Osprey Observer Riverview/Apollo Beach September 2024 by Osprey Observer

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HOSTS ‘PATRIOT DAY: 9/11 REMEMBRANCE’ EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 11

Twenty-three years after the attacks that sparked our nation’s longest war, Americans continue to honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001, by commemorating a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Consumer & Veteran Services and the Veterans Council of Hillsborough County invite the community to their annual Patriot Day: 9/11 Remembrance event at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11. It will be held at Veterans Memorial Park and Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum, located at 3602 U.S. 301 N. in Tampa. In honor of Patriot Day, ﬁrst responders, military veterans and civic leaders aim to inspire a generation too young to recall the historic events of 9/11 with the spirit of service and duty. Students, teachers, parents, neighbors and veterans are invited to attend a ceremony featuring:

• A giant American ﬂag hoisted by ladder trucks.

• A traditional ﬁre service ringing of the bell.

• A solemn escort of the beam, a solid 135-pound section of steel salvaged from New York’s Twin Towers that resides at Veterans Memorial Park, representing the supreme sacriﬁces on 9/11.

• Junior Reserve Ofcers’ Training Corps (JROTC) from Hillsborough County high schools.

• Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Jason Dougherty, Temple Terrace Fire Chief Ian Kemp and Plant City Fire Rescue Chief Jeremy Sidlauskas.

• The Urban Search and Rescue team.

• The U.S. Coast Guard St. Petersburg Station.

• The U.S. Marine Corps 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion.

In the spirit of the National Day of Service and Remembrance, students and attendees are encouraged to interact with various service professionals following the 9/11 ceremony. First responders, military members and veterans will be on hand to meet, greet, take photos and enjoy refreshments. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard will display a 29-foot rescue response boat, the U.S. Marine Corps will exhibit a military vehicle and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and the U.S. Army Reserve will present department trailers.

The 23rd anniversary Patriot Day: 9/11 Remembrance event is free and open to the public at Veterans Memorial Park’s outdoor amphitheater. Attendees also are invited to enjoy the park’s many memorials.

For more information about the event or Veterans Memorial Park and Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum, call Hillsborough County Consumer & Veterans Services at 813-635-8316 or visit www.hcﬂ.gov/veterans.

Pepin Academies celebrated its 25th anniversary at the end of August, honoring its past and cutting the ribbon to the next 25 years of serving the community. With qualities such as specially designed classrooms, small class sizes and a transitional program for its graduates, Pepin Academies takes a unique approach to serving its ESE (exceptional student education) students.

The ESE charter school, which opened its doors in 1999, kicked of the school year with a trio of ceremonies at local chambers of commerce. Pepin Academies’ Tampa campus was the ﬁrst to open, but this year’s celebration recognizes all three campuses, including the New Port Richey and Riverview campuses, that have hosted tremendous growth.

Pepin Academies started of with just 17 students and has grown to serve almost 1,200 local kids, teens and young adults.

“To me, it’s just remarkable growth for such a speciﬁc population of students,” Executive Director Jef Skowronek said.

What’s unique about Pepin Academies is that the school recognizes the speciﬁc needs of students and works with what they need throughout the school day. All its teachers are certiﬁed in the subjects they teach as well as in ESE education, equipping them to efectively teach and support the students.

Each campus has several mental health counselors, language pathologists and administration to help families navigate the

PEPIN ACADEMIES HOSTS

RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY AND LOOKS FORWARD TO THE FUTURE

By Lily Belcher

IEP (Individualized Education Program) process.

To further help their students, teachers adapt their classrooms with modiﬁcations, such as diferent seating options and covered lights. Class sizes are smaller too, with roughly 15 students to every one teacher.

Pepin Academies boasts a 92 percent graduation rate, higher than the national average for ESE students, according to Skowronek. After graduating, Pepin Academies’ transitional program helps students gain experience in the ﬁeld they hope to work in through its partnerships with a variety of local companies.

“The longer you can stay at Pepin Academy [and] the earlier we can get our students here, the more of an impact we can have,” Skowronek said.

For more information on Pepin Academies or to support its mission through volunteering or making a ﬁnancial donation, visit https://pepinacademies.com/. Contact the school or apply to enroll on the website. Pepin Academies’ Riverview campus is located at 9304 Camden Field Parkway.

First responders and military veterans hope to inspire the next generation with a spirit of duty and service at the annual Patriot Day: 9/11 Remembrance event.

Photo Courtesy of Linda Chion.

Pepin Academies ofcials and supporters, with the proclamation read by Tammy See, chair of the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce.

Proud Supporters of ECHO * Board of Directors

Selah Freedom is hosting its third annual fundraising event, Light the Path (LTP), which is a celebration of hope and a call to action to end sex trafcking. This year’s event will be held at two locations: Armature Works in Tampa on Tuesday, October 22, and The Westin Sarasota on Thursday, November 14.

Selah Freedom is a nonproﬁt, anti-human-trafcking organization with the mission to end sex trafcking and bring freedom to individuals who have been exploited. This organization tackles issues on both ends of the spectrum by helping support local victims and survivors through their recovery phases and preventing future young people from becoming victims while providing more awareness about human trafcking to the community.

In addition, Selah Freedom provides the communities of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee, Polk and Pasco counties with an exceptionally adept team of professionals who ofer free education and outreach to area schools, law enforcement agencies and partnering nonproﬁts.

The celebrity guest speaker this year will be Darryl Strawberry, four-time World Series champion, eight-time National League All-Star and two-time cancer survivor.

The goal for these events is to bring together supporters, advocates, survivors and community leaders to shine a light on the issue of human trafcking and raise crucial funds for Selah Freedom’s life-changing programs.

Stacey Efaw, executive director of Selah Freedom, is looking forward to this special event.

“The awareness that will be spread

By Kelly Wise Valdes

throughout the community as a result of this event will enable more people to ﬁnd a way to combat human trafcking,” said Efaw. Guests will enjoy an evening of entertainment, including live music, an inspiring message from Strawberry and a silent and live auction. Delicious food and drinks will also be served throughout the evening, creating a festive atmosphere that encourages guests to mingle, connect and learn more about the work Selah Freedom is doing to ﬁght trafcking and restore survivors.

According to Andrea Martone, public relations coordinator for Selah Freedom, the organization expects around 265 attendees for the event.

“The ﬁrst year of LTP raised around $100K, and the second year (also the ﬁrst year the event was split to two nights, two cities) LTP raised close to $100K per event for $200K total, which was the goal. For this year, we hope to raise $100K per night as the goal.”

The silent auction will include various rafﬂe baskets, autographed memorabilia and some exciting vacation trip opportunities, including a chef’s tasting at Cafe Barbosso with Chef Joe DiMaggio, a two-night stay at Compass Hotel Anna Maria Sound by Margaritaville, a two-week exclusive scuba camp, a three-day stay at the Laser Lounge Penthouse and more.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., followed by VIP meet and greet, the silent auction and cocktails, then the dinner program begins at 7 p.m. To buy tickets to Light the Path, or for sponsorship opportunities, visit https:// support.selahfreedom.com/event/light-thepath-2024-south/e557229.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ NEWEST LITERACY RESOURCE IS

PAIGE THE LITERACY BUS

Instilling the love of reading and the ability to read at an early age is a goal of Hillsborough County Public Schools. In an efort to provide fair and equitable access to educational resources such as reading, Hillsborough County Public Schools have launched an Early Learning and Literacy Mobile Classroom known as Paige the Literacy Bus (Paige).

Hillsborough County Public Schools has launched the Early Learning and Literacy Mobile Classroom known as Paige. Te bus will visit private day cares, public school early learning classrooms and other sites throughout Hillsborough County.

The mission of Paige is to provide early access to resources and promote literacy beyond the classroom. Paige is geared toward young learners up to the age of 5. This initiative is a passion project for Dr. Stacy Hahn.

Dr. Hahn said, “As a school board member, I have been a steadfast advocate for literacy, and the Early Childhood Literacy Bus has been my passion project aimed at sparking a lifelong love of reading in children and ensuring families have equitable access to vital educational resources.”

Dr. Hahn added, “Collaborating with the school district on this initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a community where literacy is highly valued, empowering every child and family through the transformative power of literacy. I am so excited to launch the Early Childhood Literacy Bus in our community.”

Paige will visit private day care pro-

By Kathy L. Collins

viders, public school early learning classrooms and other school sites. In our area, Paige will visit Ippolito Elementary School’s STEM Night on Wednesday, October 16, at 3:30 p.m. and will be at Brandon High School on Saturday, November 16, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The bus is decorated with bright colors and features fun spaces, including an outside reading area. Inside, you will ﬁnd a mobile computer lab and comfy reading nooks. Hillsborough County Public Schools’ goal for the Early Learning and Literacy Mobile Classroom is to provide early access to resources and promote literacy beyond the classroom. It aims to inspire a lifelong passion for reading while extending the beneﬁts of early learning and literacy to every corner of Hillsborough County.

As this is the ﬁrst year of the program, it is important to note that the school district wants to impact kindergarten reading readiness throughout the district. This project is grant-funded, but the school district will be looking for community partners to help.

While there is not a dedicated website page yet, Paige does have an Instagram account where you can follow her progress and see upcoming events at @hcpspaigetheliteracybus.

Pro baseball legend Darryl Strawberry will be the guest speaker at the Selah Freedom event.

JANE GOODALL HEADLINES WEEKEND OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION FOR TAMPA BAY

The Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program, in alliance with a number of Tampa Bay-area environmental organizations, will welcome its iconic namesake for a live appearance amid a weekend of high-energy events.

Goodall will speak at Tropicana Field on the evening of Saturday, September 14. Titled ‘An Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall,’ the 7 p.m. event is open to the public. Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a United Nations Messenger of Peace, is a world-renowned ethologist and activist inspiring greater understanding and action on behalf of the natural world. As part of her 90th birthday tour, the global icon will share her message of hope in a unique talk tailored for the Youth Environment Summit. People of all ages are invited to this unforgettable appearance.

Tickets are available for purchase on Eventbrite and range from $10-$20.

Earlier in the day, there will be a Youth Environment Summit at Tropicana Field.

Aspiring conservationists in grade four through college are invited to a symposium, which will include guest speakers, workshops tailored by age group and a convention ﬂoor with booths from local environmental organizations. Talks and activities will be organized into three categories: our water, our shorelines and our cities.

Advance registration for the summit

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is available through Eventbrite and includes a ticket to An Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall. Registration for the Youth Environment Summit will not be available at the door.

Then on Sunday, September 15, there will be a Day of Action around Tampa Bay.

Local environmental organizations that are part of the Roots & Shoots Alliance invite students, families and members of the community to sign up for one of numerous service projects they will be hosting around the Bay area. Participants will volunteer in projects designed to protect and improve our natural environment.

In addition to Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA, organizations participating in the weekend of events include Eckerd College, Ecosphere Restoration Institute Inc., The Florida Aquarium, IDEAS For Us, Indi-ED, Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Nature’s Classroom, Ocean Conservancy, Remora, St. Petersburg College, Tampa Bay Butterﬂy Foundation, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Tampa Bay Watch, Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association, Trash Caulin, Trash Turtles, USF St. Petersburg, The University of Tampa, Water Warrior Alliance and ZooTampa at Lowry Park.

For more information, registration and tickets, visit https://rootsandshoots.org/ take-action/events/yes-2024/.

KIWANIS CLUB OF SOUTHSHORE OVERSEES STORYWALK IN RUSKIN

The second of two StoryWalk locations in Southeastern Hillsborough County held a celebratory ribbon-cutting in Ruskin, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of SouthShore.

Designed to encourage literacy and exercise for young children, StoryWalk is family-friendly experience with sign installations featuring the pages of books to be read at stops along an outdoor walking path.

Launched two years ago in Hillsborough by the Kiwanis Club of Tampa at Al Lopez Park, the efort has been spearheaded by Kiwanian Amanda Malinowski, who then worked to secure a $70,000 grant from the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County for expansion to other locations.

The Ruskin ribbon-cutting in August followed the June 15 ribbon-cutting for the Kiwanis StoryWalk in Sefner, maintained by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon. It’s at Sefner Comm“UNITY” Park and Gardens, adjacent to the Sefner-Mango Branch Library. Additional StoryWalk locations are in Carrollwood Park Village and Rowlett Park in Sulphur Springs.

Every month, StoryWalk features a new book for children ages 3-7. September’s book is I Got the Rhythm, by Connie Schoﬁeld-Morrison, which is set to be replaced in October by Acorn Was a Little Wild, by Jen Arena.

Overseeing the changing of books with fellow Kiwanis Club of SouthShore members is veteran Michael Ball, a ﬁnancial advisor with Edward Jones and the PTSA pres-

By Linda Chion

ident at York Innovation Academy in Apollo Beach. He serves also as chair of the board of trustees for HCA Florida South Shore Hospital. Having grown up as an avid reader and researcher, Ball said he pays tribute to his mom and godmother, who both worked as children’s librarians. And he remembers to this day the ‘snort’ his dad used when reading to him Ferdinand and the Bull. Ball said it’s the same snort he heard when his father read the same book to Ball’s children.

“This is how people make their memories,” Ball said. Reading together, “it becomes a family legacy.”

StoryWalk advances the mission of Kiwanis, a global volunteer organization that aims to improve the world, one child and one community at a time.

Suzi Bredbenner is the incoming president for the Kiwanis Club of SouthShore. Bredbenner is in the club with her husband, Chris, and is a past president as well of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon.

“Kiwanis is all about serving the kids of the community, and you can ﬁnd through Kiwanis some kind of volunteer opportunity to meet your level of ability and time,” Bredbenner said. StoryWalk, she added, is a means to that end.

The Kiwanis Club of SouthShore meets on the ﬁrst and third Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. at Denny’s in Ruskin, located at 3747 Sun City Center Blvd. Visit the club at www.facebook.com/southshorekiwanis.

Te August 10 ribbon-cutting for StoryWalk in Ruskin with the Kiwanis Club of SouthShore.

Kerrie Hoening

813-625-1527 khoening@ospreyobserver.com

BRANDON &

Gershkoff

813-300-5152 mgershkoff@ospreyobserver.com

By Nitish Rele

Subaru has done it again. The Japanese carmaker has totally revamped its hot-seller Forester for 2025. The exterior and interior of the small SUV get a sleeker design, though mechanically the status quo has been maintained. Once again, the Forester is equipped with a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed, four-cylinder engine, albeit revised, putting out 180 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 178 pounds-feet of torque at 3,300 rpm. The improved continuous variable transmission with eight-speed manual-shift capabilities contributes to compelling performance while ensuring gas savings. Suspension is handled via a MacPherson strut front and a double wishbone rear. The electronic rack-and-pinion power assist steering has rightly been borrowed from Subaru’s WRX high-performance car.

