Osprey Observer Valrico January 2025 by Osprey Observer

Valrico January 2025

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL OFFERS

RECORD-BREAKING MUSIC HEADLINERS

The Florida Strawberry Festival announced a record breaking sell out for headliner Reba McEntire’s upcoming performance at the 90th annual event. McEntire is set to perform Friday, February 28, at 7:30 p.m. on the Wish Farms Soundstage and the concert sold out shortly after ticket sales went live in December 2024.

“We are very excited to announce that McEntire’s concert at the Florida Strawberry Festival has set an opening-day-ticket sales record. We learned just how many people love Reba and how many people love the Florida Strawberry Festival,” said Florida Strawberry Festival President Kyle Robinson. “The festival directors and sta work hard to bring the best musical artists possible to our guests each year, and I am pleased we could bring Reba to Plant City once again in 2025. We can’t wait to welcome her and all her fans to BerryFest25, where ‘The Stage is Set’ for an unforgettable evening.”

Although McEntire is sold out, there are 11 additional days of live performances to see.

“As we unveil our headline entertainment for BerryFest25, I am beyond excited to say this year’s theme perfectly captures the energy and anticipation surrounding our incredible lineup,” said Robinson. “We’re thrilled to welcome chart-topping stars like Lauren Daigle, The Beach Boys, Nelly, Jon Pardi, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sawyer Brown, Bailey Zimmerman and many more, who will bring

Sta Report

their talent and excitement to our stage. With such amazing performances in store, this year’s festival is sure to be one for the books. We’ve worked hard to create an event that celebrates not just our community’s love for strawberries but also our shared passion for music, fun and tradition. Get ready — ‘The Stage Is Set!’, and we can’t wait to see you there!”

In addition to headline entertainment, the event will host more than 20 ongrounds entertainers, over 85 rides, 150 food vendors, seven livestock shows, six food contests and hundreds of arts and crafts.

The Florida Strawberry Festival is an 11day community event celebrating the strawberry harvest of Eastern Hillsborough County. Each year, more than 600,000 visitors enjoy the festival’s headline entertainment, youth livestock shows, exhibits of commerce and, of course, strawberry shortcake. The 2025 Florida Strawberry Festival, where ‘The Stage Is Set!’, will take place from Thursday, February 27, through Sunday, March 9, at 2209 W. Oak Ave. in Plant City. For more information, visit www.ﬂstrawberryfestival.com, Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok (#berryfest25). Reserved seat tickets are still available for the festival’s other headline entertainment acts and can be purchased on its website https://ﬂstrawberryfestival.com/, over the phone at 813-7541996 or at the Amscot Main Ticket Gate 1.

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VOODOO BREWING CO. OPENS SCRATCH KITCHEN, BREWPUB & GATHERING SPOT IN VALRICO

After spending 25 years in the sta ng industry, Chris Ciulla decided it was time for a change. Honoring a long-standing promise to his wife, he returned to Florida to open his own business. He chose Voodoo Brewing Co. for its mix of ﬂexibility and local focus, allowing him to create a brewpub that ﬁts perfectly in the Valrico community.

Ciulla’s new Voodoo Brewing Co. location o ers scratch-made food, craft beer and a unique Founder’s Club to give back to local charities. His goal is simple: to create a space where locals can enjoy great meals, connect with friends and feel part of something special.

“My hope is that we have a thriving, successful restaurant. We have a scratch kitchen with incredible food. We have a proper chef. Everything’s made from scratch every day, including the french fries, including our dressings — everything is made on premise. My hope is that we have a lot of success together and that we continue to open up more restaurants in the area to serve our community.”

The scratch kitchen and brewpub opened in early December 2024 to a resounding welcome from the community.

“We shattered our goals for opening week thanks to the support of the executive team,” said Ciulla. “Erik Ivey, our chief operating o cer, rallied his team on-site to help us win, and he personally spent eight hours doing kitchen prep with executive chef John while other team members supported our front-ofhouse team. With this level of support from the franchisor, I see a bright future for us in the community.”

More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned ‘liquid gold,’ provided directly from the brewery, local owners o er killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With 20 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. For more information, visit the website at https://voodoofranchising.com/. Sta Report

Before opening, Ciulla activated young artists from Durant High School to design custom doors that are now hanging as artwork around the pub, yet another sign of his commitment to the community. In January, a ribbon-cutting with the Valrico/ Fishhawk Chamber of Commerce further introduced the restaurant to the community. Voodoo Brewing Co. in Valrico is located at 3432 S.R. 60. For more information, visit https://valrico.voodoobrewery.com/.

About Voodoo Brewing Co.

Voodoo Brewing Co. in Valrico recently hosted a ribbon-cutting with the Valrico/Fishhawk Chamber.

Photos Courtesy of Florida Strawberry Festival®. Boyz II Men, Nate Smith, Lynard Skynard and Home Free pictured.

LOCAL MILITARY NO STRESS PCS NONPROFIT SUPPORTS MILITARY ACROSS THE WORLD

When military members PCS, they move from one station assignment to another or make a ‘permanent change of station.’ In 2020, Valrico resident Rob Schelle recognized an opportunity to support military families as they PCS.

Schelle founded Military No Stress PCS, certiﬁed as a nonproﬁt in 2022.

Military No Stress PCS provides relocation assistance and free concierge services through an extensive network across the globe. The network consists of realtors — most of whom are veterans or military spouses — who have a full understanding of the challenges of military families. Military No Stress PCS has 280 connected locations with all six branches of the US military, including Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) locations.

In 2019, Schelle became the president and CEO of the Kilene Kelly Group (KKG) with Keller Williams Realty. Schelle’s desire to serve in the military began years ago. Both his grandfathers served in WWII and his stepdad served in Vietnam.

Realtors with KKG organically aid their clients with local resources — everything from ﬁnding a landscaper, pool service or electrician to recommendations for schools and youth sports. Our area has an inﬂux of military due to the proximity to MacDill Air Force Base. Schelle recognized a way to serve beyond Florida.

“The premise is that this is to serve those who serve. Sometimes they (the military)

By Jane Owen

have all the resources at their ﬁngertips but don’t even know where to start,” Schelle said.

In 2024, Military No Stress PCS helped 3,000 families, up from 1,800 in 2023. It is listed on Military OneSource (www.militaryonesource.mil) and partner with No Paws Left Behind, which specializes in military pet moves.

Shanon Castro, a Lithia resident and military spouse, has used Military No Stress PCS for multiple moves, including a move to Korea.

“No Stress PCS has truly been a game changer. They took the time to truly understand our family, our needs and what was important to us in a community. Their knowledge of local resources, professional services and neighborhoods is unmatched, and whenever they didn’t have the answer, they ﬁnd it,” Castro said.

“When you contact our site or call us, however you reach out, we put you in contact with the right person within our concierge network that will contact you and walk you through it,” Schelle said.

On December 14, 2024, Military No Stress PCS placed 2,400 wreaths in nine military cemeteries as part of National Wreaths Across America Day (www.wreathsacrossamerica.org). Schelle and his family of four placed wreaths at Serenity Meadows in Riverview.

To learn more about No Stress Military PCS and its services, visit https://militarynostresspcs.org/.

FOUNDATION STUDENT EXCELS AT CROSS COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WITH ART AT IMAGINE MUSEUM

From cross-country meets to artistic pursuits, Lindsay Liriano, a junior at Foundation Christian Academy, is always aiming to set personal records. The ﬁrst semester of the 2024-25 school year has been no exception.

On November 16, 2024, Liriano competed at the 2024 Cross Country State Championships in Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee. Not only was Liriano the only student from her school to compete in this year’s meet but she is also the ﬁrst student in her school’s history to race at the state level.

“State[s] was an amazing experience for me, and it was such a big event. I enjoyed being there. I enjoyed being around fast runners who would also compete to make it there,” said Liriano.

Liriano’s interest in running was ﬁrst sparked by her enrollment in the Girls on the Run program at age 9. Upon entering middle school, Liriano joined the cross-country team and increased her training intensity. Liriano has been working toward the goal of making it to the state championships for roughly ﬁve years, training every afternoon, in the mornings and on weekends during this school year.

Lindsay Liriano is the only student in Foundation Christian Academy’s history to compete at State Championships.

“The start of this year, I was aiming for it — the moment I started my ﬁrst 5K,” said Liriano.

But Liriano’s momentum did not stop

By Madeline Gardner

there. While training for the state championship, Liriano stumbled upon an Instagram post by the Imagine Museum of Contemporary Glass Art, encouraging students to submit pieces to its Student ‘Call to Artists’ exhibition under the theme ‘Imagination.’ With the help of her art teacher, Terry Reeves, Liriano borrowed class time to ﬁnish her submission before the museum’s deadline. On October 23, 2024, Liriano discovered her artwork had been accepted.

Titled Child’s Play, her piece is a mixed media artwork, incorporating graphite to highlight children in a black-and-white background. She also utilizes glass, on which her child subjects are actively painting with actual paint.

Going forward, Liriano aims to set even higher goals, gearing up for the track and ﬁeld season next semester and the Gasparilla Distance Classic 15K in February. She also intends to carve out more time for art.

“I am very thankful to my art teacher, Mr. Reeves; my current private coach, Jon Noland, who has been a huge positive inspiration; and my previous coaches, Larsen and Mike,” said Liriano. “I am also thankful to my family, my school, Foundation Christian Academy, my friends and teachers for all the support they have given me.”

Rob Schelle placing a wreath at Serenity Meadows in Riverview as part of Wreaths Across America Day.

Lindsay Liriano’s Child’s Play artwork was on display at the Imagine Museum through December 10, 2024.

HILLSBOROUGH GRANT SUPPORT

AIDS ‘BRANDON PARADE OF LIGHTS’ AND OTHER LOCAL

Among the more than $1.46 million in grant funding issued for special events throughout Hillsborough County was a $15,248.25 grant for the December 14, 2024, debut of the Brandon Parade of Lights.

EVENTS

By Linda Chion

“The funds support overall parade expenses and help build a foundation to continue the legacy of the parade in 2025,” said Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Vice President Amber Aaron. “The joy we felt seeing this parade come to life and be so warmly embraced by the community is beyond words. It’s a true celebration of unity, tradition and the spirit that brings us all together and will continue for many years to come.”

As Liz Brewer, president of the Rotary Club of Brandon and head of the Angel Foundation FL, put it in a post-parade post, “Tonight was one more conﬁrmation we live in an amazing community and with people who have incredible servant hearts.”

The Christmas spectacle, staged in partnership with the Valrico/Fishhawk Chamber of Commerce, brought together the communities of Brandon, Valrico, Plant City, Riverview, Lithia and more to the sidewalks of Oakﬁeld Drive, where marching bands from four high schools — Brandon, Bloomingdale, Newsome and Riverview — participated in the merriment.

The parade grant funding was approved

by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), after a recommendation from the 11-member Cultural Assets Commission. Appointed by the BOCC, the commission meets quarterly at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center in Tampa. A call for grant applications occurs at least twice every ﬁscal year, which for the county runs from October 1 through September 30.

In the latest round of approved funding, 37 groups, staging 45 events, were approved to receive a piece of the $1.46 million. Eligible are such things as art, local food, ﬁlm and music festivals, as well as historic, local community and river celebration events. Not eligible are such things as sporting events, beauty pageants, charitable fundraisers and events organized for political or religious purposes.

Among the grants awarded most recently, the Greater SouthShore Chamber of Commerce received $25,151.56 for the 34th annual Ruskin Seafood Festival. Another $22,646.86 was earmarked for the Fourth of July ‘Catch the Spirit and Celebrate America’ drone light show and festival at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds in Dover.

