Osprey Observer Brandon/Winthrop August 2024 by Osprey Observer

Brandon/ Winthrop

BRANDON’S OWN TENNIS STAR SECURES SILVER MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS

Olympic silver medalist Austin Krajicek grew up watching tennis.

From seeing the legends of the game on VHS tapes to sitting on the sidelines while his dad played in local leagues, Krajicek was eager to start playing at the Brandon Swim and Tennis Club, known today as High 5, Inc.

Now, almost 30 years later, he has won his ﬁrst Olympic medal in the men’s doubles tournament in Paris.

He had a dream of playing professionally, but he knew it was a goal that only a small handful of aspiring athletes achieved.

“Sometimes I think you have to be a little bit unrealistic to meet some of these higher goals,” Krajicek said.

His father motivated him by instilling in him the belief that he could do whatever he wanted to do. So, he did.

After attending Alaﬁa Elementary School in Valrico, he started homeschooling in middle school so he could play travel tennis full time. As a teenager, he was traveling internationally to play tournaments and training with a private coach.

After high school at IMG Academy, a local preparatory boarding school for athletes, he signed on with Texas A&M University as a Division I athlete.

“I think even before college, I was like, ‘OK, I’m deﬁnitely going to give it a shot at the pro tour.’ And then in school, in college,

By Lily Belcher

I had some good results,” he said.

He won the NCAA doubles championship in his ﬁnal year of college before joining the ATP Tour in 2011.

A decade later, he became an Olympic athlete in the Tokyo games but faced the hardest loss of his career when he came in fourth.

Last year, he was ranked the number one duo in the world with his partner. This year, he ﬁnally became an Olympic medalist alongside Rajeev Ram, his partner and fellow U.S. tennis Olympian from Carmel, Indiana. Ram is a three-time Olympian, two-time Olympic medalist (two silvers) in tennis doubles, including France 2024 and Rio 2016.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Krajicek said. “It really is a pretty awesome event.”

“The outpouring of support was a little bit overwhelming,” he said. “It was really special to see how big of a deal it was and important. And I think that makes it ultra special and something that we’ll never forget.”

High 5, Inc. CEO Chuck Burgess couldn’t be more proud to know another Olympic athlete from the High 5, community.

“We are so proud of the caliber of athletes that got their start here, and we want to continue the legacy into the future. Congratulations, Austin, and know you continue to inspire your hometown athletes.”

OLD MCMICKY’S HOSTS ADOPTION DAY FOR PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES

Every child deserves a loving home, but the process of adopting a child can often be confusing and overwhelming. This September, Old McMicky’s Farm is hosting its annual Child Adoption Education Day to help families better understand the adoption process and feel more equipped to welcome a child into their lives.

The ﬁrst Child Adoption Education Day in 2016 was attended by over 30 new prospective adoptive families — and this year, event coordinators expect to see even more growth. The event takes the mystery out of adoption by walking “people through the adoption process so they know how it works and what to anticipate,” according to Ralph Zuckerman, owner of Old McMicky’s Farm.

The event is being held in partnership with Family Support Services, the leading children’s agency for Pinellas and Pasco counties, and Children’s Network of Hillsborough, the leading children’s agency for Hillsborough County. Families will have a chance to hear presentations by local agencies about the adoption process as well as the ﬁrsthand accounts of ﬁve local adoptive families and their children about the impact adoption has had on their lives. Following the presentations, prospective adoptive parents can also meet with the agencies and the adoptive families to learn more about the process.

In addition to Child Adoption Education

By Jamie Lu

Day, the farm also hosts Child Adoption Match Days, in which children spend the day with prospective adoptive families and are then matched to their forever homes. These events are important to the people at Old McMicky’s farm because “it is part of our farm’s mission to serve local children and families and our community,” said Zuckerman. “Actually, at our last match day a couple of months ago, three children were matched with their forever families. The Child Adoption Education Day’s goal is to help ﬁnd more prospective adoptive families.”

To support Child Adoption Education Day, community members can spread the word about the event or become a sponsor. Sponsors will be widely promoted and recognized in the community.

The event will take place on Saturday, September 28, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All prospective families are welcome to join, no matter where they are in the adoptive process, and can attend by registering for free on the farm’s website at https://oldmcmickys.com/ child-adoption-education-day-3/. Sponsorship information can also be found at this link.

Through Child Adoption Education Day, Old McMicky’s Farm and local agencies will work to eliminate any obstacle that stands between a child and the “loving, safe, secure and encouraging family” that they deserve.

Old McMicky’s Farm’s Child Adoption Education Days and Child Adoption Match Days help children fnd their forever homes.

Brandon native Austin Krajicek won a silver medal in tennis with his partner, Rajeev Ram.

Austin Krajicek won a silver medal in men’s tennis doubles in Paris in the beginning of August.

Proud Supporters of ECHO * Board of Directors

When the weather turns foul and emergency ofcials give the word to evacuate a neighborhood, some residents can ﬁnd themselves with the problem of having no way to leave.

One option is the emergency evacuation bus service operated by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART). The service provides transportation for people who don’t have a car or other method of getting out of harm’s way during severe weather conditions or other disasters. HART operates when an ofcial emergency evacuation order is issued and it is directed to support evacuation eforts.

According to the transit agency’s website, “Emergency bus service is free. For the safety of our bus operators, buses will operate during daylight hours only. Service will be suspended when the Emergency Operations Center advises HART to remove vehicles of the road or when sustained winds reach 35 miles per hour.”

HART’s emergency evacuation bus service is a vital public service designed to assist residents in evacuating safely and efciently during emergencies. Regular bus service will not operate when emergency evacuation services are being provided.

The evacuation buses running along emergency routes take riders to one of four transfer centers for further transpor-

By Brad Stager

tation to a county shelter. The four emergency route destinations are: the Netpark, Northwest and Yukon transfer centers and the University Area Transit Center. For example, Route 38, which runs through the middle of Brandon along Parsons Avenue, will deliver riders to the Netpark Transfer Center, as will Route 37, which departs from Brandon Exchange (formerly known as Brandon Mall). Not all routes operate during emergency operations, and riders need to stay informed about the most current weather conditions and how transportation is afected.

Beth Shields Middle School in Ruskin serves as a county evacuation shelter that may be activated if emergency ofcials decide it is necessary. It is served by HARTFlex South, and riders can call 813-254-HART (4278) anytime between 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Sunday, to plan ahead for emergency transportation needs.

Riders who count on HART to provide transportation service can keep track of service status during bad weather and, when it is a ﬁne day, by checking with the transit agency’s blog at https://gohart.blogspot.com/, as well as its Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also call the HART InfoLine at 813-254-4278 for the latest service information and visit www.gohart.org for maps, schedules and more information.

Brandon High School alumnus Amyrra Washington, set to study architecture at the University of South Florida, has creative talent to thank for being awarded a selective ‘Write Her Future’ scholarship.

“I was quite ﬂabbergasted, and a little bit ﬂustered,” Washington, 18, said of the moment she learned of her scholarship award. “I was proud of myself, but at the same time I was a little bit, like, do I really deserve this?”

Evidently, she did, as it has been announced that Washington is one of 40 young women participating in the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientiﬁc Olympics (ACT-SO) competition to be awarded a Write Her Future scholarship powered by Lancôme. The company since 2021, in partnership with the NAACP, reportedly has provided the scholarships to empower women of color “to pursue a collegiate education with self-assurance and abundant opportunities for learning and career development.”

Washington said she ﬁrst took art seriously in middle school but doesn’t know why she loves drawing so much, only knowing that she is compelled to create. Her aim through art is to “try my best to ﬁnd the beauty in life despite how cruel life can be sometimes,” she said. Art is a form of escapism, Washington added, as she is driven to draw “the beauty that is around us.”

As Washington described her ACT-SO entry, it is a view from behind of the feminine ﬁgure, her muscles accentuated, as she

By Linda Chion

showcases “the endurance of anyone who is struggling” in a society marked by many struggles. “As we’re all going through a struggle, each person has a unique situation, and I wanted to show endurance,” Washington said. “So many unexpected situations or conﬂicts happen, but we’re still here, we are still present and we can endure.”

While her art drew her into this year’s ACTSO competition, it was not a winning entry on the national stage. But as she advanced to national competition with a gold medal award for ‘visual arts drawing’ from Hillsborough County, Washington was eligible for the scholarship contest open to ACT-SO participants, which she said “focused on academic writing and a video” and involved her grade-point average and academic transcript.

Washington received high praise from Brandon High Principal Jeremy Klein and Stephanie Moore, the school’s success coach, who works with students to pursue opportunities such as ACT-SO and the scholarship competition.

“We couldn’t be prouder of her hard work, dedication and achievements,” Klein said in a social media post announcing Washington’s award. “This is a monumental moment for our community. Let’s all celebrate this fantastic accomplishment.”

Now, with scholarship in hand, Washington said her best advice for students who believe opportunities such as ACT-SO are beyond their reach is to just “go for it, because it may not show up again.”

Te Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority operates its emergency evacuation bus service during ofcially declared emergencies.

Photo By Jeremy Klein

Amyrra Washington, class of 2024, with the bronze and gold medal certifcates she earned in NAACP-Hillsborough County competition for painting and visual arts.

Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation is partnering with All American Youth Activities to ofer dance and cheerleading classes to young athletes.

While young cheerleaders and dancers will be taught new techniques and skills, All American Youth Activities’ goal is to teach self-esteem and self-conﬁdence through its programs. The classes will also foster friendships, promote physical ﬁtness and encourage young athletes to work with others.

The cheerleading classes teach basic stunts and diferent style jumps through choreographed routines and techniques.

“Along with learning exciting crowd and popular cheers, chants and group work, children learn better coordination, ﬂexibility, cooperation with others and self-esteem,” according to All American Youth Activities’ website. “Shyness is very often overcome.”

Dance classes ofer a recreational hip-hop and modern jazz lessons that mimic a “music video style.”

“Our dance classes are taught in a fun, relaxed, musical atmosphere that will help to prepare students for future dance interests,” states the website.

At the end of each season, performers will participate in a competition to showcase the routines they’ve learned and practiced with

By Lily Belcher

All American Youth Activities. Classes typically have 20-25 students, which are commonly taught by college students who are members of their schools’ dance or cheer teams.

The pay-as-you-go design allows students to try out the classes with no obligatory contracts. Previous experience in dance and cheer is not required or necessary, but students are encouraged to bring a good attitude and high energy to each lesson.

Children from ages 5-15 can take evening classes after school for $8-$10 per week at various locations across Hillsborough County. Classes for both dance and cheer are broken up into three diferent age groups.

All American Youth Activities has nine locations in Hillsborough County, including the Brandon Park & Recreation Center, the Ruskin Park & Recreation Center and the Gardenville Park & Recreation Center in Gibsonton. These locations ofer both cheer and dance programs for students.

“Our goal is to provide ongoing top quality, youth-oriented outreach programs that are afordable for everyone,” according to the website.

For more information or to register for dance and cheer classes, visit All American Youth Activities’ website at www.allamericanyouth.org or call 813-885-AAYA (2292).

Truth Center Church is a small, local church that has a true passion for its community. Its vision is to proclaim the unadulterated truth that Jesus is the true God. Its mission is to preach and teach the true word of God, to welcome the presence of God through worship experiences and to encourage a lifestyle of continuous prayer.

“We create a community for everyone including the least, the lost and the left-out to restore their hearts back to God,” said Truth Center Church’s lead pastor, Zhivago ‘Vago’ Lightbourne. “The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection and conﬁrm the power of the gospel. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of biblical parameters.”

Truth Center Church is having its homecoming event on Sunday, September 15, starting at 10:30 a.m. It has partnered with Brandon High School’s community school for this event. “Brandon High School is our new location for our in-person Sunday service,” Lighbourne said. “We are thrilled to have our community join us for this special occasion as we launch our new home and celebrate with our community. This is more than just a service; it’s a grand celebration ﬁlled with joy, fellowship and excitement.”

Community schools are a whole child,

By Libby Hopkins

whole school improvement strategy where districts and their schools work closely with teachers, students and their families and partner with community agencies as well as their local government to align community resources behind improving student outcomes.

“Last year, we partnered with Footlocker and Brandon High School’s community school to give away 300 pairs of sneakers for children who needed them,” Lighbourne said. “So, this year we wanted to do something that makes more of an impact in our community. We are still partnering with Brandon High School, but we are doing it on a larger scale with our homecoming event.”

As part of the festivities, the church has planned special giveaways to ensure everyone who attends leaves with a smile.

“For the kids, there will be a variety of fun activities designed to keep them entertained and engaged,” Lighbourne. “We want the community to join us for a day of worship, connection and community spirit. We look forward to seeing new faces and welcoming back old friends as we embark on this new journey together.”

If you would like to learn more about Truth Center Church or if you’d like to register for its homecoming event, you can visit its website at www.mytcc.us.

Contact Lighbourne at 813-922-5857.

All American Youth Activities ofers weekly cheer classes that promote self-esteem and self-confdence.

Truth Center Church’s lead pastor, Zhivago ‘Vago’ Lightbourne, and frst lady, Kathleen.

FORGOTTEN ANGELS GIVES HOPE TO YOUTHS AFTER FOSTER CARE

All can agree that no child should be left, in any situation, without a safe place to live. Ensuring that children grow up and are fostered in a safe and nurturing home is crucial to their development into later years. The problem with our foster system is that once these children ‘age out’ of their homes, they have nowhere to land their feet and start their lives on their own.

That is why the organization Forgotten Angels was started.

Founded by Cindy Tilley, a Valrico resident, her mission touches close to home. She grew up in a foster care setting and understands how tough the times are for the kids. Knowing the needs and wants of the children and teens from a personal perspective is what makes the organization so wonderful.

In August, Forgotten Angels will celebrate its 10th year of serving its community and children. The main goal is to make sure no kids who age out of foster care end up homeless and at risk. It ensures that they get their high school diplomas and other vital life skills to help them land on their feet, such as “getting a driver’s license,

By Alisa Gershman

[opening] a bank account and their credit,” said Tilley.

She mentioned as well that Forgotten Angels will even “take donated cars, which we pass on to our youth to help them become independent to get to school and work.”

The organization also ensures that holidays are a special time for the kids. It provides toys and presents for them under the Christmas tree, as well as stocking stufers, such as gift cards and candy. And some of the children who no longer live on the property come back around the holidays to join their family in the festivities.

Tilley aims to eventually open a Forgotten Angels location in every state, and she is currently working on opening one in Oregon.

Donations on its website are greatly appreciated, as are gift cards for the residents, which can be sent to the facility.

Forgotten Angels is located at 3604 Little Stearns Rd. in Valrico. For more information, visit www.forgottenangelsﬂ orida.org or call 813-812-0120.

