT LOT FOR YOUR NEW

HOME

What lot do you choose? Are some lots worth the extra cost? An agent will walk you through all the pro’s and con’s!

NEXT WE’LL HELP YOU REFER YOU TO A LENDER

If there’s an in-house lender; let’s say you can’t get pre-approved with that in-house lender. We will probably be able to get you pre-approved elsewhere and then work to deal with the builder to make sure you still get incentives as if you’re using a in-house lender, very important stuf

SLEEP IN AND GRAB BRUNCH AT ONE OF THESE DELICIOUS SPOTS

wiches, crepes, soups and salads.

“For 34 years, The Brunchery has been blessed to be part of this community,” said Stanley Athan, owner of The Brunchery.

“With friendly sta f , a warm and inviting atmosphere and great food, we invite you

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

doors opened. “We love being in the Riverview community and appreciate the local love,” said Priscilla. Eggs Up Grill also o f ers catering for any size event and a private dining experience in the store for groups of up to 15. The Eggs Up Grill in Riverview is open from 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m., seven days a week.

Community members in FishHawk have been enjoying The Scrambled Egg for over 10 years in Lithia. Whether you’re hanging out with the girls after dropping the kids o f at school or bringing the family for a Saturday brunch, The Scram -

If you are looking to sleep a few extra hours in the morning, then thank Guy Beringer, the man who coined the term ‘brunch’ back in 1885. Beringer wanted to enjoy a delicious breakfast-based meal after waking up but wanted to sleep in too; this caused him to often miss breakfast time. Instead, he decided to merge breakfast and lunch and call it brunch. If you are looking to get a tasty brunch close to home, thank these five spots for bringing all the options to the community.

With three locations in the area and more all over Florida, First Watch offers healthier choices for brunch. Choose from many meals that you will feel confident eating, like steel-cut oats, a superfood bowl or a Power Wrap. When eating at First Watch, guests are excited about eating something yummy and healthy. First Watch locations are open from 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. every day.

Canopy Road Cafe first opened its

doors in Tallahassee, and now it has nine locations across Florida, including one in Lithia and one in the Brandon area. Named after the beautiful canopy trees that cover Tallahassee, Canopy Road Cafe has something for everyone. With over 60 menu items, Canopy Road Cafe is serving up delicious breakfast, brunch and lunch items. Both locations are open from 6:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m., seven days a week.

The Brunchery in Valrico has been serving tasty meals since 1988 and has been a staple brunch spot for Valrico. The Brunchery serves a larger variety of things, including omelets, breakfast sand -

to bring family and friends and enjoy a great meal.” The Brunchery in Valrico is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week.

Eggs Up Grill, co-owned by Priscilla and John Conyers, is cracking into a fun brunch experience. Not only does it have a delicious brunch menu, but the store has also been counting how many eggs it has hand-cracked from the moment its

bled Egg is able to provide an incredible brunch experience. The Scrambled Egg is open from 7 a.m.-2 p.m., seven days a week.

Weekend brunches have served many with the perfect meal at the perfect time of day. Enjoying breakfast or lunch has never been easier when you can sleep in on a Saturday and still start your day with a hearty meal.

Brunch has become a popular meal across the globe, and these fve spots are just the start of the list of places to get brunch in our community.

ANN MARIE VAUGHAN OFFERS

PERSONAL APPROACH AS TOP REAL ESTATE AGENT

Ann Marie Vaughan began 2023 having completed 15 years with RE/MAX, during which she has become one of the company’s top agents in the area she and her family have lived for more than 30 years.

The Riverview resident’s sales volume has ranked her in the RE/MAX Florida Top 20 and as Tampa Bay’s #1 individual agent twice in recent years. Her overall production has won her the RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame.

Vaughan closes 75 to 100 sales every year without a team of assisting agents. She explains: “Teams work well for some Realtors, and some clients are just fine not working directly with the ‘name’ agent. But I’ve found I really prefer working one-on-one, the ‘hire me, get me’ approach.”

For support with the countless tasks that come with her level of sales, she relies on her husband and business partner, John Vaughan, and their longtime friend turned administrative associate, Regina Buchanan. Those two also handle about two dozen rental homes managed each year for friends and former sales clients.

Vaughan also appreciates the comprehensive backing of her brokerage, RE/MAX Alliance Group, which covers much of West Central Florida and is the largest RE/MAX

UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA TAKES A VALRICO FIELD TRIP

By Jane Owen

franchise in the U.S. Southeast.

“We have so many more resources to help clients compared to when I started in real estate in my 20s with a little ofce on the coast of Connecticut, where I grew up,” she says. “I worked in a bigger ofce when I moved to Washington, DC, and got married. Then we moved to Florida for my husband’s career, and I left real estate for quite a few years to raise 4 kids. I came back to it in 2002 with Prudential, then moved to RE/MAX in 2008.”

The realty market was in trouble in 2008, but Vaughan points out people’s housing needs persist regardless of economic conditions.

“New jobs, growing families, aging parents, marriages and divorces -- all of these things put people in a position where they need good advice,” she says.

Too often, in her opinion, real estate television shows and motivational speakers emphasize earning money when they should be focused on earning trust. Help clients “move from Point A to Point B,” she likes to say, “and everyone ends up OK.”

For more information, email annmarievaughan@verizon.net or call / text her at 813-748-4536.

On February 17, the University of Tampa’s field ornithology class took a field trip to Valrico. The class is designed to use encounters with wild birds in nature to teach upper-level science majors, many of which are preparing for careers as professional biologists, about the biology of birds. Every week, they embark on a four-hour trip to a park or nature preserve in the Tampa Bay area.

Associate professor of biology Dr. Mark McRae brought the class to Sandy Reed’s yard in Bloomingdale because she is well known within the local birdwatching and bird conservation community.

“By being able to visit Sandy’s yard, I could teach my students about vagrancy in birds, as well as the role that backyard bird feeders can play in modern bird conservation,” explained Dr. McRae. “I also very much wanted my students to meet Sandy so that they could learn about the Tampa Audubon Society. But most importantly, I wanted them to meet a passionate individual like Sandy who has had such a positive impact on bird conservation and biology here in Central Florida.”

Dr. McRae believes that conservation of native species within the suburbs is important.

“Whenever I teach my field ornithology course, I spend one day demonstrating

to my students ways people can transform their patch of the suburbs into a space that can be valuable for the conservation of our native species. As suburbs continue to expand in our area, this topic is always increasing in importance,” Dr. McRae said.

Reed teaches backyard birding classes with USF’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She is a long-term member and leader in the Tampa Bay Audubon Society. She is also the administrator of the Hillsborough County Birds Facebook group.

This trip marks the second time Dr. McRae has taken his class to Reed’s yard. This year, they also visited Steve Backes’ yard in Valrico.

“Steve has transformed his yard into a patch of habitat that draws in surprising numbers and a diversity of species of birds that can be observed up close. His experience with the study and conservation of hummingbirds has been significant,” Dr. McRae said.

For those interested in backyard birding, Reed highly recommends the booklet “Planting a Refuge for Wildlife,” which can be found at https://myfwc.com/viewing/habitat/refuge/.

For more birding information, check out the Tampa Audubon Society’s website at www.tampaaudubon.org/ and the Hillsborough County Birds Facebook group.

Care partners of those with any type of memory loss, whether family, friends or professionals, need to be equipped with the knowledge to best support their loved one. Gain this knowledge at our NEW hybrid support groups being held via Zoom and in person at Tessera of Brandon.

Hybrid Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support Groups

Ann Marie Vaughan ofers a personal experience for her RE/ MAX clients.

A male eastern Bluebird feeding a juvenile in one of Sandy Reed’s birdhouses.

A University of Tampa feld ornithology class recently visited two Valrico homes for bird watching.

LOCAL ARTIST JOHN COSTIN HAS SOLO EXHIBIT AT THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER

A very unique art exhibit is on display at the Tampa Bay History Center in downtown Tampa. The exhibit is called Etched Feathers: A History of the Printed Bird, and it features the artwork of Valrico resident John Costin. The exhibit is available for viewing in the Wayne Thomas Gallery now through Sunday, October 15.

Birds have mesmerized and inspired people and artists for centuries. Etched Feathers is solo exhibit of Costin’s original etchings and his personal collection of his antique bird prints. Costin’s latest etching of a mating pair of sandhill cranes depicted life-size, titled Verdant Landscape, is also included in the exhibit.

Costin said, “In addition to my pieces in the exhibit, there is also a collection of original antique prints that display the history of bird art from the 1600s up to the 19th century. The antique prints are from my personal collection and were selected for the exhibit because they give a general view of how avian art has progressed through history. My art continues that tradition of depicting birds through a personal contemporary vision. The antique prints displayed are all handmade, and like those pieces, my art is also handmade

SPECIAL DAY AS SHAQ BARRETT AND UNITEDHEALTHCARE PARTNER TO BRING JOY TO A KID’S PLACE

By Jonathan Hurst

By Kathy L. Collins

without the use of a mass-produced reproduction process.”

Costin explained his art process: “To create my etchings, I use an ancient printing process (c.1450) using two to five copper plates that are individually etched to allow application of color and detail on fine rag paper. After hand-applying ink to each plate, the inked plate is pressed (with a printmaking press) into wet paper, leaving an inked impression of that plate. After the ink has dried, the image is then meticulously hand-painted with transparent watercolors.”

Costin attended the University of South Florida, where he studied intaglio art, a process which combines graphics, painting, sculpting and engineering. Costin, who lives in River Hills, maintains a studio in Ybor City where he creates his fantastic pieces. He has a book of etchings depicting large birds of Florida registered with the Library of Congress.

The Tampa Bay History Center is located at 801 Water St. in downtown Tampa. For information on Costin, visit www.costingraphics.com. For information on the Tampa Bay History Center, visit www.tampabayhistorycenter.org.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker

Shaq Barrett recently teamed up with UnitedHealthcare in order to provide foster children at A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay Inc. (AKP) with new athletic shoes, as well as an opportunity to have a fun-filled day with the NFL star.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve worked with A Kid’s Place, and I am sure it won’t be our last. They do great work; their mission is pure, and just to know that these kids have access to these resources is amazing. My wife and I just want to do what we can to help make things just a little better for the kids, and we are grateful to UnitedHealthcare for working with us on this event,” Barrett said.

Through this event, UnitedHealthcare was delivering the message that health care is not just about what happens inside a doctor’s ofce, as 80 percent of what influences a person’s health is not connected to medical care. In the spirit of this, the goal of the event was to help build the confidence of these kids and get them active.

“For us at UnitedHealthcare, it’s about making sure basic daily needs are met. It is extremely important for children to be able to play and grow healthy. Shoes that are too tight can hamper walking, running and playing and cause problems. More, having the

right pair of shoes can boost confidence and encourage a healthier lifestyle,” explained

Michael Lawton, CEO

of UnitedHealthcare

Community and State Plans of Florida.

This joint efort allowed Barrett and UnitedHealthcare volunteers to gift 60 pairs of new shoes to the children at the January 24 event.

UnitedHealthcare also sponsored activities and giveaways, including face painting, caricature artists, a photo booth, T-shirt art, rock climbing, drawstring backpacks with small fun items, snow cones, food and a DJ, with Barrett on-site playing the games and having a great time with the kids.

“It was truly magical to see how the kids’ eyes lit up as they enjoyed a moment of normalcy. These children have been removed from unspeakable situations. For them to be able to create happy memories as they heal from trauma is a true blessing,” said Brad Gregory, CEO of A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay. AKP is committed to doing what it can to aid children who were removed from their home for their safety with a priority of keeping siblings together. If you would like to help or gain more information, visit https:// akidsplacetb.org/. A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay is located at 1715 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Brandon.

John Costin, an extraordinary artist and resident of Valrico, has a solo exhibit at the Tampa Bay History Center. His newest piece, Verdant Landscape, is included in the Etched Feathers: A History of the Printed Bird exhibit, which is available for viewing now through Sunday, October 15.

Shaq Barrett handing out sneakers to kids.

SAFE PLACE IS THERE FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS FACING IMMEDIATE CRISIS

By Kathy L. Collins

tions to libraries, and even many McDonald’s locations. At each Safe Place location, there are staf trained to help, and each one displays the recognizable yellow-andblack “Safe Place” sign to provide a visual cue for kids to know they are in a safe place.

Children and teens who are facing immediate crisis often think they have nowhere or no one to turn to. The truth is, that is not the case. Children and teens in crisis can utilize Safe Place, with which students and teens can receive immediate help through a single text message.

Safe Place is a national initiative locally managed by Hillsborough County Children’s Services that provides access to help and supportive resources for youth in need. It does not matter what the situation is that the child or teen is facing. Whether they have had a fight with their parents or are fleeing domestic abuse in the home, children under the age of 18 can visit any of the dozens of Safe Place locations in Hillsborough County — most of which are open 24/7 — to get assistance.

Hillsborough County ofers nearly 200 Safe Place locations for children in need. These come in many forms, from fire sta-

Locally, the Safe Place locations include the Brandon Recreation Center, Bloomingdale Regional Public Library, McDonald’s on Bloomingdale Avenue and Boys & Girls Club Dover Unit.

Children and teens in crisis can text ‘SAFE’ with their current location to 4HELP (44357) and, within seconds, receive a message with the closest Safe Place site and the phone number to Children’s Services. The employee at the Safe Place location will call Hillsborough County Children’s Services and, within 30-60 minutes, a qualified Safe Place volunteer or staf member will arrive to talk to the youth, who, if necessary, will provide transportation to the Children’s Services campus in Tampa. Once at the campus, the counselors will meet with the youth and their family to make sure they receive the help and professional services they need.