For more, including application information and a list of grant recipients, visit www. hcﬂ.gov and search for ‘Special Events Partnership Grants.’

NEW COACH BRINGS LOVE OF SPORT TO DURANT BOYS LACROSSE TEAM

As a founding member of one of the ﬁ rst high school lacrosse teams in Florida, Peter Blake has always had an interest in growing the sport of lacrosse. He took over the boys’ lacrosse program at Durant High School in December after working as an assistant coach at Bloomingdale High School the prior season.

He was on one of the ﬁ rst high school lacrosse teams over 30 years ago as a student at Saint Edward’s School in Vero Beach. He also played college lacrosse at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He goes back to his roots by playing in the alumni game at his high school every December.

He has ﬁ ve years of experience coaching lacrosse, including coaching at his high school. He has also coached at the Florida Lacrosse Club (FLC) for almost a year. He said he has coached a lot of his Durant players on the club team as well.

“I love the sport,” said Blake. “The sport is something that has come a long way. It’s a sport that’s growing, and they had a need at Durant. Our county needs to keep the sport alive.”

Blake has three captain starters returning this year. He wants his team to

Imaging on Your Time

By Nick Nahas

have a good time and enjoy playing lacrosse while giving them some structure and helping them elevate themselves as players and people.

“Lacrosse is one of those sports where there are a lot of moving parts, no matter what position you play. So, I relate the sport a lot to everyday life and the challenges that we face,” said Blake. “If you can get through a lacrosse game and you win or lose, you’re learning those steps to be a great human being.”

His goals are to keep the program alive, introduce the sport to anybody who wants to play, and help his players earn a scholarship if they want to play at the next level.

“I’m a player’s coach, so it’s always fun for me, I just enjoy it,” said Blake. “There’s no end goal other than watching the sport and the boys learn it, allowing it to grow. There’s really nothing there other than the enjoyment of the sport.” Blake, who works as a ﬁ nancial advisor, is getting his team ready for the start of the season on Monday, January 20. Conditioning started on January 13. He would like to thank the Durant Booster Club and the team parents for supporting the team.

Brandon Parade of Lights judges, from left to right, Melissa Snively, Annabel Lennard and Marie Gilmore.

Peter Blake took over the boys’ lacrosse team at Durant High School in December 2024.

e Durant High School boys’ lacrosse team designed a new logo this year.

MANAGING

EDITOR

Marie Gi lmore

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BILLING

MANAGER

Terry Vassalotti

657-2418 terry@Jnspreyobserver.com

MARKETING

MANAGER

Jennifer Hurst

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Taylor Wells

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Kathy

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TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BREAKS GROUND ON AIRSIDE D

Tampa International Airport (TPA) o cials joined business and community leaders on December 18, 2024, to o cially break ground on Airside D, the ﬁrst new Airside terminal at TPA in nearly 20 years.

With flags marking the enormous space the future terminal will fill on TPA’s airfield, guests at the momentous event were able to envision Airside D, which will accommodate the region’s rapid growth and anticipated increase in passengers and flights.

“This state-of-the-art Airside will help us continue our tradition of staying ahead of trends by adding 16 gates for both domestic and international ﬂights at TPA,” Tampa International Airport CEO Joe Lopano said. “It will also feature the latest technology for our passengers when it opens in 2028. We’re going to do it the Tampa way.”

original Airside D, which existed when the airport opened in 1971. That outdated facility was closed and demolished in 2007. Since then, the space has been used by airlines to park planes overnight. The new Airside D will feature two levels plus a mezzanine for two airline lounges, a bright and spacious international passenger arrival processing area on the first floor, glass boarding bridges to allow views of the airfield for travelers and new shopping and dining locations.

The facility is a centerpiece project of phase three of TPA’s master plan, a blueprint for how the airport will deal with projected traveler growth. The Airside will help TPA, which currently serves an estimated 25 million passengers annually, serve up to 35 million annual passengers by 2037.

Lopano was joined by several key o cials involved with the project, including Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue; Tampa Mayor and Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA) board member Jane Castor; TPA Executive Vice President of Planning & Development and Maintenance Smitha Radhakrishnan; and Hensel Phelps Regional Vice President for the Southeast Justin Starnes.

“The state of Florida has a nationally renowned, world-class transportation system, and it’s because of partners like the TPA that we can truly say that,” Perdue said. “Airside D is a shining example of how we lead in infrastructure and continue to build worldclass facilities that support the growth of the state of Florida.”

The ceremony for the new Airside took place on the airﬁeld where the facility will be built, to the northwest of TPA’s main terminal. The space once was the home of the

“Make no mistake, this Airside will be all about the passenger journey and we are going to make it magniﬁcent,” said Radhakrishnan. At approximately 600,000 square feet, Airside D will be the largest Airside at TPA when it’s completed. The project has a preliminary cost of $1.5 billion and is scheduled to open to the public in 2028.

The design-build team for the project, led by construction company Hensel Phelps, with Architecture and Engineering company HNTB Corporation, in association with Gensler. The design is currently scheduled to be ﬁnalized by the end of 2025.

A $91 million enabling contract awarded by the HCAA board at the December meeting will allow on-site work to begin at TPA. This includes installing security fencing around the perimeter of where the Airside will be built, concrete removal, establishing contractor o ces and utility work.

For more information, visit www.tampaairport.com/business/airside-d.

(never known to fail)

O Most beautiful flowers of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me here you are my mother. O Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succeed me in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee (three times). Holy Mary I place this cause in your hands (three times).

Say this prayer for three consecutive days and then you must publish and it will be granted to you. T.O.C.M.B.

•

Photos courtesy of Tampa International Airport.

If you’re from Plant City or if you tend to visit its historic downtown area, you know it’s all about the trains. If nothing else, you know that if tra c is tied up, it is probably not a tra c jam; it is a train crossing.

“We love our trains, without which there would be no Plant City,” said local Plant City historian Gil Gott. “Imagine, if you will, what it was like before the railroad came. The roads were barely what we would call roads, dirt and sand and narrow.

There were no Wawas or Circle Ks, no McDonald’s and no AAAs if you break down. The weather could be beautiful or horrendous and you had to ﬁnd a way to deal with it while taking care of yourself, your ox or mule and your produce, and it took forever to get to Tampa, unload your produce and return home.”

When the Plant City Union Depot was built in 1902, it played an important role in the early development of Plant City, whose main industries of farming, lumber and phosphate mining depended heavily on the railroad.

The station once served both the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. Mail also arrived in Plant City via this depot, and the Western Union telegraph service was based there. The Plant City Union Depot continued to operate until 1971. It was added to the National Register of Historic Buildings in 1974.

“Word of a potential railway coming

By Libby Hopkins

into the area to lead from east to west to Tampa was powerful news,” Gott said.

“Businesspeople and farmers began planning for a possible new future. They surveyed the area for the potential railway and suddenly land was being purchased for development. By droves, people began to leave their communities for the promise of the new town.”

In January 1884, when the Florida Southern Railroad, part of Henry B. Plant’s railroad system, completed the railway all the way from Sanford to Tampa, with Sanford’s access to the St. Johns River, Jacksonville and north and Tampa’s access to the Gulf Coast and beyond. In the center of all this was a town soon to be named for Mr. Plant.

“Plant City was named after Henry B. Plant,” Gott said. “The Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line merged into the Seaboard Coast Line in 1967, terminating passenger service to Plant City in 1970. The station, known as the ‘depot,’ was deeded to the City of Plant City in 1974. It was saved from demolition by the arts council and is now the Willaford Railroad Museum. Freight transportation to and from Plant City has diminished but is still strong, and freight will be riding the rails in Plant City for years to come.”

The Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum is located at 102 N. Palmer St. in Plant City. Visit the museum website at www.willafordrailroadmuseum.com.

TECO SEEKS RESTORATION COSTS AFTER UNPRECEDENTED HURRICANE SEASON

Sta Report

In 2024’s extremely active hurricane season, Tampa Electric customers were hit by two back-to-back hurricanes and one tropical storm. Restoring power after those storms has more than exhausted the company’s storm reserve, which was established to pay for damage from named storms.

Tampa Electric today ﬁled with the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to recover the costs of restoring power after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, along with Tropical Storm Debby. The request also includes costs of Tropical Storm Idalia from 2023 and replenishing the storm reserve.

The 2024 hurricane season was one of the deadliest and most destructive in more than a century. Hurricane Helene brought unprecedented ﬂooding to West Central Florida, and just days later Hurricane Milton caused signiﬁcant devastation from downed trees. Over the course of the two hurricanes, the company brought in 9,500 line workers from outof-state utilities, which allowed speedy restoration. With the help of those crews, Tampa Electric restored essentially all power after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in one and seven days, respectively.

The company is seeking $464 million, which it paid upfront to restore power. For the average residential customer, who uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month, that would add $30.81 to their monthly bill, if approved as ﬁled.

The PSC is expected to review and discuss the prudency of restoration costs in early 2025. The temporary ‘storm restoration surcharge’ would begin in March and continue for 12 months.

“These storms have left an undeniable mark on our region,” said Archie Collins, president and CEO of Tampa Electric. “We understand the hardship these storms have caused in our community and recognize that this cost increase will be challenging for some customers. We are ready to help where we can.”

To help those who need it most, Tampa Electric is contributing $1 million to the Share program to assist customers who are still struggling from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This donation will provide direct relief to help people pay their utility bills. It comes from shareholder funds and will not a ect customer bills.

Tampa Electric is committed to helping the community. The company o ers nearly 30 energy and money-saving programs (www.tampaelectric.com/residential/saveenergy/), the most of any electric utility in Florida. The company also has a variety of programs and partners to assist customers who need help paying their bills. This includes the Share program, which is funded by the generosity of TECO employees, customers and community partners. TECO matches donations to the Share program dollar for dollar.

For ﬁnancial help, please visit www. tampaelectric.com/payassist.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON THE GALLERY AT SOUTH TAMPA, A PREMIER SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY IN VALRICO

e arts-inspired senior living community introduces 202 homes, including independent living, assisted living and memory care to the area.

Experience Senior Living (ESL) is excited to announce the beginning of construction on The Gallery at South Tampa, an artfully crafted senior living community located at 5049 Bell Shoals Rd. in Valrico. As ESL’s eighth community in Florida and ﬁfth on the Gulf Coast, this vibrant new addition to the ESL portfolio will redeﬁne what retirement living can be in the Tampa area. The community is expected to open its doors by the spring of 2027, with a sales center opening in early 2025. To secure your priority deposit today, visit https:// gallerysrliving.com/communities/the-gallery-at-south-tampa/.

Designed to be as unique as the residents it serves, The Gallery at South Tampa will encompass 240,613 square feet of artfully curated spaces, o ering a diverse array of living options. The community will feature 202 homes, including 30 independent living cottages, 89 independent living apartment homes, 45 assisted living apartments and 38 memory care suites.

“We are thrilled to begin construction on The Gallery at South Tampa, a community where residents will not just live — they will experience a life full of purpose, creativity and connection,” said Phill Barklow, president of Experience Senior Living. “As

with all of our Gallery communities, we have carefully crafted a space that emphasizes engagement, wellness and the joy of living, all within an environment that sparks the imagination and encourages a vibrant, artful lifestyle.”