MB INSURANCE SOLUTIONS OFFERS MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT HELP

Are you a senior citizen with questions about Medicare’s upcoming open enrollment? If so, look no further than Michele Bartock, owner of MB Insurance Solutions. Bartock has been a licensed insurance agent in property and casualty (home and auto) for 20 years. She launched MB Insurance Solutions in 2020 to help people select Medicare (Supplement/Medicare Advantage) and ACA/Marketplace/ Obamacare/under-65 plans. She also ofers solutions for supplemental insurance such as dental; cancer, heart and stroke; accident; indemnity; and life insurance.

“I love helping people navigate the system and choosing the best plan that covers their doctors and prescriptions,” said Bartock. “A lot of people just want the same plan as their spouse, friends or neighbors, but not everyone ﬁts into one plan; we all have individual needs. I do an analysis and get information and then look at all the available plans that I have in their area.”

Bartock also assists qualiﬁed people who have lower income apply for Medicaid or the Low-Income Subsidy, also known as Extra Help, which can pay part of all their Part B premiums, co-pays and prescriptions.

“If they don’t qualify and they still need help, I have other options that may help them,” said Bartock. “I was able to get my client a grant that is paying for their Part B premium, and that is a huge help for someone when money is tight. I also ofer Medicare Advantage plans with a giveback

By Kelly Wise Valdes

(money back toward Part B premium) if you don’t qualify for other assistance.”

Each year, there is an opportunity to review your plan during the annual enrollment period, and that is where Bartock can help.

“I can start now by getting your information so that when agents are allowed to discuss plans on October 1, I will be ready with options and set an appointment to discuss via phone or in person.”

Starting in 2025, Part D prescription drug coverage will have many changes. “There will be three phases instead of four and the coverage gap/doughnut hole is going away,” said Bartock. “Phase one: Deductible phase will have $0$590 annual deductible. Phase two: Initial coverage — client is responsible for 25 percent of drug costs until you reach an outof-pocket spending threshold of $2,000. Phase three: Catastrophic coverage — client pays nothing for covered drugs after reaching $2,000 the rest of the year.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has stated that people will have the most comprehensive beneﬁts since Part D program was launched in 2006.

Currently, MB Insurance Solutions represents 12 organizations which offer 91 products in the area. Contact www. medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227) or your local State Health Insurance Program. Visit https://medicareoforida.com/ or call 813-767-2878.

Michele Bartock, owner of MB Insurance Solutions, helps seniors navigate Medicare open enrollment.

Christmas is always loads of fun at Forgotten Angels, with visits from Santa and even the Grinch.

Cindy Tilley makes it a priority that all the children graduate with high school degrees, to set them up for success as they navigate life.

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT: ACTIVITIES, MEETINGS &

Why explore Rotary? For starters, Rotary is neither a religious nor a political organization. The heart of Rotary is dedicated members, who share the ideals of service, friendship, diversity, integrity and leadership. Rotary clubs bring together people across generations who wish to create lasting change in the world, in their communities and in themselves.

You’ll meet interesting people from your community and tackle local and international issues that are important to you and your fellow club members. Your time, energy and passion to improve your world are all you need to get involved with Rotary. Visit www.rotary.org to learn more.

Area Rotary clubs meet in person or online, and there are also clubs for high schoolers (called Interact) as well as college students (called Rotaract). Why not join one of its clubs for a meeting and see what Rotary is all about?

FishHawk-Riverview

Meets on Mondays from 12 Noon-1 p.m. at JF Kicks, located at 3345 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico, or on Thursdays from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Shrimp Boat, located at 1020 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico. For more information, contact Betty Huth at betty@hbphoto.com.

Brandon Global Eco (Zoom) Meets on every second and fourth Monday of each month via Zoom from 6-7 p.m. For more information, contact Katie Tyson at katietyson@icloud.com.

Brandon Meets on Tuesdays from 12 Noon-1 p.m. at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. For more information, contact Debbie Meegan at debbiemeeganrotary@ gmail.com

E-Club of Tampa South

Meets on the ﬁrst and third Tuesdays of each month via Zoom from 7-8 p.m. For more information, contact Duane Williams at dsigma79@aol.com.

Brandon ’86

Meets on Friday mornings from 8-9 a.m. at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. For more information, contact Chad Norgard at chad@norgardinsgrp. com.

Interact Club of Tampa Bay (High Schoolers)

During the school year, high schoolers interested in service, leadership, food and fun meet on the ﬁrst Monday of each month from 6-8 p.m. at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. For more information, contact Chad Norgard at chad@norgardinsgrp.com.

USF Rotaract (College Students)

Have a student at the University of South Florida? Check out USF Rotaract on Instagram or https://bullsconnect.usf. edu/rotaract/.

While seeking justice is our top priority at the state attorney’s o f ce, we are also dedicated to ensuring the victims of crimes are supported from the moment a case is filed. I made a choice when I first became the state attorney to meet personally with every homicide victim’s family to make sure they know who is fighting for them. So far, I have gotten to know 130 families, having the privilege to guide them through some of the scariest moments of their lives.

While I hope you never become a crime victim, it is important to know the state attorney’s o f ce has a compassionate team of dedicated victim counselors to provide support to survivors and victims every single day. Our Victim Assistance Program not only notiﬁes them about court hearings and the judicial process, but counselors are also trained to help families through feelings of loss, anger and fear.

Helping survivors and their families is so important to our o f ce, and so we decided for the ﬁrst time ever to hold a Crime Victims’ Resource Fair this year. Dozens of community partners gathered in one place for crime victims to learn more about the many resources they have available to them across Hillsborough County. While I was there, a victim from a recent shooting walked up to me to share her story. She gave me a hug and thanked our o f ce for guidance and support. It’s moments like this that remind us of who we are ﬁghting for and why it is so important to support survivors along the way.

If you or someone you know is a victim of crime in Hillsborough County and needs support, please call our Victim Assistance Program at 813-272-6472. We are here to help you navigate through the court system and on the road to healing.

If you walk into any one of our courtrooms, victims are there every single day on their quests for justice. And often right beside them will be one of our trained victim counselors. Sometimes, they are there to hold a hand or simply be a shoulder to cry on. In other cases, counselors can even help crime victims with ﬁnding food and shelter through other community organizations.

Te State Attorney’s Ofce of the 13th Judicial circuit encompasses all of Hillsborough County, including the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City. Te ofce staf consists of approximately 320 dedicated public servants including 130 prosecutors, as well as investigators, victim advocates and support staf Te ofce handles approximately 50,000 cases every year. To learn more about the organization or apply to become part of the team, visit www.sao13th.com.”

LOCAL KIDS SHARE FAVORITE BOOKS IN ‘IF YOU GIVE A CHILD A BOOK’ CAMPAIGN

The ‘If You Give a Child a Book …’ campaign, supported by The E.W. Scripps Company, Tampa-area Chickﬁl-A locations and WFTS-TV/ABC Action News, is focused on distributing books to kids in kindergarten through third grade.

By Marie Gilmore

Several local readers ages 9-11 were invited to ﬁlm promotional videos about their favorite books in a campaign airing throughout the month of August on ABC Action News and its a f liates.

“Books shouldn’t be a luxury,” said Liz Carter, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund. “Every dollar raised helps a child start building their home library — setting them on a path to success.”

Rhett Gilmore, age 10, talked about his favorite book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , Book 4, to Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend host Natalie Taylor.

“I think it was a really good learning opportunity and helped me get rid

of my fear of talking in front of an audience to express my feelings about the Harry Potter series,” said Gilmore.

For the third year, Chickﬁl-A Tampa Bay is partnering with ABC a f liate WFTS-TV to help sponsor the If You Give a Child a Book campaign. The monthlong campaign will air through Saturday, September 7, and will also be promoted via social and digital channels. The program will also be promoted in restaurants via window/door clings with a QR code for donations.

The Scripps Howard Fund invests in charitable gifts for journalism education, childhood literacy and community giving.

If you’d like to donate, visit www.abcactionnews.com/giveabook. For more information on Chick-ﬁl-A, visit www. chick-ﬁl-a.com.

TAMPA BAY COFFEE AND ART FESTIVAL SET FOR OCTOBER 12

Cofee drinkers, do you consider yourself to be ‘craft curious’?

If so, make a note on your calendar for the second Saturday in October to attend the seventh annual Tampa Bay Cofee and Art Festival (TBCAF), a public event that features independent coffee roasters, artists and performers from around the Tampa Bay area and beyond.

Event organizer Thom Schultz said the festival ofers a convenient chance for people who are curious about craft cofee to sample what the local roasting scene ofers.

By Brad Stager

According to Schultz, the higher goals of the festival, as well as other events hosted by The Noise Box, go beyond the quest for a satisfying cup of cofee and intriguing art.

“Part of ﬁnding a new at-home cofee is trying a bunch of diferent ones and seeing which one you like. At the Tampa Bay Cofee and Art Festival, you get the opportunity to come in and try anywhere from six to 10 diferent roasters, all in one day.”

The celebration of cofee and art has become a popular cultural event in the Greater Brandon area that also features performing musicians and craft vendors, as well as food trucks, to generate a festive atmosphere. There will also be a high school student art contest, and Disney animation team member Peter Raymundo will make an appearance to meet and greet fans of ﬁlms. He has worked on ﬁlms such as Lilo and Stitch, Mulan and Tarzan.

“The mission is to inform, inspire and empower creative individuals to use their passions for the good of others,” he said.

Schultz added that many artists who have shown their work at TBCAF beneﬁted from the exposure by receiving opportunities to display their eforts at area galleries.

The deadline for vendors and artists to apply is Saturday, September 28.

The 2024 Tampa Bay Cofee and Art Festival will be held Saturday, October 12, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Noise Box events venue, located at 1310 John Moore Rd. in Brandon. Early-bird tickets purchased online before Friday, September 13, are $12, with tickets then costing $15 until Friday, October 11, and $20 the day of the festival. Admission is free for kids 12 and younger when accompanied by an adult. You can keep informed with the latest information about the Tampa Bay Cofee and Art Festival by visiting www.tampabaycofeeandartfestival.com, where there are links to event social media pages with the most up-to-date information.

Local readers talk about their favorite books in a special video campaign airing on WFTS-TV to encourage childhood reading.

Rhett Gilmore, 10, stands with Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend Host Natalie Taylor.

Tis year’s Tampa Bay Cofee and Art Festival will be held Saturday, October 12, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Te Noise Box, located at 1310 John Moore Rd. in Brandon.

HEIDI KLUM GIVES 10-YEAR-OLD VALRICO SINGER GOLDEN BUZZER ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT

Pranysqa Mishra is a young singing sensation from Valrico. The ﬁfth-grade student recently received the Golden Buzzer from Heidi Klum on the show America’s Got Talent. Since Pranysqa was selected for the Golden Buzzer, she will advance directly to the live show.

Pranysqa sang “River Deep Mountain High,” by Tina Turner, because it is one of her favorite songs by one of her favorite artists.

According to Pranysqa’s mother, Priya Mishra, “She felt a strong connection to the song, as its style closely resembles her own singing style.”

Priya said, “Pranysqa was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude when Heidi Klum selected her for the Golden Buzzer. It was a dream come true, and she felt honored to receive such a prestigious recognition from someone she admires.” She added, “Judge Heidi Klum did not even give chance to other judges to speak about Pranysqa’s performance. She gave the Golden Buzzer right away, as she was super only with her performance.”

Priya said, “She is excited to continue competing and to see where this incredible opportunity will take her.” She explained, “She wanted to be on the show because it was always her dream, ever since she was as young as 3 years old, to perform on that

By Kathy L. Collins

world stage and in front of those incredible judges. Through this platform, she hopes to reach people’s hearts and make a diference, while also showcasing her talent, challenging herself and pursuing her dreams of reaching a wider audience.”

Pranysqa’s mentor, teacher and constant support throughout her musical journey is her dad. He not only helps her with every step of the way but also provides invaluable guidance, encouragement and practical support. In addition to his mentorship, she also works with a virtual vocal coach for warm-up exercises.

Priya said, “Pranysqa’s singing is her passion, and she pours her heart into every performance. She hopes to inspire others with her music and connect with people on an emotional level through her singing.”

Priya added, “The best part of the experience for Pranysqa was the opportunity to perform on such a grand stage and share her voice with a global audience. The Golden Buzzer moment with Heidi Klum was unforgettable, but she also cherishes the incredible experience she made and the immense support she received from her family and community.”

MARLIN JAMES WORKS WITH THE LENNOX FOUNDATION TO GIVE FREE HVAC UNITS

Do you know someone who deserves to be celebrated? Nominate your favorite community hero now for a chance to receive a heating and cooling unit (HVAC) and installation for free.

Marlin James, a local air conditioning repair company, invites the community to nominate deserving individuals for the chance to ‘Feel The Love’ through the LII Lennox Foundation’s annual program.

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

The LII Lennox Foundation is once again partnering up with residential dealers across the U.S. and Canada to donate and install HVAC units for community heroes. For Hillsborough County, Marlin James has stepped up to support the program and help give back. Nominations are open until Saturday, August 31, and can be submitted online at https://feelthelove.com/.

“At Marlin James, giving back to our community is at the heart of everything we do, and this initiative allows us to make a real diference in the lives of those in need,” said Scott Clark, owner of Marlin James. “Joining Feel The Love was a natural step for us, as it aligns perfectly with our mission to support and uplift our neighbors.”

Nominees for the program can include educators, veterans, ﬁrst responders, health

care professionals, families in need, individuals impacted by natural disasters and other community heroes. The LII Lennox Foundation will reach out directly to the ﬁnalists to conduct a home inspection and installation, which will take place in October. The Feel The Love program has been helping communities since 2009 and has been an important part of what the LII Lennox Foundation values. The program gives neighbors and participating Lennox dealers a chance to come together and improve the lives of people who support others all year round.

“The Feel The Love program provides participating Lennox dealers and local community members an opportunity to come together to support those in need of heating and cooling equipment,” said Gary Bedard, EVP and president of Lennox Home Comfort Solutions.

Marlin James is proud to support the efforts of the LII Lennox Foundation and give back to the community it loves. Nominate your favorite community hero to show your love too.

For more on the Feel The Love program or to nominate a member of our community, please visit https://feelthelove.com/.

Earlier this year, Pranysqa Mishra received a Golden Buzzer from Heidi Klum on America’s Got Talent. Te young singer advanced directly and will next appear on the live show.

Te Feel Te Love program has been supporting communities all over the U.S. and Canada for 25 years and is thrilled to continue this support for years to come.

UNIVERSALCLASS, AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, IS BEING OFFERED BY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY COOPERATIVE

Often people looking to expand or continue their education struggle to ﬁnd the time. Fortunately, there is a program being ofered by Hillsborough County Public Libraries Cooperative (HCPLC) called UniversalClass that is host to more than 600 online courses which are totally self-paced, meaning you can do these courses on your own time, and you are not required to check in at a particular time or date.

