WOMEN’S CLUB

WOMAN’S CLUB CELEBRATES MEMBERS, OFFERS SCHOLARSHIP AND MORE

Staf Report

A good endorsement for a club is how long members have been coming back year after year. Last month, the Apollo Beach Woman’s Club (ABWC) honored 11 women who have been club members for 10, 15, 20, 30 and 35 years at its monthly luncheon. The ladies were gifted a vase of wildflowers with this phrase, “Spread kindness like wildflowers.”

ABWC has been spreading kindness in the community since 1959. The group’s primary objectives are to promote sociability among its members, work toward the advancement of womankind and provide scholarships for education and training of students who live in Apollo Beach and the surrounding areas with demonstrated financial need.

ABWC takes pride in providing scholarships to eligible students from East Bay or Lennard High School to honor the students’ academic success and assist with college funds. In 2021, ABWC was able to provide $14,200 in total scholarships to nine recipients. These opportunities are made possible by the hard work of ABWC members and generous member donations. An eligible student for a 2022 ABWC college scholarship must reside in the Apollo Beach area and/or be zoned to attend East Bay High or Lennard High School. Furthermore, applicants should be accepted as full-time students to a two or four-year college or university in the state of Florida. Consideration for the scholarship will be based on financial need, academic standing, community service history and leadership roles within extracurricular activities. Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 grade point scale, score 24 or higher on the ACT or score

Pictured Left to right: Deanna Anest, Judy Billings, 1100 on the SAT. Linda Benz, Peggy Palmeri, Eileen Sengstock and Kate Applications Winch (all 10 years); and Catherine Gusler Goodrich must also include (35 years). Not pictured: JoAnn Gounand (10 years), an essay and two Disa Hjaltason (15 years), Steel Lundy (20 years) and Judy Conn (30 years). letters of recommendation. The application deadline is Tuesday, February 15 to the school counselor and can be found at www.apollobeachwomansclub.com. Wednesday, February 9 is the next ABWC luncheon. Eric Hughes, MA, MLS, literacy liaison at Tampa Free Library, will explain Hillsborough County’s basic literacy and English Speaker of Other Language (ESOL) programs and provide women a second-chance scholarship. During the Wednesday, March 9 luncheon, Anne McCarthy of the FWC, Gulf Coast Marine Fisheries Hatchery and Enhancement Center at Apollo Beach Florida Conservation and Technology Center, will discuss her career history and set up of the Piney Point Hatchery. All luncheons are $22, and reservations and payments must be received by the Friday prior to the luncheon. For menu details, the venue, and reservations contact Barbara DeOca at 8921219 or abwclub2020@gmail.com. To keep everyone safe, the club asks that only vaccinated ladies attend the luncheons for the time being. If you wish to learn more about the ABWC, information can be found on the website or by contacting Second Vice President of Membership Liz Pedersen at 7778215 or kenlizpedersen@msn.com. Staf Report

Florida has about 200,000 migrant farmworkers. These essential members of our community often struggle with access to health care. That’s why UF/IFAS Extension and UF Health teamed up with several other organizations to set up a statewide mobile health clinic, which last month came to Wimauma.

At the clinic, which took place on January 22 at the Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, 100 workers received vaccinations and were screened for diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, major depression, heart disease and Chagas disease. These diseases often go unrecognized for years, if not decades, before they manifest clinical signs and symptoms.

In addition to health screenings, COVID-19 vaccinations were ofered to those who had not been inoculated or need a booster and UF/IFAS Extension agents gave information to farmworkers about improving their health via activity and nutrition.

“Project leaders started in Wimauma because it’s one of many places around Florida with a huge influx of migrant farmworkers, particularly during the winter harvest season,” said John Diaz, president of CAFE Latino (the Coalition of Florida Extension Educators for Latinos).

Diaz coordinated the fair with Dr. Norman Beatty, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases and global medicine in the College of Medicine, which is part of UF Health—the University of Florida’s academic health center—and an afliate faculty in the UF Center for Latin American Studies. Having joined forces, Diaz and Beatty

One hundred local farmworkers received have invited a host of vaccinations and were screened for diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, major depression, heart disease and Chagas disease at a other partners excited to join the efort. mobile clinic in Wimauma last month. “Our plan is to continue to ofer these health fairs throughout Florida where we are needed the most. Partnering with UF/IFAS, we hope to reach these underserved communities,” he said. “Our strategy is to utilize a mobile approach to health care delivery. This is an essential workforce that often sufers from a lack of resources and significant health care disparity.” Diaz and Beatty consider the flagship Wimauma event a success and credit the relationships local groups have with the workers and the established trust for getting the word out about the event. To learn more about UF/IFAS, visit ifas. ufl.edu. For more information about BethEl Farmworker Ministry, visit https://bethel.org/ or call 633-1548.

