Osprey Observer Riverview/Apollo Beach January 2023

YEAR IN

HONORARY MAYOR’S RACE RETURNS TO COMMUNITY FOR 2023 AS A WOMAN’S CLUB EVENT

Candidates for the annual race for honorary mayor of Riverview will be under the auspices of the Riverview Woman’s Club, whose members have agreed to organize the event after the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce stepped aside.

The deadline to apply to run is Sunday, January 15, with fundraising set to begin Wednesday, February 1. The race concludes at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 1. Results will be announced on Thursday, March 2. As is the tradition, the race is won by the candidate who raises the most money for charity through fundraising events that promote community spirit and nonprofit mission awareness.

“We’re really excited about keeping that tradition going and to benefit local charities,” said Jill Jofko, president of the Riverview Woman’s Club, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and now accepts men into the club as well.

Club co-founder Donna Fore said that to avoid any perceived conflicts of interest, no one in the woman’s club is going to be running for honorary mayor and the club itself will not be a benefiting charity.

By Linda Chion

A small percentage of proceeds will help ofset administrative expenses, Jofko said.

Wanting to get more involved in community life, Jofko said she joined the club in 2018. “I wanted to get involved in club leadership because I wanted to see the club grow,” Jofko said, noting an uptick in membership as the pandemic eases.

To be eligible to run for the honorary mayor’s race, a candidate must live, work or volunteer in the Greater Riverview area and be at least 21 years of age. Designated charities must be federal 501(c) (3) tax-exempt nonprofits and have one of three designated ties to Riverview: They must have an ofce in Riverview, documented service to the Riverview community or membership drawn primarily from Riverview residents. Each candidate can designate no more than three benefiting charities.

For more on the club and its high school senior scholarship program and mayor’s race, visit www.riverviewwomansclub. org. The club meets on the third Wednesday of the month and was set to convene at the Riverview Tap House at 10656 New East Bay Rd. in Gibsonton.

PEPIN

RACER

Pepin Academies hosted a drag racer to speak with its auto-shop students at the beginning of December 2022 after Pepin purchased a trailer from Right Trailers Inc.

Pepin Academies had given automotive technology teacher Steve Conti a grant to purchase a detailing trailer for his students to use when working on car detailing. After delivering the trailer, Right Trailers ofered to have drag racer and Right Trailers president Michael Scott come out with his drag racing car and a junior dragster.

“He put on a great show. The students were all engaged for two and a half hours. We set up a detail area and showed the use of the trailer,” said Conti.

Scott visited the Riverview location to teach 40 students from the Riverview and Tampa campuses how to drag race and detail drag racing cars specifically. During the presentation, Scott and his son and daughter engaged students by asking questions, showing them parts and techniques and allowing the students to showcase the skills they were building in the new detailing trailer.

Pepin Academies’ career and technical education programs teach students about cars, repairing, detailing and maintenance, among other skills that will allow them to pursue a career in automotive services. The new trailer will give students more opportunities to have hands-on experience with car detailing and allow them to gain detailing

By Lily Belcher

certifications before they enter the workforce. Pepin Academies is currently working to have its students certified in automotive service excellence as well.

Right Trailers also interviewed six students from the program to assess what they are learning and to build morale and confidence.

“The Pepin Academy has been a great place to let us bring all this into also,” said Conti. “I’m really grateful for the faculty, students and parents that I have to work with.”

With the help of Pepin Academies, Conti has built a network of industry contacts that he passes onto his students to help them get job opportunities in the field.

In addition to the automotive program, Pepin Academies has a growing welding program and strong relationship with Universal Technical Institute to help students receive post-secondary training.

For more information on Pepin Academies’ programs, please visit its website at www.pepinacademies.com.

Congratulations to Our Favorite Tings Sweepstakes Grand Prize winner Courtney Cook, Early Bird winners include Carol Poole with the Express Oil

Engineers Riverview, Linda Greenfeld with the McAuley Fine Jewelry Blue Topaz necklace and Jennifer Hydock with True Lies Fishing Charter.

sponsoring businesses

Photo courtesy of Linda Chion.

Riverview Woman’s Club President Jill Jofko (left) with Donna Fore, who co-founded the club in 2012 with Jeanne Burkeson.

Right Trailers president and drag racer brought his car to Pepin Academies for a presentation.

Students got to showcase their detailing skills in the new trailer purchased from Right Trailers.

Forty students from Pepin Academies were visited by a drag racer in December 2022.

YOUR PIE OF BRANDON HELPS A LOCAL LITTLE GIRL CELEBRATE A MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT

Selah Feely of Riverview is like most kids because she loves pizza. She especially loves Your Pie of Brandon’s pizza, and why wouldn’t she love it?

Your Pie has won the Brandon Community award and the franchise’s Customer Relationship award.

It’s the customer service, relationship building and of course the pizza that brought the Feely family to Your Pie.

Selah celebrated her bell ringing after party at Your Pie this past November. Selah has been battling a bilateral Wilms tumor since she was 4 years old. “My family — Selah; Asher; her brother, John; her dad; and myself — live in Riverview, about 15 minutes from Your Pie,” said Selah’s mom, Christina. “We live on a little farm with a horse, a donkey, a pig and chickens. Selah’s cancer journey started in 2019. At 4 years old, she was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms tumor, a pediatric kidney cancer. She had several tumors taking over both her kidneys and a small lesion on her lung. We immediately began chemotherapy treatment here in Florida at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. After 12 weeks of chemo, we traveled to St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee for surgery to remove the tumors. The surgery was a success, sparing 75 percent of her right kidney and 85 percent of her left kidney.”

The family returned home, and Selah completed 12 more weeks of chemothera-

By Libby Hopkins

py. “She rang the bell in April of 2020. Almost two years later, March 2022, during one of her routine scans, it was discovered that a new tumor was growing in her left kidney,” Christina said. “We were devastated. We traveled to St. Jude again, where it was confirmed with another CT scan that the cancer had in fact returned. She had immediate surgery to remove the new tumor and then traveled back home to begin chemotherapy treatment again. After 28 weeks of treatment, Selah rang the bell again on November 17, just in time for Thanksgiving — so much to be grateful for.”

Since Your Pie is Selah’s favorite place to eat, she wanted to have her bell-ringing after-party at the restaurant. “We were so delighted to host a very special party for a very special little girl, Selah, who has beaten cancer twice,” said Your Pie co-owner Theresa Smith.

The Feely family loves Your Pie for a number of reasons. “The food is delicious,” Christina said. “The people that work there are so kind and fun to be around, and the kids love the dough that they get to play with when they make their pizza. It’s the little things. Being able to have her bell-ringing after-party at Your Pie was great. It’s such a great space to accommodate large groups, and the space is so kid friendly..”

Visit her Facebook page at www.facebook. com/profile.php?id=100063151933119.

JIM MECSKO RECEIVES HERO OF SERVICE AWARD FROM SENIORS IN SERVICE TAMPA BAY

Jim Mecsko, a longtime volunteer with Our Lady’s Pantry, recently received a Hero of Service award from Seniors in Service (SIS), an organization whose mission is to provide solutions to community challenges by engaging seniors 55plus.

“Jim has been a dedicated volunteer at Our Lady Pantry for more than seven years,” said pantry director Tom Bullaro. “He initially volunteered at the pantry helping to stock shelves and pack boxes and since then has become instrumental in pantry operations. After about a year, Jim had the bright idea to set up a computer program for registering clients. That program has received accolades from Feeding Tampa Bay.”

“I noticed Anita [Bullaro] shufing multiple copies of paper as clients gave their names,” Mecsko said. “She told me it was no longer enough to give food to the hungry. We needed to keep all kinds of records for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and even more for Feeding Tampa Bay, our regional food bank. All of these agencies require assorted information to ensure the safety of food distributed to our clients. We also had to document how many persons were receiving this food.”

“I thought to myself, why can’t this information be computerized?” said Mecsko. With a background in electronics and

computer programming, he had the skill set to make the changes he visualized. Mecsko served as the test engineer on the sonar section in the front of the Mark 48 torpedo for the U.S. Navy at Gould Oceans Systems. He also served as a gaming commissions ofcer writing inventory software for the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa. It was the perfect background to bring Our Lady’s Pantry fully into the 21st century.

Using various computer tools, Mecsko can identify how many clients come to the pantry, whether these individuals live alone and if their households have children. He can also identify veterans among the clients.

“I used to spend hours every night going through new papers, taking out old, making copies for our two groups,” Anita explained. Now Mecsko is able to track it all through the computer program he designed.

“I like to help others, if I see a need,” Mecsko said. “After I retired, I was looking for a sense of purpose, which is why I came to the pantry.”

According to Robin Ingles, CEO of Seniors in Service, the Hero of Service award was given to Mecsko for his outstanding service and dedication to his community, and his commitment to Seniors in Service.

“We thank you for the extraordinary service and accomplishments,” said Ingles.

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Selah Feely (center) celebrated her bell-ringing after-party at Your Pie of Brandon this past November. Selah has been battling pediatric kidney cancer since she was 4 years old.

HEWETT EARNS EAGLE SCOUT RANK WITH PICNIC TABLE PROJECT Staf Report

Hannah Hewett, a 15-year-old student at Riverview High School, has participated in Boy Scout troops led by her parents from the time she was in first grade. She was actively involved in Scouts with her brothers but was not ofcially awarded any rank because Boy Scouts of America was closed to girls at that time.

On February 1, 2019, the Boy Scouts of America, now known as Scouts BSA, opened its Scouting program to girls of all ages and Hannah was one of the first girls across the nation to ofcially join Cub Scouts. Hannah achieved the rank of Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts and crossed over to the first all-girl Troop 483. Three years later, Hannah achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and celebrated this honor on January 7 at her Eagle Scout Court of Honor held at Redeemer Church.

Hannah is the second girl in her troop to become an Eagle Scout, the highest achievement attainable in the Scouts BSA program. She is preceded by her older sister, Alexis Hewett. Only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank since the program’s inception in 1911.

Hannah’s project was to acquire materials for a dozen picnic tables and lead two teams to build the tables for her church for outdoor events and meetings the Redeemer Church holds on campus. “Hannah’s Eagle project was a request from her church. The church is so appreciative of the picnic tables that were built on their campus for special

events and recognize the hard work, leadership and project management skills that go into Eagle projects like Hannah’s for their benefit and enjoyment,” said her mother, Julie Hewett.

The troop’s local 501(c)(3) charter organization, the Family and Youth Research and Education (FYRE) Foundation, fortifies families by providing training, resources and education through programs like Scouts BSA. More information can be found at www.fyrefoundation. org.

In addition to her culminating project, Hannah has completed numerous campouts, hikes and skills and leadership training, including completing her basic scuba certification. She graduated from the National Youth Leadership Training course, a demanding and exciting program designed to provide youth members with experience and leadership skills.

Besides Scouting, Hannah’s ambition is reflected at her school and in her community as well. She is an A/B honor roll student; a member of the Riverview High School choir, including the Victorian Christmas Choir and Sugar and Spice female barbershop quartet; and an active leader in her church youth group and member of her church choir. Hannah is also certified in American Red Cross CPR, first aid and AED. Plus, Hannah loves singing, musical theater and mathematics.

Hannah desires to attend college at Texas A&M University and plans to study mathematics and continue singing.

WORLD-FAMOUS PERFORMERS HEADLINING THE 2023 STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

This spring marks the 88th annual Florida Strawberry Festival, which takes place for 11 days beginning from Thursday, March 2 through Sunday, March 12. This anticipated annual event has become one of the best festivals in the nation, ranks among the Top 40 Fairs in North America and is visited by more than 500,000 guests each year. It’s not only known for its strawberry shortcakes, carnival games, livestock shows, food vendors and thrilling midway rides, but it has also become recognized for hosting world-famous headline entertainment.

According to Lee Bakst, assistant general manager of the Florida Strawberry Festival, there are more than 24 artists performing on the Strawberry Festival stage this year. “We have a variety of acts and feel like we have touched all music genres,” said Bakst. According to past numbers, Bakst expects approximately 100,000 concertgoers in attendance over the course of the 11-day festival.

As in years past, The Oak Ridge Boys kick-of the festival with their afternoon performance from their Front Porch Singin’ Tour. In 2018, The Oak Ridge Boys were the first performers to christen the Strawberry Festival’s new $5.5 million amphitheater.

Some of the most anticipated shows include award-winning, Grammy-nominated

By Kelly Wise Valdes

country star Walker Hayes on March 2; country legend Willie Nelson and Family as well as the band Halestorm on Friday, March 3; award-winning country singer Sara Evans and the multitalented Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges on Saturday, March 4; and The Gatlin Brothers and Chris Young on Sunday, March 5. Monday, March 6 includes two performers: Neal McCoy and Josh Turner. Country idol Tanya Tucker is performing on stage on Wednesday, March 8; also performing on March 8 are The Jacksons, the legendary brothers of popstar Michael Jackson — Jackie, Tito, Jermain and Marlon. Rounding out the rest of the week is Las Vegas icon Wayne Newton, Train, Sawyer Brown, and the Isley Brothers. The festival ends with the Southern rock iconic band and native Floridians Lynyrd Skynyrd with lead singer Johnny Van Zant.

In addition, two major Christian artists will be performing at this year’s festival: For King & Country and CeCe Winans. For King & Country will be performing on Thursday, March 9. CeCe Winans is scheduled to perform on Tuesday, March 7.

For concert dates, times to purchase tickets and a full list of entertainers, visit www.flstrawberryfestival.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Amscot Main Ticket Ofce, located at 2209 W. Oak Ave. in Plant City, or by calling 813-754-1996.

Hannah Hewett giving a brief rundown to the crew helping her with her Eagle Scout project.

More than 24 world-famous singers will perform at the 2023 Strawberry Festival.

Think track if you decide to purchase the insanely quick BMW4 Competition. Then, you may consider the expressway too. That’s right, this high-performance sport coupe is road and track worthy. And with a huge horsepower boost in 2022, the Bimmer is super-fast: 0 to 60 in 3.4seconds with top speed of 155 mph.

A 3.0-liter twin-power turbo inline-six cylinder gas engine blasts of 503 hp (up by 59 from its predecessor) at 6,250 rpm and 479 pounds-feet (increase of 73) of torque at 5,500 rpm. It is mated to a standard and flawless eight-speed auto gearbox, which is even more fun with moves via the steering paddle shifters. The standard adaptive M suspension is specially tuned to enhance nimbleness and poise when pushing pedal to the metal. Performance-orientated 4WD and 4WD Sport and a pure 2WD mode make for a fun driving feel. Active M Diferential distributes drive torque evenly to the rear axle for more control and stability. You can personalize settings for engine, transmission, steering, suspension and brake as per your taste, style and liking. And the M Servotronic electric power steering with variable sport has a solid and communicative feel, keeping the M4 straight and watchful at sharp turns and curves.

