36 minute read
RIVERVIEW WOMAN’S CLUB
GIRL SCOUTS TRANSFORM ROOM AND EARN SILVER AWARD
By Kathy L. Collins
The Girl Scouts from Troop 33101 of the Caloosa unit in Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Council are working toward their Silver Award. The Silver Award is the highest award a Cadette can earn and only 10 percent achieve this.
Ella Madison, a Cadette from Troop 33101, along with a group of four fellow seventh grade Girl Scouts, are working on a community service project with the goal of bettering the community. According to Madison, the task is to turn an old conference room at the 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion into a heritage room where Marines can relax in their spare time. Madison said, “This is a way for us to give back to those who risk so much to protect and serve our country. It is meant to be a place where Marines can unwind and display their rich history.”
Madison added, “The United State Marines, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion
(4th AABn) has been a part of our community for over 80 years.” “Because of this rich history that the Marines hold in our community and the incredibly demanding nature of their work, our group chose to create a space for the men and women of 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion to relax, reflect, learn and strengthen their camaraderie,” Madison explained. Te Girl Scouts from Troop 33101 of the Caloosa unit in Girl The room the Girl Scouts are Scouts of West Central Florida Council, in seeking their Sil- transforming is located within a ver Award, transformed an unused room and turned it into set of buildings of to the right a small area for relaxation and refection for the Marines of side of Gandy Blvd., before you the 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion. head over the bridge to St. Petersburg. Several of the girls in the troop have direct connections to military service. Lourdes Reyes is the troop leader, and her husband is a veteran. Reyes said, “Girl Scouts are not only about arts and crafts. They learn basic skills that aid both their physical and mental health. Now they want to do more for the community.” Madison explained the project by stating, “We took an unused conference room and turned it into an amazing room full of artifacts, such as sand from Iwo Jima, uniform items and battlefield maps. We ripped out carpet, painted, built shelves and hung items. In the process, our group learned so much from the Marine volunteers. Our pride and respect for all the Marines there and what they have done has grown tenfold. We only hope this room will mean as much to them as it does to us.”
By Libby Hopkins
The Riverview Woman’s Club is a local nonprofit organization that was founded in April 2012 by Donna Lee Fore and Jeanne R. Burkeson. These two women had a vision to provide scholarships to Riverview students, support various education needs and to identify and support community outreach. The group is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The mission of the Riverview Woman’s Club is to enrich their community through fellowship and educational support.
“The diference between the Riverview Woman’s Club and other clubs is that we are business-focused,” said Club President Jill Jofko. “We have opportunities for people to promote their businesses, which helps their businesses grow and become known in the group. Our group as a great mix of women from our community.”
Since the club’s mission is to support education, the club thought giving away 10 $1,000 scholarships to local students would be a great way to celebrate the club’s 10th anniversary. “Since our start in 2012, the club has awarded 45 scholarships and supported the community, such as by helping Rodgers Middle School start their STARR program, donations towards the fight against human trafcking, the end to Alzheimer’s and support of Relay for Life to fight cancer,” Jofko said. “This year, in honor of our 10th anniversary, 10 scholarships will be awarded to local graduating high school seniors.” The celebration will take place on Wednesday, May 18 from 6:309:30 p.m. at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club in Riverview. Tickets are $50 per person and include dinner, a cash bar, an awards presentation, a moti-
Te Riverview Woman’s Club is vational speaker and a celebrating its 10th anniversary by awarding 10 college scholarships. surprise guest. “Sandy Murman, former Hillsborough County commissioner, will be the motivational speaker, reprising her speaking engagement at the Riverview Woman’s Club’s very first luncheon,” Jofko said. “Various sponsorship promotional packages are available and are tax deductible.” The Riverview Woman’s Club Foundation Inc. awards scholarships to graduating seniors in Riverview, and, for members only, scholarships are awarded to member children or grandchildren with no Riverview residential requirement. “I feel … one of the club’s biggest accomplishments for the last 10 years has been the scholarships we have awarded to the students in our community,” Jofko said. If you would like learn more about the Riverview Woman’s Club or if you’d like to attend the 10th anniversary celebration, you can visit its website at www.riverviewwomansclub.org.
