Brandon/Winthrop
22
December 2021
Volume 16, Issue 12
Ph: 657-2418
CELEBRATING 19 YEARS OF PUBLISHING P OSITIVE COMMUNIT Y NEWS
MEALS ON WHEELS ASKS THE RIVERVIEW AND GIBSONTON COMMUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER
By Lily Belcher
Osprey Observer 2109 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Valrico, FL 33596
Postal Customer
ECRWSS EDDM
PRSTD STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID TAMPA, FL PERMIT #2397
apply will be asked to get a background check and attend a virtual orientation to train them on their responsibilities as a volunteer. On select days, volunteers will arrive at First Baptist Riverview to pick up a cooler and hot bag in their own cars. They will then receive their route (on paper or through Meals on Wheels’ new app) Meals on Wheels volunteers pick up coolers with meals for and deliver meals to grateful seniors. eight to 14 houses beOver the summer, Meals fore returning on Wheels expanded its the cooler/hot reach to the residents of bag to First Gibsonton and Riverview, Baptist Riverproviding hot meals to seview. niors and the homebound Although daily. Now, Meals on volunteers are Wheels is asking for more volunteers to asked to be 18 or older, high school stuhelp distribute meals and smiles to its dents can drive with an adult to help customers. pass out the meals. High schoolers “Any volunteer gift or their help can receive two service hours for each makes such a difference to our home- route they participate in. bound neighbors, who, many of them, “It’s a great thing to do with a group will not see another live person until … our recipients just love to see young the next volunteer delivers to them,” people. There is just such a hope and a said Senior Director of Mission Engage- brightness [they] bring to the mission. ment Cindy Vann. “I think it just really It is a wonderful way to connect with a strengthens the community to just have part of our community that sometimes everybody kind of come together and is forgotten,” said Vann. take care of each other—taking care of Meals on Wheels is currently looking those who are homebound … and help- for more volunteers to fulfill orders. ing us realize that showing up is such a Each route typically takes 20 volunbig part.” teers, and they see a need to expand Community members 18 and older the number of routes they serve. can volunteer to pick up and deliver the For more information on how to volfood produced in Meals on Wheels’ com- unteer, visit mowtampa.org or contact mercial kitchen to eight or more hous- Yvette Rouse at y.rouse@mowtampa. es along a set route. Volunteers that com.
So many new classes, fundraisers, tea blending classes and events at Center Place. See the full calendar on Page 15.
LOCAL RESIDENT & TEAMMATE WIN MAJOR BASS FISHING COMPETITION
By Libby Hopkins
we met for the first time a couple days before the event. We had three days before the tournament to pre-fish and then we had to be off the water completely on afterwards. I had only been to Port Aransas once a month or so before for another tournament, and Chris had never been there, so we had to go out and learn the water Brandon resident Ryan Rickard (right) recently won the Yamaha and pattern the fish Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter in Port from scratch.” Aransas, Texas. Each day of the Brandon resident Ryan Rickard recently tournament, teams could bring in two won the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup redfish that were between 20 and 28 Championship presented by Skeeter in inches long. “We were looking for the November in Port Aransas, Texas. heaviest two fish we could catch each “I have loved fishing since my dad first day, with the goal of having the heaviintroduced me to it when I was 4 or 5 years old,” Rickard said. “I would fish any est total weight at the end of day three,” chance I could since then. Especially in my Rickard said. “We left the takeoff point at teen years, whether it was in a neighbor- 6:45 a.m. and had to be back for weigh-in hood pond around Providence Lakes or at 2:45 p.m. each day. The entire tournaSterling Ranch or at Courtney Campbell ment was broadcast live on bassmaster. com and Fox Sports Digital.” Causeway and around Tampa Bay.” Rickard and Zaldain were thrilled to Rickard had fished recreationally for come in first place at the Bassmaster years, and then a friend of his asked him Classic. “I have had fellow anglers tell me if he wanted to start fishing tournaments that when it’s your time to win one, evaround Tampa Bay. erything will just go right and it will be a “He asked me in 2008 and I’ve never special day,” Rickard said. “I couldn’t have stopped since,” Rickard said. “I have also asked to be paired with a better partner been a licensed charter captain since in Chris Zaldain. When it was official, I 2014.” was a bit overwhelmed with all the emoThe Bassmaster recently decided to tions and it took about a week for it to revive its Redfish Cup event from years finally sink in. We were presented with ago. It selected 10 teams to compete for a team Redfish Cup trophy that Chris let a prize of $50,000. Six of the teams were me bring home and we each received an a combo of an all-star bass angler and individual trophy, and, of course, the main a redfish pro angler, with the other four teams being redfish pro teams that quali- prize was a $50K check.” fied through the Elite Redfish Tournament Series and Power-Pole Pro Redfish Tour. “I was invited by Skeeter/Yamaha to compete and was paired with seven-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Chris Zaldain,” Rickard said. “Chris lives in Fort Worth, Texas and also received an invite from Skeeter/Yamaha to compete, and
IN THIS ISSUE: SCORE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS PG 3 ALAFIA DRIVING ................................. PG 9 EYE ON BUSINESS ...................PGS 25-26 COMMUNITY ARTS.........................PGS 35
