Osprey Observer Riverview Apollo Beach October 2023

October 2023 Volume 21, Issue 10 Ph: 813-657-2418

RECYCLED TUNES SUPPLIES GENTLY USED INSTRUMENTS TO SCHOOLS IN SUPPORT OF MUSIC EDUCATION

Most everyone in the Tampa Bay area is familiar with the Gasparilla. The Gasparilla Pirate Festival has been a Tampa tradition since 1904.

What many may not know is that the music which is part of the festivities through the Gasparilla Music Festival is more than mere sea shanties. Proceeds from the festival support music education throughout the bay area all year long through a program called Recycled Tunes.

Students at Pinecrest Elementary School were thrilled to try out some guitars and amps donated by Recycled Tunes, a program supporting music education in Hillsborough County.

Recycled Tunes provides refurbished instruments, completes instrument repairs and donates supplies (including strings, reeds, sticks and tablets) to teachers and students. The program was started in 2013 as an initiative of the nonprofit Gasparilla Music Foundation and is based on a belief that music and arts education is a critical part of childhood development.

Tracy Lisi, supervisor of elementary music for Hillsborough County Public Schools, said that Recycled Tunes is an integral part of providing music within the district.

“We are exceptionally grateful for our partnership with them. They fulfill what we are not able to do, either monetarily or due to time,” Lisi said.

Recycled Tunes ambassador Tad Denham is grateful the community’s support has allowed the program to benefit so many students. Recycled Tunes worked with 55 elementary schools during the 2022-23 school year, 71 percent of which were Title I schools. This year, in its 10th year, the program is also benefiting middle school students.

By Jane Owen

According to Jon Sever, supervisor of secondary music for Hillsborough County Public Schools, Recycled Tunes is key to bridge the gap created by needs as music programs grow.

“Recycled Tunes, and Tad and his crew, has an outstanding program for getting instruments to music students of Hillsborough County,” Sever said.

Recycled Tunes is widely recognized for the impact it is having on music programs and the development of individual students. The program is the recipient of three prestigious awards from 2022-23:

· The Encore Award from the Hillsborough Elementary Music Educators Council in May 2022.

· The Exemplary Music Model Program Award from the Florida Music Educators Association in January.

· The Florida Department of Education Commissioner’s Business Partner Recognition Award from the Florida Department of Education in August.

Instruments are collected throughout the year at the Recycled Tunes ofce, located at 1723 W.

Cypress St. in Tampa, and at various instrument drives. “Our biggest need for donated instruments at this time is brass and woodwinds as we expand to include middle school band programs,” explained Denham.

Teachers can request support through the Recycled Tunes website.

For more information, visit www.recycledtunesflorida.com or email info@gasparillamusic.com.

Pulte Homes has closed on land for four new communities, including one of the last developable tracts of land in Riverview, with the purchase of 197 acres for Spencer Glen of Simmons Loop.

As part of the new developments, Pulte Homes will introduce two new product lines in the Apollo Beach master-planned community, Waterset, and build three additional new communities in Hillsborough County at Hawks Grove, Riversedge and Spencer Glen in Riverview.

“Location and convenient commutes are two of the most important factors for homebuyers,” said West Florida Division President Sean Strickler. “Buyers want to live in Southern Hillsborough County because of its proximity to downtown Tampa, jobs and all the other conveniences and entertainment options Tampa Bay ofers. In today’s market, we are not seeing a significant diference between the median price of a resale home when compared to new, and buying new will provide a more energy efcient product with less maintenance costs that comes with a 10-year structural home warranty.”

In Apollo Beach, Pulte will purchase 113 lots from Brookfield Communities in the newest phase of Waterset and will ofer single-family, new-construction homes on 40 and 60-foot-wide homesites. Homeowners will have access to Waterset’s outstanding amenities along with a clubhouse that houses a resort-style pool with a waterslide. Look for availability of products as soon as the first quarter of 2024.

In Riverview, Hawks Grove, located on

By Brian Bokor

Boyette Road, will feature 26 homes between 2,500-4,300 sq. ft. in a boutique community sharing close proximity to FishHawk Ranch and other nearby conveniences. Much of the community’s perimeter will feature extensive landscaping with mature oak trees, giving homeowners tranquility and privacy. All homes in the community will include a three-car garage, 18-by18-inch tile flooring and quartz countertops.

Just a few miles northwest of Hawks Grove, Pulte will build Riversedge, located just of Carr Road and north of Boyette. Each of the 29 homes in this boutique community will ofer a natural setting and extra-deep backyards. All backyards can accommodate a pool, with select homes backing to mature trees. Homes are expected to range from 1,850-3,416 sq. ft.

Further south in Riverview, Spencer Glen will be located approximately 1 mile from the Interstate 75/Big Bend Road interchange and U.S. 301, and when completed it will feature 492 homes on 197 acres. The community’s resort-style amenities will ofer something for every

Continued on page 9...

IN THIS ISSUE:

TOPGOLF FUNDRAISER PG 3

SOUTHSHORE SPORTSPLEX PG 5

STRIKE THE STIGMA PG 11

EYE ON BUSINESS................PGS 25-26

LIGHTHOUSE GOSPEL PG 43

Do you have a fourth grader this school year or know someone who does? Tis year is the perfect time for a trip to visit a national park. As part of the government’s Every Kid Outdoors program, fourth graders and their families can get free access to hundreds of parks for an entire year. Visit https://everykidoutdoors.gov/.

JUST HELP OUT FOUNDATION TO HOST FUNDRAISER AT TOPGOLF

Nichole Venegas is the founder of the Just Help Out Foundation. She started her foundation in honor of her late brother, Joey. “He died by suicide in May 2022,” Venegas. “A few days before the horrific tragedy, he mentioned feeling hopeless. Our organization tries to help anyone feeling hopeless in the area. Since our inception this year, we have been able to help over 18 cases of hopelessness. Every time we are able to help someone out, we call them our ‘Joey.’

