Two Sections, 36 Pages of Community News
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August 2018 Volume 15, Issue 8 Ph: 657-2418 1 6
Y E A R S
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P U B L I S H I N G
Tampa Jeep Krewe Spends $30,000 On Toys For Christmas In July Project
By Mia Cafaro
Members of the Tampa Jeep Krewe pose with $5,000 worth of toys bought for children at St. Joseph's Hospital.
they raised money through raffles and community events such as Yappy Hour and bowling at The Alley. The drive was organized by Teri Smith and Lisa Wheeler, the co-leaders of event coordination for the Tampa Jeep Krewe, with the help of many other members. This is an important cause because children stuck in the hospital often miss birthdays and Christmases at home. The Christmas in July project can be participated in by any business, individual or organization that wishes to help out. St. Joseph’s passes out fliers each year detailing the types of toys that would be good for patients to use. The unique aspect of this project is that the children get to take the toys home when they are discharged. “It’s not really like these are donations to the hospital, they are donations to the kids. It’s all for the kids,” said Wheeler. To learn more about Tampa Jeep Krewe, go to www.thejeepkreweinc.com. To learn about the Christmas in July project, go to www.sjhfoundation.org.
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On July 27, $30,000 worth of toys was delivered to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital by Tampa Jeep Krewe, a local Jeep organization of over 8,000 members. This was its fifth time participating in the Christmas in July fundraiser, which allows children in the hospital for long periods of time to receive ageappropriate gifts, which can serve to overcome the monotonous routine of the hospital and lift the spirits of patients. The members shopped for these toys at three different local Walmart locations on July 25, spending a total of about $16,000. They cleared the shelves of the Walmarts on Bloomingdale, Brandon, and Dale Mabry. The volunteers from the Tampa Jeep Krewe who came to shop were sorted into several categories, such as toddler toys, electronics, and crafts. All of the volunteers were enthusiastic and came ready to fill their carts to the brim. The Tampa Jeep Krewe spent three months collecting the money and toys to achieve its goal of a $30,000 value. At each of the gatherings and socials members collected toy donations, and
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The Brandon All-Stars are four-time Small Coed World Champions, including recently in 2016 and 2017. For more information, you can visit its website at BrandonAllStars.com, or you can visit its Facebook page at Brandon AllStars. See page 6.
P O S I T I V E
C O M M U N I T Y
N E W S
Plant City Plays Role In New Film No Postage Necessary
By Kathy Collins
showcased in the film including Winn Dixie and Twistee Treat on James Redman Parkway, to The Corner Store to representatives from the Plant City Police Department. “Growing up in Plant City gave me a deep appreciation for the grounded goodness of its citizens,” said Charleene Closshey. “Plant City is a unique sort of Small Town, USA- there are many national and international corporate headquarters located in our little area lending a more robust economic and world view, all whilst maintaining a small Southern town feel,” she added. “Coming back to film in my hometown brought intense emotions and absolute joy.” Yvonne Fry, Associate Producer said, “Filming in Plant City was exciting.” Fry added, “Plant City’s people and places were heavily featured and it was No Postage Necessary was set and filmed in heartwarming during the production Plant City. Like the film’s star and Plant City native, Charleene Closshey, the city itself is process, but so meaningful when you see it on the screen.” an important character in the film. Film Tampa Bay confirmed that over No Postage Necessary was set and $200,000 was spent locally in filmed in Plant City. Several members of Hillsborough County during the 19-day the film, including film shoot. You can download or stream Actress/Composer/Producer, Charleene the film on any digital platform such as Closshey, are Plant City Natives. No Amazon and iTunes. Postage Necessary premiered on June 28 at the Tampa Theatre. Charleene Closshey, who plays Josie, explained why Plant City was In This Issue selected, “Making and distributing a movie successfully is a delicate balance between art and commerce. The team STEM IN MIDDLE SCHOOL .................PG 3 prepared cost analysis for multiple sites in PREVENT TREES FALLING ...................PG 5 Texas, Georgia and Mississippi before choosing to film in Plant City. It just made 9/11 HEROES RUN .............................PG 9 good business sense.” GLUTEN FREE MARKET ....................PG 10 “Filming in our hometown allowed us to personally reach out to locals to conEYE ON BUSINESS ............................PG 15 nect with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT................PG 16 From little kids with big dreams, to adults happy for a little break from everyday life SCHOOL WATER TESTING ................PG 18 experienced a behind the scenes glimpse of the many moving parts of moviemakSPORTS CONNECTION......................PG 23 ing,” said Executive Producer Jennifer www.ospreyobserver.com Closshey. When you watch the movie, you will recognize local businesses and places