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February 2021
Volume 20, Issue 2
Ph: 657-2418
Father of Gibsonton Full Story Page 44
CELEBRATING 19 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
COMMUNITY DONATIONS HELP KEEP FOOD BANKS STRONG By Michelle Caceres
Seeds of Hope is grateful for the support of the local community, including FishHawk Pinch A Penny, which made a $5,000 donation to the food bank.
Osprey Observer 2109 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33596
By Hayley Fedor Due to the pandemic, many students wake up each morning to join classrooms virtually from the safety of their homes; however, many also lack a space in which to focus their attention on schoolwork. For one local FishHawk resident, Donnie Dewey, this need in the community became a call to action; an opportunity to give back by building desks for students. Having lived in Brandon since the age of 8 and now in FishHawk, his love for the community runs deep. This coupled with his passion for woodworking, taught to him by his stepfather, led to the idea of handcrafting desks for students in need out of his own home. “I wanted to do something good with woodworking. I wanted to do something that was more serving than just trying to build another thing,” said Dewey. After a serious accident that occurred last year with a table saw, severing a number of Dewey’s fingers, woodworking became a sort of therapy for him. As a result, Dewey felt led to use his hobby, which brought him hope during his recovery to bring hope to students in the community. Dewey and his family not only put love into each desk but also time and precision to make sure they are suitable and, more importantly, safe for the recipients. His wife plays a significant role in getting the desks prepared for student use as well by doing the finishing work on the wood. With the help of Hillsborough County School’s Media Relations department as well as Seeds of Hope in Lithia, Dewey has been able to connect with families that have students in need of a space to devote solely to school. “My goal is to give them whatever sense of normalcy I can as it relates to school,” said Dewey.
Currently around 30 desks have been made for local students, yet the production has not slowed one bit. The family is determined to meet their goal of building at least 100 desks to be given away free of charge to e-learning students. For those that would like to help support the efforts of the Dewey family, visit the GoFundMe page under the heading Community Desk Project - Tampa organized by Donald Dewey. The family also asks for individuals in the community to email Donnie.Dewey28@gmail.com if you know of anyone who may be in need of a desk for an e-learning student.
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As 2021 begins, the need for food assistance is greater than ever, but thanks to local businesses, individuals and families, Seeds of Hope is receiving support from the community. The Rutledge family, owners of FishHawk Pinch A Penny (located at 16715 FishHawk Blvd. in the Winn-Dixie shopping center across from Newsome High School), the local neighborhood full-service pool store, recently made a $5,000 donation to the food bank. “We have been fortunate at FishHawk Pinch A Penny to have been able to continue to operate when others have not due to the pandemic,” said Jim Rutledge. “We have been blessed and wanted to give back to our community to
help those in need.” And there is plenty of need in the community. Demand at the food bank grew quickly in 2020, from volunteers distributing 120 boxes of food weekly in January to filling up to 680 boxes per week by December, a 466 percent increase in food distribution. “It hasn’t been an easy feat, adding in COVID distancing, masking and safety protocols,” said Seeds of Hope Founder Leda Eaton. “Through it all we never shut down and didn’t turn one person away without food.” Seeds of Hope has three main ways of distributing food: through a mobile food pantry for local residents, through a weekly food distribution every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. at its food bank at 710 E. Bloomingdale Ave. that’s open to all and through the backpack of food program coordinated with local schools. The increased demand means that donations are more important than ever. Eaton is thankful for the support she receives from businesses like FishHawk Pinch A Penny and others. “Together we make a difference, one person at a time,” she said. For more information about FishHawk Pinch A Penny, which is open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m., visit https://pinchapenny.com/stores/lithia-fl-191 or call 6553700. For more information about Seeds of Hope and its current needs, to make a financial contribution or to volunteer your time at the food bank, visit www. sohopefl.org.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY: AREA RESIDENT DONNIE DEWEY MAKES SCHOOL DESKS FOR STUDENTS IN NEED
03/01/2021
Jenn Bethune, her husband Kyle, three children and four dogs all decided to move out of their Valrico brick-and-mortar home to a home on wheels. They remodeled a1983 Silver Eagle Bus from front to back and hit the road this past August. So far, they have been to 17 states and driven more than 5,500 miles. See full story on Page 21.