MISSY’S INK ADDS LASER HAIR REMOVAL AND ELECTROLYSIS TO TOP TIER SERVICE OFFERINGS

By Lily Belcher

Florida Trade Academy Hires Chief Academic Offcer Florida Trade Academy (FTA), a groundbreaking program ofering trade education programs for career seekers and job changers, has named longtime higher education leader Lynette Barcewicz as its first chief academic advisor. In this newly created role, Barcewicz is helping advance FTA’s mission to close the skill gap that has become increasing prevalent in the U.S. and to become a reliable resource for talent at a time when millions of jobs remain unfilled. For more information, visit its website at www.floridatradeacademy.org.

your pace.”

Owned by Octoryia Robinson, Dream That Big Publishing is a Tampa Baybased, royalty-free, collaborative self-publishing company that provides mentorship, workshopping, writing and publishing services along with resources to authors and aspiring authors. The team at Dream That Big Publishing are dedicated and talented professionals who have the skills and tools to awaken and inspire nonfiction writers. Its ofce is located at 100 S. Ashley Dr., Ste. 600 in Tampa and is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Additional information can be found on its website at www. dreamthatbigpublishing. com, by following on Facebook at Dream That Big Publishing or by calling 813-708-7167.

Missy’s Ink is now ‘Missy’s Ink & Laser’ after adding laser hair removal and electrolysis to its lineup of services for women in the Valrico area, allowing customers to add hair where they want and remove hair where they do not.

“I am thrilled to be able to ofer laser hair removal and electrolysis to my clients,” said owner Missy Duncan. “These services are in high demand, and I am excited to be able to provide them in a safe and comfortable environment.” ter an over 30-hour laser and light-based hair removal course by the Florida Electrolysis Council, Duncan had to go to Orlando to take the exam.

Te Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce joined with ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization), in celebrating a multichamber ribbon-cutting ceremony in honor of the grand opening of its new ECHO Trift store at 815 W. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon.

Duncan completed her International Board of Electrologist Certification Exam on April 12. In addition to her new certifications, Duncan purchased a Soprano ICE laser hair removal machine. The machine provides virtually painless hair removal because the tip of the laser is -3 degrees Celsius.

Missy’s Ink & Laser is also one of few studios in the area to ofer electrolysis, a hair removal service for women with lighter-colored hair.

“I’ll be one of the few people in this area who do electrolysis. It’s kind of a dying field but it is still needed,” explained Duncan.

Duncan’s certification was a huge accomplishment for her at 50 years old. Af-

“I’ve always not been a good test taker, so I was scared to death,” admitted Duncan. “But I had something to prove to myself pretty much. … It’s a huge accomplishment for sure.” Duncan started Missy’s Ink in 2017 after being a photographer for 20 years. Looking for a change, a door opened for her to start her career in permanent makeup. “God just lays it all out for you. When one door opens and another one closes, you kind of just run through it,” said Duncan. Missy’s Ink ofers permanent makeup, including areola pigmentation for breast cancer patients, in addition to hair removal services.

“I always try to treat my clients the way I would like to be treated as a client,” said Duncan. “And making women feel comfortable.”

For more information on Missy’s Ink, visit Duncan’s website at missysink.com or call 813-659-0648. Missy’s Ink is located in Crest Pointe Towne Center at 3117 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico.

Summer Youth Camp

Marine Families, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is dedicated to their mission to honor, support, educate and inspire military, veterans and their families. Marine Families was founded in 2004 by Cyd Deathe, the organization’s executive director.

Deathe said, “I established Marine Families because my son was going into the Marines, and I knew he was going to war. I founded the organization because I needed support.”

Marine Families is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to supporting military, veterans and their families. United in teamwork, they continue to improve events, programs and projects ofered by the organization.

Marine Families’ projects include providing support to local Marines through monthly lunches ofered at the 4th AAVBN (Assault Amphibian Battalion) Marine Base located at 5121 Gandy Blvd. in Tampa. Each month, Marine Families provides lunch. This is done in partnership with local businesses and organizations that sponsor the meal. If you are interested in partnering with Marine Families on this project, please call Deathe at 813965-2682.

Marine Families also ofers a Yellow

By Kathy L. Collins

Ribbon Project. They o f er free, personalized deployment ribbons to Marine families all over the globe.

To date, Marine Families has provided over 5,000 ribbons. The Yellow Ribbons are a reminder to all that military men and women who are deployed serve in harm’s way. If you have a deployed service person in your family, you can fill out a form to request a ribbon by visiting www.militaryfamilies.org.

Marine Families also sponsors Krewe of Semper Fi. It has a float and takes local military, veterans and their families during Tampa’s parade season. The Krewe of Semper Fi was established in 2018.

Military, veterans and their families who live locally in the Greater Brandon area can benefit from the projects and programs o f ered by Military Families. It has 35 regular volunteers but is always in need of hardworking volunteers. Moreover, as this is an all-volunteer organization, donations in any amount are greatly appreciated.

