16 minute read
CULINARY CRUISE
HUB INTERNATIONAL HELPS HOPE FOR HER WITH SPECIAL GRANT FROM WESTFIELD INSURANCE
Staf Report
The economic fallout from the events of the last two years continues to hit some segments of the population harder than others, including nonprofits. This spring, the Westfield Insurance Foundation joined together with HUB International to donate $6,500 to Hope for Her to help families or businesses stabilize or recover from disasters as part of the Legacy of Caring program. Each year, Westfield’s independent insurance agents are invited to nominate a local nonprofit in their community to receive a donation from the program.
The Westfield Insurance Foundation, an independent private foundation endowed by Westfield, awards the donation as an extension of the fundamental role that insurance plays every day in stabilizing families, businesses and communities in times of uncertainty.
This year, the Legacy of Caring program donated $625,000 to nonprofits across the country focused on helping underemployed families overcome barriers in education, finance, housing and jobs as well as recover from disasters.
“Our team at HUB International is always seeking out opportunities to volunteer and support our community,” said Mike Devereux, vice
president. “We are proud of and grateful for our collaboration with Westfield, which helps our agency make a more powerful impact on the communities where we live and work.” “We are Hope for Her recieving a $6,500 check so gratedonated by Westfeld Insurance Foun- ful for the dation and HUB International. generous sup - port of Hope for Her,” said Cheryl Hickman, executive director of Hope for Her. “The Legacy of Caring grant will have a direct impact on our mission to provide a safe place where women experiencing crisis or trauma find the strength, skills and support they need to rebuild their best lives and will help families and businesses realize short-term successes with long-lasting outcomes.” “Together with our agency partners, Westfield continues to build on the strong commitment to caring that the founders of our company imagined,” said Ed Largent, Westfield president, CEO, board chair and Westfield Insurance Foundation chairman. “We believe in the power of community, and we take immense pride in our ability to make meaningful contributions to better communities across the country. It’s a great feeling to link arms with our agents and make an impact.”
LOCAL CHEF KICKS OFF FIRST CULINARY CRUISE
By Libby Hopkins
Chef Dave West, the former owner of The Rolling Pin, has moved onto the next phase of his culinary journey in life; he is taking his culinary talents to the high seas. “I graduated French Culinary Institute and I’ve been a chef for 20 years,” West said. “After retiring from The Rolling Pin Kitchen Emporium in 2021, many friends, family and former customers urged me to continue with them in some sort of food edutain ment. One of our culinary assistants at The Rolling Pin is a travel agent, Anna Maria Gentiles. She helped put the thoughts into an actionable first trip.”
Chef Dave West’s Culinary Cruise on the Celebrity Apex is a seven-night cruise that will take place from April 1-8, 2023. Guests will be aboard the Celebrity Apex, a Celebrity Edge® Series ship which will depart from Fort Lauderdale.
The ports of call are Fort Lauderdale, Nassau, At Sea, Puerto Costa Maya, Cozumel, George Town, Grand Cayman, At Sea and Fort Lauderdale.
Accommodations include an infinite veranda starting at $2,000 per person, depending on category and cabin location. Also included are a classic beverage package, crew gratuities, Wi-Fi, taxes and port fees.
Current promotions will be applied and
discounts will be added at the time of booking. Early booking is encouraged to take advantage of the current lower rates. Ocean view category and single quotes are also available. A $250 per person, nonrefundable deposit is due to confirm booking. While on the cruise, guests will experience various culinary delights. “We have a number of activities planned so far for the April Chef Dave West’s Culinary Cruise on the Celebrity Apex is a 2023 cruise,” seven-night cruise that will take place from April 1-8, 2023. West said. “A private group welcome cocktail party, hors d’oeuvres with the ship captain and culinary leaders, a guided tour of the ships food production system, two separate food sessions with agendas and a guided tour of the bridge.” West hopes to create an amazing experience for all who attend the culinary cruise. “There is a quote by Kellems Dominik that says, ‘It’s intellectual and emotional travel, the imagination is just endless. A curated group of very interesting people who are all like-minded around food.’ I think this sums up the experiences we hope to create.” If you are interested in booking Chef Dave West’s Culinary Cruise, you can contact local travel agent Anna Maria Gentile of Cruise Planners at 914-325-9399 or via email at annamaria.gentile@cruiseplanners.com.
LOCAL MOM AND DAUGHTER AIM TO END PERIOD INSECURITY WITH HELP FROM COMMUNITY SUPPORT
By Ella Martin
Did you know that 49 percent of middle school through high school-aged girls will at some point miss an entire day of school due to their period? Well, a local FishHawk resident and her daughter, Meghan and Kaylin Armstrong, have been working hard to lower this percentage. Last year, the Armstrong family decided to start a service project that helps get menstrual products to girls who need them in a discreet way. The inspiration and motivation for creating this project came from the experience Kaylin had in which she started her period at a young age and only had access to menstrual products through her parents, as none were provided to her at school.
