18 minute read
SCORE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
WINNERS LACROSSE COMES TO THE CAREY FAMILY BRANDON BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
By Tatiana Ortiz
The Carey Family Brandon Boys & Girls Club teamed up with WINNERS Lacrosse over the summer of this year as it introduced the sport of lacrosse for youth boys and girls in grades fifth and sixth.
WINNERS Lacrosse is a nonprofit organization located in Washington, D.C. that was founded in October 2000 to provide boys and girls from underserved neighborhoods the opportunity to learn the game of lacrosse as well as the life skills associated with it.
In November 2020, Lew Jolly and Carol Jolly approached WINNERS Lacrosse to start a program in the Tampa area in honor of their son, Jordan Jolly, who passed away in 2019. Jordan’s life was changed by lacrosse. His family wanted to pass that gift on to other youth in the Tampa area. Matt Breslin, executive director of WINNERS Lacrosse, said that once their organization shared its story, mission and goals, the Boys & Girls Club
of Tampa Bay wanted to get involved. Tampa would be the first satellite program with this organization. NaTasha McKeller, club director at the Carey Family Brandon Boys & Girls Club, shared her thoughts on how she felt about the youth lacrosse program there. “Their dedicaSome of the youth playing lacrosse at one of the clinics. tion to keeping Jordan’s story alive in connection with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay has allowed the youth of the Carey Family Brandon Club to begin a journey that will change their lives forever,” McKeller said. The youth lacrosse program is coed and meets twice a week from 4-6 p.m. at the Carey Family Brandon Boys & Girls Club. It does not cost to join. WINNERS Lacrosse provides all of the programming, equipment, curriculum and coaches. The program is also located at the Jef & Penny Vinik Family Club in Tampa. “Our overall goal of the program would be to provide our club members with a sense of belonging and much more,” McKeller said. The UPS Road Code program is also running, which teaches its teen club members about safe driving techniques. For more information, visit www.bgctampa.org or WINNERS Lacrosse at www. winnerslacrosse.org/#welcomewinners.
SCORE BUSINESS ADVISORS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS
By Kate Quesada
Do you have small business knowledge you would like to share with others? The Tampa-Hillsborough County chapter of SCORE is looking for volunteers to mentor and share business expertise with local entrepreneurs.
SCORE, a 501(c)(3) organization, has been mentoring new and existing businesses for more than 40 years and has a network of more than 11,000 volunteers who donate their time to help others.
According to Kevin Dorsey, SCORE Tampa-Hillsborough County Co-Chairperson, SCORE is America’s premier small business mentoring organization. The nonprofit association ofers free and confidential business advice and helps entrepreneurs and small businesses achieve their dreams by building strong, lifelong relationships through mentoring, workshops and expert resources.
“Tampa-Hillsborough County SCORE is looking for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences to serve in a variety of roles,” said Dorsey. “With Tampa-Hillsborough County SCORE, you’ll be part of an extended team of retired and working volunteers representing all facets of the business
community.” Dorsey explained that some volunteers have worked as top executives at Fortune 500 companies, and some have been entrepreneurs and small business owners, while others have valuable experience in universities, the government or the military. SCORE Tampa-Hillsborough County held its annual awards banquet on Novem- “Whatever your skills ber 4. Winners in the Over 50 Clients Served category were Stroud Curran, George and strengths, put them Boraiko, Kit Werremeyer and Bill Pecora. For 10+ Years of Service, Amar Dembla, George Boraiko, Kit Werremeyer, Ed DiSanto, Linda Phillips and Bill Wright were to work for SCORE,” he recognized. In the Mentor PLUS++ Contributors category, Charlene Williams, Kit said. “SCORE Volunteers
Werremeyer, Stroud Curran, Ed DiSanto and Susan Nieland were honored. feel the joy and fulfillment that comes with helping small businesses achieve their goals. You feel good knowing you’ve helped grow the local economy and helped someone live their dreams.” Volunteer opportunities include Mentor, where volunteers use industry-based knowledge and expertise to help business owners who are looking for guidance; Subject Matter Expert, where volunteers collaborate with experienced mentors to ofer advice in your specific area of expertise; Workshop Presenter, which educates through giving presentations on specific small business topics; and Chapter Support, which assists with marketing, finance, scheduling and other key support tasks. “With SCORE, you’ll get to meet and build relationships with business leaders in your community and across the country,” said Dorsey. “Leverage these relationships to develop new skills, to help small businesses, or to expand your personal and professional network.” Email scorehill203@gmail.com or visit www.tampa.score.org/volunteer.
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OFFERS CONSUMERS TIPS ON HOW TO PREVENT SCAMS
By Lily Belcher
While the holiday season is filled with joy and gift giving, many scammers take advantage of the wave of online purchases and rush to find the perfect present. More so, online shopping continues to grow, meaning more purchases are being made, leaving more room for scammers to take advantage of consumers.
