Osprey Observer Bloomingdale/FishHawk June 2024

PLANS FOR FIRST FAMILY JULY 4TH FESTIVAL AT COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS: MUSIC, CONTESTS, DRONES & MORE

Get ready to immerse yourself in a day of patriotic revelry as Hillsborough County Fairgrounds unveils plans for its inaugural July 4th festival, entitled Catch the Spirit & Celebrate America, presented by Odiorne Insurance. Admission is free for this community extravaganza, which promises a day packed with fantastic food, exciting activities, engaging contests and live entertainment, culminating in a breathtaking, patriotic drone show after sunset. Gates open at 1 p.m. for this family-friendly event, with parking available at $10 per vehicle.

A watermelon-eating contest is just one of many activities planned for the fun-flled July 4th Catch the Spirit & Celebrate America festival at the County Fairgrounds.

“Hosting a July 4th festival is a natural fit for the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds,” said fair manager Suzanne Holcomb. “By expanding our roster of self-produced events, the Fairgrounds is becoming the go-to venue for family-friendly activities throughout the year.”

An array of interactive activities will fill the afternoon, including a charming pet parade and costume contest, the adorable Little Miss and Mr. Firecracker competition and watermelon-eating challenges. The Ridge Country Band takes the stage in the Entertainment Pavilion at 3 p.m., and

Staf Report

the Eric Von Band continues the toe-tapping beats beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Young ones can have a blast petting and feeding farm animals and sliding down inflatables in the kids’ zone, while adults can unwind with a refreshing beverage at one of the beer tents.

Fans can explore craft vendors, admire the antique car show and discover organizational displays throughout the day.

The evening culminates with a one-of-a-kind, patriotic drone show beginning at 9 p.m. Produced by Sky Elements Drone Shows, the leading provider of drone light shows in the U.S., this sensory-friendly spectacle features 150 drones choreographed to stirring marches and iconic American music, providing a perfect celebration for all.

Catch the Spirit & Celebrate America is part of a full day of activities in the Brandon area, kicking of with the annual Fourth of July parade at 10 a.m. hosted by the Greater Brandon Action Network.

The Hillsborough County Fairgrounds are located at 215 Sydney Washer Rd. in Dover. Visit https://hillsboroughcountyfair. com/ for the complete schedule of events, contest applications and more information.

Sgt. Maj. William A. Hines is known by many in the Lithia community as ‘the Man With Two Shepherds’ because of the miles he has put in throughout the community with his German Shepherds, Mia and Layla. Those that know him are drawn to his infectious positivity and the path he takes day in and day out to embrace fitness.

Daily, neighbors will see Hines outside walking or running and at his gym, Anytime Fitness.

Anytime Fitness owner Ronald Rigaud said Hines is a constant encouragement to everyone he encounters.

“Bill embodies the Warrior Ethos that exercising is a way of life, not a seasonal or simple period in life to get in shape. It’s everyday putting in the work,” Rigaud said.

A career Marine who achieved the highest noncommissioned rank, Hines’ dedication to fitness may seem typical; however, Hines retired after 27 years due to severe illnesses.

After a run in 2010, he was rushed to Tampa General Hospital because he couldn’t breathe. Doctors found blood clots in his lungs. What followed was a dark period in his life: forced retirement, countless doctor appointments, extended time at Mayo Clinic, and a final diagnosis that included fibromyalgia, factor V Leiden thrombophilia, lupus and severe chronic fatigue. By the time Hines had the diagnoses, he was in the worst shape of his life, hardly being able to get up the stairs to his bed at night.

He was at rock bottom emotionally and physically. Then, doctors cleared him for physical activity. He went out a few

By Jane Owen

steps at a time on the FishHawk trails with his dogs Mia and Layla. Before long, a quarter mile turned into a half mile. Now, he often puts in 10 miles a day and on an average month hits the gym around 34 times. In 2023, he amassed well over 365 visits, the most gym visits in a year since the facility opened in 2016. Hines said he doesn’t have daily goals. He has a life goal to go out and enjoy life.

“There is no excuse in life. You’re gonna have ups and downs. But are you gonna get up? Or are you gonna let it beat you down?” Hines said. “Is your glass empty or half full? Live with a full glass. And get out and move. Go enjoy life. Don’t just sit and do nothing.”

Hines said making time for fitness is key for quality of life.

“There’s always time. If you make it a priority in your life, you can do it. Everybody can squeeze in an hour. There’s an hour of wasted time in your day,” Hines said.

Hines highly recommends people to find a gym with a personal trainer for accountability. To see Hines in action or for information about Anytime Fitness Lithia (FishHawk), located at 16144 Churchview Dr., Ste. 201 (second floor) in Park Square, email lithiafl@anytimefitness.com.

RETIRED MARINE INSPIRES HIS COMMUNITY TO GET OUT AND MOVE IN THIS ISSUE:

Kimbri Long and daughters Riley & Madalynn recently went on a Geocache hunt and found the Osprey Observer cache. Will you be next?

Sgt. Maj. William A. Hines walking with his German Shepherds, Mia and Layla.

Proud Supporters of ECHO * Board of Directors

LOCAL BOY SCOUT LEADER WINS HIGHEST ORGANIZATION HONOR: THE SILVER BEAVER AWARD

Stephanie Crawley is an active mom of two and a Boy Scouts of America (BSA) leader. She was recently awarded the most prestigious Boy Scout award an adult can earn, the Silver Beaver Award. The Silver Beaver Award is only given to those who have shown distinguished behavior as a Scouter or Scout leader.

Crawley is the committee chair for Troop 610 in Riverview, a crew advisor for Crew 42 in Lithia, the district training chair for the Timucua District and is on the training committee for Boy Scouts of America Greater Tampa Bay Area Council.

Her son has been Scouting since he was 9 years old and is currently a junior at Bloomingdale High School in Brandon. Her son is the reason she first got involved with the BSA, and because of his involvement in the BSA they have participated in many training courses and Scouting adventures together.

Crawley said of earning the Silver Beaver Award, “I earned the Silver Beaver Award for exceptional leadership. The Silver Beaver Award was introduced in 1931 and is a council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America.

Recipients of this award are registered Scouters who have made an impact on

By Ashley Abene

the lives of youth through service given at the council level.

The Silver Beaver Award is bestowed upon only those persons who have given continued, unselfish and efective service to the community through the program of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients are active not only in Scouting but in the community as well. Because Scouters may not nominate themselves for this award, only those persons who have been nominated by their Scouting peers are considered. The Silver Beaver Award is the highest recognition a local council can bestow upon volunteer leaders.”

Crawley is also actively involved in her community outside of the BSA. She is the after-school program and camp director for Sidekicks Family Martial Arts Centers, located in Lithia. Within its martial arts program, Sidekicks focuses on the development of students not only physically but emotionally, intellectually and socially as well.

To fi nd out more information about the Boy Scouts of America in the Tampa Bay area or the Silver Beaver Award, visit the BSA website at https://tampabayscouting.org/.

Alyssa Pinzon, a Bevis Elementary fifth grader, earned a national Award of Merit at Reflections, a National PTA (Parent Teacher Association) art competition.

This year’s nationwide theme was ‘I am Hopeful Because…’. Each year, the program sees over 300,000 students submit original works of art to the competition.

Pinzon’s dance composition made her one of three Broncos to earn state recognitions, winning the state Award of Excellence before advancing to the national competition. Third grader Meera Mishra earned the state Award of Merit for her dance composition and second grader Brynley Lavayen won State Honorable Mention for her photography submission.

Bevis Elementary Principal Rebecca Reeve said she was grateful for the PTA’s eforts in organizing the event and encouraging students to submit their art pieces.

“We love watching our Broncos be recognized for their creative and artistic talents,” Reeve said. “We are so proud of all their hard work and are thankful they are able to express their emotions and share their creativity.”

By Lily Belcher

Bevis PTA President Amanda Winemiller said the school had its most successful year, with over 70 total entries. She said 24 advanced to the county-level competition and six submissions advanced to states.

PTA members Kristen Alvarez and Tracie Van Der Vliet helped coordinate the school competition by finding qualified community members to judge each category.

Student submissions are created to meet a nationwide theme and fit one of six categories: visual arts, dance choreography, music composition, film production, literature or photography.

Pinzon’s dance composition, titled “Rise Up,” was a way for her to express herself.

“I felt very honored receiving a National Award in Dance Choreography, especially because I can express my feelings through dance and I connected to the theme, ‘Rise Up,’” Pinzon said. The Reflections theme for the 2024-25 school year is ‘Accepting Imperfection.’ Registration is open and will run through February 1, 2025. For more, www.pta. org/home/programs/reflections or contact through info@pta.org.

Te Silver Beaver Award is given to those who have shown distinguished behavior as a Scouter. Pictured is Stephanie Crawley with son Connor..

Bevis 5th Grader Alyssa Pinzon won the Award of Merit .

Meera Mishra.

Brynley Lavayen

BECOME A POLL WORKER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

Free and fair elections are the hallmark of a democratic society, and poll workers are the backbones of free and fair elections. Without their tireless eforts, elections would not run as smoothly and corruption-free as they should.

If you are a resident of Hillsborough County, at least 18 years old and a registered voter, you can apply to work as a poll worker in Hillsborough County in the upcoming election. You must be able to lift 1530 pounds and work for at least a 14-hour day.

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer said, “I want the local community to know that poll workers are crucial to our elections and our democracy. We could not conduct elections for our large county without our poll workers. If you are friendly, disciplined and want to participate in our democracy in a meaningful way, please consider becoming a poll worker.”

Latimer added, “The application is available on our website, and I encourage individuals to apply now. We are already reviewing applications and assigning positions for the upcoming primary and general election. If you apply after our ofce is fully stafed for this election cycle, you can still be considered for future election cycles.”

Poll workers undergo training, about

By Kathy L. Collins

which Latimer said, “We have earned awards for our poll worker training, and our returning poll workers have remarked on how it has improved over the years. It is very informative and prepares our poll workers well for the work they will be doing.”

Poll workers complete several hours of online training at their own pace and then schedule time to participate in in-person labs where they can practice with the equipment that we use in the polling place.

Training is available beginning one to two months before the assignment. Once a poll worker is assigned to work, they will receive more information about training from the poll worker services department. Poll workers are paid. The amount you are paid depends on your position and when you are working. For example, election day poll workers in Hillsborough County earn between $330 and $391.

Tasks assigned to poll workers vary, but examples include setting up the polling place, checking voters in, handing out “I Voted” stickers, monitoring the polling location and providing voters with excellent customer service.

For more information on becoming a poll worker and for an application, www. votehillsborough.gov.

FREEDOM PLAZA RECOGNIZED AS A BEST SENIOR ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

Freedom Plaza has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a 2024 Best Assisted Living, Best Memory Care and Best Continuing Care Retirement Community. The trusted, data-backed ratings of the best senior living communities across the United States assist older adults and their loved ones in choosing the right community for them.

For its 2024 Best Senior Living ratings, U.S. News rated nearly 3,500 communities on several criteria, including resident and family members’ satisfaction with safety, care, community management and staf, value and other services and amenities provided by the community.

“We are delighted to have been named as one of the best senior living communities in the country in three separate categories,” said Freedom Plaza executive director Angie Roher. “This recognition continues to highlight our commitment in delivering the best-possible care for our residents.”

U.S. News awards the designation of ‘Best Senior Living’ only to those communities that satisfy U.S. News’ statistical assessment of performance on consumer satisfaction surveys administered in the previous two calendar years, reflecting the viewpoints of more than 400,000 residents and family members. Only the highest-rated communities in each care level earned a ‘Best’ rating.

“Best Senior Living reflects U.S. News’ commitment to helping families navigate the important — albeit time-consuming — decision of researching and choosing a senior living community through trusted, data-backed community ratings,” said Sumita Singh, general manager of health at U.S. News. “We are proud to recognize those communities that stand out as ‘Best’ by providing exceptional care and satisfaction, as directly expressed by residents and family members of residents who live and thrive in these communities.”

For more information on theU.S. News Best Senior Living ratings, visit https:// health.usnews.com/best-senior-living or explore Facebook at www.facebook.com/ usnewsandworldreport as well as Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) @ usnews using #BestSeniorLiving.

Freedom Plaza is a vibrant Life Care community in Sun City Center set on 140 acres of landscaped grounds. It features a private lake, walking trails and an 18-hole executive golf course and putting green. Freedom Plaza’s pet-friendly community features over 400 independent living residences ranging from studio to one and two-bedroom apartment residences. It also ofers assisted living residences; skilled nursing, including private rehabilitation suites; and memory care. Visit https://freedomplazafl. com/ for more information

Convenient Health Care Under One Roof

When there isn’t a moment left in your day, you need your health care to be convenient. With primary care, specialty care, lab, and advanced imaging all in the same location, AdventHealth Care Pavilion in Riverview makes sure the care you need is just around the corner. So, you can get back to life’s

Craig Latimer is the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Election. His ofce has won multiple awards, including ones for training poll workers. If you are 18 years old, a resident and a registered voter in Hillsborough County, you can apply to be a poll worker for the upcoming elections.

Freedom Plaza in Sun City Center was recently recognized as a 2024 Best Assisted Living, Best Memory Care and Best Continuing Care Retirement Community by U.S. News & World Report.

By Nitish Rele

compact car buyer has endless options on a dealer’s lot, but there is one fine ride that stands out for its agility, coolness and sheer excitement. And that, of course, is the Mazda3. Take your pick: the sedan which we recently tested or the hatchback we have driven in the past. Both will leave a smile on your face.

Tires: P215/45R18

Height: 56.9 inches

Weight: 3,395 pounds Fuel capacity: 12.7 gallons City: 23 mpg Highway: 32 mpg Base price: $35,450

www.mazdausa.com

Under the hood of the Mazda3 sits a turbocharged engine putting out 227 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 310 pounds-feet of torque at 2,500 rpm (with 87 octane gas). A smooth-shifting six-speed auto gearbox makes the drive even more fun. Suspension is handled via a MacPherson strut front and a torsion beam axle rear so unpleasant road bumps or curves are handled with ease. The electric power rack-and-pinion steering is instant and on the mark. As always, it is equipped with the direct-injection Skyactiv, which uses a torque boost via a high compression ratio to increase fuel economy.

A black metallic-finish grille hosts a centered Mazda insignia surrounded by horizontal LED adaptive headlights and daytime running lights. Also distinctive are side sill extensions, a rear hatch spoiler and heated power side mirrors, all in black, along with a shark-fin antenna. Other carmakers could benefit from borrowing the simple command control center to operate the all-new and bigger 10.25-inch navigation/infotainment screen. The rich-looking black leath-

er upholstery gives the cabin a gorgeous vibe. Other admirable comforts include the eight-way power driver and four-way manual front-passenger heated seats, push-button start, dual auto a/c, 60/40 fold-down rear seat with hidden armrest and cup holders, overhead sunglass holder, head-up display, power windows and door locks, paddle shifters, power moonroof, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bose 12-speaker audio and AM/ FM.

Standard safety features include the dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag, front knee airbags, stability and traction control, hill launch assist, active front-head restraints, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, rearview camera, 360-degree monitor, radar cruise control, lane keep assist and departure warning, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-trafc alert and tire pressure monitoring system. The G-Vectoring Control Plus (which enables drivers to handle emergency situations or untoward road conditions with more accurate steering inputs) comes at no extra cost. And the i-ACTIV AWD works along with G-Vectoring to control torque distribution between front/ rear wheels.

The supple and exciting Mazda3 is a compact car, so we will excuse the tight rear seat for passengers. But this fuel-sipper, especially on the highway, is afordable, stylish and enjoyable for the daily jaunt or even to take on a long trip.

NAVIGATING TENSIONS BETWEEN NEW SPOUSES AND ADULT CHILDREN

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

Finding love again after loss or divorce is a wonderful gift. When there are kids involved, blending families can be beautiful, but this also comes with unique challenges. If there’s friction between your new spouse and your adult children, your estate planning process will require careful consideration and extra sensitivity.

has what they need while making sure certain things go to your children.

• Gifting During Your Lifetime: Consider gifting assets to your children outside of your estate plan. This can give you the satisfaction of seeing them enjoy your generosity, and potentially reduce tension.

Te Value of Professional Guidance

Understanding the Concerns

When starting the planning process, you first need to understand why there may be tension in the family. It might be lingering grief for a deceased parent, protectiveness over family heirlooms or anxieties arising from age diferences. While fixing long-standing issues is ideal, your primary focus in estate planning must be on preserving your own wishes and avoiding arguments.

Strategies for Balancing Interests

Working with an experienced lawyer will give you the best chance of creating a plan that fosters fairness and reduces the risk of conflict. Here are some potential strategies:

• Clear and Transparent Communication: Having open discussions (if possible) with all parties about your intentions for your estate can prevent surprises and promote understanding.

• Prenuptial or Postnuptial Agreements: These agreements can clearly define asset ownership and protect assets brought into the new marriage.

• Trust: Trusts can make sure your spouse

Given the intricacies of estate planning within blended families, seeking professional guidance is highly recommended. Experienced will and trust attorneys possess the expertise to navigate complex family dynamics and legal complexities efectively. By understanding your unique concerns and objectives, they can tailor a comprehensive plan that aligns with your wishes, provides for your loved ones and preserves your legacy for generations to come.