For more information about Safe Place in Hillsborough County, including how your organization can become a Safe Place location, please visit its website at www.hcflgov. net/children.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year here in Florida — spring has sprung. This month, we will focus on rounding up some of the most common animals that you will see and what to expect from them. Here are some tips to live harmoniously and fear-free with wildlife in Florida.

Alligators are ofcially on the move looking for mates, making them more commonly nomadic as they look to breed. No cause for panic. Remember to assume that all bodies of fresh and brackish water in the state can have an alligator in it. Please keep pets indoors, on a leash and out of the waters. It is illegal to feed, harass or harm alligators. The ancient creatures play a critical role in our environment and should remain undisturbed.

It is also worth noting that if you call a trapper and an alligator is over 3 feet in length, they will most likely be killed, not relocated.

Additionally, snakes, turtles and frogs will also be abundant and on the move. These animals want nothing to do with us, in fact, they benefit all of us by helping to keep our natural landscape green as well as acting as natural pest control. Turtles are commonly found crossing roadways this time of year, and they can be moved out of danger to safety, always in the direction that they’re heading. Please never place any turtle in water; instead, aquatic turtles can be placed on the bank near water a few feet back, and they will enter on their own when they are ready. Also, never relocate any turtle away from the vicinity in which you’ve found them. Needless and unauthorized relocation of animals can lead to starvation and death. (Relocation of the protected gopher tortoise is illegal.)

Sandhill crane babies are hatching — the cutest little balls of orange floof you’ll ever see! Sandhills usually hatch as solo babies or in pairs. Please remember that sandhills are slow moving birds, so be aware, slow down and let them cross. Also, please remember that stilt-legged birds commonly sustain leg and foot injuries. Leg injuries cannot be treated, and if they can eat and move, they’ll survive.

Fledglings (baby birds learning to fly) will be everywhere. Their parents are near and in one to three days, it will be up and flying. If the baby needs help, you can nail a shoebox with some leaves and ground cover inside it a few feet up the tree and place the fledgling in it.

Concurrently, kitten season is about to burst wide open. In Tampa Bay alone, there are an estimated 100,000-plus feral cats outside at any given time who reproduce year-round. Feral and community cats live outside and are just as wild as the rest of these animals. They have a home and colonies, and there will be kittens. Kittens are always best with mom unless it’s urgent. Our county also has a “Wait Until 8” program for just such occasions. Utilize the resources available. As always, love and respect wildlife, but from a distance; they make this state amazing, and so do each of you for learning more and caring about our wildlife. Spay and neuter your pets, and adopt, don’t shop. We are in this together, so let’s keep Florida wild!

Ali Holton is currently director of FishHawk TNR Inc. She has a master’s in biodiversity, wildlife and ecosystems and 20 years of experience specializing in animal behavior and conservation. To reach her, email fshhawktnr4@gmail.com.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fctitious name of Servpro of Central Bloomingdale, Fish Hawk DBA BJNH, Inc. located at 6528 Hwy 301 South Ste. 109, in Hillsborough County, in the City of Riverview, Florida, 33578, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at Valrico, FL this 1st Day of April 2023

Children and teens can receive immediate help with a single text message thanks to a national initiative called Safe Place. Locally, Safe Place is managed by Hillsborough County Children’s Services.

EXPERIENCING THE “WILDER” SIDE OF FLORIDA

Floridians are no strangers to alligators, as many of us have seen them in our community ponds, sunning on the grassy banks. But to experience them in the wild, or better yet, of the front bow of an airboat, is an altogether diferent experience. Wild Florida, a walkable zoo, driving safari and airboat adventure park, docks on lovely Cypress Lake just east of the Florida Turnpike, where over 600 gators enjoy their natural habitat.

Wild Florida Airboats and Gator Park expands 170 acres of scenic landscapes and houses more than 150 native and exotic animals.

By Jef Hoening

Your first stop is the gift shop, which ofers a variety of unique, wildlife-themed toys, apparel and household trinkets, as well as an aquarium-housed, extremely rare albino alligator, born at Wild Florida. If you purchase the airboat tour, which we highly recommend, you walk the dock to a 15-person airboat, piloted by knowledgeable captains, who navigate their crafts on a thrill-ride-like racetrack of tall marsh grass. Protective earmufs are provided, but not required. During our visit, our boat found a cute pod of baby gators, numbering 15 or more, while the mama lurked quietly on the lake bottom nearby, afraid of our boat.

for the walk-through shaded gator park home to a gorgeous full-grown Florida panther named Nala, an Australian black mamba, curious lemurs, colorful macaws and much more. The park also houses its patriarch and largest alligator, the 14-foot modern-day dinosaur named Crusher. The park ofers an experience where patrons can have ‘lunch with Crusher’ in his enclosure. We found this curious, and also frightening; so, chatting with a couple of Crusher’s keepers, they commented that driving I-4 is more dangerous than entering Crusher’s lair. Yeah, no.

Sponsored by

Daily airboat tours ofer you an in-depth look at Florida’s wildlife in their native habitat, with knowledgeable boat captains to enhance your experience. WWW.VALRICOFISHHAWK.ORG

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After tying up at the dock, we headed

To complete the afternoon, we jumped in our car for the drive-through safari experience with zebras, gazelles, deer, bison, and wildebeests. Pro Tip – if your vehicle is approached by an ostrich, roll up your window! Cap of the drive by hand-feeding the girafe from an observation platform. Wild Florida is a terrific and fun experience for the whole family, and you’ll definitely get much more than you expect! Note the park is closed on Sundays. For more information, visit www.wildfloridairboats.com.

Join us at our Midday Power Hour every Wednesday, 11a-12p at JF Kicks for a presentation and networking with other

By Brian Bokor

Trafc issues have become a common occurrence around parts of Hillsborough County. Greg Slater, CEO and director of the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA), is fully aware of this, as the view from his ofce on Twiggs Street in downtown Tampa overlooks the backup of cars that represents the Selmon Expressway’s elevated express-lanes exit ramp during morning commutes east from Brandon.

Slater joined THEA last February and brings with him over 20 years of experience in public service, most recently as secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, and sees first-hand where there are still opportunities to improve the expressway.

One of Slater’s goals is to create a balance of usage between the upper and lower lanes as well as reduce congestion for morning westbound commuters. A major component will be the installation of two new ‘slip’ ramps on the Selmon that are now under construction, one near I-75 with the second near the I-4 connector. Additionally, alternative routes will be open near the Twiggs Street of-ramp at Nebraska Avenue, making for easier access through downtown. Slater is also working closely with the Florida Department of Transportation in solving the backup at I-4, although that project is

not under THEA authority.

Slip ramps are on and of-ramps between the Selmon Expressway’s lower local lanes and upper reversible express lanes (REL). The new East Selmon slip ramps will allow drivers westbound to enter the upper-level REL near I-75, and then exit near IKEA. The addition of the ramps will reduce morning congestion on the westbound Selmon Expressway near I-75, along with helping to avoid congestion near the I-4 connector and reduce backup at the Twiggs Street exit ramp. Slater expects the ramps to be operational by the end of the summer.

A second enhancement being made to the Selmon is an additional travel lane from 22nd Street near Ybor City to Brandon Parkway, which will be completed over two or three phases.

Trafc on the Selmon is on the rise, “oper-

ating at 19 percent over prepandemic levels and seeing increased usage in the middle of the day, … and for the third time this year exceeding daily records, with Friday, February 10 setting an all-time high.” Slater is well aware that using the expressway represents both a choice and an expense, and he wants drivers to know THEA is constantly working towards improving its services to maximize their dollars. One hundred percent of the revenues collected in tolls are reinvested back into the community.

The good news for local commuters is THEA is a state, not county, agency so county funding does not factor into THEA improvements, with all upcoming and current projects funded 100 percent through THEA’s toll and bond revenues.

When asked of future THEA plans, Slater reminded me, “When the Selmon was ini-

tially expanded (in the late 80s), Brandon was the population center, and the reason why it was built … to serve the growing community. Three areas that have been discussed are north towards Pasco, west between Tampa and St. Pete and south to Riverview, Apollo Beach, Southern Hillsborough. … Due to the recent growth, THEA is addressing plans meant for 2040 today.”

And when asked about the southern option, Slater would only go as far as to say there was “an ‘idea’ which included an elevated extension running south along U.S. 301 from the existing 301 exit south to the Big Bend area, … very similar to what was built over Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa.”

This would imply one lane in either direction with no additional exits for a total length of around 10 miles. No timetable was mentioned, but Slater followed up by saying community support and involvement for this project would be essential in moving the idea forward, especially from local businesses.

For more information, Sue Chrzan, THEA’s director of communications and public affairs, can be reached at www.tampa-xway. com. THEA is located at 1104 E. Twiggs St. in Tampa. Call THEA at 813-272-6740.

Photos courtesy of the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA).

TECHNOLOGY AND CUSTOMER

COME TOGETHER AT THE TAX OFFICE

Among life’s certainties is the paying of taxes and fees to government entities that then spend the money for the benefit of residents on things like roads and other infrastructure, or services such as fire protection.

As Hillsborough County’s tax collector, Nancy Millan is responsible for the collection of revenue payments from residents so they can operate a business, own a home, fish for snook or drive a car, as examples.

She was elected to the ofce in November 2020, and while she is the newest Hillsborough County tax collector, it is a position that Millan is familiar with, having served as the agency’s director of community relations for 20 years.

According to Millan, her experience of connecting the community with the county’s administrative and civic processes while working for her predecessor, Doug Belden, influences her work in leading the tax ofce and also played a part in wanting to continue serving county residents by running for election to the position.

“I’m very passionate about this ofce and the work we’ve done, and I wanted to move forward with the excellent foundation to provide excellent service,” she said, adding, “I knew what success looked like.”

Blu

By Brad Stager

The COVID-19 pandemic has afected tax ofce operations over the last three years, and the resulting innovations will continue to do so as Millan encourages adoption of technology that ofers residents flexibility in taking care of routine administrative matters.

“We learned there’s a diferent way of doing business,” she said.

Among the innovations are the ability to take a driver’s license road test in a remote fashion, with the examiner observing and evaluating an applicant’s driving skills via cell phone. Other technologies deployed to facilitate public access to the tax ofce include self-service kiosks located at some Publix supermarkets and a bilingual (English and Spanish) chatbot named Sofie on the tax collector website to provide customer assistance.

The high level of customer service expected of tax collection employees is also reflected in the ofce’s internal culture, resulting in recognition as a 2022 National Top Workplaces Culture Excellence awardee by Energage, a national research company that conducts workplace surveys.

You can learn more about doing business with the Hillsborough County tax ofce by visiting www.hillstax.org.

What You Can Do About Back Pain

Low Back pain is a $600 billion dollar industry in this country. That is outrageous! Musculoskeletal pain is unfortunately very mismanaged. Why make simple problems complex?

With all mechanical pain, there’s a ‘what’ and a ‘why’ — what the problem is and why it’s occurring in the first place. To achieve resolution, it’s crucial to not only identify and correct the problem at hand but address the behaviors which lead to the issue!

Here are some self-help tips:

• Keep moving!

• Avoid sitting for longer than 30-minutes at a time.

• Sit with upright posture with lumbar support.

• Take micro-breaks: stretch, take a stroll, grab a snack, move around.

• Take mental notes of what you are doing when your pain feels better or worse to identify any positional patterns.

Nancy Millan is the Hillsborough County tax collector.

FOURTH OF JULY PARADE SET FOR A COMEBACK, ENTRY DEADLINE

After a hiatus sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, the Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade is back on track for this year’s holiday revelry.

The parade again will be presented by the Community Roundtable, only this time it’s in partnership with the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce. Both organizations are among the oldest in the area, with their founding having been more than 60 years ago.

In what essentially is a walking billboard of community oferings, thousands of people cheer for the approximately 100 parade units that promote area schools, youth groups, sports teams, bands, businesses, nonprofits, religious institutions and more.

The unit entry application deadline is Thursday, June 1. The deadline to apply for the race for honorary mayor of Brandon is Monday, May 1. The candidate who raises the most money from June 1 through the impending start of the Tuesday, July 4 parade, on behalf of the candidate’s selected and approved nonprofit, will be declared the winner.

“On behalf of the Community Roundtable, I am expressing our excitement to partner with the chamber,” said Community Roundtable President Janine Nickerson. “They will bring not only a new energy to the parade but provide us with

JUNE 1

By Linda Chion

invaluable access to the business community to support our efforts. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Matt Lettelleir, president and CEO of the chamber, issued a similar sentiment: “The chamber is first and foremost a community organization, and we want to ensure that these great community events stay in existence and continue to make Brandon the special place that it is.”

Nickerson said students can earn community service hours working on preparade tasks. Also, on Monday, March 27 at Bloomingdale High School, students and their families are invited to the roundtable’s Community Service Forum to learn more about area nonprofits and charities. College and university representatives will be in attendance to discuss study, admission and scholarship oferings. The roundtable set a Friday, March 31 deadline for high school seniors to apply for a $2,000 scholarship for continuing students in college or vocational settings.

For more on parade particulars, entry forms and sponsorships, visit the roundtable at www.thecommunityroundtable. org and the chamber at www.brandonchamber.com. A parade meeting that’s open to the public is set for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8 at the GFWC Brandon Junior Woman’s Club, located at 129 N. Moon Ave. in Brandon.

JORDAN

TEACHES TRADE WITH CLASSES

While you may not know of many blacksmiths operating in the year 2023, Jordan Cox, known as Jordy the Knife Maker, is working to change that. A former chef turned bladesmith, Cox has quickly developed quite a talent for crafting knives, among various other forged works of art. Thankfully for the public, he is not keeping his talents to himself, as he ofers educational classes where you can learn about the ancient art form, and even craft your own knife.