By Gunnar Wagner

For example, you could take a course to learn more about subjects as varied as the Salem Witch Trials to learning legal terminology to acquire a better understanding of what words like ‘pro bono’ and ‘escrow’ mean.

Once you have completed a course(s), you can earn certiﬁcates and/or continuing education units (CEUs), which are often required in various ﬁelds of employment. Additionally, it will document how many CEUs you have earned and how much time you have spent working on the course(s), as well as immortalize your completion of the course(s). This will allow you to, if you want to, build your online portfolio and share your accomplishments with others, including employers or potential employers.

A course through UniversalClass is much like any other online course; there are les-

sons, assignments, exams, discussion boards and assessments of your progress.

“UniversalClass is much like LinkedIn Learning in that it’s self-paced and the courses can be done on your own time.” said Marie Miller, a librarian working with HCPLC.

Miller also said that in order for one to access this program, all that is needed is a library card.

“It’s an outside program and database, and users can access it for free by using their library card,” she explained.

So, if you are one that ﬁnds yourself in a tight spot regarding time and want to do something online while learning more about subjects that interest you, then check out UniversalClass for a program that is truly extraordinary and quite a timesaver for those who might be in the same situation as you.

For more information about UniversalClass and what courses are available, visit https://hcplc.org/research/online-learning and click the UniversalClass link. Also, you can get a library card either by going to your local library or by visiting https:// hcplc.org/account/get-a-card. And ﬁnally, you can call HCPLC at 813-273-3652 or text 813-352-1972 or its backup, 813-3521603, to learn more about other services that are ofered by HCPLC.

ENSURING A STRONG START: THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE STARTING FROM

As we enter the new school year, I want to emphasize the critical importance of attendance from day one. The start of the school year sets the tone for the months ahead, laying the foundation for academic success, personal growth and community building within our schools.

Attendance in the fi rst week of school is crucial for several reasons. Primarily, it ensures that students do not miss essential introductions to their courses. The fi rst week is often when teachers outline their lesson plans, set expectations and begin the fi rst lessons. Missing these initial classes can put students at a disadvantage, making it harder for them to catch up and fully grasp the material.

THE FIRST DAY

By Superintendent Van Ayres

Moreover, the ﬁ rst week is a time for establishing routines and relationships. Students who attend from the start can meet their teachers and classmates, forming connections that will support their learning and social development throughout the year. These early interactions help build a sense of belonging and community, which are vital for a

positive and productive school experience. Last school year, 30 percent of our students were chronically absent — deﬁ ned as missing just two days each month — which showed in their individual test scores. That is why we are asking parents and guardians to stress the importance of attending school each day. Ensuring that children arrive at school on time, well-rested and prepared to learn sends a powerful message about the value of education. Establishing these habits early in the school year can lead to improved attendance throughout the year, which is linked to academic achievement and long-term success.

Our district is committed to providing a supportive and engaging learning environment for all students. We have prepared our schools with updated facilities, new learning materials and dedicated sta f ready to inspire and educate. Let’s work together to make this school year a success, starting with strong attendance from the very ﬁ rst day.

Tis is just one of many courses that are available on UniversalClass.

WHO’S YOUR DUMPSTER HELPS CLEAR THE CLUTTER

Lifelong friends Chris Leblanc and Chuck Harman started Who’s Your Dumpster Inc. in March of 2022, and through some growing pains the business is ﬂourishing, serving the dumpster needs for residential and commercial uses throughout Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

“This is a very competitive industry,” said Harman. “Our willingness to be ﬂexible has helped us gain market share and succeed.”

By Sharon Still

“We have been fortunate to have great clients. That leads to repeat business and referrals,” he commented.

He added that the community is very supportive and Who’s Your Dumpster is fortunate to partner with local commercial clients, like Cardinal Rooﬁng in Valrico.

“They are great,” said Linda Castillo, Cardinal Rooﬁng’s ofce manager. “They are easy to communicate with, responsive, knowledgeable and prompt.”

Dumpsters are available in a variety of sizes, including 12, 14 and 17 cubic yards, and rentals are available for one-day, three-day and long-term commercial projects.

From home remodels and yard cleanup to emptying rental houses or doing spring-cleaning projects, there are dozens of reasons residents and businesses use the services of Who’s Your Dumpster.

Pricing is transparent and usually consists of a flat fee that includes the tipping and dumping fees. In addition to dumpster rental, Who’s Your Dumpster also offers junk removal and the hauling away of items, including yard waste. However, the company does not dispose of hazardous materials.

Harman said the business is split 50/50 between residential and commercial clients.

Harman and LeBlanc met in middle school at Nativity Catholic School and call themselves brothers for life.

“There isn’t anyone else in this world that I would have as my partner other than him,” Harman proclaimed.

Having grown up and raised families in the area, community is important to the pair. Harman described their style of business as “old school,” commenting, “Our word is our bond.”

He added, “Our ability to be ﬂexible and really to accommodate any special requirements that a client may need is what sets us apart from others in industry.”

For further information or to order a driveway-friendly dumpster, call 813-7710123 or call or text 813-393-9830. Become a fan on Facebook by visiting www. facebook.com/whoyourdumpster/.

Who’s Your Dumpster owners Chris LeBlanc and Chuck Harman are proud to serve the community where they grew up.

RESIDENTS 50-PLUS ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN IN COUNTY’S ACTIVE LIFE GAMES

By Kathy L. Collins

Each year, Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation hosts the Active Life Games. These games are designed for Hillsborough County Residents 50 years and older. The Active Life Games are set up as an Olympics-style competition. They help promote physical and mental ﬁ tness for older adults.

Mikah Collins, community relations coordinator for Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation, said, “Active Life Games is designed for those 50 and older to participate in the games, for health, fun and socializing. Participants are encouraged to come out and join the fun. You can be a seasoned vet in your sport of choice or a beginner. Each age group has variously skilled participants who are all there to enjoy the games, meet new friends and connect with old friends.”

The Active Life Games began in the 1980s. They o f er a variety of contests for all skill and ﬁ tness levels. This year’s Active Life Games will take place from Monday, September 30, until Friday, October 11. Events at the Active Life Games include track and ﬁ eld, shu f e-

board, pickleball, billiards, horseshoes and more. Individual competitions are held over two weeks at a variety of locations throughout Hillsborough County. As the Active Life Games are just like the Olympics on a local level, there will be both an opening ceremony and a closing ceremony. The opening ceremony will be held on September 30 at 10 a.m. at David Barksdale Senior Center, located at 1801 N. Lincoln Ave. in Tampa. The closing ceremony will be held on October 11 at 11 a.m. at the University Area Community Complex, located at 14013 N. 22nd St. in Tampa.

Last year, the Active Life Games introduced lawn bowling and basketball shooting. These sports were highly demanded by prior participants and have proven to be very popular. The golf event this year will be held at Rogers Park Golf Course.

Registration is now open and continues through Friday, September 20. The cost for one event is $25.

If you would like unlimited events, the cost is $30. There is also an additions $30 charge for those participating in the golf competition. This additional cost includes a cart.

The registration forms and a complete schedule of events can be found at www. hcﬂ .gov/activelife.

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CONGRESSMAN BUCHANAN GRANTS

FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SERVICE ACADEMY APPOINTMENTS

Many students in Florida know from a young age that they want to join one of our country’s great military branches. Being surrounded by diferent branches’ bases as well as large JROTC programs in schools allows them to explore which path would suit them best. Receiving an appointment from Congressman Vern Buchanan allows them to establish their careers in their chosen branch early on and sets them up for success straight out of high school.

By Alisa Gershman

tance of military service to our nation.

“I wish them the best of luck and look forward to watching them serve our nation with honor and distinction,” said Buchanan, sharing some words of wisdom with the students.

Buchanan, having served six years in the Air National Guard, knew that he wanted to honor students within Hillsborough and Manatee counties to foster leadership and strength within them to serve their country.

“These service academy appointments are deeply rooted in the commitment to fostering leadership, discipline and a sense of duty among our nation’s youth,” said District Director Tara Poulton. “It’s a process that not only recognizes the exceptional qualities and achievements of the candidates but also underscores the importance of preparing future leaders who will uphold the values and security of our country.” She also said, “This responsibility is paramount, as it directly contributes to the strength and resilience of our national defense and civil services,” as Buchanan himself has a strong campaign to advocate the impor-

The ﬁve Hillsborough County students who received the 2024 U.S. service academy appointments from Buchanan are as follows: Bell Creek Academy graduate Jack Matthew Spain of Lithia, appointed to the United States Military Academy; Academy of the Holy Names graduate Maisi Rose Sigler of Riverview, appointed to the United States Military Academy; Strawberry Crest High graduate Saige Starford of Lithia, appointed to the United States Military Academy; Admiral Farragut Academy graduate Nathaniel Hewett of Riverview, appointed to the United States Military Academy; Academy of the Holy Names graduate Morgan Alison Hunt of Brandon, appointed to the United States Naval Academy and the United States Air Force Academy and Newsome High School graduate Matthew Conord of Lithia, appointed to the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Each of the students will be receiving “a free four-year education in return for a commitment serve ﬁve years in the active-duty military after graduation,” said Poulton.

Four students from Hillsborough County who received service academy appointments stand with Congressman Vern Buchanan.

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FACES OF COURAGE — 20 YEARS OF HOPE AND FUN TO CANCER PATIENTS

The Faces of Courage (FOC) Foundation is a local nonproﬁt that was founded by Peggie Sherry in 2004.

FOC provides free day outings, educational workshops and medically supervised overnight camps for women, children and families who have been afected by all types of cancer and blood disorders. Celebrating 20 years of providing programs to participants at no cost is an achievement that Sherry is proud of.

By Kelly Wise Valdes

Faces of Courage is a nonproft organization that has been providing free camps and workshops for cancer patients for 20 years.

“For the past 20 years I have had the privilege and honor to work with the most amazing people. Some of our volunteers have been with me from the very beginning,” said Sherry. “When it comes to the cancer survivors we have served, you could ﬁll books with incredible stories of bravery, determination and hope.”

According to Sherry, running this organization brings many emotions to the table.

“This job is the best of the best and the worst of the worst jobs,” said Sherry. “We are constantly amazed by the campers and the joy they get from what most of us would think of as simple things. Facing your mortality much earlier than expected changes how you view everything.”

The programs and camps ofered for FOC depend greatly on the support of the community, including fundraising and volunteering. “Grassroots organizations rarely spend their funding on advertising and marketing,” said Sherry. “We choose to put our donors’ funding directly into programs. Therefore, you have the challenge of fundraising with-

out an enormous marketing budget like some other charitable organizations.”

FOC’s next event will be the Women’s Cancer Retreat held at Rotary’s Camp Florida from Friday, September 13, through Sunday, September 15. This camp will host 60 adult cancer survivors from around the nation, Canada and the islands. Then on Sunday, October 6, will be the ﬁfth annual Sail Away from Cancer event sponsored by Davis Island Yacht Club, where 300 survivors and guests will board 17 sailing yachts for a sunset sail, then return to a gourmet meal at the clubhouse. The ﬁrst weekend of December will be the annual Santa’s Workshop Weekend cancer camp for children ages 2-12 who have been diagnosed with any type of cancer or blood disorder and their well siblings.

“We are able to provide programs at no cost to participants through the generosity of corporate sponsors; civic, social and service organizations; individual donors; grants; fundraisers; and bequests,” said Sherry.

“Individuals and corporations can help us by hosting outings, providing volunteers, sponsoring events and programs, cash donations, in-kind items or services, tickets to area sports and entertainment venues and gift cards to grocery stores and/or discount department stores.”

Faces of Courage is located at 10006 Cross Creek Blvd., Ste. 519 in Tampa. For more information, call 813-948-7478 or visit https://facesofcourage.org/.

TAMPA THEATRE RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARDS

Tampa Theatre, Tampa’s historic and majestic movie palace, was bestowed on July 7 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a national award from the League of Historic American Theatres (LHAT). Tampa Theatre was named LHAT’s Outstanding Historic Theatre for 2024. In addition, John Bell, Tampa Theatre’s CEO, received the Joseph Rosenberg Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution.

Tampa Teatre and its CEO, John Bell, were recently bestowed with two prestigious national awards from the League of Historic American Teatres. Tampa Teatre is a true treasure and a place to be cherished and enjoyed by all residents of the Tampa Bay region.

The Outstanding Historic Theatre Award recognizes a theater that demonstrates excellence through its community impact, quality of programs and services and quality of the restoration or rehabilitation of its historic structure. According to the nomination requirements, “an award-winning theatre will have demonstrated excellence through signiﬁcant achievement, the impact of its services and breadth of populations served and the length of time and/or intensity of its activities.”

Bell, who has served as president and CEO of Tampa Theatre since 1985, was nominated for the Joseph Rosenberg Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution by the Tampa Theatre staf and board of directors, with letters of support from numerous LHAT colleagues, fellow arts leaders in the Tampa Bay area as well as state and local elected ofcials. The Outstanding Individual Contribution award recognizes some-

By Kathy L. Collins

one who demonstrates vision, dedication, selflessness and excellence through their contribution to historic theaters and their communities as a volunteer, board member, patron, donor, service provider, staf member or historic theater advocate at large.

“Although I am honored, it should be me presenting the league with some sort of an award to honor this group for everything it has meant to me. Because I can assure you that without this brilliant group of people — whom I have relied upon for advice and support for 40 years — I would not be standing here today,” said Bell at the ceremony.

Founded in 1976, the League of Historic American Theatres is a nonprofit organization with the main purpose of sustaining historic theaters across North America for the benefit of their communities and future generations. The league defines an eligible historic theater as one that is at least 50 years old, is an architecturally significant structure deemed worthy of preservation, has played an important role in the history of American stage and screen and/or can be used as a performing arts facility.

Tampa Theatre was built in 1926. It hosts more than 700 programs each year.

Tampa Theatre is located at 711 N. Franklin St. in Tampa. For more information, please visit www.tampatheatre.org.

MEET THE 2024 TEAM OF OSPREY OBSERVER INTERNS

The Osprey Observer is a popular source for local news in Southeastern Hillsborough County. Every summer, a handful of interns are selected to work with the team on writing articles or creating ads for their issues. The interns range from high school to college students who have journalistic ambitions for the future or just want a taste of writing for the summer. This year’s wonderful interns include Sara Kitchin, Jamie Lu, Solomon Bristow, Gunnar Wagner, Elise Rebhahn and Alisa Gershman.

Sara Kitchin

University of West Florida

Kitchin is a senior at the University of West Florida. She found out about the Osprey Observer through a recent family move to FishHawk.

“I have worked on diferent school papers for years, including the paper at my university,” she explained.

Reporting has always been a passion of hers and she knew she wanted to pursue it over the summer.