In conclusion, while blending families can present challenges, careful planning and thoughtful communication can help navigate tensions and create harmony within them. By addressing concerns openly, exploring efective strategies and seeking professional guidance, you can ensure that your estate plan reflects your values and priorities while fostering peace and understanding among your loved ones.

Laurie Ohall is a Florida board-certifed 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.

ARMY RECRUITING REVEALED — HOW ONE JOINS THE ARMY

Joining the military is an important milestone for anyone. There are a multitude of branches for one to choose from, but the branch that is possibly the most iconic is the United States Army. In Brandon at the Army Career Center, a division of the Tampa U.S. Army Recruiting Company, Staf Sgt. Edwin Negrin is the station commander (or supervisor). Negrin has been in the Army for 14 years and has been a recruiter for seven and a half years.

Ofering advice for potential service members, Negrin said, “I believe that graduating from school, staying in shape and having a good support system are very important components to have in one’s life.”

So, how do you go about joining the Army? After speaking with a recruiter, one must take a test called the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). This test determines your strengths and abilities in the fields of science, math and language in order to be placed in the right job. Jobs in the military are called military occupational specialties (MOS), and there are over 200 diferent opportunities.

Once a recruit has successfully completed the ASVAB and is placed in the right MOS, they must complete a physical exam at a Military Entrance Processing Station

By Gunnar Wagner

(MEPS). When that is accomplished, finally, in order to become a soldier, or ‘trainee,’ as recruits are referred to, they must then sign a contract called the Oath of Enlistment, a vow to defend the Constitution throughout their military career.

Preparation for basic training is next. Basic training prepares trainees for the Army and is typically completed in 10 weeks. Once a soldier graduates from basic training, there are three pathways for them to choose from: fulltime active duty, part-time Army Reserve and parttime Army National Guard. Additionally, there are also incentives known as enlistment bonuses that are given to qualified recruits for enlisting in the Army, completing basic training or becoming active duty. These are situation-based (e.g., one can get up to $50K if they are active duty) and enlistments range from three to six years. To learn more about enlistment and enlistment bonuses, visit www. goarmy.com.

The Army Career Center is located at 765 W. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon. Visit https://sites.google.com/view/us-army-tampa-company or its Instagram and Facebook pages at @goarmy_brandon765 and ‘U.S. Army Recruiting - Brandon,’ respectively, to learn more.

Te Army Career Center in Brandon is one of several places that prospective recruits can go to in Hillsborough County.

FIRST RESPONDERS’ BREAK ROOM COMING TO ARISE CHURCH

Making a positive impact in the community is an ongoing mission for ARISE Church in Brandon. In keeping with this mission, the church will open a First Responders’ Break Room when its new building opens in September.

The 12,000 sq. ft. Wynn Center, named for Brandon Assembly of God (now ARISE Church) founders Bill and Barbara Wynn, will primarily be a youth and o f ce complex to accommodate the church’s burgeoning youth involvement, but it will also o f er a separate area set aside for first responders.

According to Executive Pastor Ken McAnulty, the First Responders’ Break Room will only be open to first responders through a separate outside entrance, accessible by code, and will serve as a place for them to take a break, do reports and use the bathroom. He added that the air-conditioned space will have a co f ee pot and snacks available.

“We currently have a great relationship with the sheri f ’s o f ce,” said McAnulty. “It is our way of taking an extra step and

By Sharon Still

investing in the community.

He added that several o f cers are members of the congregation and ARISE Church hosts graduations and does ministry in jails.

“We are always looking for ways to use our tools to fulfill a service to the community,” he commented.

The break room will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will not allow entry from inside the building.

While McAnulty expects the certificate of occupancy for the Wynn Center any day now, he said that the building is an empty shell and the rooms need to be decorated and furnished. The grand opening will take place in September.

ARISE Church is located at 401 Pauls Dr. in Brandon and welcomes people from all cultures and walks of life. The church’s service times are on Sunday at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Its youth, children and adult ministries host a Midweek Boost. Its o f ce hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Friday; and 8 a.m.-12 Noon on Sunday. Call 813-689-2345 or visit https://myarisechurch.com/ for more information.

BURGERT BROTHERS PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION PROVIDES VISUAL LINK TO THE PAST

The Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System is home to an amazing collection of photographs known as the Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection. The collection of over 20,000 images is preserved at the John F. Germany Public Library in downtown Tampa. The collection is available for the public to view and use.

County Public Library System.

According to Selena Martinez, supervisory librarian and head of the Florida History and Genealogy Department, “The library acquired the majority of the Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection (approximately 18,000 of the now 20,000 images currently in the collection) in 1974 from an independent collector. The other images have been acquired through various purchases and donations from other institutions and the original Burgert family themselves.”

Te Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection has over 20,000 images, including this one of the Burgert Brothers Commercial Photography Studio taken on February 27, 1941. Te collection presents a pictorial record of the commercial, residential and social growth of Tampa Bay from the late 1800s to the early 1960s. Te collection is preserved for the public to view and use at the John F. Germany Public Library in downtown Tampa.

The images in the collection chronicle the history of the Tampa Bay area as it faced wars, natural disasters and economic booms and busts. The images ofer a view of a community at work. This includes a diverse cross section, featuring everything from cigar factories, sponge docks and strawberry fields to grocery stores, service stations and bank lobbies. Many of the photographs also depict the community doing leisure activities, in-

By Kathy L. Collins

cluding enjoying a day at the beach. Some photos also show residents participating in local celebrations, such as the Florida State Fair, and playing their favorite games, like golf, tennis, shuffleboard and even checkers.

Martinez said, “They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection has over 20,000 images in it, so it has over 20 million words to say about the multicultural history of Tampa. The collection is iconic and a cultural heritage institution for the community to take pride in.”

Martinez added,

“There are very few photographic collections that can show a pictorial microhistory of the area. There are images of the same streets, such as Franklin and Madison, from the 1890s all the way up to the 1960s. They are recognizable and seen everywhere in Tampa, from doctors’ ofces to local restaurants. Through this collection the community can look back and see how far we have come, that also how after 130 years, we have also stayed true to our multicultural heritage.”

You can order prints and high-resolution scans of the photos.

For more information, please visit https://hcplc.org/research/burgert or call 813-273-3652.

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced today that they will be hosting the seventh annual Bolts Brew Fest at AMALIE Arena on Friday, August 9, beginning at 8 p.m. The event will o f er craft beers from a variety of di f erent local craft breweries, oversized games, ThunderBug and more.

General admission tickets include entry at 8 p.m. for beer sampling and other fun perks, such as games, photo opportunities, music and more.

‘General Admission

• $60 on the day of the event.

General Admission Plus

• Doors open at 7 p.m.

• $75 advanced purchase.

• $90 on the day of the event.

VIP Admission

• Doors open at 6 p.m.

• $120 advanced purchase.

Plus’ tickets include early entry starting at 7 p.m. for an extra hour of sampling.

Craft beer enthusiasts can purchase a VIP admission ticket which will allow them access into the event two hours prior to general admission. VIP includes beer sampling; early entry from 6-7 p.m. for an extra hour of sampling without the crowds; access to AMALIE Arena’s

Ashley VIP Lounge, featuring exclusive VIP-only beer and food; and an o f er code for a BOGO ticket for one Lightning pre-season game (limited quantities are available — and only while supplies last).

Fans are encouraged to get their tickets as early as possible. The following ticket structure will be in e f ect:

General Admission

• Doors open at 8 p.m.

• $50 advanced purchase.

• $150 on the day of the event. A designated driver ticket will also be available for $35 advanced purchase and $45 on the day of the event for general admission only.

The Bolts Brew Fest is rapidly becoming one of Tampa Bay’s biggest beer events, featuring a wide array of craft beer variety from local and national breweries available for individuals to choose from. The full lineup of participating breweries will be announced prior to the event.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com. Please see above for price breakdown for price points. Prices are subject to change without notice. Prices do not include facility fee or service charges. Advanced parking passes are available at www. parkwhiz.com. Visit www.amaliearena. com or call 813-301-2500 for more information.

For more information on Bolts Brew Fest, visit https://boltsbrewfest.com/.

Photo courtesy of the Tampa-Hillsborough

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization does not receive any federal funding, but 97 percent of every charitable dollar it receives goes directly to help veterans.

On May 18, the Lithia-based Disabled American Veterans Chapter 161, named ‘The Four Chaplains #161,’ held its annual board inauguration and a change of command ceremony at the historic Hotel Flor in Tampa.

Held on Armed Forces Day, the ceremony marked the third anniversary of the chapter’s founding in April 2021 and the passing of leadership from the chapter’s founders, retiring Commander James ‘Jimmy’ Wright III and Stacey Wright.

Retired Air Force Maj. Lee Vaughan was the master of ceremonies. Mayor Jane Castor sent a video message of appreciation to the chapter and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio sent a letter. Distinguished guests included Andy Marshall, past national commander of DAV and current DAV Department of Florida adjutant; Laymond Rose, DAV Dept. of Florida senior vice commander; Bob Asztalos, Florida Dept. of Veterans Afairs deputy executive director; Joshua Wostal, Hillsborough County commissioner; and Heather Carter, regional vice president of business development for Mederi Caretenders of LHC Group.

Commander Juan Manco; adjutant, treasurer and membership Chairman Jim-

By Jane Owen

my; and Junior Vice Commander Josephine Hamm were welcomed as the new executive board.

Jimmy was inspired to start the chapter to advocate for veterans in the Lithia area.

“I started the chapter because

I saw a need for it in my community. I wanted to foster brotherhood in the largest local military community outside of

MacDill,” Jimmy said.

Air Force Loadmaster William Turner was honored at the ceremony for his service in Vietnam. Vaughan presented a special jumpmaster challenge coin.

“Mr. Turner, I jumped out of airplanes for 14 years and I’ve been a jumpmaster since about 1994, so I have had this coin for 30 years now. Thank you for your service, and it is my honor to present you with my personal coin,” Vaughan said.

The ceremony was the first military event Turner had attended since his time in the Air Force.

“For him to be presented a jumpmaster challenge coin from one of the men in the area in he served was so special. It truly finally welcomed him home,” Jimmy said.

If you would like to learn more about the veterans of The Four Chaplains #161, contact Jimmy at seizetheday79@ gmail.com. The chapter holds meetings at the Channing Park Recreation Center, located at 17358 Chelsea Downs Circle in Lithia, on the third Monday of every month at 7:30 p.m.

SUMMERTIME BRINGS POOL SAFETY INTO FOCUS

Now that summer is here, Hillsborough County launched Safe Pools Day Tampa Bay, which was aimed at educating families about practicing pool safety while they enjoy swimming this summer. Florida leads the nation in drowning deaths of children 4 years old or younger, and most of the deaths are preventable.

According to Hillsborough County Code Enforcement Director Joe Goss, his staf teamed up with the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City and the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County for Safe Pools Day Tampa Bay on May 10. Code enforcement ofcers visited condominium, subdivision, apartment complex and other common-area pools to ensure they meet safety standards, including those outlined in the Hillsborough County Code. Staf looked for appropriate fencing, signage, drain covers, sanitation and more.

Goss also shared other tips for families through the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and gave the following tips for water safety and how to help prevent pool injuries and drownings.

First, designate a ‘water watcher’ — an adult whose only job is to watch the children in the pool. Water watchers should be rotated about every 10 minutes. In addition, ensure that alarms are installed on any doors and gates leading to an at-home pool, and have a water alarm in the pool that goes of when someone enters the pool.

By Kelly Wise Valdes

Goss also strongly encouraged parents to enroll children in swim lessons. Locally, the City of Tampa ofers swim lessons for ages 6 months and older through the American Red Cross. Many local YMCAs also ofer drowning-prevention programs.

“With summer just around the corner, it’s important to ensure that private home swimming pools are safe, secure and sanitary,” said Goss.

“To prevent accidental drownings, all swimming pools, hot tubs and spas — regardless of when they were constructed — are required to have the proper fencing and safety barriers installed.”

If a pool enclosure has an access gate, it must be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching locking device.

Homeowners can reduce their safety risk and avoid a citation by checking their functional access gate to ensure it meets the local standards.

A clean swimming pool is a must as well. Pollen, leaves and other organic material can transform a backyard oasis into a murky green lagoon if not properly maintained. Residents should maintain pools and spas year-round and remove standing water pool and spa covers to prevent mosquitoes, bacteria and germs from breeding. If you witness a code violation at any swimming pool in unincorporated Hillsborough County, call code enforcement at 813274-6600. Visit www.tampaymca.org.

Commander Juan Manco; adjutant, treasurer and membership Chairman James ‘Jimmy’ Wright III; and Junior Vice Commander Josephine Hamm being sworn in as the new executive board.

Water safety tips are a priority to keep families safe this summer.

WWE LEGEND TITUS O’NEIL TO HOST ‘THE GATHERING: A CELEBRATION OF SUPERSTAR DADS’ AT AMPHITHEATRE

Thaddeus Bullard — aka WWE legend Titus O’Neil — and his Bullard Family Foundation have partnered with TampaWell, activated by Tampa General Hospital, and Revealing Truth Ministries to host the first superstar celebration of Tampa Bay-area dads.

The free celebration is set for Father’s Day — Sunday, June 16 — at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa. Doors open at 9:01 a.m. and the event runs from 10:01 a.m.-2:01 p.m. The event’s ‘01’ start and end times represent Bullard’s commitment to unifying people and organizations as one to make a positive change in the community.

The first edition of ‘The Gathering: A Celebration of Superstar Dads’ is set to honor and celebrate some of the unsung heroes of our community: fathers and father figures. This event promises a day filled with entertainment, heartfelt moments and recognition for the remarkable men who make a diference in the lives of their families and our community.

“As a proud father of three children, I can say that being a dad is the greatest title that I will ever possess as a man,” Bullard said. “Although I’ve never met my biological father, I’ve had great father figures and mentors in my life, and this year I wanted to put on an event that celebrates men who serve as fathers and mentors.”

Kim Christine, administrator of community health and wellness for Tampa General

Hospital, said, “Thaddeus Bullard has been an amazing partner in the past, supporting the health and wellness of our community, and we are proud to partner with him and his foundation again to celebrate these everyday heroes in an extra special way.”

BRINGING ACCESSIBLE EMERGENCY CARE TO THE COMMUNITY

Staf Report Manatee Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Care Center (ECC) treats more than 80,000 children and adult patients each year. The expanded center is just under 33,000 square feet, making it the largest ECC in the county.

Freestanding Emergency Departments

TampaWell, activated by Tampa General Hospital, will be on-site with first aid, sunscreen and health education resources, including information specific to men’s health.

Families attending the event will have the opportunity to preorder a new book from Bullard, Wrestling with Fatherhood, which launches during the week of June 16. This is the second book by the global ambassador.

The Gathering: A Celebration of Superstar Dads will kick of with a Father’s Day superstar tailgate presented by Love, Tito’s, the charitable arm of Tito’s Handmade Vodka. This event is also supported by Heritage Insurance, The Fran Haasch Law Group, Gries Investment Funds and the Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce. Local celebrities, sports figures and other special guests are also expected to attend and show their support.

Everyone who wants to attend must register for this free event, which includes food, entertainment, games and community resources during the tailgate. Families are strongly encouraged to register early for preferred seating. To register, visit https:// tinyurl.com/bfdads2024.

Manatee Memorial Hospital’s freestanding emergency departments (FED) handle emergencies and are each fully stafed with a doctor onsite 24/7. They can perform CT scans as well as full X-rays, and they all have a comprehensive lab*. With the full services ofered, the FEDs are not urgent care centers but are a part of Manatee Memorial Hospital.

“Manatee County has grown exponentially in recent years, and yet the hospitals are stationary,” said Teresa Rawe, D.O., medical director for emergency medicine at Manatee Memorial. “We make it easier for patients to access emergency care.”

“Typically, our FEDs have a shorter waiting time to be seen,” explained Tammy Sloas, nursing director at Manatee FEDs. “If an admission is necessary, we will transport a patient to the hospital.”

FEDs vs. Urgent Care Centers

Urgent care centers have set hours and treat nonemergency issues. However, most centers don’t have comprehensive labs that can provide answers on-site and are limited in radiology services.

Educating the Community

The American College of Surgeons’ STOP

THE BLEED® program has prepared over 3 million people worldwide on how to stop bleeding in a severely injured person. Manatee Memorial brings this program to the community.

“We are preparing the public to save lives by teaching actions to stop life-threatening bleeding following emergencies and man-made and natural disasters,” said Jill Ruf, who oversees the program with emergency department paramedic Ed Wheat.

Shelly Lucchesi, employee health manager, added, “Being able to tend to a bleeding wound while waiting for EMS to arrive may be the diference between life and death.”

If you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

For information about locations, visit the hospital’s website at www.manateememorial.com/emergency.

*These emergency departments are part of Manatee Memorial Hospital. They are not urgent care centers. Their services and care are billed at hospital emergency department rates. Wait times may vary.

Physicians are on the medical staff of Manatee Memorial Hospital, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Manatee Memorial Hospital. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit the hospital’s website.

Manatee Memorial Hospital operates freestanding emergency departments to allow patients easier, convenient access to emergency care.

LOCAL AUTHOR WANTS TO EMPOWER WOMEN DURING MENOPAUSE

Valrico resident Julie Ashlock is very proud of her first efort in creating a resource tool to help menopausal women thrive through this most important chapter of life and believes that it can be life-changing for so many women. The book is titled The Menopause Manifesto: Empowering Women to Thrive Ashlock, 58, is someone who has gone through the transition and now lives happily on the other side of menopause.