Despite his first foray into the world of blacksmithing only coming a few years ago when he took an introductory class, his dedication to the craft has left his work looking like he has been in practice for decades. A true creative, Cox is constantly innovating with new styles and materials to bring this millenniums-old trade to modern times. In addition to classes, he takes commissions and has a variety of his knives for sale on his website.

“There is a sort of a resurgence happening, and there are a lot of hobbyists in the area. People seem to be really interested in the concept and being able to engage directly with it, as it is like functional artwork,” Cox said.

By Jonathan Hurst

Currently, he is offering a knife-making class, but he is willing to take on other tasks to help clients bring their visions to life. This is not a watered-down class by any means, as participants not only learn about the art form from a consummate professional but also play an active role in the creation of their knife, guided by him as well. Participants do everything from pounding out the redhot steel to forming the handle to the blade out of stabilized burlwood. Another incredible element is that by the end of the class, you will have a fully functional chef’s knife to take home with you, no extra steps or days involved.

With a typical class running for roughly eight hours, featuring drinks and a truly impressive lunch, this is the perfect outing for a variety of circumstances. Whether you are looking for a bonding experience with friends and family, a unique date or are simply curious about the craft, this is something that you are not going to find anywhere else.

Jordan Cox Knives is located in Thonotosassa on 12921 Cox Lane Trl. For information, visit https://jordancoxknives.com/ or email jordytheknifemaker@gmail.com.

until April 30th

Photo courtesy of Linda Chio. TECO makes a grand appearance at the 2015 Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade.

A participant shaping his knife.

COX, BLACKSMITH

A block of steel becomes a knife during the process.

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Young Innovators Academy Celebrates New Location With A Ribbon-cutting

Young Innovators Academy is expanding to the Tampa area with its first location now open at 16641 FishHawk Blvd. in Lithia. It recently celebrated the new location with a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce. The founders of Young Innovators Academy have a rich background in education and have developed a unique curriculum for their academies using new research on how the brain works and how children learn. Young Innovators not only develop what they must know but also mindsets, attitudes, values and skills to prepare the next generation for a fast-changing world. For more information, visit www.younginnovatorsacademy.com.

Mike Neill Joins Fidelity Mortgage Loans

The Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon-cutting for Mike Neill with Fidelity Mortgage Loans. While Fidelity has been serving the Tampa Bay area since 1994, Mike is the newest representative in Valrico area. Connect with Mike on Facebook at mikeneillmortgagebrokerFL. For more information or for questions to help navigate this ever-changing lending market, visit www. mikeneillmortgagebroker.com, call 813-8928666 or email mikeneillmlo@gmail.com.

Swing Band Concert At Presbyterian Church Of Bloomingdale

Come and enjoy a fun-filled evening of music and dance at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, located at 710 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. It is hosting a swing band concert, featuring live music by Riverside

Jukebox, on Friday, April 21 at 7 p.m. Concertgoers will hear music from the big band era up to the 1980s. Tickets for the event are available at www.pcob.us/events and cost $20 per person or $30 per couple.

1916 Irish Pub Opens New Location In Brandon

Chuck Jameison, Fernando Rodriguez and Duke Mendel, owners of 1916 Irish Pub, have just opened their third location at 906 W. Robertson St. in Brandon. The pub ofers authentic Irish cuisine with a contemporary twist including shepherd’s pie, Irish stew and fish and chips. A wide range of craft beers accompany the food, as well as delicious sounding cocktails. Visit its website at www.1916irishpub. com to see the full food and drink menus. A calendar is also online, where upcoming events are listed; look for live music announcements. The other 1916 locations are in Plant City and Lakeland.

White Oak Cottage Celebrates One-year Anniversary

The White Oak Cottage, a home decor bou-

Find care that

tique, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its upscale restaurant with a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce. Located at 10530 S. County Rd. 39 in Lithia, its restaurant hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dinner reservations for between the hours of 5-8 p.m. are recommended; reserve by calling 813650-0054. For more information, visit www. thewhiteoakcottage.com.

PF Auto Glass Celebrates 29 Years In Business Riverview residents Pat and Donna Fore has successfully owned and operated PF Auto Glass since 1994 and are celebrating 29 years of serving customers throughout Hillsborough County. PF Auto Glass ofers prompt mobile auto glass services, personalized customer service, assistance with auto insurance claims for damaged auto glass and a full lifetime warranty on all car window repairs. For more information, visit its website at www.pfautoglass.com or call 813-741-3633.

celebrates you

Te Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting for the Junkluggers of Tampa East & Hillsborough South, which provides an eco-friendly solution to traditional junk removal with a commitment to enhancing lives, communities and the environment through donating, recycling and supporting local charities. For information, call 813-480-3802.

Paulette Y. Merchant LLC Provides Real Estate Services

Paulette Y. Merchant LLC is based at 109 Harbor Village Ln. in Apollo Beach. It provides representation for buying or selling real estate, whether for primary homes, second homes and/or investment properties, and shares with buyers and sellers what is happening in the housing market at any given time, ensuring that they can make educated decisions regarding their housing budget or sales price. It also takes the time to sit down with people to discuss their need and wants, as well as educate them about the process of buying and selling in Florida. Plus, it’s able to refer local vendors that may be required, such as movers, locksmiths and handyman services. For more information, visit its website at https://paulette.kw.com/ or call 813-652-5472 (mobile) or 813-641-8300 (ofce) to make an appointment.

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COMMUNITY GARDEN TAKES ROOT AT GRACE COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

In bloom is the vision for a community garden at Grace Community United Methodist Church in Lithia, where Rev. Tracie Ashley believes any efort to address food scarcity is a blessing for today’s economic and inflationary pressures.

“We want it to be place for the community to grow things” for themselves and for church dinners, said Rev. Tracie, who, as co-pastor at Grace Community, works with her husband, Rev. Erick Ashley. “And for people who find themselves with food scarcity, the garden will be a place where they can get good, healthy, organic vegetables at no cost.”

Eforts to plant Grace Community’s garden began before the pandemic, which in turn caused a pause in development.

Now, “a small, but very excited” group of volunteers, including a soil expert and an expert in seeds, “are wanting to put their own skills into this for the benefit of the community,” Rev. Tracie said. “Others of us, who are willing hands, we want to get into the dirt and be part of a movement.”

According to Rev. Tracie, colleagues around in the community garden movement serve as an inspiration for Grace Community’s vision. “Their gardens not only are beautiful, but they also draw

By Linda Chion

the community together for a purpose,” Rev. Tracie said. “What could be better, people coming together, connecting and feeding others.”

Likewise, that is what draws Rev. Tracie to preaching at the pulpit.

“Our mission is to create a community where all people can experience God’s transforming grace,” she said.

“We’re really doing the same things, it’s just not with dirt.”

Rev. Tracie said it’s a good antidote to what ails us in post-pandemic times to ask churchgoers and community members to plant a community garden together.

“We had a pandemic, I think now there’s an epidemic of loneliness,” Rev. Tracie said. “This [community garden] is like going back to the basics, connecting to the earth and caring for the earth, and connecting to each other and caring for each other.”

Indeed, “you get in the dirt, you work side by side, and you just miraculously grow things and it nourishes someone else,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Grace Community United Methodist Church is at 5708 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Lithia. For more information, visit https:// mygraceumc.com/ or call 813-661-8858.

Rev. Tracie Ashley in front of the community garden at Grace Community United Methodist Church in Lithia.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN TO HOST FIRST GOLF FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT STUDENTS

Immanuel Lutheran School is hosting its first annual golf tournament and rafe fundraiser to support its kindergarten through eighth grade students.

The golf tournament will be hosted starting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 1 at the River Hills Country Club, located at 3943 New River Hills Pkwy. in Valrico. It will be the largest fundraising event hosted by the Parents Actively Lending Support (PALS) committee.

“Our hope [is] the PALS committee is [able] to raise enough to ofset the cost of an upgraded kitchen. A portion will go to purchasing new technology equipment for the school. Technology equipment would be Chromebooks, iPads or even smart boards for the classrooms,” said PALS Committee Chair Julie Jewett.

The PALS are hoping to raise $25,000 to ofset the costs of their improvements through sponsorships, donations and registration fees. With the funds raised, Immanuel Lutheran aims to purchase 20 Chromebooks for its students to use in the classrooms.

“Members of the community can help by supporting the golf tournament in the means of sponsoring or even setting up a

By Lily Belcher

team,” said Jewett. Registration costs $400 per team, and the school is hoping to host 25 teams in its inaugural tournament. Sponsorships range from $500-$5,000. All sponsorships come with four tickets and the opportunity to provide company collateral in gift bags given to participants.

Five parents are working to organize and advertise for the golf tournament in May. At the event, the PALS plan to have 15 parents and church members volunteer to execute its first golf fundraiser and raffle.

Immanuel Lutheran School is a nonprofit organization that has served the Brandon community for over 40 years. All donations and contributions made to the school and golf tournament are tax-deductible.

Monetary or rafe item donations from individuals or businesses can be sent to the school at 2913 John Moore Rd. in Brandon to the attention of PALS Committee, Julie Jewett. Contributions will be acknowledged on event displays, Facebook and the school’s website and newsletter. For more information about the golf tournament, visit https://ilsbrandon.com/ or call 813-685-1978.

Te PALS committee have hosted several activities and fundraisers in the past, but the golf fundraiser will be its largest event yet.

NEWSOME BOYS BASKETBALL SETS TEAM WIN RECORD, MAKES IT

TO STATE ELITE EIGHT

By Jonathan Hurst

NEWSOME’S GIRLS’ WRESTLING TEAM MAKES IT TO STATES IN THEIR

FIRST SEASON

The Newsome High School boys’ varsity basketball season came to an end after a 76-42 state quarterfinal loss to Winter Haven on February 24. With a final record of 26-4, which is a win-loss record for Newsome basketball, this season was an astounding success for head coach Barry Jacobs and his team.

“I am really proud of the team, they have put in the work, and it was great for them to see it pay of with this season,” Jacobs said.

The team started hot from the jump, racking up a record of 22-1 to start the season, winning 15 of those games by a double-digit margin or greater. Newsome went on to win the district championship over Sumner High School before beating them again in the first round of the regional playofs, eventually winning four playof games in total.

While this season was a success, it was not necessarily a surprise, as the same core of players achieved an 18-8 record and notched two playof wins and the district championship before being eliminated in the regional round. The pandemic put a strain on the team, as players quit the team during the difcult times, but

the players who stayed with the program and put it in the work the last two years were rewarded.

“They are an experienced bunch, so that helps. When you have seven seniors that have mostly been in program for four years, they know the grind that this is. The practices, games, tournaments, you have to embrace it and put in extra time. You gotta love it, and make sure that you embrace the grind, don’t fight it if you want to find success,” Jacobs said.

Newsome has developed an impressive culture that is set to continue into next year and beyond as well. Though they are losing some key seniors, like team captain and 2023 FACA District 15 Player of the Year Jonathan Moore, two of the team’s leading scorers will be returning along with other key role players. Supplementing the loss of the seniors with JV players, there are high hopes for next year, as the team sets their sights on winning their third straight district title and hopefully avenging last year’s playof loss.

The Newsome High School girls’ wrestling team took 10 athletes to the state’s tournament in their inaugural season and had one wrestler place in the top 10 in Florida at the beginning of March.

Florida approved girls’ high school wrestling last year, but Hillsborough County added girls’ wrestling at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.

In November of 2022, Newsome began forming a girls’ wrestling team. All the girls on Newsome’s team qualified for regionals, taking one of the top four spots at the district’s tournament.

“I’ve never been more proud of a team I’ve coached,” said assistant coach Corynn Cusson. “… It was amazing just seeing where they began. They were nervous and unsure about what we were about to do, and over four months [I have been] watching them grow.”

With the help of head coach Mark Drake, 11 Newsome girls learned how to wrestle. Many, like junior Lana Clayton, had never wrestled before, but the guidance from Drake and some of the wrestlers on the boys’ team led the girls to their first states tournament. Drake taught the girls the basics of wrestling and some of the moves that brought them success in matches, and, according to Clayton, Cusson was the glue that held the team together throughout its challenges.

By Lily Belcher

Clayton and teammate Sophia DeRezende qualified for the state’s championship in Ocala during the first week of March. Clayton placed eighth in the state and became the first female wrestler to place for Newsome.

“It was surreal … to stand on that podium and know it’s my first year and I qualified now, what I can do later with a little more training. It was a great experience. It was so fun, and I loved having all my teammates there to cheer me on,” said Clayton.

While building a foundation for girls’ wrestling in the FishHawk area, the team formed a family on the mats for their inaugural team. During states, many of the girls went to support Clayton and DeRezende, and many from the boys’ team and head coach Stephen Gilbert stayed at the tournament to cheer on the girls.

“All my teammates were so welcoming, and immediately, even faster than I found my groove at school, I found my people at wrestling,” said Clayton.

Te Newsome High School girls’ team competed in the state’s tournament in their frst season.

Te Newsome team poses with their staf and trophy.

Photos courtesy of Sean Moore. Team captain Jonathan Moore fnishes strong at the rim.

Lana Clayton and Sophia DeRezende qualifed for states after placing frst and third in regionals, respectively.

BLOOMINGDALE FOOTBALL

ALL-TIME WIN LEADER LEAVES PROGRAM TO COACH LECANTO

The Newsome High School boys’ soccer team had their best season in their school’s history, winning their district for the fourth time in six seasons, claiming the Western Conference championship and making their first-ever state championship appearance. The Wolves also won a program-record 21 games. They came up a bit short in the state championship, losing 3-0 to East Ridge.

“The most memorable moment of this past season was the feeling when the ref blew the whistle of the state semifinal game,” said junior midfielder Reed Newman. “Making our coach proud and knowing that we were going to the state finals was a surreal feeling that I will never forget.”

The Wolves were led by 11-year head coach Allen Ware, who said that his program was the first boys’ team sport at Newsome to make a state championship appearance. They had previously made it to the regional final twice under Ware before winning their first regional title this season.