Her favorite piece was visiting and writing about the Wawa Summer Fun Days at Bok Tower Gardens. She plans on continuing her journalistic career past college and ﬁnding a paper to work with in the future.

Jamie Lu

Strawberry Crest High School

Lu will be a senior at Strawberry Crest High School. After ﬁnding out about the Osprey Observer, she knew it would be the perfect place for her to hold an internship throughout the summer.

Her favorite part has been hearing all the diferent stories from around the community and meeting new people, which she said made her realize “how vibrant our community is.”

She also plans on continuing with journal-

By Alisa Gershman

ism through her last year of high school and into college, hoping to ﬁnd her future career within that realm.

Elise Rebhahn

University of North Florida

Rebhahn is a junior attending the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. With a graphic design focus, she joined the team of interns for the Observer to gain more experience with designing and formatting ads for the paper as an extra level of expertise for her resume.

“My favorite part of the internship has been seeing the ﬁnal result of each ad be run in the paper. It makes me happy to know that each client I worked with feels that the ads are ﬁt to have them represent their companies/brands,” she said.

Two ads in particular she enjoyed were

Sharkcon and A Child’s Haven.

Her plans are not set for after college, but she hopes to ﬁnd her place somewhere in the world of graphic design, working on branding or possibly package design.

Gunnar Wagner

University of Florida

Wagner is a senior at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in Plant City. He learned about the internship through one of his professors.

“My favorite part of this internship has been by far trying out the new roller coaster Phoenix Rising at Busch Gardens. That was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed it,” said Wagner, having the chance to experience it before the ride was unveiled to the public.

He is planning on enlisting in the Air Force

after graduating and hoping to take up ﬁlmmaking down the line.

Alisa Gershman

Newsome High School

Gershman is a rising junior at Newsome High School. As online editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, she found out about the Osprey Observer internship through her journalism teacher. Wanting the experience of working on a real paper, she felt it would be the best ﬁt for her over the summer.

“I’ve loved getting to reach out to people from around the area and hear their stories, whether it’s an anniversary or how a business started,” she said.

Her favorite piece was covering the 1Voice Academy Summer Camp, where she was also a volunteer and is an ofcer for the club at her school.

While journalism is a strong passion of hers, she plans on switching paths and hopes to attend the University of Florida to study biology and eventually going into publishing research on cancer cells.

Solomon Bristow

Newsome High School

Bristow is a rising senior at Newsome High School. Through word of mouth, he discovered this internship and decided to take it as a chance to experience “what it meant to be a journalist.”

The program provided him with material he wouldn’t normally think to write about, so he felt as though it broadened his horizons in a positive light. He plans to attend college with these journalistic aspirations in mind.

for

JAMIE LU

GUNNAR WAGNER

ELISE REBHAHN

SARA KITCHIN

ALISA GERSHMAN SOLOMON BRISTOW

BRANDON PARADE OF LIGHTS SEEKS TO BRING COMMUNITY TOGETHER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Christmas is a time of bringing people together, and that’s exactly what the Brandon Parade of Lights plans to do on Saturday, December 14. The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce and Valrico/Fishhawk Chamber of Commerce recognized how much growth Brandon has seen as a community over the past few years and “felt it was time to bring a large-scale holiday event to our community,” said Kerrie Hoening, committee chairperson. “This is a oneof-a-kind event in that, for the ﬁrst time in Brandon’s history, we will have a collaboration between two major chambers of commerce to bring about one amazing community event.”

The Brandon Parade of Lights is being organized by an independent committee formed in partnership between the two chambers. The committee encourages anyone to participate, including nonprofit organizations, businesses, community and civic organizations, school groups, entertainment troupes, krewes and more. Those seeking to join the parade should “decorate their floats with holiday flair. This will be a night parade, so we want to see lights,” said Hoening. The parade is limiting its number of participants to 75; groups wanting to

By Jamie Lu

participate can sign up at https://brandonparadeoflights. com/.

The committee is also seeking sponsorships to help cover the costs of the parade. A portion of the sponsorship money will go toward supporting the charitable organizations chosen by the two chambers. The Valrico/Fishhawk Chamber chose Raining Cats and Dogs Shelter and Sanctuary, and the Greater Brandon Chamber chose the Angel Foundation FL.

“This event is about community only,” said Hoening. “We are looking to cover costs and give back.”

The parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will run the length of Oakfield Drive, heading west from Parsons Avenue to Lakewood Drive. To find out more about the event or to sponsor it, visit https://brandonparadeoflights.com/ or check out the Brandon Parade of Lights Facebook page. For any additional questions or concerns, email info@brandonparadeoflights.com.

The Brandon Parade of Lights looks forward to seeing the community come together for this special holiday event and plans to make it an annual celebration. The committee also thanks Reed & Reed, the title sponsor of the event, for making the parade possible.

LADIES TEA RAISES PANTRY FUNDS

The St. Vincent de Paul’s (SVdP) Ladies Tea Party returns this fall at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Riverview. This annual event brings together mothers, daughters, sisters and friends for a charming and delicious tea party. The table hostesses design and set their tables with a variety of creative themes that you really have to see to believe.

Last year’s event featured a big surprise: Princesses arrived for photos and conversations that delighted attendees of all ages.

“We are thrilled to have a sponsor to bring back some princesses again this year,” said Christie Lemar, who chairs the Ladies Tea Party. “They make the event extra charming and facilitate fellowship.”

Lemar is hopeful that this year’s event will exceed its fundraising goal. As a volunteer who takes calls from individuals in need of ﬁnancial assistance for the organization and assists at the SVdP Food Pantry, she sees ﬁrsthand the great need in our community.

Last year, the SVdP Council of St. Stephen Catholic Church provided $193,295 in ﬁnancial assistance for families in need, a 53 percent increase over the

prior year. The SVdP Food Pantry, which is stocked through donations by parishioners and families from St. Stephen Catholic School, gave away 140,275 pounds of food to 2,321 families (8,856 people) last year, a 30 percent increase in families served.

Over 6,000 volunteer hours made this possible. The majority of its funds are given by generous parishioners. The Ladies Tea Party is its only fundraiser. All money from ticket sales and donations related to the Ladies Tea Party go to the Society of SVdP to assist those in need. Additional monetary donations would be greatly appreciated. Bring a laundry detergent donation for the SVdP household and food pantry.

For table hostess information, contact Amy Metz at amyjometz@gmail.com or 813-957-7179. To purchase tickets, which cost $25, or make a donation, visit https://svdpriverviewﬂ.org/.

The tea party will be on Saturday, September 14, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Family Life Center of St. Stephen Catholic Church, located at 10118 St. Stephen Circle in Riverview.

Te Brandon Parade of Lights is being held on Saturday, December 14.

LOCAL MACK ESTRADA SIGNS CONTRACT WITH

FishHawk Youth Sports Association and Bevis Elementary alum Mack Estrada inked his deal with the Yankees after being selected as the 11th round and 331st pick in the MLB draft. Estrada, 19, was the 2nd youngest Yankee draft pick this year.

“I felt like I was being rewarded for my hard work and reaping what I sowed,” Estrada said.

While he wasn’t a fan of a speciﬁc team, he knew he wanted to don the classic pinstripes after learning more about the Yankees.

THE NEW YORK YANKEES

“Just everything about them is world class,” he said.

Among these ‘world-class’ qualities are the sta f , including three biomechanics trainers who Estrada will get to work with at the Tampa training facility as he has already reported to the the Tampa Tarpons, the Yankees Single A MiLB afﬁliate team.

He said getting to train so close to home made his commitment to the Yankees minor league system even better.

Like most rising baseball stars, Estrada’s journey to the majors started in Little League. At just 9 years old, he met family friend and retired MLB pitcher Joey Eischen, who has played a key role in guiding the Yankees commit.

Aside from being his pitching coach, Eischen has been a mentor both on and o f the ﬁeld, encouraging Estrada to be tough, work hard and not take handouts.

Speciﬁcally, Estrada was taught to perform like he was a warrior in the coliseum, not just as a pitcher but also as a warrior for Christ. Estrada’s faith and this reminder have played a large part in his journey to the majors.

“It gives me a greater reason other

By Lily Belcher

than myself to play and do things that I might not want to do,” he said.

While Estrada was already planning to play for Florida State University in the fall, his decision to join the Yankees now will allow him to jump straight into his playing career and climb the minor league ladder. His draft day selection was a long time coming. Estrada has been watched by scouts and attending pre-draft workouts, where he has spoken with the Yankees.

“It would be nerve-wracking if you didn’t feel like you belonged in the spot that you’re in,” he said about playing in front of scouts.

He said there were games that he felt so nervous, he felt like he was going to throw up. “But by the time I stepped on the mound,” he said, “all those nerves are gone, and I just feel conﬁdent.”

The Estrada family is no stranger to success. Parents Rick and Michelle Estrada are proud of all of their kids and are athletes themselves, with Michelle having played softball in college. The Estradas lived in FishHawk before moving to Valrico. Mack graduated from Lakeland Christian High School as a two-sport athlete with baseball and football before heading to Northwest Florida State College to to pitch before being scouted.

His eldest sister, Allie, was also a softball player; Lauren played softball for Polk State and Warner Colleges; and Stephanie is a college cheerleader at Florida Gulf Coast University.

By Sharon Still

Mark the calendar for Saturday, September 28, and head out to Park Square Plaza at FishHawk to support the community and patriotism at the annual Travis Manion 9/11 Heroes Run, a heartfelt tribute to honor the heroes of 9/11, our veterans and ﬁrst responders. Runners and walkers of all ages and ﬁtness levels are invited to participate in 1-mile and 5K oferings. Additionally, there is a division for ruckers, a sport grounded in Special Forces training in which participants carry weighted rucksacks.

Veterans Village within Park Square at FishHawk will open up at 7 a.m. on race day, with online registration and packet pickup. The 9/11 Heroes Run opening ceremony will commence at 7:50 a.m.

The 5K race, including the Ruckers in Remembrance, will kick of at 8:46 a.m., marking the exact time the North Tower was struck on September 11, 2001. A 1-mile Remembrance Run will follow at 9:03 a.m., the exact time the South Tower was struck on 9/11. The event will culminate with an awards ceremony at 9:30 a.m.

Online registration is currently open and sponsorship opportunities are available at several diferent levels, both locally and nationally. Volunteers are needed and

there is also an opportunity to participate as a Virtual Runner, from Sunday, September 1, to Tuesday, October 15. The event is put on by the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF), a nonproﬁt organization that honors the legacy of 1st Lt. Travis Manion, USMC, who is known for the quote, “If not me, then who?”, a reply to his family when asked why he wanted to return to war. Manion was killed by a sniper on April 29, 2007, while leading a counterattack in Iraq. Those words are now the mantra of TMF, which was established in his memory and is a call to action for people to improve their communities.

Beau Higgins, former race director, served as commanding ofcer in the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, where Manion served as one of Higgins’ Marines before he was killed.

“His family wanted to keep his legacy alive,” said Higgins. “The idea of the foundation is to remember the sacriﬁce and ﬁnd a way to give back.”

The Park Square Plaza at FishHawk is located at 16132 Churchview Dr. in Lithia. Visit 911heroesrun.org/tampa to sign up. Additional information can be found at www.travismanion.org.

Mack Estrada signed with the Yankees this summer, starting his journey to the majors.

Many commuters in the Tampa Bay area use the toll roads on a daily basis. Whether it’s the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, the Veterans Expressway or even the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, many of us have occasion to pay tolls. The system in Florida is called SunPass, and many drivers have a SunPass transponder in the windshield of their cars.

By Kelly Wise Valdes

scam and did not click on the link in the text message. Instead, she contacted SunPass directly and found out that she did not have any pending toll fees.

Sometimes, a transponder may malfunction, or you changed vehicles, or the prepaid balance did not deduct. On those occasions, you may receive correspondence in the mail from SunPass with a picture of your plate and the toll amount owed.

Unfortunately, scammers are always looking for ways to make money of of others, and they are now targeting drivers for ‘unpaid toll fees.’ Although the Florida Attorney General’s Ofce cracked down on many of the fraudulent websites, new ones are being created by the fraudsters.

This is how the scam works: The scammers are posing as SunPass and are sending text messages to citizens. Recently, Apollo Beach resident Sierra Kahlich received one of these texts, which said, “Our records indicate that you have an unpaid toll trip. To avoid additional charges of $75.90, please settle your account at our website, _____” (scam website omitted).

Fortunately, Kahlich felt like it was a

“I had been traveling through toll roads in Tampa the month prior; however, I always had my transponder in my car,” said Kahlich. “Something appeared slightly of with the text message and I immediately Googled the SunPass number and called.”

When she called SunPass, Kahlich said she heard a recording that said SunPass is “aware of a recent phishing scam involving text messages.” The recording went on to say that SunPass is not sending out text messages about unpaid toll violations.

The Florida Attorney General’s Ofce and SunPass know that not everyone is as diligent to check out all the possibilities of a scam but want everyone to remain diligent. All the fake websites contain the word ‘SunPass,’ but the only legitimate website is www.sunpass.com. If you feel you have become a victim of this scam, you can report the issue to www.ic3.gov, which is the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. If you want to further inquire about any possible legitimate ﬁnes, you can call SunPass as 1-888-865-5352.

JURY SCAMS — DON’T BECOME A VICTIM

By Kelly Wise Valdes

Unfortunately, scammers never quit and are always looking for new ways to steal either your money, your identity and even your property. The Hillsborough County Clerk’s Ofce has recently been alerted to another type of scam that is making its rounds in the community: jury duty scams.

The scam has a common thread — to intimidate the caller to give out information or to take their money. It begins with a phone call or an email from someone claiming to be a court ofcial. The scammer will then claim that you did not show up for jury duty and now owe a ﬁne, or else you will be subjected to arrest.

“Clerk of Court & Comptroller Cindy Stuart and her ofce have been educating Hillsborough County residents about these scams [since] we ﬁrst heard about them last October,” said Peter Masa, Hillsborough County communications and marketing manager. “We have heard that some of these bad actors are impersonating law enforcement and using real judges’ names to add credibility to their scams.”

The callers typically have their victim’s names and sometimes even have identifying personal information.

“They are very aggressive and will try to keep the citizen on the phone, threatening that there are arrest warrants or ﬁnes for the victim,” said Masa. “In some cases, the scammer will threaten the victim to get

them to purchase a money order, prepaid debit card or gift card. One scammer demanded $450 from the resident.”

According to the website of the Florida Attorney General’s Ofce, a ﬁne will not be imposed until after an individual appears in court to explain a failure to appear. Most importantly, the clerk’s ofce and local law enforcement will never call and threaten action or demand payment. The clerk’s ofce mails nearly 3,000 jury summonses weekly.