NEW TGH URGENT CARE POWERED BY FAST TRACK OPEN IN APOLLO BEACH

Staf Report

Apollo Beach now has access to world-class, convenient medical care for minor illnesses and injuries at the newest TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track. The new clinic, located at 6182 N. U.S. Hwy. 41 in Apollo Beach, opened last month to serve patients seven days a week from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

“Providing easy access to health care close to home in our surrounding communities is part of our vision to be the safest and most innovative hospital in America. Convenient locations and options help Tampa General Hospital advance health care options for local neighborhoods,” said Tampa General Hospital Executive Vice President and Chief Ambulatory Care Ofcer Adam Smith. “Should a patient need further care, we can help connect them with the services of our academic medical center that has 83 outpatient locations.”

TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track is the first urgent care center in the Tampa Bay area to achieve accreditation through the Urgent Care Association (UCA). This is the highest level of distinction for urgent care centers and means that the locations have met all the UCA’s established standards and criteria for quality of patient care, safety and scope of services. The new clinic ofers efcient, high-quality urgent care with five exam rooms in a patient-friendly environment performed by board-certified primary care providers.

Common tests, check-ups and procedures ofered at TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast

Track include school and sports physicals, X-rays and certain laboratory tests. This new clinic also will ofer testing for infectious conditions, including COVID-19 and the flu. Occupational health services are also available and include pre-employment screenings, employment physicals, workers’ compensation injuries and vaccinations. “We are excited to be a Dr. Paul Nanda, chief medical of- part of the Apollo Beach cer, and Dr. Daron Diecidue, chief community,” said Dr. Daron executive ofcer, of TGH Urgent Diecidue, chief executive Care powered by Fast Track at the ofcer at TGH Urgent Care new Apollo Beach location. powered by Fast Track. “Providing high-quality urgent care means getting the right care to patients at the right time and place. TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track is well-positioned to be this type of resource for the urgent care needs of residents in Southern Hillsborough County.” TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track locations span throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties. The new Apollo Beach clinic makes a total of 14 TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track locations around Tampa Bay and is one more way Tampa General Hospital provides patients with high-quality, low-cost, patient-centered care as well as a connection to high-level, acute hospital care for patients with serious and complex illnesses. Walk-in appointments are available; however, a FastPass Reservation is recommended. For more information about TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track or to make a reservation, visit www.fasttrackurgentcare. com/ or call 925-1903.

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By Kate Quesada

Bill Chini has big plans for Mary & Martha House (MMH). Chini, who has been on the board of the organization that provides shelter and services to victims of domestic violence and homeless women and their children since 2018, recently took over as executive director.

Born in South New Jersey, Chini enlisted in the Air Force after high school and served at MacDill AFB in Tampa. Post-military, he worked in hospitality, eventually becoming the general manager of Little Harbor Resort in Ruskin.

Former MMH Executive Director Laurie Herring, who passed away last year, encouraged Chini to join the board.

“I had no idea what that meant and was a little reluctant at first, but I knew what the organization did and wanted to be a part of it,” he said. “I have close family members who sufered through domestic violence when I was a child. During my time in New York, I was homeless for a short while. Knowing about this place that assisted people afected by two issues I witnessed/lived through my life, this was a chance to help others.”

Chini stepped up when Herring got sick but never thought he would permanently take the role.

“I hate telling the story of how I became executive director because to me it’s a sad story,” he said.

Chini credited the team Herring built with the success of the charity. “In my mind, the staf was committed to doing the very best they could to continue to help others in need, and to keep Laurie’s legacy alive,” he said. MMH looks at those in need diferently than Bill Chini recently took over as executive most. director of Mary & Martha House in “MMH is guidance,” Ruskin. he said. “Society is very quick to expect everyone to know what to do and are even quicker to throw them away instead of taking the time to help them. We don’t do that here. We help with the obstacles, we help with the baggage, we help women and children get back on the path to success. Our future is going to be a bright one, for both our survivors and our organization.” Chini’s goal, as MMH celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, is to be able to help more people, with the idea of including a larger thrift store, more housing and more on-site support services for families. “It’s going to take a lot of planning, work and capital. One thing I’ve learned from working in this operation more closely is the unwavering support from our community,” he explained. “The big plans we have can look scary at times; however, I’m confident we can accomplish anything with the support of our community; they always have our back.” To learn more, visit https://marymarthahouse.org.