In 2021, Kaylin starred in a short film titled Code Red by director Jada Poon that depicted the lack of access to menstrual products in schools. In the film, a young girl gets her period and must skip class and go on an ‘adventure’ to find menstrual products. However, when a boy goes to the nurse to get a Band-Aid, he is easily able to get one, while the girl struggles and isn’t able to receive any menstrual products.
The film as well as Kaylin’s experience led to the Armstrong family wanting to create a way for girls to have menstrual products readily available in their schools.
For young girls, getting their period can be a confusing time due to a lack of education, having irregular cycles and not having access to menstrual products at school or, in some cases, even at home. Within the first year of starting their project, the Armstrongs were able to create 300 pouches Kaylin Armstrong with menstrual products filled with menstruand pouches that were distributed to the clin- al products and disics at local elementary and middle schools. tributed them to the clinics at local elementary and middle schools. Teachers also took the time to educate the girls about their bodies and cycles. The pouches create a more comfortable and discreet way to bring menstrual products to the bathroom. This year, the Armstrongs are working to decrease ‘period poverty’ at high-need schools in the Tampa area. Period poverty is when a girl doesn’t have any menstrual supplies because their family can’t aford them, which in turn causes many girls in these areas to miss school or even use toilet paper or tissues as menstrual products. The Armstrongs hope that with their program, less girls will miss school because they will be able to easily access menstrual products when needed. To help with their goal, the Armstrongs are currently looking for product donations which can be purchased from their Amazon Wish List at https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/33QCBIVOC1L1J.
Staf Report
All eyes gazed upward as the highest beam topped the newest building around, marking a construction milestone for the future South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City, just north of I-4.
That steel beam was covered in messages from more than 100 supporters — including elected ofcials, business leaders, construction workers and hospital team members — who signed before the ceremonial topping out.
“We’re very grateful for the continued support of our community as we build this location to replace our original hospital (301 N. Alexander St.),” said Karen Kerr, hospital president. “We know it means a lot to the people of Plant City.”
Ralph Garcia, chairman of the hospital’s board of trustees, noted the progress made since October’s groundbreaking.
“I learned a lot about what this hospital means to the community,” he said. “I’ve had a chance to round with Karen and meet the team. I look at this hospital as another great tool that you can give to this team to help them care for this wonderful community and its surrounding areas.”
The 420,000-square-foot hospital, located of Exit 22 of I-4, east of the East Sam Allen and N. Park Roads intersection, will be 6 floors tall with two 6-story towers. All 146 rooms will be private. The campus includes a medical ofce building for convenient access to physicians as well as services
South Florida Baptist Hospital team member such as rehabilHeather Coates signs the beam that topped the itation, imaging newest building around, marking a construction and wound care. milestone for the future South Florida Baptist The $326 milHospital in Plant City. lion hospital is projected to open by early 2024. Long-time board member Dub McGinnes reflected on the hospital’s history: “We are so proud of our leadership and team members. We have a great history here — it’s been 70 years since the first one was built — but it has even a brighter future.” Barton Malow project executive Matt Wood said their involvement with the hospital fulfills the company’s mission. “Our team charter says it will provide extraordinary health care services for Plant City and surrounding areas for generations to come,” Wood said. “It’s very fulfilling to be working on a project with a noble purpose.” South Florida Baptist is a founding member of BayCare Health System, which was formed more than 25 years ago to continue providing not-for-profit health care to the Tampa Bay community with a mission to provide high-quality compassionate care to all it serves. For more information, visit https:// baycare.org/.
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‘CONTINUE THE MISSION’ OFFERS NEW PURPOSE FOR VETERANS, MILITARY SPOUSES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
By Linda Chion
Recruitment is underway for veterans, military spouses and former law enforcement ofcers to ‘Continue the Mission’ through career and mentorship opportunities aimed toward protecting children.
State agencies, working with local veteran organizations and community groups, among others, are set to fill flexible career openings and mentorship opportunities in the child and family well-being system.
Joe Eletto, a veteran and chair of the Military Afairs Committee at the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, is a fan of the initiative.
“I believe a lot of veterans would be inclined to get involved,” Eletto said. “It gives the veterans some self-confidence in their purpose, and it addresses a great need in the community: helping children. It’s a double benefit.”
With recruitment events set to spread from Tallahassee through central Florida and beyond, the Continue the Mission initiative aims to fill positions for child protective investigators and mentors for children in need, as well as for mentors to work with new case managers and investigators with the Florida Department of Children and Families (FDCF).
Launched as of June 22, Florida First
Lady Casey DeSantis heaped praise on the initiative, led by the FDCF in collaboration with the Florida Department of Veterans Afairs. “We are not only helping children across the state but also helping veterans and retired law enforcement with their ‘Continue the Mission’ launches in Pensacola on June 22, with First Lady Casey DeSantis at the podium to praise the mental and emotional well-being, who may feel as though statewide efort. they’ve lost their purpose once they’ve left active duty or have retired,” DeSantis said. Eletto issued a similar sentiment, seeing in Continue the Mission a greater purpose for addressing the mental health of veterans, “because when you start helping others, you help yourself.” Given the young age of many retiring veterans, Eletto said, the initiative is spoton in its eforts to provide civilian job opportunities for veterans, along with military spouses and retired law enforcement ofcers. “If you do 20 years in the service and you retire at age 38, you’re going to want to work,” Eletto said. “A lot of these veterans want to contribute to the community they live, and especially so when you’re dealing with children and their future.” For more information, visit www.myflfamilies.com/continuethemission.