“They bonded together as a team, as a brotherhood,” said Ware. “The beginning of the season, we knew we had talent on the team, but it takes a little bit more than that throughout. We set out to gain four trophies and we got four trophies, but the last one was the runner-up, so I guess we weren’t specific enough in the four we wanted,” Ware joked.

Ware said that his team faced a lot of ad-

813-974-7889

By Nick Nahas

versity during the season, playing in two games where they were missing 11 and 13 players due to conflicting club tournaments, and they were still able to win those games. “No matter who was on the field, every player stepped up and performed,” he said.

The head coach is most proud of the fact that his team trailed in the district championship, first and second rounds of regionals and state semifinals and had the guts to come back and win all those games. “The character they showed was huge,” he said.

Senior striker and USF signee Stephen Gilbert had 22 goals while missing seven games with a hamstring injury. Sophomore forward Greyson Ayer scored 22 goals and junior midfielder Reed Newman was a workhorse in the middle. Four-year senior starter Kyle Smith anchored the defense. Junior Eric Ellis was in net for the Wolves.

“I thought the season was amazing,” said Gilbert. “It’s not what I expected at all. I didn’t think we were gonna make it all the way to states and end up creating Newsome history. It was such a great once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Ware and the Wolves have high hopes for next season. They will have to replace 10 seniors from this year’s team, but they won’t shy away from the expectations.

“We have to carry the torch,” said Ware. “It’s gonna be tough to get back to where we were, but the boys this year set the standard. We’ll always set our goals high.”

Bloomingdale High School football head coach

Jake Coulson has accepted a job at the same position to coach Lecanto High School starting next season. Coulson leaves Bloomingdale as the all-time win leader with a 29-16 overall record. He will always have a special place in his heart for the place he called home for the last five years. His motto at Bloomingdale was “TPW” (Tough People Win).

“The school itself just has a special vibe,” he said. “The Friday night games at Bloomingdale are pretty electric with the band and the community support. It was probably one of the better atmospheres in Hillsborough County.”

In 2019, he was promoted to head coach at Bloomingdale after a strong season as defensive coordinator. In his second season as head coach, he led the Bulls to a record-setting 12-0 season before losing to a dominant St. Thomas Aquinas program in the team’s first-ever state semifinal appearance.

The head coach, who is originally from small-town Texas, feels comfortable moving to an area that is similar to home and has a great Future Farmers of America (FFA) program in rural Citrus County. He and his wife, Justeen, also accepted teaching jobs at Lecanto High School.

“I felt like it was the right time for me, and then also felt like it was something that I needed to do for my family,” he said.

By Nick Nahas

Coulson is most proud that during his time at Bloomingdale the program had over 30 kids move on to play at the college level. They also renovated the entire locker room and weight room. He will always be grateful to the administration, parents and especially the players. He said that the hardest part of this process has been telling the players that he’s leaving.

“The thing I will miss most about playing for coach Coulson is the teamwork he instilled in us,” said senior tight end/long snapper Charlie O’Brien. “He took a bunch of kids that you normally wouldn’t think would hang out together and brought us together to form a brotherhood.”

Coulson said he appreciates former Bloomingdale Principal Sue Burkett, who gave him his first head coaching job; former Bloomingdale head coach Max Warner; current Principal Marcos Rodriguez; his former athletic directors, Nate Francis and Sara Bouge; coach Hutch; and all the coaches, parents and players.

“People think that football is just a oneman show, but it takes an army,” he said. “There are a lot of people who helped me, and I’m thankful for that. I also want to thank my family, my wife, son and daughter. It takes a big commitment from them to pick up and move. They have always been supportive of my job and me stepping into this new role.”

Photo courtesy of Newsome.

Te Newsome boys’ soccer team made their frst-ever state championship appearance.

Photo courtesy of Jane Owen.

Jake Coulson poses with his coaching staf at the team banquet.

NEWSOME SOCCER HAS BEST SEASON IN SCHOOL’S HISTORY; WINS DISTRICT, WESTERN CONFERENCE & REGIONAL TITLES

BRANDON BALLET TO PERFORM SLEEPING BEAUTY

The Brandon Ballet will perform Beauty on Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Riverview High School, located at 11311 Boyette Rd. in Riverview. The performance of ing Beauty 29th season, the of Discovery the talented young danc ers of the Brandon Bal let as they perform this Tchaikovsky classic.

Tickets are $35 for adults, $25 for children and seniors and $15 for homeschool groups and students.

Sleeping Beauty

Come see the talented dancers of the Brandon Ballet as they perform the Tchaikovsky classic Sleeping Beauty on Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Riverview High School.

Courtney Moody, a professional dancer with the Brandon Ballet, will perform the lead role with technical mastery and artistic expression. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this family-friendly production of a well-loved classic tale.

Everyone knows the tale of Sleeping Beauty. The young heroine begins the tale as a sweet baby. In celebration of her new life, her parents throw her a party, inviting all of the kingdom’s finest people. Their guests wish her a good life, and four fairies bestow upon her magical gifts of character.

In an evil rage, the witch, Carabosse, casts a curse on the child: On her 16th birthday, Aurora will prick her finger on a spindle and die. The Lilac fairy dashes in to change the curse, making it so that Aurora will not die

VILLAGE PLAYERS PRESENT CLUE

but instead fall into an enchanted sleep until a prince awakens her

On her 16th birthday, the kingdom is gathered to celebrate her coming of age. Many gifts are bestowed upon her. The evil witch, Carabosse, sneaks in and gifts the child a spindle. To her parents’ horror, she loves the mysterious thing and dances with it until she pricks her finger. She is cast into a long sleep.

Many years later, a young prince, Desiree, is wandering in the forest. Will he be the savior to the heroine and her subjects? Join the dancers of Brandon Ballet to watch this story unfold before your eyes and witness the magical awakening of the kingdom.

Hannah Townend, administrative director for the Brandon Ballet, said, “We exist to create a place where young and professional dancers can enjoy and express their love of dance in an excellent and professional way. From the youngest performers — our extras are as young as 7 — to our professional dancers, we strive to display excellence and joy in every event and production we bring to the Brandon area.”

To get tickets to Sleeping Beauty, please visit www.brandonballet.org/events/.

The Village Players of Valrico will present the whodunit Clue production during the month of April. Clue is directed by veteran director and Village Players supporter Gail Pierce.

The Village Players will o f er performances of Clue on Friday, April 7, 14 and 21 and on Saturday, April 8, 15 and 22. The Friday and Saturday shows will be held at 8 p.m., with the doors opening at 7:30 p.m. The Village Players will present two Sunday matinees. On Sunday, April 16, the show will be at 5 p.m., with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, April 23, the show will be held at 3 p.m., and the doors will open at 2:30 p.m.

Te Village Players of Valrico will present the whodunit Clue production during eight performances in April, two of which are Sunday matinees.

All shows will take place at the historic James McCabe Theater located at 506 N. 5th St. in Valrico.

Pierce said, “ Clue is based on the iconic 9185 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game of the same name. Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-the-murder mystery.”

The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu.

When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth, the suspects — the Butler, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard — race to find the killer as the body count stacks up.

Pierce said, “ Clue is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out who did it, where they did it and with what.”

The Village Players is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) community teaching theater based in Valrico. The Village Players train, rehearse and perform at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico, a building on Hillsborough County’s Register of Historic Places which was built in 1915.

All of the individuals who are involved in the Village Players’ productions donate their time and skills to educate and entertain the public. The group is supported by donations and grants, and it is the only one of its type in Hillsborough County.

For information, visit www.thevillageplayersvalrico.com.

3452 Lithia Pinecrest Rd, Valrico (Located in the SteinMart Plaza)

BUDDY CRUISE ANNOUNCES TWO LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Buddy Cruise Inc., a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that provides educational opportunities, awareness, advocacy and inclusion for individuals with special needs and their families, recently announced the 2023 Erin’s Umbrella scholarship winners.

Founded in 2008, one of its key programs is an annual conference at sea that hosts interactive workshops, events and activities for all ages and abilities. Families from across the globe come together for this unique, life-changing experience.

Maria Dellapina and her daughter, Erin, enjoyed several years of Buddy Cruising until, sadly, Erin passed away in 2019. Later that year, Erin’s family, onboard the Buddy Cruise, announced the creation of the Erin’s Umbrella scholarship. Erin’s sweet, caring and infectious smile will be remembered by allowing new families to experience the same joy onboard the Buddy Cruise. Scholarship winners will receive a voyage on Buddy Cruise 2023, including a cabin for two and conference fees with access to all sessions, events, activities and Buddy Cruise swag.

Nominations were received from across the country, and with so many heartfelt stories, three families were awarded scholarships this year, including two local families.

One of the scholarship winners is Diego Rangel, a Newsome High School student with multiple special needs. He continues to succeed and overcome many diagnoses. He and his family have endured many hardships

BRANDON BALLET AWARDS THE 2023 RICHARD MUNRO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP TO JULIETTE LAXTON

this past year, including the passing of his grandmother, who was his caregiver while his mother, Daniella Vetencourt, underwent chemotherapy treatments. They are excited to join the Buddy Cruise this year and celebrate life.

The other scholarship winner is Madelyn Hart, who has several disabilities that afect her daily life. The Buddy Cruise will give her a chance to socialize with other individuals who know what it is like to be neurodiverse in a safe environment. Hart has four siblings, two of whom also have unique needs. Her mother, Donna, a teacher at Newsome High School, is thrilled to share this experience with Hart and take part in their first Buddy Cruise.

The third recipient of the 2023 Erin’s Umbrella scholarship is Cody Reyes. Reyes is a 22-year-old man who resides in Terrytown, Louisiana.

The Buddy Cruise welcomes everyone: individuals with disabilities, their families and friends. Even if you are not a part of the special-needs community, you are welcome to come along for an amazing journey. The 2023 event will be held onboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas for a fun Halloween sailing from Sunday, October 29 through Sunday, November 5. For more information about the 2023 Buddy Cruise or other upcoming events, visit buddycruise. org, email joinus@buddycruise.org or call 877-239-2789, Ext. 0.

Miss a Moment

The winner of the 2023 Richard Munro Memorial Scholarship is Juliette Laxton, a soloist dancer with the Brandon Ballet. She has been with the Brandon Ballet company for four years.

Laxton is in the eighth grade at Randall Middle School in Lithia. Winning this scholarship means a lot to Laxton, who said, “Winning this scholarship will give me the opportunity to study dance and help me further my training to reach my goals.” Laxton’s goal is to improve in her technique and artistry, and she feels that the guest teachers of the Brandon Ballet summer intensive help her learn various styles of ballet, such as Vaganova and Balanchine.

The late Richard Munro spent his life nurturing the art of ballet as a ballet master, an artistic director and a ballet academy founder in Kentucky and Texas before moving to Brandon. He spent the last six years of his life teaching, coaching, choreographing and performing for Brandon Ballet. Because of his tremendous contributions to Brandon Ballet, the annual Richard Munro Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to honor his memory.

Dancers who are serious about their ballet training are invited to audition to be considered for the scholarship. Based

By Kathy L. Collins

upon the judges’ recommendation, Brandon Ballet awards one winner a prize of up to $250 to go towards a summer training program of its choice. For over 10 years, the Richard Munro Memorial Scholarship has provided several dancers the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations of dancing professionally.

The Brandon Ballet was founded in 1993. It is a nonprofit preprofessional ballet company that develops and promotes opportunities for aspiring young dancers. By o f ering a superior training program and three major performances each year, the Brandon Ballet helps serious dancers broaden their dance experiences.

From its humble beginnings, the company has grown to include dancers of varying levels, including nine professional artists. The Brandon Ballet provides Brandon and the surrounding communities with an education in the art of dance. The Brandon Ballet serves the community through performances held at public facilities. All company dancers receive the highest caliber of professional training on a weekly basis and are provided the opportunity to learn standard classical repertoire. It has and will continue to foster growth and education by bringing guest teachers and choreographers to the community.

Juliette Laxton, an eighth grade student at Randall Middle School, is a soloist dancer and has been with the Brandon Ballet for four years. Laxton is this year’s Richard Munro Memorial Scholarship winner.

Michael Francis, Music Director

Spring is in the air. The waters are warming up and the cold fronts are in the past. Sea grasses are back, and so is the bait. And large numbers of snapper, snook, trout and Spanish mackerel are abound in the bay.

When targeting in on trout, keep in mind that artificial jigs work best on the grass flats. You can cover much more area in a shorter time and much safer for the release of trout. It is an active approach to finding them, as opposed to the live bait methods, which are more passive approaches. Try a oneeighth oz. jig head with paddle tail or curly tail bodies. Color doesn’t always matter as much as the movement; I do prefer the new penny, tan with gold flakes and red and gold colors.

Live bait or artificials work very well for Spanish mackerel. With live bait, you may choose to use a long-shank, silver hook. This will help eliminate many of the cut-ofs we get with the mouth full of teeth that the mackerel have.

Snapper will be moving in and are very aggressive. They respond and school up well

BY MICHAEL MURPHY

BRANDON PEST CONTROL BRINGS 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO A SERVICE CALL

By Brad Stager

with chum, so grab a bag and hang it of the boat to get a mess of snapper for the dinner table. You may choose to use a 1/0 or #1-sized hook, and put just enough weight to keep the bait steady on the bottom. Many times, when chumming, these fish will rise up in the water column, sometimes just right of the side of the boat. You will want to cut some bait in half and chum with them, then put a hook with no weight in a piece and be ready to reel them in.