Deathe said, “Although we are not in war, we have military men and women who need our support on a daily basis.” For information, visit www.marinefamilies.org.

Preserve Vision Florida was established in 1957. The nonprofit’s focus is promoting a lifetime of healthy vision care through advocacy, education, screenings and research. It does this by ofering vision education and services to Florida’s children and adults.

According to Jennifer Whittington, vice president of programs and COO, “We primarily screen children’s vision with the idea that if a child cannot see, they cannot read (and learn). Studies show that one in 20 preschool-age children have a vision concern. That ratio rises to one in four children with a vision concern at the elementary school level. If a child cannot see, then they cannot read. Therefore, our mission is to identify and assist getting glasses on children that are in need.”

Preserve Vision Florida works to promote a lifetime of healthy vision care by providing screenings and, if necessary, helps children get the eye exams and glasses they need to succeed in life.

By Kathy L. Collins

and day care centers around the county. It also ofers monthly screenings at each of the seven Children’s Board Family Resource Centers. There are centers located in Brandon, Plant City and Ruskin. You can visit www.pvfla. org/events to see the schedule of screenings.

Raining Cats And Dogs Shelter And Sanctuary Provides Forever Homes For Cats And Dogs

By Kathy L. Collins

Whittington added, “We also are funded to educate and assist some of the parents and caregivers of those children. In this way, we help parents become more independent, retain employment and ultimately model the behavior of wearing corrective lenses that children need to mirror. If mom or dad or grandma wear their glasses, it must be important.”

Preserve Vision Florida is funded through the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and United Way Suncoast. Preserve Vision Florida conducts vision screenings at many of the preschools

Whittington said, “We use some of the most updated screening methodology to screen for things like amblyopia (also known as lazy eye), strabismus (when the eyes are not working together), refractive errors like myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). We also screen for color vision deficiency (what used to be referred to as color blindness.) Although there is no cure for color deficiency, there are accommodations that can be made for a child in school once they are identified.”

When children are referred for a follow-up, Preserve Vision Florida continues to follow up with them. If a child does not have insurance or Medicaid, they have a program that ofers free exams and glasses.

Whittington said, “If you have a child in preschool, ask your director if they will arrange for vision screenings at their center with Preserve Vision Florida. If not, share our information. We would love to add your school.”

Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary was founded in 2017 by Laura Santo, rescue president. She wanted to start a rescue that accepted pets that were not considered highly adoptable and would provide a forever home for pets that are unadoptable or slow to be adopted due to age, health or temperament.

Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary is a nonprofit located at 2708 E. SR 60 in Plant City. It is 100 percent volunteer-run. While they accept owner relinquishment, they are not an open-admission shelter. According to Leslie Donegan, volunteer coordinator, “We partner with municipal shelters and accept at-risk pets. At-risk pets are not available for adoption to the public and are determined by the municipal shelter to be available to rescues only because of age, health or temperament.”

Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary has a foster program for puppies, kittens and nursing mothers. Donegan said, “We place animals into foster care that are recovering from surgery. We have a hospice foster program for senior pets to live out their final days in a loving home. All other pets are at the shelter so they have the best chance of being seen by potential adopters and

finding their forever homes.”

Donegan added, “Our shelter is di f erent from municipal shelters because we have no paid employees or receive tax-payer funding. We operate strictly o f of donations and volunteer labor. Our volunteers get to know and love our shelter pets. We strive to find a forever home for each shelter pet, no matter how long that takes. Our goal is to match an adopter with the right pet for their family, which is often not the pet that may have initially brought the adopter to our shelter.”

Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary o f ers meet and greets and adoptions for approved adopters by appointment only. It also has a Yappy Hour on Saturdays at the shelter from 4-5 p.m. which is open to the public.

As it is an all-volunteer organization, it welcomes student volunteers ages 1215 if accompanied by a parent. Students over 16 can volunteer without a parent. It is also in need of volunteers who are willing to make a weekly commitment to help with daily tasks of running the shelter.

For more information, please visit www.rainingcatsanddogsshelter.com or call 813-704-4915.

Easily identified by their snow-white bodies and bright-yellow feet, the snowy egret is one of Florida’s most widespread and commonly observed wading birds. Snowy egrets are in the heron family and are often found in shallow mangrove, estuary, marsh and wetland habitats. They are also commonly found on the coast. Year-round residents in the state of Florida, snowy egrets are widely distributed across the United States and can be found as far south as Chile and Argentina.

Snowy egrets average a height of 2426 inches tall and have a wingspan of up to 40 inches wide. Their bodies are covered in bright-white plumage (feathers) and their stilt legs are jet black with their characteristic bright-yellow feet. Their beaks are also black and have a bright-yellow patch at the base of their bill.