From homelessness, hunger, domestic violence victims and diferent mental health situations, we have been fortunate enough to be able to help our cases so far.”

Te Just Help Out Foundation tries to help anyone feeling hopeless in the area. It is hosting a fundraiser at Topgolf on Monday, November 9 from 7-10 p.m.

Venegas and her team at the Just Help Out Foundation want people in the community to feel safe and heard when they reach out to her organization. “We are working on getting connected with all of the resources in Hillsborough County so that if we cannot ofer the direct aid they need, then we should be able to guide you to the correct resource,” Venegas said.

The foundation is in need of funding to continue its growth in the community and will be holding a fundraiser at Topgolf on Monday, November 9 from 7-10 p.m. “For this event, we are partnering with another organization who focuses on domestic violence and missing persons, the Gabby

By Libby Hopkins

Petito Foundation,” Venegas said. “Together, our goal is to bring awareness to the community about the severe needs of mental health and how our organizations are going to work together to reduce the rapidly growing statistics of the suicide and domestic violence arenas.

There is a big need for housing and shelters as all of them seem to be full in Hillsborough.”

The event is open to the community and there are sponsorships, bays and spectator tickets available.

“In order to reserve tickets, go to www. teeof4hope.com,” Venegas said. “This will also discuss the event in more detail. It will be all you can golf, eat and drink.”

Venegas hopes the fundraiser will let the community know her foundation is here to help. “Our hope for this fundraiser is to raise awareness about the severity of these causes but also to have some fun and meet wonderful people in the community,” Venegas said. “We are hoping to raise enough to sustain our ability to help people who are in dire situations. The Just Help Out Foundation has a goal of opening a shelter in the future as we grow.”

If you’d like to learn more about the Just Help Out Foundation, you can visit its website at https://pages.justhelpoutfoundation. org/ or call 813-433-1777.

TAMPA BAY’S FINEST LITERARY TALENT

SouthShoreAuthors.com, hosted by a dynamic collective of exceptionally talented writers hailing from the SouthShore area, is delighted to announce its launch as a hub for diverse literary excellence. Boasting an impressive portfolio spanning mystery, adventure, romance and humor, South Shore Authors brings together the creative prowess of prolific authors dedicated to captivating readers with imaginative storytelling.

With a passion for storytelling deeply rooted in the vibrant Tampa Bay community, members of South Shore Authors have made it their mission to craft gripping narratives that transport readers into richly woven worlds across a spectrum of genres. From heart-pounding mysteries that keep readers on the edge of their seats to thrilling adventures that awaken the spirit of exploration and heartwarming romances that tug at the heartstrings, South Shore Authors has something to o f er for every reader.

What truly sets South Shore Authors apart is its dedication toward not only delivering full-length novels but also offering an array of free short stories that provide readers with a taste of narrative magic. By granting audiences access to these captivating shorter works, South Shore Authors opens the door to its authors’ unique storytelling styles and

invites readers to embark on unforgettable literary journeys.

“SouthShoreAuthors.com is a celebration of the diverse voices and boundless creativity that thrive within the Tampa Bay area,” said Lawrence Drake, a resident of Sun City Center and one of the founding members of the group. “We’re excited to share our passion for storytelling through a wide range of genres and formats, from novels that transport readers to uncharted territories to short stories that o f er a glimpse into our narrative worlds.”

To experience the captivating stories woven by these talented authors, readers are encouraged to visit the group’s o f cial website: http://southshoreauthors.com/. The website serves as a virtual gateway into its literary universe, where readers can explore author profiles, discover their extensive catalog of works and access the treasure trove of free short stories.

Through South Shore Authors, local authors invite readers, book enthusiasts and literary aficionados to join them on this exciting journey of literary exploration. Through their collective passion, boundless creativity and dedication to the art of storytelling, these authors aim to leave an indelible mark on the literary landscape of Tampa Bay and beyond. For further information, please contact Drake at ldrake@drakeip.com.

South Shore Authors is an new group aiming to bring together a collective of talented writers in the SouthShore area.

WIMAUMA MOTHER AND DAUGHTER IN FINAL YEAR AT FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW

A compelling story is taking shape within the walls of Florida

A&M University College of Law in Orlando.

Maria Reyes and her daughter, Eyesenia

Reyes, both dean’s list honorees, are entering their third and final year of law school. The duo from Wimauma are setting new benchmarks for family achievement and aspirations.

Maria, who became a mother at 15, spent two decades in the dental field before heeding her family’s encouragement to return to school.

“My husband became an attorney at 38 and has been a driving force in my own academic journey. His support and belief in me were one of my biggest inspirations,” Maria stated.

After a seven-year journey to complete her associate degree, Maria graduated alongside Eyesenia.

“God’s timing is always perfect. Seeing our names together in the graduation program was divine intervention,” Maria recounted.

They both transitioned to the University of South Florida (USF) — Maria for a Bachelor of Arts in communication and Eyesenia for a Bachelor of Science in marketing with a sales concentration.

Following her mother’s passing in Nov. 2019, Maria felt a renewed sense of purpose.

“My mom always told me I was destined

TAMPA BAY YOUNG MARINES FOCUSES ON LIFE SKILLS AND UNIQUE

OPPORTUNITIES

Staf Report

to be a lawyer. Honoring her memory made pursuing this dream nonnegotiable,” said Maria, who is leaning toward a specialization in family law.

As Maria began preparing for the LSAT, Eyesenia, inspired by both family and professional experiences, decided to join her.

“My corporate manager suggested I consider law and had me shadow our inhouse counsel. Alongside my dad’s legal career, this prompted me to take the LSAT,” said Eyesenia, who has found her niche in corporate law.