FORESTER in all caps and a stainless-steel exhaust tip. Step into cozy and classy perforated leather seats with attractive blue stitches. A twin cockpit with electroluminescent analog gauge displays for speedometer, tachometer, fuel and coolant temperature give the cabin a precious feel. Our Limited trim came with a larger 11.6inch touch screen and circular knobs to control navigation, audio and phone and a fabulous-sounding 11-speaker, 576-watt Harman Kardon sound system. Cargo capacity is 27.6 with the rear seatback up and 69.1 cubic feet with the bench down. Other goodies are dual auto a/c, 60/40 power fold rear seat, rear-seat a/c outlets, overhead sunglass holder and panoramic power moon roof.

Notice Under Fictitious Name Law Pursuant to Section 865.09, Florida Statutes NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fctitious name of BAY BAY’S BURGERS located at 1925 W. BRANDON BLVD, in Hillsborough County, in the city of Brandon, Florida 33511 intends to register said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at Valrico, Florida this 15th day of September 2024.

Owner: Lisa M Hernandez-Williams

As is well known, the popular SUV can navigate and dodge even the toughest of terrain, especially of-road, with ground clearance at a commendable 8.7 inches. Modified transmission gear ratios and final drive can only boost the handling, balance and response. Partial credit, of course, goes to the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system and X-Mode with snow/dirt and deep snow/mud options. Additional sound-insulating materials isolate the occupants from road and engine noise. The tow capacity is nonetheless 1,500 pounds, while the fixed roof ladder-type rack touts a dynamic load capacity of 220 pounds and parked size at 800 pounds.

Ensconced on the unitized body structure is a redesigned front with gloss black bars that integrate into LED headlights while the bumper and side under guards are also black with dark gray inserts. The rear shows of a “symmetrical AWD” stamped strip, etched

Cleaning Services

Standard safety features include dual front and side airbags, a side curtain airbag for both rows, a driver knee airbag, fourwheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, vehicle dynamic control, a stability and traction system, auto emergency steering, a rearview camera, blind-spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-trafc alert, a tire pressure monitoring system and daytime running lights. The EyeSight assist monitor, which features lane departure warning and active cruise control, ensures that the driver maintains a straight path, while the DriverFocus distraction mitigation system sounds a warning if its camera and facial recognition software ﬁnds tiredness signs or driver diversion.

Kudos to Subaru for revamping the Forester into an even finer-appearing and performing SUV that owners can confidently take of the beaten path or use as a daily ride. Besides significant cargo and passenger-hauling capabilities, it is priced just right.

by Bay Area Clean Team

Serving: Brandon, Lithia, Fish-Hawk, Seffner, Riverview and surrounding

“Cleaning the world one

DRIVERS WILL SOON FACE HEFTY FINES FOR ILLEGALLY PASSING STOPPED SCHOOL BUSES

Driven to keep students safe as they walk on and of school buses, the Hillsborough County school district has partnered with BusPatrol, the technology provider that has installed stop-arm cameras on each of Hillsborough’s approximately 1,000 school buses.

Designed to detect drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses with stop arms deployed, camera footage is reviewed to determine ofenders, who in turn will be ticketed at a cost of $225 per infraction. No ﬁnes were to be incurred during the initial 30-day public awareness campaign, which started on August 12, the ﬁrst day of school.

School ofcials said ﬁnes collected go to the school district, which in turn will pay a percentage to BusPatrol, which installed the stop-arm cameras with no up-front charges. Also getting a cut is the Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce, for issuing tickets based on footage review. The remaining funds go to the school district’s transportation department, driven to recruit and retain school bus drivers.

At King High School in Tampa on August 1, Superintendent Van Ayres said there was a shortage of about 100 drivers, even with the recent hiring of 150 drivers. The starting pay for school bus drivers is $18.65 per hour, with a guaranteed seven-hour day, and opportunities for summer

By Linda Chion

work and extra pay transporting students on ﬁeld trips.

With last year’s bus driver shortages, “we had students who were late to school because we had bus drivers doing double runs,” Ayres said. “It’s still an area of concern for us, but we are 150 bus drivers stronger this year, so we should see a tremendous diference, as far as students being late to school because the bus didn’t get there on time.”

School ofcials said bus drivers transport about 78,000 students to and from school, and that roughly three times per day motorists illegally pass a stopped school bus.

Carlos Hernandez, a safety training specialist with the school district’s transportation department, said he drove buses for 30 years, and for 10 years in Hillsborough County.

“The most dangerous time to pass a stopped school bus is when the driver opens the stop arms and checks to see that trafc has stopped,” Hernandez said. “That’s when the doors open and the kids come out, or the kids come in, and that’s when people pass you.”

Sherif Chad Chronister said. “In other communities, this program has led to a 30 percent reduction in violations year over year. That means more people are stopping for school buses, and children are safer.”

Back-to-school time means back to the car line for a lot of Hillsborough County parents.

The streets of Hillsborough County got much busier in August as the school year restarted and children made their way to and from their schools on foot, on bicycles and in cars.

Now that the year is underway and people become more comfortable in their morning routines, it is critical for all Hillsborough County drivers to be extra aware while driving and utilizing car lines. Many school-age children are not even as tall as the front grill of a full-sized truck or SUV, and they are much less aware of personal safety than adults.

Drop-of and pickup times can be the most dangerous parts of the day, so here are some tips on how to make it safer:

1. Avoid showing up early for car lines if you can, to avoid hazardous car queuing.

2. Do not park in the roadway while waiting to pick up children. Blocking the roadway can cause other motorists to do illegal maneuvers to get around you and

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cause dangerous conditions. This also can make it difcult for ﬁrst responders to maneuver in an emergency.

3. Do not park in bike lanes or on sidewalks. The county has developed infrastructure to improve safety for children to walk and bike to and from school. Features like bike lanes and sidewalks also are used by parents meeting their children at school to go home together. When those lanes are blocked, they force kids and parents to use the roadway to walk and bike, which can be unsafe.

4. Do not block driveways for residents or businesses. Businesses need customers to access parking areas during hours of operation, and blocking access or using their parking spaces can impact their business.

These simple safety tips can help reduce stress for parents and improve safety for schoolchildren and parents. For questions and rules regarding your speciﬁc school’s car line, don’t hesitate to reach out to your administration for clariﬁcation.

Superintendent Van Ayres, with school board member Patti Rendon, at King High School on Aug. 1.

SAFETY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL

ZONES: A GUIDE FOR CHILDREN AND DRIVERS

With the start of the school year underway, the safety of children in school zones remains a top priority in Hillsborough County. Eforts to protect students involve a combination of awareness, law enforcement and education. Hillsborough County Public Works, county ofcials, employees and community members work together and commit to creating safer streets. The safety of children in school zones is a shared responsibility. Together, residents can do their part so that every student in the county arrives at school and returns home safely each day.

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or playing games on mobile devices while walking.

• Use the buddy system: Walk with a friend or in a group whenever possible. There’s safety in numbers.

• Bright clothing: Wear bright, reﬂective clothing, especially during dawn and dusk hours when visibility is lower.

Safety tips for drivers:

• Obey speed limits: Follow posted speed limits in school zones, which are typically 15-20 mph during school hours.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS: KEEPING OUR STUDENTS SAFE TO AND FROM SCHOOL

Hillsborough County Public Schools is stepping up to make sure our students are safe, not just in school but on their way there and back too.

Recent studies show drivers illegally pass stopped school buses in Florida more than three times per bus per day. This is unacceptable. In Florida, it is illegal.

To help keep our students safe, we are partnering with BusPatrol to install photo enforcement cameras on all our school buses.

By Superintendent Van Ayres

Here are some tips for both children and drivers to ensure everyone stays safe during school commutes.

Safety tips for walking to school:

• Stay on the sidewalk. Always use sidewalks when walking to and from school. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing trafc as far to the left as possible.

• Cross at crosswalks: Cross streets at designated crosswalks and obey trafc signals. Never dart out into the street between parked cars.

• Look both ways: Before crossing, look left, right and left again to ensure the road is clear of vehicles.

• Stay alert: Avoid distractions such as texting, listening to music with headphones

• Be extra cautious: Slow down and be prepared to stop for children walking or biking to school, especially at intersections and crosswalks.

• No distractions: Avoid using mobile devices or other distractions while driving in school zones.

• Stop for school buses: Stop when school buses are picking up or dropping of children. It is illegal to pass a school bus with its stop arm extended.

• Yield to pedestrians: Always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Children may not always follow pedestrian signals precisely.

• Watch for bicyclists: Be mindful of young cyclists and give them plenty of space when passing.

Remember, the safety of children traveling to and from school is a shared responsibility.

year. When do you need to stop for a school bus? c approaching from either direction must stop before reaching the bus either on a two-lane road or multilane road divided by a paved median. On a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide, drivers behind the bus must stop while vehicles moving in the opposite direction are asked to use caution but do not have to

So, what do these cameras do? Inside the bus, they help keep an eye on student behavior so drivers can concentrate on driving safely. Outside, they’re on the lookout for any cars that illegally pass a stopped school bus when the stop arm is extended and red lights are ﬂ ashing.

These cameras catch drivers who are ignoring those signs, putting our children in danger. It also captures their license plate numbers, making it easier for law enforcement to take action if someone breaks the law.

In other communities that have BusPatrol cameras installed, they have seen a 30 percent reduction in violations each

A 30-day public awareness campaign and warning period began on August 12. The program will cially go live on Thursday, September 12. A ﬁ rst-time stoparm violation carries a ﬁ ne of $225. Tickets will be issued by the Hillsborough County Sheri f ’s O f ce.

Our focus is about changing driver behavior, rather than generating ﬁ nes. We want to ensure our kids are safe on their way to and from school.

We’re committed to using the latest technology to protect our students and give parents peace of mind, knowing we’re doing everything we can to keep their children safe.

As the school year begins, residents can do their part so that every student in the county arrives at school and returns home safely each day.

COMMUNITY FOR WOMEN CHANGING LIVES

The Community for Women of St. Stephen Catholic Church is a diverse group of women who gather for fun, fellowship, service and to lend a helping hand. Its mission is to assist priests and the parishioners of St. Stephen to serve others through social and spiritual events. It is truly a ministry supporting the fellowship of women.

One of its most rewarding corporal works of mercy is tending to the most vulnerable, the children. Did you know to some children, socks and underwear are a luxury? All children deserve to have this ‘luxury.’ For the past 22 years and into the future, the Community for Women has sponsored Underwear Sunday. It collects socks and underwear and gives them to local schools that are most in need. With the help of administrators in several impoverished elementary schools in Hillsborough County, it provides them with these items for those in most need. If you would like to help, please feel free to bring your donation of socks, underwear, Walmart/Target gift cards or monetary donations to the ofce of St. Stephen Catholic Church by Monday, September 30.

One of the biggest gatherings at St. Stephen’s is its ﬁsh fry during Lent. Along with other ministries, St. Stephen raises money for the parish to help with the purchase of

equipment or support other ministries that need assistance. Its ﬁsh fries are noted for their delicious ﬁsh dinners and awesome desserts. Join in on Fridays during Lent, meet new people and enjoy the evening with family and friends.

Another example of how the Community for Women sponsors a fundraising event is through the annual tea hosted by the St. Vincent de Paul committee. This year’s tea will be held on Saturday, September 14. Through fundraising, St. Vincent de Paul can provide monetary support to people in the community.

Do you love to play bingo? Join in on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the Family Life Center, located at 10136 St. Stephen Circle in Riverview. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Games begin at 6:30 p.m. Gather with your family and friends for a fun night and a chance to win cash prizes. All the proceeds of bingo provide support to the many ministries that are close to our hearts and impact the members, parish and surrounding communities in many ways.

St. Stephen Catholic Church is located at 10428 St. Stephen Circle in Riverview. If you would like more information about the Community for Women ministry, contact cfw@ststephencatholic.org.

OPPORTUNITY FOR ALTERNATIVE GIFT GIVING TO HELP END HUNGER

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First Presbyterian Church of Brandon Heifer Living Gif Market

Sunday, October 13, 2024

10:30 AM untl 12:30 PM

FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

Games, food, alternatve gif giving opportunity An educatonal experience

No admitance fee lots of give aways

Learn how we can help end poverty and hunger by providing resources for families around the world

Would you like to be a part of helping people in need be free from hunger and have the chance to become self-reliant? If making a life-changing di f erence for someone in need is on your bucket list, then join in at the Heifer Living Gift Market on Sunday, October 13. This alternative gift-giving opportunity will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Brandon’s Fellowship Hall, located at 121 Carver Ave. in Brandon, from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

This ‘market’ will provide an opportunity to ‘purchase’ Heifer animals or shares of animals, like pigs, sheep, goats, cows, chicks or even water bu f alo. These animals will be distributed, along with education and training, to needy families around the world. This is not a handout but instead an actual opportunity for the recipients of these animals to become self-reliant. Heifer International (www.heifer.org) has a special approach to sustainable development wherein the animal recipients ‘pass on the gift’ by giving an o f spring of their animal along with education about its care to another family in need, who then does likewise.

This expands the network of hope around the globe.

The Heifer Living Gift Market is free to attend and open to the public. Visitors of all ages will enjoy interesting exhibits presented in fun and informative ways, special activities for the kids, a chance to bid on gift baskets, a silent auction and a simple meal. All donations will go to Heifer International.

For each animal or share of an animal ‘purchased,’ donors will receive a specially designed honor card that can be sent to a loved one as an alternative gift. (Chances are good that some of the folks on your Christmas list, that already have everything they need, would love to know that a gift given in their honor went toward making a life-changing difference for someone in need.)

Come join in on the fun, help people in need and make a lasting di f erence. Give the gift that truly keeps on giving.

For more information, please contact the church o f ce at 813-689-4597 or visit its website at https://fpcbrandon. org/event/heifer-living-gift-market/.

Photo courtesy of Barb Kemp.

PAA TAMPA BAY CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY WITH OVER 500 IN ATTENDANCE

It was a sea of green and white as the local Pakistani community came together for their 77th Independence Day event hosted by the Pakistani American Association (PAA) of Tampa Bay. The celebration was held at The Regent in Riverview on August 17, with over 500 residents adorned in Pakistan’s national outﬁts and colors.

A ﬂag-raising ceremony for both Pakistan and the United States started of the festive occasion. Guests were treated to beautiful performances by children and youth, with traditional food, such as samosas, chicken and rice dishes and mango lassi; clothing; jewelry; as well as cultural art available for purchase. A fabulous fashion show, traditional dances, national songs and inspiring speeches rounded out the robust program, which saw attendees staying back even after the scheduled activities ended.

Mehwish Raja, president of PAA Tampa Bay, was delighted with the turnout. This is her ﬁrst year leading the group, and she was impressed with the community spirit at the celebration.