OK, so the immense and vertically prominent kidney grille with mesh air intakes conveys a love-it-or-hate-it moment. But once you are agreed upon the front looks either way, there is only love — and more love — for this incredibly energetic ride. The 2022

M4 gets a boost in length by 4.6, wheelbase by 1.8, width by 0.7 and height by 0.4 inches. Slim L-shaped LED headlights flank the deep and frameless grille while the carbon-fiber roof, M sport brakes and emblem on the side skirts are sure to grab any bystander’s attention. As soon as we stepped into the airy and well-appointed cabin, our eyes fell on the massive 12.3inch digital instrument display and the 10.25inch infotainment touch screen. Further adding to the rich ambiance were touches of aluminum tetragon trim and anthracite headliner.

Red accents for the M buttons on the solid-leather steering wheel and gear selector are a standout too. Other niceties include multizone auto AC; heated Merino-leather power front seats with M logo on the backrest; and a 40/20/40 rear seat.

Dual front and side airbags as well as front knee and side curtain airbags are standard, along with dynamic stability and traction control, four-wheel antilock brakes, electronic brake distribution, rearview camera, front/rear park distance control, active braking assist (lane departure warning, blind-spot monitor/detect, rear-cross trafc alert, city collision mitigation), forward collision warning, daytime running lights and tire pressure monitor.

SURE, PIRATES ARE FUN, BUT HAVE YOU GONE HIKING WITH A VIKING?

Staf Report

The Hiking with a Viking event that had been held on December 10, 2022 reached capacity almost as soon as it was announced, and the other Viking hikes are expected to fill up quickly as well. Registration is underway for the January 14 event at Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park; registration has not yet been opened for the February 4 or March 4 events.

COMMUNITY INPUT NEEDED FOR HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS BOUNDARY ANALYSIS

By Superintendent Addison Davis

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS)

Colorfully dressed robbers with parrots on their shoulders descend on Hillsborough County every year, but Gasparilla isn’t the only entertainment option featuring invaders from the sea.

Hillsborough County’s Hiking with a Viking features park rangers and members of a volunteer historical reenactment group focusing on the Viking era. Together, the rangers and costumed marauders lead hikers through a Hillsborough County conservation park. On the journey, the Viking guides will teach hikers about the Vikings’ lifestyle, skills, crafts, weapons, combat and their appreciation of and dependence on nature.

The county and Wyrd Vikings Inc. are o f ering the following Hiking with a Viking events, all from 9-11:30 a.m.:

• Saturday, January 14: Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park, located at 8001 Double Branch Rd. in Tampa.

• Saturday, February 4: Edward Medard Conservation Park, located at 6140 Turkey Creek Rd. in Plant City.

• Saturday, March 4: Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park, located at 8001 Double Branch Rd. in Tampa.

The January 14 Hiking with a Viking event will cost $5 per person (pay during registration). To register, you will need to login with an account to purchase tickets. There is a $2 park entry fee per vehicle for up to eight people (paid at the park). Participants should meet at the Nature Center. You are required to bring closed-toe shoes, and it’s recommended to have water in a refillable container, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen and bug spray.

To register for the January 14 event, please visit www.hillsboroughcounty. org/en/calendar/03-parksandrec/2023/ celm/20230114-hiking-with-a-viking.

Hiking with a Viking is held in conjunction with Hillsborough County’s Hiking Spree. The Hiking Spree encourages people to exercise, explore the outdoors, and experience nature through the county’s parks and preserves. This year’s trail list features 24 parks throughout the county. Register for the Hiking Spree and complete at least eight of the hikes on the list before Friday, March 31, to earn a patch or medallion.

has achieved an impressive financial turnaround over the past three years, transitioning from a $150 million operational budget shortfall to a surplus for the first time in over a decade. This tremendous feat was reached through strategic fiscal initiatives with a focus on maximizing every educational dollar for our children.

As superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools, it is my job to ensure this district remains on sound financial footing in order to protect our collective future. It is for this reason that HCPS is undergoing a thorough boundary analysis to examine how to best utilize our buildings as good stewards of your tax dollars. This will focus on both underutilized and overutilized schools to address population shifts to better balance student enrollment throughout the county. When our schools are filled at the proper levels, they are more e f cient and create an annual cost savings. This is a bold but much-needed move for our district, which has never embarked on a boundary analysis of this magnitude.

While no final decisions have been made, this project may have several implications for between 6 and 14 percent of our families. Depending on your address, your student may be assigned to a di f erent school next year. There are also

a dozen under-enrolled schools that may be repurposed to turn into anything from a new magnet school to additional o f ces for sta f The most important part of this analysis is receiving feedback from our stakeholders. To have your voice heard, visit www. hcps-boundary.org to view each scenario and the potential impacts it could have on your student. There is also an opportunity within that web tool to leave your thoughts and comments that board members will have the opportunity to consider when voting in February.

Each scenario will save our district millions of dollars over the course of the next few years. The more aggressively we address these pressing issues, the more financial benefits we will realize. While change can be di f cult, this boundary analysis will place us in a more solid financial stature as we continually work to gain our community’s trust as a good financial steward of our tax dollars.

It is also important to note that no jobs will be lost in any of the possible adjustments. Your feedback is critical as we identify the best way forward for our learners, and we encourage families to visit the web tool or one of our 10 in-person meetings this month. We are confident this analysis will enhance the educational experience for all learners.

Get ready for Hiking with a Viking, wherein hikers will be led by rangers and costumed marauders through a Hillsborough County conservation park and get to learn about the Vikings’ lifestyle.

RESTORATION & PURPOSE OUTREACH

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY

Dr. Tracy Spencer-Sandolph is the founder of Restoration & Purpose Community Outreach Inc., located in Brandon.

This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was established to reach people throughout the Brandon and FishHawk area to provide resources to individuals and families as well as build strong relationships among the community.

Dr. Spencer-Sandolph holds a Ph.D. in human services, with a specialization in nonprofit management and leadership. She is a retired sergeant major that served in the United States Army for 32 years. In addition, she served as an Army sexual assault response coordinator and victim advocate. She is a motivational speaker and a victim-advocate trainer, as she is also a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault. In the spring of 2022, KNOW magazine featured Dr. Spencer-Sandolph and recognized her as one of the most influential, achieved and honorable women across the United States.

Restoration & Purpose Community Outreach began a Christmas basket program two years ago. The program adopts 10 family for the holidays and provides meals and presents. Dr. Spencer-Sandolph worked with local school social workers and teachers to identify families in need.

“My favorite part is seeing the individuals and families smile and know that someone cares,” said Dr. Spencer-Sandolph. “I’m focused on helping the community in four public health issues: 1) domestic violence aware-

By Kelly Wise Valdes

ness, 2) sexual assault awareness, 3) human trafcking awareness and 4) homelessness.”

Restoration & Purpose Community Outreach ofers a variety of programs, such as its abused victims/survivors program, advocacy services, clothes closet, support group meetings, mentorship programs, community outreach and speaking engagements.

“The program has many opportunities for volunteers. We have been approved via Hillsborough County Public Schools to ofer community services to students,” said Dr. Spencer-Sandolph. “We are seeking volunteers for social media, website, administrative, event planners, clothes-closet sorting, marketing and quarterly newsletters.”

Dr. Spencer-Sandolph also wants the community to know that donations are also always welcome, including travel-size and regular-size personal hygiene items and clean clothes for men, women and children.

Restoration & Purpose Community Outreach is also hosting an upcoming training in March. This is a 40-hour Victim Advocate Course designed to provide the basic skills for a person who wants to be a credentialed victim advocate. The training is open to the public and costs $450. Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite.

For more information, call 813-657-0117 or email admin@restorationandpurpose. org. Restoration & Purpose Community Outreach is located at 1085 E. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon.

PAN-FLORIDA CHALLENGE CANCER RIDE IN TAMPA STARTS ON MARCH 26

Cyclists can take advantage of reduced fees and fundraising goals ofered during the 2023 Pan-Florida Challenge Cancer Ride (PFC) early registration period now until Sunday, January 8. Whether you’re celebrating survival or honoring a loved one, PFC welcomes cyclists of all ages and abilities to ride on Saturday and Sunday, March 25-26. Choose from multiple routes in Tampa and Naples, where you can ride through the world-class Paradise Coast Sports Complex. Rides are designed for cyclists of all skill levels, with routes ranging from 10-125 miles. A fundraising minimum is required, which is cut in half for new riders. Pan-Florida also assists all participating cyclists with successfully reaching and exceeding their fundraising goals.

In Tampa, you can take part in the 10, 30, 62 or 100-mile rides at 8 a.m. on March 26. The rides start and finish at Residence Inn by Marriott Tampa at USF/Medical Center, located at 13420 Telecom Pkwy. N. in Tampa. Registration fees and fundraising goals apply, though fundraising is not required for the 10mile route.

Pan-Florida Challenge’s mission is dedicated to cancer prevention, research and patient support. The organization provides nutritious meals to underprivi-

leged and hungry children in an efort to prevent cancer later in life, as malnutrition has been shown to increase the risk of developing cancer. In addition, Pan-Florida Challenge partners with organizations, such as Moftt Cancer Center, to fund research and support for cancer patients of all ages and their families. Every dollar raised by the riders directly supports Pan-Florida Challenge’s mission.

Cyclists who complete their route will receive a finisher medal. Those who register for the PFC Junior and the 10 and 30mile routes will receive a T-shirt, and riders of 62 miles or more will receive a PFC cycling jersey. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided, and all participants are welcome to celebrate after the ride with live DJ entertainment, giant Jenga, cornhole and other activities. To learn more about start times, registration fees and fundraising minimums, please visit panfloridachallenge.org. For more information, call Pan-Florida at 239-2981620 or fill out its Contact Us form on the website under the ‘Contact’ tab.

The Pan-Florida Challenge wouldn’t be possible without the support of generous sponsors. If your business is interested in sponsoring the 2023 ride, please visit panfloridachallenge.org/sponsors for more information.

Dr. Tracy Spencer-Sandolph is the founder of Restoration & Purpose Community Outreach Inc.

Cyclists enjoying the 2022 Pan-Florida Challenge Cancer Ride.

WELL CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

By David N. Arnold, P.G., Well Construction Manager

Q: Why do I need a permit to construct a water well?

A: A well construction permit is required before installation within the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The permits ensure that wells are constructed by qualified contractors to meet rigid safety and durability standards and protect the groundwater resource.

Q: Does it matter what part of the district I live in?

A: Permits are required for the construction, repair, modification and abandonment of most water wells within the district. If required, you must secure a water use permit from the district first.

Q: Who should I hire to construct my well?

A: All wells must be constructed by a Florida-licensed water well contractor, who are all licensed by the water management districts. You can determine if someone has an active license by contacting the district’s well construction section at 813-367-3052. The only exception to this law is for a water well 2 inches or less in diameter constructed by an individual to provide water into their single-family residential dwelling or for farming purposes as specified in Florida Statutes. In certain areas, mandatory well designs might apply that would create difculties for an unlicensed individual to construct one themselves. As with licensed water well contractors, this exception also requires the owner to

secure a permit before construction. The applicant is required to submit a well completion report, or as-built, within 30 days of completion of permitted well construction.

Q: What other research should I do before choosing a water well contractor?

A: Research customer reviews and get multiple quotes. Request a written estimate and contract and review details for all customer liabilities. Determine if the contractor requesting the permit is the same person doing the work. Research what other steps may be required for well construction.

Q: Where should I place a well on my property?

A: Your well must be located at an area on your property that meets mandatory setback distances from any sanitary hazards so it will not endanger the groundwater resource and provides protection for the health, safety and welfare of the user. For single-family dwellings’ potable water wells, setbacks include 75 feet from septic tanks and drainfield and 75 feet from drainage/retention ponds. If possible, have your well on the highest ground possible so surface water will drain away from it. The top of casing for most wells must extend at least 1 foot above land surface.

For more information on well construction, visit www.watermatters.org/wellconstruction.

Te Doors of Te Church Are Open

David N. Arnold, P.G., is the regulation well construction manager for the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

AWARD-WINNING CHRISTIAN MUSIC COMING TO 2023 STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

This spring marks the 88th annual Florida Strawberry Festival, which takes place for 11 days from Thursday, March 2 through Sunday, March 12. This anticipated annual event has become one of the best festivals in the nation, ranks among the Top 40 Fairs in North America and is visited by more than 500,000 guests each year. It’s not only known for its strawberry shortcakes, carnival games, livestock shows, food vendors and thrilling midway rides, but it has also become recognized for hosting world-famous headline entertainment.

Two major Christian artists will be performing at this year’s Strawberry Festival in Plant City. Tickets to performances by For King & Country and CeCe Winans can be purchased at www.fstrawberryfestival.com.

By Kelly Wise Valdes

THE FIFTH ANNUAL CONCERT FOR THE KIDS TO BE HELD AT RP FUNDING CENTER

Two major Christian artists will be performing at this year’s festival: For King & Country and CeCe Winans. For King & Country is a Grammy-winning artist and song-writing duo consisting of two brothers, Joel and Luke Smallbone. The Australian brothers have won four Grammy Awards, 10 GMA Dove Awards, a Billboard Music Award and 13 K-LOVE Fan Awards, and their nine No. 1 songs have produced an astonishing accumulation of over 1 billion on-demand streams. The duo’s songs have spent many weeks peaking at the top of the Christian Billboard charts.

According to Lee Bakst, assistant general manager of the Florida Strawberry Festival, this will be For King & Country’s second performance at the Strawberry festival. The Christian artists performed previously to a sold-out crowd in 2017.

Another most-anticipated Christian artist

making her premier performance at the festival is legendary CeCe Winans. She started performing in 1981 as part as the Winans family singing group and launched her solo career in 1995. Winans is the best-selling female gospel artist of all time and has influenced a generation of vocalists over the course of her long career. Winans has earned 12 Grammy Awards, 20 Dove Awards and seven Stellar Awards. She’s been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame. Her performance at the Strawberry Festival will be part of her first national tour in nearly a decade.

There are more than 24 artists performing on the Strawberry Festival stage this year. “We have a variety of acts and feel like we have touched all music genres,” said Bakst. According to past numbers, Bakst expects approximately 100,000 concertgoers in attendance over the course of the 11-day festival.

For King & Country will be performing on Thursday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. CeCe Winans is scheduled to perform on Tuesday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m.

To purchase tickets and see the full list of entertainers, visit www.flstrawberryfestival. com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Amscot Main Ticket Ofce, located at 2209 W. Oak Ave. in Plant City, or by calling 813754-1996.

WPCV 97.5 and Window World of Central Florida’s fifth annual Concert for the Kids to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital will be held at the RP Funding Center on Tuesday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. The concert, presented by WPCV 97.5 and Window World of Central Florida, features country artists Brothers Osborne, Joe Nichols, Easton Corbin and Hailey Whitters. This special ‘power acoustic’ concert will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the fight against childhood cancer. “97 Country WPCV has long been a part of a program called ‘Country Cares for St. Jude,’” said Jessica Brown of WPCV 97.5. “Radio stations all around the country hold radiothons to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Several stations also hold benefit concerts that are successful. We have a lot of success with our listener-appreciation shows, so we thought we’d give it a try.”

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children’s catastrophic diseases, particularly leukemia and other cancers. The hospital takes on the finan-

By Libby Hopkins

cial burden, and there is no cost to the patient to be treated.