Both are not just academically synchronized with nearly identical GPAs and class rankings, but they are also best friends.

“We’re more than just mother and daughter; we’re classmates, study buddies and best friends, supporting each other through every challenge and triumph,” Eyesenia said.

“As the old adage goes, ‘age is just a number,’ and our family is living proof. If we can do it, so can you. We’re all writing our stories day by day, and sometimes we don’t realize that these stories can inspire others to take the next step in their own lives,” explained Maria as she reflected on her journey.

As they prepare for the July 2024 bar exam, another milestone is on the horizon — Maria’s younger daughter is set to graduate high school.

“It’s going to be a year of monumental achievements for our family,” said Maria, “and that makes it extraordinarily special.”

The Tampa Bay Young Marines, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit program, meets monthly in Riverview, where U.S. Marine veteran Brian Frank serves as unit commander for the local chapter of this national youth organization focused on leadership, citizenship, self-discipline and living a healthy, drug-free life.

Beyond drill training on the second and fourth Saturday of the month, at the Ruskin Memorial VFW Post 6287, young recruits learn, among other things, teamwork, leadership and discipline skills, as well as military terms, jargon, rank structure, customs and courtesies.

Tampa Bay Young Marines is open to girls and boys ages 8-18 and includes unique opportunities, such as the Young Marines National Leadership Academy and its junior, senior and advanced leadership programs.

In August, Zachary Zelif, a Tampa Bay Young Marine, and his father, Michael Zelif, a veteran U.S. Marine, joined more than 175 Young Marines nationwide to meet Navajo code talkers and their families, who each year, on August 14, are celebrated in Window Rock, Arizona. While there, they worked as escorts for these special veterans and participated in a community service cleanup at the Navajo Nation Zoo. They also climbed the Window Rock monument and marched in the Navajo Code Talker Day Parade.

“Meeting these soldiers who selflessly

By Linda Chion

gave of themselves, and their heritage, is a life-changing experience for our Young Marines and adult volunteers,” said veteran William P. Davis, national executive director and CEO of Young Marines. “The Young Marines are helping to preserve the legacy of these very special veterans. They will not be forgotten.”

According to Frank, these remarkable patriots served their country by transmitting top-secret messages via telephone and radio across enemy lines during World War II, which the Japanese never could decode.

“The Navajo language itself is pretty difcult to learn,” Frank said. “Then, when you add code to it, it’s almost unbreakable. There wasn’t a whole lot of encryption back then like there is today.”

Frank is with the Walter P. Ryan Marine Corps League Detachment 1226 in Riverview, which he said provides some assistance to Tampa Bay Young Marines, one of the 238 units with 6,400 youth and 2,750 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan (Okinawa) and a host of other countries.

The local unit aims “to do some serious fundraising” — to take Tampa Bay Young Marines, as a group, to Honolulu, Hawaii next year — for National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

For more on Tampa Bay Young Marines, please visit https://youngmarines.org/unit/ tampabay/page or please contact Frank at 813-463-3130.

Members of the Tampa Bay Young Marines recently traveled to Arizona to meet and celebrate Navajo code talkers from WWII. Tere the Young Marines climbed the Navajo Talkers Monument in Window Rock.

Mother-daughter duo Maria and Eyesenia Reyes are both dean’s list honorees and are set to complete law school and sit for the bar in 2024.

SOUTHSHORE SPORTSPLEX WELCOMES ALL SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS

On September 16, the SouthShore Sportsplex o f cially opened in Apollo Beach with a ribbon-cutting ceremony welcoming residents to the four synthetic-turf athletic fields, making it home to one of the largest contiguous synthetic-turf fields in the nation and the go-to place for sports fans who love high-quality sports fields. The sportsplex will support a variety of recreational sports and activities, including soccer, football, lacrosse, kickball and cricket.

In addition to the fields, the first phase of construction features a playground, pavilions, LED lighting, a concession building with restrooms, o f ces, meeting space and parking for more than 500 vehicles. The park property is about 85 acres, with the $11 million first phase covering roughly half the site. Synthetic-turf baseball fields and a dog park have been discussed as part of the second phase of development.

SouthShore Sportsplex will be a place where anyone of any age looking to jump in and join a pickup game can do so by checking the website. Many county athletic facilities have contractual relationships with large organizations such as Little League and Pop Warner, mainly due to necessary insurance requirements, making availability limited for these kinds of activities to those not a f liated with the programs.

This will not be the case at SouthShore. The weekly events calendar will detail which fields are available for ‘Open Play’ pickup, ‘Skills and Drills’ development and ‘Training and Exercise’ lessons, as well as the scheduled times for the many other activities to be held at the facility

By Brian Bokor

throughout the week.

Chris Kiddy, athletics manager for Hillsborough County, stressed, “There should always be at least one field open for pickup games at the sportsplex.” Kiddy understands how hard it can be to find open fields. “At SouthShore, there are no field-use agreements, as all relationships with organizations are considered short-term rentals. This allows at least one field to remain open to Hillsborough County residents, which makes this a unique feature of the sportsplex.”

According to Rodney Jones, athletic specialist for Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation, one of the coolest features of the four fields is a cooling agent which when watered will lower the turf’s temperature for close to 12 hours. There is also a drainage system under the fields allowing for quicker drying after rainstorms.

Several local youth groups have already registered to use the SouthShore Sportsplex, such as the Waterset Oilers (football), Tampa Dynamo FC (soccer), N Zone Sports (soccer/football), Apollo Beach Lacrosse Club, Happy Feet (soccer) and Under the Lights powered by Under Armour (flag football). Adult leagues registered currently include Riverview Softball, Suncoast Soccer and Club Sport Soccer.

For rental fees and weekly calendars, visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/ locations/southshore-sportsplex. The SouthShore Sportsplex is at 6110 Waterset Blvd. in Apollo Beach. Call 813744-5595 for more information. Pets are welcome at the sportsplex, but they are not allowed on the fields.