Over the past few years, Hillsborough County has been watching both the national and local numbers of scams rise. The increasing number of scams around the holidays prompted Hillsborough County to advertise its tips and advice for avoiding scams, both specific to holidays and in general.
Hillsborough County encourages its citizens to pay attention to who they are making online purchases from. One way to avoid scams is to pay attention to the legitimacy of the website, which can be indicated by the spelling and
grammar. Manager of Consumer Protection Services Eric Olsen also mentioned that if a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Some warning signs ahead of scams are pressuring sales tactics, big deals and discounts or flash sales that force consumers to make purchases without investigating the seller. Olsen also advised consumers to watch out for sellers who are offering lowstock items, since those are often items that the seller does not have available to sell. “You want to be careful when you are doing business with someone you haven’t done business with before,” said One of the best ways to avoid scams is to research the seller before purchasing from them. Olsen. “If you can avoid the problem, that is the best way to [prevent getting scammed].” Olsen warned donators about giving to charities over the holidays as well. There are many organizations, such as the Better Business Bureau, that can provide information on credible and trustworthy charities for those who want to donate. If someone does become the victim of a scam, Hillsborough County will work with the individual to investigate the problem and solve the complaint. Hillsborough County is able to work with local law enforcement. “Once the fraud happens, we can only react to it, and proactive prevention type activities are always the best, so we try to focus on that as much as we can,” said Olsen. For more information, visit hcflgov. net/consumer or contact the Department of Consumer Protection Services at 635-8316.
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DIVERSITY ADVISORY COUNCIL UNITES REPRESENTATIVES FROM COMMUNITY
By Brad Stager
Hillsborough County has been attracting people from all over the world ever since Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León paid a visit to the Tampa Bay area in 1513.
The global appeal of the region has resulted in one of the most diverse populations in the United States, and the Hillsborough County Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) was created as a way of recognizing that and ensuring diferent perspectives are part of the county’s governmental operations.
Members are appointed by the board of county commissioners (BOCC) and serve two-year terms representing one of 11 diverse communities the commission has identified as residing in the county.
Two representatives from each of the following groups are appointed: African American; Caribbean; Far East Asian; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender; Hispanic/Latino; Indian Asian; Middle Eastern; Native American; Northern and Southern European; People with Disabilities; and At-Large—whereby identification with a specific category is not required.
The volunteer positions are unpaid. Vacancies occur as appointments expire or as may otherwise happen, such as when members resign before the end of their terms.
According to Hillsborough County’s
website, requirements to be considered for appointment to the DAC include residency and voter registration in Hillsborough County. An essay of 200-500 words “highlighting what your goals would be as a member of the Diversity Advisory Council, and state why you are most suited to carry Te Hillsborough County Commission is seek- forth those goals,” ing volunteers to serve on its Diversity Advisory is also required, as Council. are completed Questionnaire for Diversity Advisory Council and Standards of Conduct forms, which are available on the county’s website. There are also many other opportunities for residents to serve in an advisory or administrative capacity, with entities ranging from the county’s Afordable Housing Advisory Board to the Tourist Development Council. Some panels are created by the BOCC while others are required by Florida statute. Luann Finley is the county’s director of board services and records, and she encourages residents to consider volunteering their time and expertise when opportunities arise. “One of the most valuable resources of any government is the citizen who gets involved and works to help solve problems.” To learn more about the DAC and other volunteer opportunities to serve on a county board, council, commission or committee, visit HCFLGov.net online.
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HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ALLOCATES FEDERAL FUNDING TO LOCAL PROJECTS
Staf Report
Hillsborough County has approved a list of projects to benefit infrastructure, affordable housing, fire rescue and food-insecure households to be funded by the American Rescue Plan Act - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (‘ARPA Funds’).
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, which approved the county’s general ARPA Funds investment plan, called the Hillsborough County ARP Investment Plan (the ‘Investment Plan’) on September 1, approved funding for six Investment Plan projects during its regular board meeting on November 3.
The approved projects appropriate more than $103 million received from the federal program and targets long-term investments to promote community health and stability.
A large portion of the funds will be allocated to essential infrastructure programs such as septic-to-sewer conversions, which protect groundwater in parts of the county that were developed before the county had wastewater services, and stormwater drainage programs.
Other funding allocations will help the county address social issues such as food insecurity and homelessness, including the purchase of a 36-unit apartment building in the University Area to provide afordable housing opportunities for residents emerging from homelessness.
Funding also has been allocated for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue to implement a new station alerting system to replace outdated alerting and dispatching technology in the county’s 44 fire stations.