“We also would ask the public to educate your family and friends to make them aware of these jury scams,” said Masa. “We have been educating the public with numerous reminders across social media and working with our media partners.” If you receive a call saying you missed jury duty and owe a fine, never provide any personal information. Also, do not provide any information in response to a jury scam email, and do not click on any links, as they could have malware that will infect your computer. Report any jury scam calls or emails to www.flclerks.com, or you can report fraud and file a complaint through Florida Attorney General’s Ofce at www. myfloridalegal.com/consumeralert or by calling 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-9667226).

SunPass and the Florida Attorney General’s Ofce encourage the public to remain diligent against toll fraud scams that are circulating.

Te Hillsborough County Clerk of the Court & Comptroller is warning residents about a resurgence in jury duty scams.

DRIVERS WILL SOON FACE HEFTY FINES FOR ILLEGALLY PASSING STOPPED SCHOOL BUSES

Driven to keep students safe as they walk on and of school buses, the Hillsborough County school district has partnered with BusPatrol, the technology provider that has installed stop-arm cameras on each of Hillsborough’s approximately 1,000 school buses.

Designed to detect drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses with stop arms deployed, camera footage is reviewed to determine ofenders, who in turn will be ticketed at a cost of $225 per infraction. No ﬁnes were to be incurred during the initial 30-day public awareness campaign, which started on August 12, the ﬁrst day of school.

School ofcials said ﬁnes collected go to the school district, which in turn will pay a percentage to BusPatrol, which installed the stop-arm cameras with no up-front charges. Also getting a cut is the Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce, for issuing tickets based on footage review. The remaining funds go to the school district’s transportation department, driven to recruit and retain school bus drivers.

At King High School in Tampa on August 1, Superintendent Van Ayres said there was a shortage of about 100 drivers, even with the recent hiring of 150 drivers. The starting pay for school bus drivers is $18.65 per hour, with a guaranteed seven-hour day, and opportunities for summer

By Linda Chion

work and extra pay transporting students on ﬁeld trips.

With last year’s bus driver shortages, “we had students who were late to school because we had bus drivers doing double runs,” Ayres

said. “It’s still an area of concern for us, but we are 150 bus drivers stronger this year, so we should see a tremendous diference, as far as students being late to school because the bus didn’t get there on time.”

School ofcials said bus drivers transport about 78,000 students to and from school, and that roughly three times per day motorists illegally pass a stopped school bus.

Carlos Hernandez, a safety training specialist with the school district’s transportation department, said he drove buses for 30 years, and for 10 years in Hillsborough County.

“The most dangerous time to pass a stopped school bus is when the driver opens the stop arms and checks to see that trafc has stopped,” Hernandez said. “That’s when the doors open and the kids come out, or the kids come in, and that’s when people pass you.”

Sherif Chad Chronister said. “In other communities, this program has led to a 30 percent reduction in violations year over year. That means more people are stopping for school buses, and children are safer.”

FINANCIAL FOCUS HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO MARKET CYCLES?

The movement of the fnancial markets can seem mysterious — and yet, if we look back over long periods, we can see defnite patterns that consistently repeat themselves. As an investor, how should you respond to these market cycles?

To begin with, it’s useful to know something about the nature of a market cycle and its connection to the business or economic cycle, which describes the fuctuations of the economy between periods of growth and contraction. Issues such as employment, consumer spending, interest rates and infation can determine the stage of the business cycle. On the other hand, the market cycle refers to what’s happening in the fnancial markets — that is, the performance of all the diferent types of investments.

The market cycle often anticipates the business cycle. In other words, the stock market may peak, or hit bottom, before the business cycle does the same. That’s partially because the fnancial markets are always looking ahead. If they foresee an event that could boost the business cycle and help the economy, such as the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates, they may become more “bullish” on stocks, thus driving the market up. Conversely, if the markets think the business cycle will slow down and the economy will contract, they may project a decline in corporate earnings and become more “bearish” on stocks, leading to a market drop.

Once you’re familiar with the nature of market cycles, you won’t be surprised when they occur. But does that mean you should base your investment strategy on these cycles?

Some people do. If they believe the market cycle is moving through a downward phase, they may try to cut their perceived losses by selling stocks — even those

with strong fundamentals and good prospects — and buying lower-risk investments. While these “safer” investments may ofer more price stability and a greater degree of preservation of principal, they also won’t provide much in the way of growth potential. And you’ll need this growth capacity to help reach your long-term goals, including a comfortable retirement.

On the other hand, when investors think the market cycle is moving upward, they may keep investing in stocks that have become overpriced. In extreme cases, unwarranted investor enthusiasm can lead to events such as the dotcom bubble, which led to a sharp market decline from 2000 through 2002.

Rather than trying to “time” the market, you may well be better of by looking past its cycles and following a long-term, “all-weather” strategy that’s appropriate for your goals, risk tolerance, time horizon and need for liquidity. And it’s also a good idea to build a diversifed portfolio containing U.S. and foreign stocks, mutual funds, corporate bonds, U.S. Treasury securities and other investments. While diversifcation can’t protect against all losses, it can help protect you from market volatility that might primarily afect just one asset class. Market cycles often draw a lot of attention, and they are relevant to investors in the sense that they can explain what’s happening in the markets. Yet, when it comes to investing, it’s best not to think of cycles but rather of a long journey – one that, when traveled carefully, can lead to the destinations you seek.

ALIGN RIGHT REALTY CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS OF BEING THE COMMUNITY’S FULL-SERVICE

Lisa Tackus is a real estate broker and the owner of Align Right Realty in Riverview and in Tampa. “I am a native Floridian and have lived in the Riverview/SouthShore area for the past 25 years,” Tackus said. “I am a real estate broker and have owned Align Right Realty Riverview for more than ﬁve years and been in the real estate industry for more than 20 years.”

At Align Right Realty, Tackus and her staf believe their clients are deserving and capable of owning their own home.

“Our goal at Align Right Realty is to educate and guide you as you realize your real estate dreams,” Tackus said. “To achieve this goal, we provide our brokers and agents industry-leading training, technology, marketing and branding tools paired with unmatched ofce support and culture, thus equipping our team to serve your residential and commercial real estate needs and provide an excellent experience. Whether you are buying or selling, your ﬁrst property or your last, we’re excited to make your real estate dreams come true.”

Align Right Realty is celebrating its ﬁveyear anniversary.

“Align Right Realty is a multistate franchise that began operating in 2019,” Tackus said. “The Riverview ofce is the ﬁrst franchisee, and currently there are more than 20 franchises in ﬁve diferent states and

By Libby Hopkins

growing. We pride ourselves on being a full-service brokerage where the broker is available to agents for 1:1 meetings, trainings, supports and events. We focus on residential and commercial real estate and assist in rentals as well. Our agents are provided quality training and support at the ofce as well as livestreamed trainings to meet all schedules. We are proud of the support and service we provide to our buyers and sellers. We utilize our community partners by having in-house and preferred vendors for lending, title, insurance, inspections and so much more.”

Tackus and her staf are excited about their upcoming anniversary celebration.

“We plan to have a ribbon-cutting and invite the local chamber of commerce and community partners to celebrate,” Tackus said. “Additionally, we will have a celebration with our agents and their families at a family event to highlight and recognize all of their hard work over the years, as our brokerage success could not have happened without them.”

If you would like to learn more about Align Right Realty and the services they ofer, you can visit their website at https:// alignrightriverview.com or call Tackus at 813-563-5995. Align Right Realty is located at 11962 Balm Riverview Rd. in Riverview.

Superintendent Van Ayres, with school board member Patti Rendon, at King High School on Aug. 1.

Align Right Realty celebrated fve years of being the Riverview community’s full-service brokerage. Lisa Tackus is a real estate broker and the owner of Align Right Realty in Riverview and Tampa.

LOCAL ISMASH OWNER DAVID SEGUI JOINS

HONORARY MAYOR’S RACE OF EAST HILLSBOROUGH

David Segui is the owner of iSmash Tampa. He is originally from New York but moved to Florida in 2003 to provide a better life for his son, who is now 21 years old.

“After 20-plus years working in the insurance industry, I retired in 2021 and decided I wanted to open a rage room with my friend, Bob Knapp, in 2022,” Segui said. “As best friends, we always wanted to open a business together. We had no desire to enter the insurance industry again. We found the iSmash franchise and immediately fell in love with the concept. We enjoy what we do so much that we intend to open six more location in Central Florida.”

Segui recently joined the second annual Honorary Mayor’s Race of East Hillsborough.

“After a near-death experience in 2021 due to COVID, which included a 30-day coma and three-month hospital stay, I was overcome with a sense I was supposed to be doing more,” Segui said. “I learned that several local charities could not obtain federal funding to continue their programs and I knew I had to take action. The mayor’s race has a wonderful history of helping so many people in need within our community.”

From Sunday, September 1, until Monday, September 30, dedicated community leaders will be campaigning hard, raising funds for their chosen charities and showcasing their vision for East Hillsborough. This is their chance to get involved and help raise

By Libby Hopkins

funds for the next honorary mayor.

The Honorary Mayor’s Race of East Hillsborough, supported by the Valrico/ Fishhawk Chamber of Commerce (VFCC), is a nonpolitical competition where candidates campaign to raise funds for their chosen charities or nonproﬁts. Throughout the campaign, the selected candidates engage in different fundraising events, community outreach activities and networking opportunities to garner support for their cause. The candidate that raises the most money becomes the honorary mayor for the year.

“We are raising funds for the Impact Program, Hope for Her and Small But Mighty Heroes,” Segui said. “I choose these charities because they help causes that are very personal and dear to my heart. Impact educates students, parents and teachers on how to have healthy relationships and avoid sexual risk. As an at-risk teen myself, programs like Impact are essential to helping teens make better choices. Hope for Her offers a safe place for women to ﬁnd strength, skills and support after experiencing trauma. Small But Mighty Heroes provides support to children battling cancer, and to their siblings and parents.”

If you would like to learn more about the Honorary Mayor’s Race of East Hillsborough, you can visit VFCC’s website at www.valricofishhawk.org/2024-honorary-mayor-race.

RIVERVIEW RESIDENT AND LAWYER DAWN MYERS JOINS HONORARY MAYOR’S RACE OF EAST HILLSBOROUGH

Dawn Myers is a lifelong resident of Hillsborough County.

“I was raised in Sefner, now living in Riverview,” Myers said. “I am the owner of Myers Law, P.A., and I’m a graduate of Armwood High School as well. I am running for honorary mayor to not only support two charities that are close to my heart but to bring awareness to these charities and how they help our community.”

Myers’ two selected beneﬁtting charities are High 5 Inc. and ECHO.

“I picked these charities because I believe in their causes,” Myers said. “High 5 Inc. provides much needed resources for the community. Their Learn to Swim program saves lives every year and they provide a community for adults with special needs where they can develop and explore new abilities. ECHO isn’t just organization giving handouts, they empower our neighbors to ﬁnd sustainable solutions to housing and employment.”

A victory event will follow to include participants and their beneﬁting chari-

By Libby Hopkins

ties, announcing the winner. The honorary mayor will be included in the Brandon Parade of Lights in December.

The candidates from East Hillsborough are invited to step forward and showcase their leadership skills and dedication to philanthropy.

“I am blessed to have an amazing committee who has worked very hard to envision fresh, new ideas to raise money in our community,” Myers said. “We are hosting a poker tournament on September 10, an upscale dinner party at ECHO of Riverview on September 21.”

“On September 27, we will be throwing an Alice in Wonderland-themed Very Merry Unbirthday Bash, where all attendees at The Regent will have an opportunity to win great prizes, or, shall we say, ‘unbirthday presents.’”

“To ﬁnish of the fundraising month, on September 28 we are going to have an epic Rubber Duck Derby and Pool Party at High 5 Inc.,” added Myers.

“All month long, we will have an online auction and opportunities to purchase a rafe ticket for a chance to win a $500 valued lottery board, generously donated by ACE Heating and Cooling.”

If you would like to learn more about the Honorary Mayor’s Race of East Hillsborough, you can visit VFCC’s website at www.valricofishhawk.org/2024-honorary-mayor-race.

Dawn Myers is the owner of Myers Law, P.A. Myers has recently joined the second annual Honorary Mayor’s Race of East Hillsborough.

David Segui, owner of iSmash Tampa, recently joined the second annual Honorary Mayor’s Race of East Hillsborough.

9TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT TO SUPPORT VETERANS IN NEED

Hillsborough County

Veterans Helping Veterans will host its ninth annual golf tournament on Saturday, September 28, in order to continue its fundraising eforts for helping veterans around the county who are in need.

According to Mike O’Dell, president of the organization, “The golf tournament will take place at Summerﬁeld Crossings Golf Club from 7 a.m., the time when preregistered golfers can check in, to 3 p.m., when the tournament ends.”

Lunch will be provided by East Coast Pizza at 1 p.m., and there will also be an award ceremony, along with a few auctions and even a few rafes. The awards will consist of ﬁrst place, second place, longest drive and closest to the pin.

“The goal for this year is to get $30,000 or more, all of which will go to helping our local veterans in need,” said O’Dell.

Tickets for a foursome are $500, while individual tickets are $125. The tournament is still looking for more sponsors, with sponsorship levels beginning at $250 for a hole sponsorship.

This year’s Medal of Honor sponsor is Pop a Beer Bar & Grill, a veteran-owned and operated restaurant in Tampa.

O’Dell said that the biggest challenge this year has been obtaining donations

By Gunnar Wagner

and sponsors to sponsor the diferent holes around the golf course.

The tournament is a signiﬁcant annual fundraiser for Veterans Helping Veterans, a nonproﬁt that encourages support of veterans in Hillsborough County and provides support for their basic needs.

According to its mission statement, “Veterans Helping Veterans provides timely, temporary emergency assistance to local Bay Area needy veterans as a last resort when no other resources are available while bridging the gap with federal, state and county veteran programs. Provide assistance with necessary utilities, transportation, food, shelter and clothing to meet a veteran’s basic needs. Support the mission of local veteran programs.”

The event is going to be held at 13050 Summerﬁeld Blvd. of Big Bend Road in Riverview. In order to support the event, golfers can preregister for the event, and companies or groups can procure one of its 12 sponsorship level options by visiting https://ezregister.com/events/39255/.

For more information, contact O’Dell at 813-765-2706 or mikehelpsvets@ gmail.com or the Veterans Helping Veterans website at www.hcveteranshelpingveterans.org.

EIGHT GEOLOGICAL SITES ARE AVAILABLE TO VISIT FOR FLORIDIANS AND TOURISTS

All over the country, there are special places of signiﬁcance called state geological sites, places that hold an educational, social, conservative, natural and sometimes national importance to their particular state (e.g., Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon, etc.).