“It’s always such a special night,” Brown said. “We obviously want to raise as much as possible, but ultimately we want to share the awareness of St. Jude and how our listeners can continue to support. This year, we have incredible artists, and I just think it will be a phenomenal show.”

Tickets went on sale on December 9, 2022. Ticket prices are $31 for advance, $42 for day of event and a limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $262, which includes a dinner, meet and greet and front-row seating (other fees may apply), and are available by visiting the RP Funding Center Box Ofce and online at www.rpfundingcenter.com. All dates, acts and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. “This will be our first show since February 2020,” Brown said. “COVID and the ramifications it had on the music industry prevented us from having shows in 2021 or 2022. The previous shows raised between $25,000 and $35,000 each. We hope to raise more with this year’s show.”

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WPCV 97.5 and Window World of Central Florida’s ffth annual Concert for the Kids to beneft St. Jude Children’s Hospital returns to the RP Funding Center on Tuesday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m.

LITTLE GEMS OF RIVERVIEW: ALAFIA SCRUB PRESERVE PARK

During my time, as Miss Riverview USA, I’d like to feature the things I love most about my community.

Riverview and its surrounding areas are constantly growing, and we often forget about the small businesses, nonprofits and little hidden treasures.

One of my favorite places to take my energetic pups is the Alafia Scrub Preserve Park. Located at 10243 Elbow Bend Rd. in Riverview, it is quiet, a flat trail and the perfect place to get out, enjoy nature and take the dogs. The preserve is 80 acres and includes walking trails, a scenic overlook of the Alafia River and so much wildlife to see. There is also a 0.8-mile loop and a 1.3mile loop. The park is open from sunrise to sunset. Dogs are allowed on leash and there is a table for enjoying a picnic if you’d like. Make sure to bring water, wear sunscreen, wear closed-toed shoes and stay on marked trails. Maps can also be printed or viewed online to follow along the trail. Because the trail is flat, it makes for an easier hike and good for all ages.

According to the county website, Alafia Scrub Nature Preserve was purchased by Hillsborough County through the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition

By Sara Battaglia

and Protection Program (ELAPP) in 1998. ELAPP is a voluntary program established for the purpose of providing the process and funding for identifying, acquiring, preserving and protecting endangered, environmentally sensitive and significant lands in Hillsborough County. It is a citizen-based program with volunteer committees involved in every key aspect of the program. In addition to Alafia Scrub Preserve Park, Hillsborough County has many scrub and nature preserves, a total of 63,000 acres, through the ELAPP program. These preserves improve air quality, provide flood protection and naturally filter water. They also provide hiking trails, horseback and biking trails, canoeing/kayaking, bird watching, fishing, playgrounds and more. Most of the parks have a $2 parking fee. Trails vary in size and di f culty. A full map of the 28 preserves can be found at www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/recreation-and-culture/parks. With the weather cooling down, now is a great time to get outside and enjoy nature. For more information on the Alafia Scrub Preserve Park or a preserve map, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/locations/alafia-scrub-nature-preserve.

JULESTARZ ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS DANCES IN THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

Julestarz Academy for the Performing Arts was excited to have 16 dancers traveling to New York last Thanksgiving to participate in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

This amazing performance opportunity has been a lifelong dream of studio owner Julie Kenny. She grew up in New York and couldn’t wait to bring some of the dancers on her Competition Team and members of their families across the country for this experience.

The trip will include performance rehearsals with the Spirit of America Production Company, Macy’s and NBC as well as sightseeing excursions around New York City, including attending the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. “Seeing the Rockettes perform in person was a special moment for the dancers, as Julestarz is known for ending each of their recitals for the past 17 years with their own Rockette-inspired tap number complete with a kick line,” Kenny said. “These dancers grew up watching the ‘Julestarz Julettes’ perform, became one themselves and now will get to see the inspiration for their prestigious number live for the first time.”

By Libby Hopkins

The dancers were selected to participate in the parade earlier this year.

“They have been working to raise funds to cover the $2,500 (plus airfare) that it will cost each member to attend ever since,” Kenny said.

“The dancers and their parents have hosted parents’ night outs, held car washes, set up concession stands at their recitals and ran a shoe drive to collect sneakers to be repurposed into playground mulch. They have also received generous donations from local businesses, Gretchen’s Goodies and United Trust Bank.”

Traci McTaggart’s daughter, Hope, was one of the dancers who got the chance to go to New York City. “She was extremely excited when Julie told them they were going to be in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade,” McTaggart said. “The whole dance team was literally jumping up and down with excitement. It was a surreal moment standing there waiting to be a part of something so iconic. I was excited for all of our friends and families back home to watch for us on TV. It was so fun to walk through the parade and have everyone waving at you and taking pictures of you.”

Julestarz Academy for the Performing Arts was excited to have 16 dancers traveling to New York last Tanksgiving to participate in the Macy’s Parade this past November.

Everyone is getting ready to celebrate with the 2023 Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest this month, with hundreds of thousands expected to participate. However, it’s also a time with tons of tossed beads and other festive leftovers all over the area, so Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB) is holding a cleanup soon after. If you’d like to help, you can join in on Sunday, January 29 at the After Gasparilla Cleanup.

Last year, about 50,000 beads were picked up at the cleanup’s three sites thanks to the help of almost 350 volunteers, according to Debbie Evenson, executive director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful. Over 100 people had already signed up before 2023 for this month’s After Gasparilla Cleanup.

“We had a whole truck full of them in fact, and then what we do with them is that we’ll donate them to the MacDonald Training Center, and they clean them, and then they fix them, and they resell them,” Evenson said about the collected beads.

“So it’s a win-win; we’re … getting trash out of the streets and we’re giving back to another nonprofit.”

Of course, beads and garbage aren’t the only things littering the area, as volunteers have picked up wallets, purses,

By Taylor Wells

keys and 12-packs of Coke, to name a few things oddly thrown about. Personal efects will be turned into the city’s lost and found for Gasparilla.

There will be four locations in need of volunteers, which are: Bank of America at 249 S. Hyde Park Ave. in Tampa, Kate Jackson Recreation Center at 821 S. Rome Ave. in Tampa, Bern’s Park at 1400 S. Howard Ave. in Tampa and Fred Ball Park at 2629 Rubideaux St. in Tampa. Each site has staggered check-in times starting at 7:30 a.m. Volunteers are required to wear closed-toed shoes to avoid injuring their feet on any debris, and it’s recommended to bring a reusable water bottle, sunscreen, a sun hat and sunglasses.

Chick-fil-A will also be giving away thankyou gift cards to volunteers. Plus, on its Eventbrite page, while free to participate, you can purchase a $5 ticket and receive a special T-shirt for helping KTBB’s cause.

“Without our volunteers, we couldn’t do what we do. They are the heart of the organization,” said Everson.

For the After Gasparilla Cleanup’s Eventbrite page, visit www.eventbrite. com/e/after-gasparilla-cleanup-tickets-476668166317. To learn more about KTBB, visit www.keeptampabaybeautiful.org.

Week 1: 1/5/23 Uncle Louie’s

Week 2: 1/12/23 Cali Cafe

Week 3: 1/19/23 Wooden Spoon

Week 4: 1/26/23 Chill Cawfee

Week 5: 2/2/23 Fuzzy’s Taco (Brandon)

Week 6: 2/9/23 The Alley Week 7: 2/16/23 Leaven Brewery

Week 8: 2/23/23 Seinfeld Trivia night - Doc’s Grille Summer feld

AMERICAN WATER & WINDOWS CELEBRATES ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY

American Water & Windows is the oldest water-conditioning and softener company in the Greater Riverview, Brandon and SouthShore community. Owner and President Gary Bancroft has been providing excellent customer service and competitive pricing on water purification systems and energy-efficient windows locally for 30 years.

“The business started April 1992,” said Bancroft, or ‘The Water Wizard,’ as he is known by many in the community. “The Water Wizard name came from a customer after I fixed his water system in 10 minutes.”

Bancroft grew up in New York City and graduated from St. John’s University. He also had a water-conditioning business in Denver that he started in 1982. He ultimately ended up in SE Hillsborough County, where he started his current business, American Water & Windows.

Bancroft is a past honorary deputy mayor of Riverview (2017) and continues to be invested in the community he is proud to serve. “I am a member of the Greater Riverview, South Hillsborough (Sun City) and Valrico/FishHawk Chambers of Commerce,” Bancroft said. “I love being a part of all the chambers and be-

By Libby Hopkins

ing a part of my community.”

There are many benefits to having a water-softener system in your home. An American Water system will help to prevent buildup of minerals (scale) on the inside of pipes, fixtures and hot-water heaters and can lengthen the life of some appliances. It can reduce or prevent mineral spots on glassware and prevent or reduce soap films and detergent curds in sinks, bathtubs and washing machines. Bancroft is proud to ofer a purifier that is virtually maintenance-free. “Our new water system, a water-softener alternative, is called the Whole House Purifier Anti-scale Water System,” Bancroft said. “It doesn’t use any salt or electricity, and you only have to change one filter about every two years.”

American Water & Windows also specializes in the installation of new and replacement windows, so if you are looking to upgrade your home with custom, high-efciency windows, Bancroft can help with that as well.

If you would like to learn more about American Water & Window, visit www. americanwaterusa.com or call Bancroft at 813-684-PURE (7873).

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SOLID WASTE PARTNERS WITH GOODWILL TO COLLECT ITEMS FOR DONATIONS

Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management has established a Donation & Waste Diversion Pilot (D&WDP) Program at the South County Solid Waste Facility, located at 13000 U.S. Hwy. 41 in Gibsonton.

Hillsborough County Solid Waste and Goodwill-Suncoast are collecting items that can be donated and repurposed. Residents who are Hillsborough County Solid Waste customers can now donate items to Goodwill at the South County Solid Waste Facility.

The idea for this program began when solid waste staf noticed quality items being disposed by residents at the county’s community collection centers, and durable and reusable goods were making their way to the landfill.

The D&WDP Program, which started in September, is a win for both organizations. It shifts reusable items away from taking up space in Hillsborough’s landfill and helps reduce emissions. Donated items are then reused and resold to aid people in need. Goodwill invests between 85-90 percent of its operating budget towards its mission services annually.

So far, 174 donors have given over 2,000 items to Goodwill at the South County Solid Waste Facility, preventing more than 5,000 pounds of material from going to the landfill. Items that can be donated are clothing, shoes, accessories (belts, purses, hats, etc.),

home decor items (vases, sculptures, artwork, etc.), kitchen wares (dishes, cookware, flatware, etc.), tools, toys, small furniture items and electronics (no TVs or computer monitors).

The program does not accept mattresses, televisions, computer monitors, appliances, large furniture or any broken or damaged items deemed not saleable.

However, the South County Solid Waste Facility also serves as a community collection center and accepts disposal of washers, dryers, refrigerators, mattresses, furniture, televisions, computers, tires, paint and yard waste for Hillsborough County Solid Waste customers. For a complete list of what can be disposed, visit the South County Solid Waste Facility online.

The facility, including the D&WDP Program, is open from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. To donate or dispose of items, residents must bring a photo ID showing their address and a printed or digital copy of their annual Hillsborough County Property Tax Bill to show they are a Hillsborough County residential solid waste customer.

Although the program is currently only offered at the South County Solid Waste Facility, Hillsborough County provides residents access to multiple solid waste facilities for their disposal options. To learn more, visit the Hillsborough County Waste Disposal Facility page online.

Do you have a lot of clutter in your home and no idea where to drop it of?

have assisted Seeds of Hope, KW Cares, Operation Lotus, South Florida Hurricane Relief, Migrant Families in Hillsborough County, Tampa Bay Humane Society, Operation Shoebox, and Echo.

HOMESTEAD’S PLANS REST WITH EXPANDED TIMBERLY TRUST BOARD

The newly expanded Timberly Trust Board of Trustees is charged with making good on the promise to preserve a Brandon homestead erected in 1886 known about town as the Julia Moseley property.

“While a number of historic sites can be found in Florida, many are recreations and relocations,” reads a letter dated December 10, 2022, sent by trustees to interested parties and potential donors. “Julia’s, on the other hand, is the real thing.”

According to trustee Mark Proctor, Moseley was born on the property, at 1820 W. Brandon Blvd., and for years turned away “literally millions of dollars for her property to be developed because of its location on State Road 60.” He said Moseley successfully moved to have her property “designated on the national, state and local registries for places with historic significance, which technically means they can’t be developed.”

Mosely, who died in 2020 at age 101, worked in her later years to form the Timberly Trust, which is charged as well with ensuring the property’s maintenance. Moseley, who never married, taught piano for a living in her childhood and lifelong home, with wallpaper composed of painted-over palm frond fibers, “which was so unique that it was on display at the 1894 World’s Fair,” Proctor said.

With oak trees more than 100 years old, the 15-acre property is “like walking back through history,” Proctor said. “Ju-

By Linda Chion

lia just had this historic sense about her, and she wanted to protect the environment and preserve something for future generations to look back on.”

According to the December

10, 2022, letter, “the Timberly Trust, in conjunction with Hillsborough County, Tampa History Center, University of South Florida and other groups, are working together to make Julia’s dream a permanent reality.”

Preservation, educational and historic site initiatives are key to Moseley property plans. In one such efort, the USF Center for Digital Heritage and Geospatial Information seeks grant money for preservation planning and has been updating the Moseley website, which includes a virtual tour of the property for public viewing. (Visit https://dhhc.lib.usf. edu/moseley/.)

Meanwhile, at a November 16, 2022, meeting on the property, eight trustees were added to the four-member board. Proctor and Mark Singleton were named chair and vice chair, respectively. Rounding out the veteran board members are Rich Pierce and John Dingfelder. Among the added eight trustees are Amy Carey Lee and Betty Jo Tompkins, as treasurer and secretary, respectively. Also new to the board are Lori Collins, Tad Denham, Tom Odiorone, C.J. Roberts, Kay Sullivan and Michael Wigh, who in 2015 published Brandon, Florida - Images in Time, a photo history of the town.

Photo courtesy of Linda Chion Members of the Timberly Trust Board of Trustees on the Julia Moseley Homestead.

SOUTHSHORE CHARTER ACADEMY HAS HIGH HOPES FOR ENROLLMENT IN THE NEW YEAR

Southshore Charter Academy is a tuition-free charter school that appreciates and celebrates each student’s potential and individuality.

“We strive to create a nurturing and positive school environment to empower a student’s growth academically and socially,” said Principal Amy Sams. “Using data-driven, individualized instruction and 1:1 technology devices, students are supported to reach their potential. We create a powerful foundation that enables our students to succeed in school, family, extracurricular and beyond.”

The academy’s Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum is aligned to specific Florida Standards and is the framework of what is taught at each grade level. This ensures high expectations with a focus on college and career readiness from primary grades through high school. “Enrollment is important because it gives us the ability to plan more precisely for the next school year,” Sams said. “Because we are a charter school, we are chosen by parents and not assigned. Enrollment is the time for them to choose us.”