“I know all too well the struggles and challenges that come with it,” said Ashlock.

“I am extremely passionate about helping to educate women through their health journey as naturally as possible.”

Ashlock knows that for so many women the topic of menopause has been a taboo subject, as many health care providers are not trained in the matter and many women don’t feel heard or seen by their doctors.

“For a large majority of us, our mothers/ caregivers never had the conversation with us to know what to expect,” said Ashlock. “I am extending my hand to them because it’s imperative that we have a community to share our experiences and to know that we are not alone.”

The Menopause Manifesto is a resource tool that helps women know that they are not alone and feel validated, seen and heard

By Kelly Wise Valdes

with acknowledgement that their symptoms are real and not something they have to deal with or be told are ‘all in their head.’

“I provide tools and actions that truly will help to reset hormones, restore our sleep cycles, help to regulate moodiness/depression and generate more energy,” said Ashlock. “They will find a community of support.”

Ashlock is also the owner of Jules Body Shoppe. She is a certified master health coach, certified menopause coaching specialist, certified nutritionist, certified personal trainer and licensed massage therapist.

“In addition to coaching women through menopause, I create wellness plans based on your DNA and lifestyle,” said Ashlock. “I eliminate the guesswork from your nutrition, exercise and supplementation.”

Through her connections within the community, Ashlock loves knowing that she is making a diference.

“My favorite part of my job is hearing that my clients feel better, have more energy, eliminate or lower medications and are sleeping more soundly,” said Ashlock.

Jules Body Shoppe is located at 654 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. For more information or to purchase The Menopause Manifesto, visit www.julesbodyshoppe. com/menopause.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY REPUBLICANS

ANNOUNCES LINCOLN DAY DINNER HONORING GOVERNOR MARTINEZ

Carmen Edmonds, the Chair of the Republican Party of Hillsborough County, has announced the party will hold its annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday, June 15. The Lincoln Day is the Party’s premier fundraising event. This year, the Lincoln Day DinnerFamily, Faith, & Freedom Dinner will once again be held at The Regent, 6437 Watson Rd, Riverview. Doors open at 4:30 pm, VIP Reception at 5:00 pm, and the program begins at 6:00pm.

Ms. Edmonds stated: “I am proud to announce that this year we will be honoring former Florida Governor Bob Martinez, a Tampa native who served the state of Florida, most notably as a two term Mayor of Tampa and as the first Governor of Florida of Spanish descent.” Mr. Martinez served as Mayor from 1979 to 1986 and as Governor from 1987 to 1991.

In keeping with its Republican values and beliefs of Family, Faith, and Freedom, the speakers for the evening will include Congresswoman Laurel Lee, who rep-

resents Florida’s 15th Congressional District. The 15th District encompasses eastern Hillsborough County including Thonotosassa and Plant City, part of Brandon, as well as parts of Pasco and Polk Counties. Also speaking will be Florida State Senator Blaise Ingoglia, State Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit Suzy Lopez, and Pastor Alfred Johnson, Founder and President of the Faith Action Ministry Alliance. Due to the nature of the event this year honoring Governor Martinez, there will be no formal keynote speaker as each speaker has much to share with those in attendance.

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Brian Burns, Owner and Publisher of the Tampa Free Press, and former Publisher, The Tampa Tribune Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased by going to the party’s website www.hillsborough.gop. This event benefits the Republican Party of Hillsborough County and is not a fundraiser for any of the speakers.

Staf Report

Bob Martinez, former Tampa mayor and governor of Florida, will be speaking at the Hillsborough County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner.

Valrico business owner Julie Ashlock has authored her frst book, Te Menopause Manifesto: Empowering Women to Trive.

SCAM ALERT! DON’T BE FOOLED BY HURT/LOST PET POSTS

Few things tug at our heartstrings like our furry friends, and no one wants to see a hurt dog or cat that has gone missing from its owner. Most of us have seen legitimate posts on social media from friends or neighbors sharing information about a lost pet. In fact, there are social media sites solely dedicated to reunite missing animals with their owners.

Unfortunately, scammers know that most people have good intentions and would eagerly share posts about a hurt/lost animal. Many of us may have been victim of this type of scam and not even know it.

The scam begins with a post on social media that shows a hurt/lost pet and a plea to reshare. After the post has been reshared a multitude of times, scammers change the original post to promote a deceptive rental ad. The scam relies on the fact that most people won’t look back at their past posts and notice the change, at least not before others view the post.

The end result is that your social media contacts believe you shared a legitimate rental post that will in fact scam people out of money. These rental posts will ask inquirers to send a deposit to hold the property. The problem is that there is no property and the deposit will never be returned to the victims of this scam. Often this will also involve personal information from the victims to the scammers as well. Sometimes the bait-and-switch scam post will con-

By Kelly Wise Valdes

tain a malicious link pointing to a survey that ‘guarantees’ a cash payout but steals your personal information.

How do you know if what you are seeing is a scam? Look for the red flags. First, almost every pet scam post has the same wording — a pet has been hurt or found, and it is not chipped.

The scammer will often post on a social media site that is not pet-related, such as a garage sale site. They may also hashtag your city (such as #Riverview) to make you feel like this has certainly happened in your community. And, they always ask to “bump this post.”

Another thing you can do to see whether a post is legitimate is click on the profile of the person who posted about the hurt/lost pet. Almost all of these scammers have locked their profiles so that people cannot comment on their posts, they have no followers/friends and they show no legitimate posts on their page. If you see a friend has shared this kind of scam post on social media, it’s important to alert them of these bait-and-switch posts quickly so that they don’t inadvertently lead their friends and family to be scammed out of money or sufer potential identity theft. You can also report the scammer’s profile to Facebook. If you have any questions about the legitimacy of a lost or injured pet post, you can also visit the “FAKE LOST/FOUND DOG POSTS” group on Facebook, where there will be an ongoing list.

MCCART & TESMER IS AN ATTORNEY TEAM YOU CAN TRUST IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS

By Kathy L. Collins

When you or your family are forced to face tough times due to divorce or death in the family, you may find yourself in need of an attorney. Challenging times such as this can cause you to make irrational decisions that can have a negative impact on your life and that of your family’s for years to come. As such, it is in your best interest and that of your family’s to have a competent and compassionate attorney represent you.

ents through scary situations with compassion. We try to look at where our client will be two to five years down the road and counsel them accordingly.”

Tesmer added, “While we always fight for our client’s rights, sometimes we have to tell our client not what they want to hear but rather what they need to hear.”

The Law Ofce of McCart & Tesmer, founded by Kristi McCart and Laurel Tesmer, is just the team of attorneys you will need when facing life’s most difcult and challenging times. It has the legal and life experience necessary to advocate for its clients.

McCart & Tesmer specializes in family law, estate planning, guardianship and probate. McCart and Tesmer are both attorneys that you can trust who will prioritize your needs and will always be responsive and cognizant of your time and money.

Tesmer has practiced for over 10 years and has focused her practice on families, specifically family law and estate planning. She is a graduate of Stetson University College of Law and received her B.S. degree from the University of Florida. Tesmer said, “We try to guide our cli-

Tesmer explained, “For example, a client might be angry because they are going through a divorce. We try to help by advising them against taking a negative action that might make them happy right now but could adversely afect them or their family five years from now.”

McCart received her law degree from Whittier College of Law in 2012. She is active in the community and is a member of the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

McCart & Tesmer was founded in 2018. McCart & Tesmer serves as Tampa Bay’s leading marital, family law, estate planning, guardianship, and probate attorneys. It enables clients to reach constructive long-term outcomes.

McCart & Tesmer is located at 10011 Water Works Lane in Riverview. For more information, please visit https://mccarttesmer.com/tampa-attorney/ or call 813498-2757.

The Law Office of McCart & Tesmer, located in Riverview, always has its clients’ best interests in mind when providing legal advice as they face difficult situations such as divorce, estate planning or probate.

Scammers’ lost and hurt pet posts on social media sites take advantage of well-meaning people.

This is no secret. They don’t work for you, they work for the builder! They are not representing you, they are representing the Builder. So that’s a major problem guys!

You want to be represented by a professional who will make sure deadlines are met and have your best interests in mind! At the Tony Baroni Team, we deal with all of the builders and we’ve sold houses through all of them over time. There are hardly any builders locally we have not worked with or that we don’t know.

WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION, YOU DON’T SAVE THE MONEY BY NOT USING A REAL ESTATE AGENT. A lot of people think, “well, I don’t want to use a realtor because I want to save whatever that commission is. I want them them pass those savings onto me.” gure that a realtor is going to be a part of every

They are going to make sure that everything is set up properly. A professional realtor knows what closing costs are. Your new construction realtor will help YOUR NEW CONSTRUCTION REALTOR SHOULD HAVE AWESOME REFERRAL SOURCES. So for example we have some home inspectors we work with. They go through each phase of the construction process. Also: homeowners insurance referrals,

A NEW CONSTRUCTION REALTOR SHOULD HOLD YOUR HAND THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. If the builder can get 20% as a deposit, they would. It’s typical that we negotiate what that is. For them to take the home of the market or start the construction process, it may be $2,000 or maybe $5,000, but if they could get 20%, they’re going to get 20% from you so you need a realtor representing you for that. in, when you’d make decisions on what

If there’s an in-house lender; let’s say you can’t get pre-approved with that in-house lender. We will probably be able to get you pre-approved elsewhere and then work to deal with the builder to make sure you still get incentives as if you’re using a in-house lender, very important stuf

CONGRATULATIONS TO AREA HIGH SCHOOL VALEDICTORIANS & SALUTATORIANS

Compiled by Taylor Wells

DISCOVERY PASS: FREE ADMISSION TO MUSEUMS THANKS TO LIBRARY

By Gunnar Wagner

$1 GOLF FOR KIDS THIS SUMMER AT ACE GOLF RANGES

The arts, a collection of sophisticated human practices defined by creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation, is something everyone can enjoy in some fashion. The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC) is once again o f ering a budget-friendly way for families to enjoy the arts — and escape the summer heat — with the return of the HCPLC Discovery Pass.

ue.” Finally, make sure to review your information. Once it has been confirmed, click “Submit This Request” and you will be presented with a confirmation page where you can print out your reservation and send it on to the specified organization. Once that’s done, you’re all set.

Below are just a few of the many offered attractions that accept the Discovery Pass:

Thursday, open until 4 p.m. Not available on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

• No other purchase is necessary. Kids should bring a golf club with them, or they may rent one.

A parent must accompany all children using the program at all times.

The Discovery Pass is a pass that gives families free admission or a tour pass to select local museums and attractions. All you need is a library card. According to Shannon, a librarian at the Bruton Memorial Library in Plant City, the Discovery Pass has “great value for families, kids and adults, and, in my opinion, it is definitely worth it.”

The best part is that reserving a Discovery Pass is easy. Simply go to the HCPLC website at https://hcplc.org/, select “Services” and then click on the “Discovery Pass” box. Next, go to “Reserve a Pass,” look through the calendar and choose a museum or attraction and a date to make a reservation. Once your library card is verified, fill out the “Pass Request” form and click “Contin-

· Tampa Bay History Center: Experience what Tampa was like in the 1920s with the whole family.

· Glazer Children’s Museum: Take your children to a place where they can play, discover and connect to the world around them to develop as lifelong learners and leaders.

· The Tampa Theatre: Learn all of the theater’s secrets, stories and art with its Balcony-to-Backstage Tour.

· American Victory Ship and Museum: Tour nine decks of one of the few fully operational WWII ships in the country and experience an unforgettable voyage of discovery with your family.

For more information about the Discovery Pass, to reserve one and to find other attractions that accept it, visit https://hcplc.org/services/discoverypass.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

Are the kids driving you crazy and playing too many video games this summer? Want to have them do something healthy and learn a lifelong sport? Then look to Ace Golf, which is ofering a $1 summer golf practice program for kids ages 4-15. Every day from June 1 through Saturday, August 31, kids can sign up to receive a $1 small bucket of range balls or a $1 round of miniature golf each day for the whole summer. Kids hit the balls on the practice ranges and miniature golf courses at Bay-area Ace Golf locations. And it’s all just $1 per activity.

“There are a lot of families out there that just can’t aford to put kids in camps, or they just want something productive to fill their summer,” said Bill Place, owner of Ace Golf Ranges and Golf Courses. “We want to help, and hopefully in the process, we may find the next Tiger Woods.”

How it works:

• Children may sign up for free at either of two Ace Golf locations in Riverview or Land O’ Lakes.

• Each child receives a daily stamp card for a $1 small bucket or $1 miniature golf each day.

• Each time the child redeems their bucket, they will get a stamp on their card noting the redemption.

• Redeemable from Monday through

In addition to the $1 bucket or mini golf program, kids may also play golf for $1 when accompanied by a paying parent at Ace Golf’s Plantation Palms Golf Club after 12 Noon every day from June 1 through the end of October.

Ace Golf Range is located at 12910 Boyette Rd. in Riverview (phone: 813 6727750; website: https://ace-golf.com/). It is open daily until 10 p.m. The facility features a lighted golf practice range, miniature golf and batting cages. Ace Golf’s Plantation Palms Golf Club is in Land O’ Lakes (phone: 813 996-4653; website: www.plantationpalms.net). It is open to the public and offers a public championship golf course, an 18-hole miniature golf course, Mulligans Irish Pub, and a banquet/events center. Ace Golf has been family-owned by locals Su Lee and Bill Place since 1993. In addition to the $1 kids program, each location ofers summer golf camps, clinics and private and group golf lessons.

For more information, please visit https://ace-golf.com/.

Te Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative’s Discovery Pass ofers families free admission to many local attractions.

Ace Golf is once again ofering a $1 summer golf practice program for kids.

LITHIA PINECREST IMPROVEMENT STUDY WANTS FEEDBACK

Hillsborough Coun-

ty is studying Lithia Pinecrest Road to identify and evaluate potential improvements to the roadway from FishHawk Boulevard to Lumsden Road and on Bloomingdale Avenue from Culbreath Road to Pearson Road, and it is relying on your feedback for assistance.

The public is invited to ofer comments on this project and can sign up to receive updates for the duration by visiting the county’s Education & Engagement Hub at https://publicinput.com/n6144. The virtual engagement opportunity is available until Monday, June 10, so time is running short to participate.

On May 21 at Bloomingdale High School, the county hosted an in-person opportunity for residents who travel Lithia Pinecrest Road to study the corridor and the proposed improvements. Renderings of future improvements were stationed throughout the room, showing residents some of the proposed changes, with county representatives readily available to discuss any aspects of the project and asking for feedback.

Safe mobility for all roadway users, regardless of mode of travel, will be considered and incorporated into the study and the alternatives evaluated.

Potential improvements currently being discussed include widening parts of Lithia Pinecrest Road for additional through-lane capacity along with access management improvements to incorporate turn lanes onto side streets.

Intersection analysis is being performed

By Brian Bokor

to evaluate roundabout alternatives and other intersection configurations, possibly as replacements for existing trafc signals.

Improved pedestrian and bicycle accommodations, including shared-use paths, a connected sidewalk system, bufered bike lanes and mid-block crossings, will be implemented to provide safer alternative routes for nonvehicular users of Lithia Pinecrest Road.

Sandra Gonzalez, design manager for capital projects in Hillsborough County and subject matter expert for this project, explained the necessity of the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study: “The Project Development phase (which includes the PD&E study) is the first of four phases. During this phase, feedback from the community is gathered and reviewed. Design is the next phase, next followed by Land Acquisition and then Construction.”

Gonzalez made it clear that only the Project Development phase of this project has been funded, but the recommendations made during this phase are the ones that will be implemented into Design plans; meaning now is the time to give your input.

“There will be another meeting held in January 2025 to discuss the results of the public engagement.”

The total cost of the project is estimated to be $216 million, with the Project Development phase funded at a cost of $6 million. Design ($10 million), Land Acquisition ($36 million) and Construction ($164 million) all remain unfunded at this time.

KEEP YOUR POOL CLEAN THIS SUMMER WITH AMERICA’S SWIMMING POOL COMPANY

With summertime just around the corner, keeping your pool clean and refreshing is more important than ever.

America’s Swimming Pool Company (ASP), the newest pool service company, opened in SouthShore in February and is excited to help community members get their pools ready for swimming season and stay ready all year long with regular services.

ASP ofers a two-tier weekly maintenance, including pool cleaning and maintenance of the chemicals, as well as repairs, equipment upgrades and renovations such as refinishing and retiling pools. While summer might be the most important time for your pool to be swim ready, living in Florida means pools need regular maintenance. ASP ofers year-round maintenance and cleaning to keep pools ready to go whenever the weather is warm.

“In the summer, it’s important to understand all the demands on your pool’s chlorine and maintain a residual to prevent algae from debris, UV from the sun and bather load,” said Travis Larson, owner of the SouthShore ASP location. “In the winter, the cooler temperatures help to mitigate the algae growth; however, it presents other challenges, as lower temperatures do afect the overall water balance.”

Larson recently retired from 20 years

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

of service in the Navy as a submarine ofcer, which included jobs like being an engineer on a nuclear-powered submarine, being an executive ofcer and being part of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Because of this experience, Larson brings years of knowledge in engineering, piping and electrical repairs and water chemistry to ASP.

“I opened ASP because I wanted to connect with my community, provide a service that has historically lacked a professional approach and the opportunity to work outdoors,” said Larson.