An ariel view of SouthShore Sportsplex showing four felds, a playground, concessions and parking.

THERE ARE GREAT PLACES TO FLY A DRONE OR RC PLANE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

Besides spending time on a beach or golf course, fun in the sun can mean opportunities for aerial recreation as well.

Flying smallscale, unoccupied aircraft is a hobby enjoyed by many residents, and the growing availability of consumer-grade drones, in addition to the expansive line of radio control airplane models, has created a demand for open spaces to legally and safely operate them.

Hillsborough County ofcials have responded by providing access to airspace and land where hobbyists can perform aerial maneuvers just short of catching the number three wire in an aircraft carrier landing.

The drone park is located at 11717 Clay Pit Rd. at the west end of Mango Park and Recreation Center. Developed with help from the Cigar City Multirotors drone club, it encompasses a clear area for drones to fly and includes obstacle course fixtures and gates to sharpen the skills required to deftly maneuver remotely controlled aircraft that can reach speeds of up to 90 mph. Adherence to applicable Federal Aviation Administration regulations is required and flying in airspace above areas such as the adjacent dog park and other recreational facilities is prohibited. You can learn

SEEKING LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS FOR FIFTH ANNUAL CEOS IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM

By Brad Stager

more about Cigar City Multirotors by visiting its Facebook page.

Flying radio control models of aircraft has been a hobby for decades, and there are two local airfields available for outdoor piloting of propeller or jet versions of them.

One is located at 7208 Taylor Rd. in Sefner, next to the Hillsborough Heights landfill, over which the aircraft are permitted to fly. The Tampa Radio-control Aircraft Club (TRAC) flies out of the field and its president, Don Riek, said there is more to the club than an appreciation of aeronautics.

“We have several events throughout the year, such as fun flies and an open house during November, for which we collect donations and send them along with a $300 check from our club to support Metropolitan Ministries.”

You can learn more about TRAC by visiting www.tractampa.com.

Another radio control airfield is located at 12705 Balm Boyette Rd., just north of the Triple Creek Nature Preserve in Riverview. It is home to the Triple Creek Radio Control Aircraft Club, which is inviting the public to its 2023 Watt Fest - Electric RC Fun Fly on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15. You can find out more by visiting www.triplecreekrc.com.

CEOs in Schools, now in its fifth year, welcomes Tampa Bay-area executives to spend a day in the heart of the classroom and engage in an exchange of knowledge with educators. On Friday, November 3, business leaders will have the unique opportunity to work alongside dedicated principals, teachers and staff applying their expertise to the prospects and challenges faced by our local public schools.

A collective effort between Hillsborough Education Foundation (HEF), Vistra Communications (Vistra) and Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS), CEOs in Schools is designed to cultivate engagement between industry trailblazers and the future workforce, laying the foundation for academic and personal success. This innovative program places 150 CEOs in public elementary schools across the county for a one-day, handson learning experience that often forges year-round beneficial relationships.

“This program is a testament to the power of collaboration between businesses and education. CEOs in Schools underscores the pivotal role these relationships play in shaping a brighter future for our students and community as a whole,” said HEF CEO Kim Jowell. “We eagerly anticipate this year’s program and the transformative impact it

will undoubtedly have.”

Brian Butler, president and CEO of Vistra, founded the program in 2019 to inspire area executives to invest in education and the development of our future workforce.

“CEOs in Schools bridges the gap between the corporate world and our schools, fostering positive partnerships and innovation for the betterment of Tampa Bay and beyond,” said Butler. “The knowledge and resources these business leaders possess can contribute greatly to the success of our schools and students.”

“CEOs in Schools shows us what can happen when education and industry come together,” said Van Ayres, HCPS interim superintendent. “This initiative is a testament to our shared commitment to nurturing young minds and preparing them for life. We’re excited to welcome these CEOs and executives back to our schools and witness the positive influence they bring.”

Participants who would like to volunteer for CEOs in Schools can reserve a school at www.ceosinschools.com. With so much interest from returning participants, there are less than 50 schools still available, located mainly in South County, the Plant City area and North Tampa.

Hobbyists pilot aircraft in the skies over a landfll from an airfeld operated by the Tampa Radio-control Aircraft Club. Te facility boasts a pavilion, electricity and a paved runway.

THE INCREDIBLE YEARS® WITH EASTERSEALS IS NOW ENROLLING IN SE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

Finding services to support children with developmental challenges can be frustrating for caregivers. In response to this pressing need, Eas terseals is pleased to announce the expansion of its programs in Hill sborough Coun ty. The nonprofit, which is dedicated to creating equity, inclu sion and access for people with disabilities, is now enrolling families in its The Incredible Years® program.

The Incredible Years

Enrollment is now open for Te Incredible Years® with Easterseals in partnership with the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County.

The Incredible Years with Easterseals is a free group therapy program for caregivers and children ages 3-8 years old at the Brandon Children’s Board Family Resource Center. Interested families can register online at https://tinyurl.com/incredibleyearshillsborough, and future locations will be added based on demand.

Amanda Lopez, program manager for The Incredible Years with Easterseals, said, “This evidence-based group therapy program is a blessing to our community. The curriculum provided by Incredible Years has been life-changing to the families we have already served in our first few cohorts. Children are able to learn about their emotions and make friends in their small groups, and the caregivers are able to build strategies to strengthen their parenting skills and the bond they have with their child. We are seeing happier families, increased confidence in the caregivers served and children with healthier coping

WE ARE THE ESSENTIALS NONPROFIT FLORIDA GROUP FINDS MISSING PEOPLE

By Ashley Abene

skills.”

Generously funded by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County, The Incredible Years with Easterseals program is designed to strengthen children’s well-being, promote social-emotional learning and academic competence and prevent, reduce and treat behavioral and emotional problems in young children.

