Two Sections, 44 Pages of Community News
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July 2017
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Volume 12, Issue 7
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Lightning Owner Vinik Invests $6 Million Bloomingdale High School Principal Sue Burkett Wins Brandon Honorary Mayor’s Race Into Upgrades For Ice Sports Forum By Nick Nahas
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the Stanley Cup, and that begins with providing every resource for our players to train and prepare.” Since Vinik bought the team in 2010, he has Photo Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Lightning remained A look at what the new locker room will look like after renovations. committed The Tampa Bay Lightning are breakto making the Lightning a world-class ing ground in September on a new stateorganization. The only thing left for the of-the-art practice facility. The Ice Sports Lightning to improve upon is their practice Forum, where the team currently pracfacility, which is in the works to becoming tices, will add on new features to the facil- one of the better facilities in the NHL. ity including a brand new locker room, According to Brian Breseman, weight room, training room, press room Lightning Director of Public Relations, the and player lounge. It will have new feagoal for the Lightning is to make the playtures that are not currently available at ers as comfortable as possible and proAmalie Arena, including hydrotherapy vide them with the best opportunity to facilities, a video room/theater and a new succeed on the ice. The Forum is located rink dasher system for the North Rink. at the edge of Brandon, close to Amalie These improvements are made posArena in Tampa, where the team plays, sible through a $6 million dollar donation and where the players live. from Lightning owner and chairman, Jeff Since 1997, the Lightning and the Ice Vinik. The Ice Sports Forum has pledged Sports Forum have been partners. The $500,000 in improvements as well. The commitments both parties have made Forum and the Lightning have extended ensure that they will continue the trend for their lease through 2027. The facility is at least another 10 years. expected to be finished in the spring of The 18,000-sq. ft. addition to the 2018. Forum will be bigger than the 14,500-sq. "We have addressed a number of ft. Amalie Arena facility. things as an organization on and off the "I would like to personally thank the ice since purchasing the team in 2010, Ice Sports Forum and owner Tom Bradley but one thing that has not been improved for being a great partner of the organizato this point has been the team's practice tion for more than 20 years,” said Vinik. venue,” said Vinik. “That will change this “We hope to continue the relationship for fall when we break ground. We remain another 20 years or more.” steadfast in our commitment to winning
By Tamas Mondovics
always ask them what can we do in our own community to make it a better place to live and prosper? What a better way to practice what I preach than to get involved with our very own long standing community event and include the students in our efforts.” Burkett’s fundraising campaign focused on three Brandon area charities for children: Bloomingdale High School Academic Foundation, Boys and Girls Bloomingdale High School Principal Sue Burkett Clubs of Tampa Bay and celebrates her recent victory as the new Brandon Honorary Mayor, during the Fourth of July Parade. Burket Center Place Fine Arts and defeated rival local journalist, Linda Chion Kenney by Civic Association. raising $41,601.57 for local charities supporting children. The Community After some well-organized preparaRoundtable originated the race for the tion and a month-long fundraising camtitle of Honorary Mayor of Brandon in paign, Bloomingdale High School 1959. The contest, which begins June 1, Principal Sue Burkett celebrated her vicand concludes at 8 a.m., the morning of tory as the 56th Brandon Honorary Brandon’s Fourth of July Parade, was Mayor. designed to raise funds for charities in the To win the honor of representing her Brandon community. community for a one-year term, from July Each candidate chooses up to three 4, through July 3, Burkett defeated her charities as beneficiaries and the candirival, local journalist Linda Chion Kenney date who raises the most dollars (votes) by raising $41,601.57 for local charities in the 33 day period is then named the supporting children. Honorary Mayor Honorary Mayor of Brandon. Visit Burkett replaced former Honorary Mayor www.thecommunityroundtable.org. Chuck Burgess and also took her rightful place as a member of The Community Roundtable board. In This Burkett received both her Bachelor Issue and Master degrees from the University of South Florida and began teaching Exceptional Education Students at Plant BUDDY WALK.....................................PG 4 City and Durant High Schools. She CRIME BEAT .......................................PG 6 served as the Assistant Principal at Riverview High School in 2002. PARADE RECAP ..................................PG 9 In 2005, Burkett became the Assistant Principal for Curriculum at TOPSOCCER......................................PG 14 Bloomingdale High School followed by NEW CHARTER SCHOOL .................PG 28 her appointment as Principal of Burns Middle School in 2009 before returning to SPORTS CONNECTION ....................PG 42 Bloomingdale as the Principal in 2013. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT...............PG 43 Explaining the reason for her desire to take part in the long standing Brandon READ MORE LOCAL NEWS ONLINE tradition she wrote, “When the students www.ospreyobserver.com look to organize philanthropic projects, I
Photo By Tamas Mondovics
Wearing giant Uncle Sam hats, Landon Thorpe, 3, and his sister Aubree, 9 celebrate this year’s Independence Day, during the annual Brandon Fourth of July Parade. The children were among thousands of spectators that braved the heat and lined the two-mile parade route organized by the Brandon Community Roundtable. Please see more event pics in this edition.
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