With intentionally designed spaces, The Gallery at South Tampa will o er an array of amenities to elevate both physical well-being and creative expression. Amenities include a saltwater outdoor pool, a professional beauty salon, a ﬁtness center, pickleball courts and a movie theater. Multiple restaurant venues o ering indoor and outdoor dining options will feature exceptional culinary creations and a full-service bar. Residents will have access to a variety of activity spaces where they can engage in arts, culture and meaningful connections. Local art will be featured throughout the campus, bringing the spirit of Tampa into every corner of the community.

Situated on a picturesque 17-acre site, The Gallery at South Tampa will be designed to preserve the grandeur of its existing oak trees, with winding walking paths providing residents opportunities to connect with nature together. Curated courtyards and private gardens will o er spaces to relax and enjoy time with new friends.

For more information about The Gallery at South Tampa, please visit www.galleryatsouthtampa.com.

BLOOMINGDALE PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATES

Due to the rise of mental health issues with adolescents, Dr Charles Devine and Natalie Beemer, ARNP of Bloomingdale Psychiatric Associates are pleased to announce that they are now accepting adolescents 15 years and older.

Dr Charles Devine, with his 25 years experience and Natalie Beemer who specializes in Psychiatry have become well known in our area and are considered top in their field.

TMS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

TMS of Central Florida provides NeuroStar TMS therapy. TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) is a safe, effective cleared by the FDA treatment for individuals,15 years and older who suffer from Major Depression and OCD. It is for individuals that have tried and failed medication due to the side effects or did not receive positive results. TMS is not a drug or “shock” therapy. TMS therapy is an in-office treatment that is 18 minutes and 45 seconds long. Treatments are done 5 days a week for 7 weeks. It requires no down time! You can resume all normal activities immediately such as returning to school or work. Visit our websites Tmscentralflorida.com for more information and Neurostar.com for full safety and for prescribing information.

Both facilities are conveniently located at 336 East Bloomingdale Avenue in Brandon. Insurance ranges for each facility so please contact us at the following numbers.

Bloomingdale Psychiatric Associates

813-689-2466

TMS of Central Florida

813-423-7037

SHOP LOCAL

KEEL FARMS’ NEW RENTAL VENUE

OFFERS BEAUTIFUL VIEWS FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT

Keel Farms itself has been around since its founding in 1981 by local landscaper Joe Keel. What started as plants quickly turned into fruits, and by 2003 Keel & Curley Winery was born. Keel sold the company to his son, Clay, and Clay’s wife, Carmen.

e Osprey View is a serene haven that blends the charm of a vineyard, the elegance of an event venue and the comfort of an Airbnb into one delightful experience. Surrounded by picturesque landscapes, the property promises an escape into nature’s tranquility while o ering a touch of luxury.

Serving the local community for the past 21 years, Keel Farms produces wines and ciders by utilizing its 25acre farm and focusing on sustainable, groundto-glass products. Keel Farms is widely distributed across the state of Florida.

The farm is a family-friendly environment that features farm animals, wine tastings, dining experiences as well as tours of the property and production facilities, and it is open seven days a week to the public.

Recently, Keel Farms opened its new rental venue, The Osprey View.

“Our new venue, The Osprey View, is a 10-acre property located directly on Lake Thonotosassa just outside of Tampa Bay that was purchased by Clay Keel and a small group of private investors,” said The Osprey View’s general manager, Josh Henneman. “With over 6 acres of muscadine grape vines on property, the venue features beautiful sightlines in every direction. Our covered reception space sits on the front of our 124-year-old farmhouse and boasts incredible views of the lake. The property has two

By Libby Hopkins

ceremony sites, a gorgeous bridal suite on the second ﬂoor of our farmhouse, a groom’s bunkhouse across the street on the lake, a boardwalk running along the beach and more. The Osprey View is perfect for hosting weddings or events.”

The Osprey View is a serene haven that blends the charm of a vineyard, the elegance of an event venue and the comfort of an Airbnb into one delightful experience. Surrounded by picturesque landscapes, the property promises an escape into nature’s tranquility while o ering a touch of luxury.

“The plan is to become one of the premier wedding and event venues in the Tampa Bay area, joining an incredible list of venues already operating in our community,” Henneman said. “We want The Osprey View to be a beautiful and natural background for our guests’ most memorable moments in life as well as to continue to provide an exceptional guest experience for our couples and event hosts before, during and after their events.”

If you would like to learn more about The Osprey View or book your next event at the new venue, you can contact Henneman at josh@theospreyview.com or visit the venue’s website at www.theospreyview.com. The Osprey View is located at 11501 Thonotosassa Rd. in Thonotosassa.

CINEMA CHARITY BRINGS PHILANTHROPY TO

Mike Gutierrez, a local entrepreneur with a deep passion for ﬁlms, has always cherished the experience of going to the movies with his family—the magic of the big screen, the excitement of the latest release, and, of course, the popcorn. But it was when he crossed paths with Marcus Beauﬁls, the Director of Plant City’s PREMIERE LUX 8 & Pizza Pub, during a movie promotion that a new vision began to take shape: blending the love of cinema with the spirit of giving. From this chance encounter, Cinema Charity was born.

THE MOVIES

By Marie Gilmore

“At Cinema Charity, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire change,” explained Gutierrez.

“Movies have a unique ability to unite people, spark creativity, and drive positive action. Our mission is to harness that magic to make a meaningful di erence in the world.”

Cinema Charity’s signature events include ra es featuring ﬁlm memo-

rabilia, such as posters, tickets, and collectibles. The funds raised through these events support charitable causes and fund initiatives that emphasize education, creativity, and empowerment. Whether hosting movie-themed events or sponsoring community programs, Cinema Charity strives to uplift underserved communities while celebrating the timeless art of ﬁlm.

The organization currently holds ra es on its website, www. cinemacharity.com, as well as in-person at local events. One of the charity’s ongoing contests o ers a chance to win two tickets and a Number 1 Combo to the Plant City PREMIERE LUX 8 & Pizza Pub, located at 220 W Alexander St Suite 31, Plant City, FL 33563.

tFor Gutierrez and Beauﬁls, the goal is clear: to bring people together, share their love of movies and use the power of cinema to inspire and uplift the community.

OWNER MARK GIRDWOOD BRINGS

A PERSONAL TOUCH TO PRESSURE WASHING WITH PRO221

When it comes to exterior cleaning, Pro221 Pressure Washing stands out for its commitment to quality and community. Owner Mark Girdwood, a Valrico resident, has made it his mission to help homeowners maintain beautiful, lasting properties. His business isn’t just about cleaning — it’s about building longterm relationships with the community and o ering services that go the extra mile.

After years in restaurant management, Girdwood made the bold decision to leave his steady career behind and follow his passion for pressure washing.

“It was a big leap, but it was the right one,” Girdwood shared. “I wanted a business that would allow me to spend more time with my wife, Lindsey, and our two kids, Andrew and Adalyn. I also wanted to do something that had a real impact on my community.”

Pro221 Pressure Washing o ers a range of services, but one of the most popular is paver sealing. This service protects and enhances the appearance of patios, walkways and driveways, helping them stay looking new for longer.

“Paver sealing not only adds protection but also brings out the natural beauty of outdoor spaces,” Girdwood explained. “It’s an investment that can make a big di erence in your property’s curb appeal.”

But what really sets Pro221 apart is Girdwood’s hands-on approach. When you call, you’ll speak directly with him. He schedules every job and personally ensures the work is done right.

Sta Report

“I want my customers to know they’re getting my full attention,” Girdwood said. “I’m involved every step of the way to make sure they’re happy with the results.”

Beyond his work with Pro221, Girdwood is also deeply involved in the Valrico community. He believes in supporting local events, organizations and families.

“Being a part of this community is important to me. It’s where I live, work and raise my kids, and I try to give back in whatever way I can,” Girdwood shared.

Whether it’s volunteering at local schools, sponsoring events, or supporting neighborhood projects, Girdwood is always looking for ways to make a positive impact.

One local resident, Joseph from Valrico, recently shared his experience with Pro221: “Mark did an amazing job sealing our driveway and patio. The quality of work and attention to detail was beyond our expectations. We’re deﬁnitely using Pro221 for all our future exterior cleaning needs.”

Pro221 uses high-quality equipment and eco-friendly products to deliver lasting results. Girdwood treats every job as if it were his own home, ensuring every customer is satisﬁed with the work.

“My goal is simple — 100 percent customer satisfaction,” Girdwood said. “If something’s not right, I’ll ﬁx it.”

To schedule a service, 813-699-0304, visit www.pro221.com, or check out Pro221’s Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pro221pressurewashing.

ENROLL TODAY!

CFDA offers instruction for ages 2 - 18 in various genres. We have a place for dancers of any level of ability from beginner to advanced. CFDA is home to an award-winning competition team, but also offers recreational classes.

E Brandon

100 WOMEN WHO CARE RIVERVIEW/ FISHHAWK REACHES $100,000 MILESTONE IN CHARITY DONATIONS

In a heartwarming display of community spirit, 100 Women Who Care Riverview/FishHawk achieved a remarkable milestone in December: collectively donating over $100,000 to local charities since its founding. The group, dedicated to improving lives in the Riverview and FishHawk communities, celebrated this achievement by selecting the Kiwanis Club of Brandon as the recipient of their December donation.

At its December meeting, 100 Women Who Care Riverview/FishHawk donated to Kiwanis Club of Brandon bringing its total contributions to charity since 2018 to $100,000.

For those unfamiliar with the initiative, 100 Women Who Care is a simple but powerful concept: women from the area gather four times a year, each contributing $100. At each meeting, three local charities are nominated, and after brief presentations, one is selected to receive the collective donations. With 100 women in the group, that’s $10,000 per meeting, with the potential to make a signiﬁcant impact on local causes.

The Kiwanis Club of Brandon was chosen in December for its ongoing work with local youth, including its weekly backpack feeding program, support of scholarships and community service projects. Its mission aligns with the core values of the group, making Kiwanis a perfect recipient for this milestone contribution.

“Reaching the $100,000 mark is not just a number—it’s a testament to the power

By Marie Gilmore

of women coming together with a shared purpose,” said Debbie Matice, a member of 100 Women Who Care Riverview/FishHawk. “This milestone shows what can be accomplished when we all pool our resources and make a di erence in the lives of those around us.”

The Kiwanis Club of Brandon was deeply grateful for the generous donation, which will help fund their continued e orts in supporting the community’s youth. “This donation will make a real di erence in the lives of so many young people in our community,” said Lynn Langowski, member of the Kiwanis Club. “It’s inspiring to see how local women are using their collective power to create positive change.”

Since its inception in October 2018, 25 local non proﬁt organizations have received donations. Additionally, the Shultz Family Foundation o ers a 50% matching grant up to $5,000 each quarter in a special partnership with registered 100 Women Who Care organizations.

100 Women Who Care Riverview/FishHawk meets quarterly. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, March 12, 6 p.m. at Vine Vegan restaurant located at 2080 Badlands Dr, Brandon, FL 33511. Find the group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/100WWCRiverviewFishHawk.

NEW VALRICO POP-UP MARKET

A new pop-up market is making waves in the Valrico area, offering a unique space to support small businesses, artisans and local entrepreneurs while fostering a strong sense of community. The Valrico Pop-up Market hosted its debut event on January 11. The second event, arriving just in time for Valentine’s Day, will be held on Saturday, February 8, 10 a.m.2 p.m. It promises a lively day of shopping, entertainment and local culture.

Unlike typical markets, the Valrico Pop-up Market is designed with a purpose beyond just commerce. Organizers are committed to creating a friendly, family-oriented atmosphere where visitors can connect with their neighbors, discover local talent and celebrate what makes Valrico special. This new market will showcase a wide variety of goods, including handmade crafts, art, jewelry, home decor, and much more.

