Two Sections, 44 Pages of Community News
Valrico
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October 2018 Volume 15, Issue 10 Ph: 657-2418 1 6
Y E A R S
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P U B L I S H I N G
Local Girl Scouts Receive Award For ‘It All Began With A Blanket’ Project
By Kate Quesada
so much that that blanket began our project of helping the homeless population, more specifically, women who had children that were homeless, and became our Silver Award project cause.” The girls in Fairley’s troop, Jazmyn Hakins, Katie Fairley, Brooke McElhaney, Cassie Adams and Leah Johnis, began their scouting journey as Daisy Scouts in kindergarten and are in their final year of Cadette Scouts before bridging to the next level. “The Silver Award is an individual award, but girls may work Members of Valrico’s Girl Scout Cadette Troop 1888, Jazmyn Hakins, Katie Fairley, Brooke McElhaney, Cassie Adams and Leah Johnis, recently completed their Silver Award project by helping the area homeless.
in small groups to work on a cause in the community that they feel they can do their part in having an impact on,” said Fairley. The group began working on the project they called ‘It All Began with a Blanket,’ eight months ago by learning about the area’s homeless population from Cheryl Hickman with the Women’s Resource Center at BayLife Church. They received information about a homeless outreach event and quickly made 100 ‘daypack’ bags to distribute filled with items including socks, water, a
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Last December, two local girl scouts had a chance run-in that changed their lives and the lives of many others. The girls, who were with their scout leader, Valrico resident Jayne Fairley, met a homeless woman outside of Home Depot. When the woman told the girls that what she really needed was a blanket, they had an idea that developed into a very successful Silver Award project and last month impacted 20 people at the Womens’ Resource Center at BayLife Church. After meeting the lady at Home Depot, the girls, who are 14 years old and freshmen in high school, developed a passion for helping the homeless. “When we handed the lady the blankets, she hugged me and thanked me profusely and was crying,” said Fairley. “That impacted those two girls
Osprey Observer Advertising Rep Kerrie Hoening and Managing Editor Marie Gilmore presents Motion Chirotherapy owner Dr. Bob Lutz with a Valrio-opoly Game. The game is now available at local Walmart stores for $19.98. Valrico-opoly is a brand new game put out by Late ForThe Sky and features local landmarks. See full story on Page 10.
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C O M M U N I T Y
N E W S
Campo YMCA And The Green Boutique Present Pepper’s Walk This October
By Kathy L. Collins
For the past Green Boutique. 10 years, Plaza She was diagBella in Valrico has nosed with breast held an Annual cancer more than Plaza Bella Goes 20 years ago. She Pink Walk For The was a two-time Cure. This year, breast cancer surPlaza Bella is joinvivor and then ing forces with the was diagnosed Campo Family with terminal lung YMCA in Valrico to cancer. She never host Pepper’s smoked. She was Walk. As in the an active particiJoin others and walk to honor cancer survivors past, 100 percent and remember Pepper McGowan and others pant in the Plaza who have been lost to cancer at Pepper’s of the proceeds Bella Goes Pink Walk this October 20. from the walk will Walks. be donated to organizations dedicated to Roz Creager, owner of Plaza Bella dealing with cancer related issues. and the Green Boutique said, “We will Pepper’s Walk will be held on also have raffle baskets at our store. Saturday, October 20 at 9 a.m., registraThese will be on display for two weeks tion begins at 8 a.m. The walk will begin prior to the walk. The winner’s name will at the Campo Family YMCA located at be drawn after the walk.” 3414 Culbreath Rd. in Valrico. Walkers Kavita Marballi with the Campo will travel to the Green Boutique located Family YMCA said, “Pepper was diagat 1032 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico and nosed more than 20 years ago. During back to the Campo Family YMCA. her long treatments, she made many Pre-registration is available now friends. We wish to honor her memory through October 8. Cost to register is with this walk.” $20. Children 15 years old and younger For more information about Pepper’s are free. For those who pre-register, you Walk, contact Marballi at kmarballi@tamget a T-shirt and swag bag both of which paymca.org. are provided by the Green Boutique. For those who register after October 8, you get a swag bag only. You can register In This online at www.tampaymca.org/campoIssue peppers-walk. In addition to the T-shirts and swag GEMS & JEANS BALL ..........................PG 3 bags, the Green Boutique will provide gifts to survivors of cancer. They will also STUDENT BECOMES TEACHER ...........PG 4 have pink bows that can be purchased to AMAZON STEM CAMP .......................PG 6 honor a loved one who has lost the fight with cancer. BUNCO FOR MOFFITT........................PG 8 One hundred percent of the proK9 MORRELL ....................................PG 11 ceeds from Pepper’s Walk will be donated to charities. The donations will benefit NOVEMBERFEST ..............................PG 15 the YMCA’s Livestrong Program, the EYE ON BUSINESS .....................PGS 25‐26 YMCA’s Pediatric Cancer Survivor Program, the American Cancer Society ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT................PG 41 and The Outreach Clinic. SPORTS CONNECTION......................PG 42 Pepper McGowan, for whom the walk is named, was a long-time member www.ospreyobserver.com of the Y and a valued customer at the