“We were thrilled with the outstanding event, which was marked by wonderful performances from our talented partici-

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pants, who truly brought the spirit of the day to life with their enthusiasm. Our board and volunteers worked hard to make this day one to remember. Months of work culminated into an outstanding celebration, which made everyone super proud. The

Pakistani American Association of Tampa Bay thanks all our sponsors, volunteers and supporters for making this event a phenomenal success. We could not have done this without everyone’s help,” Raja enthused.

The Pakistani American Association of Tampa Bay is a nonproﬁt 501(c)(3) organization that serves the Pakistani American community in the Tampa Bay area. The organization was established in 1991 and is dedicated to promoting the Pakistani culture, heritage and traditions, as well as fostering a sense of community among Pakistani Americans in the area.

Pakistan, which means ‘Land of the Pure,’ gained its independence from Great Britain on August 14, 1947. It is a South Asian country and is the ﬁfth-largest in the world. Green and white are the nation’s ﬂag colors.

For more information, please visit https:// paatampabay.com/.

Over 500 residents recently attended a Pakistani Independence Day celebration at Te Regent in Riverview hosted by the Pakistani American Association of Tampa Bay.

CHILL CAWFEE HOSTS BARK

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

Chill Cawfee is supporting local K-9s and their ofcers by hosting Bark in the Park, starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 20. This community-focused event aims to raise awareness and funds to support Vested Interest in K9s.

Vested Interest in K9s is a nonproﬁt organization dedicated to providing protective vests and other essentials to K-9 dogs serving in law enforcement and related agencies across the U.S. Vested Interest in K9s works to ensure that every K-9 has access to the protection they need while performing their duties, signiﬁcantly enhancing their safety on the job. Made in the USA, these vests cost between $900 and $1,000 each. This is why the support from the community to help protect K-9 ofcers is so crucial.

Since 2009, Vested Interest in K9s has provided more than 5,707 K-9 ballistic vests, over $429,435 of K-9 medical insurance premiums, three Chevy Tahoes custom-ftted for a K-9 unit and so much more

To reach the goal of outﬁtting at least two K-9 dogs with these extraordinary vests and providing other essentials like toys, cages and training equipment, Chill Cawfee is organizing a local market that will feature businesses ofering a variety of products. During the event, CollaborPaint will be creating a special piece of artwork to be gifted to the local K-9 unit, and guests at the market will be able to contribute toward the artwork. Additionally, All American Dog Training Academy will be present to ofer advice on dog behavior

and training to be a valuable resource to those in our community during the event.

“We are so excited about this event. I feel it’s a deed that we as a community can give back to the ofcers that protect us daily,” said Lisa Henney, owner of Chill Cawfee.

“These K-9s’ loyalty, intelligence and strength is incredible and should be celebrated.”

Donations are being accepted at Chill Cawfee now, and the community is encouraged to contribute to this important initiative.

Several businesses in the community have already committed to donating to the cause. Businesses including Amani MedSpa, Stretch Zone, CollaborPaint by Erin and Gracie Brandon are donating rafe items for a silent auction, with proceeds going directly toward the cause. Chill Cawfee is still accepting sponsors for the event; sponsors will be featured on all ﬂyers, banners, T-shirts and other promotional items.

With music, food for purchase and various activities planned, Bark in the Park promises to be a fun, interactive day that fosters a stronger bond between the community and law enforcement.

For more information, please contact Chill Cawfee at 813-324-9472 or visit Vested Interest in K9s’ website at https:// vik9s.org/.

Has the start of the school year caused back-to-school stress or anxiety? Without judgement, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is there for anyone who is struggling.

One of the center’s many services is to be a compassionate resource for everyone who is a part of Hillsborough County Public Schools. From students to parents to school staf, the beginning of the school year is a time of new commitments. It is an exciting time, but it can also cause extra anxiety.

The anxiousness can be felt for a variety of reasons, according to Crisis Center of Tampa Bay CEO Clara Reynolds. Students could be stressed about their schedule or worried about making friends in their classes. Parents may be overwhelmed with the ﬁnances of providing for the year or concerned about their child’s classroom teacher. Teachers could be struggling with planning for the range of abilities of their students and worried about their safety. When the feelings are heavy, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay can help.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Mental Health Team Supervisor Michael Kelleher said the district values the Crisis Center as a wonderful resource for everyone in the school system.

“We collaborate on many initiatives that

By Jane Owen

raise mental health awareness among students and families. Mental health is a critical component to student success, and identifying warning signs and concerning behaviors to provide early intervention is paramount. This partnership has distributed 211/988 cards to all students at the beginning of each school year so that students have easy access to resources and know a number to call if they are in need,” Kelleher said. Every student in the Hillsborough County school system receives a card with numbers to help: 211 for mental help resources and 988 for suicide and crisis. The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is available to receive calls from students, parents, teachers and anyone else in the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Many people call us all throughout the year but particularly at back-to-school time. We encourage folks that the best thing they can do ﬁrst is recognize that being anxious is normal,” Reynolds said.

The Crisis Center also partners with schools one-on-one. It assists schools regularly with talking to students or teachers. For more information about the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and all of the resources it provides the community throughout the year, visit www.crisiscenter.com.

Te Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough County Public Schools Mental Health Team preparing mental health information for students.

MEET THE 2024 TEAM OF OSPREY OBSERVER INTERNS

The Osprey Observer is a popular source for local news in Southeastern Hillsborough County. Every summer, a handful of interns are selected to work with the team on writing articles or creating ads for their issues. The interns range from high school to college students who have journalistic ambitions for the future or just want a taste of writing for the summer. This year’s wonderful interns include Sara Kitchin, Jamie Lu, Solomon Bristow, Gunnar Wagner, Elise Rebhahn and Alisa Gershman.

Sara Kitchin

University of West Florida

Kitchin is a senior at the University of West Florida. She found out about the Osprey Observer through a recent family move to FishHawk.

“I have worked on diferent school papers for years, including the paper at my university,” she explained.

Reporting has always been a passion of hers and she knew she wanted to pursue it over the summer.

Her favorite piece was visiting and writing about the Wawa Summer Fun Days at Bok Tower Gardens. She plans on continuing her journalistic career past college and ﬁnding a paper to work with in the future.

Jamie Lu

Strawberry Crest High School

Lu will be a senior at Strawberry Crest High School. After ﬁnding out about the Osprey Observer, she knew it would be the perfect place for her to hold an internship throughout the summer.

Her favorite part has been hearing all the diferent stories from around the community and meeting new people, which she said

By Alisa Gershman

made her realize “how vibrant our community is.”

She also plans on continuing with journalism through her last year of high school and into college, hoping to ﬁnd her future career within that realm.

Elise Rebhahn

University of North Florida

Rebhahn is a junior attending the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. With a graphic design focus, she joined the team of interns for the Osprey Observer to gain more experience with designing and formatting ads for the paper as an extra level of expertise for her resume.

“My favorite part of the internship has been seeing the ﬁnal result of each ad be run in the paper. It makes me happy to know that each client I worked with feels that the ads

are ﬁt to have them represent their companies/brands,” she said.

Two ads in particular she enjoyed were for Sharkcon and A Child’s Haven.

Her plans are not set for after college, but she hopes to ﬁnd her place somewhere in the world of graphic design, working on branding or possibly package design.

Gunnar Wagner

University of Florida

Wagner is a senior at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in Plant City. He learned about the internship through one of his professors.

“My favorite part of this internship has been by far trying out the new roller coaster Phoenix Rising at Busch Gardens. That was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed it,” said Wag-

ner, having the chance to experience it before the ride was unveiled to the public. He is planning on enlisting in the Air Force after graduating and hoping to take up ﬁlmmaking down the line.

Alisa Gershman

Newsome High School

Gershman is a rising junior at Newsome High School. As online editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, she found out about the Osprey Observer internship through her journalism teacher. Wanting the experience of working on a real paper, she felt it would be the best ﬁt for her over the summer.

“I’ve loved getting to reach out to people from around the area and hear their stories, whether it’s an anniversary or how a business started,” she said. Her favorite piece was covering the 1Voice Academy Summer Camp, where she was also a volunteer and is an ofcer for the club at her school.

While journalism is a strong passion of hers, she plans on switching paths and hopes to attend the University of Florida to study biology and eventually going into publishing research on cancer cells.

Solomon Bristow

Newsome High School

Bristow is a rising senior at Newsome High School. Through word of mouth, he discovered this internship and decided to take it as a chance to experience “what it meant to be a journalist.”

The program provided him with material he wouldn’t normally think to write about, so he felt as though it broadened his horizons in a positive light. He plans to attend college with these journalistic aspirations in mind.

JAMIE LU

GUNNAR WAGNER

ELISE REBHAHN

SARA KITCHIN

ALISA GERSHMAN SOLOMON BRISTOW

HOWL-O-SCREAM’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASES 10 NEW REASONS TO SCREAM

The time is here for HowlO-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Taking place on select nights from Friday, September 6, through Saturday, November 2, this year’s event is slated to awaken guests’ innermost fears and make them scream to the extreme at this parkwide experience.

To mark this milestone, Howl-O-Scream will feature ﬁve haunted houses, including the enhanced Witch of the Woods: Rise of the Coven, ﬁve new scare zones and new entertainment oferings designed to make guests jump out of their seats.

New haunted houses and scare zones include:

Shadows of Wonderland: Step back into Wonderland, but not as you remember it. This warped dreamscape has come from years of torment under the Queen of Hearts’ reign of terror. Once-playful characters have become bitter shadows, their anger fueled by Alice’s abandonment.

Howl-O-Scream 25: Terror Through

Time: Enter the Architect’s twisted gallery of horror, where the past 25 years of Howl-OScream nightmares come to life.

Tree Lot Massacre: The once-festive Evergreen Acres Christmas Tree Farm hides a dark secret. Whispers tell of a Christmas Eve massacre, where disgruntled farmhand Silas Evergreen sought revenge.

Sawgrass Slaughter: Legend of the Skunk Ape: Venture into the depths of the Everglades, where decay and a pungent, musky odor ﬁll the air.

Little Nightmares: Trick or Treat: Years ago, on a Halloween night, a group of children vanished. Every Halloween they return, reliving their ﬁnal trick-or-treat.

Ragnar’s Wrath: The icy winds of Niﬂheim howl as you approach a charred Viking longhouse, its stench of death is a prelude to the

horrors within.

New sinister shows and entertainment include:

The Reckoning: In an innate battle of good and evil, seemingly innocent Lark awaits her ultimate judgement day when she meets the Gatekeeper in the ﬁery depths of Hell.

Scare-E-Oke: Fiend favorites Igor and Dr. Freakenstein return to host Scare-E-Oke, where guests can take a turn at the mic to sing Halloween favorites.

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Cirque X-Scream: An electrifying and mesmerizing stunt show that will leave guests on the edge of their seats.

EERIE ENHANCEMENTS! Witch of the Woods: Rise of the Coven: Seraphina, fueled by vengeance and dark magic, has ﬁnally summoned her coven – Brand, the Fire Bringer, and Kael, the Storm Caller. Together, they have twisted the once-serene forest into a grotesque reﬂection of their power, leaving behind a trail of poisoned air, stagnant water, and withered life.

Howl-O-Scream is a separately ticketed event, taking place on select nights after 7 p.m. Front Line Fear passes are the best way to access all ﬁve haunted houses. For extreme fans, a Front Line Fear Extreme pass provides access to all haunted houses in addition to providing front-of-the-line access to Busch Gardens’ 10 roller coasters. Front Line Fear passes start at $69.

The Howl-O-Scream Ultimate VIP Tour provides unlimited front-of-the-line access to haunted houses and rides, a complimentary meal at Dragon Fire Grill, private complimentary beverage locations and free preferred parking. This exclusive tour starts at $299.99 per person, for a minimum of two people.

Parental discretion is strongly advised as Howl-O-Scream contains graphic and mature content that may not be suitable for children. Costumes are not allowed. Visit https://buschgardens.com/tampa/.

Come scream through more than 10 new terrifying experiences, including haunted houses, sinister scare zones and unrelenting parkwide horrors, will be added to Tampa Bay’s most frightening adult Halloween event, Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, celebrating its 25th anniversary.

VALRICO RESIDENT ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENT WRITE-IN CAMPAIGN FOR U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Valrico resident Iris Margarita Rojas has declared her candidacy as an independent write-in candidate for the 2024 United States presidential election. Rojas, a longtime Valrico resident, is well known in the community as a successful small business owner of Iris Tax & Financial Services LLC, a tax and fi nancial planning organization and an advocate for women in business. She offi cially announced her campaign in July and traveled to Tallahassee to formally confi rm her application. Rojas, 53, a fi rst-generation American with Dominican roots, emphasized that her decision to run stems from her deep dissatisfaction with the current state of American politics.

“We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history, where the voices of ordinary citizens are being drowned out by partisan bickering and special interest groups,” Rojas stated. “I’m running to give a voice to those who feel left behind, to those who believe that the government should work for all its people, not just the privileged few.”

Her platform focuses on two key issues: no more income tax on our labor and eliminating business and personal debt.

“I want to encourage people to start

By Marie Gilmore

a conversation and to make a di f erence,” said Rojas, who can be seen campaigning as Wonder Woman. “She saves the world, and if I can make a di f erence, I can also change the world for good.”

Although Rojas faces an uphill battle as a write-in candidate, she remains undeterred.

“I know the odds are against me, but this campaign is about more than just winning an election. It’s about sparking a conversation and pushing for real change,” she said.

Rojas has already begun organizing a grassroots campaign, with supporters canvassing neighborhoods across Florida, Maine and Nebraska and spreading her message online.

Rojas spends her personal time with her husband, Michael, and their six beautiful children and four grandchildren.

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Rojas’ entry into the race adds an unexpected twist, reﬂ ecting the growing desire among many Americans for new voices and alternatives in the nation’s highest o f ce.

Rojas encourages people of all ages to sign up to join her campaign in Florida, Maine and Nebraska this November. To get involved, visit https://irisrojas.com/.

It’s probably not on your calendar, but September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. And it’s indeed a pretty good idea to be aware of what life insurance can do for you.

Life insurance can help you in two main ways. First, life insurance policies ofer a death beneft that can assist your family if you’re no longer around. And second, some types of life insurance ofer the chance to build cash value, which can work for you during your lifetime.

Let’s look at the death beneft frst. If something were to happen to you, your life insurance proceeds could help your family meet at least three major needs:

• Paying a mortgage – The biggest expense many families face is their monthly mortgage. If you weren’t around, could your family continue paying the mortgage? Or would they have to move? With a sufcient life insurance death beneft, they could remain in their home, meeting the monthly mortgage payments, or perhaps pay of the loan entirely (although this might not be in their best fnancial interest).

chance to build cash value — which can be a valuable supplement to your IRA and 401(k) or other retirement accounts.