Families enroll in a 14-week session that meets once a week. In the caregiver-focused group, participants work on strengthening parent-child relationships, increasing parenting strategies and building community support. Held simultaneously, the child group concentrates on teaching self-control skills, problem-solving strategies and ways for participants to positively express emotions. The Incredible Years program also includes a home education component.

Interested families are encouraged to email incredibleyears@fl.easterseals.com or call 813-836-4739 with any questions.

As more and more families register for The Incredible Years program, Easterseals is working to open more locations throughout Hillsborough County. Easterseals is also actively seeking to recruit a bilingual family support specialist.

Learn more about Easterseals’ local programs and services at www.easterseals. com/florida.

Imagine watching the news and a story of a missing person is aired. It’s inconceivable to believe such a thing could happen to someone you know, until it does. Sadly, more people go missing than most realize. In Florida alone, 1,252 people are currently missing. In the United States, there are over 600,000 people who go missing every year, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Database (NamUs).

For families in these situations, the first place to turn is law enforcement. In addition to the police doing their part, a nonprofit organization called We Are The Essentials joins the efort of finding lost loved ones.

Most families don’t know where to begin when a loved one goes missing. This is where ‘The Essentials’ come into play, whether it’s running background checks or phone pings, or searching through social media or banking records. The Essentials often work hand in hand with local police and, after taking on a case, investigate for free (paid out of their own pockets).

This organization was formed in 2021 after aiding in the Gabby Petito investigation. Police were searching for suspect Brian Laundrie, who disappeared following the discovery of Petito’s body. Using

their investigative skills, The Essentials found some key evidence at Fort Desoto Park that led them to Carlton Reserve in North Port. Laundrie was found there, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. After this case, The Essentials decided to continue to use their skills to help others in Central Florida find their loved ones.

We Are The Essentials is made up of many volunteers and four main members: Nico Tusconi (retired Marine), Billy Lane (former police detective), Shelley Coroft and Amanda Reece. The core members are licensed private investigators. Recently, they located and brought home Anu Awasthi, a Pinellas County mom who had gone missing for a week.

Coroft mentioned, “We don’t take on many criminal cases but rather mental health, addiction, elderly/Alzheimer’s and suicidal-related missing persons cases.”

Coroft also stated, “We are always looking for corporate sponsors and are regularly vetting volunteers for grid searches. We need a sponsor for a van to have as a communication center during active searches.”

Anyone interested in volunteering or sponsoring We Are The Essentials can contact it via its website at www. wearetheessentials.com.

Te co-founders of We Are Te Essentials, Nick Tusconi and Billy Lane, on a grid search of the woods for missing woman Tonya Whipp.

family member, including a clubhouse, a swimming pool and pickleball courts. Children’s playground, a dog park and walking trails will be part of the project. Homesites will feature 40, 50 and 60foot lots with homes ranging between 1,700-4,200 sq. ft., three to six-bedroom layouts and two or three-car garages.

Floor plans for Waterset, Hawks Grove, Riversedge and Spencer Glen are coming soon. To find more information, add your name to the VIP list, receive community updates or learn about grand opening events, visit www.pulte.com/tampa.

“These communities have been highly sought after by developers and builders. We’re so pleased to be able to deliver our Life Tested, new home designs that will meet the needs of our prospective homebuyers. The Spencer Glen parcel was one of the last remaining parcels within the urban service area and we’ve been chasing it for years. We are excited to be able to build homes having a Riverview address,” said Strickler.

The urban service area (USA) is the area of Hillsborough with access to both

By Brian Bokor

county sewer and water, and when Strickler and several other leading builders in the area say developable land is running out, it’s safe to say they know what they are talking about. With limited available land here in Hillsborough, builders have been looking north (Pasco County), south (Manatee County) and east (Plant City).

“It’s like a balloon being squeezed from the middle,” said Strickler when asked about the lack of land coupled with increased demand as to why areas are now being sought to develop outside of our county.

“When factoring in difculties with rezoning available land in Hillsborough County [coupled with] the mobility, impact and other associated fees charged, it has become more expensive to build here than it has in other nearby markets, and that does have an impact on future plans.”

Mobility fees and impact fees paid by builders account for a substantial portion of our transportation budget, and without that income, funding for future transportation projects will be considerably stressed. With expected growth to continue in our neighboring counties, this situation will add further congestion to Hillsborough County roads without adding the associated revenues from developers into Hillsborough County’s underfunded transportation budget.

TAMPA BAY HARLEY-DAVIDSON CHAPTER HOSTS CLAY SHOOT FOR SOUTHEASTERN GUIDE DOGS

The Old Town Harley Owners Group (HOG) Chapter #5039 of Tampa Bay Harley-Davidson will host its fourth annual Paws for Patriots Clay Shoot in support of veterans who have vision loss, limb loss and/ or PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

The shoot will be held on Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11th, at FishHawk Sporting Clays, located at 13505 Hobson Simmons Rd. in Lithia.

All active-duty military personnel participate for free, and four-person teams pay $120 per shooter. According to assistant director Dennis Adams, the event’s goal is not just to raise money but to also provide active-duty military members with a free day of shooting and lunch. The money raised for Southeastern Guide Dogs comes from auctions, rafes, member donations and corporate sponsorships.

Adams and the Old Town HOG Chapter are no strangers to charity. In the last 18 years, Old Town HOG has raised and donated $600,000 to Southeastern Guide Dogs with the goal of providing service dogs to Veterans. In previous years, it has organized fundraisers ranging from golf tournaments to poker runs.

Due to Old Town HOG’s continuous eforts over the past eighteen years, many veterans have received free service dogs and associated expenditures such as food, veterinarian care and training through SE Guide Dogs were also covered.