Snook will be in the passes and steadily feeding on the schools of bait on the flats and pass entrances. Greenies are almost always the bait of choice, as snook will readily crush those little morsels. Fly fishing this time of year is great; the grass that is usually seen on the surface will be at a minimum and allow better retrieval of the fly. I like to use a green deceiver or just a white streamer fly on a 25 lb. tippet. Give it a try. It’s fun, challenging and very rewarding when it all works in unison. Try an eight-weight rod and a weight-forward, floating line.

Get out and enjoy Tampa Bay.

While people may not talk about bugs as much as the weather, insects can do a lot of damage, and when it comes to dealing with undesirable critters, there are very few local exterminators who can match the 50 years of experience that Brandon Pest Control in Valrico can proudly claim.

One indicator of the company’s success is that in 1973, when Rhode Island transplants Cookie and Lloyd Turchin founded Brandon Pest Control, they provided services to about 200 customers. That service base has grown to 4,500 customers throughout the local Tampa Bay area and beyond, including two ofces in Georgia, over the following half-century.

Termites may be the number one bug enemy for most structures, but the self-described bug muggers of Brandon Pest Control take on everything from rodents to earwigs in homes and businesses.

Technicians of Brandon Pest Control are trained in the latest eradication methods and put safety at the top of their considerations when on a service call. The staf of the company is also one of the most experienced to be found among pest-control operators in the area with many longtime employees. The Turchins attribute that

stability to taking care of the people who take care of their customers.

“Our employees have been with us a long time,” Cookie and Lloyd said in a joint statement.

“We don’t like turnover. Some employees have been here for over 20 years. Our employees are reliable and dependable, from our technicians to our ofce staf Everyone is happy.”

Some of the things Brandon Pest Control does to keep customers happy include inviting customers to observe termite treatment operations, as much as safety considerations allow; using flow meters to ensure proper amounts of chemicals such as Termidor are used; cleaning all areas where work was performed; and patching drill holes. Interest-free financing is also available.

Some signs that termites have invaded your structure include seeing swarms of tiny insects; finding a lot of small, delicate wings around windows, doors and baseboards; and finding tiny holes in a wall.

To discover how Brandon Pest Control can take care of your pest problem, ask questions or request a free quote, visit its website at www.brandonpest.com or call 813-685-7711.

Trevor with a great snook.

Brian with a nice redfsh.

FOUR BLOOMINGDALE WRESTLERS PLACE AT STATES

The Bloomingdale High School boys’ wrestling team placed seventh overall and had four athletes place in the state championships with the leadership of their firstyear head coach this spring.

Coach Mark Church took over after serving as an assistant with the Bulls’ team for five years. After the departure of their previous head coach at the beginning of the year, he knew he had to step up to preserve the wrestling team at Bloomingdale.

“I just felt like I couldn’t just leave [the athletes], so I stepped up as head coach this year,” said Church, who wrestled for Brandon High School when he was a student.

In his first year as head coach, Church coached around 30 boys and won district duels and the district championships. After the district championships, 10 wrestlers qualified to compete in the ‘Region of Doom,’ where the Bulls placed second overall.

Six of Church’s athletes advanced to states in Kissimmee at the beginning of March where Anthony Cubero placed sixth, Nathaniel Overman placed second, Jose Milord placed third and James Singer placed seventh. Overman narrowly lost in the state finals after a decisive 2-point call went against the Bulls’ senior to force them into overtime.

BLOOMINGDALE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL WINS SECOND STRAIGHT DISTRICT TITLE

By Nick Nahas

By Lily Belcher

While the season officially started in December 2022, the preparation, Church emphasized, started long before. His athletes train throughout the summer and into the fall, working on fundamentals and conditioning to prepare them for each match.

“These kids work year-round, and it basically showed this year,” said Church. “I’m just big on basics and making sure they’re conditioned well to wrestle a complete match.”

Church and his team are also responsible for fundraising and other administrative behind-the-scenes functions. Church leaned on fellow faculty and parents to support him and allow him to focus purely on coaching his athletes on the mat.

Heading into the next season, Church is looking to recruit younger athletes, even appealing to middle schoolers to set them up for a wrestling career in high school.

“It’s a great sport,” he said about wrestling. “… It’s good personal growth, it teaches a lot of life lessons in a short amount of time.”

For more information on Bloomingdale High School’s wrestling team, please contact Church at mark.church@hcps. net.

The Bloomingdale High School girls’ basketball team has had its best stretch in their school’s history the last two seasons, winning back-to-back district titles, making deep regional runs and going 51-9 overall. Last season the Lady Bulls made history, winning their first district title since 1995 and reaching the state final four for the first time ever. This season, they came up one game short of that, playing in a much tougher region, but they had the best record and winning percentage in their team’s history, going 26-3.

“This season was a historical season,” said senior co-captain and all-time three-point leader Ava Knauer. “Although it didn’t end the way we wanted, I am still proud of what we did accomplish. I’m excited to see what the team does next year.”

The Lady Bulls were led by 12-year head coach Joel Bower, who said that his team’s expectations were much greater than last season. Although they didn’t reach their goals of making it back to the state tournament and winning it, Bower feels that his senior class, who had the best overall winning percentage of any class at Bloomingdale, has set a precedent for the program moving forward.

“I was proud of how the girls played and battled through the pressure, the expectations, getting every opponent’s best efort,” said Bower. “The road to win that district title and to try to get back to Lakeland was much tougher this year.”

The head coach said that his team had great depth again this season, which was

a big asset to their success, along with great team chemistry. He had a deep bench, which kept the team fresh and allowed them to have competitive practices and avoid foul trouble. The squad was very balanced in terms of scoring. Five players had at least one 20-point game during the season. The Lady Bulls had nine returning players from last year, including five seniors, four of whom were on the varsity roster the last four seasons.

Bower said that he’ll miss his senior group tremendously. He also said that they helped change the culture of the program with their work ethic and leadership. Ava Knauer, Kyrstin Wolf, Melody Womack and Aleissa Perez started involuntary morning workouts at the gym as freshmen that has become a new tradition inside of the program.

“Those seniors kind of created that culture of ‘we work and that’s why we get the results we have, because of all the hard work,’” said Bower. “I hope that they set the tone for the underclassmen. I hope them leading by example has shown those kids that we’ll be back, and that that’s what it takes.”

Senior co-captain Melody Womack tore her second ACL in the regional quarterfinal, ending her career prematurely. She recovered this past ofseason from tearing her other ACL in the regional final last year..

“I’m thankful for my team that has been there for me during my ups and downs. I will miss my coach and my teammates,” said Womack.“

Six Bloomingdale High School wrestlers qualifed for the states tournament.

Photo courtesy of Dawn Lanier.

Te Lady Bulls won back-to-back district titles

IMPACT’S GOT TALENT BRINGS YOU THE COMMUNITY’S BEST

Join Impact

On Friday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Bloomingdale High School, kindergarteners through high school seniors will be performing their talents and competing for a grand prize of $250. Enjoy the best vocalists, actors, dancers, musicians and more.

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

kids so they say no to things like premarital sex, drugs, tobacco and alcohol.

GET THE DIRT: BETTE S. WALKER DISCOVERY GARDEN

BY LYNN BARBER, FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING™ AGENT

Purchase tickets now to Impact’s Got Talent to support Impact and its eforts to instill healthy habits and lifestyle choices in our future leaders.

The three programs work with di f erent levels of the community to fight unhealthy behaviors and teach smart habits, and they are able to reach over 10,000 kids every year. Impact serves the community through schools, churches and other community organizations.

With amazing talent, special-guest judges, audience-choice votes, concessions, 50-50 ra f es and silent-auction prizes, Impact’s Got Talent is going to be a night of fun.

All ticket sales will benefit the Impact Program and its continued e f orts to inspire parents, leaders and teens to fight for a healthy lifestyle. Tickets are $10 per person and are available for purchase online.

“This is a great opportunity for students in our community to get involved while raising funds for the Impact Program,” said Angie Kagey, executive director at Impact.

The Impact Program promotes healthy lifestyles for teens by encouraging parents, teachers and leaders to empower

There are multiple ways you can get involved in Impact and support its mission, such as donating gas cards or bags of hard candy to Impact, helping toward its need of passenger vans used for summer programs, or volunteering as administrative support, an event volunteer or an education specialist. Businesses can also help support Impact through financial or services like printing, media, accounting or legal services.

To learn more, please contact Jennifer Crum at 863-661-3236 or crummiej2@gmail.com or visit www.whatisimpact.com/events. To purchase tickets for watching Impact’s Got Talent, visit https://impactsgottalent2023. eventbrite.com. For students and parents who are seeking help, visit www. whatisimpact.com/resources to find more educational resources.

Interested in innovative ideas for your landscape? Need a mini getaway? Now is a great time to visit the Bette S. Walker Discovery Garden, located in the courtyard of the University of Florida/ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Hillsborough County o f ce in Se f ner near the I-4/I-75 interchange. This teaching garden is named for Bette Walker, the first executive director of the Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers, a past professional association of nurserymen/women who provided seed money and plant materials to showcase the horticulture industry and educate the public.

“I love to visit the garden. There is always some new plant to see and try in my own yard. I usually have questions galore for the Master Gardeners and sta f . They do a fabulous job in maintaining the garden and have answers ready for me,” said Walker.

Although Bette isn’t with us anymore, I believe she is visiting gardens everywhere.

While small in scale, the Bette S. Walker Discovery Garden features a collection of six themed gardens which convey landscape design and maintenance ideas based entirely on the nine principles of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program. These principles include right plant/right place, water e f ciently, mulch, recycle yard waste, fertilize appropriately, control yard pests responsibly, reduce stormwater runo f , attract

Friday,

wildlife and protect the waterfront.

The garden rooms are named Florida-Friendly, Asian Influence, Wildlife Habitat, Backyard BBQ, Sensory and Water Features. Each garden has its own landscape theme and function. For example, one of the water gardens simulates a natural lake or pond and is aquascaped with several Florida-native plants. Recycled products, various types of pervious surfaces, mulches, plant materials and microirrigation are showcased. Both Florida-native and non-native adaptive plants are included.

There are several other reasons to stop by our o f ce: We have a gorgeous perennial garden and a pollinator garden created by Girl Scouts, there is a Master Gardener volunteer on duty who can answer your questions and you can submit a soil sample for testing at a nominal cost. Please check our calendar of events for upcoming programs at: http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/ upcoming-events/.

Discovery Garden group tours can be scheduled by calling Michael at 813744-5519, ext. 54146. Individual garden strolls need not be scheduled. The garden is open from 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Extension O f ce is located at 5339 County Rd. 579 in Se f ner. Whet your gardening appetite. Hope to see you strolling here soon! Contact Lynn Barber at labarber@ufl. edu.

tickets and sponsorships girlroofer.com Shoot for those, who shot for u.s.! 100% of Proceeds benefetting clays lunch drinks prizes cardinalroofingfl.com | 813-689-ROOF

SUMMER CAMPS OFFER SPECIALTY SKILLS & LEARNING FUN

It’s hard to believe but summer is just around the corner and camp registrations are open and gearing up for an active and busy camp season!

Camp Osprey LLC

For a fun, traditional camp experience, check out Camp Osprey, which is located on 204 acres of beautiful woodlands alongside the Little Manatee River in Wimauma. Camp activities include high ropes courses, ziplines, horseback riding and much more.

Mathnasium Of Riverview And Brandon

Have your child’s math skills been impacted by the last school year? Have they fallen behind? Then Camp Mathnasium will be perfect for them, ofering a typical summer camp environment with diferent learning activities.

Music Showcase/FAOPA

The Florida Academy of the Performing Arts at Music Showcase ofers summer camps for aspiring actors and musicians. With a variety of camp options in full and half-day experiences, there’s something for every young entertainer.

Patel Conservatory

The Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center is hosting a variety of week summer camps

for rising actors, musicians, and danc ers starting May 30 and running through August 4. Weekly camps will take place Monday through Friday and before and af ter care will be avail.

Kids ‘R’ Kids Circa

FishHawk

With locations in Valrico and Lith ia, Kids ‘R’ Kids has been of fering sum mer camps since 2004. This sum mer, students can sign up on a weekly basis or for the whole summer. Meals and field trips are in cluded.

High 5 Inc.

Brandon’s High 5 Inc. is inviting students to sail away for the best summer of their lives, kicking of on May 30.

YMCA

All camps begin on May 30 and run - August 4 with 10 separate sessions available Monday through Friday.

TLC’s Gypsy Haven

TLC’s Gypsy Haven offers weekly themed riding camps, ages 8-99, focusing on riding and grooming. The camps take place from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sidekicks Summer Camp

Sidekicks Martial Arts is gearing up for its Summer Camp program with martial arts, field trips and more.

D-BatSouth Shore

If you have a baseball or softball players, summer is a great time to develop skills in D-Bat South Shore’s state-of-the-art facility in Ruskin. www.Facebook.com/DBATSouthshore Navigator Academy

Navigator Academy’s full-day camp will be open for K-8th grade students with lunch and field trips included.

River Hills Country Club

Budding tennis players and golfers will find summer camps for kids ages

7-13 for all levels of players, with half and full-day camps available.

Code Wiz FishHawk

Code Wiz FishHawk is ofering full and half-day camps for coding and computers with Roblox, robotics, Minecraft, gaming and more.

Cedarkirk Camp

Cedarkirk Camp & Conference Center is located on 170 acres of woodland along the Alafia River in Lithia and will hosts weekly camps starting June 11. Campers can sign up for a week or summer. Camps include all meals.

Ostingers Baseball Academy

Learn baseball from the pros at Ostingers Baseball Academy. Four weeklong sessions will take place in June and July for players ages 7-14 years old at the academy’s fields in Lithia.

FishHawk Fellowship Church

Ofering a selection of half-day sports camps starting June 5 - August 4. Look for our Summer Camp Sweepstakes link where the Osprey Observer will buy your child a week of camp at the summer camp of your choice! Or, enter now by emailing (subject line ‘Summer Camp Free’) contest@ ospreyobserver.com. Email inquiries to jhurst@ospreyobserver.com!Have a great summer of fun!