ASP takes pride in not only helping pool owners keep their pools swim ready but also striving to help the community and the world through supporting organizations. On top of being proud sponsors of Apollo Beach Elementary, ASP is partnered with OneWorld Health to provide clean water to health care settings globally through the ‘Clean Water Matters’ campaign. Water chemistry, especially for pools, is a complex process, and mistakes can easily happen when maintaining a home pool. The easiest way to avoid damage to the water quality is to rely on professionals who understand and can maintain the balance.

For information, visit www.asppoolco. com/south-shore-fl/ or call the ofce at 813-641-4936.

Amy and Travis Larson of America’s Swimming Pool Company in SouthShore.

Gregory Ennis and Travis Larson of America’s Swimming Pool Company in SouthShore.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS COME TOGETHER TO HELP THE WILLIS PETERS EXCEPTIONAL CENTER

Recently, the Florida Strawberry Festival presented $177,000 total to 11 local groups that managed the parking lots during the recent festival. One of those recipients was the Willis Peters Exceptional Center (WPEC).

WPEC is part of the Hillsborough County Public Schools system and provides educational programs and support for students with a wide range of disabilities between the ages 3-22. Included at WPEC are programs for students with visual impairments, dual sensory impairments, physical handicaps, emotional/ behavioral disabilities, and moderate to significant intellectual disabilities. Students are placed based on their individual needs.

WPEC is afliated with the Plant City Lions Club, which helped the center receive money from the Strawberry Festival parking.

“Willis Peters became afliated with the Plant City Lions Club after I approached them and ofered the use of our vacant grass lot for parking,” said Verna McKelvin, past president and current member of the Plant City Lions Club. “They were using some of our neighbors’ yards to make money for the needs of the school, but I felt that our grass lot at

By Libby Hopkins

Dignity Memorial could serve a great purpose for them.”

McKelvin is the community relations manager at Dignity Memorial in Plant City.

“Rebecca Nance of WPEC came to one of our weekly meetings and told us of the school, what they do and who they serve,” McKelvin said. “I will say that Frank Cummings took the ball for the Lions Club and really grew the relationship after it was introduced. Under his presidency of the Lions Club, we were able to raise enough money, separate from parking, to have the school playground covered. We raised half the funds to have the cover done and put in fans and Lions Club International matched it.”

McKelvin and the rest of her club members were excited to help WPEC.

“This year, we present WPEC with a check for $27,378.07,” McKelvin said.

“WPEC receives everything that is collected from parking on the lot. There are no fees or anyone else who gets any of the proceeds. This was their biggest year. Before this year, the highest was $25,000.”

If you’d like to learn more about the Willis Peters Exceptional Center, you can visit its website at www.hillsboroughschools.org/domain/3597. The center is located at 2919 Nelson Ave. in Dover.

If you’d like to learn more about the Plant City Lions Club, you can visit its website at www.plantcitylions.org.

Members of the Willis Peters Exceptional Center with a $27,378.07 giant donation check received from the Plant City Lions Club.

SUMMER RV SHOW RETURNS TO FLORIDA STATE FAIRGROUNDS

Just when everyone is making plans for summer, the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) - Region 3 will host the 2024 Tampa Bay Summer RV Show from Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The event will feature all makes and models of RVs plus camping accessories and more.

More than 7,600 people attended last year’s show, and while RV show attendance throughout the state has been down in some areas, FRVTA executive director Dave Kelly expects the June show to be bigger and better than ever.

The 2024 Tampa Bay Summer RV Show will feature multiple dealers showcasing several diferent brands and styles of RVs that guests can tour, all in one location. There also will be a variety of vendor booths featuring everything from RV necessities and accessories to RV rentals and campgrounds, plus parts, household items and more. Bring the family and your well-behaved, leashed pet and peruse the oferings from major dealers including Lazydays, Gener-

By Sharon Still

al RV Center and Gerzeny’s RV World. With varieties such as small tent campers, pull-behinds, fifth wheels and drivable Class A, B and C RVs, including diesel pushers, there will be something for everyone.

Other exhibitors include Bigfoot Leveling Systems, Cricket Mini Golf Carts, Backyard Tool Corp. and many others ofering everything from lithium batteries and RV glass to all the new RV gadgets and accessories. There also will be a DJ, as well as face painting and other activities for the kids.

The hours for the show are Thursday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Adult admission is only $5; children under 16 are admitted for free. Thursday is Senior’s Day, meaning $1 of admission. First responders get $1 of every day of the show. There also will be a $100 American Express Gift Card given away as a door prize each day. The Florida State Fairgrounds are located at 4800 U.S. 301 N. in Tampa. Entry to the show will be of of U.S. 301. For more information, call 813-741-0488 or visit www.frvta.org.

POPULAR SUMMER CLASSICS MOVIE SERIES

By Kathy L. Collins

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT: ACTIVITIES,

MEETINGS & MORE

While we all enjoy our streaming services and like watching movies at home, we should be honest and admit that there’s truly nothing better than watching a classic film on a big screen. Here in Tampa, we are exceptionally fortunate to have a real gem of a movie palace like Tampa Theatre.

So, why not set some time aside this summer and plan a trip to downtown to see a classic movie the way they were meant to be seen: inside a cool, dark movie theater?

Jill Witecki with Tampa Theatre said, “Tampa film fans know that when it comes to beloved classics, there is no more authentic way to watch them than in a majestic movie palace.”

Tampa Theatre has ofered their Summer Classics Movie Series for over 30 years.

Witecki said, “For more than three decades, the community has flocked to Tampa Theatre on hot Sunday afternoons to enjoy summer classics as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen, with a bag of fresh popcorn and a cold drink in hand, as a shared, communal experience.”

Now in its 33rd year, Tampa’s longest-running classic movie series is celebrating more than a century of extraordinary filmmaking. The oldest ofering is a collection of silent comedy shorts from the years 1917-29. These films take Tampa Theatre back to its roots of presenting silent films with live musical accompaniment on its original Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ.

Then, there are other films such as The

Godfather Part II and Chinatown. Both of these films are celebrating milestone anniversaries.

Witecki said, “For the first time in summer classics history, all of the selections for this year’s series have been named to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.”

All of the summer classics will be shown on Sundays at 3 p.m.

This year’s lineup begins on June 2 with Thelma & Louise. This is followed by Invasion of the Body Snatchers on June 9. You will not want to miss Notorious on June 16 and Sunset Boulevard on June 23. The Godfather Part II can be seen on June 30.

These are followed by Apollo 13 on July 7 and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on July 14. Bring the whole family to see The Wizard of Oz on July 21. Do the Right Thing will be shown on July 28.

The month of August starts of with The Princess Bride on August 4, followed by Chinatown on August 11 and Casablanca on August 18. The Summer Classics Movie Series ends with The Silent Clowns on August 25.

Witecki said, “You get to see the silent films exactly as audiences saw them back in the 1920s.” She added, “Tampa Theatre’s artist in residence, Steven Ball, will write and perform an original score for each film. We promise you that the overall experience is the closest thing to time travel you will ever experience.”

For more information and to get tickets, please visit https://tampatheatre.org/.

Interact Club of Tampa Bay (High School Students)

The Interact Club of Tampa Bay held its last meeting of this school year on May 6. The club celebrated by handing out $500 worth of gift cards for food and/or beverages to locals at the Westfield Brandon mall, and then enjoyed a complimentary ride on the carousel. Service and fun are what Rotary is all about. Check back in July for the date of the August meeting for area high schoolers at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. Have a great summer! For more information, contact Chad Norgard at chad@norgardinsgrp. com.

Te Interact Club celebrated the end of the year by handing out $500 worth of gift cards to locals at the Westfeld Brandon mall, and then found time for some fun on the carousel.

Zakiyah Adams, (Stanley Thomas Rzad III Memorial Scholarship), Emilee Nevaril, Madisyn McReynolds, Bethany Murrell, London Berry, Lindsay Edwards, Callie Hancock, Gabrielle Howell, Luke Pedrick, Ta’liah Randolph and Lukas Wheeler. The club is also excited to announce that rising high school seniors Ava Benedict and Grifn Chapman will be the FishHawk-Riverview Rotary delegates to the Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders (S4TL), a weeklong Rotary leadership seminar for rising high school seniors at Florida Southern College in June. For more information, email Barbara Howard at bh6890rotary@gmail.com or visit FishHawk-Riverview Rotary’s social media pages.

USF Rotaract (College Students)

Do you have any students attending the University of South Florida this summer or fall? As long as students have a BullsConnect account, they can sign up to volunteer with USF Rotaract. It’s a great opportunity to meet new friends and connect with some great students during the summer term or before starting in fall. The USF Rotaract Club received the Volunteer Organization of the Year Award as well as the USF Bridge Builder Award. Go be a part of this dynamic service group! For more information, contact Mikayla Morris at mikaylamorris@usf. edu or visit Instagram @usf_rotaract.

FishHawk-Riverview

Congratulations to the 2024 FishHawk-Riverview Rotary high school scholarship recipients who have demonstrated “Service Above Self” in their school careers:

Brandon South Global Eco

Are you passionate about the environment? Then the Brandon South Global Eco Rotary Club needs you. Help it make a diference by joining its Zoom meeting on the second and fourth Mondays of each month from 6-7 p.m. to discuss environmental education and ecological-friendly projects focused on sustainability. For more information, contact Bruno Kazenas at 813-263-7062 or bkazenas@comcast.net.

Brandon ’86

The Brandon ’86 Rotary Club completed a roadside cleanup on Providence Road on May 4. Throughout the summer, the club meets weekly on Fridays from 8-9 a.m. at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. Go check it out! For more information, email info@brandon86rotary.com.

After-hours Passport Application

Event

The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s Ofce is holding a special passport event on Thursday, June 6, from 5-7 p.m. in downtown Tampa at the Pat Frank Courthouse Building, located at 418 N. Jeferson St. in Tampa. Clerk Cindy Stuart started the after-hours events to make sure parents with children or other customers who may have work conflicts are able to visit and apply for a passport. On-site photographs are even ofered. For more information, visit www.hillsclerk. com.

Adventure Island Opens Newest Attraction

Adventure Island recently opened its newest and highly anticipated attraction, Castaway Falls, which promises guests an unforgettable experience with over 100 interactive elements, including two massive tipping buckets that unleash a torrential downpour of more than 1,300 gallons of water combined. Set within a tropical paradise, Castaway Falls invites guests of all ages to immerse themselves in a watery world of excitement. Castaway Falls is the centerpiece of Adventure Island’s comprehensive revitalization, which includes recent additions such as Shaka-Laka Shores, Rapids Racer, Wahoo Remix slides and the transformed

Captain Pete’s and Hang Ten Tiki Bar. These enhancements create a refreshed atmosphere, complete with new lounging areas and cabanas, providing visitors with the ultimate tropical retreat.

Adventure Island is located at 10001 McKinley Dr. in Tampa. For more information, visit https://adventureisland.com/.

Hillsborough County Public Schools National Merit Scholarship Winners

Hillsborough County Public Schools is proud to announce this year’s National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners. The $2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 outstanding students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Students may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

year,” said Archie Collins, president and CEO of Tampa Electric. “We are happy to provide customers with some welcome relief as the summer’s heat begins.”

Hillsborough County Schools Purchases 20 Electric School Buses

The Hillsborough County School Board voted to purchase 20 electric school buses, nine from Thomas Built Buses Inc., nine from Blue Bird Corporation and two from Integrated Coach Corporation.

The 20 buses are 77 passenger capacity Type-C buses and will serve specific inner-city routes to the district’s underserved communities. The buses should be operational in early 2025, after the necessary training and infrastructure construction (e.g., charging stations) can be completed.

In February, the district was awarded $7.9 million in funding for clean school buses as part of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s first Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition.

Congratulations to these local Hillsborough County Public Schools National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners:

• Kannon Gailey, Newsome High School.

• Teja Katipalli, Strawberry Crest High School.

• Aarushi Pant, Strawberry Crest High School.

TECO To Lower Rates A Second Time Tis Year

In January, Tampa Electric Company reduced residential bills by nearly $18 because of a decline in fuel prices and other factors and recently approved a further reduction, this time about $7 based on continued low natural gas prices.

“Tampa Electric is pleased to be in a position to reduce electricity bills again this

The financial impact for the school district in the 2024- 25 school year will be $8,414,693, and a projected cost savings of over $4 million with reduced maintenance costs and fuel savings.

To learn more about the Clean School Bus Program, visit www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/cleanschool-bus-program-awards.

will take place from Monday to Friday, July 15-19, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Register online at https://centerplacebrandon.com/ or by calling 813-685-8888. If you register before July, the cost is $150. Later registration will cost $175.

Creekside Church Of Christ’s Vacation Bible School

The choices we make every day will determine what kind of lives we’ll have, our relationships with those around us and ultimately our relationship with God. All that begins with our understanding of who Jesus is and how we will choose to respond to Him. At Creekside Church of Christ’s vacation Bible school, children will meet various people who encountered Jesus and discover how they responded to Him. The vacation Bible school is for grades four to five and will take place from Wednesday to Friday, June 26-28, from 6-8:20 p.m., with an ice cream social at 8 p.m. on the last evening. For more information and to sign up, visit www. creekside.life/events or call 813-763-5760.

Creative Sparks Summer Camp

Does your child need somewhere to express their creative side this summer? Look no further than the Creative Sparks Summer Camp at Center Place Arts & Civic Association, located at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Ste. B in Brandon. Activities will include storytelling, painting, arts, crafts, games, music and lots of fun. The camp is for ages K-10 and

Juneteenth Celebration At Tampa

Museum Of Art

Commemorate the Tampa Museum of Art’s Juneteenth Cultural Celebration with an engaging, family-friendly experience. On Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., the Tampa Museum of Art ofers free admission to its lineup of family-friendly programs in its newly expanded galleries. Prepare for a lively community celebration of this holiday, also known as Freedom Day, with art-making activities, live music and performances, family portraits, food trucks and more. The Tampa Museum of Art is located at 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza in Tampa. Visit https://tampamuseum.org/event/juneteenth-cultural-celebration-2024/ for tickets and more information.

THE EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITY BAND WILL PERFORM PATRIOTIC CONCERT

By Lily Belcher

The Eastern Hillsborough Community Band will perform a concert at St. Stephen Catholic Church ahead of the Fourth of July.

The concert, to be held on Friday, June 28, beginning at 7 p.m., will feature patriotic music from the band, whose members range from amateurs to professional musicians.

St. Stephen Deacon and director of music Mike Sweeney said the church was excited to welcome the band back after their Christmas concert at the church.

“From our perspective at St. Stephen, we’re very excited to have the band back at St. Stephen,” Sweeney said. “…We estimated that 1,000 people attended that concert, one of the largest audiences the band has ever had.”

Six St. Stephen parishioners are members of the Eastern Hillsborough Community Band.

“It’s nice for them to be able to take part in the concert in their own spiritual home,” Sweeney said.

There are many former military members at St. Stephen as well, so Sweeney expects the patriotic music will attract them to the concert.

“All of the branches of the military will hear music connected to their branch,” he said.

The band will perform their patriotic concert at New Hope Church in Brandon on Thursday, June 27, at 7 p.m. as well.

The Eastern Hillsborough Community Band was founded in 2009 as an all-volunteer band. Since growing from 10 members to nearly 80 members now, the band has become a nonprofit organization located out of Brandon. The band performs a mix of music, such as marches, contemporary and jazz, in the Tampa Bay area.

The band was founded to foster a love for music while entertaining and inspiring its audience.

“Members are not required to ‘pay to play,’” according to the band’s website.

“Instead, we are funded by our generous donors and proceeds from our concerts.”

To join the band, musicians with the ability to read music and with experience from their high school band can visit its website and fill out the form under the “Join the Band” tab. Those interested in sponsoring or donating to the band can visit the “Support Us” tab.

For more information on the Eastern Hillsborough Community Band or to find out about its upcoming concerts, visit www.ehcb.org.

HELPING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THE COLLEGE SELECTION PROCESS

LeCompte College Prep was founded in 2020 to help high school students and their families successfully navigate the college and career selection process.

“I always loved working with teens in the classroom and helping coach them on their postsecondary career and college goals,” said owner and founder Patty LeCompte.

By Libby Hopkins

free 30-minute consultation which can be scheduled on her website, www.lecomptecollegeprep.com, or via email at patty@ lecomptecollegeprep. com, as well as a direct call at 813-599-5044.

“Upon my retirement, I couldn’t let that passion fade away. I started small, working with only a handful of virtual clients during the pandemic, and I’m grateful now to have clients from all around Tampa Bay and across the country.”

LeCompte has been a classroom teacher at the high school, community college and university levels. She earned a master’s in educational leadership and is licensed as a high school principal, career and tech/ vocational school director and teacher of multiple subjects.

“I’m a retired high school and college educator with decades of experience working with teens and adults,” LeCompte said. “My journey of teaching students started shortly after my own high school graduation in New York. I was a classroom teacher there and have now long worked with students across state lines in DECA, a high school leadership organization.”

How LeCompte College Prep works is families can meet with LeCompte for a

“Stress in the college admissions process can be relative to how much efort you put in,” LeCompte said. “Your goals need to align with how much time, energy and commitment you put into the process. Our plan is to help you create a realistic and balanced list of best-fit colleges that match you academically, socially and financially. The earlier you start the process, the more aspects we can strategically advise and prepare you for.”

The most gratifying experience for a college consultant is coaching a student and nurturing their growth as they work toward and achieve their goals.