A cash value policy such as whole life also can provide fexibility for changing fnancial needs or emergencies in retirement. And here’s another key advantage: Because this type of policy provides fxed, guaranteed returns, it is not dependent on the performance of the fnancial markets and is thus insulated from the market downturns that can happen while you’re retired. So, taking money from the cash value of your whole life policy may help you avoid selling investments that have temporarily declined in value.

• Paying for education – If you have young children, you may already be saving for their college education — because you know college is expensive. Without your income, would college, or some other form of post-secondary education or training, still be realistic? Again, the proceeds from an insurance policy could make the diference.

• Paying of debts – You might have a car loan, credit card debt or other fnancial obligations. If your surviving spouse is a joint account holder for these debts, they could still be liable for paying them of. But insurance proceeds could be used to retire the debts immediately, or over time.

All life insurance policies ofer a death beneft. But permanent insurance, unlike term insurance, also ofers the

Keep in mind, though, that the premiums for a cash value policy will generally be substantially higher than those for term insurance. That’s why some people choose to “buy term and invest the diference” rather than purchase a permanent life policy with cash value. Whether this strategy is right for you depends on a few diferent factors, perhaps the most important of which is your ability and willingness to consistently invest the money you would have otherwise placed in a cash value policy. In any case, should you choose cash value insurance, you generally have three ways to get at the money: withdrawals, loans or surrender of the policy. You’ll want to weigh all the factors involved — including taxes and the efect on the policy’s death beneft — when deciding on how to access the cash value.

Life Insurance Awareness Month ends on Sept. 30. But your need for life insurance, and the potential benefts it provides, can last a lifetime.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Sept 2, 2024

Iris Margarita Rojas is an independent write-in candidate for president of the United States in this November’s election.

OUR LADY’S PANTRY THANKFUL FOR VOLUNTEERS WHO KEEP THINGS RUNNING

“On the calendar, Thanksgiving Day is weeks away, but here at Our Lady’s Pantry, every day is Thanksgiving,” said director Tom Bullaro, at the time on a forklift unpacking a truck while dozens of worker bees are scurrying about, sorting and storing tons of food for distribution on Saturday morning.

Bullaro, who has worked at the pantry with his wife, Anita, for 20 of the pantry’s 25 years, is looking around. He is continually astonished at the number of men and women who happily give up long hours of their day in the service of others. Week after week they work, lugging around heavy boxes of food in all kinds of weather, often starting before dawn. In the past 25 years, literally hundreds of volunteers have donated large chunks of their time to ensure that their neighbors have nutritious food to put on the tables for themselves and their families, he said.

“Our drivers bring in about 34,000 pounds of food every week,” he said. “It takes lots of time and many hands to do everything we must do, so we work almost every day of the week. Anita and I are so thankful for all our volunteers — as well as the support of this generous community. We wanted to thank everyone publicly.”

“We have been open for 25 years now,” said Bullaro, “never closing, even during

COVID. We could never have done this without hundreds of volunteers working in Wimauma, and beyond. Our help comes from hundreds of individuals, countless clubs, supermarkets, and philanthropic organizations, including a stunning 64 distinct groups. Working together, you have kept our Pantry doors open for a quarter of a century.”

He added, “Due to this crushing inﬂation, which is afecting so many lives, we now have two groups of clients, serving an average 300 each week. We literally put food on the tables of about a thousand men, women and children every Saturday.”

“We thank everyone who has ever made a contribution to the Pantry in any way at all, with a gift of time, or treasure, or kind. It’s like the multiplication of the loaves and ﬁshes,” he said. “All of this has been made possible because of you.”

“We couldn’t ask for a better bunch of volunteers than we have at Our Lady’s Pantry,” said Bullaro. “I am very proud to call each one my friend.”

To glimpse the diferent groups that have supported Our Lady’s Pantry over the past 25 years, please go to www.ourladyspantry.com/can-you-help/just-thanks/.

To donate, volunteer and learn more about Our Lady’s Pantry, visit www.ourladyspantry.com.

Pre-planning Benefts:

SETTING THE STANDARD IN

Locations Available Scan to Find a Center Near You

Volunteers at Our Lady’s Pantry work together all week, whether packing boxes of food for families or driving trucks to bring the food to the pantry.

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT: ACTIVITIES,

FishHawk-Riverview

Recently, the FishHawk-Riverview Rotary Club Foundation awarded $45,000 to area organizations working to alleviate illiteracy, poverty, hunger and disease locally and abroad. Over the next few months, recipients will be guest speakers at the Monday meetings, held from 12 Noon-1 p.m. at JF Kicks, located at 3345 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. Join in on Thursdays, 5-6:30 p.m., at the Shrimp Boat in Valrico to network. For information, contact Betty Huth at betty@hbphoto.com.

MEETINGS & MORE

If you or your family have been afected by Polio, email Gerry at gutenstein@ aol.com.

Brandon Global Eco (Zoom)

As an e-club centered around ecology, the Rotary Club of Brandon Global Eco tackles big environmental problems with small inﬂuential steps. It focuses its eforts on smaller, personal events that involve the community around us — events that teach lessons and sustainable, environmentally friendly habits that everyone can practice at home. In October, the club will partner with Blue Sky Roofing for a beach cleanup. To learn more, please join in for its Zoom meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month from 12 Noon-1 p.m. The club is also seeking experts in eco-related matters to be guest speakers. For information, contact Katie Tyson at katietyson@icloud.com or 813-767-6748.

Rotary E-Club of Tampa South (RECTS)

On Monday, November 11, starting at 7 a.m., the Rotary E-Club of Tampa South will be ‘Honoring Our Heroes’ with bagel sandwiches and refreshments at Einstein Bros. Bagels, located at 660 W. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon. For more information, contact Rotarian Malikita Harrison at 813-270-0620. Join in via Zoom on the ﬁrst and third Tuesdays of each month from 7-8 p.m. (Zoom

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meeting link: https://zoom. us/j/7328811760). For information, contact Duane Williams at dsigma79@ aol.com.

Brandon

Join the Rotary Club of Brandon on Tuesdays from 12 Noon-1 p.m. at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. For more information, contact Debbie Meegan at debbiemeeganrotary@ gmail.com.

Brandon ’86

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 2, 11 a.m.-3 a.m., for the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser, the Brandon Seafood Festival. Tickets are available now. In October, the club is planning a Pints for Polio event, supporting the eradication of polio worldwide. For more information, contact Chad Norgard at chad@norgardinsgrp. com.

Interact Club of Tampa Bay (High Schoolers)

The ﬁrst meeting for this school year will be on Monday, September 9, from 6-8 p.m. at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. We welcome all area high schoolers interested in service, leadership, food and fun. Going forward, meetings will be on the ﬁrst Monday of each month. For information, contact Chad Norgard at chad@norgardinsgrp.com.

USF Rotaract (College Students)

Learn about USF Rotaract’s summer humanitarian trip to Ghana on Monday, September 16, at JF Kicks in Valrico during FishHawk-Riverview Rotary’s meeting at 12 Noon. Have a student at USF? Check out USF Rotaract on Instagram or https://bullsconnect.usf.edu/rotaract/.

STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE PROVIDES ONLINE SAFETY TIPS FOR FAMILIES

As prosecutors, we unfortunately see many cases where predators gain access to children through the internet. As much as parents attempt to limit their child’s time on social media and other apps, the internet has become an essential tool for communicating, socializing and learning. As your student heads back to school, it’s an ideal time to engage in meaningful conversations together about staying safe online.

By State Attorney Suzy Lopez

The state attorney’s o f ce will continue to hold online predators accountable. But if we can educate families about online safety tools, together we can try to prevent predators from victimizing children in the ﬁ rst place. Considering statistics show more than 50 percent of children have their own smartphone by the age of 11, it is never too early to begin talking to your kids about threats online.

Remind your child to only connect online with people they know and trust in real life. Take matters into your own hands by ensuring privacy settings are updated on your child’s social media accounts. This limits who can see their proﬁ le, as well as personal information like location and photos. Digital footprints are permanent, so this also protects them from oversharing online. Let them know that ‘sexting’ is not allowed and can carry serious legal consequences to both them and anyone they share

images with. Supervising your child’s online activity will also help to spot potential signs of abuse. If your child knows you are watching, they may be more open to talking to you about any potential threats. Oftentimes, victims will attempt to conceal their online activity, act withdrawn or even experience mood changes. If you ever suspect any sexual exploitation of a child online, you should immediately contact law enforcement.

Our o f ce’s Special Victims Unit is a talented team of nine attorneys who handle all sex crimes, which includes those that involve online predators. We will continue to ﬁ ght to ensure anyone who takes advantage of a child will face consequences. If we can work to educate our community about proactive steps we can take together, our children will be safer online and in life.

Te State Attorney’s Ofce of the 13th Judicial circuit encompasses all of Hillsborough County, including the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City. Te ofce staf consists of approximately 320 dedicated public servants including 130 prosecutors, as well as investigators, victim advocates and support staf Te ofce handles approximately 50,000 cases every year. To learn more about the organization or apply to become part of the team, visit www.sao13th.com.

State Attorney Suzy Lopez.

LOCAL

Local Girl Scout Aims To Make Waves Against Plastic Pollution

Ava Boehmer, a member of local Girl Scout Troop 889, is working toward her Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. After spending time living in Hawaii, Boehmer felt compelled to educate her community about plastic pollution and its harmful impact on marine life.

To further her mission, Boehmer has launched her own website, https://avags23project.my.canva.site/, which serves as a valuable resource for ongoing education and information.

Community support is crucial for Boehmer’s project to thrive. Residents are encouraged to follow her journey on Facebook to stay updated on her initiatives and learn how they can contribute to her mission. Follow Boehmer on Facebook at www.facebook. com/proﬁle.php?id=61563488375819.

Sylvan Learning Centers Exceed Goal Of Back-to-school Backpack Donations

Sylvan Learning Centers of Apollo Beach and Riverview pledged 45 but exceeded their goal and delivered 48 backpacks and school supplies to ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization), a local nonproﬁt that bridges the gap between crisis and stability for neighbors living in the Brandon and Riverview area

in honor of Sylvan Learning’s 45th year anniversary.

The donation was a part of a larger event, Backpack Hero, with community nonproﬁts, agencies and businesses providing children from K-12th grade backpacks ﬁlled with school supplies and resources for parents. Sylvan Learning Center of Apollo Beach is located at 7130 Big Bend Rd., Ste. 110 in Gibsonton, and the Sylvan Learning Riverview Center is located at 13444 Boyette Rd. in Riverview. Visit www.sylvanlearning.com for more location information.

Te United Methodist Church Of Sun City Center Begins GriefShare Ministry

The United Methodist Church of Sun City Center (SCCUMC) will begin it’s GriefShare ministry on Wednesday, September 11, from 6:30-8 p.m. This 13-week grief support group focuses on important grief topics associated with the death of a loved one. The group’s weekly videos feature nationally respected grief experts and real-life stories of people, followed by group discussions. Your bereavement experience may be recent or not so recent; the hope is that you will ﬁnd encouragement, comfort and help in grieving. No matter the cause of your loved one’s death, this is an opportunity to

be around people who understand what you are feeling.

SCCUMC is located at 1971 Haverford Ave. in Sun City Center. You may register in the church ofce or by going online at www. griefshare.org/ﬁndagroup and searching for the church’s group. There is a $25 cost to cover the participant guide.

Southshore

Women’s Luncheon

All women are invited to attend the Southshore Women’s Luncheon on Wednesday, October 9, at the Life Enrichment Center of the Sun City Center United Methodist Church, located at 1971 Haverford Ave. in Sun City Center. The program runs from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., and the featured speaker will be Paula Blanda, ‘The Insurance Lady,’ who will share homeowners insurance facts and tips. The cost of the luncheon is $20, which includes a delicious lunch. Reservations and payment are required by Friday, October 4. Send your check, made payable to Stonecroft Ministries, to Nancy Decker, 5203 Admiral Pointe Dr., Apollo Beach, FL 33572, and call Amy at 317-414-9062 or email sscwcﬂorida@gmail.com for your reservation.

week (3-5 p.m.), Monday through Thursday, PCAT would love to partner with you. For more information, contact its volunteer coordinator, Lynne Conlan, at volunteer4pcat@gmail.com. At PCAT, its changing lives, one student at a time.

Christmas In Te Country At Cracker Country

Parents & Children Advance Together Is Seeking Volunteers For Literacy Program

Parents & Children Advance Together (PCAT) is recruiting volunteers for its free after-school literacy program at Ruskin Elementary School. If you love children and believe that childhood literacy is important for our children’s futures, PCAT is looking for you. You’ll be paired with a child from kindergarten, ﬁrst or second grade who is not reading at their grade level. No experience is needed. PCAT will provide you with lesson plans and tools designed to ensure your student’s reading and comprehension success. If you can commit to two hours per

At Christmas in the Country, families and friends will have the opportunity to experience a 19th-century Florida Christmas. This annual event celebrates the holiday traditions of 1890s rural Florida and ofers guests the chance to join in many of the featured lifestyle activities from the period. Christmas in the Country will be held at Cracker Country, located at the Florida State Fairgrounds at 4800 U.S. 301 N. in Tampa on December 14 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Advanced tickets are required and can be purchased at www.crackercountry.org/events/ christmasdec14.

Let’s Talk Dementia

Sandy’s Daughter LLC will be hosting informational Let’s Talk Dementia support group meetings for dementia care partners at two diferent locations. Superior Residences of Brandon, located at 1819 Providence Ridge Blvd. in Brandon, will host on Tuesday, September 17, at 3 p.m. Savannah Court of Brandon, located at 824 N. Parsons Ave. in Brandon, will host on Tuesday, September 24, at 5 p.m.

These sessions ofer support for care partners, dementia education and available local community resources and are designed to support those living with brain change and the care partners who help them. For more information or to RSVP, please contact CherylAnn at sandysdaughter@outlook.com or text 941-626-7447.

EAST HILLSBOROUGH DUCKS UNLIMITED ANNUAL BANQUET TO BE HELD IN NOVEMBER

The East Hillsborough Ducks Unlimited Annual Banquet is set to take place on Thursday, November 14, at The Regent, located at 6437 Watson Rd. in Riverview. This much-anticipated event will commence at 5:30 p.m. and promises an evening ﬁlled with camaraderie, conservation and exciting opportunities for attendees to support wetland and waterfowl conservation eforts.

Staf Report

BUDDY WALK RETURNS FOR EIGHTH YEAR TO EDUCATE, ADVOCATE AND CELEBRATE

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

This year’s banquet will feature a variety of activities, including a live and silent auction, as well as numerous rafes for exclusive Ducks Unlimited (DU) merchandise, outdoor gear and ﬁrearms. Guests can enjoy a delicious meal provided by High Steaks Catering, with options for reserved seating and open bar wristbands available for purchase.