Make this a summer of creativity with one (or more) of the 50plus camps and classes ofered at the Patel Conservatory. If your child loves to dance, sing or emote, take a look at the courses Patel has scheduled this summer. Whether your child is a beginner or already practicing their Tony Award® speech, Patel has a class to fit their skill level.

Patel students enjoy the advantage of instructors who have real-world experience in the fields of dance, music and theater. Its professionals will teach your burgeoning star the skills necessary to excel in their field. Patel also can fill them in on the nuts-and-bolts aspect of a career in the arts.

It’s an ideal environment for a young person considering a career in the performing arts. Patel has an impressive track record in this regard, with alumni appearing on Broadway, television, national tours and more. Patel alumni also fill vital roles ofstage as well, such as being directors, producers, writers and technicians.

Patel’s Summer Intensives let young performers immerse themselves in their craft, whether the focus is on the voice,

CAMP MATHNASIUM OFFERS ACTIVITIES TO MAKE MATH FUN

By Lily Belcher

Staf Report

a musical instrument, acting or ballet. Many intensives conclude with a ticketed performance open to the public.

There are plenty of non-intensive opportunities as well: beginners’ classes in ballet, jazz and tap; a theater apprentice workshop; classes on adapting literature for the stage; workshops for repertory orchestra and opera; and so much more.

Individual instruction from members of our music and theater faculty is also available, as it is year-round. Learn oneon-one with a professional actor or musician. Individual lessons for musicians are available for beginners and intermediates, as well as more experienced players preparing for a professional career.

Scholarships are available to help cover the cost of tuition. The deadline for financial aid applications is Sunday, April 2.

Learn more about Patel by attending one of its summer open houses: Saturday, March 25 from 9-10 a.m. and Monday, May 22 from 6-7 p.m.

The Patel Conservatory is located at 1010 N. Macinnes Pl. in Tampa. For more information, call 813-222-1040 or visit www.patelconservatory.org.

Mathnasium is hosting its first summer camp since the coronavirus shutdown at the Brandon location from the end of May to early August to help fight ‘the summer slide.’

Camp Mathnasium will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-12 Noon for students through sixth grade with a ‘Wild About MATH’ theme. Additionally, the Brandon location will be adding the Great Foundations program for pre-K through kindergarten students following requests from parents and families.

Camp Mathnasium will help students fight the summer slide — the months of learning loss that occurs between the school years.

“I hope that [through] Camp Mathnasium they see how much fun math can be and that it helps keep their skills sharp during the summer,” said franchise owner, operator and center director Becky McDaniels.

Camp Mathnasium will run alongside the year-round Mathnasium program,

but camp days will o f er a typical summer camp environment with different learning activities. Students will begin their morning with an hour of the Mathnasium program to provide an individualized learning lesson for each student. They will then participate in an activity and finish the day with a STEAM activity.

During registration, students can enroll in a minimum of six and maximum of 12 STEAM activities throughout the summer. Students will be divided by age during these activities, allowing older students to take a more in-depth approach.

Families are encouraged to register early so Mathnasium can prepare for the right number of students. A $25 early-bird discount for those that register before Sunday, April 30 will be o f ered. For specific pricing or to learn more about Camp Mathnasium, Great Foundations or Mathnasium’s year-round program, visit www.mathnasium.com.

Patel students enjoy real-world experience in the felds of dance, music and theater.

Camp Mathnasium ofers fun and engaging STEAM activities throughout the summer.

SUMMER’S HERE AND THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR THE BEACH! VACATION! THE ARTS AT PATEL CONSERVATORY

HIGH 5 INC. SUMMER CAMP WILL FEATURE A CRUISE THEME FOR CAMPERS

High 5 Inc. is hosting its annual summer camp to bring kids “Around the World in 50 Days” with cruisethemed activities throughout the summer.

“Each week, the kids will be visiting a diferent country. During their trip, they will learn about its uniqueness, history, culture and so much more,” said director of family experience Jada Spano.

The camp will run from Tuesday, May 30 to Friday, August 4. Each day, participants can arrive as early as 7 a.m. and leave as late as 6 p.m. to accommodate parents’ work schedules over the summer.

Until the camp ofcially starts at 9 a.m., campers can take a High 5 Summer Cruise photo with their family and go to their stateroom, a High 5 classroom separating campers by grade level. The counselor-to-student ratio will be around 1-to-25, but it is often less since activity specialists will support employees during excursions.

Daily excursions will be available for all campers from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Each hour

RIVER HILLS COUNTRY CLUB JUNIOR SUMMER CAMP HELPS CHILDREN LEARN NEW SPORTS WHILE HAVING FUN

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

By Lily Belcher

will feature several diferent options for campers to participate in every day.

“Our travelers learn the basics for familiar and some new sports, such as cricket, soccer, handball, pickleball, tennis, even a little splashball. Meanwhile, travelers that would prefer the nonathletic route will have the opportunity to explore everything from creating their own boomerangs and rain sticks of Australia to carnival costumes and rhythms of the Caribbean islands,” said regional director Nicole Brown-Collins.

Campers will have the option to purchase a lunch or snack, but they are encouraged to pack one lunch and two snacks. They should arrive in a bathing suit and have a change of clothes in their backpacks.

The camp will cost $175 per camper each week for nonmembers, but High 5 members can register for $160.

To register, visit www.high5inc.org/ camp-3.

Sending your children to summer camp where they can get out of the house during those long summer days, make new friends and learn a new sport can be really beneficial at their young age.

River Hills Country Club in Valrico is ofering a Junior Summer Camp for children ages 7-13, Monday through Friday, with days packed full of golf, tennis, swimming and more. Summer camp can be attended in half or full days.

River Hills has multiple summer camp options, such as Golf Camp or Tennis Clinic and Sports Camp, which all involve learning a new sport and spending time with friends while also enjoying other summer camp fun.

The goal of the Junior Summer Camp at River Hills is to combine the right amount of sport instruction with other interesting activities in order to keep children engaged and excited about learning the sport and its etiquette.

River Hills’ Junior Summer Camp will take children from beginner players to competition-ready ones by starting small and building their individual skills. The coaches at River Hills pride themselves in ofering a low-pressure environment where children

can gain respect for the game and fellow players through practicing with their peers.

“Golf camps ofered this summer at River Hills Country Club will expose children to the great game of golf in a nurturing and educational environment,” said Bryan McManis, general manager at River Hills Country Club. “We want to introduce the game in a fun way so they can practice and apply their skills as they progress through the program.”

The River Hills U.S. Kids Golf Curriculum is taught by a PGA-certified instructor, and Tennis Camp will be led by a United States Professional Tennis Association-certified instructor. On top of golf, tennis and other sports lessons, the Junior Summer Camp will also include swimming, movies and other camp activities.

Golf, tennis and other sports at River Hills include instruction and conditioning to build stamina and endurance. Sports instruction will be provided based on the age and level of the children at the camp.

To enroll your children in a River Hills Country Club summer camp, please call 813-653-1554, ext. 242 or visit https://riverhillscountryclub.com/.

River Hills Country Club’s Junior Summer Camp can provide instruction for every level of player.

Daily excursions at High 5 Inc.’s summer camp will feature water and feld activities.

TLC’s Gypsy Haven

Located at 4325 Keysville Rd. in Lithia, TLC’s Gypsy Haven ofers weekly themed riding camps, for ages 8-99, focused on riding and grooming. The camps take place from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. from Monday, June 5 to Friday, August 4.

Students pack their own lunch, snacks and drinks and are encouraged to wear light pants or leggings, but boots are a must. The camp boasts one teacher, one aide and one volunteer per 10 students.

For more information, visit www.tlcsfarms. com, call Tammi at 813-842-4236 or email TLCS2867@aol.com.

Te Patel Conservatory

The Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center is hosting a variety of weekly summer camps for rising actors, musicians and dancers starting Tuesday, May 30 and running through Friday, August 4. Weekly camps will take place Monday through Friday, with pre- and post-camp available for an additional $30 each or $50 for both extensions.

Information on the camps ofered as well as specific dates, times and pricing are available in the 2023 summer camps and classes brochure on the Straz Center’s website at www.strazcenter.org. For more information on specific details of the camps, contact the admissions staf at 813-222-1040 or 800955-1045 (toll-free).

Tampa YMCA

Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA

kids crave at one of its many summer camp locations.

YMCA camps ofer an array of fun where activity specialists will lead campers through various experiences each day, including swimming, science, high ropes, outdoor education, nature encounters, horseback riding, canoeing, visual arts and more.

All camps begin on Tuesday, May 30 and run through Friday, August 4 with 10 separate sessions available from Monday to Friday. Book one weeklong session or book them all. Camp programming runs from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with free early-morning care beginning at 7 a.m. and free afternoon extended care until 6 p.m. Prices start at only $184 per week for YMCA members and are open to the public. Discounted rates for members, early registration, siblings, multicamp sign-ups and early-bird registration are available.

For more information on specific locations and pricing and to register, visit www.tampaymca.org/programs/camp/summer-camp.

Camp Osprey LLC

For a fun, traditional camp experience, check out Camp Osprey, which is located on 204 acres of beautiful woodlands alongside the Little Manatee River in Wimauma. Camp activities include high ropes courses, ziplines, horseback riding and much more.

Camps take place every week starting on Sunday, June, and campers can sign up for a week or the whole summer. Day and overnight options are available, with day camp costing $325 a week and overnight being $795. Meals are provided and snacks can be purchased in the camp canteen.

New this year is COSMO Camp Osprey Smoky Mountain Outdoor adventures for groups of 12 campers ages 13-16 years old.

The camp is located at 18050 U.S. Hwy. 301 S. in Wimauma and can be reached at 941-9286860. For more information, visit www. camposprey.com.

Kids ‘R’ Kids

Kids ‘R’ Kids has been ofering summer camps since 2004. This summer, students can sign up on a weekly basis or for the whole summer from Tuesday, May 30 to Friday, August 4.

“Camp will showcase unique weekly themes designed to make your campers smile, think, explore, collaborate and grow in exciting new directions,” said Fernandes.

“Our camp includes all meals and field trips to a Rays game, Sea Screamer in Clearwater, Ringling Museum, Treasure Island Fun Center and much more.”

Kids ‘R’ Kids Circa FishHawk is located at 5815 Kids Crossing Dr. in Lithia and can be reached at 813-654-7000. Visit its website at wwwkrkcirca.com for more information and to register.

Cedarkirk Camp & Conference Center

Cedarkirk Camp & Conference Center is located on 170 acres of woodland alongside the Alafia River in Lithia.

Camps take place weekly from Sunday to Friday starting on Sunday, June 11 and finishing on Friday, August 4; campers can sign up for a week or the whole summer. Cedarkirk ofers overnight camps for older students, and younger campers in grades one through three can attend a shorter threeday camp. Camps range in price from $465 a week to $510 and include all meals plus two daily snacks. Cedarkirk Camp & Conference Center is located at 1920 Streetman Dr. in Lithia and can be reached at 813-685-4224. For more information and to register, visit www.cedarkirk. org.

Code Wiz FishHawk

Code Wiz FishHawk is located in Park Square at 16132 Churchview Dr. in Lithia. It will be running full and half-day camps for students interested in computers and coding. Camp activities will include Roblox, robotics, Minecraft and building your own 2D/3D video games. The half-day camp runs from 9 a.m.-12 Noon and from 1-4 p.m.; a full-day is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. A week of half-day camp is $350 and $550 for a fullday camp; discounts are available for siblings, multicamp and early-bird registrations. For more information, visit www.thecodewiz. com/fishhawk-fl or call 813-820-6583.

JUUNNIIOOR R SUMMMER C CAMP

US Kids Golf Curriculum taught by PGA Certified Instructors can take virtually any player from absolute beginner to an elite competition player in simple, incremental steps.

A positive no pressure learning environment where respect for the game of golf and fellow players is taught.

A fun experience that includes golf instruction, rules and etiquette with additional non golf fun activities in the afternoon available i.e. swimming, movies and other camp activities.

It is the goal of this camp to combine just the right amount of golf instruction to keep students engaged in enjoying the game of golf.

has what

Mathnasium Of Riverview & Brandon Mathnasium’s personalized learning plans are proven to improve grades and give them a head start going into the new school year. With live face-to-face instruction, either in-center or online, its summer programs are designed to work in tandem with the other summer camps and activities. Just two or three one-hour sessions per week are all kids need to help keep their math skills on track for the upcoming school year, and your child will continue to enjoy summer because Mathnasium makes learning math fun. Space is limited so don’t delay in registering your child. Call today for a free assessment.

Mathnasium of Brandon (www.mathnasium.com/brandon) is located at 1048 Bloomingdale Ave. and can be reached at 813-655-6284, and Mathnasium of Riverview (www.mathnasium.com/riverview) is located at 1388 U.S. 301 and can be reached at 813-565-1102. Coming soon is a new location at 13388 S. U.S. 301 in Riverview.

Music Showcase

The Florida Academy of Performing Arts (FAOPA) at Music Showcase ofers summer camps for aspiring actors and musicians. With a variety of camp options in full and halfday experiences, there’s something for every young entertainer.

The traditional camp exposes campers to music and more. You can sign up for one weeklong camp or you can sign up for multiple camps. Camps are structured by age, ability and interest.

Its other camp option is a musical theater camp, where campers work together over the course of a few weeks to put on a show.

For further details, visit www.faopa.org or call 813490-2787. Music Showcase is located at 402 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon.