By Kayleigh Jones

Service dogs can assist Veterans struggling with a variety of issues, such as vision loss, PTSD and other mental or physical conditions. The Veterans Administration does not recognize service animals as a prosthetic need and won’t pay for a guide dog or assistance dog to be assigned to a disabled veteran; thus, the partnership with Old Town HOG and SE Guide dogs is invaluable.

Members of Old Town HOG, including Adams, have had the opportunity to listen to numerous veterans recount their experiences, detailing challenges with pain or disorders like PTSD, as a result of the partnership with SE Guide Dogs.

According to Adams, “They all have a common quote: ‘This dog saved my life.’”

Adams said the Old Town HOG chapter holds fundraisers not just to benefit the local community of now but also to support the community of tomorrow. Members of the Old Town HOG Chapter of Tampa Bay Harley-Davidson are making a diference in the community and are working toward a brighter future.

For more information on Old Town HOG, visit www.oldtownhog.com. For additional information on the clay shoot, look for the “You Can Help!” section on the left side of the home page. Sponsors and rafe donations are still needed.

OUR

Service

Areas: Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk

Members of the Old Town HOG Chapter of Tampa Bay Harley-Davidson at a previous clay shoot.

LOCAL GIRL SCOUTS HELP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS AT MARY & MARTHA HOUSE

Local Girl Scouts

Roisin Wilson, Valentia Wilson and Vivian Abston began researching ideas for projects they could complete to earn their Girl Scout Silver Award. The Silver Award is the highest honor a middle schoolage Girl Scout can earn.

As they researched, they were astounded to learn that one in four women are afected by domestic violence. They also learned that domestic violence does not always have to be physical, as it can also be verbal.

Roisin said to the group, “I want to help end the cycle of domestic violence.”

This is when the girls decided this issue was something they needed to speak up about. When they began to look around the community to see who was helping victims of domestic violence, they discovered Mary & Martha House.

Mary & Martha House is a domestic violence shelter in the Ruskin area that was founded in 1982. It is not only a shelter but also a full program for victims to recover from the violence and transform their lives. Mary & Martha provides individualized case management to each woman so that her needs are met, including immediate shelter, clothing and hygiene products. The shelter allows them to bring their young children, provides emotional counseling and assists in getting jobs as well as eventually transitioning to permanent housing.

The Girl Scouts worked with Mary & Martha House to refresh its intake/training room for its clients. They repainted the

room, gathered some friends to share what they learned about domestic violence, got them involved in creating inspirational art for the room and created smaller kits of toys the children could play with quietly.

“It was an eye-opening experience for each of us. During our project,” Valentia said, “I was inspired when I learned that some people we encountered in the shelter were once victims who had turned their lives around to now help others in the shelter.”

Along with this, Abston was shocked that “nearly 20 people per minute are assaulted by an intimate partner.”

There are many ways you can get involved in Mary & Martha House and join in its fight to help those sufering from domestic violence and advocate for those who can’t speak up for themselves. Mary & Martha House has a retail space that sells donated items, such as gently used furniture, housewares and clothing. Check with the shelter for donation hours, as they change seasonally. You can also sponsor a room in the shelter or donate resources to assist in continuing to help women transform their lives. Mary & Martha House is also looking for volunteers to help serve this community. For more information about how to get involved, please visit https://marymarthahouse.org/.

If you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation due to domestic violence, please reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).

Assisted Living

“Tessera

Memory Care

“Living

Tree local Girl Scouts repainting Mary & Martha House’s intake/training room.

FLORIDA BLUE AND TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING HOST TEENS TO STRIKE STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH

Florida Blue and the Tampa Bay Lightning continued their commitment to remove the stigma around mental well-being during the second annual Strike the Stigma Symposium with more than 250 students from schools of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties: Tampa Bay Technical High School, Sumner High School, Freedom High School, Robinson High School, Blake High School, Spoto High School, Shorecrest Preparatory School and St. Petersburg High School.

Florida Blue hosted this one-day symposium that engaged area youth and teachers, providing students with the tools and resources to help them flourish, including therapy dogs, yoga, interactive workshops and workshops. Tampa General Hospital was a popular pitstop for students because of Stella and Belle, the two therapy dogs.

Laurie Pacholke, a mother who lost her daughter in 2022 at the age of 27, passionately shared, “We are really trying to remove the stigma and help people understand mental health is like any other illness.”

Pacholke and her husband fondly remember their daughter’s contagious laugh and implored every student at the symposium to treat everyone with kindness.

“Our data clearly shows the need for mental health supports for our youth, and today’s event provides a tremendous opportunity for us to engage students in fun ways while providing practical, accessible tips for daily mental wellness,” said Carrie

Staf Report

Zeisse, president and CEO of Tampa Bay Thrives. This data says:

• High school students with depression are more than two times more likely to drop out than their peers.

• 64.2 percent of Floridians ages 12-17 who have depression did not receive any care in 2022.

Panelists at the symposium include:

• Melanie Green, Building Bulls/Women’s Golf.

• Bianca Romano, University of South Florida student and former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

• Kellan Johnson, former University of South Florida student athlete.

• Laurie and Aaron Pacholke, whose daughter succumbed to suicide.

The students were also trained to become teen mental health first-aiders.

“We look forward to this event every year,” said Shani Young, director of mental health first aid at Directions for Living.

“This is a great opportunity for the community and an unbelievable opportunity for teens.”

Strike the Stigma is a multiyear initiative created in partnership with Florida Blue and Vinik Sports Group to leverage the sport of hockey to provide education and awareness around mental well-being and to help break the stigma. The goal is to provide solutions that can be utilized to achieve positive, sustainable results on the overall mental well-being of the Tampa Bay community.

A group of just some of the 250 students who attended this year’s Strike the Stigma Symposium.