“We’re here to support small businesses and local entrepreneurs and artisans in the community,” said the market’s spokesperson Marcela Torres. “This isn’t just a market — it’s a chance for people to come together, meet new people, enjoy local natural and organic food and spend time with their families.”

The Valrico Pop-up Market is committed to fostering a sense of belonging and unity in the community while supporting the vibrant local economy. Whether you’re looking to shop, eat or simply spend time with friends and neighbors, the market o ers something for everyone. The market will be held monthly at 407 S. St. Cloud Ave. Valrico in the parking lot of Iglesia La Esperanza. For more information or vendor inquiries, contact the Valrico Pop-up Market at 813-679-4760 or email valricopopupmarket@gmail.com.

e new Valrico Pop-up Market is coming to Valrico on the second Saturday of the month. e next planned market is Saturday,

Master Garage Door Company has been a part of the Brandon community since 1997. Owners Steve and Tawnie Manning are committed to serving with integrity and value the trust of our community.

“We are a locally and family-owned and operated business,” said Steve. “Tawnie and I still work hard every day to serve our community. For our entire team, we take our work personally, have pride in the service we provide and love the relationships we’ve built along the way.”

Master Garage Door Company specializes in the installation, service and repair of all makes and models of residential and light commercial garage doors and garage door openers.

“We are licensed, bonded and insured,” Manning said. “Every new door we install is permitted by Hillsborough County to meet all wind load and hurricane specifications for hurricane code requirements.”

Being a part of the Brandon community is very important to the Mannings. Both Tawnie and Steve serve on boards or are part of various Brandon-community nonprofits and organizations. Their business has also won numerous awards for their level of customer service.

“We love our community and it’s im-

By Libby Hopkins

portant to us to give back to our community by being a vital part of it,” Manning said. “We are faith-based, and the name ‘Master’ comes from a few things; one, we intend to do the best at what we do, and the Lord is the master, and it’s because of him we are able to do the things we do for others.”

The Mannings have been strong supporters of Homes For Our Troops for many years. This veteran nonprofit builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, to enable them to rebuild their lives.

“Giving back to our military is very important to Tawnie and I,” Steve said.

“They served our country, and we felt is was our honor to serve them and give them a quality garage door for their new homes.”

Whether you need new equipment or repairs to an existing system, you can trust Master Garage Door Company to get the job done quickly and with integrity. If you would like to learn more about the services offered at Master Garage Door Company or to schedule a free consultation, you can visit its website at www.mastergaragedoor.com or call 813-684-7744.

LOCAL AND FAMILY OWNED 55 RIDES OFFERS PEACE OF MIND AND SECURITY

From airport pickups to rides for girls’ nights, 55 Rides offers a luxury service for local customers looking for a ride.

Michael Brand started the company when he noticed a need for such service in the Greater Brandon, Lithia, Valrico and Riverview areas.

“We’re trying to provide an experience,” Brand said.

Since starting the company in August, Brand said his favorite part has been meeting new people and getting to offer peace of mind and security.

In its first four months, 55 Rides has hosted around 250 customers. Its two drivers are fully licensed and insured, offering the security riders deserve.

Customers can book a ride for anytime from the same day or months in advance. Prices vary, depending on the trip.

Brand said he has had families use 55 Rides, who said they would never drive themselves again after the ride.

“I’ve had husbands get in the car and they tell me they’re never driving to the airport or the cruise terminal with their wives again because they’re never on time, but this time they were ready 15 minutes early,” Brand said.

By Lily Belcher

Coming back from a ladies’ night out, Brand stated the customers said how happy they were that they used a car service when they knew what time the driver would be there and who the driver was.

“That made me feel great because that’s one of the things we’re striving for: to be able to provide that for people,” he said.

In addition to offering reliable and friendly transportation, 55 Rides has a package with iSmash, an entertainment venue with smash rooms, splatter painting and ax throwing.

The package includes an hour at iSmash and can be customized to include transportation to dinner or drinks.

55 Rides is also looking to work with other local restaurants and bars to create more packages for riders.

In addition to hosting travel transportation, 55 Rides offers rides to prom, date nights, concerts and Lightning games, giving riders a break from driving in heavy traffic or busy parking lots.

For more information on how to book a ride, email 55 Rides at 55ridestampa@ gmail.com or message it on Facebook page at ‘55 Rides.’

Master Garage Door Company has been a part of the Brandon community since 1997. Owners Steve and Tawnie Manning are committed to serving with integrity and value the trust of our community.

55 Rides offers flexible booking, reliable transportation and friendly service for customers.

The Tony Baroni Team wishes YOU and your family a great 2025!!!

LEADERSHIP

Tony was the proud winner of the Tampa Bay Real Producer Ultimate Leadership Award, nominated by his Agent and Industry Peers.

HUNDREDS

We loved our annual PIE DAY to give away pies and express our GRATITUDE in person!

120

QUARTERLY

ONE 2024 Magazine Feature with Tampa Bay Top Producers.

TBT loves our Team Events to see each other, learn together and have a good time. After our annual Team Strategy and Planning meeting, we cheered on the TB Bucs!

$10,000+

TOP 200 Relationships with past clients and referrals were 120 closings this year. We love Florida and are so thrilled to help more families call it home!

300+ For the past 3 years we have consistently served over 300 families each year.

TOO MANY

Too many coffees to count!

Since 2007, for each family we help buy, sell or invest, we donate to KW Cares, a non proﬁt organization. Plus, we are honored to donate Thousands to local charities through our Call in to Win Contests, where we donate $2 for every entry and always round up!

Tony is honored to be in Gary Keller’s National Top Agents Group.

3,000+ Homes Sold |

2,700+ 5 Star Reviews

Year In Review – Updates On Our Top Stories From 2024

INAUGURAL PARADE OF LIGHTS WILL BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN DECEMBER

By Lily Belcher

The first-ever Brandon Parade of Lights was a resounding success with thousands of residents lining the streets near Oakfield Dr. on December 14, 2024, in what is now promised to be an annual event.

More than 70 parade participants, including four area marching bands, a drum line, three pirate krewes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, were on hand to light up the night.

Parade organizer Kerrie Hoening said, “As far as an ‘inaugural event’ could go, our committee was very proud of what we accomplished, and it exceeded our expectations.”

Marching bands from Bloomingdale, Newsome, Brandon and Riverview high schools were a highlight of the parade.

“On a personal note,” added Hoening, “I grew up in Brandon and we never had a holiday parade (outside of a few years a long time ago), so I am excited to have something like this for our community.”

On January 7, parade winners were announced, and plans are already underway for Saturday, December 13, for the second Brandon Parade of Lights.

Original Story Printed November 2024.

The Parade of Lights will bring the Greater Brandon community together on Saturday, December 14, for its inaugural event.

The mile-and-a-half-long parade will kick off just as the sun sets, filling the street with Christmas lights and music from Newsome, Brandon, Riverview and Bloomingdale high schools’ bands.

Committee Chairperson Kerrie Hoening said the parade, which is sponsored by Reed & Reed, will provide Brandon with a “big holiday event.”

The committee partnered with the Greater Brandon and the Valrico/Fishhawk chambers of commerce, which gave them access to resources, businesses and opportunities that helped make the parade possible.

“We are working really hard to make it a really fun event,” Hoening said.

Creating the Parade of Lights was not without its challenges, but the support from the county has made all the difference, Hoening said.

“We’re starting from ground zero,” she said.

One of the challenges was selecting a route that will be the least disruptive, a decision that took several months to make.

The free parade will kick off at 5:30 p.m. at the Parson Avenue and Oakfield Drive intersection, heading west down Oakfield Drive.

There will also be grandstand seating sponsored by Rivard Buick GMC. People can purchase grandstand tickets for $50, which offers VIP seating, parking, food and a signature beverage. However, there are only 100 seats available, so Hoening encourages people to purchase their VIP tickets soon.

Proceeds from the event will go to two charities: Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary and Angel Foundation FL.

Hoening said she’s expecting a huge crowd and would be “utterly thrilled” if they have at least 10,000 people.

“I would say having something new and unique to bring our community is probably the thing I’m looking forward to the most,” Hoening said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the excitement of people who are going to show up and just have a really good time in this parade.”

For more information on the event or to buy grandstand tickets, visit https://brandonparadeoflights.com/.

Expires 1/31/2025

Year In Review – Updates On Our

COMMUNITY CELEBRATES LONG-AWAITED BELL SHOALS COMPLETION

By Brian Bokor

Bell Shoals Road has now been open with it’s widened roadway for a year this month after nearly five years of construction and delays.

Original Story Printed January 2024.

Residents and commuters who travel Bell Shoals Road will have a finished new corridor this month as a ribbon-cutting event celebrates the completion of the expanded roadway.

The 3.1-mile corridor has two new vehicle lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks in both directions. A new traffic signal has been added at Starwood Avenue, and the existing signals at Glenhaven Drive, Rosemead Lane and Bloomingdale Avenue have been upgraded. In addition, the existing bridge over the Alafia River was widened.

These tremendous enhancements will accommodate higher traffic volumes, improve stormwater drainage and boost the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. Additionally, they will increase access to transit and alternative transportation while preserving infrastructure assets.

The new Bell Shoals Road corridor is the latest in a string of massive infrastructure projects in Hillsborough County, including the Bruce B. Downs Boulevard expansion, the Citrus Park Drive extension and the Paseo al Mar Boulevard overpass connect-

ing U.S. 301 and U.S. 41 in South County. All of these projects increased safety for drivers as well as pedestrians and bicyclists, and improved mobility across the county.

The Bell Shoals Road project cost just over $70 million, including land acquisition and construction. The project was paid for with a variety of funding sources, including the Community Investment Tax (CIT), federal grants and mobility fees. The widening plans were introduced to the community at an open house public meeting held at the Bloomingdale Library in October 2018 with construction beginning soon after, so the excitement to announce completion of the five-plus-year project was palpable.

“Bell Shoals is major thoroughfare for this community and all of East Hillsborough,” District 5 Commissioner Donna Cameron-Cepeda told the crowd, adding that the road and its artilleries “serve tens of thousands of people each day.”

District 4 Commissioner Michael Owen, said, “This is where multiple communities come together to share this road,” including Brandon, Riverview to the west, Lithia to the south and Valrico to the east, while emphasizing there is still “more work to do on this side of town” as growth continues.

Participating in The Great Christmas Light Fight hasn’t changed the Burton Family Light Show much, although it has seen an increase in crowds, Rodney Burton said. The Burtons view this as an opportunity to connect more with our community and make a positive impact. Some visitors share heartfelt stories like losing loved ones, and they find comfort and joy in the family’s lights, giving them a renewed sense of purpose.

The Burtons have also seen others join the lights community after visiting their show and have gained new clients through these interactions. This year, they’ve made a few updates, adding six more fountains and four additional moving heads on the roof. They’ve expanded their playlist as well and currently rotate it weekly, with the show running about an hour before repeating.

On Sunday, the Burtons continue to host their Worship Light Show Hour featuring Christmas songs and Christian music. They are also collecting pet food and donations for A Kitten Place and Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary.

Original Story Printed January 2024.

By Lily Belcher

For Rodney and Audra Burton, Christmas lights are more than just decorations; they’re also a way to give people a place to escape their everyday lives.

“This is truly for the community. That’s what this is all about: giving something back, paying it forward from those blessings that God has allowed us to be able to see and manifest its gift into something with lights,” Rodney said.