The snowy egret begins breeding in the springtime — in Florida, that is typically between March and April — like many other species in the state. During this time, the adult snowy egrets will develop long, wispy feathers on their backs, necks and the top of their heads. They nest on islands in their swamp and coastal habitats, where the females lay around three to five eggs. Both parents take part in incubating the eggs, which hatch around four weeks later. Both mom and dad will continue to rear their young for weeks to follow.

Snowy egrets feed in both fresh and saltwater habitats and can be found intermingled with other species of wading birds. Their diet consists primarily of fish, shrimp and small invertebrates.

Historically, snowy egrets faced a major threat in the late 1800s due to the popularity of their plumage, specifically the feathers on top of their heads, that were being used in hats and as fashion accessories. The rapid decline from hunting them for that plumage jump-started conservation eforts that have thankfully preserved them to the present day. Today, snowy egrets are protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act and, with continued conservation awareness and eforts, will be around for many more generations to enjoy.

If you want to help snowy egrets and other coastal and wetland birds, remember to reduce waste, reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides, recycle and remove and properly discard fishing lines, nets and hooks. Never approach or feed wildlife and always observe from safe distances. Together, we can keep Florida beautiful and 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.

HIGH-COLOR, LOW-MAINTENANCE AND DROUGHT-TOLERANT SHRUBS, VINES AND GRASSES

BY LYNN BARBER, URBAN HORTICULTURE AGENT

Consider the first principle of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program, which is ‘right plant, right place,’ as it relates to your plant selections and site conditions.

We are defining high color as foliage and flowers for several seasons. Low maintenance means minimal pruning, fertilizing and pest control. Try walking around your landscape at least once a week to check on the condition of your plants and proceed as needed.

Large shrubs: Aloysia virgata — sweet almond bush — can reach a height and spread of 6 to 12 feet. This shrub prefers full sun, tolerates drought well, attracts butterflies and produces white, fragrant flowers from summer through fall. Callicarpa americana — Beautyberry (native) can reach a height and spread of 6-8 feet. Beautyberry prefers shade to partial shade and has a high drought tolerance. This shrub produces purple to light-purple flowers from spring through fall and small purplish fruits that provide food for wildlife in later winter. There is also a white beautyberry (Callicarpa americana Var. lactea).

Small shrubs: Lantana depressa — weeping lantana, pineland lantana (native) — can reach a height and spread of 3-6 feet. This small shrub has medium drought and high salt tolerance, prefers full sun and attracts butterflies and birds. It produces small yellow, year-round flowers; however, the berries are poisonous. Russelia sarmentosa — firecracker plant — can reach a height of

3-4 feet and a spread of 2-4 feet. It is fast-growing, has medium drought tolerance and prefers full sun. Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to this plant, which produces red summer flowers. Yellow and salmon forms are also available.

Vines: Thunbergia alata — black-eyed Susan vine — can reach a height and spread of 5-10 feet. This vine prefers full sun and has low drought tolerance. It is a perennial that produces yellow summer flowers. Ipomoea spp. — morning glory (natives only) — can reach a height of 10-20 feet and a spread of 10-40 feet. It is fast-growing, prefers full sun and has high drought tolerance. Flower color varies. This vine spreads easily and provides food for wildlife.

Grasses: Muhlenbergia capillaris — muhly grass (native) — can reach a height of 2-5 feet and a spread of 2-3 feet. This grass has high drought tolerance and performs best in full sun, producing pink fall flowers. Eragrostis elliottii — Elliott’s lovegrass (native) — can reach a height and spread of 1 to 3 feet and is fast-growing. This grass has high drought tolerance, prefers full sun ranging to partial shade. It produces tan, year-round flowers, especially in the fall.

Many UF/IFAS Extension ofces have teaching/demonstration gardens where you can see these plants and many others in a landscape setting. Contact the UF/IFAS Extension ofce in your county.

Brandon Auto Services Has Been Helping The Community With Its Auto Needs For 52 Years

Steve Holland and Ken Anderson have been friends since grade school. They have also been the owners of Brandon Auto Services for more than three decades. “We have been part of the Brandon community for 52 years,” Holland said. “My father originally owned Holland’s Auto Service in Brandon on Robertson, across from where the old library used to be. When he decided to sell the business; Ken and I decided to buy the business.”

Brandon Auto Services is the community’s one-stop shop for a wide variety of auto needs. “We have parts for vehicles, and we do general repairs, engine/transmission repairs, collision repairs and tire services,” Holland said. “We work hard to purchase damaged or used vehicles so we can recycle parts. This is an extremely important part of the automotive supply chain.”

Their customers get options in purchasing a quality used part that has a possible warranty ranging from 101 days to lifetime. Think of purchasing a used part when you need a wheel, a car body part, transmission or an engine.

If you ask Holland and Anderson what makes Brandon Auto Services di f erent from other auto services in the area,