General admission tickets, costing $50, include a one-year Ducks Unlimited membership. Reserved seating tickets for eight, costing $1,000, include dinner and a Bronze Sponsorship. The premium package for eight, costing $3,000, includes dinner, open bar, multiple memberships and promotional materials.

This banquet not only serves as a fundraiser for Ducks Unlimited but also as a celebration of the organization’s mission to preserve waterfowl habitats and promote sustainable hunting practices.

Ducks Unlimited was founded by in 1937 during a time of signiﬁcant environmental challenges, including the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. A group of concerned waterfowl hunters, led by New York pub-

lishing magnate Joseph Palmer Knapp, established the organization to address the alarming decline in waterfowl populations and the degradation of wetland habitats.

Since its inception, DU has become a leader in wetlands conservation, successfully conserving over 16 million acres of vital habitats. Today, DU boasts a membership of over 750,000 and hosts more than 4,000 events annually, continuing its legacy of protecting waterfowl and wetlands for future generations.

Among the highlights of the evening will be the live auctioning of the 2024 Shotgun of the Year, the Browning Maxus II Ultimate, alongside other DU guns and equipment. Attendees will also have the chance to win limited edition merchandise and participate in rafes for ﬁrearms and outdoor gear.

Ducks Unlimited emphasizes the importance of community involvement in conservation eforts, encouraging attendees to consider the legacy they leave for future generations. The event is expected to draw a diverse crowd of outdoor enthusiasts, conservationists and community members dedicated to preserving Florida’s natural resources.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Wayne Tasler at 727-743-8810 or via email at wayne.tasler@gmail.com, or visit the event’s webpage by scanning the QR code.

Join the East Hillsborough Ducks Unlimited Annual Banquet for a night of fun, fellowship, and a commitment to conservation.

The Buddy Walk is an annual event that brings together families, friends and supporters to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome and special needs.

Buddy Walk not only supports FRIENDS Down Syndrome Special Needs West Florida but also shows love and joy towards all those with Down syndrome and other special needs.

Organized by FRIENDS Down Syndrome Special Needs West Florida, this year’s walk on Saturday, October 19, at Carrollwood Village Park is more than just a fundraiser; it’s a day ﬁlled with joy, community and advocacy.

Individuals with Down syndrome are free to participate but must still complete the registration process. If registering online, adults are $20, children ages 13-17 are $15 and those under 12 are free. All participants will receive an ofcial 2024 commemorative FRIENDS Buddy Walk T-shirt when registered by Saturday, September 14. Guests can register on-site at the event, but prices will increase by $5, so preregistration is encouraged.

“This annual event not only fosters a sense of community among individuals with Down syndrome and special needs but also serves as a vital fundraiser in support of FRIENDS Down Syndrome Special Needs West FL’s mission,” said Ashley Odom, president and executive director of FRIENDS West Florida.

To get the most of your day, bring sunscreen, a tent and chairs, and be prepared to enjoy the festivities. Hydration stations will be available to keep everyone refreshed. For food purchases, both cash and credit cards are accepted; for opportunity drawings, cash, Venmo and PayPal are accepted.

The event features a range of entertainment, including face painting, a live DJ, carnival games and a sensory bus. Families can meet costumed characters from the 501st Star Wars Legion and Outer Rim Guilds, hang out with pirates from the Krewe of the South Shore Marauders and meet other fan-favorite characters, like Spider-Man. Plus, enjoy special performances by the One Elite Cheer Squad and renowned pianist Milosz Gasior.

Guests can check out a real ﬁre truck with the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue team, enter to win great prizes, hear inspiring stories from self-advocate speakers and have access to resources and information on community programs from local exhibitors.

Sponsors are key to making the Buddy Walk a success, and there are multiple sponsorship levels for the Buddy Walk, each with its own beneﬁts. Sponsorship not only supports a great cause but also shows your commitment to inclusion and advocacy.

Whether you’re walking, volunteering or sponsoring, your involvement helps create a day ﬁlled with love, pride and support for those with Down syndrome and special needs.

Carrollwood Village Park is located at 4680 W. Village Dr. in Tampa. If you’re interested in supporting this event, contact Ashley Odom at info@friendssupport. org or 813-245-8272. Learn more about the event at https://charity.pledgeit.org/ friendswestﬂ/.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South Tanks Te Community For Teir Support

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South thanks the community for its support in the Christmas in July toy drive for hospitalized children. The actual title of the event was ‘Christmas in July at the South Pole,’ with a nod to the event at St. Joseph’s Hospital-‘South.’ The hospital received about $8,500 in donated toys and more than $10,000 in monetary donations. 2024 was the second year of the summer event at the Riverview hospital, and this year’s numbers almost doubled 2023’s numbers of about $10,000 combined in toys and donations. Christmas in July is a program of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation that also beneﬁts St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa. This was the 16th year of the event at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. Between both places in 2024, donations totaled about $60,000 in toys and $200,000 in money. St. Joseph’s Hospital-South’s all-digital, state-of-the-art facility is located at 6901 Simmons Loop in Riverview. For more information, visit www.stjosephssouth.org.

Executive Home Care Expands To Tampa Bay Area

Executive Home Care, a nationally recognized leader of in-home care for seniors and disabled persons, proudly announces the opening of its newest franchise, Executive Home Care of South East Tampa. The Brandon location, locally owned and operated by Jason and Claudia Mirabella, brings personalized, high-quality care services to the community, including Brandon, Valrico, Lithia, Riverview, Sun City

Center, Ruskin, Apollo Beach, Gibsonton and Wimauma.

Services ofered by Executive Home Care of South East Tampa will include personalized care plans tailored to meet the unique needs of each client; 24/7 support from trained caregivers who ofer round-the-clock assistance; specialized programs, including care for Alzheimer’s and dementia; and hospital-to-home transition assistance. Visit https://executivehomecare.com/south-easttampa/ or call 813-688-0619.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South Now Ofering Outpatient Pelvic Floor Terapy

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South is ofering an outpatient pelvic ﬂoor therapy program.

The program, which will be provided at the Riverview hospital, is by physician referral and includes one-on-one, individualized evaluations and treatment sessions with a pelvic-rehabilitation-certiﬁed practitioner. Candidates for the program include those with bladder and bowel dys-

function; pain with intercourse; incontinence; constipation; urinary problems; pain in the abdomen, pelvic and tailbone area; and those who have had gynecological surgery or hysterectomies. Pelvic ﬂoor therapy is also important during pregnancy and postpartum.

“Our growing community has been in need of these services for quite some time,” said Terrance Edwards, BayCare manager of rehabilitation services. “This is a highly specialized service, one that is challenging to ﬁnd.”

Call 813-302-8467 for further information on St. Joseph’s Hospital-South’s outpatient pelvic ﬂoor therapy program.

Medicare Seminars

Medicare specialist Marcie Maisonet and Robyn Payant, president of Payant Insurance Solutions, are hosting several Medicare seminars at two locations. The Kings Point location at 1000 Kings Blvd. in Sun City Center will host seminars on Wednesday and Thursday, October 2 and 17. Payant Wealth Management, located at Payant Financial Plaza at

1653 Sun City Center Plaza in Sun City Center, will host seminars on Tuesday and Friday, October 8 and 11. All seminars will begin at 10 a.m. For additional information, please call 813-634-7001 or visit www.payantwealthmanagementgroup.com.

Perspire Sauna Studio Celebrates Opening With A Ribbon-cutting

Perspire Sauna Studio recently celebrated its opening of its Riverview location at 11212 Sullivan St. with a ribbon-cutting from the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce. The infrared studios use near, mid and far-infrared waves to heat your body from within and allow you to reap the beneﬁts of sweating. These waves are able to deeply penetrate the skin, muscles, joints and tissues to improve blood circulation and help to detoxify the body by removing impurities at the cellular level. The suites are private, and sessions are 40 minutes long. Visit its website at www.perspiresaunastudio.com or call 813-694-1399 for additional information.

Perspire Sauna Studio celebrates its opening with a ribbon-cutting from the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce.

Jason and Claudia Mirabella, owners and operators of Executive Home Care of South East Tampa.

Donations being dropped of for the St. Joseph’s Hospital-South Christmas in July toy drive.

FORGOTTEN ANGELS GIVES HOPE TO YOUTHS AFTER FOSTER CARE

All can agree that no child should be left, in any situation, without a safe place to live. Ensuring that children grow up and are fostered in a safe and nurturing home is crucial to their development into later years. The problem with our foster system is that once these children ‘age out’ of their homes, they have nowhere to land their feet and start their lives on their own.

That is why the organization Forgotten Angels was started.

Founded by Cindy Tilley, a Valrico resident, her mission touches close to home. She grew up in a foster care setting and understands how tough the times are for the kids. Knowing the needs and wants of the children and teens from a personal perspective is what makes the organization so wonderful.

In August, Forgotten Angels will celebrate its 10th year of serving its community and children. The main goal is to make sure no kids who age out of foster care end up homeless and at risk. It ensures that they get their high school diplomas and other vital life skills to help them land on their feet, such as “getting a driver’s license,

By Alisa Gershman

[opening] a bank account and their credit,” said Tilley.

She mentioned as well that Forgotten Angels will even “take donated cars, which we pass on to our youth to help them become independent to get to school and work.”

The organization also ensures that holidays are a special time for the kids. It provides toys and presents for them under the Christmas tree, as well as stocking stufers, such as gift cards and candy. And some of the children who no longer live on the property come back around the holidays to join their family in the festivities.

Tilley aims to eventually open a Forgotten Angels location in every state, and she is currently working on opening one in Oregon.

Donations on its website are greatly appreciated, as are gift cards for the residents, which can be sent to the facility.

Forgotten Angels is located at 3604 Little Stearns Rd. in Valrico. For more information, visit www.forgottenangelsﬂ orida.org or call 813-812-0120.

KIWANIS CLUB OF BRANDON HOSTS 23RD ANNUAL TERRIFIC KIDS GOLF TOURNAMENT AT

BUCKHORN SPRINGS

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon will host its 23rd annual Terriﬁc Kids Golf Tournament on Thursday, October 17, at Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club. Registration starts at 11 a.m. and tee of starts at 12:30 p.m. A foursome team costs $600 and hole sponsorships are available for $150 each.

“Our friends at Cardinal Roofing will be helping with the ball drop with one of their lift trucks at 11:55 a.m.,” said tournament director and Kiwanis member Dustie Amatangelo. “The lucky winner will receive $500 for the first ball in the hole at the putting green outside the clubhouse. Ball drop tickets are $10; you can purchase on our website, golfwithkiwanis.org. We are looking to have a full field and a beautiful day playing golf. We will have rafe prizes, food on the course and drinks throughout the day.”

The Kiwanis’ goal for this year’s tournament is to net $15K in proﬁt.

“Our club supports so many programs in the Brandon/Riverview area that this revenue will allow us to do more in our community,” Amatangelo said. “We are still looking for sponsors and volunteers from the community and we still have many sponsorship levels available.”

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon was established in May 1960 and continues today to serve the Greater Brandon

By Libby Hopkins

community, especially its children.

“The Brandon Kiwanis club has been serving our community for 53 years now,” Amatangelo said. “Our focus is service through leadership with our local schools. We teach our students what it means to be good leaders and how to give back to the community.”

The Terriﬁc Kids Golf Tournament is the only fundraiser for the Kiwanis this year.

“It supports 20 Terriﬁc Kids programs at our local elementary schools in Brandon and six Key Club programs at local high schools as well,” Amatangelo said. “The Kiwanis Club supports books for children in preschool through a partnership with Goodwill. Kiwanis Kicks is our shoe program that provides shoes for children in need and feeding food-insecure children through a partnership with Mosaic. We operate on volunteers, no paid positions, just a passion to make the world a better place through our children. We all love what we do.”

Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club is located at 2721 S. Miller Rd. in Valrico. If you would like to be a sponsor for the Kiwanis’ upcoming golf tournament, you can contact Amatangelo at adustie15@ gmail.com or call her at 813-294-0645. If you would like to learn more about the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon, you can visit its website at https://brandonkiwanis.org/.

Christmas is always loads of fun at Forgotten Angels, with visits from Santa and even the Grinch.

Cindy Tilley makes it a priority that all the children graduate with high school degrees, to set them up for success as they navigate life.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon will host its 23rd annual Terrifc Kids Golf Tournament on Tursday, October 17, at Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club in Valrico.

“Freedom

FACES OF COURAGE — 20 YEARS OF HOPE AND FUN TO CANCER PATIENTS

The Faces of Courage (FOC) Foundation is a local nonproﬁt that was founded by Peggie Sherry in 2004.

FOC provides free day outings, educational workshops and medically supervised overnight camps for women, children and families who have been afected by all types of cancer and blood disorders. Celebrating 20 years of providing programs to participants at no cost is an achievement that Sherry is proud of.

By Kelly Wise Valdes

out an enormous marketing budget like some other charitable organizations.”

“For the past 20 years I have had the privilege and honor to work with the most amazing people. Some of our volunteers have been with me from the very beginning,” said Sherry. “When it comes to the cancer survivors we have served, you could ﬁll books with incredible stories of bravery, determination and hope.”

According to Sherry, running this organization brings many emotions to the table.

“This job is the best of the best and the worst of the worst jobs,” said Sherry. “We are constantly amazed by the campers and the joy they get from what most of us would think of as simple things. Facing your mortality much earlier than expected changes how you view everything.”

The programs and camps ofered for FOC depend greatly on the support of the community, including fundraising and volunteering. “Grassroots organizations rarely spend their funding on advertising and marketing,” said Sherry. “We choose to put our donors’ funding directly into programs. Therefore, you have the challenge of fundraising with-

FOC’s next event will be the Women’s Cancer Retreat held at Rotary’s Camp Florida from Friday, September 13, through Sunday, September 15. This camp will host 60 adult cancer survivors from around the nation, Canada and the islands. Then on Sunday, October 6, will be the ﬁfth annual Sail Away from Cancer event sponsored by Davis Island Yacht Club, where 300 survivors and guests will board 17 sailing yachts for a sunset sail, then return to a gourmet meal at the clubhouse. The ﬁrst weekend of December will be the annual Santa’s Workshop Weekend cancer camp for children ages 2-12 who have been diagnosed with any type of cancer or blood disorder and their well siblings.

“We are able to provide programs at no cost to participants through the generosity of corporate sponsors; civic, social and service organizations; individual donors; grants; fundraisers; and bequests,” said Sherry. “Individuals and corporations can help us by hosting outings, providing volunteers, sponsoring events and programs, cash donations, in-kind items or services, tickets to area sports and entertainment venues and gift cards to grocery stores and/or discount department stores.”