“Having the opportunity to work oneon-one with teens as they navigate these important decisions can be very fulfilling,” LeCompte said. “It’s especially great working with students who start the process in eighth grade, as we can work together on creating a plan for success in high school.” If you’d like to learn more about LeCompte College Prep or making future college plans, you can visit the website directly at www.lecomptecollegeprep.com

Te Eastern Hillsborough Community Band is a volunteer band that performs around the Tampa Bay area.

LeCompte College Prep was founded in 2020 to help high school students and their families successfully navigate the college and career selection process.

FIVE GIRL SCOUTS IN LITHIA TROOP EARN HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENT GOLD AWARDS

By Ashley Abene

to come up with a project idea that could impact the community for the better.

This year, Troop 30716 in the Fossil Valley Community of Lithia had five Gold Award winners. Emma Clough, Gabriella Sosa, Laila Wood, Isabella Shafer and Molly Joiner have been in the Girl Scouts for 13 years and are all seniors at Newsome High School in Lithia. All five of these girls have also completed their Bronze and Silver Awards prior to earning the Gold Award. Clough’s Gold Award project involved creating a human foosball game at Camp Dorothy Thomas, a Girl Scout camp located in Riverview. She has been attending this camp since she was 5 years old. Clough decided on this project because more and more children are not getting outside, having fun and exercising as much as they once

did. She felt that this game would be motivation for kids to play outside. To view videos of Clough’s human foosball game, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO8NfhkamPI, and a timelapse video for families to create one at home can be watched at www. youtube.com/watch?v=zRUW70t_56g.

Sosa’s Gold Award project’s goal was to help native Florida frogs, whose population has been decreasing exponentially. The frog population decline is due to a loss of habitats because of human development, pollution and frogs competing for resources. To help protect the native frogs, Sosa created and installed frog habitats at Camp Dorothy Thomas. The frog habitats consist of various-sized PVC pipes. For more in-

formation on Sosa’s project or to create a frog habitat at home, visit her website at https://hippityhoppityproject.wordpress. com/.

Wood partnered with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for her project, which was to create disaster kits for cats and dogs in case of natural disasters, such as floods or hurricanes.

Shafer’s project was entitled Code Red. Shafer partnered with Tomlin Middle School in Plant City to give out menstrual bags for girls in need. It is estimated that 500 million girls/women do not have access to proper menstrual products. With this knowledge, Shafer decided she could help make a diference in her community.

These free bags are in the nurse’s ofce at Tomlin Middle and include within a black zipper pouch: pads, panty liners, wipes and a small trash bag. She also created posters which were hung around the school informing girls that free kits are available in the nurse’s ofce.

Joiner’s project was in partnership with Bikes For Christ in Tampa. She collected over 20 gently used bikes and repaired them by replacing wheels, bike tubes and seats. Bikes For Christ picked up her donation to be delivered to adults in need. She also created a video on bike safety with tips and a diagram. For more information on the organization Bikes For Christ, visit its website at www.bikes4christ.com.

Pictured is Laila Wood with her Gold Award project.

Pictured is Molly Joiner with her Gold Award project, Safe Transportation for Tose in Need.

Pictured is Gabriella Sosa with her Gold Award project, entitled Hippity Hoppity Project.

Pictured is Emma Clough with her Gold Award project, entitled Human Foosball.

Pictured is Isabella Shafer with her Gold Award project, entitled Code Red.

You want to contribute to causes you care about. How can you ensure your money will do the most good? Since 1990, Community Foundation Tampa

been helping donors maximize their giving potential to create a greater collective impact. For more info, go to cftampabay.org.

Injuries Making It Hard to Keep Up with the Grandkids?

Whether it’s on the basketball court or the playground, don’t let pain stop you from enjoying time with the younger generation.

ER at Sun City Center, an extension of Manatee Memorial Hospital, is a full-service emergency department that provides care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We are located at 16504 S. U.S. 301 in Wimauma, adjacent to Walmart®.

ER at Sun City Center features:

• Full-service laboratory and imaging services (X-ray, CT and ultrasound) (A physician order is required.)

• Care for all ages

• Access 24/7

• On-site physician 24/7

• Ten treatment areas, including seven exam rooms and three rapid medical exam spaces

• 10,884 square feet

Celebrate With Purple Box Mobile Kids Spa

Let’s celebrate! Purple Box Mobile Kids Spa believes that you are never too young to start pampering yourself. Step on board its luxurious mobile kids spa for a unique experience that comes to you. Its variety of spa party packages are perfect for all celebrations and serve ages 4-14; they include everything you need to host the perfect celebration. With such things as mini manis and pedis, glittery makeup, facials, karaoke, a photo booth and snacks, there is a package for everyone. Visit its website at www.purpleboxmobile.com or call 813-557-8179 for more information.

Mira Med Spa

Mira Med Spa (MMS) is an upscale spa boutique which prides itself on providing high-quality services while ensuring every customer leaves feeling refreshed and renewed. Owner Lisa Hart is a medical aesthetician and master trainer. Located at 1110 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico, MMS believes that looking and feeling your best should go hand in hand and creates unique skin care routines that are tailored for each individual. Along with providing skin care, other services for lashes and the body are ofered, including lash extensions and massages. For more information, visit its website at www.miramedspa.com.

Payant Wealth Management Group

When Robyn and Tom Payant first constructed Payant Financial Plaza in the

middle of Sun City Center; they envisioned incorporating all financial services preretirees and retirees could possibly need under one roof. Now, nearly 25 years later, the Payants’ vision has become a reality. At their 8,500-square-foot financial center, the husband-and-wife duo, along with a team of strategic professionals, ofer one-stop access to critical financial services, including wealth management and financial planning, tax strategies and income preparation, Medicare health insurance programs, personal and business lines of insurance, estate planning and legal document preparation. Payant Wealth Management Group (PWMG) is a registered investment advisor (not a broker) and adheres to a

strict fiduciary responsibility by making each client’s well-being its top priority. PWMG is located at 1653 Sun City Center Plaza in Sun City Center. More information can be found on its website at www. payantwealthmanagementgroup.com or by calling 813-633-7333.

Movin’ On Movers

Located in Sun City Center, Movin’ On Movers is the place to go for all your moving needs, including product packing, labor-only moving, long-distance moving, residential moving and commercial moving. It is locally owned by Chris and Liz Buzzard, licensed and insured, and all employees are professionally trained. Whatever your expectations may be, its goal is to exceed them all. Call 813-808-0536 for a free quote; no job is too big or too small. For more information, visit its website at https:// movinonmovers.net/.

Ruskin Seafood Company Celebrates One Year In Business

The Ruskin Seafood Company recently celebrated one year in business. Located at 701 U.S. 41, Ste. D in Ruskin, it provides a wide variety of high-quality, locally sourced seafood items, including fresh and frozen seafood, readymade soups and dips. It would like to thank the local community for its support including patronizing the business, spreading recommendations and providing feedback. It looks forward to many more years in the community. Call 813-649-7900 for more information on available products and seafood.

Let Tampa Lifestyle Management Co. Help You To Live Your Best Life

Selena Stamm is the owner of Tampa Lifestyle Management Co. As a local

EYE ON BUSINESS...CONTINUED

Compiled By Jenny Bennett

personal assisting company, its goal is to help clients get back to living their best life as their best selves by assisting with household management, organization, and moving services.

Stamm’s transition from realtor to owning a lifestyle management company was not merely a career shift; it was a response to a growing need she observed as a community resident and as a military spouse of nearly two decades. For more information about Tampa Lifestyle Management Co., call 813-444-5300 or visit https://thelifestylemanagement.co/ about-us-tampa/.

USF Graduate Programs Ranked Among Te Nation’s Best

The University of South Florida (USF) is home to nearly two dozen graduate programs considered among the best in America, according to new rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. USF’s highest-ranked programs are industrial and organizational psychology at No. 3, criminology at No. 18 and audiology at No. 22.

II is complete. Cooley’s campus will occupy part of the first floor and the entire second floor of the Tampa Oaks II building located at 12906 Tampa Oaks Blvd., which is near the University of South Florida, other higher education institutions and the I-75 corridor between Fletcher and Fowler avenues. Cooley will lease the new campus from ESF Properties 22-01 LLC. For more information about Cooley Law School, visit www.cooley.edu.

TK Tech Services Serves All Your Business Needs

While modern business technology offers numerous benefits, it also introduces potential challenges. Issues such as inefcient networks, system downtime and security threats can strain your team and hinder productivity.

“This recognition underscores the commitment of our faculty and staf, who continue to provide high-quality programs that empower our students to enhance their skills, expand their knowledge and progress in their careers by earning and advanced degree,” said USF President Rhea Law.

Cooley Law School Relocating To Temple Terrace

Cooley Law School has finalized plans to move its Tampa Bay campus, currently located in Riverview, to the Tampa Oaks area of Temple Terrace, close to downtown Tampa. Earlier this year, Cooley entered into an agreement to sell its current campus to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Cooley is leasing back the current campus at 9445 Camden Field Parkway until construction at Tampa Oaks

TK Tech Services is the onestop shop for all your business IT needs. Its certified technicians will deploy cutting-edge managed IT services to enhance security and optimize your systems. It also ofers proactive maintenance and fast 24/7 support to keep your operations running smoothly. For more information, visit its website at https://tktechservices.com/ or call 813-906-0936.

iSMASH Celebrates With A Ribbon-cutting iSMASH celebrated joining the Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon-cutting at its location in Brandon at 863 E. Bloomingdale Ave. iSMASH ofers three fun and exciting activities which allow you to blow of steam in a totally safe space. Along with rage rooms that can accommodate groups up to 15 people, iSMASH also has a variety of smash session packages. Glow-in-the-dark splatter paint experiences and axe-throwing lanes with digitally projected games are available as well. To learn more about iSMASH, visit its website at https://ismashusa.com/locations/fl-tampa/ or call 813-807-6274.

rants. Models are located at 3306 Tybee Square Blvd. and are open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit its website at www.onyxandeast.com/property/vivir/ for more details.

Hybrid

Dementia And Alzheimer’s Support Group

Care partners of those with any type of memory loss, whether family, friends or professionals, need to be equipped with the knowledge to best support their loved ones. Gain this knowledge at the new hybrid support groups being held via Zoom and in person at Tessera of Brandon. Meetings are on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. (the Zoom number is 890 6308 0000; password: 8240530) and the fourth Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. (the Zoom number is 869 4044 7508; password: support). These meetings are also held in person at Tessera of Brandon, located at 1320 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon. Go a little early for refreshments.

Current Chiropractic Moves To New Location

Care partners of those with any type of memory loss, whether family, friends or professionals, need to be equipped with the knowledge to best support their loved one.

Gain this knowledge at our NEW hybrid support groups being held via Zoom and in person at Tessera of Brandon.

Hybrid Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support Groups

quote

Vivir By Onyx+East Now Open

Current Chiropractic recently celebrated moving to its beautiful new ofce building at 1108 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico with a ribbon-cutting from the Valrico/Fishhawk Chamber of Commerce. Current Chiropractic ofers neurostructural chiropractic care using gentle, precise and evidence-based adjusting techniques. It also can do X-rays if necessary and ofers an initial free consultation beforehand, only accepting patients it knows it can help, with the aim of getting patients to a point where they don’t need to visit Current Chiropractic often. Additional information can be found on its website at https://currentchiropractic.com/ or by calling 813-603-4466.

The Valrico/Fishhawk Chamber of Commerce participated in a ribbon-cutting celebrating Valrico’s newest 82 single-family home community, Vivir by Onyx+East. Located o Bloomingdale Avenue, Vivir ofers a tight-knit, quiet community feel, featuring four impressive 2-story home designs with upscale features, flex spaces, gourmet kitchens and attached garages. It’s only steps away from schools, the Campo Family YMCA, the Bloomingdale Regional Public Library, medical ofces and a variety of restau-

Third Tuesday of Every Month at 6:30 pm Meeting in person and via Zoom!!! New Zoom Meeting Number 890 6308 0000 Password: 8240530 Come a litle early for refreshments!

Oakfield Dr. Brandon, FL 33511 813-607-6880 “Knowledge islove,light and wisdom” -Helen Keller Fourth Wednesday of Every Month at 2:00 pm Meeting in person and via Zoom!!!

Te Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce helped Onyx+East celebrate its newest community Vivir, with a ribbon cutting.

IRON ROCK INSURANCE CELEBRATES FOUR YEARS IN BUSINESS

At the core, Iron Rock Insurance is a team of agents specializing in providing quality protection for its clients and their families.

With its coverage, clients can rest assured that their loved ones and their possessions will be kept safe. Iron Rock Insurance ofers a wide range of insurance products and unparalleled customer support when you need it the most. It can provide that extra layer of protection to ease its clients’ minds.

“Iron Rock Insurance began in June 2020 during the middle of the pandemic,” said Iron Rock Insurance managing partner Lisa Hast. “I had worked in another agency for 37 years and I made the decision that I wanted something that was diferent. I wanted something that was mine. I built my way with the technology, processes, carriers and stafng. We have grown from zero to be quite a player in the local insurance independent agencies.”

Hast and her team are excited to be celebrating Iron Rock Insurance’s four-year anniversary.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” Hast said. “We started with zero and a wing and a prayer. Currently, we have 11 employees, four agents, three in training and four customer service reps. When I quit my job, I was 53 years old with no plan B, only plan A, so it had to work.”

Hast is also very proud of Iron Rock Insurance’s CARE program.

By Libby Hopkins

“CARE is creating remarkable experience,” Hast said. “Service is our number one priority. In our world today, it seems no one wants to help get your business handled. Jesse Ackerman and I have built and developed quite the team. We do everything we can to make the insurance process as easy as possible. Insurance is hard right now in Florida, so people really need assistance in navigating the madness of cancellations and rate increases.”

If you ask Hast what makes Iron Rock Insurance diferent from other insurance companies, she will tell you that it’s all about family.

“We are truly a family business,” Hast said. “We have gone from just my daughter and me to adding my husband, Jason Hast, as an agent and my two daughtersin-law, Kate Norberg and Katie Kinder, to agent training. We love helping customers review their coverage, making sure they get the best price but also balancing a review of their coverage and educating them to make sure they understand what they are buying.”

If you would like to learn more about Iron Rock Insurance, you can visit its website at www.ironrockins.com or call for a quote at 813-213-9600. Its ofce is located at 400 Frandorson Circle, Ste. 103 in Apollo Beach.

Why Are My Property Taxes Going Up?

By Bob “Coach” Henriquez

As a Hillsborough County native and lifelong resident of Tampa, I feel particularly honored to have been elected to the ofce of Hillsborough County Property Appraiser for three consecutive terms. During this time, I have come to know a great many of you who receive your annual Notice of Proposed Property Taxes from my ofce each August. Whether it’s at a cofee shop or community gathering, people often joke to me, “Hey Bob, you’re the guy who raised my taxes.”

While the Property Appraiser is not the county entity that raises or collects taxes, it does remind me there are many people who are either unsure about the services my ofce provides property owners or have misconceptions regarding my ofce’s statutory duties.

Frequently, people like to see their property values increase –especially when they are looking to sell their home – but not on the day they receive that envelope with their annual Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, commonly known as the “TRIM (Truth in Millage)” notice. So, as my ofce prepares to mail out this year’s notices to all property owners in the county, let me explain a few items that may help you understand exactly what we do and how we may even help you save money.

For starters, the Property Appraiser’s Ofce does not directly raise or lower your taxes. Our primary statutory responsibility is quite simple: annually assess all properties in Hillsborough County to their full market value. But with more than a half million parcels in Hillsborough County, that’s not an easy task.

The methods by which the Property Appraiser’s Ofce determines a property’s market value goes well beyond what your neighbor sold their house for, or what a real estate agent or a website might say your property is worth. My ofce compares properties in a much larger and more complex universe, using highly regulated computer assisted mass appraisal techniques that establish the market value of the property as of January 1st of each year.

It’s important to note the final sale price of a home usually includes many fees, including assorted closing costs, that are not part of the full market value that the Property Appraiser’s Ofce is seeking to determine. Also, if you have experienced an increase in your monthly mortgage payment, it doesn’t necessarily mean it was a result of your property taxes increasing.

Most people pay their property taxes as part of an escrow account that is included in their monthly mortgage payment. And in Florida, where homeowners’ insurance has recently topped the list for the most expensive rates in the nation, insurance is THE most rapidly increasing portion of most homeowners’ mortgage payment.

This is where applying for homestead exemption through my ofce is vitally important. If your property is granted a homestead exemption, state law says the taxed value of your property cannot increase by more than 3% a year – even if your property’s market value has increased by double digits.

Many recent home buyers are surprised to see their tax bill jump significantly when compared to what the home’s prior owner was paying. This increase in taxes usually occurs because the property’s previous owner, through many years of having the benefit of a homestead exemption on the property, had built a large assessment limitation on their annual tax bill. This benefit is commonly known as “Save Our Homes” assessment limitation.

Finally, the rate that your property is taxed is set by your elected ofcials at the city and county level, as well as other taxing authorities, like the school board, and not by the Property Appraiser’s Ofce. Set by those taxing authorities, the “millage rate” is the easiest benchmark citizens can look at to understand why they pay the taxes they do. The millage rate is how much a home is taxed per $1,000 in value. As property values increase, so do the taxes.