RESIDENTS EXPRESS FRUSTRATION OVER TENNIS CLUB MANAGEMENT CHANGE
By Michelle Caceres
Starting on May 1, FishHawk Ranch
Tennis Club’s management company will change from Te Tennis Connection to Tipsarevic Luxury Tennis.
Greg Betza was a nonresident member of FishHawk Ranch Tennis Club for almost two years, shuttling himself, his wife and son to lessons and games.
Betza hadn’t played tennis in years but wanted to get back into the sport during COVID-19. He searched the area and joined FishHawk Ranch Tennis Club because of the quality of the courts and its seasoned staf. Soon after, his wife, who has never played organized sports, started taking group lessons and fell in love with the game. His son also started taking lessons, both group and private, and joined the club’s tennis team.
One day, he realized his family was spending so much time in FishHawk that they may as well live closer to the courts, so he bought a home in the neighborhood. “One of the main reasons we moved here was because we play so much tennis and it was just more convenient to live closer to the club, and the fees would be included in our CDD,” he said.
The same week they moved, he received news that Dave Freiman, owner of The Tennis Connection and FishHawk Ranch Tennis Club’s director, would soon be replaced by Tipsarevic Luxury Tennis.
“We were so satisfied with Dave and his staf and the way they were running the club that we were surprised that a change was being made,” he said. “We were on our way to the club when we heard the news that a new director would be coming, and when we got to the club, it was just a surreal moment. Families started showing up, and it was a moment of sadness and disbelief.”
Betza had signed a petition in support of the current director, but FishHawk Ranch’s CDD board voted on the change after receiving several proposals from other companies. Proposals were submitted by Tipsarevic Luxury Tennis, Arch Amenities Group, PNW Wellness, Rizzetta Amenity, Boom Boom Management, Scott Smith Tennis and The Tennis Connection. CDD board members voted to accept Tipsarevic Luxury Tennis’ proposal. The company was founded in 2013 and is managed by Janko Tipsarevic, who achieved a career-high singles ranking of number eight on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Other clubs managed by the company can be found in Dubai, Cancun, Montenegro and Berlin. According to its proposal, the company will provide a world-class stafed tennis program for all ages and levels, a high level of customer service and satisfaction, a stocked pro shop with top-named brands, upkeep of the facility and optional exhibition matches. It ofered a three-year contract that included three resident tennis professionals (a tennis director, head pro and first assistant pro) who would be paid by the CDD (a total of $60,000 a year). Thirty percent of the club’s total revenue will be paid to the CDD.
CDD District Counsel Vivek Babbar said the change was necessary so the CDD would be remain in compliance with updated IRS guidelines regarding tax-exempt entities.
“Because of IRS updates, we needed to make certain we were in compliance with its rules,” he said. “The CDD board was tasked with making the decision that they think is in the best interest of the district and its residents. It had to take back control over this amenity and all aspects of it.”
The revenue breakdown was very favorable to the district, said Babbar.
Tipsarevic begins its contract on May 1. It is already ofering registration for junior and adult clinics in May as well as summer camps beginning on Tuesday, May 31.
For Betza said the future of the club is uncertain, but he has hopes that the new director will ofer the same level of great service he’s come to expect from the club.
“I’m hoping for the best,” he said. “But if it doesn’t work out here, it’ll be a shame, but we’ll have to look elsewhere for a tennis program.”
For more information about Tipsarevic Luxury Tennis, visit www.tipsarevicluxurytennis.com. For more information about FishHawk Ranch CDD, call management company Halifax Solutions’ president, Eric Dailey, at 813-575-1955.
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FATHER BRAD REED MAKES HIS NATIVITY CHURCH SERVICES ENGAGING AND INTERACTIVE
By Lily Belcher
In January of 2021, Father Brad Reed joined Nativity Catholic Church to serve the members of the congregation and lead the young students at Nativity Catholic School to devoted relationships with God. Reed, who was ordained in 2016, aims to engage the school of young Catholics and make his services interactive, which he does through jokes, riddles and questions. He includes parodies of wellknown songs, such as Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” to catch his congregation’s attention and make his messages memorable.
“My message is a little bit simpler and more direct with the kids, and it involves more real-life, concrete examples than it does in a regular Sunday Mass when I’m preaching to a diverse group,” Reed said about the Wednesday morning church services for the students.