So, how does Florida determine what a state geological site actually is? Per Florida statute 377.075(4)(e): “The State Geologist … shall designate areas as ‘state geological sites’ or ‘state invertebrate paleontological sites’ pursuant to the provisions of this section, which areas are determined to be of great and continuing signiﬁcance to the scientiﬁc study and public understanding of the geological history of this state.”

And, during the process, the state geologist uses the following criteria to make their classiﬁcation on the sites: educational value, geological signiﬁcance (natural value), geoheritage (social value) and conservation.

“There are currently eight state geological sites,” said Brian Humphreys, public information specialist with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. When asked about what the closest state geological site to Valrico is, Humphreys stated, “The most recently designated state geological site in 2024, and the one closest to Valrico, is Paynes Prairie Preserve

By Gunnar Wagner

State Park. Paynes Prairie sits on top of the Ocala Limestone, a signiﬁcant geological formation that plays a crucial role in Florida’s hydrogeology. The Ocala Limestone is porous and permeable, allowing water to move rapidly through the rock, replenishing the upper Floridan aquifer that provides drinking water for millions of Floridians.”

There are also other features to Paynes Prairie, according to Humphreys, consisting of sinkholes, springs, disappearing streams and large shallow basins created by sinkhole activity called poljes (which is Slavic for ‘ﬁeld’).

The other seven state geological sites are Jennings Bluf Tract, Torreya State Park, Falling Waters State Park, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, Florida Caverns State Park, Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park and Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park.

So, if you are looking to explore Florida and see all of its natural beauties, make sure to visit these fascinating state geological sites for a unique and educational experience that you and your loved ones won’t forget.

For more information about these eight state geological sites and the respective locations, visit https://ﬂoridadep.gov/fgs/outreach-edu/content/state-geological-sites.

Hillsborough County Veterans Helping Veterans is hosting its ninth annual golf tournament near the end of September.

Te environment at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.

A creek at Jennings Bluf Tract.

CELEBRATING JILL ANDREW’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY AT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BLOOMINGDALE

By Alisa Gershman

Community is everything to many of the people living in the Bloomingdale area. People always try and reach out a lending hand whenever it is needed and provide help for others around them. That is no diferent with longtime resident of the area Jill Andrew.

engage with one another while learning about God.

Known for her warm and loving presence, she has fostered this environment through methods she experienced at a young age.

Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Andrew lived in a small town with a signiﬁcant Amish population. There is where she learned and grew up, inﬂuenced by the one-room schoolhouse method of teaching. She knew when she started her journey as the director of children’s ministry at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, about 20 years ago, that she would want to incorporate that method into teaching her own students.

She believes in the importance of families in each of our lives, so having siblings and even older family members together on Sundays to learn Bible stories and share the word of God is vital to her lessons and teachings.

She shared, “The children become one family. An only child now has younger and older siblings. A wide age diference between siblings seems to disappear. It mat-

ters not where they are on their faith journey, as all are welcome.”

Celebrating her 20th anniversary at the church, Andrew is reﬂecting on the wonderful memories she has made with the children, some of whom even come back to visit after years of being out of their schoolroom.

“It is not uncommon for them to insist on returning with the children to the classroom. It is then I know we created wonderful childhood memories, and oh I do love their hugs too,” she said.

While she spends much of her time with the lovely children, Andrew is also active in other ways within the church. She is a tenor in her local choir and helps plan many fun activities, along with Sunday services. For example, she and the church recently did ‘Church To Go,’ wherein children could paint their own ﬂat Jesus to take along with them on their summer vacations.

Andrew has made a lasting impression on her community, not only at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale but also with anyone who has crossed her path. She continues to show the love of God to the children at her services and plans to hold more fun events for them in the future. Bloomingdale Presbyterian is located at 710 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon. For more information about the church or to connect with Andrew, call 813-654-3699.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OFFERS SIX OPTIONS TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL

Students seeking diplomas have a number of choices in the Hillsborough County school district, which is why parents and students, as the high school years approach and advance, have a lot to discuss at open house and conference meetings with educators and guidance counselors.

EAST BAY LENNARD

By Linda Chion

RIVERVIEW SUMNER

diploma, and 79 students did just that. AICE prepares students for college at a more intensive pace than traditional coursework. AICE courses now are available at all traditional high schools.

In a late July interview, Christina ‘Christie’ Raburn, the district’s executive director of high school programs, reviewed the types of degrees ofered, giving numbers for the class of 2023. The numbers for the 2024 school year had not yet been ﬁnalized, as summer graduations had only recently been completed.

As for the class of 2023, Hillsborough County school ofcials awarded 13,766 diplomas, which amounted to an 86.2 percent graduation rate, Raburn said.

Options leading to standard diplomas include successful completion of the 24-credit option (including required and elective courses), the 18-credit Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) option (with fewer required electives), the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) curriculum and the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Also in play, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway.

Students in the 2023 graduating class from Jule F. Sumner High School in Balm/ Riverview were the ﬁrst to earn the AICE

Meanwhile, the IB program, a rigorous, preuniversity program for the highly motivated student, is ofered through magnet school studies at Alonso, Hillsborough, King, Robinson and Strawberry Crest high schools. In all, 356 students earned the IB diploma in 2023.

Obtaining either the IB or Cambridge AICE diploma, with the required community service hours, provides eligibility for Bright Futures scholarships without meeting the SAT/ACT score requirements.

Moreover, 591 graduating seniors in 2023 earned the General Educational Development (GED) credential, also known as a high school equivalency diploma. Typically earned by adult students, students as young as 16 can opt to earn the GED, Raburn said.

“Students deﬁnitely have options, and that’s a good thing,” Raburn said. “Come to school for open house or some other type of parent and community meeting and ask all those questions and see what’s available at your school, as it pertains to diploma choices, requirements and expectations. If a parent or student doesn’t attend, they might miss out on useful information.”

To learn more, visit the online website at www.hillsboroughschools.org.

Jill Andrew holds many fun activities at the Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, such as one for children to

En route to graduation, seniors have a number of diploma options to pursue. It pays to learn early which option best suits each child’s needs.

Grace Notes How Do You

Now, I’m not really a birder. Isn’t that what they call die-hard bird-watchers?

The ones who swat mosquitos for hours on end in the woods, staring at a hole in a tree, hoping to spot a rare avian treasure?

Fly?

By Debora Coty

No, I’m not patient enough. But I do enjoy a bit of serendipitous bird-glimpsing (not nearly on the same plane as watching). And I observed something interesting recently.

Not all birds ﬂy alike. You may have known this all along, but it was a revelation to me. Birds have diferent styles in transporting themselves through the air.

Some ﬂail about, ﬂapping their wings in a frenzied fashion, especially if heading into a headwind. Maximum efort, minimal results.

Others glide on invisible wind currents, soaring through the blue skies seemingly effortlessly. Minimum efort, beautiful results.

And then there are the breaststrokers. That’s what I call them, anyway. Their style is somewhere betwixt the other two. I watched one for a while and really identiﬁed with him. He scooped a dollop of air backwards with both wings and then minisoared for about three seconds before re-

peating with another wingful of momentum. Scoop, mini soar. Scoop, mini soar. Scoop, mini soar. Just like he was doing the breaststroke in a pool of air. Medium efort, medium results.

That’s kind of my coping style much of the time too, I guess. I put forth a modicum of efort and reap mediocre results. But instead of raising myself to a higher level where I could soar through the skies on the wind beneath my wings, I stay in the blustery middle, hufng and pufng along.

And before I know it, I’m ﬂailing and ﬂapping about near the ground, trying to stay out of the range of windshields and large canine teeth.

But I think the Lord Almighty has something more majestic in mind for his followers: “Those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles,” (Isaiah 40:31, NLT). Yep, it appears I’m flapping when I should be gliding. Soaring. Riding on the wind currents of His will for me in the power of the strength He provides.

How about you, my friend? Are you a ﬂapper, a breaststroker or a glider?

Debora M. Coty is an inspirational speaker and award-winning author of over 40 books, including the bestselling Too Blessed to be Stressed series. Visit with Debora anytime at www.DeboraCoty.com.

WE ARE EVIDENCE THAT THE RIVER HAS NOT RUN DRY

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’

The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water,’” (John 4:13-15).

The town Rebekah and I recently moved to is built on a river, and every time I walk through the park there, I see something new. The view is always changing, and the water reﬂects the sky and the rain and the seasons, but the recent drought has left the river looking especially tired.

Not just tired but thirsty. Imagine a river looking thirsty. It’s unlikely to run dry, of course, because it drains a vast hinterland. But the river does get stressed sometimes.

So, I was leaning on the bridge this morning, looking upstream into the rising sun, when it occurred to me that when Jesus talked about “living water,” he had in mind not just his spirit bringing refreshment to us, but also us then being a refreshment to the world.

And I had this vision of streams of pure water running out from churches and baptizing this parched world in a refreshing grace, constantly blessing those

we come into contact with, sharing the kind of life ofered by an iced drink or a cool shower on one of these sweltering hot summer days.

Living water from Jesus creating a river of life for this world!

Think about how that might work. What if the simple fact of your presence somewhere, anywhere, was all the evidence the world needs that the river has not run dry?

Imagine a river looking tired and thirsty! Imagine a church looking tired and thirsty? When all we have to do is to show up and drink deeply, all we then must do is to baptize this world with the refreshing grace of Jesus.

In love and because of love.

— DEREK

Derek Maul has written for many news outlets, including the Tampa Tribune, Te United Methodist News Service, All Pro Dad, FOCUS Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, Te Christian Science Monitor, Presbyterians Today, Guideposts, Chicken Soup for the Soul and many other publications. Read Derek Maul’s daily blog posts at www.derekmaul.wordpress.com.

AWARDS AND CERTIFICATES ISSUED AS PARADE TRADITION MARCHES

The Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade awards and certiﬁcates issued on July 16 at the New Hope Church social hall in Brandon paid tribute to those who helped keep the historic event alive.

That’s the promise of the Greater Brandon Action Network (GBAN), formed by four trustees of the Community Roundtable, whose board in the spring voted 5-4 to dissolve the nonproﬁt. The Community Roundtable was founded more than 60 years ago as the Presidents Roundtable of Greater Brandon Charities, under whose direction the parade debuted in the late 50s.

Betty Jo Tompkins, one of the four trustees, said she joined with Lisa Rodriguez, Randall Munsters and Lela Lilyquist to create GBAN and stage this year’s parade. Munsters was the parade marshal; Lilyquist was the parade co-chair.

In all, nine awards were issued, including Best Professional Float, which went to 1st U.S. Volunteer Calvary Regiment – Rough Riders Inc. for its newly refurbished SS Yucatan ﬂoat.

Also awarded was Unusual Vehicle to Slingshots of Tampa Bay, a family-oriented club for owners of the three-wheeled Polaris vehicle, a cross between automobile and motorcycle. Twenty-two Slingshots were in view at the parade. Heralded also were Adventures Archery (Amateur Float), Christine Edwards for County Court Judge (Decorated Vehicle), Costumers With a Cause (Best Krewe), New World Celts (Musical March-

By Linda Chion

ers), On Target 4H Club (President’s ‘Wow’ Award) and Odiorne Insurance Agency and Auto-Owners Insurance (Title Sponsor). Also recognized as a main sponsor was attorney Clif Curry & Associates.

American ﬂag framed awards for ‘Apple Pie’ sponsors went to Apex Plumbing, Bill’s Prescription Center, Morgan Star Home Care and New Hope Church. A special frame award went to Mission BBQ, for award-night catering. Among the certiﬁcates of appreciation issued were those for Rivard GMC Buick, for the loan of the EV Hummer that transported parade grand marshal B. Lee Elam; Presbyterian Church of Bloomingdale, for space to hold parade planning meetings; and Southside Baptist Church, for space to sign in parade volunteers.

Also, certiﬁcates were issued to Jefrey Allen Inc. (golf cart provider), BCI Communications, Brandon Amateur Radio Society, Brandon High School JROTC, Brandon Masonic Lodge No. 114, O’Brien’s Irish Pub, Sam’s Club, Strawberry Crest High School JROTC, Temporary Trafc Control, waste management and marching bands from Armwood, Bloomingdale and Brandon high schools.

Certiﬁcates for county assistance went to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Hillsborough County Facilities Management, Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough County Public Works and Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce and Homeland Security.

At the parade awards ceremony, from left to right: Kaia Leigh Rodriguez, Betty Jo Tompkins, Lela Lilyquist, Lisa Rodriguez, Tom Odiorne, Mark Proctor and Randall Munsters. Seated are B. Lee Elam, this year’s grand marshal, and his wife, Pat.

GET READY TO RISE LIKE A PHOENIX AT BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY

Staf Report

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay recently announced the grand opening of Phoenix Rising, the most anticipated coaster of 2024. Pass members were the ﬁrst to soar high above the Serengeti Plain during previews from July 17 through July 20. The ride opened to the public on July 21, and now guests have the chance to ride on the wings of the legendary phoenix aboard North America’s tallest and longest inverted family coaster, only at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Phoenix Rising is the park’s 10th roller coaster and the park’s ﬁrst roller coaster to feature onboard audio and lighting.

“We are excited to unveil Phoenix Rising to our pass members and guests. … With a height requirement of just 42 inches, it’s an adventure the whole family can enjoy together,” said Stewart Clark, park president of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

Aboard Phoenix Rising, riders will be immersed in an exciting, family-friendly adventure as they soar above Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Serengeti Plain and navigate through thrilling twists and turns above the skies of Pantopia. Inspired by the legend of the phoenix, this suspended

roller coaster ofers surprises and speeds reaching 44 miles per hour. With a height requirement of just 42 inches, guests of all ages can let their imagination — and their adrenaline — soar as they feel the rush of the wind and the thrill of ﬂight.

Also, for a limited time, guests can save up to 50 percent on tickets, Fun Cards and annual passes during the summer sale. Hurry, this ofer ends soon and provides the best value of the year. In addition to exclusive perks and monthly rewards, pass members can enjoy a vibrant array of seasonal events throughout the year for as low as $14 per month.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is located at 10165 McKinley Dr. in Tampa. Guests can learn more about all the events, future announcements and unbeatable beneﬁts of being an annual pass member by visiting https://buschgardenstampa.com/. To be the ﬁrst to know about park updates, guests can follow Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Facebook at www.facebook. com/buschgardenstampabay, X (formerly Twitter) at https://x.com/buschgardens, Instagram @buschgardens and TikTok @ buschgardenstampabay.

THE GOAT PLUMBING COMPANY UNCLOGS RESIDENTS’

By Sharon Still

The GOAT Plumbing Company will soon celebrate one year of serving the plumbing needs of Hillsborough County residents. Promising an unmatched customer service experience, owners Alexander Harrison and Travis and Heather Mershon are committed to providing the highest quality of plumbing solutions.

“The GOAT serves our community from the heart,” said Heather. “We will never put revenue above a customer or employee’s safety, and we strive to do the right thing even when no one is looking.”