ABOUT OUR CAMPS

With over 25 dif erent camp options throughout the Tampa YMCA area, there’s something for every camper to enjoy! From art and gymnastics to ziplining and splashing in our pools EVERY DAY, the Y is the ultimate summer destination. Summer Camp starts May 28th! Register at tampaymca.org/letscamp

I hope this brief outline has helped you to clearly identify the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Ofce’s basic responsibilities and duties under state law. As always, we are here to help you understand the services we provide – including applying for homestead exemption – and to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact our ofce at 813-272-6100 or visit our website at hcpafl.org.

Bob “Coach” Henriquez

Hillsborough County Property Appraiser

Iron Rock Insurance began in June 2020 during the middle of the pandemic.

GET THE DIRT:

HURRICANE SEASON IS HEADING OUR WAY

Hurricane season starts on June 1. The time to put your hurricane preparation plan together is now. This way, you can minimize issues during and after the storm.

An important first step is to walk around your house, lanai, porch and landscape. Identify what can become flying objects in strong winds. Think about flowerpots, bird feeders, lawn furniture, plant hangers, garden hoses, metal yard art and much more.

BY LYNN BARBER, URBAN HORTICULTURE AGENT

The second step is to implement your ‘relocation’ strategy. What items can be relocated to your garage, storage shed, inside your home or possibly under or behind shrubs near your house? If you have potted plants on your front porch, you could lay them down horizontally behind the shrubs. If you stand the pots upright, they will fill with rainwater that, over a few days, could damage the plant. Now that you have identified what can be moved, start the relocation process. It may well take more time than you anticipate, so starting sooner than later is better.

Purchasing the materials you need to protect your home is the third step. If you have several doors on your lanai, consider purchasing large sections of heavy-duty plastic and bags of mulch

to absorb rainwater. Duct-tape the heavy-duty plastic to your sliding glass and other doors leaving space if there is a drain by the doors. You do not want to cover the drain. Place the bags of mulch on top of the plastic. Even though the mulch is in a bag, it can absorb rainwater. If you have a drain between the screened lanai and covered area, stack bags of mulch on the house side of the drain. The benefit of using bags of mulch versus sandbags is that you can reuse the mulch in your landscape beds after hurricane season.

Another important detail is to remove dead trees and branches. If you are not able to do that yourself, hire an arborist to evaluate the situation and make recommendations. Safety first!

If you have a debris pile, put the yard waste in garbage cans for weekly pickup. Act now so your landscape debris is not at the end of your driveway when high winds arrive. A pile of debris can also end up in the stormwater drain, which can become clogged.

Keep an eye on the water level in your swimming pool. If the water level is above the recommended level, drain water to the recommended level.

Be safe!

Summer Camp

EXCITING TRIPS PLANNED!

• Sea Screamer Dolphin Tour

• Behind the Scenes Bucs Stadium

• Tampa International Tour

• Tampa Firefghter Museum

• Ringling Museum Circus Show

• Bricks4Kidz

• Pump It Up

• Rays Game

• Pin Chasers Bowling

• Rotary Playground at Hernando’s Landing

WEEKLY VISITS FROM:

• KidoKinetics

• Amazing Athletes

• FOAM Party

• SNOW Party

• Water Slides

Weekly rate includes all meals and feld trips.

CHAMPAGNE AESTHETICS OFFERS PERSONALIZED SKIN CARE SERVICES

Laurie Champagne-Bumberg, owner of Champagne Aesthetics, has always had an interest in physiology so a career in aesthetics was a clear decision. When Champagne-Bumberg opened Champagne Aesthetics in August 2021, she knew she was where she belonged.

“What I love most about owning an aesthetics practice is the impact it allows me to have on people’s lives,” said Champagne-Bumberg. “It is rewarding to help people feel more confident and comfortable in their own skin. Whether it’s through results-driven treatments or simply being a supportive presence during their journey, seeing the positive transformation in my clients is really cool. Being able to boost confidence, ofer efective solutions and create meaningful relationships with clients is what truly makes this profession fulfilling for me.”

By Kelly Wise Valdes

they align with their skin care goals.”

The best advice Champagne-Bumberg ofers to someone looking to take care of their skin is to approach it as an investment in themselves.

“Your skin is not only a reflection of your health, but it also plays a significant role in your self-confidence and overall well-being,” said Champagne-Bumberg. “Choose a skin care provider you trust. Look for someone with experience, is continually investing in education and has a reputation for delivering results.”

What sets Champagne-Bumberg as an aesthetician and provider is her commitment to personalized care and education.

“I prioritize understanding my client’s individual concerns and goals through a thorough initial consultation,” said Champagne-Bumberg. “By tailoring treatment plans to each individual, I ensure that they receive the most efective care possible. I believe in the power of education as a tool for empowerment. I take the time to educate my clients about their skin, explaining not only what treatments we’re implementing but also why they’re beneficial and how

Champagne Aesthetics is ofering a Lunchtime Glo2Facial™ for $199 during June, July and August to new clients. Glo2Facial is an advanced skin care treatment that combines Oxfoliation™ and targeted serum application to rejuvenate and brighten the skin. It utilizes oxygen therapy to deliver nutrient rich ingredients deep into the skin, resulting in a glowing complexion.

Regardless of your beauty budget, Champagne-Bumberg will work to create a successful skin care plan tailored to individual needs and goals. “By prioritizing consistency and combining medical-grade products with targeted treatments, we can achieve lasting improvements in your skin’s appearance and health.”

Champagne Aesthetics is located at 214 S. MacDill Ave. in Tampa and 16637 FishHawk Blvd., Ste. 102 in Lithia. Call 813-4442441 or visit www.hydrafacialtampa.com.

Laurie Champagne-Bumberg.

CUSTOM

Men and women generally lose 50-100 hairs a day. This shedding is unnoticeable because new hair is growing in at the same time. However, millions of Americans experience noticeable hair loss (alopecia areata) due to hormonal changes, medical conditions, aging or a result of heredity. Regardless of the cause, hair loss can be mentally and emotionally devastating.

Custom Hair, with three locations in the Tampa Bay area, including one in Brandon, specializes in finding nonsurgical hair replacement solutions for individuals with hair loss.

Lori Younkman, co-owner of Custom Hair with her husband, Dan Younkman, understands firsthand how hair loss can have an impact on a woman’s self-esteem. Lori’s lifelong struggle with thin hair ended when she decided on permanent hair replacement. She is passionate about solving hair loss challenges, especially for women.

Custom Hair ofers the finest quality wigs and hair replacement for men, women and children. What sets it apart from other businesses in the industry is its customer service and dedication to women’s hair replacement. Clients who decide on wigs or toppers (a hairpiece attached to one’s scalp and designed to blend in with natural hair) get a professional fit; education for care of the products; and options for cut, styling and col-

By Jane Owen

or. Clients who choose permanent-bonded hair are attended to by a professional stylist in a private studio. Their hair solution is designed to fit, customized with a cut and color.

Theresa, a client from Tampa, said Custom Hair’s personal attention makes the diference.

“I’m so grateful I found Custom Hair Tampa. I’ve had alopecia for 19 years. Until three years ago, I was ordering my pieces of the internet, trying to ‘do it myself.’ I was finding it increasingly frustrating to guess how the color and style would look on me once it arrived in the mail,” Theresa said.

Lori said Custom Hair requires appointments because hair solutions are personal. She added, “There’s no pressure. We ofer options and solutions.”

Edwin, another Tampa client, found that Custom Hair relieved his frustrations.

“After 60 years of transplants, hair fibers, etc., I just got frustrated with the whole process. Not only did they listen attentively to what I was hoping to achieve, they also went above and beyond to ensure that I felt comfortable and confident throughout the entire process,” Edwin said.

Custom Hair of Brandon is located at 117 N. Kings Ave. To learn more about Custom Hair, visit https://customhairtampabay.com/.

Hair stylist Melissa styling a client’s permanent hair replacement.

ARTS COUNCIL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OFFERS GRANT PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS

The Arts Council of Hillsborough County ofers a grant program for individual artists called the Professional Development for Artists Grant. This grant program provides funding support for special projects that advance their career as artists. The grant is open to residents of Hillsborough County.

County. He created this beautiful piece known as Seaside View. As a result of the grant, Huang was able to purchase a MacBook Pro computer, which has advanced his career as an artist.

The grant reimburses the artists for up to $2,000. There are two categories for this grant that artist may apply for. First, artists can apply for educational experience — residency, workshop or conference. The second category is for a permanent piece of equipment, such as a camera, laptop or 3D printer.

The grant funding period for fiscal year 2025 is January 1 to August 15, 2025. This means that, during this time, either the experience must take place or the equipment must be purchased. The grant application opens on Monday, July 8, at 9 a.m. and closes on Friday, July 26, at 5 p.m.

The Professional Development for Artists Grant is a competitive grant which must first meet eligibility, and then it is reviewed and scored by the Arts Council Advisory Board.

Martine Collier, division director for the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, said, “This grant ofers artists the opportunity

By Kathy L. Collins

to purchase a piece of equipment or an educational experience that can potentially change the trajectory of their career.”

Samson Huang, a grant recipient for fiscal year 2024 who used the funds to help him purchase a MacBook Pro computer, said, “The grant advanced my career by broadening the scope of my artistic practice, resulting in more opportunities for my art to be in shows and competitions. The grant allowed me to purchase a powerful piece of equipment, enabling me to create new bodies of work, such as digital paintings, illustrations as well as animated videos.”

Huang used the equipment to create digital illustrations and designs for several upcoming events, including the Hillsborough Community College Art Galleries’ ‘Now on View’ public art festival, set to take place on Saturday, June 1, in Ybor City.

Huang added, “My efciency and productivity has increased due to the creation of a database for digitally archiving my body of work in large megapixel data format.”

You can review a sample grant application and review the grant guidelines (which includes important eligibility information) by visiting https://hillsborougharts.org/.

SURPRISING FRIENDSHIPS MADE AT BOYETTE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

By Jane Owen

On a spring day in April, a merging of fiction and real life played out at Boyette Springs Elementary School. Amiya Stone, a fourth grader in Hillsborough County Public Schools’ Hospital Homebound and Homebased Program, visited a classroom of students at Boyette Springs. The visit was more than a field trip; it was the beginning of friendships.

The newly found friendships are a result of a beautiful turn of events. Amiya and her teacher, Tara Horn, were reading Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. Horn’s friend, Amanda Allen, an ESE (exceptional student education) specialist at Boyette Springs, recognized an opportunity of connection. The students within Boyette Springs’ Center for Gifted Studies were doing a novel study on Out of My Mind — the same book Amiya was reading. Boyette’s Center for Gifted Studies, led by teachers Velena Hartwell and Christine Schreck.

Amiya is a brilliant fourth grader. Her visit to Boyette Springs was her first time in a school setting. Amiya has spinal muscular atrophy. She uses a wheelchair for mobility and communicates using a speech-generating device that is activated by signals she sends with her eyes. The eye gaze technology of Tobii Dynavox gives her the ability to

interact with others.

Amiya loves science. She likes pink and purple. She loves getting her nails done but she does not like country music. On April 26, she talked with kids at school about her likes and dislikes.

“Amiya got to broaden her experiences but so did those students,” Horn said.

Amiya’s mom, Kristina Arvidson, was thrilled with the warm welcome Amiya had at Boyette Springs.

Hartwell said it was an incredibly powerful experience for her students.

“They were amazed that technology allowed Amiya to communicate using her eyes and she was able to ask questions of them also. They developed such a strong sense of friendship in that short visit that they wanted to include her in our weekly activities,” Hartwell said.

Draper emailed her delight hearing about Amiya’s visit to school.

“This is absolutely wonderful. Real life and fiction meeting and merging. I’m so glad that Out of My Mind had a positive impact,” Draper said.

Visit www.hillsboroughschools.org/hhb. To read a summary of Out of My Mind or buy it, visit www.sharondraper.com/library/ out-of-my-mind.

Samson Huang, a resident of Tampa, is a recipient of a grant from the Arts Council of Hillsborough

Amiya Stone, a student in Hillsborough County Public Schools’ Hospital Homebound and Homebased Program, recently connected in person with students at Boyette Springs Elementary over a novel study of Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper.

GROWING POPULATION CALLS FOR MORE EMERGENCY SERVICES

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

As Hillsborough County continues to grow, so does the need for development, including things like grocery stores, health care facilities, and even emergency services.

Recognizing the rising demand on emergency response, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) has introduced fi ve additional reserve ambulances, each sta f ed with a three-person crew, to operate during peak hours of need. This strategic move aims to enhance response times and ensure the community receives timely medical assistance.

With the rapid population growth, HCFR’s fi rst responders are experiencing increasing strain, often responding to up to 20 medical calls per shift in some of the county’s busiest neighborhoods. Two-thirds of the ambulances in Hillsborough County are frequently operating at unsustainable levels of utilization, causing delays in response times and making it more challenging to serve the community e f ectively.

“The new peak-hour ambulance initiative already is impacting the communities with the highest daily call volume,” says Robert Herrin, Public Safety Information Section Chief for Hillsborough County “the peak ambulances have alleviated the call volume for the primary units in their respective areas, allowing those units to remain available longer in their fi rst alarm districts.”

While HCFR has not yet faced these challenges, the increase in demand causes a risk of fatigue and burnout among the overworked fi rst re-

sponders, potentially leading to retention issues within the department. The introduction of additional ambulances serves as a proactive measure to prevent these issues and maintain a high level of service.

“The crews that work these 12-hour shifts at the busiest times of day have reported that the peak-hour shifts are busy with a goal of helping Hillsborough County Fire Rescue shorten response times in some of the busiest communities in the County,” says Herrin.

Using data and analytics, Hillsborough County determined where the extra ambulances could best alleviate the strain on existing crews. Each peak-hour ambulance is assigned a 12-hour shift in the areas with the highest need, with operations having started on May 1, 2024.

The implementation of these additional reserve ambulances shows Hillsborough County’s commitment to adapting to its growing population and ensuring the well-being of its residents. By addressing the demands on emergency services, the county is taking important steps to maintain e f cient and e f ective response times, in order to protect the health and safety of the community.

FishHawk Ranch CDD

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue is committed to doing what it takes in order to help to community stay safe.

It’s tax refund season, and with extra money in their pockets, people are out buying new and used vehicles. The sta f at Riverview Auto Tag & Title (RATT) has some tips to keep area residents from becoming victims of automobile title fraud.

TIPS TO AVOID AUTOMOBILE TITLE FRAUD

Florida ranked thirdworst in the nation for automobile-related fraud in 2020, according to a study by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). RATT owner Jordan Wasdon said her sta f has seen a noticeable increase in title fraud over the past few years.

Title fraud occurs when a person alters a vehicle title to misrepresent the true condition of a vehicle or provides false information to obtain a vehicle title, including forgery.

Wasdon said she has seen it all, from bleached-out titles to altered vehicle identification numbers (VIN).

“We want to make people aware that this is going on and let people know what look for,” she said, adding, “or they can just call us or bring it in and we can check if it is a valid title.”

Wasdon said consumers can look for misspellings or blurred numbers on the document or areas where it has been erased or bleached.

She advised that consumers should

By Sharon Still

make sure the VIN on the title matches the VIN on the vehicle, as well as make sure the seller’s information matches.

“Get photos of IDs,” she added.

Unfortunately, Wasdon explained, anyone can get a dealer’s license, and criminals are getting smarter.

“Stricter laws or requiring notarized titles would help,” she said.

Also beware of people in the DMV parking lot o f ering to help you or people working for tips, such as o f ering to wait in line for you.

“Riverview Auto Tag & Title has years of expertise in the industry, and we understand that navigating vehicle registration and title transfers can be a complex and time-consuming task,” Wasdon said. “That is why we are here to simplify the experience for you.”

If you suspect you have become a victim of title or registration fraud, report it to the DMV immediately by completing and submitting form HSMV 80122 and supporting documents available at www. flhsmv.gov.

Riverview Auto Tag & Title is located at 7423 U.S. 301 S. by Silver Ring Cafe. Its hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, visit www. riverviewautotag.com, call 813-3744448 or become a fan on Facebook.

SEE RUSKIN FROM NEW POINT OF VIEW WITH LATITUDES TOURS

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

Looking for a day in the sunshine with salty air and educational tours of Ruskin’s ocean history? Latitudes Tours is ofering boat tours three times a day for community members and tourists to enjoy a little bit of history and beautiful views.

Latitudes Tours opened its doors at the end of 2018, born out of a passion for sharing the beauty of Ruskin’s aquatic preserve with locals and visitors alike. The inspiration struck the founders, a team of avid boat enthusiasts, while on a cruise. Nancy and David Lopez realized how much the community would benefit from similar excursions right in their own backyard.

“Believe it or not, there are plenty of locals who do not have access to a boat, and this provides them a way to get out on the water,” said Nancy, owner of Latitudes Tours.

Book now to receive the newest ofer from Latitudes Tours and get one child (11 years old and younger) ticket for free with the purchase of an adult ticket.

Operating six days a week, Latitudes Tours ofers three tour options daily, catering to diferent preferences and schedules. The first tour starts at 10 a.m. and is known as the Morning Ecotour. You can also join the crew for the Afternoon Ecotour at 12:30 p.m. with an optional BBQ lunch. The final

tour of the day is the Sunset Cruise with optional dinner and leaves an hour and a half before sunset. Prices start at $34.99 per person, with a minimum requirement of six guests per tour, weather permitting.