The couple competed in 2023’s The Great Christmas Light Fight on ABC with their display of nearly 120,000 LED pixels in Valrico.

The Burtons applied to compete in 2022 by sending in photos and videos of their music-synchronized display. They were selected for the holiday show and their display was recorded last winter.

While they did not win the $50,000 prize, Audra said it was “a win just to get on the show.” “We adopted two kittens this year and both of them came from one of those rescues, so that’s why we decided to go with them,” Audra said.

Their display is open to the public at 2014 Sydney Rd. in Valrico through Wednesday, January 31. Visit Burton Family Light Show on Facebook.

Commissioner Michael Owen was among the commissioners and dignitaries at the recent ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of the newly widened Bell Shoals Road.

The Burtons’ Christmas light display includes nearly 120,000 LED pixels.

The light display is open to the public until the end of January.

Now open for six months, the Valrico store has quickly become a great desitnation and meeting space in the community.

Original Story

Printed July 2024.

A local family recognized a business opportunity 50 years ago that would create a long-lasting hub for the community.

VALRICO RUNS ON DUNKIN’; NEW STORE MARKS 23RD LOCATION FOR LOCAL FAMILY

By Jane Owen

Nick and Rosalie. His younger brother, Niko, recently joined the business after graduating from Florida State University.

Thomas and Katherine Apostoleres opened their ﬁrst location of Dunkin’ — then known as Dunkin’ Donuts — in 1973 in Brandon. The location on the corner of West Brandon Boulevard and Limona Road is still in business. And now this year, ﬁve decades later, their 23rd location opened on Monday, July 15, on Lithia Pinecrest Road in Valrico.

The Valrico location is just miles away from Bloomingdale Senior High School, where Thomas graduated from high school. He fondly remembers when his family opened the location on Bloomingdale Avenue during his senior year.

“This area has changed a lot. I grew up here,” Thomas said. “We are really excited to be in the neighborhood.”

Thomas said his family moved to the area in the early 90s and can remember when there were orange groves down Lumsden Road. A third-generation business, Thomas is co-owner of Dunkin’ with his parents,

The new store on Lithia Pinecrest Road has the next-generation concept that was introduced in 2018. It includes the cold beverage tap system and nitro cold brew. Dedication to quality is a focus for Dunkin’, and the chain is known for its high-quality products. The Apostolereses have also made commitment to the community an essential staple of their stores. Over the years, they have generously supported local nonproﬁts, youth sports teams and schools.

“I want to get even more involved in donating to local charities,” Thomas said.

Long-term plans include supporting different charities each month at di erent stores, possibly with a contest between the stores, he said.

The store will be open for business on July 15 with plans to have a grand opening within a couple months, after the start of the school year.

The new Valrico Dunkin’s opening hours are 5 a.m.-10 p.m. It is located at 3309 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. For more information about the Tampa-based Dunkin’ franchise, visit www.tampadd.com/about or email apostoleresdd@tampadd.com.

FINANCIAL FOCUS TIME FOR NEW YEAR’S FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS

Now that the calendar has flipped, it’s time for some New Year’s resolutions. You could decide you’re going to exercise more, lose weight, learn a new skill, reconnect with old friends — the possibilities are almost limitless. This year, why not add a few financial resolutions to your list? Here are a few to consider:

• Reduce your debts. It may be easier said than done, but if you can cut down on your debt load, you’ll increase your cash flow and have more money available to invest for your future. So, look for ways to lower your expenses and spending. You might find it helpful to use one of the budgeting apps available online.

• Boost your retirement savings. Try to put in as much as you can afford to your IRA and your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. If your salary goes up this year, you’ve got a good opportunity to increase your contributions to these retirement accounts. And once you turn 50, you can make pre-tax catch-up contributions for your 401(k) and traditional IRA. You might also want to review the investment mix within your 401(k) or similar plan to determine whether it’s still providing the growth potential you need, given your risk tolerance and time horizon.

• Build an emergency fund. It’s generally a good idea to maintain an emergency fund containing up to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. Without such a fund, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments to pay for shortterm needs, such as an expensive auto or home repair.

• Keep funding your non-retirement goals.

Your traditional IRA and 401(k) are good ways to save for retirement — but you likely have other goals, too, and you’ll need to save and invest for them. So, for example, if you want your children to go to college or receive some other type of post-secondary training, you might want to invest in a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan. And if you have short-term goals, such as saving for a wedding or taking an overseas vacation, you might want to put some money away in a liquid account. For a short-term goal, you don’t necessarily need to invest aggressively for growth — you just want the money to be there for you when you need it.

• Review your estate plans. If you haven’t already created your estate plans, you may want to do so in 2025. Of course, if you’re relatively young, you might not think you need to have estate plans in place just yet, but life is unpredictable, and the future is not ours to see. If you have already drawn up estate plans, you may want to review them, especially if you’ve recently experienced changes in your life and family situation, such as marriage, remarriage or the addition of a new child. Because estate planning can be complex, you’ll want to work with a qualified legal professional. You may not be able to tackle all these resolutions in 2025. But by addressing as many of them as you can, you may find that, by the end of the year, you have made progress toward your goals and set yourself on a positive course for all the years to come.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Jan. 6, 2025

The Polk County Veterans Council’s Flight to Honor Mission 10 is currently scheduled for Tuesday, April 29.

Applications for both guardians and veterans are accepted and maintained on a continuing basis. All applicants will be considered for this mission and the next mission until selection. The selection of those who will be o ered the opportunity to participate in Mission 10 will be made in March.

participants.

Original Story Printed July 2024.

Being a veteran is deemed an honorable sacriﬁce by many citizens in this country. The fact that there are people so patriotic that they have the guts to serve their country speaks volumes about the magniﬁcence of America and its populace. So, what better way to respect our veterans than by giving them an unforgettable experience?

The Polk County Veterans Council’s Flight to Honor missions do just that. Plans are currently underway, and funds are being raised for the next Flight to Honor trip, Mission 10, in April 2025.

Flight to Honor is an organization that was established in 2015 by United States Air Force Col. Gary Clark and he has been with the organization since then as a chairman. He also founded the Polk County Veterans Council in 2003 and is its

By Gunnar Wagner

chairman.

Flight to Honor provides veterans from World War II to now a free one-day trip (called ‘missions’) to our nation’s capital, speciﬁcally to see the veteran memorials that were erected there. Each veteran is accompanied by a ‘guardian,’ someone who ensures the safety of the veteran they are assigned to, so that both the veteran and the guardian have a safe and memorable experience.

When asked how someone can become a guardian and how a veteran can be a part of the trip, Clark said, “You must ﬁll out an application to become a guardian and a veteran must also ﬁll out a separate application as well.”

When asked if Flight to Honor is seeing many World War II veterans or if it is helping more Vietnam War veterans nowadays, Clark said, “Few remaining World War II vets are able to travel. Most veterans now are Vietnam or later.”

According to Flight to Honor’s website, fundraising is underway to cover the cost of its e orts.

For more information about Flight to Honor or to sign up to become a guardian today, visit www.polkveteranscouncil. com/ﬂight-to-honor.html or call 863-6020921. Donations are accepted through the website at www.givecf.org.

Local Apostoleres family opened a new Dunkin’ location on Lithia Pinecrest Road. Pictured from left to right: Niko, Nick, Rosalie and omas Apostoleres.

LEARN TO TELL TALES THROUGH THE ART OF STORYTELLING FESTIVAL WORKSHOP SERIES AT LOCAL LIBRARIES

Staff Report

The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC) is kicking off the new year with a variety of exciting events focused on reading, community and creativity. One of the highlights is the 45th annual Storytelling Festival Workshop Series, a six-week program starting in January that teaches children the art of storytelling.

Students in second through seventh grade are encouraged to sign up for the 45th annual Storytelling Festival Workshop Series.

Held locally at the Bloomingdale Regional Public Library, the workshops will focus on creative theater arts, literacy and public speaking. Designed for students in second through seventh grade, the series offers a unique opportunity for kids to develop their storytelling skills and even have a video of their performance featured on the library’s website.

The workshops are free and sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Tampa-Hillsborough County Inc. Space is limited to 25 students per session, and registration for the full six-week series is recommended.

Workshop locations and schedule:

• Jan Kaminis

Platt Regional Library on Mondays at 6 p.m.

• Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library on Mondays at 5:30 p.m.

• Bloomingdale Regional Public Library on Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

• Town ‘N Country Regional Public Library on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.

• Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library on Fridays at 11 a.m.

• New Tampa Regional Library on Saturdays at 1 p.m.

In addition to the storytelling series, several libraries, including Bloomingdale, Riverview, Brandon, SouthShore and Ruskin, also offer weekly toddler and baby times as well as story times. These events foster early literacy, social interaction and a love for reading among children of all ages.

To learn more or register for any of the HCPLC events, visit https://hcplc.org/.

TAMPA BAY SIERRA CLUB ENJOYS, EXPLORES AND PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT

Tampa Bay Sierra Club Chair Rocky Milburn has always loved the outdoors. He’s an avid bird watcher and hiker. So, when his co-workers invited him to his ﬁrst Sierra Club meeting over 20 years ago, he was happy to go.

The Sierra Club, founded in 1892, is the country’s oldest environmental organization, and it has 64 chapters across the United States. Florida’s chapter is broken into 16 groups, including the Tampa Bay group serving Hillsborough County and parts of Pasco County.

“My favorite part is meeting people and teaching them about the outdoors and getting them outdoors,” Milburn said.

The organization’s main goals are to raise awareness, educate future generations and “enjoy, explore and protect” the environment.

Last year, the Tampa Bay Sierra Club fought big issues, like attempts to turn state parks into recreational areas. In 2025, the group plans to continue its efforts to protect state parks, encourage paper grocery bags over plastic and save trees, Milburn said.

Beyond advocating for or against legislation, the group hosts events throughout the year to get people outside, including several hikes.

Scheduled hikes will be posted on its

By Lily Belcher

website, but trail closures due to hurricane damage have made planning these events more di cult, he said.

The Tampa Bay Sierra Club has also launched a student group at Riverview High School that has around 60 students, making it the ﬁrst school in the state with a Sierra Club student organization, Milburn said.

The Tampa Bay Sierra Club

helped fund and build a native plant garden at Riverview last year.

“We visited a couple weeks ago,” he said.

“It’s really looking good.”

Leto High School also has a student group, and the Tampa Bay Sierra Club is forming a group at Tampa Bay Technical High School. The goal is to start an organization at every school in the county, he said.

The Tampa Bay Sierra Club hosts speakers to talk about a variety of environmental topics on the second Wednesday of every month.

For more information on the organization, to see an event schedule or to sign up for its newsletter, visit www.sierraclub. org/ﬂorida/tampa-bay or contact Milburn at rockymilburn@tampabaysierraclub.org.

TROOP 61 HOSTS SEVENTH ANNUAL TASTE OF SCOUTING BBQ FUNDRAISER

Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 8. Boy Scout Troop 61 will host the seventh annual ‘Taste of Scouting’ barbecue event from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, located at 710 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon.

This community-wide event will include barbecue meals prepared by Scouts for customers to pick up and enjoy. Come see what Scouting is about with fun activities such as knot tying, orienteering, ﬁre building, camping, backpacking, ﬁrst aid and more.

“The event was ﬁrst held in February 2019, and we have been holding it every year since,” said troop committee member and grillmaster John Zelatis.

