HILLSBOROUGH 100 CONSERVATION CHALLENGE RECOGNIZES SUPPORT

By Linda Chion

should bring a golf club with them, or they may rent one.

• Miniature golf is available at the Land O’ Lakes and Riverview locations.

In addition to the Free Bucket or Mini Golf program, kids may also play golf for $1 when accompanied by a paying parent at all Ace Golf Courses (18hole golf courses) after 12 Noon every day starting June 1 through the end of October.

Ace Golf Range is located at 12910 Boyette Rd. in Riverview. It is open daily until 10 p.m. The facilities feature lighted golf practice ranges, miniature golf and batting cages.

Ace Golf Courses include the Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes (813996-4653; website: www.plantationpalms.net), and the Crescent Oaks Country Club at 3300 Crescent Oaks Boulevard in Tarpon Springs (727-937-4653; website: www.crescentoaksgolf.com).

All Ace Golf Courses are open to the public and ofer membership, dining and banquet centers.

Ace Golf is locally, family-owned by Su Lee and Place since 1993. In addition to the $1 kids’ program, each location ofers summer golf camps, clinics and private and group golf lessons. For more information, visit https://ace-golf.com/ or call 813-672-7750.

Award recipients and supporter testimonials gave color to the stories that unravel annually as part of the Hillsborough 100 Conservation Challenge, which kicked of with a well-attended luncheon and awards ceremony.

Held this year on April 12 at The Regent in Riverview, Betty Jo Tompkins, executive director of the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD), emceed the ceremony, first held in 2017.

“The idea behind the challenge is at the very core of what our conservation district stands for, and that is that conservation is everybody’s business,” Tompkins said, noting the involvement of agricultural interests, schools, civic organizations, businesses, service clubs, individuals, families and more in action awareness projects. “We take a womb-to-tomb approach. If you’re alive and breathing, we have a program for you.”

Along with 16 mini grants and two student scholarships, the luncheon ceremony recognized the 2023 Outstanding Supporter, Outstanding Project and Outstanding Cooperating Partner.

On behalf of herself and her staf, Janet Lorton, executive director of the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission, accepted the award for Outstanding Cooperating Partner.

Having grown up on a 3,000-acre cow farm that’s now developed, and active in 4-H, through which she showed cattle,

Lorton said it is imperative to “continue working to save the environment,” especially in light of the community’s burgeoning growth.

Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez, who could not make the luncheon, was recognized with his staf as the Outstanding Supporter of the Year.

On behalf of the Hillsborough County Fair, Robert Grifn, chair of the Greater Hillsborough County Fair Board of Directors, accepted the award for Outstanding Project of the Year. The fair each year on the last Sunday of its 11-day run hosts the HSWCD Great Plant Auction, which raised roughly $8,000 in 2022. The money funded two $1,000 scholarships and the $250 minigrant awards.

The Roy Gene Davis Scholarship, named for the plant auction chair and auctioneer, went to Morgan Chancey, president of the Turkey Creek 4-H Club. Madison Leiner received the Michael Hepburn Memorial Scholarship, named posthumously for the former HSWCD board chair and beloved Riverview High teacher.

In kicking of the awards ceremony, Jackie Barren, of The Mosaic Co., the luncheon sponsor, welcomed the more than 170 attendees as she praised the work of Tompkins. “I don’t need to tell this crowd, when Betty Jo calls you, answer on the first ring,” Barren said.

For more information, visit www.hillsboroughswcd.com.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fctitious name of INTEGRITY POOL-SPAS & REPAIRS LLC DBA A.P. WATER SOLUTIONS LLC located at P.O. BOX 1008, in Hillsborough County, in the City of Riverview, Florida, 33568, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

Dated at Valrico, FL this 15th Day of May 2023

All Pro Dad Continues Growth Nationwide With Sold Out Annual Event And Programs

All Pro Dad, a Tampa-based nonprofit, has completed yet another successful event, this time on March 25 at Raymond James Stadium. The soldout All Pro Dad Experience event had over 1,000 dads and their kids in attendance. Attendees were able to engage in a variety of football-oriented activities from the start at 9 a.m. until the event ended at 12 Noon. There were football drills as well as tickle-tackle and touchdown dancing available across the field; plenty of laughter and smiles were also had.

While All Pro Dad might have started in Tampa, where it operates to this day, it has extended far across the nation, as there are now over 1,000 All Pro Dad chapters across over 40 states. This growth has allowed founder Mark Merrill to impact thousands of children and dads across the country.

“Over 20 years ago, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy and I founded All Pro Dad. With the mission to help fathers love and lead their families well, All Pro Dad o f ers resources, training and events. We believe a great way to help fathers become even better leaders in their families is by dedicating one minute a day, one hour a month and one day a year to this goal,” Merrill said.

With increasingly large national operations, All Pro Dad continues to maintain a strong presence in the Tampa

By Jonathan Hurst

area, having 62 active chapters within Hillsborough County. These chapters have ingrained themselves within the culture of the schools and engage with the dads and kids in several ways, one of which is the breakfast program. Through this program, dads are able to have breakfast at school with their children, which in turn helps build their relationship through one-onone time and camaraderie with other dads and children. Attendance at these events can reach up to 200 dads and kids.

All Pro Dad has recently developed multiple new programs to help foster healthy relationships between dads and their children. One of these is a national curriculum for middle and high schools that allows for the All Pro Dad message to e f ectively reach all ages. An additional program, Serve, gives dads the opportunity to volunteer at the school to allow teachers and administrators to focus on what they do best: helping to provide the best educational environment for the kids. This could be anything from operating the car line in the mornings to lunch assistance, or any other applicable school need.

Through its numerous programs and extensive outreach, All Pro Dad is making a positive impact among youths and hopes to continue to do so in larger and larger ways. For more information, visit its website at www.allprodad.com or its Facebook page, All Pro Dad.