While other companies may use scare tactics to sell services, at The Goat Plumbing Company, customers are given the power of choice and pricing is transparent.

“Our goal is to provide options, not ultimatums,” she commented. “There are no problems at The GOAT, only solutions.”

“We maintain honest and open communication from your ﬁrst phone call until your service is complete,” Heather added.

The GOAT Plumbing ofers full-service residential plumbing, including plumbing installation, drain cleaning, routine maintenance, excavation repairs and emergency services. Heather recommends that residents have a yearly plumbing inspection done to identify problems before they are emergencies.

She added that bad water quality is wide-

spread. “For those not conditioning their water, their plumbing system sufers major damage,” Heather said.

While The GOAT Plumbing Company may only be celebrating one year of business, Travis and Harrison, stepfather and stepson, both began plumbing at the age of 19 and ofer 38 years of combined plumbing experience.

“It’s the only career they’ve both ever known,” said wife and mom Heather, who serves as the company’s director of community afairs. “Each wanted a career that was recession-resistant.”

Being involved in the community they serve is important to the owners, and so the company is a member of Central Hillsborough County Chamber of Commerce, Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce, Commerce Connections and the Riverview Woman’s Club.

Aside from the memorable name, which stands for ‘Greatest of All Time,’ The GOAT Plumbing Company’s technicians show up in an unmistakable hot-pink van with the GOAT logo, donning hot-pink T-shirts to match.

The GOAT Plumbing Company is located at 4029 Crescent Park Dr. in Riverview. Its ofce hours are Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 813-859-5693, or visit the company website at www.thegoatplumbingcompany.com.

Come visit Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and experience the thrill of the Phoenix Rising roller coaster.

Te GOAT Plumbing Company team, engulfed in hot pink, can’t be missed.

TESSERA OF BRANDON IMPLEMENTS NEW ‘LEARN TO EARN’ DEMENTIA EDUCATION PROGRAM

With caregivers and family members working to support a loved one, a dementia diagnosis rarely afects the patient alone. That is why, on February 27, Tessera of Brandon unveiled its new ‘Learn to Earn’ Education Program.

The Learn to Earn Education Program is a series of virtual and in-person workshops that aim to equip assisted living residents and their families with information to better understand dementia. The only eligibility requirement for families is to have a relative who is currently a resident at Tessera of Brandon.

Paired with its memory care stations, Tessera of Brandon’s ‘Learn to Earn’ Education Program helps facilitate meaningful conversations between assisted living residents with dementia and their families.

“We’re always striving to … educate families and to make it possible for them to understand dementia more — what they can expect, better ways to communicate and then insight into how it feels to have dementia,” said Jill Andrew, Tessera of Brandon’s director of marketing. “…Then they can understand why our staf responds in certain ways and how they too can respond to make it a positive experience for everybody involved.”

To incentivize enrollment, Tessera of Brandon is currently ofering all participants the opportunity to earn credit toward a resident’s rent. Available until Friday, August 30, participants earn one credit for every meeting they attend, with the potential to accrue as many as three credits. So far, 23 families have successfully earned these three credits.

By Madeline Gardner

The program is currently centered around support group gatherings, which meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. and the fourth Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. These meetings offer virtual and in-person options.

Speakers often include caregivers from the local community, including individuals who have been referred by the Alzheimer’s Association and/or local churches. While these sessions provide an overview of the condition itself, caregivers are encouraged to speak on the challenges they currently face and how symptoms are approached.

While the program is currently temporary, Andrew hopes to transform the Learn to Earn Education Program into a permanent curriculum available year-round. As the program teaches friends and family how to aid and comfort their loved ones, Andrew noted that these meetings have altered how these attendees fundamentally connect with dementia patients.

“It’s turned sympathy — being sympathetic toward somebody — to having the empathy, which is much more productive,” said Andrew.

For more information about the Learn to Earn program and other opportunities ofered by Tessera of Brandon, call 813607-6880 or visit www.tesserabrandon. com. Tessera of Brandon is located at 1320 Oakﬁeld Dr. in Brandon.

APPRAISER BOB HENRIQUEZ REPORTS LOWEST INCREASE TO TAXABLE PROPERTY VALUES IN COUNTY IN MORE THAN A DECADE

Preliminary review of sales data by the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Ofce reveals a notable slowdown in the local real estate market, with taxable property values rising by just 7.14 percent this year. This represents the lowest rate of increase in Hillsborough County in more than a decade.

‘Taxable values’ are property values after exemptions and agricultural classiﬁcations are considered. From 2018 to 2022, taxable property values in Hillsborough County rose between 9.84 percent to 14.72 percent. In 2023, the increase was 12.31 percent.

Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez recently announced taxable property values rose by just 7.14 percent this year.

The 2024 Notice of Proposed Taxes will be mailed to all property owners in late August. County homeowners are encouraged to be vigilant in reviewing their notices.

“It’s important for property owners to carefully review their notices to ensure accuracy and understand how the changes in property values might afect their tax liabilities,” Henriquez advised. “I urge every homeowner to make sure that they are receiving all the property tax reductions aforded to them by state law, especially homestead exemption, which limits the annual increase in the assessed value of your primary residence to 3 percent.”

Homeowners can ﬁnd additional information about property tax exemptions at www. hcpafl.org/property-info/homestead-other-info.

Additionally, Henriquez said this year’s relatively modest increase in taxable values is signiﬁcant for local taxing authorities as they prepare their budgets for the upcoming ﬁscal year.

“The cooling of the local real estate market should be a key consideration for all taxing authorities in Hillsborough County,” Henriquez said.

“With a lower rate of increase in property values this year, proposed budgets based on prior projections may require adjustment.”

Considering these ﬁndings, Henriquez encourages local taxing authorities to adopt a prudent and watchful approach in their ﬁscal planning. He said the slower growth rate suggests a stabilizing market, which could impact revenue projections derived from property taxes.

“As the property appraiser, my ofce’s responsibility is to assess property values based on market trends, not to create tax revenue targets,” Henriquez said. “Given what we are seeing in the current economic landscape, it’s crucial for all stakeholders to adopt a cautionary stance regarding property valuation.”

The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s Ofce remains committed to providing transparent and accurate information to the public. For any questions or further assistance, property owners are encouraged to contact the ofce directly at 813-2726100 or at www.hcpaﬂ.org.

Sylvan Learning Centers Exceed Donation Goal

In honor of Sylvan Learning’s 45th year anniversary, Sylvan Learning Centers of Apollo Beach and Riverview pledged 45 backpacks and school supplies to ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization), a local nonproﬁt that bridges the gap between crisis and stability for neighbors living in the Brandon and Riverview areas, but the centers exceeded their goal and delivered 48.

The donation was a part of a larger event, Backpack Hero, with community nonproﬁts, agencies and businesses providing children from K-12th grade backpacks ﬁlled with school supplies and resources for parents.

Sylvan Learning Center of Apollo Beach is located at 7130 Big Bend Rd., Ste. 110 in Gibsonton, and the Sylvan Learning Riverview Center is located at 13444 Boyette Rd. in Riverview. Visit www.sylvanlearning.com for more location information

School Breakfast Is Free For All Students

Each school day, all Hillsborough County Public Schools students are reminded to take advantage of the district’s free school breakfast program offered to every student, regardless of their household income. The National School Breakfast Program continues to make it possible for all school children to receive a

free nutritious breakfast every school day. Breakfast options include fruit and yogurt parfaits, whole-grain breads and cereals and hot, fresh breakfast sandwiches. Every school breakfast served meets federal nutrition standards and is available before the ﬁrst bell rings.

Recycling And Waste Reduction Art Contest

The second annual Recycling and Waste Reduction Art Contest is on. The theme of the contest is ‘What Can We Do to Help the Community Reduce Waste, Reuse What We Have, and Recycle More?’

Students can submit a drawing using drawing tools, including digital programs such as Photoshop. They also can submit a collage using drawings, photographs or other materials. Students cannot use artiﬁcial intelligence (AI) programs. Other types of submissions will not be judged.

New Homeschool Co-op

The mission of Homeschoolers with Heart is to provide educational opportunities through classes, ﬁeld trips and give back to its community through group events. Homeschoolers with Heart serves Brandon, Valrico and the surrounding areas, with a portion of all class fees going to support the nonproﬁt organization Dancing for a Diference and to be used to fund group community projects. The co-op meets on Wednesdays at Dancing for a Diference, located at 1076 E. Brandon Blvd., Ste 109 in Brandon. For more information, email homeschoolerswithheart813@gmail.com or visit its Facebook page at Homeschoolers with Heart at D4D.

To enter, students must work alone, create original art, live in Hillsborough County and be entering fourth through 12th grade by the start of the 2024 school year.

Artwork can be submitted from now until Saturday, August 31. If you have questions, email the Hillsborough County Recycling Team at recycling@ hcﬂ.gov.

To learn more about the Recycling and Waste Reduction Art Contest and review complete entry and art rules, visit https://hcﬂ. gov/residents/property-owners-and-renters/trash-and-recycling/summer-recycling-art-contest.

Drama Kids Take 2 Performance Academy Opens Enrollment

Drama Kids International is excited to announce the opening of enrollment for its highly anticipated Drama Kids Take 2 Performance Academy program in Brandon. This fall, students from grades three through eight and nine through 12 will have the opportunity to participate in stage productions of Beauty and the Beast and Beauty and the Beast Jr. The Drama Kids Take 2 Performance Academy is designed to provide young actors with a comprehensive theatrical experience that also enhances their conﬁdence, creativity and teamwork abilities. Visit its website at https://dramakids.com/ ﬂ6/ or contact the o f ce at 813-4895899 for more information.

Tampa Dynamo FC Open For Registration

Come be a part of the largest program at Tampa Dynamo FC, now open for registration. Ofering locations in Riverview and Apollo Beach, Tampa Dynamo FC ofers three unique recreational programs designed for all ages and skill levels. The recreational soccer programs are designed to provide a fun, supportive and engaging environment where players can develop their skills, build conﬁdence and enjoy the thrill of this beautiful game. With a focus on teamwork, sportsmanship and personal growth, Tampa Dynamo FC offers a community where every player can thrive. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to reﬁne your skills, there’s a place for you on the pitch.

Creative Junk T erapy Student Art Show

Please visit www.tampadynamofc. com for more information.

Creative Junk Therapy is proud to host its ﬁrst student art show, which will be on display throughout the month of August. Creative Junk Therapy’s mission is to promote creativity, environmental awareness and community through reuse. It was created as a space for all people to ﬁnd and enjoy community through creativity and hosts a wide variety of classes for students of all ages, including watercolor painting, crocheting and paint pouring. Creative Junk Therapy is located at 772 W. Lumsden Rd. in Brandon. Visit its website at www.creativejunktherapy.org to learn more and see the upcoming classes available.

KIWANIS CLUB OF BRANDON HOSTS 23RD ANNUAL TERRIFIC KIDS GOLF TOURNAMENT AT BUCKHORN SPRINGS

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon will host its 23rd annual Terriﬁc Kids Golf Tournament on Thursday, October 17, at Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club. Registration starts at 11 a.m. and tee of starts at 12:30 p.m. A foursome team costs $600 and hole sponsorships are available for $150 each.

“Our friends at Cardinal Roofing will be helping with the ball drop with one of their lift trucks at 11:55 a.m.,” said tournament director and Kiwanis member Dustie Amatangelo. “The lucky winner will receive $500 for the first ball in the hole at the putting green outside the clubhouse. Ball drop tickets are $10; you can purchase on our website, golfwithkiwanis.org. We are looking to have a full field and a beautiful day playing golf. We will have rafe prizes, food on the course and drinks throughout the day.”

The Kiwanis’ goal for this year’s tournament is to net $15K in proﬁt.

“Our club supports so many programs in the Brandon/Riverview area that this revenue will allow us to do more in our community,” Amatangelo said. “We are still looking for sponsors and volunteers from the community and we still have many sponsorship levels available.”

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon was established in May 1960 and continues today to serve the Greater Brandon

By Libby Hopkins

community, especially its children.

“The Brandon Kiwanis club has been serving our community for 53 years now,” Amatangelo said. “Our focus is service through leadership with our local schools. We teach our students what it means to be good leaders and how to give back to the community.”

The Terriﬁc Kids Golf Tournament is the only fundraiser for the Kiwanis this year.

“It supports 20 Terriﬁc Kids programs at our local elementary schools in Brandon and six Key Club programs at local high schools as well,” Amatangelo said. “The Kiwanis Club supports books for children in preschool through a partnership with Goodwill. Kiwanis Kicks is our shoe program that provides shoes for children in need and feeding food-insecure children through a partnership with Mosaic. We operate on volunteers, no paid positions, just a passion to make the world a better place through our children. We all love what we do.”

Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club is located at 2721 S. Miller Rd. in Valrico. If you would like to be a sponsor for the Kiwanis’ upcoming golf tournament, you can contact Amatangelo at adustie15@ gmail.com or call her at 813-294-0645. If you would like to learn more about the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon, you can visit its website at https://brandonkiwanis.org/.

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH LAUNCHING NEW RIVERVIEW LOCATION

When Fellowship Church (originally named FishHawk Fellowship Church) launched in 1998, it knew that God had big plans for its ministry in the community and beyond. During the last 26 years, the church has grown to more than 2,000 attendees per week, and it continues to grow in ministry and outreach outside the FishHawk community.

Fellowship Church is launching a new location on Sunday, September 8, at 10 a.m. at Collins PK-8 School, located at 12424 Summerfeld Blvd. in Riverview. Te community is invited to the grand opening.

On Sunday, September 8, at 10 a.m., Fellowship Church will ofcially launch its newest location at Collins PK-8 School. The pastor at this location is Steve Miller, who has been part of church planting for more than 20 years.

“We’re thrilled beyond words. This is why we left our home in South Florida a year ago and joined this team — for the opportunity to reach even more people with the good news of Jesus by planting a second location,” said Miller. “We can’t wait to bring the best of what Fellowship Church ofers to Riverview. We’re excited to ofer live preaching that is Jesus-centered and geared for life change, dynamic, spirit-led worship, a life-changing community and opportunities for everyone to use their gifts and make an eternal diference.”

There are more than 100 adults as part of the launch team and the church is preparing for two to three times that amount at the grand opening.

Fellowship Church’s communication director, Robin Lagrama, explained that the church is united with both locations.

By Kelly Wise Valdes

“We will still be one church family uniting around the same beliefs, vision, mission and strategy, and being supported and strengthened by the same leadership, administration and processes that help us build the church,” said Lagrama. “Being in multiple locations also allows us to empower more people to serve and lead, while also being ﬂexible to build customized ministries for the needs of each speciﬁc location.”

Fellowship Church believes that opening locations in new communities is the best way to reach more people with the good news of Jesus.