This year, the meal will include a choice of brisket, pulled pork or turkey or ribs (three bones) with mac and cheese, baked beans, a roll and a drink. The meals start are $17, except for brisket, which is $20. Meals can be pre-ordered online, and meats can also be ordered by the pound, along with banana pudding, additional rolls

By Marie Gilmore

and drinks.

This is an annual event to raise funds for the Scouts as well as help recruit and bring awareness to all the incredible opportunities Scouting and Troop 61 provide. It is both a campout for the troop as well as an opportunity for the troop members to work alongside pitmaster Zelatis to prep and smoke meats at the church.

“The night before, the Scouts will first make the rubs and sauces,” said Zelatis, “then they will trim and prepare the meats for smoking. Being that this is an overnight cook, the adult leaders will man the smokers while the Scouts camp out and sleep in preparation of the next day’s activities. On the day of the event, they will be serving food and setting up activities such as knot tying, orienteering, fire building, camping, backpacking, first aid and more so all our guests can see what Scouting is all about.” Contact troop61fundraising@gmail. com, visit www.bstroop61.com or preorders meals online through the link at https://troop61-107596.square.site/

e Sierra Club hosts events each month to encourage people to get outside for fresh air and excercise.

The Tampa Bay Sierra Club helped fund and build a native plant garden at Riverview High.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 61 are getting ready for their seventh annual Taste of Scouting barbecue fundraiser on Saturday, February 8, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

WATCH FOR DOOR HANGERS FOR DATES OF LOCAL SCOUTING FOR FOOD PICKUP CAMPAIGN

The Boy Scouts of America’s Greater Tampa Bay Area Council has announced this year’s Scouting for Food dates. Scouts will be collecting nonperishable food items for local food banks from now through Super Bowl Sunday, which is February 9.

“Last year, we collected a record amount of 51,939 pounds of food,” said Jeremy Twachtman, council district director. “We know that we can blow that number out of the water this year.”

Scouting for Food typically sees Scouts distribute door hangers throughout local neighborhoods, requesting that residents leave nonperishable food items on their doorsteps at a speciﬁed collection time. This year, some units may even partner with larger grocery stores to maximize their returns.

According to Twachtman, who directs the Scouting for Food program in the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council, the goal for the district food drive is to break each year’s previous record.

According to studies sponsored by Feeding America, Hillsborough County held an increasing rate of child food insecurity, and current events are believed to have exacerbated the crisis.

“As scouts, we know how fortunate we are to have a warm meal every night — whether around the campﬁre or at the

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kitchen table,” the district website states. “And we know that not everyone is so lucky. Scouting for Food is a food-collection drive where scouts get out into their neighborhoods and collect food items to be delivered to families in need. It’s another reminder to our local communities that scouts are here, doing good turns.”

Between now and February 9, Scouts will distribute door hangers to local homes in their community to let them know about the drive.

On or before February 9, Scouts will revisit those houses to pick up bags full of canned food, cereal, pasta, peanut butter, juice and other nonperishable items. The food will then be delivered to food banks across the district. Food banks that are usually selected by troops and packs include Seeds of Hope, St. Vincent de Paul at St. Stephen Catholic Church, One Community, ECHO of Brandon, St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, Riverview United Methodist Church and Saint Anne Catholic Church.

In previous years, the Timucua District units elected to donate to Seeds of Hope, the St. Anne Food Pantry, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and many others.

For more information on Scouting for Food, visit https://tampabayscouting.org/.

ALAFIA ELEMENTARY INCREASES BOOK INVENTORY BY ALMOST 2,000 BOOKS

Students at Alaﬁa Elementary School wrapped up 2024 with an expanded library.

Alaﬁa received a gift of 1,867 books for its media center in early November 2024.

Alaﬁa’s media specialist, Laura James, said books were unboxed and on the shelves for checkout within a week.

“Students have been so excited to get their hands on the new books. It has been such a joy to see their faces light up when they ﬁnd their next great book,” James said.

The inventory was purchased using money received from the 2023-24 Supplemental School Improvement Grant received from the Florida Department of Education. Alaﬁa’s media center was one of 152 schools in the district to receive close to $30,000 in funds.

In a normal year, each school in the district has a yearly budget based on student enrollment from county funds and from state funds for purchasing books.

“For a smaller school like Alaﬁa, this additional grant was a windfall because it meant I could purchase new books to replace woefully out-of-date materials on a large scale that would have taken me years to chip away at with just my yearly county and state money,” James said.

The upgrades James made included updating a large portion of the school’s nonﬁction section, replacing worn-out animal facts and sports books. She expanded the graphic novel section and updated the biography section to reﬂect current ath-

By Jane Owen

letes, artists and books with fresh perspectives on historical ﬁgures. She refreshed the entire area used by preschoolers, kindergarteners and ﬁrst graders. She was able to buy Playaway books, which are books with a built-in MP3 player that allow students to listen to the book as they read along.

James praised Hillsborough County Library Media Services supervisors John Milburn and Kimberly DeFusco for their work providing the books to the schools.

“They are the real heroes of this story — they work tirelessly to support all of us media specialists and help us create the best programs for our individual schools,” James said.

DeFusco lauded the district’s librarians as heroes for their students. She commended them for being highly skilled, on top of curriculum and Florida standards and aware of the community they serve. Each librarian that received grant money curated their orders to ﬁt the needs of their school.

The grant was applied for in December 2023. DeFusco gave credit to Deborah Pepe, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, for taking the initiative to apply for the grant and use a signiﬁcant portion of it for media services.

“We are very, very fortunate and grateful to her and her leadership. Literacy is a huge priority in our district. An investment in literacy in our district looks like an investment in our libraries,” DeFusco said.

| Cypress Ridge Ranch

Ala a Elementary School students enjoying new books. From left to right: Julia Kielblock, Xavier Monteiro, Emily Maready and Olivia Monteiro.

HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO LAUNCH FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

Hillsborough Community College (HCC) is pleased to announce the launch of its Institute of Financial Technology, which will o er an Associate in Science degree and college credit certiﬁcate at its Brandon campus starting in January.

“To address the needs of employers in this fast-growing industry, we are thrilled to unveil the new FinTech program,” said HCC President Dr. Ken Atwater. “HCC strives to provide career-building training to our students, and we take pride in helping foster tomorrow’s leaders with courses led by expert faculty and resources provided by dedicated sta .” Financial technology, often abbreviated to FinTech, refers to the application of innovative technology solutions to ﬁnancial services, aiming to enhance user experience and streamline processes with the application of artiﬁcial intelligence and big data analytics. Salaries for students completing this program can range from $40,000 to $150,000 or more.

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the fall 2025 semester.

“Innovation is thriving at the HCC Brandon Campus,” said Dr. Deborah Stephan, Brandon campus president. “We are excited to be on the cutting edge of a growing and evolving multifaceted industry that experts say is worth $340 billion this year and will grow to approximately $1.15 trillion by 2032, with the U.S. capturing 34% of that market share.”

Students in this program will be learning in an environment that was created specifically to model workspaces of those in the FinTech industry. These high-tech spaces will allow for collaboration, independent work, demonstration of work and more.

A groundbreaking for this new space will be held on the Brandon Campus during the spring semester, which will be announced at a later date.

“With this novel HCC program, the Tampa Bay region is well positioned to train workers to help grow this industry,” Dr. Stephan said.

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT: ACTIVITIES,

MEETINGS & MORE

Rotary International is excited to announce the 202425 ‘The Magic of Rotary’ Speech Contest for area high schoolers — freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors (ninth through 12 grade) — enrolled in public, private, virtual or home school. Previous contestants and winners are welcome to participate again. Students present ﬁve to seven-minute speeches with original content, including facts, statistics, stories, examples and quotations that apply to the current Rotary theme, ‘The Magic of Rotary.’ There are three rounds of competition, with the ﬁrst at the club level to be completed by the end of February. At each level (club, region and district), monetary prizes will be awarded. Contact the Rotary Club closest to you for more information. Contact information is below.

acy and disease. To learn more about the club, contact Betty Huth at betty@hbphoto.com. or www.ﬁshhawkriverviewrotary.org. E-Club of Tampa South

You are welcome to join the Rotary E-Club of Tampa South via Zoom on the ﬁrst and third Tuesdays of each month from 7-8 p.m. Zoom meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/7328811760. For more information, contact Duane Williams at dsigma79@aol.com or 813-541-6202.

Brandon ’86

JP Morgan Chase has donated $30,000 in scholarship funds to HCC’s Institute of Financial Technology. Current plans for the funds include tuition coverage to the ﬁrst 30 students who register for FIN 2060 Introduction into Financial Technology for the spring 2025 term and remain enrolled through the drop/add period. An o cial scholarship is also in development to start in

Students can now register for FIN 2060 Introduction into Financial Technology for the spring semester at www. hccﬂ.edu/registernow.

Hillsborough Community College serves more than 45,000 students annually at its ﬁve campuses located throughout Tampa Bay. For more information, visit www.hccﬂ.edu.

FishHawk-Riverview

FishHawk-Riverview Rotary hopes you enjoyed the 40th annual Alafia Lighted Boat Parade presented by FishHawk-Riverview Rotary and Chris Ligori & Associates. The club enjoyed seeing everyone having a good time visiting Santa, doing crafts, voting on the chilis in the cook-o , learning about local resources and, of course, watching the beautifully lit boats. It gives a big thank you to all who made this year’s event magical. On Saturday, April 26, join FishHawk-Riverview Rotary for its 15th annual Crawfish Festival. Proceeds from both events benefit local and global projects which support its mission to alleviate hunger, poverty, illiter-

The Brandon ’86 Rotary Club looks forward to hosting the Brandon Seafood Festival on January 18, at Rotary’s Camp Florida from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Attend for food, fun and fellowship. It will have live entertainment, games for kids, face painting and more. For more information, visit Brandon ’86 Rotary Club’s Facebook page, where you will ﬁnd a link to purchase tickets. Proceeds from this year’s Brandon Seafood Festival will support Rotary’s Camp Florida, Everyday Blessings, The SPARK Initiative and Family Promise. Go support these local charities and have a great time. For more information, contact Chad Norgard at chad@norgardinsgrp.com.

Brandon For more information, contact Debbie Meegan at debbiemeeganrotary@gmail. com.

Brandon Global Eco (Zoom) For more information, contact Katie Tyson at katietyson@icloud.com.

Last year’s ‘Create Hope in the World’ Speech Contest winner at the club and region level for FishHawk-Riverview Rotary, Jaiya Gri n. Also pictured are Dawn Carson and Christine Ans.

e HCC Financial Technology Program will be the rst Associate in Science degree program o ered for FinTech in the state of Florida.

BUSCH GARDENS REAL MUSIC SERIES LINEUP HAS SOMETHING FOR ALL

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will keep guests rocking in 2025 with the return of its popular, longest-running concert series, Real Music. Every Monday through Saturday from now through Saturday, February 22, the park will host an electrifying lineup of world-class tribute artists celebrating the iconic music of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Best of all, these performances are included with park admission, inviting everyone to sing along and create unforgettable memories.

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• Magical Mystery Doors (The Doors, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles tribute).

• E5C4P3 (Journey tribute).

The Real Music Series promises an exciting mix of tribute performances spanning classic rock, soul, pop and R&B. Whether a lifelong fan of these legendary artists or discovering them for the ﬁ rst time, the series o ers an incredible opportunity for all guests to enjoy top-tier entertainment at Busch Gardens. This year, guests can enjoy the following musical selections from tribute bands, including:

• The Kings of Queen (Queen tribute).

• Direct from Sweden (ABBA tribute).

• Hotter Than July (Stevie Wonder tribute).