Southshore Charter Academy is a tuition-free charter school that appreciates and celebrates each student’s potential and individuality. Te academy’s principal, Amy Sams, hopes that parents from the Riverview community and beyond will consider Southshore Charter Academy as an option for their children’s education and enroll them at the academy.

By Libby Hopkins

is an international studies program that builds skills, knowledge and understanding by integrating English, mathematics and science. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the most advanced learners with an emphasis on creativity, innovation and discourse.

Sams and her staf hope parents from the Riverview community and beyond will consider Southshore Charter Academy as an option for their children’s education and enroll them at the academy. “Our focus each year is to continue to recruit new families, especially for kindergarten, who want to embed their student in a school like ours where they can be in one place for all grades K-8,” Sams said. “This is what contributes to our family atmosphere — by having multiple siblings of various grades and families being with us for several years in a row.”

If you would like to learn more about Southshore Charter Academy and the different programs it ofers, you can visit its website at www.southshorecharter.org or contact Sams at 813-769-1209. The academy is located at 11667 Big Bend Rd. in Riverview.

Teresa Turner, CPA

The academy’s Middle School Cambridge

The cold weather will be upon us shortly, if not already here.

Tides will be incredibly low, so be wary when exploring the backwaters of the mangrove areas. It could be a while before you get out if you head back in a falling tide. Many of your target species will be retreating back to residential canals and river areas, as the seagrasses will be relatively absent during the winter months. Find some deeper water basins for your trout and possibly redfish.

When looking for bait this time of year, focus on the large towers in the bay. You will see large mounds that are hugging the bottom on your depth finders. Chum heavy but be wary of the tides when throwing the net. Try a test throw away from the tower and see the way the net sinks and how rapidly it hits the bottom. This may save you $300 for a good net if you judge it correctly. Bait in general is di f cult to acquire in the winter, so don’t waste precious hours in the bait grind. Artificial baits and shrimp will be the go-to choice. Focus on deep water with a southern exposure, as the sun is

on a di f erent angle or azimuth this time of year. These areas typically will heat up faster than the shady edges. This the total opposite of the rest of the year where we focus on the shaded areas during the warmer months.

Sheepshead should be moving in as the water temps drop in the bay. This will be their spawning season, and the larger fish will be moving in to participate on this seasonal event. Use a 1/0 hook with just enough split-shot weight to hold it steady on the bottom of the areas of reef and structure that hold these tasty delicacies. When the bait is on the bottom, keep a tight line so you can feel the bite. If you think one has the bait, pull up steady and see what may be there. If there’s a fish, pull back immediately.

Remember to check on the length requirements and bag limits. Snook will be closed for a few months, but you can still target them as well as the other species of interest. Trout will readily take an artificial bait when bait is still scarce. This method is very productive and optimizes the survival percentage for the great catching fish.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SUPPORT EMPLOYEE DURING CHALLENGES

By Lily Belcher

Newsome High School’s student body came together to support their head custodian ahead of the holidays after hearing about the challenges she was going through outside of work.

Wanda Butler has worked at Newsome for 22 years. Earlier this year, her husband was diagnosed with stage-four metastatic lung and brain cancer and the Butlers heard that the home they had been renting was being sold and so they had to move out by the first of the new year.

Bearing the full weight of these challenges, Wanda confided in friend and coworker Corynn Cusson.

“When I found out about her husband, I just felt like she was such a big support to me that I needed to be supportive of her as well because that’s what good friends do,” said Cusson.

Moved to help her friend of three years, Cusson started a GoFundMe page and shared a little of Wanda’s story on Facebook. The link was shared with the faculty and staf at Newsome High School and eventually reached the Student Government Association (SGA) sponsor.

When the student government students found out, they wanted to help their head

donations from parents and students in the Newsome car line.

“I didn’t realize there were so many people that cared that would do this for me and my husband,” said Butler.

Other students were going home to their families, asking their parents to help them make a donation to support the Butlers as well.

“Wanda means so much to this school. She’s been here for 20 years and she’s always providing dedication and love,” said SGA President Yasmine Ofiara.

The money will be given to Wanda as her husband undergoes cancer treatments and they search for a new home. Wanda said one of their priorities is to buy a house so they no longer have to deal with the challenges of renting.

“Don’t bottle it up. Talk to somebody,” advised Wanda to others who are dealing with challenges in their personal lives. “Because if you express what situation you are in to at least one person, that one person will pay it forward to the next person.”

To read Wanda’s story or donate to the fundraiser, visit www.gofundme.com/f/ rally-for-the-butlers.

Cindy Rodriguez with a red fsh.

custodian in any way possible. During the final week of November, students collected

Newsome High School’s student government raised money to support head custodian Wanda Butler.

CAHT Meeting In January

In January, which is National Human Trafcking Prevention Month, the Campaign Against Human Trafcking and Domestic Violence-Southshore (CAHT) will have a meeting presenting a movie about sex trafcking in America. After the movie, a successful survivor of sex trafcking will be telling her story of hope. Sex trafcking

the students have supported My Warrior’s Place through on-site visits to help with property maintenance. My Warrior’s Place is a retreat center for veterans, military service members, law enforcement, firefighters and their families and ofers programs to help the healing and coping process.

1966 Ford Fairlane GT Is Cruiser Of Te Month

An immaculately restored 1966 Ford Fairlane GT owned and driven by Palmetto resident Willow was selected as December’s cruiser of the month in 2022 by the Roamin’ Oldies. The glistening, black hardtop attracts a steady stream of admirers, many of whom had, or wish they had, one like it decades ago. The Roamin’ Oldies host a cruise in from 1-4 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month at the MiraBay Village Shopping Center on U.S. Hwy. 41 in Apollo Beach (with a rain date the following Sunday). For more information, call Frank on 856-373-8497.

Coach Purse Bingo At Kingsway

Come out to support local charity Bikes For Christ and have a chance to win a brand-new Coach bag. The Coach purse bingo event is taking place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 19 at Events on Kingsway, located at 1263 Kingsway Rd. in Brandon. Tickets for the event are $50 and include 10 rounds of bingo, food and drinks. There will also be a separate 50/50 draw and rafe with a wide selection of prizes. To register for the event, visit bit. ly/3VtwNxn.

Co., visit its website at www.bullfrogcreekbrewing. com.

Faces Of Courage Topgolf Tournament

Faces of Courage provides free day outings and medically supervised weekend camps for adults and children with all types of cancers and blood disorders. It is hosting its annual Topgolf tournament on Sunday,

tab. Lastly, Keith Allynn returns with his Neil Diamond tribute concert on Tuesday, January 27 at 7 p.m. His mesmerizing style, intimacy with his audience and cover of Diamond’s top hits have made him a fan favorite. Tickets are $15, and again are available from the bookstore and online.

Center Place Sponsorship Opportunities

The arts are vital to providing a well-rounded education, and young people who study the arts consistently demonstrate higher levels of empathy, social tolerance and civic engagement. Low-income students highly engaged in the arts are twice as likely to graduate college as their peers with no arts education. Center Place Arts & Civic Association, located at 619 Vonderburg Dr., Ste. B in Brandon, is looking for sponsors to help cover the cost

February 19 at Topgolf in Brandon. There will also be a rafe, a silent auction and 50/50 rafe competitions to enter. For more details on sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, visit https://facesofcourage.org/fundraisers.

SCCUMC Concerts

of classes throughout the year. For more details about sponsorship opportunities or classes available at Center Place, visit its website at www.centerplacebrandon. com or call 813 685 8888.

Introductory Tai Chi Sessions

is a multibillion-dollar industry with Florida ranking third in the nation for reported calls and Tampa in the top 20 U.S. cities. You are invited to come to the meeting, watch the movie, listen to the survivor and learn more about human trafcking and what CAHT is doing to help. The meeting will be on Monday, January 16 at 6 p.m. in the Florida Room at the community association campus, located at 1009 N. Pebble Beach Blvd. in Sun City Center.

St. Stephen Catholic School Donates To My Warrior’s Place

Linda Umoh, principal of St. Stephen Catholic School in Riverview, presented a check for $2,700 to Kelly Kowall, president and founder of My Warrior’s Place in Ruskin. The school’s annual walkathon took place on Veterans Day and as part of the event the school held a ceremony honoring veterans and promised to make a donation to My Warrior’s Place. Over the years,

Bullfrog Creek Brewing

Bullfrog Creek Brewing Co. is excited to announce a new night for karaoke lovers. They will be hosting karaoke on Saturdays starting at 9 p.m. at its 3632 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. location in Valrico. Staf will help you pick out the perfect song. In addition to karaoke, there is the wide selection of handcrafted beers to enjoy, and it will now be staying open until 12 Midnight every Saturday night. For additional information on events at Bullfrog Creek Brewing

The United Methodist Church of Sun City Center (SCCUMC), located at 1971 Haverford Ave. in Sun City Center, is holding three concerts in January. International concert organist Dale Voelker will be performing on Sunday, January 15 at 3 p.m. He has toured many European countries as an organist, as well as Jamaica, Brazil and China. No tickets are required, but a donation of $10 at the door is requested. Next, Tom and Michelle Becker and their band will perform “Back Home Again,” a John Denver Tribute concert on Friday, January 20 at 7 p.m. The concert is a heartfelt tribute to a legend who has always inspired him.

Referring to Denver, Becker said, “His voice, his guitar playing, his songwriting — John Denver was the trifecta in his genre of music.” Tickets cost $15 and are available at the church bookstore (please see the website for times) or by visiting online at www.sccumc.com and selecting the events

Tai chi is an internal martial art and a form of moving meditation that can help you achieve balance and strength, relieve stress and pain as well as lift your spirit. The Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA is holding introductory sessions at the Julestarz Academy, located at 13126 Elk Mountain Dr. in Riverview, from 11 a.m.-12 Noon starting on Monday, January 9. For additional information, please contact 727-734-0929 or email info@ taoisttaichi.org.

Children’s Valentine’s Day Art Contest

Local nonprofit A Horse’s Touch is holding an art contest, and your child could win a horseback-riding lesson as well as other horse-related prizes. Entry is simple; encourage your child to draw a picture of a farm and then email it to mmbarn4@gmail.com by Tuesday, February 28 along with your contact information.

Co. Announces New Karaoke Night

BUDGET BLINDS STAYS IN LINE WITH NEWEST TRENDS AND LAWS

The local Budget Blinds Showroom keeps up with the ever-changing world of home design by ofering products that not only make your home look good but are safe too.

Adriane and Mike Wonderlin, the owners of Budget Blinds of Brandon, work tirelessly to ofer products that will complete your space. With the rise in popularity of motorized blinds, Budget Blinds sells a variety of products that will make your life easier. Not only will blinds with efortless controls look great and simplify your everyday tasks, but it will keep your family safe as well.

As the design trends and safety regulations change, Budget Blinds of Brandon stays up to date to bring you the best of window treatments.

By Makenzie Atkins

the community. Since taking over Budget Blinds of Brandon, they have grown close to both the community and the team at Budget Blinds.

“Really seeing our team grow both in professional and personal lives is the best part of owning and operating Budget Blinds of Brandon,” said Adriane Wonderlin, co-owner of Budget Blinds of Brandon.

“The previous owners told us this right before we took over, and it couldn’t be more true; in a small business, everyone truly becomes family.”

As regulations for blinds and shades with cords become stricter due to child safety, motorized treatments are an easy choice.

Budget Blinds of Brandon is your onestop shop for all things window treatments. Not only does Budget Blinds install in your home, but also the team members from the showroom will measure and design your window treatments to make sure you are getting something you will love for a long time. Budget Blinds even has a drapery specialist who can help find the perfect treatment for you.

The Wonderlins have lived in Florida for 13 years and have enjoyed being a part of

Budget Blinds understands that when you shop with it, you are investing in part of your home that will last 1520 years, which is why the team at Budget Blinds wants to help you find the perfect window treatment for you and your family. Not only will Budget Blinds be expanding soon, but the team is also excited to bring you its biggest sale of the year in February.

The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information or to schedule a complimentary in-home consultation, call 813-445-7121 or visit www.budgetblinds.com/brandon.

Budget Blinds of Brandon is located at 10437 Gibsonton Dr. in Riverview.

HEF CEO KIM JOWELL RECEIVES 2022 JOE RIZZO LEARNER & LEADER AWARD

The Consortium of Florida Education Foundations recently surprised Hillsborough Education Foundation CEO Kim Jowell with special recognition for her leadership in the statewide organization.

Jowell is the first recipient of the Joe Rizzo Learner & Leader Award. It is presented annually to a local education foundation leader who is active in his or her own learning and development while serving as a leader in their organization and through engagement with the consortium.

“Our late colleague, Joe Rizzo, led the Flagler Education Foundation until his unexpected passing in March,” said Consortium President Mary Chance. “He saw the value of our network, was an avid learner and contributed to our collaborative culture. Kim exemplifies his spirit by investing in her own professional development while contributing her time and leadership to support her peers and our organization.”

Jowell’s involvement with the consortium was also highlighted, including electing to participate in its Foundations for Success Quality Standards review process and serving as a peer reviewer

Staf Report

and consortium finance chair. In addition, the consortium recognized Jowell’s innovative work launching Hillsborough Education Foundation’s Digital Equity Initiative, which provides students in need with a computer and internet access and is now being used as a model for other Florida education foundations.

“Joe Rizzo had a tremendous commitment to education and enthusiasm for self-learning. He is missed by many, and I am appreciative to be the first person to receive this award in his honor,” Jowell said. “Continuous learning is an important piece of our work in education. I have benefited from the leadership skills Joe and others in the consortium have passed along to me and am dedicated to expanding and sharing my knowledge to continue his legacy and help improve the lives of the children and teachers we all serve.”

In the spirit of the award, Jowell received a $500 check for professional development, which she will use for her current participation in Leadership Florida Education Class 7.

To learn more about the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, visit https://educationfoundationsfl.org/.

SEA STARS PROGRAM TO HELP MENTOR YOUNG GIRLS IN STEM FIELDS

Hillsborough County Public Schools launched a new Mission: Tampa Bay program to foster a love of science, engineering and technology while teaching career skills to young girls in December 2022.

The Sea Stars program is partially funded through the Department of Defense grant and partially funded by its partnership with the Tampa Bay STEM Network.

The nonprofit community network consists of local science and research companies that are working together to ofset the remaining cost of the new program.

Mission: Tampa Bay is an all-girls STEM Camp that allows young scientists to immerse themselves in STEM activities in fifth through ninth grade. Based on the positive response it has received from the community over the past six years, the district began the Sea Stars program for its alumni.

“It’s a build-on program for all the alumni…where they will work with mentors in the community. So, we’ve got approximately 15 professional STEM experts from a variety of fields,” said Larry Plank, executive director for K-12 science education.

This team of female STEM experts will work with and mentor 20 girls over the course of the program. Each group of

By Lily Belcher

girls that participates in the Sea Stars program will meet once a month for a year at a research or science facility to learn about a specific STEM field.

The yearlong program kicked of on December 5 in 2022 at The Florida Aquarium, where the 20 Mission: Tampa Bay alumni that were selected for the program met their mentors and were introduced to the program. All the participants are alumni of Mission: Tampa Bay and were selected through the application process. Based on their responses to the application, they were paired with a mentor and had the opportunity to meet virtually or in person.