CLOTHES TO KIDS PROVIDES WARDROBES FOR KIDS IN NEED

In the Tampa Bay area, 190,000 children are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Many of these children need clothes for school and for home life. Clothes To Kids Inc. (CTK) is a Tampa Bay-area nonprofit organization that provides a full wardrobe for low-income or in-crisis school-aged children for free.

According to Clothes To Kids’ website, “Research shows that children who go to school wearing clothes that make them feel like they fit in perform better academically than those who don’t.” Clothes To Kids provides such a place for a child to pick out clothing he or she feels comfortable in.

In 2002, Jode Eye and Marie McClung created Clothes To Kids because of a passion to help children in need. The first storefront (providing new and quality used clothing) opened in June of 2003 in Dunedin. The idea of a storefront was so that children could shop for school clothing in a cheerful, respectful environment, free of charge. Today, there are three CTK storefronts in Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa.

In order for a family to shop at one of the CTK stores, they need to have appropriate documents. Examples of this are a free or reduced-price lunch letter, or

ENJOY DELICIOUS FRESH FOOD FROM LITTLE GREEK RIVERVIEW

By Makenzie Atkins

By Ashley Abene

a letter from an agency/school a f liate informing the store that the child qualifies to shop there.

Since opening, a total of 200,000 complete wardrobes have been distributed by Clothes To Kids. In 2022 alone, 346,852 individual wardrobe items were supplied to local children. Each wardrobe includes: five pairs of new underwear, five pairs of new socks, five tops, four bottoms, one optional dress, one pair of shoes and one jacket (in season).

Daniella Altamura, development coordinator for Clothes To Kids, stated, “We are always in need of adult or youth volunteers that can help us sort through our donations, tag clothing and restock the store floor. We love when people/places run clothing drives for us or do closest clean-outs. We cannot do what we do without our community.”

If you wish to help, Altamura expressed a great need for donations of elementary-size boy and girl clothing. CTK also accepts new and gently used kids clothing, adult-size clothes, shoes, bras, belts, purses, hats, jewelry, backpacks and new underwear/socks. Any donations are greatly appreciated as well. For more information or to donate, visit Clothes To Kids’ website at https:// clothestokids.org/.

One restaurant in the community with local owners is serving up delicious food and community support.

Little Greek Riverview, located on Big Bend Road, is one of the top Greek restaurants in the area and is determined to serve the community in more ways than one.

While the current owners, Kam and Harmin, are not firsttime business owners, Little Greek Riverview was their first restaurant and they have enjoyed being part of the community in this way.

One way the store connects with the community is through fundraising for local schools.

Little Greek Riverview often hosts spirit nights for elementary and middle schools in order to raise money for PTA.

in-house. The team members at the store cut all the vegetables, including potatoes for fresh french fries; roll dolmades every morning; mix the tzatziki; marinate chicken; and more.

Little Greek is known for gyro pitas; Greek salads, which include homemade potato salad; and chicken skewer platters, which include chicken skewers, homemade rice, Greek salad, pita bread and homemade tzatziki.

Little

Aside from supporting local schools and organizations, Little Greek Riverview prides itself on having a place for people to connect over good food.

“I like the people, both customers and employees,” said Gabe Torres, crew member at Little Greek Riverview. “I like being able to talk to people and get to know them.”

All of the food at Little Greek is made

Little Greek’s five core values are passion, integrity, constant improvement, operation excellence and giving back. The Riverview location has built a team that supports one another in upholding these standards throughout every shift.

“Everyone here is really close-knit and has each other’s back,” said Joh Greer, assistant manager at Little Greek Riverview. “Everyone’s job is equally important; we are part of a team.”

Delicious and fresh food, passionate employees and connecting with the community make up Little Greek Riverview.

Noel

Te employees at Little Greek Riverview are genuinely all about their team and serving the community.

Greek Riverview prides itself on serving fresh food every day and preps all of the food each morning.

Clothes To Kids co-founders Jode Eye and Marie McClung at one of their storefront locations.

The Tony Baroni Team is Making Dreams Come True!! Call In To Win!

The Tony Baroni Team will be donating $2.00 For Every Caller To Breast Cancer Awareness and Research with Susan G. Komen

Disney is celebrating years as a company and the Tony Baroni Team is celebrating YOU.

CLOSER TO A CURE FUNDRAISER FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH IS THIS MONTH

The Sun City Center Community Association is gearing up for an adult night of laughs and fun for a good cause this month on Wednesday, October 18. Starting at 6 p.m. in the SCC Community Hall, located at 1910 S. Pebble Beach Blvd. in Sun City Center, over 450 people will join together at the association’s Closer to a Cure fundraiser.

This BYOB (bring your own bottle) event will include two adult comedy performances by Helen Keany and Sonya White, a special performance by the SCC Men’s Golden ChipNdale Review, a gift basket rafe, a 50/50 rafe, CC’s Dessert and Cofee Bar, a contest for best pink outfit with a prize and recognition of our brave pink warriors. Be sure to bring cash or checks for night-of-event purchases.

The Closer to a Cure fundraiser is part of a community-wide efort where 100 percent of the proceeds will go toward breast cancer research at the Moftt Cancer Center and Research Institute Foundation. This event has already sold out, but donations are still being accepted, and they will be accepted through the end of October even after the Closer to a Cure event. Donations of any amount are welcome.

“The Sun City Center community, its surrounding community, has been very generous in sponsoring the event and do-

BAIT AND TACKLE OF APOLLO BEACH NOW OFFERING BOAT RENTAL, ROD REPAIR AND MORE

By Taylor Wells

nating gift baskets,” said Renee Bray, chairwoman of the event.

She added, “Over a hundred diferent businesses and organizations — some of them are clubs within our organizations — have made donations towards either the event or the gift baskets.” Breast cancer not only strikes one in eight women (and men), but it also afects their family and friends. Regardless of how this disease has afected you or those dear to you, and whatever your budget, there’s a way for you to show your support for their fight.