Faces of Courage is located at 10006 Cross Creek Blvd., Ste. 519 in Tampa. For more information, call 813-948-7478 or visit https://facesofcourage.org/.

Personalized service and high-quality ﬂooring solutions are the cornerstones of business for FlooringMaster, which has been serving Central Florida for nearly 20 years. The ﬁrst FlooringMaster store opened in Brandon in 2005, and in 2023 the company unveiled a showroom in the heart of the Riverview community.

“Riverview represents a growing community with a strong demand for quality home improvement services, making it an ideal location for our expansion,” said owner Camilo Mejio. “By opening a showroom here, we’re making it easier for Riverview homeowners to access our expert advice, extensive selection and top-notch installation services.”

Mejio explained that the company’s mission of providing exceptional ﬂooring solutions combined with outstanding customer service has remained the same as the company grew over the years to include showrooms in Riverview, Lutz, Orlando and Apopka.

“Our tailored services, expert consultations and ﬁve-year installation guarantee ensure that customers receive a higher-quality experience and long-term peace of mind,” commented Mejio.

When it comes to ﬂoor coverings, FlooringMaster has it all: carpet, hardwood, laminate, ceramic tile, vinyl and specialty products such as bamboo and slate from manufacturers in North America and all over the world.

“We have a deep understanding that our customers aren’t just looking for ﬂooring

By Sharon Still

— they’re seeking inspiration and a partner they can trust,” added Mejio. “We ofer a unique combination of stability, tailored services and efciency that resonates with our customers.”

All of the top brands are available, including Bruce, Mohawk and Parkay, plus exclusive products that one cannot ﬁnd at big box stores, including specialized lines of eco-friendly ﬂooring and custom-order options.

Mejio said that luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring continues to be a popular choice due to its durability, afordability and ability to mimic the look of hardwood. He added that there has recently been a resurgence in the popularity of laminate flooring as with technological advancements, modern laminate floors are water resistant and a healthier choice for indoor air quality.

He refers to the showrooms as “inspiration centers” where customers can explore and visualize how diferent ﬂooring options will transform their spaces. Customers work one-on-one with a consultant who will visit their homes with samples.

“This focus on inspiration and local expertise is a cornerstone of our approach,” Mejio explained.

FlooringMaster is located at 11531 Balm Riverview Rd., at the corner of McMullen and Balm Riverview roads. Store hours are 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday. Please call 813-714-7232 or visit the website at www. ﬂooringmaster.com for more information.

Faces of Courage is a nonproft organization that has been providing free camps and workshops for cancer patients for 20 years.

HART OFFERS FREE RIDES TO SAFETY DURING EMERGENCIES

When the weather turns foul and emergency ofcials give the word to evacuate a neighborhood, some residents can ﬁnd themselves with the problem of having no way to leave.

One option is the emergency evacuation bus service operated by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART). The service provides transportation for people who don’t have a car or other method of getting out of harm’s way during severe weather conditions or other disasters. HART operates when an ofcial emergency evacuation order is issued and it is directed to support evacuation eforts.

By Brad Stager

tation to a county shelter. The four emergency route destinations are: the Netpark, Northwest and Yukon transfer centers and the University Area Transit Center. For example, Route 38, which runs through the middle of Brandon along Parsons Avenue, will deliver riders to the Netpark Transfer Center, as will Route 37, which departs from Brandon Exchange (formerly known as Brandon Mall). Not all routes operate during emergency operations, and riders need to stay informed about the most current weather conditions and how transportation is afected.

According to the transit agency’s website, “Emergency bus service is free. For the safety of our bus operators, buses will operate during daylight hours only. Service will be suspended when the Emergency Operations Center advises HART to remove vehicles of the road or when sustained winds reach 35 miles per hour.”

HART’s emergency evacuation bus service is a vital public service designed to assist residents in evacuating safely and efciently during emergencies. Regular bus service will not operate when emergency evacuation services are being provided.

The evacuation buses running along emergency routes take riders to one of four transfer centers for further transpor-

Beth Shields Middle School in Ruskin serves as a county evacuation shelter that may be activated if emergency ofcials decide it is necessary. It is served by HARTFlex South, and riders can call 813-254-HART (4278) anytime between 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Sunday, to plan ahead for emergency transportation needs.

Riders who count on HART to provide transportation service can keep track of service status during bad weather and, when it is a ﬁne day, by checking with the transit agency’s blog at https://gohart.blogspot.com/, as well as its Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also call the HART InfoLine at 813-254-4278 for the latest service information and visit www.gohart.org for maps, schedules and more information.

Te Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority operates its emergency evacuation bus service during ofcially declared emergencies.

OLD MCMICKY’S HOSTS ADOPTION DAY FOR PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES

Every child deserves a loving home, but the process of adopting a child can often be confusing and overwhelming.

This September, Old McMicky’s Farm is hosting its annual Child Adoption Education Day to help families better understand the adoption process and feel more equipped to welcome a child into their lives.

The ﬁrst Child Adoption Education Day in 2016 was attended by over 30 new prospective adoptive families — and this year, event coordinators expect to see even more growth. The event takes the mystery out of adoption by walking “people through the adoption process so they know how it works and what to anticipate,” according to Ralph Zuckerman, owner of Old McMicky’s Farm.

The event is being held in partnership with Family Support Services, the leading children’s agency for Pinellas and Pasco counties, and Children’s Network of Hillsborough, the leading children’s agency for Hillsborough County. Families will have a chance to hear presentations by local agencies about the adoption process as well as the ﬁrsthand accounts of ﬁve local adoptive families and their children about the impact adoption has had on their lives. Following the presentations, prospective adoptive parents can also meet with the agencies and the adoptive families to learn more about the process.

In addition to Child Adoption Education

By Jamie Lu

Day, the farm also hosts Child Adoption Match Days, in which children spend the day with prospective adoptive families and are then matched to their forever homes.

These events are

important to the people at Old McMicky’s farm because “it is part of our farm’s mission to serve local children and families and our community,” said Zuckerman. “Actually, at our last match day a couple of months ago, three children were matched with their forever families. The Child Adoption Education Day’s goal is to help ﬁnd more prospective adoptive families.”

To support Child Adoption Education Day, community members can spread the word about the event or become a sponsor. Sponsors will be widely promoted and recognized in the community.

The event will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All prospective families are welcome to join, no matter where they are in the adoptive process, and can attend by registering for free on the farm’s website at https://oldmcmickys.com/ child-adoption-education-day-3/. Sponsorship information can also be found at this link.

Through Child Adoption Education Day, Old McMicky’s Farm and local agencies will work to eliminate any obstacle that stands between a child and the “loving, safe, secure and encouraging family” that they deserve.

EVERYDAY BLESSINGS ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT SWING FOR SIBLINGS

For over 25 years, Everyday Blessings has been dedicated to serving children and families in foster care.

“As a local nonproﬁt, all the support we receive directly beneﬁts the children in our care,” said Everyday Blessings’ development coordinator, Kayla Nevadomski. “Since opening in 2010, our program has served 790 children and 329 sibling groups.”

What makes Everyday Blessings unique is how it strives to keep sibling groups together, allowing them to maintain their bonds and support one another during one of the most challenging times in their young lives.

As a residential child caring agency, its focus is to provide high-quality care in a homelike environment for these sibling groups through a live-in caregiver model.

“In addition, we provide services such as medical oversight, crisis intervention, case management, tutoring and developmental day care while working alongside guardians, case managers, placement agencies, government ofcials and the children’s families, with the ultimate goal of each child’s transition into a safe, stable and more permanent home,” Nevadomski said.

Everyday Blessings will be hosting its 12th annual golf tournament, Swing for Siblings, on Monday, December 2, at the River Hills Country Club in Valrico. The shotgun start is at 9 a.m., and the cost is $640 per foursome and $160 for individual players.

“Your participation in our tournament allows us to continue our mission of providing

By Libby Hopkins

the highest quality of care for children and youth in the foster care system,” Nevadomski said. “For the past 12 years, our annual fall golf tournament has had incredible support and participation from our community. We’ve listened to feedback from previous years and are working to make the event even more enjoyable for participants.”

Everyday Blessings is actively seeking sponsorships and volunteers for the tournament. Sponsorship levels range from $250-$10,000, ofering various beneﬁts such as branding opportunities, recognition at the event and social media and website exposure. More information on sponsorship levels can be found on the event’s website, https://givebutter.com/everydayblessings-golf-tournament.

“We’re also seeking ofcial in-kind sponsors,” Nevadomski said. “For us to make our fundraising event a success, we need to collect exciting items that will create impact and participation at the tournament’s silent auction and chance rafe program. In-kind contributions can be provided in many ways, such as physical merchandise, gift cards or certiﬁcates for products and/or services.” If you would like to learn more about Everyday Blessings or be a part of its upcoming golf tournament, you can visit its website at https://everydayblessingsinc.org/ or contact Nevadomski at knevadomski@ everydayblessingsinc.org or 813-982-9226, ext. 227.

Everyday Blessings is hosting its 12th annual golf tournament, Swing for Siblings, on Monday, December 2, at the River Hills Country Club in Valrico.

Old McMicky’s Farm’s Child Adoption Education Days and Child Adoption Match Days help children fnd their forever homes.

THE AEROSPACE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE HOSTS GIRLS IN AVIATION DAY IN SEPTEMBER

The Aerospace Center for Excellence is helping celebrate the 10th annual national Girls in Aviation Day through fun activities and community partnerships.

The free event will take place on Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Florida Air Museum.

While Girls in Aviation Day is sponsored by Women in Aviation International, it is the Lakeland chapter’s third year hosting an event locally.

Cathy Dal Colletto, digital marketing coordinator for the Aerospace Center for Excellence, said she loves the message of Girls in Aviation Day.

“In partnering with the Aerospace Center for Excellence on this, their mission is to engage, educate and accelerate the next generation of aviation or aerospace professionals,” she said.

Each year, the event has hands-on activities, such as scavenger hunts and engineering activities, for girls 10-17 years old. The girls will also have a chance to see the Skylab Innovation Center, which is a collaborative workspace and interactive classroom. The center also has ﬂight simulators, a drone laboratory and its Science on a Sphere Laboratory.

By Lily Belcher

Dal Colletto said the event will help connect girls to what the industry has to ofer, other STEM career ﬁelds and the programs at the Aerospace Center for Excellence.

“We have programs at the Aerospace Center for Excellence that go from the car-seat age all the way up until the end of high school,” she said.

“So, if they can at least kind of spark that interest, that’s where we want to lead them.”

Guests will also have the chance to enter into a drawing for a free discovery ﬂight at this year’s Girls in Aviation Day.

In order to make the event free to aspiring aviators, the Aerospace Center for Excellence has partnered with local businesses. In addition to the support from Women in Aviation International, the Lakeland Linder International Airport has supported the annual event.

To register for Girls in Aviation Day or for more information about the Aerospace Center for Excellence, visit https://aceedu. org/. The Aerospace Center for Excellence is located on the Lakeland Linder International Airport at 4075 James C. Ray Dr. in Lakeland.

Girls in Aviation Day helps young girls learn about STEM felds and industry opportunities.

Fun activities help young girls learn about fying and the aviation feld in the annual Girls in Aviation Day event.

FLORIDA BIRDING AND NATURE FESTIVAL SET FOR OCTOBER

This year’s Florida Birding and Nature Festival is being held from Thursday through Sunday, October 17-20. The event will feature ﬁeld trips, boat excursions, seminars by experts, nationally renowned keynote speakers and a free nature expo. It coincides with the peak of fall migration of birds through Central Florida.

The outings — led by knowledgeable guides and, in some cases, the managers of the nature habitats visited — include walking, boat and canoe trips and a bus tour of Central Florida birding hot spots. Some ﬁeld trips explore sites not normally open to the public.

A Thursday bus tour will explore the Circle B Bar Reserve and Saddle Creek Park, birding hot spots in nearby Lakeland. A sunset cruise on Thursday will take visitors to Cofee Pot Bayou Bird Island, where great egrets, roseate spoonbills and other water birds roost.

Most of the ﬁeld trips are scheduled for Friday through Sunday. Among the destinations: Egmont Key, the Cross Bar Ranch in Spring Hill, Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve, Blackwater Creek Preserve, Fort Desoto Park and the Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve. Last year’s popular trip to the Schultz Nature Preserve is on the agenda again, as is the fascinating session on bird banding.

Legendary environmental warrior Clay Henderson will present the Friday keynote

Staf Report

address. Henderson had a long career as an environmental lawyer, educator and writer. He is the former president of the Florida Audubon Society and is the author of Forces of Nature.

World-renowned photographer and ornithologist Tim Laman will be the Saturday keynote speaker and will lead two Friday morning seminars. The National Geographic photographer will share his favorite bird photographs from more than 25 years in the ﬁeld.

The festival also will ofer two days of in-person and Zoom-broadcast seminars with experts who will explore fascinating nature topics, such as the mysteries of wildlife migration, the underappreciated virtues of the vulture, environmental threats to the mighty killer whale and the lessons of 50 years of research into Sarasota Bay’s dolphins.

The nature expo on Friday and Saturday at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center will feature displays from numerous environmental organizations, nature-related businesses and artists. Exhibitors will sell binoculars, artwork, bird boxes and native plants that attract birds and butterﬂies.

The festival will be headquartered at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, located at 6650 Dickman Rd. in Apollo Beach. For more information and to register, visit www.ﬂoridabirdingandnaturefestival.org.

TAMPA THEATRE’S

SEPTEMBER

SINGALONG MOVIE SERIES IS BACK

This September there are ﬁ ve Sundays. As such, you will have ﬁ ve chances to participate in Tampa Theatre’s September Sing-along Sundays. These events sell out, so if you want to attend, get your tickets now.

Jill Witecki with Tampa Theatre said, “It all started in February 2002 when Tampa Theatre participated in the national release of a sing-along version of The Sound of Music . With its little bags of props to wave and no-brainer costume options, the novel concept quickly became one of our patrons’ favorite things and sold out a two-week run.”

Witecki added, “In 2014, Tampa Theatre sold so many tickets during a weekend of Sing-along Mary Poppins that when we sent the box o f ce report back to Disney, our contact there called to make sure it was not a typo.”

Come and sing along with The Greatest Showman on September 8. Just a few years ago, Sing-along The Greatest Showman sold out six screenings.

Witecki said, “This prompted the Tampa Theatre sta f to pledge that they will

COMMUNITY PREVIEW EVENT

By Kathy L. Collins

keep showing it until the fervor wanes.”

On September 15, Tampa Theatre will o f er Quote-along Labyrinth . Then, come sing your heart out with Sing-along Bohemian Rhapsody on September 22. Finally, Sing-along Encanto ends Tampa Theatre’s September Sing-along Sundays on September 28.

All shows will be at 3 p.m. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets are $14.50, or $11.50 for Tampa Theatre members.