“[Sea Stars is an] extensive program where they’re paired with mentors, professionals in STEM, to help them actually build a leadership plan for themselves so that they can start thinking about what they want to do with their career and have some support along the way from professionals who’ve been there,” said Debbi Stone, senior vice president of engagement and learning at The Florida Aquarium.

For more information on the Sea Stars, visit www.hillsboroughschools.org or contact Alissa Himelfarb at alissa.himelfarb@hcps.net with questions about the program and application.

Te 20 girls attended the Sea Stars program’s kickof on December 5 and met their mentors through Sea Stars.

Left to right: Teresa Rizzo, Flagler Education Foundation executive director, and Hillsborough Education Foundation CEO Kim Jowell.

Te White Oak Cottage Introduces New General Manager

The White Oak Cottage is pleased to introduce Kevin Luke as its new general manager. Luke has lived and worked in the Tampa area for the majority of his 25-year career in the food and beverage industry. He is classically trained from Le Cordon Bleu and has worked in everything from bakeries to fine-dining steakhouses. The White Oak Cottage owners Melanie and Shaunessy are continuing to deliver on their promise of establishing a world class restaurant, mouthwatering culinary selections and a customer experience that is second to none. The White Oak cottage is located at 10530 County Rd. 39 in Lithia and can be contacted on 813-650-0054. Additional information can be found on its website at www.thewhiteoakcottage.com.

Blu Indigo Spa & Wellness Under New Ownership And Offering More Services

Blu Indigo Spa & Wellness is a sanctuary place bringing back your youth, vitality and self-love because its focus is on you. It does so by activating your body’s innate ability to self-heal through its

simple and guided o f erings. Services available include facials, waxing, microneedling,

lash and brow tinting and body contouring, among others. Blu Indigo Spa & Wellness is located at 3339 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico. To book your next appointment, visit its website at bluindigospa.com or call 813-651-3258.

Young Innovators Academy® Opens

Second Location In FishHawk

Young Innovators Academy®, an early learning company on a mission to empower young learners to meet the challenges of an uncertain future, is pleased to announce the opening of its second location at 16641 Fishhawk Blvd. in Lithia. The center is now enrolling new students, providing child care, enrichment programs and early educa-

tion for children from 6 weeks to 6 years of age. For more information, visit www. younginnovatorsacademy.com/locations/ fishhawk/ or call 844-909-0800.

JunkLuggers Now Servicing East Hillsborough County

The JunkLuggers of Tampa East & Hillsborough South is an eco-friendly, locally owned and family-operated junk removal company. It takes the furniture and junk from your home or business and, through its network of donation partners, finds a second home for your gently used furniture, clothing and household goods. Additional information can be found by visiting www.junkluggers.com and following the prompts to find the location.

Amani MedSpa Moves To New Location

Amani MedSpa celebrated moving to its new location at 1102

At the Y, you’ll find more than just a place to work out. With opportunities to connect with neighbors and give back to your community, you’ll discover a greater sense of purpose, too.

Bloomingdale Ave. Valrico with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Com-

merce.-Whether

you are considering laser skin resurfacing, skin tightening, weight loss or simply want to erase the signs of time with Botox or dermal fillers, Amani MedSpa takes the time to ensure that your treatment is a rewarding one. You can book your appointment by calling 813-6856111 or visiting its website at www.amanimedspa.com.

Pigtails & Crewcuts: Haircuts For Kids Opens With A Ribbon-cutting

Pigtails & Crewcuts: Haircuts for Kids is now open and recently celebrated with a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce. Locat-

Kevin Luke, the new general manager at Te White Oak Cottage.

Amani MedSpa moves to a new location. Pigtails & Crewcuts holds its ribbon cutting.

ed at 2174 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico, kids can enjoy their haircut experience with themed chairs and toys. It o f ers kids haircuts, braids, first-haircut packages, cute accessories and more. Walkins are welcome. For more information, visit its website at www.pigtailsandcrewcuts.com/valrico.

Eye Doctors Relocate Local eye doctors

Stephanie Kirkland, OD; Ronald Pierce, OD; Laurie Cuva, OD; and Jessica Pierce, OD are no longer seeing patients at the Pearle Vision in Brandon. They have relocated to the Maxim Eyes Optical, located at 2615 E. SR 60 in Valrico, where they will continue to provide you with the same thorough, friendly and professional eye care that you know and trust. All exam records and scans will also be at this new location. They can be reached by calling 813-653-9661.

The Kingston Trio Coming To Lakeland

Fans of legendary folk icons The Kingston Trio can rediscover their timeless music all over again. In celebration of 60-plus years of music, the folk group is performing their best-loved songs as part of their ‘Keep The Music Playing’ national tour and will be

By Jenny Bennett

at the RP Funding Center on Wednesday, March 29. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the RP Funding Center box o f ce, located at 701 W. Lime St. in Lakeland or online at www. rpfundingcenter.com.

Quality Life

Massage Therapy Has Relocated Unfortunately, after 10 years, The Ancient Wisdom of Yoga closed its doors at the end of December 2022 and the wellness practitioners had to relocate. Leslie

Forrester, owner of Quality Life Massage Therapy (FL Lic#MA64365/MM43426), has been operating for 11 years and has relocated to 11256 Boyette Rd. in the Shoppes of Boyette Plaza, which also has many other shops that o f er ways to look after yourself and relax, including a gym and bakery. For additional information on Quality Life Massage Therapy’s services, visit its website at www.qualitylifemassagetherapy.com.

HIGH 5 INC. ADDS TACTICAL LASER TAG TO LIST OF OFFERED ACTIVITIES

High 5 Inc. recently added Mission 5 Tactical Laser Tag to its list of programs available through the Brandon nonprofit organization.

High 5 partnered with the former owners of CQ Tactical Laser Tag to bring the set up to their program to add a new and exciting element of entertainment. The Mission 5 set up differs from other laser tag programs because it is entirely tactical and team based, compared to traditionally individual focused games.

“There are missions that each team is trying to accomplish, so the entire experience is goal based. The course is challenging and definitely a great workout at the same time,” said High Five CEO Chuck Burgess.

Mission 5 Laser Tag is perfect for birthday parties, weekend activities or outings with family and friends. To participate, individuals must be 10 years of age or older and at least 48 inches tall. An hour and a half session costs $25 for non-members and $20 for members. Birthday parties can be booked for $275 to $375, depending on specifications for the party.

The set up from CQ Tactical Laser Tag is based on teamwork, communication and strategy, making it a fun activity

By Lily Belcher

for corporate team building and family bonding.

“The Mission 5 Laser Tag combines nicely with our mission of bringing people together in a fun way to enhance their lives,” said Burgess. “…Overall, we love watching people come in and challenge each other while having so much fun at the same time.”

High 5 is a nonprofit organization that has served the Brandon community for 60 years.

The organization aims to make a positive impact on special needs education, after school experience, youth drowning prevention, sports and recreation and community impact.

The nonprofit is currently looking for volunteers to help support their recreational activities offered through their programs as well.

The organization is located on Beverly Boulevard off of Highway 60. The Mission 5 Laser Tag set up is located in the same building at 405 Beverly Boulevard.

For more information on how to join High 5 or to schedule a tour, contact 689-0908 or visit high5inc.org. For more information on pricing and booking for Mission 5, visit www.mission5lasertag.org.

Certified Roofers has been a part of our community since 1981. Its quality of service is well known in the community. “Certified Roofers was founded by my father when he was just 18 years old,” said Certified Roofers’ owner and president, Alex Sanchez. “He spent his entire life building the business right here in our community. We unfortunately lost him in 2015, but we have carried on in his honor ever since.”

Sanchez was born and raised here in Valrico. He attended Riverview High School where his mother was a teacher for many years. “I went on to work in the family business while attending USF and have never left the business,” Sanchez said. “I married my wife, Sara, in 2008 and have three sons, Clark, 10; Patrick, 9; and Andrew, 7. Sara left her corporate job this last year to open a bookkeeping business meant to service other local small businesses. I am very active at my Rotary Club, the Brandon Rotary Club where I currently sit as the membership chair.”

Certified Roofers typically gives away two to three roofs per year to needy families, disabled veterans or charities that approach it to partner with it to provide roofing services to their constit-

By Libby Hopkins

uents.

For 2023, Sanchez and his team want to give a roof away to a local charity each month. “What we are choosing to do this year is, in addition to those roofs, we want to honor a different local char-

ity every month where we will donate a portion of revenue to each charity every month,” Sanchez said. “The charities were chosen due to my current charitable activities, and other local outfits that bring positive change to our community. All charities we donate to will have a local presence, no national exposure, because we strongly believe in focusing our attention here at home.”

Sanchez feels incredibly blessed by our community for allowing him to conduct business here in the community for more than 40 years. “I believe in giving back to those that need it most,” Sanchez said. “We hope to have another great year and would love nothing more than share that with our community’s best charitable organizations.”

If you would like to learn more about Certified Roofers, you can visit its website at www.certifiedroofers.com or call Sanchez at 813-643-8333. Certified Roofers’ o f ce is located at 4331 Lynx Paw Trl. in Valrico.

Alex Sanchez, owner and president of Certifed Roofers, and his staf are giving away a roof every month in 2023 to local charities.

Getting a second chance at a new beginning in life may seem rare, but through the Second Chances Training Program at Mt. Zion AME Church Riverview, it is indeed possible.

Partnering with Adonai’s Second Chances Inc. (ASCI), a nonprofit organization, this program is directed toward residents of unincorporated Hillsborough County who meet the income eligibility requirements regardless of personal history or a lack of prior experience in this field. Funding from the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides applicants with an opportunity to expand their knowledge of construction and carpentry.

“They could be taking the first step to changing their life today by simply filling out the application,” said Reverend Karen Jackson Sims, senior pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church Riverview.

This program operates on rolling admission and is now accepting its second year of students. This year, 40 candidates in total will be selected to participate. Training completion can allow individuals to work toward the goal of acquiring new skills, passing General Education Development (GED) tests and achieving certification.

Mt. Zion AME Church Riverview is open

By Madeline Gardner

Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. for students to finish their computer portion of the training, which can take as little as eight to 10 weeks. Upon completion, individuals can be enrolled in the Hillsborough Community College program in construction as an optional path to furthering their education and technical training on campus. Otherwise, the program promises participants hands-on experience by securing paid on-the-job internships and apprenticeships.

“The construction industry provides significant salaries and opportunities and careers for individuals,” said Reverend Sims. “They can come out of this knowing that they have the opportunity to have a job and career that will take care of themselves and their families for the future.”

As the application process operates on a first-come, first-served basis, interested individuals should visit https://www. ascbuildingfutures.com and submit an online application or pick up an application at Mt. Zion AME Church Riverview Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mt. Zion is located at 5920 Robert Tolle Dr. in Riverview.

Further information on this program can be found by contacting contact@ascbuildingfutures.com or calling 813-3377457.

Florida is home to many diferent species of mammals, including rodents. Rodents in general account for almost 40 percent of the mammal population worldwide. These critters have a bad reputation of being unwanted pests and vermin; however, they are incredibly smart animals.

One of the most widely distributed of these intelligent animals are rats. Within the state, there are three species of rats which are the most commonly and frequently encountered by humans: the Norway rat, roof rat and wood rat. These species are also referred to by dozens of more common and regionally popular names. For example, the roof rat is also known as the black rat, gray rat, fruit rat, citrus rat and palm rat.

Roof rats average around 12 to 14 inches in length, which includes their long, bald tails. They are the species typically found nesting in garages, attics and walls or ceilings. Dark, dry, insulated spaces are appealing to these elusive creatures. Roof rats are very nimble climbers and jumpers and live in treetops, which is why they are commonly found in attics. These furry critters are scavengers with an omnivorous diet that consists mostly of fruits, nuts, berries, seeds and even insects and slugs.

Rats are warm-blooded animals that can be found almost anywhere in the state. They are incredibly resilient and adaptable to urban sprawl. They are also

very prolific and can reproduce over 20 babies a year each. Most rodents are nocturnal, making them most active between dusk and dawn. They spend their days sleeping in their cozy nests. Sometimes, those cozy nests are in our homes, where these cute critters may be unwanted. Rats habituating in residential homes have been known to cause damages, such as gnawing through wood, insulation and wiring.

These animals typically enter homes through small openings, commonly within attics. While calling pest control may be appealing, it is also incredibly inhumane as these animals are typically poisoned or baited with glue traps. These malicious forms of pest control can have a devastating impact to the many species who prey on rodents. Rodenticides and glue traps have been responsible for the death of many birds of prey, such as owls and eagles, and glue traps have claimed many lives of nationally protected bat species.

Be sure to have your home inspected thoroughly for access points and remember that there are humane methods such as live traps available to opt for trap and release.

Ali Holton is currently director of FishHawk TNR Inc. She has a master’s in biodiversity, wildlife and ecosystems and 20 years of experience specializing in animal behavior and conservation. To reach her, email fshhawktnr4@gmail.com.

PTL has joined the Ybor City community. No, not the PTL that Jim and Tammy Faye Baker started in the ’80s. PTL stands for Power, Truth and Love, and it’s Ybor’s newest destination designed toward elevating Tampa’s dance and electric music scene. “PTL was founded about a year ago when a group from New York came to Florida to look for investment opportunities,” said PTL’s PR manager, Danielle Cheatham. “Initially, they looked in Miami for diferent hospitality concepts but came to Tampa to explore investment worthy spots.”

The group noticed Tampa had a ton of growth, such as newer residents moving into the city and growth in income and diversity. “They discovered the property on 7th Ave., which had a great location and potential right away,” Cheatham said. “Ybor has the potential to also change and grow to appeal to a much more modern demographic. They wanted to go for a nightclub-and-restaurant combo. In Ybor, a more modern restaurant wouldn’t have worked due to foot trafc and current demographics. The nightclub then became an essential part of the business concept, giving people from outside of Ybor a purpose to come to Ybor.”

Destination events have something to center nightlife activity around. This became the business model in which PTL’s investors were pursuing. “They want the nightclub to represent more of an elevated taste of what Tampa ofers,” Cheatham said. “Tampa is

By Libby Hopkins

underrated in taste of music, virgin market in a much more diverse and modern sophisticated taste. Ybor is an entertainment district attracting diversity. Even though a music-focused club, the core of business model and values is hospitality-centric and finding the right combination to appeal to both Ybor community but to push the boundaries to show a much more modern and sophisticated taste.”

The club recently added a weekly burlesque show to their entertainment lineup. Psidium is set in the roaring ’20s era, inspired by Ybor City’s history. “The show came from factual events as well as our own spin,” said Kaley Eckersdorf, owner of Aerial Dragons, which is the dance troops who will be performing Psidium. “It’s not so much a burlesque show, more of a cirque cabaret, very circus influenced and sultry vibe. Acro, aerial arts, acting, singing, live musicians, specialty acts to keep it fresh. Great date night for locals or a girl’s night out, bachelor parties, bachelorette parties. Standing and sitting seats. Very interactive show. It utilizes seven spaces in the venue as a stage, so at some point everyone will get front row action. Immersive experience. Shows run every Friday and Saturday night starting at 8 p.m.”