Reed makes himself available to teach religion classes, specifically about the sacraments, during school hours. He has talked specifically to the second grade class to calm their nerves ahead of their first reconciliation and communion in May. Nativity is his third assignment since being ordained to the priesthood, but he had the opportunity to teach religion classes at his prior parishes and has extended that experience to Nativity’s classrooms.
“I believe that Christ didn’t become a human being to teach us how to become God, he taught us how to truly be human, and so I have a very earthy and humble incarnational spirituality,” said Reed. Reed aims to be an approachable role model for the students at Nativity because he Father Brad Reed uses a unique wants to show them style of preaching for the students that God, too, is apof Nativity Catholic School. proachable. His mission and influence don’t just extend to those sitting in the pews for Mass each day, as Reed is active around campus, attending student athletic events and even hosting a fantasy football league among the staf. He attended Nativity’s annual Burying of the “Alleluia” this year as well and applauded the tradition, saying the reminder has helped him remember not to say the word during the season of Lent. He also said that he was also struck by the parish’s genuine devotion and reverence and explained that it drew him to Nativity. “I’m super grateful to be a part of such a wonderful, supportive, faithful, diverse community. I think [Nativity’s] diversity is what really means the most to me,” said Reed. “Despite the diferent [demographics], they all seem to get along and it just meshes well, … its inspiring.” For more on Nativity Catholic Church, visit nativitycatholicchurch.org.
NEW BOOSTER PUMP STATION CONSTRUCTION MEANS ROAD CLOSURES
By Brad Stager
Tampa Bay Water’s new booster pump station in Brandon is designed to help keep up with the water needs of a growing population while blending into the neighborhood along S. Mount Carmel Rd.
A new water supply booster station under construction will go a long way in helping to keep up with the water supply needs of the growing population in Southern Hillsborough County, but the promise of a reliable water flow from taps and spigots comes with a bit of trafc inconvenience for some residents.
Construction of Tampa Bay Water’s Brandon Booster Station requires closing of S. Mount Carmel Rd. between Lumsden and Durant Rds. during certain phases of the work. According to a news release, Tampa Bay Water anticipates three periods of road closures, with the first one occurring now until about Saturday, May 21.
Access to S. Mount Carmel Rd. will be maintained for residents with through-traffic rerouted on Durant, Lumsden, and Valrico Rds. Mandalay Rd.is also closed to through trafc because it is a narrow residential street.
The closures allow installation of pipelines along S. Mount Carmel Rd. that will connect the utility’s water transmission main on Durant Rd. to the new booster station.
The new booster station will increase the volume of water delivered to the Hillsborough County Lithia Water Treatment Plant by 5-7 million gallons of water daily. Nearby residents should not notice the booster station once it is operating, according to information on Tampa Bay Water’s website, which describes the facility as an approximately 6,500-squarefoot building that will house pumps and electrical equipment. A construction rendering shows a design that would not be out of place in a suburban ofce park or residential area. Landscaping is designed to minimize the station’s presence, and lighting will be configured to provide security with minimal illumination beyond the property. The cost of the project is $19.8 million with construction expected to continue through late 2023.
Projects like the booster station are needed to meet the water needs of the region, according to Justin Fox, an engineering manager for Tampa Bay Water, who compared the water pressure boost the facility will provide to what happens when turning on the faucet at home.
“If you have a lot of pressure when you turn it on, more water’s going to come out of that faucet,” he said during a public online meeting about the project in February. “We’re going to boost pressure so that we can get more water to residents that need it.”
You can learn more about the Brandon Booster Station project by visiting tampabaywater.org.
(Ages K-5)
HIGH-GROWTH HILLSBOROUGH CONNECTS WITH HIGH-GROWTH PICKLEBALL
By Linda Chion
Pickleball is picking up with expansion plans in Hillsborough County that include adding courts or dual-striped courts to parks in Brandon, Bloomingdale, Plant City, Progress Village, Sefner, Springhead, Tampa, Thonotosassa and Wimauma.