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WALT RAYSICK ‘HUMBLED’ TO RECEIVE BRANDON’S 2021 KEY CITIZEN AWARD
By Linda Chion
Walt Raysick said he was “honored and humbled” to have received the 2021 Key Citizen Award, which was presented in July.
Since its inception in 1977, the award has been given annually to a citizen for “unselfishly” contributing “time and efort for the betterment of the Brandon community rather than for personal gain.”
The involvement must be consistent over a period of at least five years and in a number of well-rounded activities, with an emphasis on the immediate past year, according to Betty Jo Tompkins, who, as executive director of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, helped establish the award in 1977 with the chamber’s then-chairman of the board, Julian Craft.
“This was not to be an award for volunteer work with the chamber, we made that very clear,” said Tompkins, who has worked 18 years at the chamber. “The award is for people in the Greater Brandon area who have been extremely involved in a wide spectrum of activities, with each year’s winner selected by the previous winners.”
This year, the award, traditionally bestowed at the chamber’s annual dinner in January, was announced on July 21 at the Chamber Member Awards dinner at The Regent in Riverview.
Raysick said he was invited to the dinner under the pretense of speaking with Dave Braun about master plans and expansions for the Hillsborough County Veterans Memorial Park and Rear Admiral Leroy Collins
Jr. Museum in Tampa. Braun, who was named Key Citizen in 2018, volunteers many hours to the efort along with Raysick, who ended up missing the July 21 dinner. “I called Dave to tell him I couldn’t make the dinner because of a medical emergency, Photo by Linda Chion. which is when he told
Walt Raysick, recipient of the 2021 me about the award I Key Citizen Award, marching in full uniform at the 2009 Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade. was about to receive,” Raysick said. “I felt very humbled, and apologized profusely, and for sure I would have wanted to be there in person to collect the award.” Retired 30 years ago as a master chief petty ofcer from the U.S. Navy, Raysick said he served in Vietnam in 1969-70 and was assigned two tours of duty with the U.S. Marines through the Fleet Marine Force. “It was for a sense of duty and pride,” Raysick said about his commitment to military service. “I always wanted to give back, and all my uncles on my mother’s side were World War II veterans.” Upon moving to Brandon in 2004, Raysick said he “immediately got involved with programs and patriotic events,” noting his involvement that includes volunteerism with the Greater Brandon Fourth of July Parade, Hillsborough County Veterans Council, AMVETS Post 44, American Legion Post 148, Marine Corps League Detachment 1226, Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay and both the Brandon Chamber’s Military Afairs Council and the Riverview Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee.
KAT MAHONEY AND HER DAUGHTER V AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATE NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK
By Kathy L. Collins
Brandon residents Kat Mahoney and her daughter, V (pen name Voidstarz), have published a book titled Astrid & The Case of the Missing Cupcake. This book is a part of a new series of children’s books.
Astrid & The Case of the Missing Cupcake is about Astrid, a 7-yearold Filipino girl with a love for cosplay, video games, baking and solving mysteries. Astrid also has a wild imagination that tends to get away from her and sometimes gets her into sticky situations. But this time, Astrid literally has a sticky situation, as there is a missing cupcake. This mystery needs to be solved quickly so it does not ruin someone’s day.
Mahoney is the author and V provides the amazing illustrations.
Astrid was inspired by the author and based on the life of the book’s digital artist and Mahoney’s daughter. V is a high-functioning autistic young adult who was severely bullied in high school and struggles with autism and an anxiety disorder. Her journey with cosplay, video games and artworks was the coping she needed to help both the mother and daughter through difcult times.
Mahoney said, “V has autism, so she has always struggled with communi-
cation, anxiety, social phobia and the ability to fit in with her peers. She was bullied extensively in high school and cosplay allowed her to reach out to fans with similar interests. She found many kids her age and younger struggled with the same issues and found cosplay a very comforting place.” Mahoney added, “V Mother and daughter Kat Mahoney and V has been into cosplay have authored and illustrated an exciting since she was in kinnew children’s book called Astrid & Te dergarten, as mom is Case of the Missing Cupcake. a content creator, video game influencer and cosplayer, so she was raised around the industry.” In addition to a series of Astrid books, the duo is working on a web cartoon series. All of the books revolve around gamification or what is also known as educational entertainment, such as cosplay, video games, board games and STEAM. Each series will focus on a diferent aspect within that industry as well as put some focus on autism and how these interests can positively benefit mental health. Mahoney said, “Our mission is to provide an insider look for parents and educators to understand how geek interests such as cosplay, video games and the like can lead to extensive careers as well as positive mental health.” The book can be purchased at www. astridbooks.com.
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8/31/2022