River Hills Junior Summer Camp

Do you have a budding tennis or golf player in your home? Sign them up for camp at River Hills Country Club, which aims to combine just the right amount of sport instruction with fun to keep your children loving the sport. Camps are suitable for all ages from 7-13 years old and all levels of players, having a U.S. Kids Golf curriculum being taught by PGA-certified instructors and tennis instruction with drills and conditioning from a USPTA instructor. Half and full-day sessions are available. River Hills Country Club is located at 3943 New River Hills Pkwy. in Valrico. For more information on summer camps, visit www.riverhillscountryclub.com or call 813-653-1554, ext. 242.

High 5 Inc.

Brandon’s High 5 Inc. is inviting students to go “Around the World In 50 Days,” kicking of on Tuesday, May 30 and running through Friday, August 4.

Each week students will be visiting a diferent country and learn about its uniqueness, history, culture and so much more.

Camp is ofered Monday through Friday

from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. at High 5, which is located at 405 Beverly Blvd. in Brandon. Campers can sign up for individual weeks throughout the summer or the entire summer. To register, visit www.high5inc.org/ camp-3.

Camp costs $175 a week per child for nonmembers and High 5 members can register for $160.

To learn more, visit www.high5inc.org or call 813-689-0908.

D-BAT South Shore

Does your child love baseball or softball? Help them develop their skills this summer at D-BAT South Shore, located at 351 30th St. NE in Ruskin. Summer camp programs are being ofered from Monday, May 29 to Friday, July 28, and state-of-the-art technology will be used to allow campers to enhance and improve basic baseball and softball skills. This is a great opportunity for students to get involved with others who share their desire to grow and develop their ball skills. Camp runs on a weekly basis from 8:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and costs $175 a week for platinum members. Additional information can be found on its website at https://dbatsouthshore. com/ or by calling 813-645-3228.

Navigator Academy

Summer camp at Navigator Academy is a full-day camp open for incoming kindergarteners to eighth graders. Weekly and daily rates are available, with field trips and lunch included. Navigator Academy is located

at 1101 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico. Additional information can be found on its website at www.navigatoracademyvalrico.com.

Ostingers Baseball Academy

Learn baseball from the pros at Ostingers Baseball Academy. With a combined 30 years of professional playing and coaching experience, Ostingers Baseball coaches are ready to provide young athletes with safe fun this summer. Four weeklong sessions will take place in June and July for players ages 7-14 years old at the academy’s fields in Lithia. Your child will develop a better understanding of the game of baseball through instruction, drills and games. Having a good time while learning the fundamentals will be the main focus of this camp. To learn more, visit https://ostingbaseball.com/ or call 813-737-3000.

FishHawk Fellowship Church

FishHawk Fellowship Church, located at 15326 FishHawk Blvd. in Lithia is ofering a selection of half-day sports camps that include basketball, soccer and flag football running from Monday, June 5 until Friday, August 4. Most camps are for first through fifth graders, with some available for first through eighth graders from Monday June 26 to Friday, August 4. All camps run from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and the price is $105 for the week. For additional information, call 813-655-7431.

Location: M-W Ostingers Academy • 8711 Lithia Pinecrest Road Th-F Field for games and other activities

Age Group: 7 - 14 yrs

Time: Cost: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

$250/camper

$225/ multi camp or multi child discount

*Must register for multi camp discount all at once

For More Information: Call 813.737.3000 or visit our website at www.OstingBaseball.com

HIT A HOME RUN WITH D-BAT SOUTH SHORE THIS SUMMER

Looking for a way to help fill your child’s summer? Look no further than D-BAT South Shore, where summer camp programs are being offered to help your child develop their baseball or softball skills while having a great time and making new friends. D-BAT ofers state-ofthe-art technology that is implemented into the training, which allows campers to enhance and improve basic baseball and softball skills. Some of this technology includes, but is not limited to, Hack Attack pitching machines and Blast Motion hitting technology. Another great aspect of this camp is that all it requires of the young players is to show up with the basic gear for the sport along with lunch and water, then they are good to go. This is a great opportunity for kids to get involved with others who share their same interest and a desire to grow and develop their skills while engaging in classic baseball and softball comradery. The facility features both indoor and outdoor setups to ensure that camp can continue unimpeded by the elements, while the indoor elements of the site are climate-con-

By Jonathan Hurst

trolled. With a camper-to-instructor ratio of 8-1, every player who comes through the camp will be well coached and attended to.

D-BAT South Shore also features nine batting cages along with pitching lanes to ensure that campers are getting their skill practice in. If they are doing well, there are also end-of-week prizes for the skill leaders of the week.

This summer camp runs on a week to week basis from Monday, May 29 through Friday, July 28, and can be attained for as little as $175 for the entire week for platinum members. Further discounts for early sign-ups, multicamp sign-ups and signing up siblings together. Every camp runs on the weekdays with the drop-of opening at 8:45 a.m. and the latest pickup being at 2:30 p.m.

D-BAT South Shore is located at 351 30th St. NE in Ruskin. For more information, visit its website at https://dbatsouthshore.com/, go to its Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/DBATSouthshore or call 813-645-3228.

TAMPA YMCA HOSTS SUMMER CAMPS TO TEACH KIDS SKILLS WHILE HAVING FUN

It’s that time of year again where you have to begin to decide what summer camp is best for your children. With over 130 years of experience in providing a safe place for kids in the community, Tampa YMCA Summer Camp is a great choice for filling those long summer days with something exciting and educational.

The YMCA ofers a variety of summer camp options, from art camp to adventure camp there is something for everyone.

“Summer camp is more than singalongs and splash pads,” said Michelle Leahy, camp director at Campo Family YMCA. “Campers at the Tampa YMCA ACA-accredited summer day camps are given a safe space to discover who they are and what they want to become while experiencing fun, friends and adventure.”

Summer camps are open from Tuesday, May 30 to Friday, August 4 and range from $184-$225 a week for YMCA members and $235-$298 for non-YMCA members. Multiweek teen camps start at $330 for members and $410 for non-YMCA members.

Campers are expected to wear cool, comfortable clothing that can get dirty, closed-toe and closed-back shoes as well as

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

sunscreen, and they should bring a bathing suit and towel since campers will have the opportunity to swim in the YMCA pools.

Join in on the fun in one of the many locations in Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Tampa and more.

Tampa YMCA

Summer Camps being ACA-accredited means they underwent a thorough review on operations by the American Camp Association (ACA), from staf qualifications and training to emergency management, and complied with the highest standards in the industry. With ACA accreditation, the YMCA is one of the safest places to get your kids to have fun out of the house this summer, as not only are staf certified in first aid and CPR, but they are also certified fun and learning experts.

Tampa YMCA Summer Camp prides itself in helping kids explore personal interests, build self-esteem, develop interpersonal skills, discover the creativity and health benefits of the outdoors and make lasting friendships and memories.

Visit https://tampaymca.org/letscamp or find the YMCA on social media at TampaYMCA.

Tampa YMCA Summer Camps help children learn about themselves while developing friendships.

BUSCH GARDENS FOOD & WINE FEST RETURNS WITH HEADLINE CONCERTS

Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay’s Food & Wine Festival will ofer guests a oneof-a-kind experience of flavor and rhythm from various latitudes of the world.

The highly anticipated event will provide guests with an elevated culinary experience and the opportunity to enjoy live musical performances from some of the most popular artists in the entertainment industry. The event runs through Sunday, May 21, featuring a total of 20 food and beverage cabins for guests to sip and savor, as well as 23 live concerts. The Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival is included with park admission. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is dishing up a variety of headlining concerts for every taste as part of the Food & Wine Festival. Twenty-three headlining acts spanning genres of pop, rock, country and more will take the Festival Field Stage for 11 weekends jam-packed with rhythm and flavor, including Kansas, Maddie & Tae, SWV, Dustin Lynch, Rodney Atkins, Flo Rida, Jeremy Camp, +LIVE+, The Fab Four, 38 Special, Mitchell Tenpenny, Air Supply, Gabby Barrett, Hoobastank and WALK THE MOON.

The Food & Wine Festival transforms into a melting pot of Latin cultures featuring

world-renowned iconic dishes and live música from award-winning Latin artists. Cinco de Mayo and Viva la Música take place every Saturday and Sunday from Friday, May 5 to Sunday, May 21. For this Latin fiesta, guests can expect a complete transformation of the festival area and enjoy authentic Latin gastronomy and entertainment. The full Latin artist lineup for 2023 is: The Como La Flor Band, Celia Vive – A Tribute to Celia Cruz, El Gran Combo, Toño Rosario, Grupo Niche, Elvis Crespo and Luisito Ayala.

All headlining concert performances are included with park admission and will take place in the Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival main stage located past the cabins on the Festival Pathway.

The absolute best way to experience the flavors of the Food & Wine Festival at Busch Gardens is with a Food & Wine Sampler Lanyard. Starting at $70 and redeemable at the numerous cabins located throughout the park, sampler lanyards ofer the best value for guests and will be available in quantities of 10 and 15. To view showtimes and purchase reserved seating and VIP packages, guests can visit www.buschgardenstampa.com.

SUMMER OF SONG AND DANCE RETURNS WITH MUSIC SHOWCASE

For a summer of song and dance look no further than the Music Showcase from the Florida Academy of Performing Arts. Here, the campers will be immersed in the world of performing with a variety of options to get involved. Whether your child wants to just test the waters or is a full-fledged theater enthusiast, there are plenty of options.

For those who are a little unsure, there are full and half-day options for the weeklong camp Music and More, where students will interact with multiple avenues of performing, such as acting, singing, dancing and more. Students will also be exposed to instruments to see if anything clicks for them, as well as general art. Drop-o f time for Music and More opens at 8 a.m., and the latest pickup time is at 6 p.m.

Music Showcase has eight weeks of Music and More summer camp.

By Jonathan Hurst

ing about how to put on a production and all the elements that go into that. These students will work on skills such as acting, singing and various theater techniques and practices. This camp concludes with a performance of a play featuring the campers. Musical Theater Camp runs from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

“There is something for all ages and abilities,” said academy director Danielle Sanchez.

For those with a bit more of a commitment to performing arts, there is the Musical Theater Camp, which is a bit more intensive when it comes to the theater aspect. This camp runs for two weeks and involves the students learn -

The Music and More camp runs weekly from Tuesday, May 30 through Friday, August 4, and Musical Theater camp has the same time frame but on a two-week schedule. There is a one-time $30 registration fee with the cost of the Music and More at $230 a week and $275 for the Musical Theater Camp. There are scholarships and discounts for siblings available as well.

For further details, visit www.faopa. org or call 813-490-2787. Music Showcase is located at 402 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon.

REGISTER NOW FOR 2023 SUMMER CAMP!

Also hiring for 2023 Summer Camp Counselors & Runners.

Summer Camp Includes:

Pools, Laser Tag, Diving boards, Customized weekly themes, Ofsite fieldtrips, Video game rooms, Onsite fieldtrips, Playgrounds, Arts & Crafts, Indoor sports, Outdoors sports, S.T.E.M activities & so much more!

Ofering at 3 loctions:

High 5, Inc. Main Campus, Symmes Elementary, and Fishhawk Creek Elementary

(813) 689-0908

405 Beverly Blvd Brandon, FL 33511-5507

PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES COMES TO PLANT CITY FOR HANDS-ON DAY

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles presented by Tampa International Airport is a beloved one-day community event featuring a wide variety of family activities held each year at the Plant City Airport since 2010. It was one of the last public events held in 2020 just before the COVID crisis shuttered most gatherings, and after a 2-year hiatus it is making its highly anticipated 11th annual return on April 22nd, 10AM – 3PM. Featured highlights will be numerous real aircraft on display, radio-controlled aircraft displays and demonstrations, a large car show, and operating model train layouts. A major LEGO display is scheduled featuring all modes of transportation. First responder vehicles and personnel along with train safety vehicles and equipment will also be in the lineup. There will be many hands-on stations for kids, including STEM education exhibits and flight simulators from SUN ‘n FUN’s Aerospace Center for Excellence, Young Eagles discovery flights conducted by Plant City Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1178, Scout merit badge opportunities, a pinewood derby, and many other activities. Younger children will enjoy inflatable bounce houses and other fun adventures just for them! Food trucks and local vendor displays will also be part of the lineup where area businesses can showcase their products and services to attendees.

TAMPA BAY RODEO AND FAMILY FESTIVAL RETURNS IN APRIL

Staf Report

PT&A Committee Chairman

Jason Jones is the founder of the event, and he says that the return of this fan-favorite community event is very welcome.

“Planes, Trains, & Automobiles has become one of Plant City’s signature events that we really look forward to, and to have it return postCOVID to serve our community is really exciting”, he said. “The purpose of the event has always been to give families an afordable day together discovering the wonders of transportation, introducing them to not only aircraft and aviation opportunities at their local airport but a wide variety of “how things work” displays and fun educational activities to capture the imaginations of our local youth.”

The event is managed by the Tampa Bay Aviation Association and presented by Tampa International Airport. The scholarships will be for flight training, mechanic, and professional career education. Come and join the fun!

Parking is FREE, ticket pricing is $7.25 online in advance, $10 at the gate. Visit www.mytbaa.org/PTA for tickets and event information.

Summer at Mathnasium!

Bigger and better than ever, the Tampa Bay Rodeo and Family Festival, presented by Bartow Ford, gallops into the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds from Friday through Sunday, April 1416 with three fun-filled days of action, activities and eats.

On the Friday and Saturday nights, cowboys and cowgirls compete in the rodeo through bull riding, barrel racing and bronco busting. Parents can register their littlest cowpokes on-site for the very popular mutton bustin’.

The evenings begin with the Family Festival prior to the rodeo, with delicious food, exciting games, amusing animals and live music on the Bud Light Entertainment Stage. New this year, plan to come back on Sunday for the Family Festival to enjoy all the day’s oferings and live music from different musical artists.

Tampa-area and Nashville recording artist Randy McNeeley takes the stage on Friday and Saturday nights, and nationally touring country artists Craig Campbell and Canaan Smith each perform on Sunday afternoon.