The courts at the Bertha and Tony Saladino Park in Brandon are part of a $900,000 upgrade reviewed by Hillsborough County Commissioners in March. With funds from Hillsborough County Parks impact fees, the project calls for replacing one of the park’s two basketball courts with two pickleball courts, building a new basketball court, expanding the parking lot and adding sports LED lighting for nighttime playing, stormwater improvements and self-paced fitness zones.
“This is a very popular park for residents who live in the area,” said Jason MacKenzie, park planner and development manager for Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation. “Outside of its dog park and walking trail, the park needed more amenities to round it out.”
Pickleball, a sport for all ages and abilities, is a cross between tennis, table tennis, racquetball and badminton.
“There’s always been an interest in pickleball since it became the fastest-growing sport for adults,” MacKenzie said. Adding new courts and turning existing tennis courts into dual-striped courts for pickleball “is something we’re recommend -
Te pickleball courts at the Bertha and Tony Saladino ing to meet the Park in Brandon are part of a $900,000 upgrade reviewed by Hillsborough County commissioners in March. growing needs of the county.” Proposed for the county’s fiscal year 2023 budget, which starts on October 1, is roughly $3 million in funding, which includes pickleball courts for Branchton Park in Thonotosassa, Higginbotham Park in Sefner, Progress Village Park, Balm Park in Wimauma, Springhead Park in Plant City, Westwood Lakes Park in Tampa and the Northlakes Sports Complex. According to MacKenzie, courts are under construction at Town ’N Country Park and currently exist at Bloomingdale East Park, Keystone Park and Northlakes. Dual-striped locations are on tap as well for Bloomingdale West Park, North Brandon Sports Complex, Heather Lakes Sports Complex, Fawn Ridge Park in Tampa, Nye Park in Lutz and the Roy Haynes Park and Recreation Center in Tampa. Meanwhile, pickleball options include courts at High 5 Inc. in Brandon and the FishHawk Pickleballers in Lithia. For more, visit www.hillsboroughcounty. org, www.fishhawpickleball.com and www. high5inc.org.
By Lynn Barber
Does your landscape have what it takes to win? Enter today to find out!
The 2022 Community Water Wise Awards, sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, were created to recognize individuals and businesses committed to conserving our water resources and protecting the environment by using Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles. There are nine FFL principles, which include: right plant, right place; water efficiently; fertilize appropriately; mulch; attract wildlife; manage yard pests responsibly; recycle; reduce stormwater runof; and protect the waterfront. Many of these principles are used as part of the landscape evaluation process for this awards program.
You can view photographs and watch short videos of past winners at https:// awards.tampabaywaterwise.org/. The deadline for entries is Thursday, June 30. Complete your application now, which will take about five to 10 minutes, then submit online at the link above.
Attaching a photo or two is helpful. On-site landscape evaluations will be scheduled and conducted in July and August with homeowners and business owners. Winning entries will reTe 2022 Community Water Wise Awards, sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, are open to applications this ceive a beautiful, handmade, month. mosaic stepping-stone for homeowners or a plaque option for businesses. Today is a great time to complete and submit your application. We hope to receive your entry soon. Thanks in advance for participating. If you have questions regarding the Tampa Bay Water Community Water Wise Award program, please contact me at 813-744-5519, ext. 54105 or email me at barberL@hcflgov.net. For more information about the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program, assistance with gardening and irrigation system-related questions, contact the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County at 813-744-5519 and visit our website at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/ upcoming-events/ for upcoming workshops.
SOUTHERN CONSTRUCTION TEAMS UP WITH 100-DAY DREAM HOME
By Sharon Still
Te Valrico-based Southern Construction recently joined with the HGTV show 100-Day Dream Home to turn dreams into reality for Valrico residents.
The Valrico-based Southern Construction recently joined with the HGTV show 100-Day Dream Home to turn dreams into reality for a fellow resident new to the Valrico area.
Southern Construction has been in business since 2015 building custom homes throughout Central Florida, including Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco, Pinellas and Manatee counties. 100-Day Dream Home with locals Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt, both graduates of Riverview High School and owners of Dirt 2 Design, is in its third season on HGTV. Mika, the realtor, and Brian, the developer, join with local designers and builders to create each client’s dream home in 100 days or less.
As the featured builder in a March episode, Southern Construction Owner Blair Johnson said he is excited about this opportunity and adds that if the show is picked up for season four, Southern Construction hopes to be a part of future episodes.