If you’d like to learn more about PTL, you can visit its website at www.sevenrooms. com/events/ptlybor/ or call PTL at 850-7716542. PTL is located at 1507 E. 7th Ave. in Ybor City.

PTL has joined the Ybor City community. PTL stands for Power, Truth and Love, and it’s Ybor’s newest destination designed toward elevating Tampa’s dance and electric music scene.

COUNTY OFFICIALS PREPARE FOR WIMAUMA’S DEVELOPMENT MAKEOVER

Wimauma is the focus of a lot of growth, development and infrastructure and will be top of mind for 2023 and beyond, Hillsborough County will continue workign to establish the Wimauma Communtiy Plan. For details, contact LewisM@hillsboroughcounty.org

Original Story Printed July 2022.

Wimauma began as many of Hillsborough County’s other unincorporated census-designated places did: an out-of-state settler who could visualize a good life, created on the area’s coastal prairie that is well-suited for agriculture.

Hillsborough County’s ofcial history of Wimauma published in 1998 credits Pleasant Franklin Stanaland of Thomasville, Georgia as the location’s first transplant from beyond the Sunshine State, arriving in 1875. He found success growing citrus and his supply chain logistics greatly improved when railroad builder Captain C.H. Davis laid his Durant-to-Sarasota tracks through the area. Besides providing a train, Davis also bestowed a name on the whistle stop by using the first letters of his three daughters’ names: Wilma, Maude and Mary.

As the Tampa Bay region’s open space stock diminishes, what were once places where wilderness, plowed fields and grazing lands prevailed are being developed into modern home communities, especially so in southern parts of Hillsborough County such as Wimauma. Besides the loss of undeveloped land, the skyline is also changing, as

By Brad Stager

the inventory of manufactured structures clad in corrugated aluminum alloy is now being replaced with more durable commercial buildings and concrete block smart homes programmed to provide ultimate residential comfort to owners as well as security from intruders.

As for commercial development, county ofcials foresee the need to establish a strictly codified central business district to conduct commerce for the emerging population with businesses such as yoga studios, cafes and stores of all varieties. This contrasts with current zoning and a relaxed environment that supports industries ranging from farming to dirt mining. Achieving a successful transition through the changes that growth brings for the community is the focus of a plan developed with Wimauma residents and adopted by Hillsborough County last fall.

County ofcials said implementation of the Wimauma Community Plan and the corresponding Land Development Code is the next step in creating a civic foundation conducive to a safe and prosperous future for local residents, and it builds on existing amenities like Bethune Park and nearby nature preserves. Speaking to the Wimauma Community Development Corporation’s annual meeting in May, Hillsborough County executive planner Matt Lewis said success will mean accommodating a variety of requirements.

County ofcials said they will meet with Wimauma residents in the fall to discuss development options.

FDOT SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON I-75 IMPROVEMENTS

By Brad Stager

The public hearing held by FDOT for the project was attended by 40 people in person and 78 virtually, with many expressing support.

“The primary comments received were concerns about noise and noise abatement. Several comments requested the noise barriers be built prior to expansion of the additional lanes on I-75. Other comments concerned the removal of existing landscaping and replanting of trees, congestion due to the new Amazon distribution center and the inclusion of a new interchange at Symmes Road,” stated Kristen Carson, public information director at FDOT.

No changes have been proposed for the concept plans and there are no plans for another public hearing.

“Interchange modification reports are being prepared for interchanges within the project limits. The southern study is anticipated to be approved by the end of 2023, with the northern study following in 2024. There is currently no funding for design, right of way or construction in the current 5-year work program,” Carson added.

Original Story Printed Febuary 2022.

Since the Hillsborough County section of Interstate 75 was completed in 1985, population growth along the highway’s path in the last 37 years now makes a timely journey from Southern Hillsborough County to points north and south a gamble because of delays caused by heavy trafc, as well as the driving mishaps that road congestion sometimes plays a role in.

To address the need for improvements to I-75 as it passes through Hillsborough and Manatee Counties, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is

Improvements being planned for Interstate 75 will be the subject of an FDOT-hosted public hearing on January 27 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Riverview.

developing projects to increase the trafc capacity and overall safety on a 41-mile stretch of the highway, and it is inviting the public to a hearing on the proposed work. The hearing is part of Project Development and Environment Studies the agency is conducting to evaluate proposed improvements.

There are two projects under development. One starts at Moccasin Wallow Rd. in Manatee County and goes north for 23 miles, ending south of U.S. 301 in Hillsborough County. The other extends for 18 miles, from south of U.S. 301 to north of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. in Hillsborough County.

Kristen Carson, public information director of FDOT’s District Seven, said, “The feedback of the community is very important to FDOT with every project we study so we can take into account the needs and concerns of the citizens.” Project materials are available at FDOT District Seven’s ofce at 11201 N. McKinley Dr. in Tampa.

Bethune Park is a popular location in Wimauma and is a place where residents of the growing community can all gather together.

Construc -

tion is well underway for the new hospital, but its orignal Spring 2023 opening will likely be delayed.

Original Story Printed March 2022.

The dirt is turning, and land clearing is in full swing on the 23-acre property on the east side of U.S. Hwy. 301 between Balm Riverview and Boyette Rds. as AdventHealth begins with the construction of a new 209,000 sq. ft., 4-story, 80-bed hospital.

With a current price tag of $216 million, AdventHealth West Florida Division, anticipates a completion date in Spring of 2023 as the company expands its geographical footprint in W. Central Florida.

“We are excited to continue our growth strategy to meet the fast-growing needs of Southern Hillsborough County,” said Mike Schultz, president and CEO of AdventHealth West Florida Division.

“This location was chosen with input from the community,” he said. “We want to make it easy for people to have convenient access to the expert care they need, when they need it, and help close the gap in health care services in our community,” he added.

The 80 beds at opening are part of the first planned phase. The full-service hospital will provide emergency; cardiology; obstetrics and gynecology, including labor and delivery; orthopedic; gastroen-

By Sharon Still

terology; and urology services. Additional space allows for expansion up to 200 beds as the community’s need grows.

The current vice president and administrator of AdventHealth Dade City, Jerry Newmyer, will continue in his current position as he takes the helm as president and CEO at the new hospital in Riverview.

Once the hospital opens, Newmyer will provide executive leadership and oversee the day-to-day operations of the hospital, working alongside his leadership teams to ensure the delivery of high-quality care throughout the area. “We are committed to serving and growing with the people of Riverview and reimagining the future of what health care is in this community,” he said.

The project is anticipated to have a $300 million economic impact, bringing nearly 2,000 new jobs to Riverview once it is fully built out.

AdventHealth prides itself as being more than hospitals. Schultz commented, “This hospital is another addition to our robust network of connected care that we’re providing in this area, including primary care, specialty care, emergency services, outpatient imaging and more.” For more, visit www.adventhealth.com. Future job postings can be found on AdventHealth Riverview’s Facebook page at facebook.com/AdventHealthRiverview.

PET THERAPISTS WELCOME AT ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL-SOUTH

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South has added a new member to its pet therapy team.

Mercury, an English labrador, is now one of six furry friends providing pet therapy to patients, team members and visitors at the Riverview hospital.

Mercury previously provided nursing home pet therapy in Maryland and does so now at a nursing home here in Florida in addition to recently joining St. Joseph’s Hospital-South. Kathy Hofstad is Mercury’s handler.

Mercury joins Romeo, a long-haired German shepherd with handler Bill Bergsma; Rosie, Izzie and Tootsie, all Havanese with handlers Liset and David Higgs; and Louie, a dachshund/shih tzu/schnauzer mix with handler Pam Provenzano, on St. Joseph’s Hospital-South’s pet therapy team.

Original Story Printed May 2022.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South has a very important volunteer, and he is looking for some friends to join him.

Romeo, a 6-year-old, long-haired German shepherd, volunteers with his owner, Bill Bergsma, every week at the hospital, bringing joy and comfort to patients and staf members alike, and according to the hospital’s volunteer resource manager, Kim Wallace, there are opportunities for more canine philanthropists.

According to Wallace, the program began at the hospital in 2015, and there are

By Kate Quesada

currently four dogs who regularly participate.

Bergsma, who moved to Riverview from Michigan three years ago, felt Romeo would be a good pet therapist because of his personality and calm demeanor.

“I knew I needed to find him a job,” he explained, adding that Romeo, who weighs more than 100 pounds, looks forward to coming to the hospital every week. “He is a totally different dog when he puts on his vest. He knows he is going to work.”

Romeo’s duties include greeting patients and staf at the front desk and visiting patients in rooms who have requested pet therapy.

“We often end up in the pediatric wing because so many of the kids love him,” said Bergsma. “If they are scared, they usually stop crying as soon as they see him and can pet him during treatments.”

In order to participate in the program, dogs must have passed one of the four certification programs approved by BayCare. They must also be up to date on all shots and their owners have to provide the necessary paperwork every year.

“The experience is so rewarding for both of us,” said Bergsma.

To learn more about the program and the requirements for volunteering, email Wallace at kim.wallace@baycare.com.

For more information on St. Joseph’s Hospital South, visit www.baycare.org.

Anya Shapiro, a 5-year-old from Riverview, got a pet therapy visit from Romeo, a 6-year-old, longhaired German shepherd.

COCA-COLA BEVERAGES FLORIDA BREAKS GROUND ON NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER AT U.S. 301 & CAUSEWAY BLVD.

Construction is underway in Hillsborough County the company also opened a 22,000-squarefoot sales and distribution center in St. Petersburg to service Pinellas County, and surrounding areas.

Original Story

Printed July 2022.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, the largest minority-owned business in the state, broke ground on its state-of-the-art, 800,000 sq. ft. complex. The new Coca-Cola Tampa Sales and Distribution Center will be located on 156 acres located at the corner of U.S. Highway 301 and Causeway Boulevard. The complex is part of a $250 million investment for a fully automated fulfillment center and corporate ofces.

Coke Florida founder, chairman and CEO Troy Taylor was proud of his team’s eforts over the last few years and was joined at the groundbreaking by county, state and business partner reps along with elected ofcials and members of the Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce. Guests invited to participate also included Mayor Jane Castor (City of Tampa), Craig Richard (president of the Tampa Bay Economic Development Council) and other local, regional and state partners.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers COO Brian Ford said that the Bucs have never served any other beverage but Coca-Cola since 1976. “Today, it’s my honor to present a game ball to Troy and his team,” Ford said while

By Marie Gilmore

pledging the Bucs’ continued partnership. “Every time we get involved in something charitable in the community, we know we can count on Troy and Coca-Cola to partici-

pate, and that partnership means a lot.”

Taylor, a Marshall University graduate and father of two, credits his success to his associates, saying, “I have some really, really good people around me that are working toward the same goal. They understand the vision, and they work side by side.”

Founded in 2015, Coke Florida is the third-largest privately held and sixth-largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. The company operates in an exclusive Florida territory that covers 47 counties and serves over 21 million consumers. The Tampa area is home to Coke Florida’s headquarters and one of four of its manufacturing operations.

The company employs over 4,600 associates and was recently named a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. The company is also one of the largest black-owned businesses in the United States and the largest minority-owned business in Florida. To learn more, visit www.cocacolaflorida.com.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES CELEBRATES 2 MILLION DIGITAL CHECKOUTS IN 2021 Staf Report

Hillsborough can once again celebrate 2 million digital check-outs, making that seven consecutive times, as well as increases in statistics in each category. As of December 31, 2021, there were 53,428 unique users, 2.224 million total check-outs and 808,096 total holds, increasing to 56,197 unique users, 2.263 million total check-outs and 901,271 total holds as of December 16, 2022.

“Our diverse collection features something for everyone. You have the freedom to borrow e-books, audiobooks and magazines from anywhere and on many diferent devices. The Libby app is easy to use and everything is free, all you need is a library card,” said Julio Granda of Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library.

Original Story Printed July 2022.

Residents have been reading digitally more than ever in the last year. Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative recently announced that it reached 2 million digital checkouts for the second year

in a row. From January 1 to November 23, 2021, library customers borrowed two million e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines.

Tampa-Hillsborough Public Libraries reached the milestone more quickly than it did in 2020, having already reached one million checkouts by June 15. Readers are turning to the library’s digital collection for their information and entertainment in part because of the ease and convenience of the libraries’ online platforms.

Customers can access digital titles from the comfort of their homes through the Libby app and OverDrive.

The public library system began ofering digital magazines for the first time in 2021. While e-books and e-magazines are popular among library customers, e-books take the award for most downloaded item with over 28,000 e-books rented per week.

For more information, visit your local library or visit https://hcplc.org/ for details on how to receive a library card and sign up for digital downloads.

Residents checked out e-books from local libraries more than ever before in 2021.

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida breaks ground on a new 800,000 sq. ft. facility located on the corner of U.S. Highway 301 and Causeway Boulevard.

YOUTH RECOVERING AT HOME AFTER RIVERVIEW LIGHTNING STRIKE

By Michelle Caceres

Island, to cool of by swimming in the bay.

Derek noticed dark clouds rolling in from the west, so they decided to head back to Williams Park. “We thought we were being proactive because we were one of the first boats to leave the island,” he said.

LOCAL 8-YEAR-OLD BILLY LEE III, KNOWN AS B3, SHAKES UP THE RULES OF RACE CAR DRIVING

By Ella Martin

Levi Stock is doing well after his lightning strike in August. “Essentially fully recovered,” according to dad Derek who jumped in to rescue Levi after he was thrown from the family boat while fishing. “He has no pain and plans on playing lacrosse this Spring.”

Original Story Printed August 2022. A River Hills resident struck by lightning near Riverview’s Williams Park on June 30, is making progress on the road to recovery. While Levi Stock, 11, doesn’t remember much of what happened that day, it’s a day his family will never forget. He and his parents, along with his 9-year-old sister, Ivy, were on the family’s Ranger fishing boat when the strike occurred. His father, Derek, had taken a halfday of work to spend time with his two youngest children while his older children (Maya, 15, and Toby, 12) were at a church camp. The family put the boat in the water at Williams Park and then spent some time fishing. As the afternoon got warmer, the family decided to anchor of Pine Key Tampa Bay, also known as Beer Can

They approached the boat ramp, feeling relief that they would soon be of the water. While they could see lightning strikes far of in the distance, the sun was shining and it hadn’t started raining yet. Levi was at the front of the bow, getting ready to jump of with a rope to dock the boat when a bolt of lightning struck him, entering through his tailbone and exiting out his left foot. The force stopped his heart and knocked him into the water.

His dad quickly jumped into the water after him and the pair were pulled out of the water by good Samaritans, who hauled them onto their boat. Levi was unresponsive, so his dad immediately began performing CPR while his mom called 911 from their own boat.

A few frantic minutes later, sherif ’s officers arrived and attached Levi to an automated external defibrillator.

Levi was discharged from Tampa General Hospital on July 4 and continues to recover at home.