• Tapestry, the Carol King Song Book.

• Steve Michaels as Elvis (Elvis Presley tribute).

The best way to enjoy the Real Music Series is with a Busch Gardens Fun Card. The 2025 Busch Gardens Fun Card allows unlimited visits to experience award-winning attractions and captivating seasonal events throughout 2025. For park access with even more benefi ts, annual pass members receive unlimited visits, access to exclusive events and no blackout dates. Pass members are fi rst for everything, including fi rst to experience new attractions, fi rst to view new animal exhibits and fi rst to know about major park announcements. In 2025, Busch Gardens pass members will be the fi rst to experience Wild Oasis, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s newest immersive realm before it opens to the public in the spring.

For more information, park hours and to view showtimes, guests can visit https://buschgardenstampa.com/. Guests can follow Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Facebook and Instagram for the latest park details and information.

REPRESENTATIVE LAUREL LEE ANNOUNCES LOCAL VETERAN AS 2024 VETERAN OF THE YEAR

On December 13, 2024, Congresswoman Laurel Lee, U.S. representative for Florida’s 15th congressional district, announced Colonel Orlando Rodriguez as Florida’s 15th District 2024 Veteran of the Year.

“Colonel Rodriguez’s service and leadership have left a remarkable legacy on our community and nation. His impressive background coupled with his undeniable admiration and dedication for our great nation make him a deserving recipient of Florida’s 15th District’s Veteran of the Year award,” said Lee. “His commitment to service, the spirit of excellence and dedication to supporting fellow veterans are apparent. We are forever indebted to American heroes like Col. Rodriguez, and I am honored to present him with this recognition.”

two years in a Cuban prison following the failed operation, Colonel Rodriguez was released to the United States and commissioned into the U.S. Army in 1963. He went on to serve multiple combat tours in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry and 82nd Airborne Divisions. Later, Rodriguez served as one of President John F. Kennedy’s world-renowned Green Berets and acted as an advisor to U.S. Presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. Rodriguez is one of the nation’s most highly decorated Hispanic military soldiers, including recognitions like the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars and many more.

Rodriguez is a retired United States Army colonel with nearly three decades of faithful and dedicated service to our nation. Born in Havana, Cuba, Rodriguez ﬂed the island in 1959 but returned as part of the famed Brigade 2506, a CIA-sponsored group of Cuban exiles who carried out the Bay of Pigs invasion. After serving

The Veteran of the Year award for Florida’s 15th District is awarded to an outstanding veteran from one of our United States Armed Forces branches from either Pasco, Polk or Hillsborough County. The recipient was selected based on the following criteria: a demonstration of commitment to service in their community, having a spirit of excellence and showing dedication to supporting their fellow veterans.

e Real Music Series at Busch Gardens Tampa runs Monday through Saturday from Monday, January 6, through Saturday, February 22, featuring an eclectic mix of tribute bands.

Representative Laurel Lee with Colonel Orlando Rodriguez at the Veteran of the Year ceremony.

Compiled by Jenny Bennett jbennett@ospreyobserver.com

Habitat Hillsborough

Awarded $50,000 Donation From Lightning Foundation

Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County has been awarded $50,000 from the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation’s Tampa Bay Strong fund for hurricane relief and recovery in the region. The award is part of the foundation’s commitment of over $3 million to respond to community needs in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. With the donation from the Lightning Foundation, Habitat Hillsborough will help provide urgent repairs to vulnerable homeowners in Hillsborough County whose homes were damaged following the hurricanes.

Strawberry Festival Concert

Tickets On Sale

tables with literature and representatives who will discuss their activities and answer any questions you may have. Refreshments will be served. The Bloomingdale Regional Public Library is located at 1906 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico. Be sure to stop by.

Hillsborough County Students Can Enter Water Conservation Poster Contest

The stage is set for the 2025 Florida Strawberry Festival. Advance tickets for admission and headline entertainment shows are on sale now. The 2025 Florida Strawberry Festival takes place from Thursday, February 27, through Sunday, March 9, in Plant City. For more information, visit https://ﬂ strawberryfestival.com/, Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) or follow #berryfest25.

Friends Of The Bloomingdale Library Celebrates 20 Years

The Friends of the Bloomingdale Library (FOL) cordially invite you to its 20th year celebration on Saturday, February 1, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Many of the groups that meet at the library will have display

Hillsborough County Water Resources and the City of Tampa are encouraging students from kindergarten through 12th grade to enter the Drop Savers Water Conservation Poster Contest. To enter, students must create a poster depicting a water conservation idea, slogan or drawing with the goal to educate and raise awareness about water conservation. The poster must be on 8.5-inch-by11-inch white paper and can be vertical or horizontal. Students may use crayons, paint, color pencils or markers. No highlighters, photos or computer graphics are permitted. Visit www.hcﬂ . gov/dropsavers to see the full rules and divisions. The deadline is Saturday, February 15.

New Fleet Program Simplifies Vehicle Registration Renewal Process

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s O ce has launched an innovative Fleet Program designed to meet the needs of customers managing 25 or more vehicles by streamlining the registration renewal process. The user-friendly online resource provides stepby-step guidance to e ciently renew registrations and even clear outstanding toll violations, without having to take a trip to the tax collector’s o ce. Customers can explore the new Fleet Program by visiting www.hillstax.org/title-tag/ registration/ﬂ eet-program the site offers all the information and tools needed to get started.

ANNUAL HIKING SPREE FEATURES 22 TRAILS ACROSS 21 PARKS

Hillsborough County’s annual Hiking Spree is back. Despite impacts to parks and preserves by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Hiking Spree opened on December 1, 2024. The Hiking Spree will run through Wednesday, April 30, which is one month later than when it normally ends. This year’s theme is Emerge and Explore.

Regardless, the annual Hiking Spree is a great way to get out and explore all of the beautiful parks, preserves and recreational areas that Hillsborough County has to o er. You can ﬁnd information on the Hiking Spree and complete your registration to participate by visiting www.hcﬂ.gov/hikingspree.

The annual Hiking Spree began in 2016 as a way to encourage people to exercise, explore the outdoors and experience nature. The environmentally diverse sites are spread throughout the county and range from neighborhood parks to large preserves with multiple habitats. The trails are designed to o er something for residents of any age or ability, with hikes rated easy, moderate or strenuous. The lengths of the trails range from several miles to less than a mile, and a number of trails are perfect for wheelchair users or those with other accessibility needs.

The Spree is timed to take advantage of the cooler, drier weather and to coincide with prime bird-watching season. The Hik-

By Kathy L. Collins

ing Spree has grown in popularity each year and now draws thousands of participants.

The 2024-25 Hiking Spree trail list features 22 trails at 21 parks and preserves throughout the county. If you hike at least eight of the 22 trails between now and the end of April, you can earn a limited-edition patch, a medallion for a walking stick or a pet bandana. One of the hikes can be on a trail of your choice o the list.

Residents are encouraged to bring their pets so long as they are on leashes during the hikes. Participants are also encouraged to take photos and post them with the hashtag #TakeAHikeHC.

Many of the trails are located within the Greater Brandon area. These include neighborhood parks, such as Clayton Park on Vonderburg Drive and Dover District Park in Dover. You can select from 12 conservation parks, and these include Alderman’s Ford in Lithia, Edward Medard Park in Plant City and Rhodine Scrub Nature Preserve in Riverview. There are three Florida state parks and other trails, including McIntosh Preserve in Plant City. I personally have participated several times and plan to participate this year. Come join me and have fun getting outside and enjoy nature.

Visit www.hcﬂ.gov/hikingspree to register and participate.

Explore nature during the County’s annual Hiking Spree through April 30.

START THE NEW YEAR RIGHT: NAME GUARDIANS FOR YOUR MINOR CHILDREN

By Laurie E. Ohall, Florida Board-certi ed Elder Law Attorney

As an estate planning attorney (and new grandmother), I’ve been spending precious moments with my ﬁrst grandchild lately. These special times have reminded me just how important it is for parents to plan for their children’s future — particularly when it comes to naming legal guardians.

The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to tackle this crucial aspect of estate planning that many parents overlook or postpone. While no one wants to think about not being there for their children, having a proper guardianship plan in place provides invaluable peace of mind for your family.

Why Naming a Guardian Is Critical

Without designated guardians in your estate plan, the courts will decide who raises your children if something happens to you and your spouse. This means:

• Your children could temporarily end up in the foster care system while the court makes its decision.

• Family members might engage in costly and emotional custody battles.

• The court might choose someone you wouldn’t have selected.

• Your children’s lives could be disrupted during an already di cult time.

Key Considerations When Choosing Guardians

When selecting guardians for your children, consider:

1. Values and parenting style that align with yours.

2. Physical and emotional capability to raise children.

3. Financial stability and responsibility.

4. Geographic location and its impact on your children’s lives.

5. Relationship with other family members.

Remember, you can name di erent guardians for di erent children if appropriate, and you can also designate backup guardians in case your ﬁrst choice isn’t available.

Making It Legal

Simply telling someone you want them to be your children’s guardian isn’t enough — you need proper legal documentation. As your Brandon estate lawyer, I can help you:

• Create or update your will to include guardian designations.

• Draft separate guardian designation documents.

• Ensure all paperwork meets Florida legal requirements.

• Include speciﬁc instructions for your children’s care.

Don’t wait to make this crucial decision. Your children deserve the security of knowing they’ll be cared for by people you trust and have chosen carefully. The new year is the perfect time to put these protections in place.

Ready to secure your children’s future? Contact the Law O ces of Laurie E. Ohall at 813-438-8503 to schedule a consultation. Let’s work together to ensure your children are protected, no matter what the future holds.

Laurie Ohall is a Florida board-certi ed elder law attorney practicing in Brandon, Florida. She has been practicing law for 30 years and her practice is focused on estate planning, elder law planning and probate. Ohall is licensed to practice law in Florida and Ohio.

JANUARY IS NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH

January is National Human Tra cking Prevention Month, and the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s O ce is committed to ending human tra cking and supporting the victims who have been exploited for ﬁnancial gain. With an estimated 49.6 million victims and an annual proﬁt of approximately $236 billion, human tra cking is one of the largest criminal enterprises in the world.

When you hear the words ‘human trafficking,’ what often comes to mind is what we see in the movies: Young women traveling alone getting kidnapped overseas and sold to a tra cking ring. The reality is much more complicated than that. In most cases, a victim is groomed or deceived by someone they know and trust and then lured into a tra cking situation. Many traffickers are skilled manipulators and target vulnerable people who have emotional or material needs that they can fulfill. They then exploit their victim’s trust and dependency for their own financial gain by forcing the victim into a tra cking situation.

Sex tra cking is what most people think of when they hear the words human trafﬁcking. However, many experts believe that labor tra cking is much more prevalent worldwide. Labor tra cking occurs in industries ranging from farming and ﬁshing to hospitality and domestic service. There are thousands of laborers who are forced to work for little to nothing and are kept there out of fear and isolation. For many victims, escape may seem impossible, but for most there is a way out. Numerous local and national resources are available to

assist victims to escape and help survivors thrive.

The National Human Tra cking Hotline (1888-373-7888) is available 24/7 for victims to call and receive immediate help. Its extensive network of resources, including law enforcement, doctors, shelters and mental health counselors, helps victims with emergency, transitional and long-term needs. The hotline also serves as a tip line to report suspected human tra cking.