With a shortage of supplies on everything from lumber to lighting supplies, Johnson explained that his company aims to procure materials in anticipation of need as not to delay construction. “We pre-purchase windows, cabinets, tresses and whatever we can to set us up for success,” he said. The episode that aired on March 14, “A New Chapter,” left viewers teary-eyed after the unveiling of the 3,200 sq. ft. home for a widowed, single mother of three, whose dream is to start a career in the culinary field. Noting the homeowner’s goal of becoming a chef, the kitchen serves as the center piece of the home. “My house is absolutely beautiful,” said homeowner Tabatha Copper. She hopes to finish her culinary studies and start a career as a personal chef, doing meal prep and catering. 100-Day Dream Home airs on HGTV Sunday nights at 8 p.m. Past episodes, like the one featuring Southern Construction as the builder, can be viewed on Discovery+. For more information about 100-Day Dream Home visit www.hgtv. com. Southern Construction is a certified VA homebuilder and can be reached at 813-848-4213.
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LIMITATIONS TO LAZY GARDENING
A recent article covered how you can have a beautiful landscape while maintaining a lazy gardener lifestyle. This one explains the limitations to lazy gardening.
Mulch: It takes a little work to put it down, but it saves a lot of time and efort in the long run. Mulch regulates soil temperature, adds organic value, inhibits weeds and retains soil moisture. Pine bark, pine straw/needles, eucalyptus, melaleuca and leaves are good options. Cypress is not because when cypress stands are cut down for mulching, the habitat of native birds and animals is destroyed.
Fertilizing: First and foremost, read the fertilizer ordinance for your county so you know when you can fertilize. Use slow-release fertilizer. To be really lazy, don’t fertilize until you are sure of light rain for activation. Water-based fertilizers leach through the soil after rain or irrigation.
Why Prune? Reasons to prune include training the plant to grow in a certain direction and improving health by removing diseased stems, creating better air circulation; increasing flowering, allowing for bigger fruit on some types and more abundant foliage; being able to restrict growth and keep the plant in the boundary of available space; and you can remove dead flower heads from a plant to encourage further blooming.
War on Weeds: A weed is the wrong plant in the right place, right plant/wrong place or a plant with nine lives. Using mulch (depth 2-3 inches after it settles) helps. If you chose to fight the weed war, you can cover weeds with newspapers to smother them and/or point, aim and squeeze with an environmentally friendly weed killer spray.
Pests—Biting, Sucking and Chewing: We have aphids, caterpillars, slugs, snails, scales and spider mites. Less than one percent of all bugs are bad bugs. “When we kill of the natural enemies of a pest, we inherit their work,” said entomologist Carl Hufaker. The first step, however, is to properly identify the insect to be sure it is a pest
versus a beneficial insect. If you must, use a nonchemical and least-toxic product. Spot-treat plants as needed, not the entire landscape.
Lazy Pest Management (LPM) Alterna-
Photo courtesy of Jaclyn Rivas. tives: Use two pinchLynn Barber illustrates how lazy garden ing fingers to squish ing can limit your results. pests, hard-spray with water and/or prune of infested sections and place those sections in your household trash, not your yard waste, which could be recycled elsewhere. For more info on nonchemical solutions, go to: ‘Ask IFAS’ Managing Yard Pests.
Inefcient Irriga-
tion: If you have an in-ground irrigation system, do you have broken heads, plants or other materials blocking the spray pattern, and/or a rain shut-of device that does not work? Do you have program A, B and C set to run subsequently? Are the times that are set for each irrigation zone appropriate? Is your water bill for more than 20,000 gallons of water per month? If yes and if you are a Hillsborough County water customer, call Paula Staples at 813744-5519, ext. 54142 to see how she may be able to help you decrease your water usage. Right Plant, Wrong Place: Site conditions are very important when making plant selections. Consideration should be given to light (sun/shade), soil pH and texture, water, wind and other conditions. An invasive plant is never the right plant in any place. Not sure if it’s invasive? Go to ‘Ask IFAS’ Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas. You have the ‘opportunity’ to move the right plant to the right place in your landscape, or you can take the time and expense of replacing it after it dies. Rewards of Laziness: Reading, golfing, sleeping, cooking, crafting, outings with family and friends, more gardening, attending an Extension workshop … your choice. Lynn Barber is the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ agent for UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County. Contact her at labarber@ufl.edu.