Witecki said, “There is something freeing about breaking the taboo of talking during a movie; something ebullient about raising your voice in unanimous — if not always on-key — song with hundreds of fellow ﬁ lmgoers. And you have proven it time and time again as a moviegoing public, gobbling up tens of thousands of tickets over the years whenever Tampa Theatre puts lyrics on the screen.”

Tampa Theatre is located at 711 N. Franklin St. in downtown Tampa. Tickets can be purchased at the box o f ce or online at https://tampatheatre.org/.

Grease is the frst show in Tampa Teatre’s September Sing-along Sundays. It has been voted as a top winner in Tampa Teatre’s Fans Pick the Classic polls.

Te Suncoast Youth Conservation Center boardwalk and fshing pier.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORTS CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN

THROUGH 21 YEARS OLD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Exceptional student education (ESE) programs function in every public school throughout America. It is a program that is meant to o f er guidance, services and therapies to children with developmental delays and/or disabilities. In Hillsborough County, the ESE program operates in 250 public schools and serves about 30,000 students from kindergarten age through 21 years old.

Early Steps and the Primary Exceptional Education Preschool Services provide therapy and services to children under 5 years old, but after 5 years old further services can be provided within the school system through this ESE program.

The Hillsborough County ESE website states of the program, “A continuum of services is provided in a variety of settings, which include general education classrooms, resource rooms, special classes, specialized day schools, and hospital homebound. Services for many [students with disabilities] can be provided at their neighborhood school. Eligible students are provided supports and/or services per their Individual Education Plan (IEP) which is based on each child’s unique needs. Supplemental services are provided in collaboration with discretionary projects such as Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System, Florida Inclusion Network, and the Multiagency Network for Students with

By Ashley Abene

Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (SEDNET).”

After the age of 21, there are transition services available for students with disabilities who need extra help. This transition could include a move from high school to postsecondary education, employment or even living independently. These services are based on each student’s needs.

Debbie Valdes, Parent and Family Services manager with the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS), stated, “FDLRS Parent and Family Services and ESE Parent Liaisons are available to support parents during their child’s educational journey. We are all parents of children who have received exceptional student education (ESE) services. If parents have any questions about ESE services for their child, we can help guide them with the next steps. We also o f er support at meetings and provide training on a wide variety of topics.”

For more information on the ESE program for kindergarten and older children in the Hillsborough County School System, contact FDLRS at fdlrsparentservices@hcps.net or via phone at 813837-7732 (English) or 813-837-7728 (Spanish), or visit the FDLRS website at https://hillsborough.fdlrs.org/. Another option is to speak to the child’s teacher to get more information on that school’s ESE o f erings.

Over 30,000 students are helped each year through the Hillsborough County Public School ESE program.

RESIDENTS 50-PLUS ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN IN COUNTY’S ACTIVE LIFE GAMES

By Kathy L. Collins

Each year, Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation hosts the Active Life Games. These games are designed for Hillsborough County Residents 50 years and older. The Active Life Games are set up as an Olympics-style competition. They help promote physical and mental ﬁtness for older adults.

Mikah Collins, community relations coordinator for Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation, said, “Active Life Games is designed for those 50 and older to participate in the games, for health, fun and socializing. Participants are encouraged to come out and join the fun. You can be a seasoned vet in your sport of choice or a beginner. Each age group has variously skilled participants who are all there to enjoy the games, meet new friends and connect with old friends.”

The Active Life Games began in the 1980s. They o f er a variety of contests for all skill and ﬁtness levels. This year’s Active Life Games will take place from Monday, September 30, until Friday, October 11. Events at the Active Life

Games include track and ﬁeld, shu f eboard, pickleball, billiards, horseshoes and more. Individual competitions are held over two weeks at a variety of locations throughout Hillsborough County. As the Active Life Games are just like the Olympics on a local level, there will be both an opening ceremony and a closing ceremony. The opening ceremony will be held on September 30 at 10 a.m. at David Barksdale Senior Center, located at 1801 N. Lincoln Ave. in Tampa. The closing ceremony will be held on October 11 at 11 a.m. at the University Area Community Complex, located at 14013 N. 22nd St. in Tampa.

Last year, the Active Life Games introduced lawn bowling and basketball shooting. These sports were highly demanded by prior participants and have proven to be very popular. The golf event this year will be held at Rogers Park Golf Course.

Registration is now open and continues through Friday, September 20. The cost for one event is $25. If you would like unlimited events, the cost is $30. There is also an additions $30 charge for those participating in the golf competition. This additional cost includes a cart. If you would like to register, the registration forms and a complete schedule of events can be found at www.hcﬂ.gov/ activelife.

BIG FUN PLAYERS:

LITTLE

DATE

SEPTEMBER 20th – OCTOBER 25th

LOCATION SUMMERFIELD SPORTS COMPLEX

OUR STARTING PROGRAM FOR PLAYERS BORN IN 2021

LITTLE DYNAMO SOCCER

Our Little Dynamo program introduces young children to the exciting world of soccer in a fun and supportive environment. Designed for kids born in 2021, our program focuses on developing basic soccer skills, teamwork, and a love for the game through age-appropriate activities and games. Join us and watch your little one thrive on and off the ﬁeld!

6 WEEK PROGRAM ON FRIDAY EVENINGS 6pm – 6:45pm

FREE SHIRT INCLUDED!

If you are 50 years and older and like to participate in sports, Hillsborough County Parks & Recreations’ Active Life Games are just for you. Te Olympics-style games will take place at various venues from Monday, September 30, through Friday, October 11.

TAX COLLECTOR’S OFFICE UNVEILS ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS FOR PUBLIX SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Ofce recently rolled out additional self-service registration renewal kiosks at three additional Publix locations in Hillsborough County. These new locations give customers expanded access and convenience to renew their vehicle registrations during weekends and after hours.

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Ofce was the ﬁrst in the state to introduce these self-service kiosks through a partnership with Intellectual Technology Inc. and Publix. The kiosks enable customers to renew their vehicle registration and decal in as little as two minutes without needing to visit a tax collector’s ofce. With easy-to-follow instructions and voice prompts available in both English and Spanish, using the kiosk is as straightforward as operating an ATM.

“Our team is committed to enhancing our residents’ experience and access through innovative options,” said Nancy Millan, Hillsborough County tax collector. “Being able to renew your registration while you’re picking up your groceries or prescriptions makes it very easy and convenient for customers. We are grateful for the continued partnership with Publix and look forward to opening additional locations in the future.”

Since 2023, there have been 150,000 registration renewals completed at the con-

Staf Report

venient kiosks located throughout the county.

In Southeast Hillsborough, the new Publix kiosk location is in Valrico at 1971 E. SR 60.

Existing Publix kiosk locations in Southeast Hillsborough are in Lake Brandon Plaza at 1255 Causeway Blvd. in Brandon and at Walden Woods at 2202 James L. Redman Parkway in Plant City.

The additional kiosks bring the total number of Publix tax collector kiosks to eight.

Kiosks are also available at many Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s ofces. For a complete list of kiosk locations, please visit www.hillstax.org/ title-tag/registration-renewal-kiosk/.

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Ofce is responsible for collecting and distributing local property, tangible, business and tourist development taxes. In addition, as an agent for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, it provides motor vehicle, vessel and mobile home titles and registrations; issues disabled parking permits; issues driver’s licenses and ID cards; and administers written tests and road tests. Additionally, it partners with other state and local government agencies to issue certified copies of Florida birth certificates and to provide concealed weapons permits, vehicle-for-hire permits and hunting and fishing licenses. Visit its website at www.hillstax.org.

Are you a senior citizen with questions about Medicare’s upcoming open enrollment? If so, look no further than Michele Bartock, owner of MB Insurance Solutions. Bartock has been a licensed insurance agent in property and casualty (home and auto) for 20 years. She launched MB Insurance Solutions in 2020 to help people select Medicare (Supplement/Medicare Advantage) and ACA/Marketplace/ Obamacare/under-65 plans. She also ofers solutions for supplemental insurance such as dental; cancer, heart and stroke; accident; indemnity; and life insurance.

“I love helping people navigate the system and choosing the best plan that covers their doctors and prescriptions,” said Bartock. “A lot of people just want the same plan as their spouse, friends or neighbors, but not everyone ﬁts into one plan; we all have individual needs. I do an analysis and get information and then look at all the available plans that I have in their area.”

Bartock also assists qualiﬁed people who have lower income apply for Medicaid or the Low-Income Subsidy, also known as Extra Help, which can pay part of all their Part B premiums, co-pays and prescriptions.

“If they don’t qualify and they still need help, I have other options that may help them,” said Bartock. “I was able to get my client a grant that is paying for their Part B premium, and that is a huge help for someone when money is tight. I also ofer Medicare Advantage plans with a giveback

By Kelly Wise Valdes

(money back toward Part B premium) if you don’t qualify for other assistance.”

Each year, there is an opportunity to review your plan during the annual enrollment period, and that is where Bartock can help.

“I can start now by getting your information so that when agents are allowed to discuss plans on October 1, I will be ready with options and set an appointment to discuss via phone or in person.”

Starting in 2025, Part D prescription drug coverage will have many changes. “There will be three phases instead of four and the coverage gap/doughnut hole is going away,” said Bartock. “Phase one: Deductible phase will have $0$590 annual deductible. Phase two: Initial coverage — client is responsible for 25 percent of drug costs until you reach an outof-pocket spending threshold of $2,000.

Phase three: Catastrophic coverage — client pays nothing for covered drugs after reaching $2,000 the rest of the year.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has stated that people will have the most comprehensive beneﬁts since Part D program was launched in 2006.

Currently, MB Insurance Solutions represents 12 organizations which offer 91 products in the area. Contact www. medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227) or your local State Health Insurance Program. Visit https://medicareoforida.com/ or call 813-767-2878.

Vote By Mail ballots must be in one of our oﬃces no later than 7 PM Election Day.

Vote in person at any of 27 diﬀerent locations in Hillsborough County, open October 21 - November 3, 7 AM - 7 PM, including weekends.

Visit VoteHillsborough.gov/EarlyVoting for locations and operating hours.

November 5, your LAST chance to vote!

On Election Day, you must vote in the polling place assigned to your precinct.

Michele Bartock, owner of MB Insurance Solutions, helps seniors navigate Medicare open enrollment.

Te Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Ofce recently installed self-service registration renewal kiosks at three new Publix locations.

By Ashley Abene

Peggy Davenport

started

own personal ‘chef’ [to] magically place these great dinners on your table?”

Whole30 and keto.

Meals typically cost $24 for a half-size portion which feeds two people, or $48 to feed four people. There are two pickup locations, South Shore Boutique in Lithia and Pro Kitchen Hub in South Tampa. Delivery is also available for an additional $5 fee for most locations in the Tampa Bay area.

Peggy Davenport said of Davenport’s Daily Delights, “We started our business as a way to ofer delicious, afordable and healthy homemade meals to busy families in our community of FishHawk Ranch. Word quickly spread, and we started servicing Valrico and Brandon as well. We continued to branch out and did a test program in South Tampa. Since our launch into South Tampa, we moved to a centrally located kitchen commissary and are now able to deliver our homemade weeknight meals all over the greater bay area. We will continue to spread to other markets as long as the demand is there. And what family wouldn’t want their

This school year Davenport’s Daily Delights decided to start ofering bento style lunch box meals for children as well. However, the process to order a bento lunch is diferent than normal food orders. It is a monthly subscription, with the purchase of two sets of reusable bento boxes. Weekly, it will ﬁll one week’s worth of bento lunch boxes, with delivery on Sundays. The only exception that can be made to the lunches will be to substitute for gluten free. Once the lunch box program matures, there may be more ﬂexibility.

Elisabeth Hodges, a speech therapist and mom who lives in FishHawk, stated how much she enjoys ordering from Davenport’s Daily Delights. “Peggy loves everyone so much, and you can taste that in her food. My kids love her food and think it’s amazing. The cost and even the delivery option make it so convenient for parents. I can’t wait to try the lunch box option for my kids, and myself.”

For more information on Davenport’s Daily Delights, visit its website at https:// davenportsdailydelights.com/ or call to place an order by phone at 813-8108513.

‘Peggy’s salad,’ which has been featured in multiple cookbooks.

A Davenport’s Daily Delights Cuban sandwich.

EXCITING LINEUP OF EVENTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2024 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAIR

The 2024 Hillsborough County Fair, themed ‘Barn of the USA,’ opens on Thursday, October 31, and runs through Monday, November 11, for 12 days of food, fun and contests celebrating agriculture, entertainment and community.

For the ﬁrst time, the opening weekend Special Grandstand Event is the IPRA National All Region Finals Rodeo, taking place from Friday through Sunday, November 1-3, in the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds Arena. The Special Grandstand Events on the Heroes Weekend — the second weekend of the Fair — include the all-new Hillsborough County Fair Truck & Tractor Pull on Friday and Saturday, November 8 and 9; a demolition derby on Sunday, November 10; and, making their Hillsborough County Fair debut, the Midget Wrestling Warriors on Monday, November 11. Special Grandstand Events require a ticket purchase in addition to fair admission.

Opening night falls on Halloween, so bring your kids dressed up in their favorite Halloween costumes and enjoy a safe night of trick-or-treating throughout the fair.

In addition to the Special Grandstand Events, the fair ofers an array of free entertainment throughout its run. From October 31 through November 1, fairgoers can experience the excitement of Cowboy Camp, followed by the all-new Cow-

Staf Report

boy Circus from Tuesday through Monday, November 5-11. Kids can dive into the world of agriculture at the Play with Giants Hands-on Agricultural Game Area.

The sky will light up on Heroes Weekend with a spectacular, custom, 200-drone show on November 10.

Additional live entertainment includes the all-new Thrill Circus, the captivating Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show and the engaging, educational Fireﬁghter Show. Guests can also explore a fascinating camel display and meet the beloved fair mascot, Farmer Sydney.

The Hillsborough County Fair celebrates being one of the area’s largest agricultural fairs, highlighting youth participants and featuring livestock shows every day of the fair with 12 diferent livestock species. More than 1,000 young people from Hillsborough County show of their livestock projects in the livestock barns.

Daily tickets are on sale now, including a special ofer for advance online purchase of tickets for Special Grandstand Events. From now until opening day, ticketed arena events are $30 and include fair admission, a savings of $11 for adults.

The Hillsborough County Fairgrounds are located at 215 Sydney Washer Rd. in Dover. Visit https://hillsboroughcountyfair.com/ for tickets, a schedule of events and more information.

FOSTERING ANIMALS IS MUCH EASIER THAN YOU THINK

Have you ever wondered about the wonderful world of animal fostering? Do you want to save kittens and puppies in your community? Keep reading!