The county projects must fit guidelines established by the federal government but will also address the County’s unique community needs and economic ecosystem characteristics and reflect the board of county commissioners’ collective values in addressing residents’ needs. The recently approved projects fall under four of the five categories set out in the Investment Plan: Water, Sewer and Broadband Infrastructure, which will provide necessary investments in projects that improve access to clean drinking water and improve wastewater and stormwater infrastructure systems; Public Health Response, which provides resources to meet and address the emergent public health needs; Negative Economic Impacts, which assists households or populations afected by the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency; and Revenue Replacement-Funded Government Services, which provides government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The county will continue to review and approve projects over the next three years until the entire $285 million that was received through the ARPA Funds is fully allocated, which must be done by December 2024.
For more information, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org.
CONNECTED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY PROJECT SEEKS VOLUNTEER COMMUTERS
By Brad Stager
More drivers who use the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway are now eligible to participate in the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) Connected Vehicle (CV) Pilot research project.
The transportation project uses technology to improve trafc safety and movement in downtown Tampa and associated roads such as the Selmon Expressway.
Privately owned and public transit vehicles are equipped with communication technology that allows them to exchange information with each other and trafc infrastructure such as signal devices to prevent crashes and improve trafc flow.
The project is expanding to include more models of cars manufactured by Honda, Toyota and Hyundai. Project coordinators are seeking volunteers who commute on the Selmon Expressway. Participants can receive compensation of up to $550 in Selmon Expressway toll rebates. Applicants must fill out an online questionnaire to determine eligibility to participate in the testing of connected vehicle technology.
Vehicles equipped with THEA CV Pilot technology will receive information about trafc backups and safety warnings, such as alerting a driver to the presence of pedestrians, a hard braking situation or the need to decelerate when traveling into a congested area. The ability to receive warnings of
When the driver of a connected vehicle enters the downtown end of the potential danger on Reversible Express Lanes in the wrong direction, the driver receives an alert. the road is a feature (Provided by THEA.) that Sue Chrzan, THEA’s director of public afairs and communications, said has helped improve safety, especially with instances of wrong-way driving on the Selmon Expressway. “We know that 14 vehicles received warnings that they were about to enter the wrong way on the Selmon Expressway. This information can save lives,” said Chrzan. Chrzan added that the safety enhancements provided by the connected vehicle technology also improved the overall driving experience for some drivers. “In our first phase of the pilot, participants felt safer and less stressed knowing that their vehicles could provide alerts to danger,” she said. The THEA Connected Vehicle Pilot began in 2015 and is funded with $21 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation. This current phase of the THEA CV Pilot research project will last through the summer of 2022. There are more than 1,000 private and public vehicles participating. More information about the project and connected vehicle technology can be found by visiting theacvpilot.com.
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TAMPA METROPOLITAN AREA YMCA RECEIVES FUNDING FOR WATER SAFETY TRAINING
Staf Report
The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA is teaming up with SCP Distributors Inc., Superior Pool Products and parent company POOLCORP to provide scholarships for water safety lessons to area children. Donated funds will provide 100 lifeguard training scholarships and Safety Around Water (SAW) lessons for more than 1,400 children who might not otherwise be able to afford to participate.
The Safety Around Water Program consists of a course of eight 40-minute sessions where students learn important skills in and around water, including survival skills like pushing of from the bottom of the pool to resurface, safety skills like water rescue techniques and identifying a safe place to swim and basic swimming skills like floating, blowing bubbles and beginner swim strokes.
The lifeguard training scholarships provide employment opportunities and support needed for community pools to be able to be open and operate safely. Both classes will be available at 12 Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCAs.
“The prevention of childhood drowning remains a top priority for our YMCAs throughout Tampa Bay. We know water safety programs can save lives, and through
the generosity of POOLCORP, we will now be able to reach even deeper into our community and serve kids who otherwise may not have expoRepresentatives from SCP Distributors, Superior Pool Prod- sure to these ucts and parent company POOLCORP present the Tampa vital life-savMetropolitan Area YMCA with funding for 100 lifeguard ing programs,” training scholarships and Safety Around Water lessons for 1,400 students. From left to right: Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA CEO Matt Mitchell; Taylor Anderson, Lisa Pace, Bill said Matt Mitchell, presGiford and Curtis Litteral of SCP Distributors; and Bobby ident and CEO Mull of Superior Pool Products. of the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA. The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA is a cause-driven, four-star charity that has been strengthening Hillsborough and East Pasco communities for 132 years through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the association, 18 facilities engage 223,000-plus men, women and children— regardless of age, income or background— to nurture the potential of children and teens as well as improve our community’s health and well-being. POOLCORP is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool and related outdoor living products. POOLCORP operates 409 sales centers in North America, Europe and Australia, through which it distributes more than 200,000 national brand and private label products to roughly 120,000 wholesale customers. For more information, please visit www.poolcorp.com.
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