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Booster Club, Genealogy, Free Concert, Classes & More...
Compiled by Jenny Bennett jbennett@ospreyobserver.com
Durant Athletic Booster Club General Meeting
Durant High School’s Athletic Booster Club will be holding its general meeting on Monday, May 9 at 7 p.m. in its media center. It is seeking additional board members for the new school year. If you are interested, please email durantboosters@gmail.com by Thursday, May 5 to have your name submitted.
GFWC Brandon Junior Woman’s Club Bunco Riverside Jukebox Swing Band Playing Free Concert
Riverside Jukebox Swing Band (RJSB) is a new band formed to entertain the SouthShore community with music from the big band era to the 1980s. Audiences love to dance, and the music covers multiple dance styles from cha-cha to polka with plenty of ballads to slow dance to. RJSB has 16 musicians, including saxophonists, trumpeters, trombonists and a rhythm section. The band is playing a free concert/dance at Redeemer Lutheran Church, located at 701 Valley Forge Blvd. in Sun City Center, on Wednesday, May 18 at 7 p.m. Donations to the church’s food bank are encouraged.
The GFWC Brandon Junior Woman’s club is hosting a bunco fundraiser on Thursday, May 12 from 6 p.m. at The Bridges, located at 11202 Dewhurst Dr. in Riverview. Bring a friend and enjoy an evening of fun with refreshments, rafe baskets, a 50/50 drawing and prizes. Tickets are $20 and available until Sunday, May 8 at www.gfwcbrandonjuniors.org. There are limited seats so get your tickets today.
South Bay Genealogy Society Meeting
On Tuesday, May 17, the South Bay Genealogical Society will meet at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center’s Life Enrichment Center, located at 1210 W. Del Webb Blvd. in Sun City Center. An optional round table discussion begins at 10:30 a.m. followed by a sit-down luncheon at 12 Noon. Amy Lay will be the guest speaker and present Fold 3: Command and Conquer, a walk through the basics and then give additional tips, information and shortcuts on using the military records in genealogical research. The cost is $15 for the meal and presentation. For reservation and meal choice, call Diane Loudermilk at 864-6071330.
The 87th annual Florida Strawberry Festival ended in March with an outstanding attendance record. The 11-day event drew 543,129 visitors to take part in concerts, livestock shows, free entertainment, rides, food, arts and crafts vendors and more.
“We had a phenomenal run, and we are truly thankful,” said Florida Strawberry Festival President Paul Davis. “We had good weather, terrific crowds and everyone seemed to be enjoying time with their families.”
The 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival will be held from March 2 through March 12. For more information, visit www.flstrawberryfestival.com.
Healthy Habits Classes At Hope For Her
Hope for Her has a mission to help women and their families in crisis find stability and live their best lives. It accomplishes this through support and education. Every Monday evening, it holds free classes from 6:15-7:30 p.m. on a variety of subjects at 140 Yarbrough Rd. in
Brandon. To register for a class, call 813309-3357.
On May 2 and 9 feature a two-part Empowerment Workshop titled ‘Reset: Live Your Life.’ Sandy Velapoldi and Gheri Hicks will give practical tools for budgeting and
handling the legal consequences of medical emergencies. The workshop goals are to educate women on handling money and how a medical crisis can afect their families and finances, how to develop a budget that can be readily implemented in their lives and how to create valid, immediately efective designations of health care surrogate and living wills for each woman present. Class times are 6:15-7:45 p.m.
On May 16, there will be ‘Functional Fitness with Amanda,’ where you can learn relaxing stretches and healthy lifestyle techniques.
On May 23, there will be ‘Make Stress Work for You!’ With it, you can learn to identify major stresses like change, conflict, criticisms, concerns and crisis, as well as learn about stress relief.
HOW THE MILLAGE REFERENDUM COULD HELP OUR COMMUNITY
By Superintendent Addison Davis
Since arriving in March 2020 as the superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools, my team and I have worked diligently to overcome financial challenges that have plagued this district for close to a decade. I am proud to state by the end of this fiscal year, Hillsborough County Public Schools is slated to overcome a $150 million deficit, realizing a more stable financial stature that will translate into a brighter future for our organization and most importantly for our students.