“It was 26 years ago when people from Bell Shoals Church journeyed out to start a church in the neighborhood of FishHawk,” said Lagrama. “We are still beneﬁting from their step of faith. We want to do the same for others, believing God will use our faithfulness to reach people in other communities for generations to come.”

With so many families living and moving to Riverview, Fellowship Church is excited to not only host Sunday services but also to be a blessing to the community and a church where people can truly connect, build meaningful relationships and serve together to see the community ﬂourish.

For more information, visit https://fellowship.church/. Fellowship Church’s original location is 15326 FishHawk Blvd. in Lithia. The new location is at 12424 Summerﬁeld Blvd. in Riverview.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon will host its 23rd annual Terrifc Kids Golf Tournament on Tursday, October 17, at Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club in Valrico.

Blooming Bright Pediatrics

Brings Concierge-style Service To Te Community

Blooming Bright Pediatrics provides concierge-style, modern, in-home pediatric care focusing on physician-patient relationships and evidence-based medicine. Services include same-day and next-day appointments, well visits, sick visits, immunizations, sports physicals, prescription management, ADHD assessments and treatments, mental health concerns, ear piercing and more. You will have 24/7 access to your doctor via texts, phone calls and emails. Owner Dr. Jessica Chacko described Blooming Bright Pediatrics as “your local small-town doctors in our modern world.” To ﬁnd out more, visit its website at www. bloomingbrightpediatrics.com or call 813359-1561.

dures, such as implants, dentures, crowns, clear braces, etc. Visit its website at https:// dentistnorthbrandon.com/ or call 813-3154342 to ﬁnd out more information and to make an appointment.

LeHeal Biogenix Ofers Red Light

Terapy

Local High School Graduate

Opens

Alonso Family Dental

Dr. Jesse Alonso, a proud graduate of Durant High School, recently opened his dental practice, Alonso Family Dental, in the heart of Brandon at 915 N. Parsons Ave. and is accepting new patients of all ages. The practice was designed with the community in mind, ofering a wide range of dental services utilizing the latest in dental technology paired with a comfortable atmosphere where patients feel at ease. The services ofered include routine cleanings and exams as well as cosmetic and restorative proce-

LeHeal Biogenix is introducing the groundbreaking combination of red light therapy and grounding mats. Red light therapy is an FDA-approved treatment that utilizes speciﬁc wavelengths of light, similar to the way plants use sunlight for photosynthesis, to activate natural processes within the body. This therapy boosts energy levels, optimizes sleep, relieves minor pains and swelling, promotes hair growth, improves various skin conditions and helps balance mood, making it a versatile solution for a variety of health concerns.

LeHeal Biogenix is located at 1155 Nikki View Dr. in Brandon. Visit https://leheal. com/ to learn more.

Latitudes

Tours Receives Travelers’ Choice

Award

The Travelers’ Choice Award honors travelers’ favorite destinations, hotels, things to

do etc. based on the reviews collected on Tripadvisor over a 12-month period. Latitudes Tours has been awarded a Travelers’ Choice Award for the last six years. Latitudes Tours ofers a variety of eco-tours including a sunset cruise with optional dinner and kayak tours. A shuttle bus is also available and can take up to 15 passengers to popular destinations including Anna Maria Island beaches, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and shopping venues. Whatever you decide to do, Latitudes Tours is dedicated to providing guests with a memorable experience. Latitudes Tours is located at 580 Bahia Beach Blvd. in Ruskin. Visit its website at https://latitudestours.com/ to view tours and to make a reservation.

Cruise Planners Plans More Tan Cruises

Riverview residents Matthew Gordon and Marji Beam are the owners of Cruise Planners and your local vacation experts.

As travel advisors, they help individuals and groups plan and organize their trips, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable travel experience.

“We take care of everything from booking ﬂights and accommodations to creating personalized itineraries based on interests and preferences. Our goal is to save clients time and stress by handling all the details and providing expert advice,” said Gordon and Beam.

From solo sojourns to group getaways and budget bliss to luxury living, Cruise Planners can help make your dream vacation come true. Visit its website at www.ventureoutvacation.com. Call 717-856-2646 to speak with Gordon or call 727-455-4255 to speak with Beam.

Southshore Charter Academy Is Hiring Elementary Teachers

Southshore Charter Academy is hiring energetic individuals who love children and wish to make a powerful impact to mold lifelong learners. Teachers are needed in its elementary program. Southshore Charter Academy is a member of the Charter Schools USA family and is relentlessly committed to student greatness in school and life. It strives to unleash each student’s potential by building strong minds and good hearts, ensuring they develop lifelong, future-ready skills that will lead them to success as they pursue their dreams and aspirations. For more information about available positions, please call the school at 813-769-1209.

When an unexpected injury or illness happens, you can trust the pediatric emergency experts at AdventHealth for Children in Tampa. We’re ready to care for your child. And, with InQuickER, it’s easy to reserve a treatment time online — so you can wait in the comfort of home and arrive at a time convenient for you and your family.

EYE ON BUSINESS...CONTINUED

North Star Consulting Ofers Private College And Career Planning

North Star Consulting offers private, one-on-one college and career planning for students and adults. Founder Christina Sanchez Bonner, M.Ed., with more than 15 years of experience in this ﬁeld, created this company to service the needs of individuals searching for personalized support in college and/or career planning. Its services include academic advising, college admissions, funding education, resume letters, interview preparation and career consulting. North Star Consulting provides a nonjudgemental approach to assist its clients in ﬁnding the ideal path to reach their goals. Visit its website at www.northstarconsultings.com or call 813-315-5214 for additional information.

Maid Pure Cleaning Now Serving East County Residents

Compiled By Jenny Bennett

that enhances the quality of life for the families we serve,” said local resident and owner Dionne Cona.

The services o f ered include recurring cleaning, move-in and moveout cleaning, spring cleaning and one-time cleaning. Visit its website at https://maidpurecleaningservices.com/ or call 813670-2004.

Tat 1 Painter Tampa - Bradenton Brings Your Vision To Life

Locally woman owned business That 1 Painter Tampa - Bradenton is committed to providing exceptional services to homeowners and business. It specializes in delivering professional services, including interior and exterior paint, epoxy ﬂoors, cabinet reﬁnishing, popcorn ceiling removal, stucco repair and more, that exceed expectations.

Maid Pure Cleaning Services is a professional residential cleaning company dedicated to creating free time for busy people. Its team is composed of professionally trained, background-checked employees who are dedicated to delivering consistent and reliable cleaning services. It is licensed, bonded and insured, ensuring peace of mind for its clients.

“At Maid Pure Cleaning Services, we strive to provide a personalized and trustworthy cleaning experience

Let That 1 Painter Tampa - Bradenton bring your vision to life and transform your space into something extraordinary. Visit https://tampa-ﬂorida.that1painter. com/ or call 813-413-1684 for more details and to schedule a quote.

This year, for the ﬁrst time ever, Bloomingdale High School’s Rajun’ Bull Band and Newsome High School’s Wolfpack Marching Band will play together on the ﬁeld at the same time, as a combined unit. The performance will take place during the halftime show of the Bloomingdale-Newsome football game on Friday, August 23.

By Jane Owen

this in friendly competition and will use this event to bring both of our bands together,” Davis said.

“I believe that this friendly competition can bring the communities together to support a cause as great as music in our schools. What is a better way to bring communities together than music?” Fraze said.

The Rhythm Rally competition is a fundraising campaign that runs from August 1 to Saturday, August 31. The band that receives the most donations wins a trophy that will be presented by the opposing band’s band director and bragging rights for the year. The real winners, of course, are both band programs.

Newsome and Bloomingdale band directors John Davis and Jordan Fraze, respectively, hope that the competition will lead to more opportunities to join forces and create a tighter band community across the rivalry schools.

“Despite it being a rivalry, the real winners here are both bands. Not only because we both will hopefully meet or exceed our fundraising goals, but also because we are doing

Combined, the bands will have 265 students on the ﬁeld (150 Bloomingdale students and 115 Newsome students). They will join in formation and play a marching band stand tune called “Land of a Thousand Dances.” The students learn the song at the Gebhardt Leadership Clinic, sponsored by the Hillsborough County Secondary Music Council, every June. The traditional halftime drills (shows) will be presented after the football game.

Bloomingdale and Newsome bands would love the community’s support and participation in the Rhythm Rally competition. Donations go through a company called Pledge, which gives the programs 100 percent of the donations. Pledge takes all forms of electronic payment on the site supporters get directed to after texting to 707070.

To support the Bloomingdale Band, text BULLSRALLY to 707070.

To support the Newsome Band, text NEWSOMEBAND to 707070.

Contact Fraze at jordan.fraze@hcps.net or Davis at john.davis@hcps.net.

Michael Francis, Music Director

Christina Sanchez Bonner

For the frst time in history, the Bloomingdale and Newsome bands will perform together on Friday, August 23.

Jennifer Greene & Clint Fletcher Owners of Complete Ketamine Tampa

CASEY DESANTIS IS KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT ALL PRO PASTOR’S BREAKFAST

More than 600 attendees are expected to gather together for breakfast, prayer, worship and fellowship at All Pro Pastors’ annual Central Florida Leadership Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, September 25.

This special event is organized by All Pro Pastors, a nonproﬁt organization founded in 2003 to provide a platform for pastors to come together, support each other and ﬁnd accountability. This is the fourth annual Prayer Breakfast and originated in order to minister to the community, church, civic, government and business leaders, bringing an inspirational message of hope.

Terri Parke is the prayer coordinator for All Pro Pastors. “Attendees can expect good food, fellowship, encouragement, inspiration and prayer,” said Parke. “They will be truly blessed for attending. Attendees will also have the chance to hear the gospel, so it’s a great opportunity to invite friends and family to hear the gospel message.”

The keynote speaker this year is Florida’s ﬁrst lady Casey DeSantis, and she will be bringing a message of encouragement and hope. DeSantis has been traveling the state, sharing her testimony and inspiring others to get out in the community and spread hope.

Pastor Paul K. Blair will be the other

By Kelly Wise Valdes

guest speaker bringing a life-impacting message to the attendees. As a former NFL player and college football star, he knows what it takes to be a great leader.

Blair is currently a pastor in Oklahoma and founder of Liberty Pastors. His message will challenge and inspire everyone. Parke is excited about this year’s event.

“It is a coming together for the community,” said Parke. “We all need encouragement, support and get ‘our batteries recharged.’ I love knowing that people are being refreshed like a cool cup of water for the thirsty. You will leave the event ready to take on the world with a full stomach, a full heart and to walk boldly in your faith.”

The doors open at 6 a.m. and the event takes place from 6:30-9 a.m. Fred’s Market will provide a bufet-style breakfast. There are sponsorships available and tickets for purchase through the All Pro Pastors website. Sponsoring a table will help cover the event’s costs and have your organization/ church name recognized in the program.

The breakfast is being held at the Florida Strawberry Festival Charlie Grimes Family Agricultural Center at 2508 W. Oak Ave. in Plant City. Parking is free. For more information on attending and table sponsorship, visit https://allpropastors.org/.

JURY DUTY EXEMPTION FOR NEW MOTHERS GOES IN EFFECT

Serving on a jury that passes judgment on civil and criminal cases is one of the civic obligations that comes with living in Hillsborough County.

The process of jury selection is designed to place as small a burden as possible on people who receive an o f cial notice to show up to a courthouse for possible service, so exemptions are allowed, including a new family-friendly one for women who have recently given birth.

The new exemption states that a woman can be excused from jury duty if she has given birth within six months before the reporting date on the summons. It became state law July 1 after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 461, which was passed in this year’s legislative session.

The new law is the latest measure enacted to ensure mothers and families receive support from the courts when they fulﬁ ll their civic duty to serve on a jury. Last year, lawmakers approved Senate Bill 144, which requires county courthouses to provide appropriate, separate and private lactation rooms, and it became a law January 1.

Similar family-related situations that will be considered for exemption from jury duty include expectant mothers and

By Brad Stager

parents who are not working full-time and have custody of children younger than 6 years of age.

An excusal from jury duty can also be requested by residents ages 70 and older, full-time law enforcement o f cers, full-time students ages 18-21 and people caring for a person who can’t take care of themselves.

If you receive a jury summons and appear at the courthouse for service, Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Cindy Stuart said her sta f are there to help residents fulﬁ ll their civic duty.

“If you are chosen to serve as a juror, our ofﬁ ce assures you that it is committed to keeping you comfortable and well informed,” she said in a public announcement. “We strive to provide excellent customer service while you wait for your jury service.”

Jury candidates are selected from a pool made up of persons at least 18 years of age and who possess a Florida driver’s license or identiﬁ cation card. Jurors must be U.S. citizens and residents of the state and county of the court issuing a summons.

Complete information on excusals from jury duty can be found by visiting www.hillsclerk.com.

WATERFORD STABLES WELCOMES ALL FOR HORSE RIDING FUN

Lithia’s Waterford Stables teaches all those willing to learn the ins and outs of horsemanship. The stables ofer an array of training, lessons, boardings, camps and showings to adequately train horses and educate people in the community on horse care.

Waterford Stables opened in 2004 in Valrico but later switched to its current location in Lithia, where it has been for nine years. Waterford Stables prides itself on its caring, concerning and understanding techniques in providing horses with the training they need.

According to the Waterford Stables website, trainers are currently not accepting new training horses and are instead focusing on the horses at the stables. However, trainers normally ofer initial foal handling, yearling in-hand trails, yearling longe lines, breaking, tune-ups, show preparation and sale preparation.

Kate Waterford owns Waterford Stables and teaches all levels of horseback riding. Waterford is also the world champion trainer at Waterford Stables, and the horses are advertised to be sold through her.

Waterford Stables is known for its achievements in horse riding and its recent competition wins.

By Sara Kitchin

“We had one team member who won a national championship,” said Waterford. “We had one who earned reserve national champion in the YEDA Nationals show in McDonald, Tennessee.”

Waterford Stables ofers a horse day camp for all Hillsborough County school breaks. There campers learn horse care and riding skills through full sessions hosted by experienced trainers at Waterford Stables. Waterford Stables hosts camps this summer, but the current listed camps are full. However, the camps start in full swing in August with its lesson program in preparation for the competition season in October. Campers will learn how to feed and groom horses, take a formal riding lesson, ride bareback and learn facts about horses. The camp requires a $50 deposit and the submission of a release form.

In addition to horseback riding, Waterford Stables is the home of a doodle farm. Dogs are up for adoption and can be bought at the stables.

Waterford Stables is located at 1139 Pelote Cemetery Rd. in Lithia. For more information on camps, training or doodle adoption, visit https://h2oford.com/.

Kate Waterford holds numerous horseback riding achievements and hopes to educate the community on her passion.

Te sculpture ‘Veritas et Justitia,’ or ‘Truth and Justice,’ greets visitors to the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in Tampa.