Florida is in a pet crisis, and Tampa Bay and Southeastern Hillsborough County are no exception. Locally, there is a rescue that has been serving the community for over a decade. FishHawk TNR Inc. Animal Rescue saves hundreds of local dogs and cats, puppies and kittens, every year. This is possible by activating local foster homes and with the support of our community. This amazing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is run entirely on volunteers and donations.

VELMA

Fostering provides a safe space for animals to grow and get healthy while they wait for adoption.

Over 45 incredible homes in the FishHawk Ranch and surrounding communities have already opened their homes to animals in need, and you can too. Fostering means providing temporary housing for homeless and in-need pets. It can be for a few days to a few months, but the impact is immediate and lifesaving. The rescue provides for all medical care, supplies and support. It also handles and coordinates all adoptions. Fostering can involve the entire family and will create lasting memories of helping animals in

By Ali Holton

need. Even your pets can get in on it. Contrary to popular belief, fostering does not have to require a lot of space or free time, simply a commitment to provide a safe and loving environment while animals wait for their lives to truly begin in their forever homes. The snuggles are free. Without foster homes, animals in our community risk euthanasia for space at county facilities or continue to have litters on the streets and in our neighborhoods. It happens every day, and it will take community action to create the change needed for our animals. You can be the di f erence between life and death for precious and deserving animals in our community. Even better, you can support saving lives by choosing adoption when looking for a new furry family member.

To learn more, you can fi nd the rescue via @fi shhawktnr on all social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Petfi nder. To inquire about fostering or adopting your next best friend, please email fi shhawktnr4@ gmail.com. And remember, a simple follow and a share can also change an animal’s life.

From Halloween night to Heroes Weekend, fairgoers will experience 12 days of food, fun and youth competitions celebrating agriculture, entertainment and community.

BY NICK NAHAS

EAST BAY FOOTBALL

TEAM LOOKS TO CLAIM THIRD DISTRICT TITLE IN A ROW

East Bay High School has been one of the more dominant football programs in Hillsborough County since head coach Mike Gottman took over in 2021. The Indians are going for three straight district titles.

Gottman’s East Bay squad will compete in a brand-new district with new challenges. The head coach is happy with his team’s run defense but said that they need to give up less big plays in the secondary. The Indians will replace their whole defensive front, along with two linebackers. Gottman said that he would like more depth to be developed overall.

Senior second-year quarterback William ‘Rocco’ Boyd will run the offense. Gottman said that Boyd is a dual threat, has a strong grasp of the offense and is a team captain. He should be more effective this season behind an experienced offensive line that brings back three starters.

The Indians will have a lot of experience with six returning starters on offense and five on defense. Key players include senior receiver/ free safety Dravyn Oblak, who had a touchdown in preseason against Durant; senior linebacker Justin Cornish; sophomore cornerback Carlos Lemons; and senior running back/ linebacker Jaeryn Millerd.

The Indians are in a new district with Spoto, Leto and Tampa Bay

Tech. The team will have to get past a dominant Tampa Bay Tech program if they want to win three district titles in a row.

Gottman wants his team to take it one game at a time and not get ahead of themselves. They have a winnable schedule early on but will have their main test when they play Wharton, Tampa Bay Tech and Riverview three games in a row, late in the season.

“I want to be very competitive and for us to play football at a high level,” said Gottman. “That’s what we do, and that’s kind of the standard. We have a lot of work to do. We have to embrace the grind and the heat and the process and try to get better every practice.”

SCHEDULE

8/23 vs. Strawberry Crest 8/30

BY NICK NAHAS

LONGHORNS HOPE TO HOST FIRST HOME PLAYOFF GAME IN PROGRAM HISTORY

The Longhorns haven’t made the playofs since the 2019-20 season. Second-year head coach K.B. Belton and his players have high expectations going into the season, hoping to win a district championship and hosting the program’s ﬁrst-ever home playof game.

Lennard High School is of to a great start, beating Freedom 37-7 in the preseason. They got of to a 24-0 start entering halftime and were able to get some more of their inexperienced players some much-needed playing time.

Belton was happy with his team’s ofseason. It was his coaching staf ’s ﬁrst full ofseason of implementation. Last year, they got of to a late start, after being hired in July late in the ofseason. The players were able to get in the weight room and play in the seven-on-seven circuit. Belton said that his players and coaches are on the same page and the players are further ahead than they were last year.

Belton thinks that his defensive backs are the strength of his team. He said that three players in particular have D-I potential. Second-year starting quarterback Jacob Mobley has taken a big step forward as the team leader and playmaker on the ﬁeld. He only had one incompletion against Freedom. Belton said that Mobley is in command of the ofense and his teammates believe in him, and that makes the team so much better. The junior signal caller hadn’t played much organized football until last season. With a year under his belt, the pocket passer is expected to take the next step as QB 1.

The team has a good mix of seniors and inexperienced players. They are

returning seven starters on ofense and eight on defense. The roster has 30 overall returning players after graduating 17 seniors from last year’s team. The team motto is “all in.”

Key players include sophomore defensive back Mekhi Williams, who started all 10 games last year; sophomore outside linebacker Jaiden Jones, who had three and a half sacks against Freedom; and junior defensive back Devin Barnette. Senior kicker Adien Gibbons is a four-and-a-half-star player and is the third-best-rated kicker in the state of Florida. He connected on two 47-yard ﬁeld goals in the preseason game. Junior Sumner transfer London Green had a 30-yard touchdown in preseason. Lennard has two outstanding tackles up front in sophomore Kordae Oleskewicz and junior Wayne Ingleton.

“I’m already on the record saying that we’re going to win a district championship. Those are my expectations, and the kids know it,” said Belton. “We strongly feel that every game on our schedule is winnable, and we want to win out, and we expect to be there at the end when it’s time for playofs. We have to get there ﬁrst, so we’re going to take it one game at a time, but we’re expected to go undefeated and host a playof game, and we’ll take it one game at a time once we reach the playofs.”

8/23 @

SCHEDULE ROSTER

The Sharks are smelling blood in the water after a very successful 2023 campaign. The team made the playo f s for the ﬁrst time since 2019 and won their ﬁrst district game since 2018.

Riverview High School has improved every year under head coach Tony Rodriguez since he took over the program in 2022. The team went from 5-5 to 7-4, last season and lost to Sumner High School in the ﬁrst round of the playo f s. The Sharks will have a much tougher schedule this season but are in a new, manageable district with Bloomingdale, Bartow and Durant. They will end the season at home versus powerhouse Armwood High School on Friday, November 1.

Rodriguez and his team are battle-tested and ready for 2024. They gained a lot of experience playing tough teams like Sumner and Durant in their district last season. They beat archrival East Bay for the ﬁrst time in 14 years.

The Sharks will have to replace two-year starting quarterback Aaron Turner, who had over 1,000 passing yards last year. Senior transfer Rod Mack looks to ﬁll the part. The former Je f erson High School starting quarterback blew out his knee, tore his ACL and had a bad infection a few years ago, and he is making his comeback with Riverview. He joined the team at the beginning of this year and was able to participate in spring and summer camps. Rodriguez said that Mack is a great athlete who also runs track and reminds him of a “Michael Vick-type player.” He has a lot of charisma and will be a team captain. Mack is a dual threat who is patient in the passing game, can run read option and can break the pocket and run when the play breaks down

as well.

Senior running back Andrew Lee will take the bulk of the carries this year. He is a team captain and can squat over 500 pounds in the weight room. Senior receiver Isaiah ‘Showtime’ Washington is still recovering from an ACL injury in last year’s playo f game and will be back four or ﬁve games into the season. Senior tight end Julian Arthurs, who received an o f er from Southeastern University, will miss the ﬁrst couple of games with a hamstring injury. They will rely heavily on senior receiver Cole Berger until those other players get back from their injuries.

The head coach likes his o f ensive line. He said that most of them have played together for three years and will play some defensive line as well. He thinks that his team can improve defensively as they gain more experience throughout the season. They have ﬁve returning starters on defense and three on o f ense.

“I’ve been coaching these guys since they were freshmen and sophomores, and so I want to enjoy their last year of football because I’ve known them for so long now,” said Rodriguez. “These are my guys.” The team motto this season is “count on me.”

Rodriguez and his program are in need of coaches. If you are interested

SCHEDULE

BY NICK NAHAS

SUMNER HOPES

TO CONTINUE WINNING TRADITION UNDER NEW HEAD COACH

The Stingrays had an elite season last year, going 11-2 and making it to the second round of the playofs. They have made the playofs the last three seasons and have a winning record in their ﬁrst four seasons of existence as a program.

The team will face a diferent challenge this season in a new district with a new head coach, University of South Florida all-time sack leader George Selvie. He took over as the head man in July. Selvie was an assistant coach for the last four seasons, helping build an elite program.

Selvie said that his team’s major strength will be up front on the ofensive and defensive lines. He said the main focus will be establishing the running game and stopping the run on defense. They want to establish a physical identity on both sides of the ball. He said that his team has to learn to play through adversity, trust the process and improve on the little details of the game, such as watching ﬁlm and understanding the standard set forth.

Antonio Balaguer will take snaps at quarterback. The sophomore dual-threat signal caller completed 19 of 35 passes for 181 yards through the air with a touchdown and interception, and he had 45 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown as well in the regular season opener against Bartram Trail. Selvie said he has a strong arm, can get the ball out quickly, has some speed and will get better with experience. Junior running back

averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

had six receptions for 42 yards and 122 all-purpose yards. Junior receiver Jonathan Rollins had four receptions for 36 yards and a receiving touchdown.

Other key players include senior running back/linebacker Jaheim Hudson; sophomore running back Tommy Scott; senior free safety Jeremiah Jones, who is a USF commit; senior defensive tackle/ fullback Makhi Foster; senior defensive end/tight end Dean Gee Jr., who is an Army commit; and senior defensive back Charles Williams Jr. Selvie’s son, George Selvie III, is a 6’4”, 260-pound freshman starting left tackle.

Sumner is the cream of the crop in Hillsborough County but will face its toughest schedule to date because of how well they performed last year. Expect this team to win its district and go to the playofs for a fourth straight season. The program has already made it to the second round of the playofs before. They might take the next step soon and compete for a state title.

“It’s my ﬁrst season, so it’s going to be a journey,” said Selvie. “I know that it’s going to have its ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I just want my team to ﬁght every game and just have that team camaraderie and go out there and just give it our best and do it the Sumner way.”

SCHEDULE ROSTER

Ronald Wilson Jr. had 19 carries for 80 yards,

He also

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Every day, we work together to make our patients’ lives better”

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ER at Sun City Center, an extension of Manatee Memorial Hospital, is a full-service emergency department that provides care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We are located at 16504 S. U.S. 301 in Wimauma, adjacent to Walmart®.

ER at Sun City Center features:

• Full-service laboratory and imaging services (X-ray, CT and ultrasound) (A physician order is required.)

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• Ten treatment areas, including seven exam rooms and three rapid medical exam spaces

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Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation is partnering with All American Youth Activities to ofer dance and cheerleading classes to young athletes.

While young cheerleaders and dancers will be taught new techniques and skills, All American Youth Activities’ goal is to teach self-esteem and self-conﬁdence through its programs. The classes will also foster friendships, promote physical ﬁtness and encourage young athletes to work with others.

The cheerleading classes teach basic stunts and diferent style jumps through choreographed routines and techniques.

“Along with learning exciting crowd and popular cheers, chants and group work, children learn better coordination, ﬂexibility, cooperation with others and self-esteem,” according to All American Youth Activities’ website. “Shyness is very often overcome.”

Dance classes ofer a recreational hip-hop and modern jazz lessons that mimic a “music video style.”

“Our dance classes are taught in a fun, relaxed, musical atmosphere that will help to prepare students for future dance interests,” states the website.

At the end of each season, performers will participate in a competition to showcase the routines they’ve learned and practiced with

By Lily Belcher

All American Youth Activities. Classes typically have 20-25 students, which are commonly taught by college students who are members of their schools’ dance or cheer teams.

The pay-as-you-go design allows students to try out the classes with no obligatory contracts. Previous experience in dance and cheer is not required or necessary, but students are encouraged to bring a good attitude and high energy to each lesson.

Children from ages 5-15 can take evening classes after school for $8-$10 per week at various locations across Hillsborough County. Classes for both dance and cheer are broken up into three diferent age groups.

All American Youth Activities has nine locations in Hillsborough County, including the Brandon Park & Recreation Center, the Ruskin Park & Recreation Center and the Gardenville Park & Recreation Center in Gibsonton. These locations ofer both cheer and dance programs for students.

“Our goal is to provide ongoing top quality, youth-oriented outreach programs that are afordable for everyone,” according to the website.

For more information or to register for dance and cheer classes, visit All American Youth Activities’ website at www.allamericanyouth.org or call 813-885-AAYA (2292).

NEW PODCAST INFORMS RESIDENTS ABOUT COUNTY PROGRAMS –HELLO HILLSBOROUGH

Podcasts have become the audio platform people tune into for exploring useful topics like career advice and technology trends, as well as superﬂuous matters such as medieval conspiracy theories.

For Hillsborough County residents, information for taking care of essential businesses, like severe weather preparation and recovery or discovering the recreational and cultural oferings of the area, is now available via a new podcast called Hello Hillsborough

Hillsborough County has released an ofcial podcast called Hello Hillsborough that informs and entertains residents

New episodes will be released monthly, and the show is hosted by Hillsborough County communications and digital media team members Hilary Zalla and Tyler Adam, who use their talents to bring listeners the latest information about living here.

Besides their communication skills and expertise, the two hosts also reﬂect the perspectives and interests of newcomers and longtime residents. According to the county’s website, Zalla “is a Midwest girl living her dream Florida life,” and Adams “is born and raised in the Tampa Bay area.”

Hello Hillsborough reﬂects the county’s efort to communicate in a way that is effective and convenient, according to Terri Cordova-Hewitt, director of the county’s communications and digital media eforts.

“The podcast is a new way for us to

By Brad Stager

connect with our residents and for residents to learn about the resources, programs and activities available to them in Hillsborough County,” Cordova-Hewitt wrote in an email.

“The podcast dives into topics that residents will want to know in a fun, personable format that also introduces residents to the people who are passionate about our community. Our ﬁrst episode is with Chely, a librarian who talks about all things back-to-school and the best library resources for families,” said Cordova-Hewitt.

That ﬁrst episode of Hello Hillsborough is already available online at https://hcﬂ.gov/, where you can navigate to links providing access to the podcast via the Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartMedia and YouTube digital media platforms.

For civic-minded podcast enthusiasts who want to help solve murder investigations that have gone cold, the Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce produces the Unﬁnished Business podcast, with episodes available at https://teamhcso.com/ as well as on popular digital audio content platforms.

According to Statista, an online data analysis company, a survey conducted this year showed that nearly half of the U.S. adult population, 47 percent, has listened to a podcast within the last month.