We emerged from this financial shortfall in part by making difcult stafng decisions at all levels that undoubtedly had an impact on children. Florida is ranked 43rd in per-pupil funding, leaving many school districts like ours without adequate funds to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers as we all contend with rising inflation that is leaving educational systems with severe stafng shortages.
Our school board has taken my recommendation to place a millage referendum on the Tuesday, August 23 ballot that would provide an estimated $126 million per year over four years to our district if approved. If this measure passes, 75 percent of this money would go toward providing salary increases for teachers and support staf. We realize the crucial role our educators play in the lives of our children and families, and we must continue
to examine proactive solutions to illustrate their importance to our community and its collective success. If approved, the additional funds would also be utilized to expand art, music and PE for our youngest learners, offering equitable access across all grade bands. These funds would also provide us a unique chance to elevate our workforce development programs to develop a talent pipeline for students in medical, construction and logistics-related fields.
You may be wondering how this would impact you if approved. Using a $300,000 property value as an example, the millage increase would translate to an additional $22.92 per month, or $275 per year, for a homeowner.
Hillsborough is the only large school district in the state that has not passed a millage increase. Taxpayers in 21 Florida counties have approved this additional funding source to ofer competitive teacher salaries while creating innovative experiences for learners.
While we understand the referendum may be a heavy lift for some families in a time of such uncertainty, it has the potential to make an enormous diference in the lives of our teachers, staf, students and families. I encourage community members to vote on August 23. We will work together to proactively problem-solve in order to create a brighter future for our students and community as a whole.
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OVER 500 POSITIVE REVIEWS SHOW PEOPLE LOVE ADVANCED ORAL SURGERY OF TAMPA IN VALRICO
By Sharon Still
Dr. Tomas Backeris recently joined Advanced Oral Surgery of Tampa’s Valrico ofce, and the staf said people love him.
The light and cheerful atmosphere at Advanced Oral Surgery of Tampa in Valrico is intended to take the fear out of going to the dentist. As evidenced by the more than 500 positive Google reviews with words like ‘professional,’ ‘friendly’ and ‘kind’ throughout, even by people with self-proclaimed fear of the dentist, people love it.
“We realize that people are scared to visit the dentist, so we do what we can to create a more cheerful environment,” said Terry Brown, business manager.
At Advanced Oral Surgery of Tampa in Valrico, Dr. Jason Edwards and Dr. Thomas Backeris specialize in wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, complete teeth replacement (full arch) under IV sedation as well as other oral surgery needs using the latest techniques and advanced training.
“Many dental practices ofer limited tooth extractions or implants,” Brown added. “We specialize in these areas with outstanding patient care.”
Dr. Edwards has extensive training in facial trauma, pathology and reconstruction; anesthesia; craniofacial surgery; bone grafting; dental implants; and surgical dental extractions. His love for his job led him to participate in cleft lip and palate surgical missions in Mexico to benefit underprivileged children.
“We manage each case … individually and customize treatment,” commented Dr. Edwards. “What remains consistent is treating each patient and family with care, dignity and compassion.” “Dr. Thomas Backeris joined last summer and is developing a very strong reputation for skill and care,” said Brown.
He trained extensively in anesthesia, facial trauma and reconstruction, pathology, orthognathic surgery, complex bone grafting, dental implants and surgical dental extractions.
“We are continually upgrading our technology, such as digital scanning to avoid the discomfort and time with traditional impressions,” added Brown. “We are growing and expect to add surgeons in the near future,” noting a newly acquired location in South Tampa.
Advanced Oral Surgery of Tampa’s state-of-the-art Valrico ofce is at 2922 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. It is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and on Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 813-452-6380 or visit www.valricooralsurgery.com and www.advancedoralsurgerytampa.com.
ALL SEASONS WEALTH HELPS WITH LONG-TERM FINANCIAL GOALS & SUCCESS
By Michelle Caceres
Everyone makes plans, but mostly short-term plans, like what’s on the dinner menu or where they’re headed for summer vacation. While these plans give us immediate gratification, one type of planning is crucial to achieving longterm financial success.