“Our tours are very informative about our local ecosystem, wildlife and even history,” said Nancy. “We have artifacts on the boat for people to touch and see as we do our demonstrations.”

While all the tours are great in diferent ways, the Sunset Cruise steals the spotlight as the most popular option of the three. This tour is great when looking for a more relaxing evening, giving you the chance to enjoy dinner and music while taking in a classic, breathtaking Florida sunset.

If you are looking for a more intimate option, call to set up a private charter. Latitudes Tours makes a great venue for all kinds of events, such as neighborhood get-togethers, club meetups, family reunions and birthdays. Latitudes Tours operates year-round, allowing visitors to enjoy the beauty of Ruskin’s aquatic preserve in every season. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone, making it convenient for guests to secure their spots.

With a commitment to providing informative and enjoyable experiences, Latitudes Tours invites guests of all ages to discover the wonders of Ruskin from a new point of view.

For more information or to book a tour, please call 813-641-1311 or visit https://latitudestours.com/.

FINANCIAL FOCUS

TERM VS. PERM: WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you’ve been thinking about life insurance, especially if you have family, loved ones, or anyone who depends on you fnancially, you might be curious about the diferent kinds of policies available. Which type is right for you?

Essentially, you can look at two main categories of life insurance: term and permanent.

Term insurance is a pay-as-you-go option that covers a specifc amount of time, usually 20 years or fewer. Term insurance benefts are paid to your benefciaries free of federal income taxes if you pass away during the coverage period, but there’s no opportunity to build cash value.

Permanent insurance, such as whole life or universal life, ofers coverage for as long as you pay the premiums, and in addition to providing a tax-free death beneft, also ofers a chance to build equity, or cash value, on a tax-deferred basis.

When determining which type of insurance is appropriate for your needs, you’ll want to consider these factors:

• Cost – Term insurance is generally afordable for most people, which is why it may be particularly suitable for parents and young adults who may be at the beginning of their careers. Permanent insurance is typically more expensive, largely because it is meant to last for one’s lifetime and some of the premiums go toward building cash value in the policy and paying for other features. Generally, the younger and healthier you are when you purchase permanent insurance, the lower your rates will be.

• Length of time insurance is needed – If you think you will only need life insurance for a certain period — perhaps until your children are grown — you might lean toward term insurance. If you feel the need for life insurance for other goals throughout your

lifetime, for whatever reason — you might have a special needs child, or perhaps you want to use your policy to help pay for retirement, or you wish to include the policy as part of your legacy and estate plans — you may want to consider some type of permanent insurance.

• Investment preferences – You may have heard the phrase “buy term and invest the diference.” Essentially, this just means that an investor could purchase low-cost term insurance, and then invest the money that was saved by not getting permanent insurance. This can be a valuable strategy in some situations, but people often don’t actually invest the diference. A permanent insurance policy, through the payment of premiums, may result in a steady buildup of cash value or continued contributions to the policy’s investment components. For many people, this discipline is helpful.

• Future insurability – If you have health issues, it could become difcult to get permanent insurance after you’ve reached the end of a term insurance policy. (Some term insurance policies do ofer the opportunity to convert to permanent coverage, usually without the need for a medical exam.) You could avoid this potential problem by purchasing permanent insurance when you are still young and healthy. Ultimately, you will need to weigh the various factors involved in the permanent-versus-term decision. You also might beneft from consulting a fnancial professional, who can evaluate which type of insurance is most appropriate for your situation. But whether it’s term or permanent, make sure you have the coverage you need to protect yourself and your loved ones.

This article was written by Edward Jones for

Te Riverview Auto Tag and Title (RATT) mascot is wearing the ofce t-shirt.

NATURE’S CLASSROOM WELCOMES THE PUBLIC AND NEW BIRDS OF PREY

Nature’s Classroom, an outdoor environmental education center that is part of Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS), recently welcomed three raptors to the center, welcomed the public to its annual open house and has begun open registration for summer camps.

For over 50 years, Nature’s Classroom has provided environmental education and outdoor exploration to HCPS students. The lessons leave a lasting impression, which is why the center holds a yearly open house. Program coordinator Karen Johnson said it started the open house event to allow alumni to return and visit with their families.

“We are, or have been, the standard for environmental education throughout the state for many, many years.” Johnson said. “It’s super, super important that we continue to encourage outdoor time with unstructured exploration of the natural world around us.”

This year’s open house took place on April 13 and 14 with around 2,500 people in attendance. Attendees enjoyed guided hikes, shoreline sampling, animal experiences and access to 365 natural acres.

Visitors also had an opportunity to see and learn about the center’s three new raptors: a bald eagle, a Mississippi kite and a swallow-tailed kite.

Sunny is a 2-year-old bald eagle which was recently transferred to her forever

By Jane Owen

home at Nature’s Classroom from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey on April 8. STKI (Sticky) and MIKI (Mickey), a swallow-tailed kite and Mississippi kite, respectively, also moved in during early April. Cheryl Merz, raptor care assis tant for Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, trained Sunny and secured all three birds being trans ferred to Nature’s Class room.

“I am thrilled to see Sunny thrive in her forever home. She is teaching children about bald eagles and conservation. She is the ultimate education ambassador for her species,” Merz said.

Johnson said Nature’s Classroom’s current funds are targeted to refurbish the aviary. Nature’s Classroom, in partnership with Southwest Florida Water Management District, focuses its curriculum on ecosystem exploration. Visitors are also introduced to the center’s Florida native garden and animal collection.

Nature’s Classroom welcomes organizations (school, church, Scouts and businesses) to visit for educational reasons or an outdoor meeting. To schedule a visit or to support financially, contact Johnson at 813-978-6969.

Visit www.hillsboroughschools.org/naturesclassroom to learn about 2024 summer camps, educational resources and facts on the resident animals. Nature’s Classroom is located at 13100 Verges Rd. in Thonotosassa.

Whether you are at a wedding, festival, community event or even a rave, a clean and comfortable restroom is always necessary.

Full Flow Lavish Loos prides itself ering luxury, portable restrooms that will elevate any event. A luxury portable restroom trailer is a high-end portable facility designed to provide a comfortable and upscale restroom experience for events or temporary locations.

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

Indulging in luxury and creating spaces that are comfortable for guests, friends and family is something that Full Flow Lavish Loos prides itself on. As a component of your event that is not typically a focal point, a bathroom is still an important piece and is better when enjoyable.

“Any event that requires additional restroom facilities is where a luxury restroom trailer is a great option over the bare-bones blue porta-potty that most people find quite primitive,” said Kevin Chadwick, owner of Full Flow Lavish Loos. “Full Flow Lavish Loos are equipped with all the comforts of home including central air conditioning, heat

and music.”

Operating seven days a week, 365 days a year, Full Flow Lavish Loos serves Tam pa Bay and surrounding counties, with cover age extend ing through out Florida and South ern Georgia. Pricing var ies based on trailer size, amenities and rental duration.

Rentals start at $1,000 per day, including delivery and setup. Weekly and monthly rates are available as well.

While the most popular rental is restrooms for weddings, reunions and other events, many customers also lean on Full Flow Lavish Loos during times of renovation or construction of their business.

Full Flow Lavish Loos also o f ers shower trailers and partnerships for various event essentials, like bounce houses and tents.

The best way to know if a rental from Full Flow Lavish Loos works for your needs is to test one out at one of the many events it serves.

For more information, call the o f ce at 813-601-9986 or visit https://full-flowlavish-loos.odoo.com/.

Photo courtesy of Cheryl Merz. Sunny is a 2-year-old bald eagle which recently transferred to her forever home at Nature’s Classroom from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey.

USF SELECTS CONSTRUCTION

Staf Report

‘SKELLY’ OF VALRICO DISPLAY DELIGHTS TRAVELERS ON BELL SHOALS ROAD

By Jane Owen

The University of South Florida (USF) recently announced a significant development in the plans to build a new on-campus home for the Bulls.

Following a competitive bid process, USF has selected the highly experienced team of Manhattan Construction Company, H.J. Russell & Company and DuCon LLC as the construction manager for the new stadium.

The selected team has worked extensively with college and professional stadiums throughout the country as well as numerous facilities in the Tampa Bay region and state of Florida, and it has previously partnered on more than $1.2 billion in projects with USF’s design team, Populous.

“Choosing a construction management team is big step forward in our process to deliver a world-class stadium that will transform the future of our university and the on-campus experience,” said USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly and USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman, cochairs of the stadium planning committee.

“After conducting a thorough review of each proposal we received for the project, we’re excited to get started on our partnership with a team that brings a proven track record of success in Manhattan Construction Company, H.J. Russell & Company and DuCon LLC.”

Projects the team has worked on include football stadiums for the Dallas Cowboys,

Texas A&M, Texas Tech and the ongoing renovations at Florida State University.

Manhattan also provided construction management services for enhancements to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in 2016.

University of South Florida fans can also start the countdown for seeing shovels in the ground to begin the construction of the transformational new on-campus stadium.

Following the announcement of the construction management team, the school announced that there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium held during the university’s annual homecoming week celebration, scheduled for Monday through Saturday, October 14-19. USF also released two new daytime renderings of the on-campus stadium, which follow the first set of renderings published in December 2023. USF’s on-campus stadium is scheduled to open in time for fall 2027. For more information on the project, visit www.usf.edu/stadium/. USF is located at 4202 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa and is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

Make no bones about it, Bell Shoals Road is more pleasant to travel after the construction that widened the road from two to four lanes. While it used to be a 3-mile stretch made of traffic nightmares, commuters now revel in the ease of the drive and smile at a 12foot skeleton named Pepper.

Pepper, also known as Skelly of Valrico, first greeted travelers on Bell Shoals Road in October of 2022. Legend has it that the road was so frightening at that time that he didn’t stay. When Halloween rolled around again, however, he could not resist coming back to see the family that hosted him on his first visit.

The Leisure family of seven loves the joy that Pepper brings. Carrie Leisure, his ‘mom,’ has always loved decorating for the holidays and said their location has given her a unique opportunity to share with the community. When they moved to the house o f Bell Shoals Road, Carrie was excited to be on a main road where she could share her decorations with passersby.

“The reason that the skeleton is out there is because he stuck with the com-

munity. He is my decoration for all of the holidays now,” Leisure said. “Literally what everybody says is: Thanks for making us smile.”

Commuters, walkers and runners often stop to see Pepper. Two of his favorite friends, Olivia and Siena, left a letter expressing how much they enjoy seeing him on their way to St. Andrew’s Preschool. They also explained that they decided to call him Pepper (‘Peppa the Pig’ is a girl, so naturally he should be called Pepper).

Skelly and the Leisures loved the name. The endearing letter was the first of many letters that the Leisures have enjoyed.

“I get great joy from the outpouring of love. You don’t know how many times I have heard, ‘I drive by your house every day on my way to work and I always look forward to seeing Pepper,’” Carrie said. Pepper is on the north side of Bell Shoals (5112 Bells Shoals Rd.). He changes clothes often but only when there’s little tra f c. To keep up with his wardrobe changes, visit @skelly.of.valrico on Facebook and @skelly_of_valrico on Instagram.

With a groundbreaking scheduled this fall, Manhattan Construction Company, H.J. Russell & Company and DuCon LLC were recently announced as the constructiont team for the new on-campus stadium at USF.

Pepper celebrating Keagan Leisure’s graduation. Pictured (left to right) are seniors Willow Gibson, Mirando Mayaudon, Makenna Mach, Keagan, Jonny Shilling and Lazaro Fernandez.

CAT GARDINER RELEASES DUOLOGY FEATURING TWO NEW WORLD WAR II HISTORICAL FICTION NOVELS

Cat Gardiner, a prolific author of 14 novels which span contemporary romance to 20th-century historical fiction, has released a duology titled Flying With the Swallows. The first volume is The Lisbon Affair. The second volume is Rendezvous in Berlin. Both books feature Mrs. Evelyn (Evie) Rousseau Somerset, a war widow and society darling. The books transport readers to the heart of World War II espionage.

Gardiner conducts meticulous research for her books. This, coupled with her ability for vivid storytelling, allows Gardiner to bring the tumultuous era of World War II to life, weaving tales of love, courage and intrigue against the backdrop of history.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited. Beginning in July, you can get paperback versions through Barnes & Noble and Payhip.

Gardiner said the “Flying With the Swallows Duology is a multilayered, evocative World War II story about a high society war widow’s determination to not be corralled by societal or familial expectations. The poem “On Thought in Harness” by Edna St. Vincent Millay has inspired her to break her tethers.”

Gardiner added, “The heroine charts a course of her choosing to make a diference in the Allied cause in honor of her deceased husband and to rescue a Jew-

By Kathy L. Collins

ish family detained in neutral Portugal. She is strong, despite her wounds. She is gutsy and brave when faced with danger. Despite her oftentimes harrowing circumstances and personal crisis in Nazi Germany, she ultimately finds herself peace and unconditional love.”

Finally, Gardiner said, “I believe Evie and her 1943 journeys are perfect for the women’s fiction reader as much as it is for the historical romance reader. She is worth cheering for.”

In addition to being a historian of the World War II ear, Gardiner is a member of the Tampa branch of the National League of American Pen Women. Her first book, A Moment Forever, was a 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award for Romance finalist.

Gardiner was one of 50 local authors accepted at the 10th annual Oxford Exchange Book Fair this past April.

Gardiner’s e-books are exclusively available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle Unlimited until Tuesday, July 2. Thereafter, paperback books will be available through Barnes & Noble and Payhip.

For more information about Gardiner and her books, please visit www.cgardiner1940s.com.

ANNUAL COUNTY FAIR HARVEST AWARDS NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

This year’s Harvest Awards, presented by the Hillsborough County Fair, won’t be awarded until October, but applications for nominees are now open. What makes these awards so unique is that they recognize not only those engaged in what’s considered traditional agriculture but also those involved in urban agriculture, as well as public and community service.

According to Randy Sears, event chair, the event will have some exciting new additions.

“After careful consideration, the Harvest Awards Committee has moved the event up to October 10, three weeks before the start of the fair that runs from October 31 until November 11, 2024, at the fairgrounds, 215 Sydney Washer Rd., Dover. In addition, we’ve added a new category to recognize emerging young leaders in agriculture with the Next Generation Farmer/Rancher/Nurseryman Award for an individual with less than 10 years in the field.”

Lifetime Achievement, Outstanding Agribusiness, Outstanding Public & Community Service, Urban Agriculture/Agriculturalist, Outstanding Farmer/ Rancher/Nurseryman, Outstanding Woman in Agriculture, Posthumous Memorial Award and the new Next Generation Award. Applications are available on the fair’s website, https://hillsboroughcountyfair. com/, which also has a complete list of previous winners as well as application requirements. All nominations must be received by Monday, July 15, and can be submitted by mailing to Harvest Awards, Hillsborough County Fair, P.O. Box 100, Sydney, FL 33587, or via email to suzanne@ hillsboroughcountyfair.com.

The mission of the Harvest Awards, since its inception, has been to recognize the accomplishments of families, individuals and organizations for their achievements and commitment to agriculture and to preserve the agricultural heritage of Hillsborough County. Award categories include Farm Family of the Year,

Participants in the luncheon include agricultural, business and community leaders; educational and governmental representatives; and students representing 4-H, FFA and other youth groups. In addition to a lunch featuring strawberry shortcakes provided by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association, participants will also receive gift bags filled with items from numerous commodity organizations and businesses. Businesses wishing to donate may contact Betty Jo Tompkins at bjt6890@yahoo.com or 813-477-8332.

Photo courtesy of Bria Burton. Cat Gardiner was one of 50 local authors invited to attend the 10th annual Oxford Exchange Book Fair. Her new duology, Flying With the Swallows, was recently released and both books are now available on Amazon and

Te annual Harvest Awards at the Hillsborough County Fair will be held a few weeks prior to the fair on Tursday, October 10.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS PARTNER WITH MYON OVER THE SUMMER

Hillsborough County Public Schools partnered with myON to “stop the summer slide.”

With myON, Hillsborough County students can find reading challenges and fun activities to keep them reading over the summer.

The ‘summer slide’ is when students lose an average of about one month’s worth of learning during summer break, according to Hillsborough County’s newsletter. However, reading just two books over the summer can help young students fight the summer slide.

These reading challenges run from Saturday, June 1, through Wednesday, July 31. Students will log their time spent on myON for the chance to win prizes.

Students with over 400 reading minutes during June or July will be entered into a random drawing where 15 students will earn a tablet. At the end of summer, students who logged over 800 minutes through their myON account will be entered into a drawing where 10 students will receive a laptop.

In addition to the challenges, family reading activities can help students set and reach goals while encouraging them to read with their family. Activities are broken down into fun categories to fit every genre for the young readers.

By Lily Belcher

Superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools Van Ayres said summer is a “great opportunity” for students to not only keep up with their reading but also to stay sharp over the summer in preparation for the upcoming school year.

“Literacy is one of my top priorities,” Ayres said. “Parents can help by making sure their children read just two books over the break, which will keep them on track and prevent the summer slide.”

The online library myON ofers students the opportunity to read what they want while encouraging them to grow as readers. This free program allows students to access a personalized online reading plan.

With myON, students will find the motivation to read the two books or more that they need to stop the summer slide. Stopping this loss of learning will better prepare Hillsborough County’s students for the upcoming school year.

For more information about myON or the summer reading challenges, visit https:// hillsborough.renaissance.com/reading-campaign/2024-summer-reading-challenge/ or contact streetteam@myon.com. To start the summer reading journey by making a free account, visit www.myon.com.