My o ce is dedicated to helping survivors by not only holding tra ckers accountable but also helping survivors start over with a clean record. Many victims commit crimes while being tra cked and after escaping their situation, and that criminal record makes an already di cult process that much harder. In Florida, victims who have committed criminal o enses while being tra cked can petition for their records to be expunged. Survivors face many physical and emotional barriers when trying to rebuild their lives, so giving them a clean record makes a huge impact on their ability to move forward.

e State Attorney’s O ce of the 13th Judicial circuit encompasses all of Hillsborough County, including the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City. e o ce sta consists of approximately 320 dedicated public servants including 130 prosecutors, as well as investigators, victim advocates and support sta . e o ce 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.

State Attorney Suzy Lopez

PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES RETURNS

TO PLANT CITY FOR ITS 13TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION ON FEBRUARY 1

The much-anticipated 13th annual Planes, Trains & Automobiles (PT&A), presented by Tampa International Airport, is back. This family-favorite event will take place on Saturday, February 1, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Plant City Airport, bringing with it a full day of excitement, adventure and community spirit.

Returning stronger than ever after the recent hurricane season that affected so many in Central Florida, this year’s event promises a celebration of resilience and unity for all ages. Attendees can look forward to a vibrant array of activities, from awe-inspiring aircraft displays and radio-controlled ﬂight demonstrations to a fantastic car show and intricate model train setups. A highlight of the day will be the enormous LEGO transportation display, certain to captivate those of all ages.

Families will have hands-on opportunities to explore a variety of educational and fun activities. Featured stations will include ﬂight simulators and STEM exhibits from SUN ‘n FUN’s Aerospace Center for Excellence, Young Eagles discovery ﬂights conducted by the Plant City Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1178 and even a chance for Scouts to earn merit badges. Younger visitors will enjoy bounce houses, a pinewood derby and other adventures

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designed just for them.

Food trucks and local vendors will be present, o ering food and showcasing local products to make the day even more memorable.

“The event has always been a space for families to connect over the marvels of transportation and to experience the wonders of aviation ﬁrsthand,” said Jason Jones, PT&A Committee chairman and event founder. “With support from the Tampa Bay Aviation Association, we’re expanding the opportunities at the event to o er aviation scholarships, fueling dreams of future pilots, mechanics and other aviation professionals. It’s all about giving back to our community and making a di erence in the lives of our local youth.”

Planes, Trains & Automobiles, managed by the Tampa Bay Aviation Association and presented by Tampa International Airport, is dedicated to inspiring the next generation. This year, proceeds will fund scholarships for ﬂight training, mechanical education and aviation career pathways for local youth, continuing the event’s mission of giving back to the community.

Parking is free, and tickets are $7.50 online in advance or $12.50 at the gate. For tickets and event information, visit www. mytbaa.org/pta.

Moffitt Cancer Center

At SouthShore Moffitt Cancer Center at SouthShore, located at 2709 E. College Ave. in Ruskin, is welcoming its first patients. Discover the future of cancer care at the state-of-the-art, 75,000-square foot facility. This advanced center is designed to enhance patient experiences and improve clinical outcomes with leading-edge technology at every turn. The Moffitt at SouthShore facility offers access to groundbreaking clinical trials, advanced imaging and laboratories, medical oncology and radiation oncology. New and existing patients can now schedule their appointments at SouthShore. To learn more, visit www.moffitt.org/closetohome or call 833-496-1420.

Take A Look

At Shell Point Marina

Located at the mouth of the Little Manatee River in Ruskin, Shell Point Marina offers access to the Tampa Bay within minutes. Its location is just one

of the many things that it has going for it. Shell Point Marina has been around for decades and prides itself on being an ‘old school Florida’ marina, but it has been completely transformed to incorporate the modern boating lifestyle. Modern services include app-based boat-launch reservation software, free Wi-Fi, a handicap-compliant parking lot and a new tiki-themed entertainment pavilion with a pool table, air hockey, foosball, board games and more. To schedule a guided tour of the marina, please call 813-645-1313 or visit its website at www.shellpointmarina.com, where you can look at the full list of services it offers.

designed to meet the diverse needs of the community. It offers a wide range of shipping services for an easy rate comparison with FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. Other services offered include mailbox rental, notary, finger printing, passport photos, U-Haul and professional packaging, as well as others. Its commitment to being a one-stop destination for packing, shipping, office services and more sets it apart. Ship Gulf Coast is located at 11232 Boyette Rd. in Riverview, across the street from Riverview High School and next to Anytime Fitness. For more information on its services, call 813-741-9600 or visit its website at https://shipgulfcoast.com/.

to support ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization), a local nonprofit providing food and clothing to those in need. Led by broker-owner Lisa Tackus, a dedicated ECHO board member, the office raised funds through agent donations, brokerage matches and contributions at every closing. This year, agents also came together for the ECHO Blessing Bag Drive, creating 25 emergency kits for neighbors in need. To find out more about Align Right Realty, visit its website at https://alignrightriverview. com/.

Ship Gulf Coast

Jimmy and Adrienne Lynch are the owners of Ship Gulf Coast and take pride in offering a comprehensive suite of services

Align

ECHO

Right Realty Supports

Align Right Realty of Riverview is proud

Easterseals School For Limitless Learning Celebrates Official Opening With A Ribbon-cutting The Easterseals School for Limitless Learning (ESLL) recently held a ribbon-cutting from the Valrico/Fishhawk Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the official opening of its new private school campus in Valrico for children who

When an unexpected injury or illness happens, you can trust the emergency experts at AdventHealth. Backed by national awards and accreditations, we’re ready to care for you at 10 locations throughout Tampa Bay. And, with GetInQuickER.com, it’s easy to reserve a treatment time online — so you can wait in the comfort of home and arrive at a time convenient for you.

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are neurodiverse or have related disabilities. Easterseals Florida recognized a growing need for specialized education in the Bloomingdale area, leading to the founding of this new school. ESLL o ers hope to local families with innovative programs designed for children with autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia and other disabilities. The school’s curriculum is tailored to meet the unique needs of its students, using hands-on activities and a play-based approach. ESLL’s new campus is located at 2460 Bloomingdale Ave., Ste. 170, in Valrico. For more information, call 813236-5589 or visit its website at www. easterseals.com.

Gracie Barra

Brandon Jui-Jitsu

Compiled By Jenny Bennett

from beginner-friendly fundamentals to competitive training for advanced practitioners, so there is something for everyone.

Gracie Barra Brandon is located at 1076 E. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon. Visit its website at www.graciebarrabrandon.com or call 813-385-1856 to ﬁnd out details and schedule your ﬁrst free class.

Helping Hands

Assistant

LLC

Gracie Barra Brandon, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu experience for children, teens, adults, and families, believes that everyone deserves to feel safe, whether at school, work or in daily life. Its mission is to empower individuals through self-defense, o ering essential skills that build confidence and resilience. Its classes teach practical techniques to help people stand up confidently and safely, with professors focusing on fostering strength, confidence and camaraderie among all students. A wide variety of classes and programs are o ered,

Local resident Kathy Bass is the owner of Helping Hands Assistant LLC, your go-to gal for all things organized and efﬁcient. With a career spanning from private individuals to businesses of various sizes, she has the experience to make your life easier, smoother and more productive. Are you running your own business and feel like you need a clone? Are you a homemaker with not enough time in your day? Or maybe you have aging parents who need a helping hand? If so, Bass is the lady to call. She will manage daily tasks like scheduling appointments, running errands, handling household chores and organizing and generally o ers a helping hand wherever needed. She also o ers compassionate and reliable support to help seniors maintain their independence and continue to live comfortably at home, with services tailored to the unique needs of each individual. Call Bass at 863-409-9890.

Kathy Bass is the owner of Helping Hands Assistant LLC, and you go-to gal for the things you do not have time to do.

Osprey Observer Valrico January 2025

Valrico January 2025

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL OFFERS

RECORD-BREAKING MUSIC HEADLINERS

Sta Report

VOODOO BREWING CO. OPENS SCRATCH KITCHEN, BREWPUB & GATHERING SPOT IN VALRICO

LOCAL MILITARY NO STRESS PCS NONPROFIT SUPPORTS MILITARY ACROSS THE WORLD

FOUNDATION STUDENT EXCELS AT CROSS COUNTRY STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WITH ART AT IMAGINE MUSEUM

HILLSBOROUGH GRANT SUPPORT

AIDS ‘BRANDON PARADE OF LIGHTS’ AND OTHER LOCAL

EVENTS

NEW COACH BRINGS LOVE OF SPORT TO DURANT BOYS LACROSSE TEAM

Imaging on Your Time

TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BREAKS GROUND ON AIRSIDE D

TOP FIVE REASONS WHY READING IS A GAME CHANGER FOR STUDENTS

TECO SEEKS RESTORATION COSTS AFTER UNPRECEDENTED HURRICANE SEASON

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON THE GALLERY AT SOUTH TAMPA, A PREMIER SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY IN VALRICO

TMS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

SHOP LOCAL

KEEL FARMS’ NEW RENTAL VENUE

OFFERS BEAUTIFUL VIEWS FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT

CINEMA CHARITY BRINGS PHILANTHROPY TO

THE MOVIES

OWNER MARK GIRDWOOD BRINGS

A PERSONAL TOUCH TO PRESSURE WASHING WITH PRO221

ENROLL TODAY!

100 WOMEN WHO CARE RIVERVIEW/ FISHHAWK REACHES $100,000 MILESTONE IN CHARITY DONATIONS

NEW VALRICO POP-UP MARKET

LOCAL AND FAMILY OWNED 55 RIDES OFFERS PEACE OF MIND AND SECURITY

LEADERSHIP

QUARTERLY

Year In Review – Updates On Our Top Stories From 2024

INAUGURAL PARADE OF LIGHTS WILL BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN DECEMBER

Year In Review – Updates On Our

COMMUNITY CELEBRATES LONG-AWAITED BELL SHOALS COMPLETION

VALRICO RUNS ON DUNKIN’; NEW STORE MARKS 23RD LOCATION FOR LOCAL FAMILY

FINANCIAL FOCUS TIME FOR NEW YEAR’S FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS

LEARN TO TELL TALES THROUGH THE ART OF STORYTELLING FESTIVAL WORKSHOP SERIES AT LOCAL LIBRARIES

TAMPA BAY SIERRA CLUB ENJOYS, EXPLORES AND PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT

TROOP 61 HOSTS SEVENTH ANNUAL TASTE OF SCOUTING BBQ FUNDRAISER

WATCH FOR DOOR HANGERS FOR DATES OF LOCAL SCOUTING FOR FOOD PICKUP CAMPAIGN

ALAFIA ELEMENTARY INCREASES BOOK INVENTORY BY ALMOST 2,000 BOOKS

| Cypress Ridge Ranch

HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO LAUNCH FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT: ACTIVITIES,

MEETINGS & MORE

BUSCH GARDENS REAL MUSIC SERIES LINEUP HAS SOMETHING FOR ALL

REPRESENTATIVE LAUREL LEE ANNOUNCES LOCAL VETERAN AS 2024 VETERAN OF THE YEAR

ANNUAL HIKING SPREE FEATURES 22 TRAILS ACROSS 21 PARKS

START THE NEW YEAR RIGHT: NAME GUARDIANS FOR YOUR MINOR CHILDREN

Why Naming a Guardian Is Critical

Key Considerations When Choosing Guardians

Making It Legal

JANUARY IS NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH

PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES RETURNS

TO PLANT CITY FOR ITS 13TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION ON FEBRUARY 1

Moffitt Cancer Center

Take A Look

Ship Gulf Coast

Align

ECHO

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LLC