Billy ‘B3’ Lee’s 2022 season consisted of 49 races at six tracks across the country, earning nine wins and 26 top five finishes. He is the 2022 U.S. Legends and INEX Florida State Bandit Division Champion and ranked No. 15 in National Points among a field of 122 racers.

This year, B3 plans to run 50 races nationally in the U.S. Legends and INEX Bandolero Bandit Division, including Charlotte and Atlanta Motor Speedway. His INEX points season will kick of right here in Florida at the Winter Nationals, From Sunday through Friday, February 12-17 at Citrus County Speedway in Inverness. Follow his racing journey on Facebook and Instagram at B3 Lee Racing.

Original Story Printed September 2022.

This upcoming fall, Billy Lee III will be heading into the fourth grade at LLT Academy South Bay, except his life has an exciting twist. Lee, whose racing name is B3, is an 8-year-old race car driver.

B3 comes from a third-generation racing family, which is why his love for racing was sparked at such a young age. His father, Bill Lee Jr., is a drag racer, as was his grandfather. His mother, Amy Lee, grew up near an oval track, so she spent lots of time around

racers and cars.

For B3’s first birthday, his parents gifted him a shiny, blue Power Wheels Corvette. Around the age of 2, B3 began participating in local Power Wheels racing leagues.

His mother explained that the purpose of this league is to “inspire young and old racers.”

When B3 was about 3-and-a-half years old, he upgraded to a Power Wheels fire truck, which his father modified to mimic a jet truck. At age 4, B3 was asked to be the opening act at the Night of Fire Jet Truck Show.

B3 was asked to join the Bandolero Team for Curt Britt Motorsports and participated in numerous races with them. He has raced at several professional speedways, such as winning third place at the Citrus County Speedway in Inverness, achieving a six-time winning streak at Crisp Motorsports Park in Georgia and getting two first-place wins at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. B3 races with the rookie class and is the youngest participant in this category, as most racers are 10 and over and can even include adults.

B3 is currently sponsored by many businesses, including NAPA Auto Parts, Bill Lee’s Professional Automotive, Jax Apparel and Forward Bite. B3 is also seeking additional marketing sponsorship and can be contacted through Amy at 941-993-2135.

River Hills resident and lightning strike victim Levi Stock is recovering at home with his family.

Billy Lee III, also known as B3, holding a frst-place trophy he won at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Hours: Mon-Thurs 9-5 | Friday 9-12

Year In Review-Updates On The Top Stories From 2022

HCC OFFERS FIRST-EVER NURSING BACHELOR’S DEGREE

As of December 20, 2022, HCC has had 187 applicants to its BSN program, with 103 of those currently enrolled.

“The program is still being built by the faculty and new courses were added for students for the Spring 2023 term. The final capstone course will be made available to students in the Fall 2023 term. Our accrediting body. SACSCOC will be visiting HCC in the spring to evaluate for accreditation of the bachelor’s degree ofering,” stated Marcellyne M. Penny, MSN, RN, associate dean of nursing.

“Hillsborough Community College is continually looking for ways to serve the needs of our community, specifically our academic and workforce oferings. We work with business and community leaders to gauge the need of the labor force, both regionally and statewide. Currently, we are researching feasible options to add to our more than 200 academic and workforce certificates with a possible addition of bachelor’s degrees,” said Rich Senker, vice president for academic afairs.

Original Story Printed September 2022.

The first bachelor’s degree ofering in the 54-year history of Hillsborough Community College (HCC) is new this fall with online classes for registered nurses seeking to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN).

By Linda Chion

Also ofered at HCC is an associate degree in nursing, which provides an entry-level education in nursing and eligibility to take the licensing examination for registered nurses.

The BSN degree takes it a step further with online studies in eightweek courses covering such topics as health promotion and risk reduction, ethical and legal issues, leadership and management, evidence-based practice and health care needs of diverse populations.

Paving the way for the BSN degree, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in mid-June issued its final approval for HCC as a baccalaureate-degree granting institution, which college ofcials say “will forever change the character of the institution.”

The BSN degree will be ofered campuswide across the HCC system, including in Brandon, Plant City and SouthShore, with courses primarily out of the Dale Mabry campus, said Deborah Kish Johansen, Brandon campus president.

“It’s quite exciting and a change for us,” said Johansen, noting as well the national nursing shortage. “The mission of community colleges is to help with programming where we can, so it makes sense to help with shortages to help meet the needs of our individual communities.”

For infor on admission, costs, courses and accreditation, www.hccfl.edu, email hccnursing@hccfl.edu or 813-253-7284.

LIFETIME NETWORK FEATURES QUEENA’S STORY OF INSPIRATION

Hope Heals the Brain, a 501c3 nonprofit, is actively seeking event sponsors for a Topgolf Fundraiser on 2/19/23. The group is raising funds to support three local women with brain injuries that will help pay for ongoing medical, therapy, and homecare expenses.

Email hopehealsthebrain@gmail.com or visit Eventbrite for more information:hopeclassic. eventbrite.com

You can also RSVP to our Facebook event to keep up to date with all the details and updates- https://fb.me/e/1TJG66614

Original Story Printed October 2022.

Our community knows both the tragic and heroic stories of Queena Phu. Years later after her tragic story, Phu continues to thrive. “Although Queena has had to stay home for a long time as a precaution during the pandemic, she still did maintain most of her therapy schedule,” said her mother, Vanna Nguyen. “She has been as hard at work as ever. She smiles through most of her home therapy visits and her sessions at Stay in Step Recovery Center.”

Phu’s life story was a recent episode on

By Libby Hopkins

Lifetime’s #TextMeWhenYouGetHome series. The documentary aired on August 15 and can be watched on the Lifetime app, Hulu Live on demand and is available for rent on Amazon. “In February, we received a contact from AMS pictures via our contact form on Queena’s website,” Vanna said. “They had been researching stories of women who had been the victim of violence so they could tell their story in their own words and found Queena’s story and blog while doing their research. We filmed the interviews on March 9, and the show was released August 15 of this year.”

Since the attack in 2008, Phu’s cognitive impairments due to her traumatic brain injury have made it harder for Phu to express her thoughts in an organized manner. “For 14 years, she has been expressing her thoughts and feelings through facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language,” Nguyen said. “She has struggled to modulate self-control and self-awareness, and as a result she can sometimes react impulsively in social situations.”

For more information about Phu, you can visit her website at www.joinqueena.com.

Queena Phu’s life story was a recent episode on Lifetime’s #TextMeWhenYouGetHome series. Te documentary aired on August 15 and can be watched on the Lifetime app, Hulu Live on demand and is available for rent on Amazon.

Te Brandon campus of Hillsborough Community College is at 10451 Nancy Watkins Dr. in Tampa.

Experience Peace of Mind

As Sun City’s only lifecare community, we er a unique opportunity for residents and their families to experience peace of mind through access to a full continuum of high-quality care for life. It’s the promise that even if your needs change, you’ll always be able to live in the community you call home.

(StatePoint) While you may want to tone your abs, glutes and triceps in the new year, there’s one often-overlooked area of the body that deserves your attention too: your feet.

“A lot of people hit the gym or dust of their home exercise equipment in January,” said Danielle Butto, DPM, FACFAS, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and a Fellow Member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS). “But without proper precautions, a new exercise routine can cause foot and ankle injuries that could sideline you just as you’re hitting your stride.”

According to ACFAS, here’s what to know as you follow through on your resolution to get fit:

Common Injuries

• Don’t play through the pain of an ankle sprain.

• A stress fracture may feel like an ankle sprain at first, but you’ll notice additional warning signs, such as swelling without bruising and pain even during normal activities or when touching the area.

• Pain or swelling around your Achilles tendon after a workout could be indications of Achilles tendonitis.

• Heel pain that lasts for more than a day or two, or worsens when you stand after sitting for an extended amount of time, may be plantar fasciitis. This common condition is a result of inflammation of the tissue extending from your heel to your toes. If caught early, your foot and ankle surgeon can recommend at-home conditioning.

Prevention Tips

The good news?

Many injuries are preventable. Foot and ankle surgeons ofer five tips to help you keep your feet and ankles healthy:

1. Be smart. Consider consulting a personal trainer at first to ensure you’re practicing good form, and to increase the duration and intensity of your workouts gradually and safely.

2. Stretch. Incorporate mobility and stretching into your fitness regimen, particularly before and after workouts.

3. Be footwear aware. Wear properly fitting athletic shoes that support the arch of the foot, provide heel cushioning and are designed for the exercise in which you’re engaged.

4. Guard against bacteria. Sweaty shoes, public showers, exercise equipment and pool decks are breeding grounds for fungi, viruses and bacteria. Wear water shoes in public areas and after workouts, and get your feet clean and dry quickly.

5. Book an appointment. Foot and ankle pain isn’t normal. It signals a problem that needs to be evaluated, diagnosed and treated by a specialist who fully understands this part of the body. To find a foot and ankle surgeon near you, use the “Find a ACFAS Physician” search tool at www.foothealthfacts. org.

“When you exercise, your feet and ankles do a ton of work holding you up and absorbing the shock of each step you take,” said Dr. Butto. “So, as you kick of your new fitness routine, don’t forget to protect them.”

HOSPITAL GIFT SHOP SUPPORTS MISSION OF ANGEL FOUNDATION FL

The Angel Foundation FL is a local nonprofit organization. Its mission is to partner with businesses and individuals to be a caring resource for families in our community experiencing a temporary crisis due to a life-threatening illness or catastrophic event.

The Angel Foundation FL raises funds for its mission in a variety of ways. This includes the running of a gift shop at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, located at 119 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon. The gift shop recently reopened in August after being closed due to the pandemic.

The gift shop is open Tuesday through Friday from 1-5 p.m. There are several days each week where the gift shop is opened earlier or closed later.

Liz Brewer, CEO of the Angel Foundation FL, said of the gift shop, “The foundation was given an empty space and was tasked with stocking the inventory and designing the showroom. The Angel Gift Shop is managed solely by the foundation staf and our volunteers.”

Brewer added, “We carry a wide selection of items that one would need during a hospital stay. These include items for babies, ladies and men. We have inspirational

By Kathy L. Collins

gifts, candles, snacks and activities for children. We also brought in local artisans who created tumblers, jewelry, journals and more.”

According to Brewer, “The purpose of the Angel Gift Shop is to support the foundation. It provides a consistent stream of revenue so we are not dependent on events to raise all of our funds.”

The Angel Foundation FL holds two signature events each year. In addition, it runs the Junior Angel Foundation. Volunteers are needed for events, the gift shop and the Junior Angel Foundation. Volunteers are given an orientation and can work as many hours as they like.

Brewer said, “Our desire is to reach more families in crisis. Our work is done inside the home with families. The more people who hear about us will give us the opportunity to serve even more in the years ahead. Being inside the hospital allows us to be more visible to the community we serve.”

Since its inception, the Angel Foundation FL has served more than 785 families through more than 567 volunteers, and it has raised over $2 million.

For more information, visit https://angelfoundationfl.com/.

Te Angel Foundation FL, a local nonproft, operates the Angel Gift Shop located within HCA Florida Brandon Hospital. Te gift shop stocks a variety of items that someone might need during a hospital stay or visit. Te gift shop, run by volunteers, provides a consistent revenue stream for the foundation.

Photo Courtesy of: (c) kazuma seki / i Stock via Getty Images Plus.

BLOOMINGDALE GRAD HELPS CREATE REPLICA OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING

nation’s Capitol Building was made more festive this holiday season by a 2021 Bloomingdale Senior High School graduate, Molly Donahue, who was on the team that created the sixth annual Gingerbread Capitol.

Donahue grew up baking with her mom. In high school, she joined Bloomingdale High School’s culinary program. She credits chef Jordan Hoefner at Bloomingdale for encouraging her to pursue culinary school.

“She just really helped and encouraged me to pursue culinary school, and I am so glad she did. I love it,” Donahue explained.

In October, Donahue and her college friend, Faith Weber, received an invitation from Fred Johnson III, Sodexo district manager at the U.S. House of Representatives, to complete the gingerbread-house Capitol replica. They were given creative design and decided to make the design elegant and traditional. Donahue and Weber spent three days completing the house. Those three days were spent listening to Christmas music in the Rayburn house, which is adjacent to the Capitol Building; baking; piping icing; and putting the house together. They went back at the end of November in 2022 to do the final touches before the 2022 Capitol Gingerbread House was presented.

Pulling the house together in a short

By Jane Anne Owen

amount of time was impressive. Every step of creating the house was intricate. Beneath the house is a wooden frame. The pieces were cut out by hand. To make them fit together, some pieces had to be sanded. Piping of the icing was done when the pieces were flat. This year’s house is 100 percent plant-based, using chickpea water, instead of egg whites, and plant-based butter. The construction took about 55 hours from start to finish and consisted of 73 pounds of various sugars, 65 pounds of flour and 5 pounds of cinnamon, among other ingredients. The dome was kept separate until the building was moved from the Rayburn house to the Capitol.

“I have never worked on a project of that large scale. Seeing it come together was really incredible,” Donahue said.

Donahue will graduate in May from The Disney School of Culinary Arts at Valencia College in Orlando. She aspires to work at a Disney hotel.

The 2022 Gingerbread Capitol Building was on display on the first floor of the Capitol building from November 29, 2022 to January 2. To see a video showing how the house was put together and to view pictures of the Capitol gingerbread houses since 2017, visit @capitolgingerbread on Facebook.

Donahues’ advice to bakers: “Don’t be afraid to try new things with baking.”

EXPERIENCE THE OLDEST THINGS TAMPA BAY HAS TO OFFER IN JOSHUA GINSBERG’S BOOK

In Tampa Bay, there’s much to enjoy and many places to explore, much more than many might realize, and within the area is a history dating back thousands of years.

From around the 10th century to the past decade, you’ll find plenty around that could be called the oldest. Such is the subject of Joshua Ginsberg’s latest book, Oldest Tampa Bay , in which he o f ers exciting research and knowledge in over 80 chapters’ worth of history.

Each chapter describes what Ginsberg considers ‘the oldest’ of its kind, meaning ‘the oldest currently or continually operating in the manner for which it was originally designed,’ and he included subjects that are significant to Tampa Bay’s history as ‘the oldest preserved.’ The book is split into three sections covering di f erent parts of the bay: Hillsborough County, Pinellas County and Manatee and Sarasota counties.

In Hillsborough, just to name a few, you can find the oldest map of the Tampa Bay area, created in 1757 thanks to Don Franscisco Maria Celi of the Spanish Royal Fleet; the oldest restaurant, Columbia Restaurant, started in 1905 as a small corner cafe by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez Sr.; and the oldest alligator attraction, Croc Encounters, which

By Taylor Wells

was established in 2005 and started with the founders taking care of Amos the outof-state alligator, who’s still with them today.

In Pinellas County, you can check out the oldest preserved open-water wooden canoe, carbon dated to be about 1,100 years old, and the oldest video arcade, Treasure Island Fun Center.