Hillsborough County’s partnership with myON will help students reach their reading goals and prepare for the next school year.

IN-PERSON PEER SUPPORT GROUP HELPS FAMILIES NAVIGATE THROUGH THEIR GRIEF JOURNEY

On October 17, 2023, the nonprofit Patrick Wesley Wheeler Foundation was created and named in honor of a lost loved one to serve the bereaved and broken of our community. The date is special to founder and president Keisha Wheeler and her family, as it was the birthday of her husband, Patrick Wheeler.

“Myself, our children and several partners sought to honor Patrick’s legacy by continuing to minister in the margins to families that have lost a loved one,” she said.

Keisha pulls from her day-to-day experience of caring for her seven children after the loss of their father. In fact, her family had been attending a grief group and found it incredibly helpful, until it shut down. This inspired her to start the foundation and its first ofcial program, Hand in Hand Grief Support for Families.

This in-person peer support group, together with faithful volunteers and donors, hosts grieving children and their caregivers as a labor of love. In Hand in Hand’s group sessions, members are first greeted and welcomed by each other, enjoy food and snacks and then split into diferent agegroup classes: preschool, elementary, teens and caregivers.

“The goal of our group is to come alongside people on their grief journey … because it’s very isolating, especially with kids,” Keisha stated. “A lot of kids get right back into

By Taylor Wells

school, or wherever they have to go, and a lot of people think, ‘Oh, kids are resilient, you know, it doesn’t matter,’ but it really does afect the very world that they live in. They see that someone they love does not exist anymore.”

Hand in Hand honors the legacy of loved ones as well by focusing on their lives and how they impacted their family, rather than just talking about the loss. Additionally, the group does social-emotional activities to help children identify their emotions, validate them, connect those emotions with their grief and let them know they’re not alone.

“Grief group changed everything I thought I knew about the grief journey. Seeing the families, who have lost so much, traveling through it together is the purest example of strength I’ve ever seen. I feel truly lucky to be part of the group — it is my favorite part of the month,” said Courtney S., a volunteer.

Hand in Hand Grief Support serves families with children ages 3-18; a nursery is available. The group meets twice a month at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church at 3315 S. Bryan Rd. in Brandon. To learn more and get peer grief support, email intake@ handinhandbrandon.org. You can also visit https://servingwith7.com/foundation-1 or follow on Facebook @thepatrickwesleywheelerfoundation. For volunteer or partnership opportunities, email pwheelslegacy@gmail.com.

LOCAL TEACHERS DIVE DEEP INTO OCEAN CONSERVATION EDUCATION THROUGH NEW TRAINING

On March 29 and 30, Hillsborough County teachers and teachers from other Tampa Bay counties gathered at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Suncoast Youth Conservation Center for a two-day training session using STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education, focusing on ocean conservation.

The training, which was open to elementary, middle and high school educations, was conducted by the nonprofit Guy Harvey Foundation and made possible through Tampa Electric Company’s funding.

Educators learned about field trip opportunities at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center and enjoyed hands-on training that included kayaking and fishing. They came away with materials, classroom supplies and the Guy Harvey Foundation’s online teacher resources.

Newsome High School marine biology teacher Julie Wernicki said her classes will benefit for years to come.

“My biggest takeaway was seeing how to make engaging and interactive lessons. Also, I have all of these resources now. The Guy Harvey Foundation has a really cool website that teachers can sign in on. They are always adding to it. I think it has become my favorite resource right now,” Wernicki said.

Wernicki said another benefit of the

By Jane Owen

training was collaborating with like-minded teachers and sharing ideas about how to incorporate the new experience in the classroom.

Daniela Burgui, a kindergarten teacher at Doby Elementary School in Apollo Beach, echoed the tremendous benefits the training provides.

“I enjoyed the fact that they really covered a lot and ofered new experiences for us to take into the classroom to help our kids. Part of what they ofer with the training is a little treasure chest of materials. There are treasure chests and lessons for all grades. You can use whatever works for your grade and adapt it,” Burgui said.

Burgui said working directly with the Guy Harvey team is what elevates the training to a diferent level. She said they blended art in guiding students through learning about math and science.

Teachers that completed the training received a certification and became a Guy Harvey Conservation Educator.

For more information about the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, visit https://fyccn.org/suncoast-youth-conservation-center-home.

To learn more about the Guy Harvey Foundation Conservation Education Program, including upcoming training locations, visit https://guyharveyfoundation. org/education/conservationprogram/.

A member of local animal rescue Mercy Full Project teaching Hand in Hand Grief Support’s elementary class about therapy pets. Tis is one of the many fun and helpful activities the support group holds for children going through grief.

Doby Elementary School kindergarten teacher Daniela Burgui with Jessica Harvey, Guy Harvey’s daughter, holding her Guy Harvey Conservation Educator certifcate.

USPS AND USPIS CONTINUE NATIONWIDE

CAMPAIGN TO COMBAT POSTAL CRIME AND PROTECT POSTAL EMPLOYEES

The United States Postal Service (USPS) and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced an update on Project Safe Delivery, a joint initiative to protect postal employees and secure the nation’s mail and packages. The initiative was launched in May 2023 in direct response to rising crime across the nation that has led to increased threats and attacks on letter carriers and mail theft incidents.

Since the launch of Project Safe Delivery, Inspection Service personnel have conducted more than 5,500 mail theft and violent crime prevention activities nationwide.

“We have been unrelenting in our pursuit of criminals who target postal employees and the U.S. mail. The eforts of our postal inspectors and law enforcement partners have yielded positive results,” said Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy.

DeJoy also called for increased prosecution and strong sentences for individuals who perpetrate postal crimes, including letter carrier robberies, mail theft and associated financial crimes.

For the 2024 fiscal year so far, the Postal Inspection Service has made 73 percent more arrests for letter carrier robberies over the same time period in the prior fiscal year.

Over the last five months, reported robberies of letter carriers have decreased by 19 percent and complaints received for mail theft are down 34 percent.

Since the launch of Project Safe Delivery, USPS, in partnership with USPIS, has

Staf Report

made significant investments in the physical security of its mail receptacles. Tens of thousands of hardened blue boxes and electronic locking mechanisms have been and will be strategically deployed in high postal crime areas. These investments will help to modernize USPS’ infrastructure and ensure that the public can safely and securely send and receive mail.

Customers can take several steps to protect their mail and letter carriers, including:

• Don’t let incoming or outgoing mail sit in your mailbox.

• Deposit outgoing mail at secure locations, including your local post ofce or place of business, or hand it directly to a letter carrier.

• Sign up for Informed Delivery.

• Become engaged via neighborhood watches and local social media groups to spread awareness and share information.

• Keep an eye out for your letter carrier. If you see something that looks suspicious or see someone following your carrier, call 911.

Customers are encouraged to report stolen mail as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint to the USPIS at www. uspis.gov/report or calling 877-876-2455. Additionally, individuals are encouraged to report allegations of Postal Service employee misconduct, including attempts to corrupt a Postal Service employee, to the USPS Ofce of Inspector General at 1-888877-7644 or www.uspsoig.gov.

COW CREEK FARM, A RUSTIC HAVEN

Michelle and Jim Temple of Plant City founded Cow Creek Farm in 2015 and since then it has been a labor of love for their entire family.

“At Cow Creek Farm, family is at the heart of everything we do,” Michelle said. “Alongside my husband and me, our daughter, Jessie; son-in-law, Nate; and our 2-yearold grandson, Jericho, as well as other family members, are integral parts of the farm’s operation.”

Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in the growth and success of their farm over the years.

“We couldn’t have done nor would we want to do it without them,” Temple said. “Jessie handles all the social media for the farm and greets each guest as they check in for their tour. Nate is our resident tour guide. He delights our guests with stories and facts and gives them the personal experience they have come to enjoy. We have a lot of guests coming for their second or third time. They just love the farm and especially the Scottish Highland cows. Jim can be found here and there and is our tractor ride driver. Of course, Jericho is there every step of the way, usually helping his mimi clean the barn between tours and helping his papa get treats for the animals.”

One of the ways the family sustains their farm and ofsets operating costs is by offering farm tours.

“Everything goes directly back into the farm for feed and upkeep,” Temple said.

By Libby Hopkins

“We have been able to provide visitors with the opportunity to experience firsthand the beauty of farm life, interact with animals and learn the importance of sustainable farming practices and agritourism. We’ve had some guests who have never been to a farm or even seen a cow up close. We are happy to share this life with those who wouldn’t get to experience it otherwise.”

The farm tours will return in August this year.

This homegrown cattle farm has flourished into something truly extraordinary through unwavering dedication, tireless eforts and an outpouring of support from the Temples’ cherished circle of family and friends. At Cow Creek Farm, the family takes immense pride in their roots, as they have nourished their journey from humble beginnings to an exceptional destination.

“As a family-run farm and scenic venue, we’ve been the backdrop for countless love stories and memorable farm adventures,” Temple said. “Our commitment to the Scottish Highland cattle is evident in the care and passion we invest in them. Beyond being a haven for these majestic creatures, our farm is a venue where love stories unfold and memories are crafted.”

If you’d like to learn more about Cow Creek Farm or take a tour of the farm, you can visit its website at https://cowcreekfarm.com/ or call 813-545-7362. The farm is located at 6802 Five Acre Rd. in Plant City.

USPS Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy is working diligently to secure the nation’s mail.

Nestled in the heart of Plant City, Cow Creek Farm ofers a unique blend of rustic romance and cattle charm.

“Freedom

Celebrating 10 years of music director and maestro Michael Francis’ bold artistic leadership, The Florida Orchestra (TFO) announced the 2024-25 season, full of the world’s great masterpieces, stunning new discoveries and broad programming that refl ects the rich cultural landscape of Tampa Bay and beyond. The 57th season is a culmination of what Francis and TFO do best: creative, thoughtful programs that foster a deeper, more personal connection to the music and mission of Florida’s largest professional orchestra.

To open the premier Hough Family Foundation Masterworks in October, Francis uses his inspiration from Tampa Bay’s Latin roots. The innovative, colorful program partners with The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay in unexpected ways, including a fantastic fi nish with Maurice Ravel’s Boléro

The Masterworks series will emphasize great concertos of the Romantic Period, including Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with renowned soloist Olga Kern, Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto, alongside epic masterpieces including Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3.

For the fi rst time, TFO is going country in the Raymond James Pops series. It opens with Country Hits: Songs from Nashville, a tribute to icons such as Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. In the special Pops concert Pretty Woman to Hunger Games , famed fi lm composer James Newton Howard himself will conduct some of his most captivating scores.

The reenergized Morning Matinees series is back with a new lead conductor, TFO resident conductor Chelsea Gallo. Also new: Each morning concert will

showcase one of TFO’s remarkable musicians as a soloist.

Season tickets for all subscription series are on sale now at https://florid-

Odyssey ), one of the fi rst works Francis ever conducted with TFO. This will be the fi rst time TFO performs the Mahler arrangement of Beethoven’s iconic symphony, a bigger, bolder version of the original. Francis also will conduct Aaron Copland’s Symphony No. 3 (May 9-10, 2025) — the great American symphony — which was part of his fi rst opening night with TFO in 2015.

aorchestra. org/.

“The new season is fi lled with incredible variety. We’re proud to work with soloists from the world’s great concert halls as we continue to create spectacular experiences with familiar favorites while introducing new discoveries,” said Francis, who is generously sponsored by the Hough family. “We’ve expanded our Masterworks series to 14 programs. Each

Francis is bringing back another creative success for the Masterworks series: ‘mystery pieces.’ Francis has personally chosen all 14 short works, which will enhance and connect to the program in a surprising way. None will be listed ahead of time.

“It’s amazing to me that we’ve reached my tenth season with The Florida Orchestra. Making music with these musicians has been a true privilege, and I’m proud of our work as a beacon of artistic excellence in Tampa Bay,” said Francis, who signed a contract extension through at least the 2029-30 season.

one is carefully curated to tell a story and spark a great conversation. My absolute passion is to help each person connect to the music and, above all, to connect to themselves. Every concert should feel unique and meaningful to your life and your community.”

The Masterworks series refl ects a decade of Francis’ infl uence. A centerpiece concert of the season pairs two of the most famous openings in music: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 (Nov. 1-3) and Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra (theme from 2001: A Space

“This season makes a statement about the impact Michael Francis and TFO have made over the past decade,” said President and CEO Ignacio Barrón Viela. “Our audiences have come to expect not only a great performance but a special experience that stays with them long after they leave the concert hall. At The Florida Orchestra, we believe music is a catalyst for beauty, healing, joy and so much more. The Tampa Bay community is such a rich melting pot of cultures, and we are performing a wide variety of music that is accessible to all. Nobody delivers experiences at the highest level like Michael Francis with your Florida Orchestra, both in the concert hall and the community.”

Visit https://fl oridaorchestra.org/ for more information.

PLANT CITY’S NEW SOUTH FLORIDA BAPTIST HOSPITAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO ITS 1953 ROOTS

BayCare’s South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City, a landmark for seven decades of Alexander Street, was set to close and reopen in a $326 million facility at the corner of Sam Allen and Park roads, of Interstate 4 at Exit 22.

The 424,000-squarefoot facility built on 50 acres, set to employ 800 team members and 250 physicians, broke ground in October 2021 and opened to the public for a sneak-peek preview on April 21. Set for its grand opening in midMay, the hospital sports 146 private patient rooms, 26 rooms for intensive care, eight operating rooms and seven labor and delivery suites. Highlights also include a medical arts building comprised of roughly 85,000 square feet, a cardiac rehabilitation gymnasium and the Sweet Life Farms Strawberry Café.

TAMPA-AREA HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ENLISTING IN THE MILITARY HONORED

By Jane Owen

Beyond receiving and showing care for an ailing loved one, there’s another strong reason to visit the shiny new footprint in the not-for-profit BayCare Health System.

That would be the walls of history that have been carefully added to the progressive acute care facility that ofers a full range of diagnostic, rehabilitative, surgical, therapeutic and women’s services, including obstetrics. Included in nostalgic look back is a wall that showcases the stainedglass window that was painstakingly removed from the old hospital’s chapel, where patients and visitors found com-

By Linda Chion

fort and some people exchanged wedding vows.

The Patterson Companies Heritage Hallway leads into a viewing of the Kerr Family History Wall, which features old photos with historical descriptors, starting with the grand opening of South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City on December 29, 1953. The hospital joined the BayCare Health System in 1997. Photos and historical notes are presented by decade, with room to grow for the years ahead. One photo in particular, of nurses caring for babies in the hospital’s labor and delivery nursery, caught the eye of Carol Mathis during her visit April 21.

“My aunt Molly’s in that picture right there,” Mathis said, happy to happen upon the photo which included a note saying nurses at the time wore caps that designated where they went to school, as well as their nursing degree. “She loved working with babies.”

Jana Butler is the executive director of the foundation that provides philanthropic support only to South Florida Baptist Hospital. From hundreds of photos, team members and physicians selected photos to display “to bring as much heritage with us as possible,” Butler said.

In the main lobby to the left, she added, there’s a wall of honor, “where we honor everybody who has lifetime giving with us.”

Tampa Bay-area high school seniors who are enlisting in the U.S. armed services after graduation were honored at an enlistment recognition ceremony held by Our Community Salutes on April 24. The ceremony was held at TPepin’s Hospitality Centre and recognized over 120 seniors and their families for their commitment to serve in the military.

Our Community Salutes is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to recognize and honor high school enlistees and their commitment to military service and to provide parents and guardians of enlistees with community support.

Governor Ron DeSantis, a Navy veteran, attended and commended the seniors for their commitments. Distinguished speakers included Maj. Gen. John Edwards, director for Strategic Capabilities Policy on the National Security Council; retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michele Jones; and retired U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Valerie Ellis Lavin.

Bloomingdale High School senior Caleb Miller attended the ceremony with his family. Caleb enlisted in the Marines and will be a fourth-generation Marine. The ceremony meant the world to his family.

Caleb’s mom, Beverly Miller, said it was great to see Caleb celebrated for his decision.

“We see lots of families celebrating col-

lege choices and athletic signings. So, it was nice to celebrate this choice with other families. It was also great to hear the advice of the speakers. They addressed both the enlistees and the families,” Beverly said.

Caleb decided to enlist in the Marine Corps with a desire to go into the aviation field. He enjoyed the ceremony and felt celebrated.

“The advice from the speakers was meaningful. I enjoyed Sgt. Maj. Michele Jones’ speech. She was funny and inspirational,” Caleb said.

Each student enlistee at the ceremony received a certificate of recognition from Our Community Salutes, a pocket guide of the U.S. Constitution, gifts from supportive sponsors and a challenge coin.

Our Community Salutes founder, president and former Army ofcer Dr. Ken Hartman is dedicated to honoring the high school enlistees.

“I am incredibly proud of these brave young adults in Tampa who have taken the oath to protect our liberties and freedoms at a pivotal point for our nation,” Dr. Hartman said. “These new enlistees represent the true patriots of their generation, and I am grateful we were able to recognize them and their families.”

To send a thank-you message to high school enlistees, visit www.ourcommunitysalutes.org/thank-you-card. For more information about Our Community Salutes, visit www.ourcommunitysalutes.org.

NEW GREENS

At the April 21 sneak-peek preview of South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City, Carol Mathis spots a 1950s photo of her aunt Molly, a nurse working with babies.