Everyone will have a rip-roaring good time at the Family Festival where guests can participate in a host of challenges, including riding the mechanical bull and axe

throwing. The littlest wranglers can have fun with face painting, an interactive barnyard where they can pet and feed the critters, camel and pony rides and other fun activities and games like giant Jenga and an inflatable slide. Tasty grub that will please even the littlest wrangler is available throughout the entire event, including barbecue, corn dogs, fried Oreos, turkey legs, tacos, cotton candy and much more. There’s something for everyone at this spring extravaganza.

The Tampa Bay Rodeo is an EBA-sanctioned event. Bulls, broncs and barrels are presented by 5S Bucking Bulls, based in Lithia. Competitors in EBA rodeos range in age from 7-55 years old, and at the Tampa Bay Rodeo there will be around 40 men and women competing.

Gates open at 4 p.m., and the rodeo begins at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; Sunday’s Family Festival is from 12 Noon- 5 p.m.

The Hillsborough County Fairgrounds are located at 215 Sydney Washer Rd. in Dover at the intersection of State Road 60 and Sydney Washer Road, east of Brandon. Visit https://hillsboroughcountyfair.com/ for tickets and more information.

Photo courtesy of Plant City Planes Trains & Automobiles

Don’t miss the return of this annual community event. Planes Trains & Automobiles is fun for the whole family.

Te Tampa Bay Rodeo and Family Festival, presented by Bartow Ford, gallops into Hills-borough County Fairgrounds from Friday through Sunday, April 14-16.

FIRST ANNUAL EXPERIENCED AUTISM ALLIANCE GOLF TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD ON APRIL 28

Join Experienced Autism Alliance in helping to spread awareness and show support for families afected by autism at its first annual Golf ‘Fore Autism’ Tournament & Fundraiser.

“The funds raised at our charity tournament will allow Experienced Autism Alliance to continue assisting, supporting and empowering parents and caregivers with children and adults with autism throughout the year in our community,” said Tanya Hines, organizer of the event.

The golf tournament itself is held by Experienced Autism Alliance of Florida and will raise money to donate to and help those afected by autism. Since April is Autism Awareness Month, Hines and Experienced Autism Alliance believe this is the best time to hold the event. In addition, there’s no better time to support a local Hillsborough County charity.

“The golf tournament will be a fun-filled, 18-hole charity golf competition on Friday, April 28, 2023, at Freedom Fairways Golf Course, Sun City,” said Hines.

Check-in time for the tournament will be held at 7 a.m., with the ball drops at 8:15 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Everyone is encouraged to enter in teams of four or individually. The individual entry fee is $100 and will include the golf entry itself,

TAMPA THEATRE PRESENTS ANNUAL FAMILY FAVORITES CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES

By Kathy L. Collins

By Meghan Reyes

one drink ticket and a ticket for both breakfast and lunch. The foursome entry fee is $400 and will consist of golf entries, drink tickets for each person in your party, breakfast and lunch tickets as well as entries into the putting contest.

Each participant in the golf tournament will be treated to a continental breakfast before the ball drops. Competitors will also be treated to a lunch consisting of pulled pork, chicken tenders, baked beans and coleslaw. Jell-O shots and cocktails will be provided as well for those with drink tickets.

There will be a few miscellaneous activities too, such as the wagon of cheer rafe, the lotto board rafe and a ball drop Rafe. Other contests will include the hole-in-one contest and the longest-drive contest. Rafe baskets will also be ofered for everyone to enter with a minimum value of $50.

Experienced Autism Alliance of Florida would also like to thank RE/MAX Bayside in Apollo Beach for being the top event sponsor. The charity also encourages other businesses and individuals to sponsor the event, as no donation is too small.

The golf tournament will be held on April 28 at the Freedom Fairways Golf Course & Tennis Club and run from 7 a.m.-12 Noon. Please visit http://autismalliancefl.org/become-an-event-sponsor-or-vendor/.

Tampa Theatre will present the 10th annual Family Favorites classic movie series during the month of April. Tampa Theatre has been a favorite destination for area moviegoers for generations. This April, the next generation of young fans will get the chance to see some of their parents’ most beloved childhood films on the big screen.

Tampa Theatre will also be ofering a discounted ticket rate for children ages 3-12. Older children will be admitted for just $8, and an adult ticket is $10. It is hoped that the discounted ticket price will appeal to families looking for an afordable weekend outing in downtown Tampa.

Jill Witecki, Tampa Theatre’s vice president and director of marketing, said, “This is the only classic movie series for which we ofer a child’s price.” Witecki added, “While many of our summer and holiday classic oferings are family-friendly, this is the series that we program specifically with families in mind. I want parents to be able to introduce their kids to some of their own favorite movies from childhood and experience that nostalgia of seeing them on the big screen again.”

First up, come see the 1989 comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure on Sunday, April 2 at 3 p.m. The film is rated PG.

Next, come back on Sunday, April 9 at 3 p.m. for a showing of the fantasy The NeverEnding Story The film is rated PG. On Sunday, April 16 at 3 p.m., Tampa Theatre will present the drama Akeelah and the Bee. The film is rated PG. See the sci-fi thriller Tron on Sunday, April 23 at 3 p.m. The film is rated PG.

Finally, on Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m., Tampa Theatre will present the Disney animated classic Toy Story. The film is rated G.

Prior to the showing of Toy Story, guests can pose in front of the green screen and take home a free 4” by 6” souvenir photo. This special event is made possible courtesy of presenting sponsor Bank of America. Guests can get their photo starting at 2 p.m. in the Tampa Theatre lobby.

Tickets for the Family Favorites classic movies are available at the box ofce, located at 711 N. Franklin St. in downtown Tampa, or online at www.tampatheatre. org.

Tampa Teatre will once again present its Family Favorites classic movie series this April.

INTERACTIVE TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR PLAY COMING TO A LIBRARY NEAR YOU

The City of Tampa’s Creative Arts Theatre Company, in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC), is excited to present a live children’s theater experience. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by Ernie Nolan is an interactive play that serves to remind the audience that mistakes happen, but no problem is too big if you ask for help.

This immersive and exciting show encourages children to participate by using props in the cozy, darkened performance space. In this story, a new galactic recruit, a missing star and a bit of unexpected mayhem create the world of the Star Keepers. The Star Keepers must ensure each star is awake and ready to shine every night, but what happens when one goes missing? You follow the procedures, of course!

This play is recommended for young audiences ages 2-6. Due to the interactive nature of this experience, the attendance is limited to 40 people for each performance.

Additionally, for those who may be sensory sensitive, the show will take place in a smaller four-sided, darkened space so that participants can see the glowing and twinkling lights (representing stars) held by the performers.

SOMETHING BIG IS COMING TO ZOOTAMPA AT LOWRY PARK

Staf Report

Local performances of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star can be seen at these libraries: Saturday, April 1 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Bloomingdale Regional Library; Tuesday, April 11 at 11 a.m. at the SouthShore Regional Library; Wednesday, April 12 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Riverview Public Library; and Thursday, April 27 at 3 p.m. at the Ruskin Branch Library.

Creative Arts Theatre is the City of Tampa’s resident professional theater company for young audiences. A staf of five professional artists create and perform innovative theater experiences, inspired by classic and contemporary children’s literature, with a mission to encourage literacy throughout Hillsborough County through the magic of live performance. Over the past 50 years, they have performed for more than 1 million children and their families. Visit www.tampa.gov/parks-and-recreation/activities-recreation/arts-and-theatre/creative-arts-theatre for more information and upcoming shows.

For additional showtimes and location details for Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and other HCPLC programs, visit https://hcplc.org/.

There’s always something new and exciting to look forward to at Florida’s most visited cultural institution, and one has just begun in ZooTampa at Lowry Park. Join in with ZooTampa to experience BUGTOPIA, a limited-time family-friendly event that opened on February 25. This larger-than-life exhibit is free with zoo admission or membership and features 13 enormous animatronic bugs that will amaze and educate guests in fun and unique ways.

BUGTOPIA enables guests to glimpse into the world from a bug’s perspective, delight in their bizarre beauty and reflect on what we can learn from their brilliant behaviors. Roles will be reversed as guests venture into a bug’s world where they will find themselves looking up into the eyes of a larger-than-life Mexican red-knee tarantula or at the tail of a mighty emperor scorpion looming more than 10 feet in the air.

“Bugs are fascinating creatures, and we’re proud to be able to share them with guests of all ages in BUGTOPIA,” said chief operating ofcer Scott Rose. “This exhibit is full of enormous animatronic bugs and insects that show what these animals look

Music & Theater Summer Camps

The Florida Academy of Performing Arts

Music & More Camp

(813) 490-ARTS (2787)

CAMPS FILL FAST!

Register online at FAOPA.org

like close up and how they’ve perfectly adapted to the world around them — our guests will never look at bugs the same way again.”

In addition to all the buzz from BUGTOPIA, the zoo is kicking of its extended springtime hours. During the days of Saturday, March 11 through Sunday, March 19, guests can enjoy the zoo from 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Also, during the months of March and April, the zoo will stay open until 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society, an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to excellence in conservation, education, recreation and research. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is recognized as Florida’s leading and most attended zoological cultural institution.

It is located at 1101 W. Sligh Ave. in Tampa and is open seven days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., with extended hours for select events. For more information, visit www. zootampa.org or follow it on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Musical Arts

For All Ages

Full and half-day week-long camps, plus daily drop-ins

• Free early drop off and late pick up

• Activities to explore instruments, acting, singing and art

• Themed weeks: Disney Villians, Harry Potter, Super Mario

• Scholarships and sibling discounts

Musical Theater Camps

• Productions for all ages and skill levels

• Elementary, Middle School, and High School productions

• Broadway Boot Camp - Broadway Artists To Attend

• Visit FAOPA.org for shows, schedules, and performance dates

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star by Ernie Nolan will be performed as an immersive and exciting play by the Creative Arts Teatre Company.

FUN AND LAUGHTER AWAIT FAMILIES AT THE 2023 EGYPT SHRINE CIRCUS

Come one, come all, and celebrate the 2023 Egypt Shrine Circus. The Egypt Shrine Circus has been ofering afordable family fun and entertainment for generations in the Tampa Bay area, and this year the 58th annual circus will be held for the first time at the International Independent Showmen’s Association grounds, located at 6915 Riverview Dr. in Riverview, from Thursday through Sunday, April 6-9.

This three-ring circus is back in full swing after COVID-19 cancellations, and the new location under the big top at the Showmen’s grounds promises to bring a bigger and better circus than ever.

The Egypt Shrine Clowns will be performing and are sure to bring hijinks and hilarity as they perform under the lights in the big top. Along with traditional clown performances, there will be professional performances from Circus Hollywood.

“We couldn’t ask for a better partnership than with the Showmen’s Association. The grounds and location are perfect to put on family-fun performances with some of the best performers in the circus industry,” said Dennis McDermott, circus director.

In addition to the circus, there will be a carnival managed by Arnold International Carnivals, along with a petting zoo, food

SERENGETI FLYER, WORLD’S TALLEST AND FASTEST RIDE OF ITS KIND OPENS AT BUSCH GARDENS

vendors, games and more.

The circus show hours are on Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m.; Friday, April 7 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 8 at 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 9 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Come early to the shows as seats are limited to the first 1,000 individuals.

What’s more, the Shriners are celebrating the opening of the new Egypt Shrine Center, located on the Palm River at 5017 E. Washington St. in Tampa, south of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway. The building has many features, including a 30,000-square-foot facility that has multiple areas available to rent for events large or small. There is also the Palm River Oasis and Waterfront Grille, providing a full bar and limited food menu open to the public. The full kitchen is due for completion in March.

“Our new Shrine Center will bring new visibility and provide a central place for many activities, including Shrine-sponsored events like the ever-popular, annual Feztival of Trees,” said Dennis Bryant, the Egypt Shrine potentate.

For more information on the circus, visit http://egyptshrinecircus.com/. For information on the Shrine Center, visit www. esctampa.com.

Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay’s newest ride, Serengeti Flyer, is now open for all guests. The park’s latest attraction, which opened recently, is the world’s tallest and fastest ride of its kind, providing riders with breathtaking views of the park’s expansive 65acre Serengeti Plain.

Serengeti Flyer features twin dueling arms that soar progressively higher, reaching speeds of 68 mph, a maximum height of 135 feet at the ride’s peak and the pulse-pounding thrill of multiple negative-G moments. The park’s new thrill features the capability to adjust the ride’s intensity level, giving guests the opportunity for a milder or wilder experience. Serengeti Flyer allows 40 guests to experience the ride at once, seated back-to-back in rows of 10 across two gondolas.

“Thrills are in full swing at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay with yet another exciting, record-setting ride for our guests to enjoy,” said Neal Thurman, park president of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. “As the world’s tallest and fastest ride of its kind, Serengeti Flyer joins a world-class portfolio of attractions, ofering breathtaking views

of the park and a oneof-a-kind experience for all our guests.”

Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay’s annual pass is the best way to enjoy an entire year of thrilling attractions and exciting seasonal events. Categorized in easy-to-use tiers, all options provide guests with unlimited yearround admission and unbeatable benefits like free parking, in-park discounts and monthly rewards starting as low as $15. Additionally, those interested in paying for a day and playing all year can take advantage of the current buy-one, get-one Fun Card ofer. For a limited time, guests purchasing a Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Fun Card will receive an Adventure Island Fun Card for free.

Guests can visit https://buschgardenstampa.com/ to purchase tickets and learn more about the annual pass program’s benefits and monthly rewards, the current special ofer for the 2023 Fun Card and stay in the know about new events, special deals and future announcements by following Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and Twitter.

Te famous Shriners Circus Clowns are back for the circus from Tursday through Sunday, April 6-9.