In Manatee and Sarasota counties, you’ll find the oldest surf shop, West Coast Surf Shop, launched in 1964, as well as the oldest antique car museum, which is the Sarasota Classic Car Museum, dating back to 1953.

But the passage of time is unpredictable, meaning you never know when something will no longer be around.

“As I was writing this book, I had the task of trying to write faster than change. It happened more than once that I would show up to take pictures or write about a place and the place wasn’t there; there were just construction crews,” said Ginsberg.

So if you have an urge to seek out the bay area’s history, make sure to visit these oldest things and enjoy them while you can.

To purchase Oldest Tampa Bay , visit www.reedypress.com, www.amazon.com and other places where books are sold.

From left to right: Lovely Casey, Saipin Kumlor, Fred Johnson, Molly Donahue and Faith Weber.

Joshua Ginsberg, author of Oldest Tampa Bay, holding his shih tzu, Tinker Bell, and a copy of his book inside a Barnes & Noble.

GET THE DIRT: NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR YOUR GARDEN

BY LYNN BARBER, FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING™ AGENT

Did you know the most popular New Year’s resolutions include improving your fitness, losing weight and saving money?

Gardening activities can improve your fitness, provide great exercise

and save you money at the same time. With the New Year right around the corner, many of us addicted to gardening are starting to plan our time in the garden.

I asked our Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ team to give me their garden-related resolutions for the new year. Mine are also included.

Will wants to improve his health while eating his way through his garden, increasing his vegetable consumption and growing herbs to expand his culinary pallet. Makes sense to me, considering his role with community gardens.

Heather plans to reduce her carbon footprint by focusing on ways to reuse items or compost them rather than throwing them away. Guess what she teachers at UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County? If you thought composting, you would be correct!

Paula told me that her first resolution would be to actually get/grow a garden. Her second resolution would be to talk with several people who have fabulous gardens, say she’s doing research (she does work at Extension) and ask for comparative samples. YUM! Paula thinks she is coming to my yard to pick and eat perennial peanut flowers.

Sonya is interested in understanding

her plants’ water needs better so she won’t over or underwater. She also wants to learn more about companion planting to save money, rotate crops/vegetables and see how plants actually help each other. Yes, she teaches water conservation using microirrigation.

I have several and hope some (or all) will come to fruition. My gardening resolutions include spending more time in the perennial peanut easement bed to remove clover and other weeds and continue to pick up sticks/branches in the far backyard from our hurricane encounters. I should read at least one of the wonderful gardening books I purchased at the UF/IFAS Bookstore in Gainesville. Check out its website: http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/. I am somewhat committed to repairing my wooden bench and moving it to the side yard where I can enjoy the plants, butterflies and birds. I will volunteer to help my friend, Ara, pull weeds in her yard, but maybe we could play Scrabble instead. I should clean out my rain barrel. Guess what I teach? Correct, rainwater harvesting.

For information about our upcoming horticultural programs, visit our website, http:// sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/, and check out our calendar of events at http://sfyl. ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/. Wishing all of you safe and wonderful holidays. Hope you can get outside and garden! Contact Lynn Barber at labarber@ufl. edu.

11216 Winthrop Main Street Riverview, FL 33578 Office: (813) 448-7580 southshoreins com michelle@southshoreins com

Lynn Barber relaxing in perennial peanut bed.

REALTOR AND OWNER OF FUN TAMPA WANTS TO SHARE 52 WEEKS OF LOVE

Kerin Clarkin is a local realtor and the owner of The Kerin Group in Riverview. He is also the owner of Fun Tampa, which is a social media page where Clarkin shows the community new restaurants, stores and fun community events.

Since he loves his community so much, he wanted to do 52 Weeks of Love for 2023. “I always like doing stu f in the community and I like to have it organized where it’s more as a weekly thing instead of doing monthly or bimonthly, so I wanted to do something fun within Riverview and the surrounding areas,” Clarkin said. “So, I said why not help a lot of these local businesses, especially that I absolutely love the creative aspect to it with especially my food and fun page, Fun Tampa. I decided to take both my real estate company and my blog and help local business owners to be in front of the public with some free events every week.”

Kerin Clarkin is a local realtor and the owner of Te Kerin Group in Riverview. He is also the owner of Fun Tampa, which is a social media page where Clarkin shows the community new restaurants, stores and fun community events. Since he loves his community so much, he wants to do 52 Weeks of Love for 2023.

By Libby Hopkins

and I’d love to help them, and I’ve started a lot of relationships with people in and around the area,” Clarkin said. “So, I decide on places that I’ve been to before or places that I know might just need help.”

What can people expect when they attend one of these events? Lots of fun.

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS WISH

By Kelly Wise Valdes

Clarkin has put a lot of thought into the businesses he will showcase for his 52 Weeks of Love. “When I go out, I sometimes don’t say anything, and I just sit back and I analyze and I see that there’s a lot of amazing business owners that need help — there’s great owners that maybe just don’t understand marketing

“Each Sunday, we’ll make the announcement for the event on Thursday. Some will be limited to a certain amount of people that will be able to sign up on our link, and some will be just open to as many people as show up,” Clarkin said. “I always had a dream of starting a creative marketing firm. When I started my real estate group, I started it first as if I was a creative marketing firm for my real estate group and became successful by doing it. Being creative is my passion and my love. So, the hopes for this project is one to truly help our community but to show the value in what I could do for local businesses to maybe expand it to then getting a jumpstart to my creative marketing firm and only helping locally owned businesses.”

If you would like to learn more about Clarkin’s 52 Weeks of Love, you can visit his Instagram page for Fun Tampa at www.instagram.com/funtampa or the “Events” tab at www.thekerin.com.

Jennifer Glancy, director of children’s ministries at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center, also served as one of Santa’s elves during a recent event when she came across a very special letter to Santa. In the letter, Audrey Brown, a vivacious 8-year-old who had struggled with wearing her hearing aids, wanted a hearing-aid jewelry-making kit. According to Audrey’s mother, Ashley Brown, she had received a hearing-aid bobble, and that gave Audrey the confidence she needed to feel comfortable in her hearing device.

“Audrey asked Santa for a kit of jewelry-making implements so that she could make charms to sell to raise money for children who need hearing aids and to give away in order to help other children feel confident and proud to wear their hearing devices,” said Glancy.

According to the Florida Association of the Deaf, census data says that Tampa Bay has the third-highest concentration of deaf or hearing-impaired residents in the United States.

Audrey has been hearing-impaired after her cancer treatment as an infant. As she grew older, she became self-conscious about her hearing aids. When she was given hearing-aid jewelry, it gave her the self-assurance she needed.

“I think the jewelry for hearing aids made me feel beautiful for the first time in a long time,” said Audrey. “I had always hidden my

hearing aids and I was embarrassed because kids would make fun of me. With this, I feel all kids and adults can feel better about their hearing aids. They helped me gain my self-confidence back.”

Her request to Santa was for a kit to make similar jewelry so that other girls can feel pretty while wearing hearing aids. “She wanted make the first 50 pairs to donate to audiologist ofces because others may not know what they are,” said Ashley.

“After she donates her first 50 pairs, she hopes to sell the charms to raise money to help children and families aford hearing devices.”

Ashley bought Audrey her first pair of hearing-aid jewelry on Christmas Day in 2020. “I had taken them of and put them in my backpack for my class with the audiologist that worked with my school,” said Audrey. “When I went to get them out, they were gone. It made me really sad. I felt embarrassed again with my hearing aids. I do not want anyone, boy, girl, man or woman, ever feeling the way I did.”

Jewelry-making kits can be costly, but Audrey has set her sights on her goal to help others. As with most families, finances for the Brown family are extremely tight this year, and jewelry-making kits can be costly, which makes it difcult for the young family.

For more info, please contact Ashley at kamdynsmommy1001@icloud.com.

Eight-year-old Audrey Brown (left) hopes to be able to help other hearing-impaired people feel confdent wearing hearing devices by making hearing-aid jewelry. Also pictured are her brother, Kamdyn and identical twin, Aubrey.

Get outside your comfort zone to where real change happens. We are on a journey from a sedentary lifestyle to one filled with endless possibilities. We are headed down a rich spiritual path as well, developing a deeper relationship with the One who makes the impossible possible — the One who can take you from where you are to places you have never been. This is South Shore Run Club.

Run for God founder Mitchell Hollis began running in 2007 and quickly became hooked. By 2008, he had completed a marathon and was signing up for every race he could find. But after a few years, he realized he was putting running before his faith and decided to use running to further God’s kingdom. He later created Run for God’s 5K Challenge, a 12-week Bible study that guides running instructors and allows them to combine faith and endurance training in a way that helps take people through their first 5K.

“We partner with local runners — like Mary Priolo with South Shore United Methodist Church — who want to help others learn how to complete their first 5K, understand more about the Bible and really challenge themselves,” said Hollis.

“I am very excited about leading this 5K Challenge,” said Priolo. “Remember,

By Mary Priolo

these classes are open to anyone who wants to run a 5K, even if you’ve never run in your life.”

Now having been taught in over 6,000 communities to over 225,000 students, the class welcomes all but is focused on teaching running fundamentals and techniques, the importance of a proper fit and style of running shoes that meet your body’s needs, how to successfully use interval training, weekly Bible study topics and how to prepare to run your first 5K.

The next session begins on the week of Monday, January 23. Join on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at United Methodist Church of Sun City Center, located at 11525 Big Bend Rd. in Riverview under The Portico outside the West Entrance Welcome Center. Please bring a chair, running shoes and a bottle of water. The session culminates with the Easter Weekend Red Rose Run 5K on Saturday, April 8.

The fee is simply to become a Run for God Run Club member, which starts at $0.27 per day.

To register, visit www.runforgod.com/ challenge-page/0dc8ac54-ae66-4dff92a1-6ce5aef39f34 or go to www.runforgod.com and select the “Find A Class” tab.

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” — Hebrews 12:1.

A member of Run for God at the 2022 Walt Disney World Marathon.

LIFELIKE SCULPTURES RETURN TO THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN PLANT CITY

Now through March 2023, you can see lifesize sculptures throughout the historic district of Plant City. These delightful sculptures were created by artist J. Seward Johnson. The display is brought to you by the Arts Council of Plant City, the City of Plant City, Unity in the Community and Plant City Photo Archives.

Johnson creates trompe l’oeil painted bronze statues which are castings of live people. There are seven statues on display. These include Stormy Weather , located at Collins and Reynolds streets; Return Visit at the City Hall North Entrance; Skateboarder on Evers Street and the railroad tracks; Can Do! , located in McCall Park on Collins Street; Waving Girl at the Plant City Photo Archives; Caution: Man Contemplating Work , located in front of the Robert Willaford Railroad Museum; and Creating , located in Unity Park on Collins Street. This is a fun time of the year to take a stroll through downtown Plant City. You can locate the statues while spending some time outside. You can also visit all the great retail businesses in the area, such as Krazy Kup, Roots Tap Room and The Kandy Shoppe.

You can take a stroll about downtown Plant City and, as you do, you will come across delightful, lifelike sculptures.

feels that by bringing the Seward Johnson sculptures to Plant City each year for this free open-air exhibit, it is our way of giving back to our community in a positive way and keeping the arts alive in our own hometown.

It is an opportunity to stroll the historic downtown area with family and friends while making memories.”

In addition to bringing the Seward Johnson sculptures to Plant City, the Arts Council of Plant City o f ers scholarships to graduating high school seniors, sponsors the PTSA Reflections Art Exhibit and supports local nonprofits.

The Arts Council will also sponsor its annual Chilifest on January 28, 2023. It is seeking sponsors and competitors. This year is unique in that it is partnering with the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum, which will be holding its annual Railfest at the same time.

The mission of the Arts Council of Plant City is to bring arts to the Plant City community, promote education in the arts and develop artists and arts programs. The Arts Council of Plant City is funded by membership fees and fundraisers.

TAMPA THEATRE PRESENTS ITS 20TH ANNUAL WINEFEST

Tampa Theatre will celebrate 20 years of its signature fundraiser, WineFest, this March. The theme for this year’s WineFest is Forrest Grape. WineFest begins on Tuesday, March 7 with a showing of the 1994 Tom Hanks hit Forrest Gump at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $7 for Tampa Theatre members.

WineFest, which is for those 21 years and older, will kick of on Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. with a two-tiered wine tasting. Guests will taste dozens of boutique wines and sample favorite fare from Tampa’s top independent restaurants, including The Battery, Bavaro’s, Butter Burgers, The C House, Cru Cellars and Oxford Exchange. Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on premium silent auction items from bay area retailers, restaurants, services and attractions.

Tickets for the Premium Tasting, which begins at 7 p.m., are $125, or $115 for Tampa Theatre members. Tickets for the Grand Tasting, which begins at 8 p.m., are $95, or $85 for Tampa Theatre members.

menu created by Mise en Place and Metropolitan Ministries Culinary and Hospitality teams. The menu will feature delectable small plates expertly paired with exquisite wines. There will also be a live auction with oncein-a-lifetime trips, exclusive experiences and a high-stakes wine pull.

Tickets for the wine pairing are $400 for individuals and $750 for a pair. There are also a limited number of table sponsorships for parties of 10. These are available by contacting Devin Dominguez at devin@ tampatheatre.org.

Anne Cordell, event chair, said, “Tampa Theatre is the fruit of the city. You can visit it, protect it, donate to it and volunteer at it.” The Tampa Theatre ofers movies, live shows, tours, summer camp, school shows, classic movie series, Hollywood Awards Night, BeerFest and more. Moreover, Tampa Theatre will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2026.

WineFest guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite character or come in a Gump-inspired costume.

Marsha Passmore, with the Arts Council of Plant City, said, “The Arts Council

For more information, please visit www.plantcityarts.com.

On Saturday, March 11, the Tampa Theatre will be transformed so that 275 guests can sit for a wine pairing featuring a multicourse

You can get tickets at the box ofce or online at www.tampatheatre.org/winefest. Tampa Theatre is located at 711 N. Franklin St. in downtown Tampa.

Tampa Teatre will present its 20th annual WineFest Fundraiser featuring the theme of Forrest Grape this March. Te popular movie-themed wine weekend supports programming and preservation for the iconic majestic movie palace.

SERVICE I’m often willing to do much more than many agents, such as hiring & overseeing renovators inside & outside this listing in the gated part of Riverglen! The roof, plumbing, electric, paint, cabinets, fixtures, fans & landscaping all led to more profit. Sold in March for $580,000.

BUYERS In more ways than one, this Riverview property of nearly 11 acres

EXPERIENCE

I became a Realtor in 1984, & clients rely on my long experience! In Bloomingdale, it made a big difference for my buyer clients (& the other agent’s sellers) as we worked through several challenges with the contract & its legal requirements. Sold in May for $417,500.

INTEGRITY

I’ve built my reputation on trust, which is vital if I’m servicing 2 sides in 1

win with my sellers even before I listed this home in Boyette Springs. Sold in July for $510,000.

UNDERSTANDING Real estate is about people, not just business! I worked with a smart couple trying to avoid frustration in the hyperactive spring & summer market, staying cool until we found a second opportunity to buy this property in Wesley Chapel. Sold in August at $530,000.