Jason DiMeo, chartered financial analyst (CFA) with All Seasons Wealth, said a comprehensive financial plan helps his clients meet their individual goals. While not as easy to procure as a pizza or airline tickets, establishing financial goals and creating a plan of action to meet those goals ensures smooth financial transitions through all phases of life.
With a range of services including asset management, financial planning, estate planning and retirement planning, DiMeo can use your current income, savings and investments and project what clients will have when they’re ready to retire.
Even with a solid financial plan in place, he said it’s important to foster one key trait to reach your financial goals: discipline. “You need to have tremendous fortitude to look out over a time horizon that could span decades and say, ‘Hey, I need to take these actions today for a better future,’” he said. “In addition to that, you also need the strength and drive to keep the plan going through
both the good times and bad.” Working with a financial advisor means having a partner to act as a guide through the complex and ever-changing financial landscape, answer questions about particular investments or just ofer advice during trafc life events. DiMeo’s designaAll Seasons Wealth fnancial advisor Jason DiMeo helps clients achieve their fnancial goals. tion as a CFA means he has expertise in financial research, portfolio management, investment consulting, risk analysis and risk management. A Clearwater native, DiMeo served in the Marine Corps for four years then moved back to Florida to attend The University of Tampa, where he studied finance and accounting. He joined All Seasons Wealth in 2010 after working at Goldman Sachs, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Merrill Lynch. He currently resides in Lithia with his wife, Iris, and three children. He realized he wanted to work with individual clients after experiences in his youth taught him the importance of budgeting and making prudent money management decisions. “I enjoy teaching and partnering with others as they journey along their financial path,” he said. For more information about All Seasons Wealth, visit www.allwealth.com or call 813-490-6610.
VALRICO CHAMBER AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO SENIORS
By Kate Quesada
Four local high school students have a head start after graduation thanks to a local organization. The Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce (VFCC) recently awarded scholarships to four graduating seniors: Ashton Kitchiner and Madison Giovenco from Newsome High School as well as Connor Newell and Levi Littlefield from Lennard High School.
The students received scholarships for $750 at a college, university or vocational-technical college at the chamber’s April meeting.
According to Dr. Bob Lutz, owner of Motion ChiroTherapy and scholarship chair at the VFCC, Newell and Littlefield are involved in Ring Power’s ThinkBIG program.
“They will alternate every eight weeks between classroom instruction at South Georgia Technical College and a paid internship at a Ring Power branch, putting their schooling into practice with on-the-job training,” said Dr. Lutz. “Upon successful completion of the program, they will receive an associate degree in applied technology.”
Newell has been a member of the Lennard Ag Department, National Honor Society and FFA and has volunteered for over 40 hours with various organizations. He is an accomplished marine fiberglass repair technician and has been employed at Little Harbor Marina since his freshman year. His goal is to become a marine diesel technician,
obtain his captain’s license and eventually captain a tugboat. Littlefield is a new student at Lennard and has made a big impact. His teachers said he is an outgoing, Te Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce (VFCC) recently awarded scholarships to four graduating seniors: Ashton Kitchiner and Madison Giovenco from Newsome High School and Connor Newell funny and hardworking student. He is originally and Levi Littlefeld from Lennard High School. from Alabama and brings his patented mix of charm and work ethic to any activity that he tackles. Kitchiner is graduating in the top 1 percent of his graduating class at Newsome. He volunteered over 275 hours with the Tampa Sailing Squadron teaching young children and teens how to sail. He is a member of the Newsome Lacrosse team, club lacrosse and is a lacrosse ofcial. He was awarded the Top Male Scholar-Athlete Award in his senior year. He will be attending the University of Florida in the fall, and his goal is to pursue at least a master’s degree and own a large business. Giovenco volunteered over 88 hours at organizations including Girls With Confidence and the Arlington Retirement Center during high school at Newsome. She is a Newsome Basketball and Track team member and played club lacrosse. She held a part-time job while serving in many various clubs and organizations. She will be attending Florida State University in the fall, and her goal is to major in biological sciences and attend either veterinary school or med school. For more information about VFCC, visit https://valricofishhawk.org.
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