To make a monetary donation, make your tax-deductible check payable to Moftt Cancer Center Foundation and mail to: SCCCA, 1009 N. Pebble Beach Blvd., Sun City Center, FL 33573, Attention: Renee Bray. To donate a basket or gift certificate, contact Linda Raymond at 802-238-8452. Baskets will be accepted until Sunday, October 15.

For any questions or to donate to the Closer to a Cure fundraiser, please email Renee Bray at rbray@suncitycenter.org or call her at 813-315-1740. To make a donation by credit card, visit http://bit.ly/ CCURE23.

J.C. Kruczewski, owner of Bait and Tackle of Apollo Beach, is celebrating seven years in business.

“It seems like yesterday when we started with 750 sq. ft. space and only one small homemade tank for bait,” said Kruczewski,

Today, Bait and Tackle of Apollo Beach has expanded to over 3,000 square feet with 22 feet of fiberglass shrimp tanks with small, medium, large and jumbo shrimp for bait and a separate tank for pinfish bait. There are also three freezers full of frozen bait.

Kruczewski likes to make it easy for his customers when they’re trying to park their boats to shop for their fishing needs.

“Customers can call in their order the day before and pull up in the back, ring the doorbell and we will deliver their order to them,” he said.

The shop carries a large selection of tackle and rods for beginners, weekend fishermen and every level in between, along with a wide variety of merchandise and apparel.

“We carry a large assortment of fishing rods from companies, including Redbone, Tsunami, Okuma and Penn. We also carry Bull Bay Rods, high-quality rods made right here in Lakeland. They ofer a special lifetime warranty on their rods,” said Kruczewski.

By Melissa Hartmann

Rod repair is also available in the shop. One of the newest ventures for Kruczewski is boat rentals. Boat rental is $600 for a full day. Boats will be dropped of at E.G. Simmons or Williams Boat Ramps. Boating experience is a must for prospective renters.

“The diference between us and the larger boat rental companies is there are no up-front fees, no monthly fees and you can rent anytime depending on availability,” explained Kruczewski.

“My dad, Julius Sr. — or ‘Papa,’ as he is known to everyone has always been the biggest supporter of my shop since day one — he used to come work a few days a week or just come in and talk with me. Recently, his health has not been good and he hasn’t been in the shop, but that hasn’t stopped him from worrying about me and the success of the shop. He talks about the shop to me just like we were sitting behind the counter,” reflected Kruczewski.

Bait and Tackle of Apollo Beach strives to be the best bait shop on this side of the bay and will continue to bring in the newest merchandise and the freshest bait for customers.

The store is located at 6040 N. U.S. 41 in Apollo Beach and can be reached at 813296-7735.

Bait and Tackle of Apollo Beach owner J.C. and ‘Papa’ Kruczewski have worked together to expand the shop over the last seven years.

Sonya White. Helen Keany.

Te SCC Men’s Golden ChipNdale Review. Tey are all members of the community who have been practicing for months for a special event at the Closer to a Cure fundraiser.

DOVE INTERIORS CARPET ONE COMPLETES INSTALLATION OF ROOM BY ROOM SHOWROOM REDESIGN

Dove Interiors Carpet

One Floor & Home announced the recent completion of a showroom overhaul with the unveiling of Room by Room, which was designed to shift the way consumers shop for floors.

Four years in the making, Room by Room features a streamlined, spacious showroom with products organized by color.

The redesign includes a powerful digital experience, boasting revamped websites and in-store kiosks that display product and inspiration content directly for the consumer. This includes room visualizers, QR codes, easy product comparison tools, animated product views, warranty information and more all at the customer’s fingertips.

“It has been so exciting to see the customer reaction to the new space. It upgrades the previous floor shopping experience by focusing on ease of selection. This innovative design is tailored to suit the way today’s consumer makes home improvement decisions,” said Dove Interiors co-owner Kimberly Scott.

Locally owned and operated since 1991 by mother-daughter duo Joan Miller and Scott, Dove Interiors is part of Carpet One Floor & Home, the co-op that created the new store redesign and equipped the team with advanced training to provide the bestin-class service. As part of the Carpet One Floor & Home co-op, the advantage of enhanced buying power and in-house market-

FASTFRAME COMES TO WINTHROP TOWN CENTRE

By Libby Hopkins

Staf Report

ing initiatives ensures that Dove Interiors stays at the forefront of industry trends.

Scott explained, “Before this showroom renovation, we watched consumers come into the store and feel overwhelmed. Now what we see is satisfaction, confidence and contentment.”

Dove Interiors has a wholehouse solution with the advantage of shopping for flooring, window treatments, kitchen and bath cabinets and countertops under one roof. Additionally, at Dove Interiors Carpet One Floor & Home, associates are not only trained sales professionals, installation technicians and product experts, but, more importantly, they are also your neighbors who strive to provide a genuinely helpful experience.

Piggybacking on that, giving back to the community is also very important to the owners.

“We support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation that builds mortgage-free homes for wounded veterans and pays of the mortgages for Gold Star families, whose spouses were killed in the line of duty. We also do local work with Toys for Tots, a program that helps less-fortunate children receive new toys to play with,” said Miller.

Visit Dove Interiors’ 6,000-square-foot showroom, located at 2305 College Ave. in Ruskin.

For more information, visit www.doveinteriorscarpetone.com.

Discover the art of preserving memories and showcasing your family treasures in style with the new owner of FastFrame in the Winthrop Town Centre, Aki Weaver and David Escobar. “From paintings to photographs to memorabilia, we frame your stories with craftsmanship and care,” said Weaver. “Embark on a journey of personalization and elegance with us.”

The couple met eight years ago while attending the University of Tampa. “We have a 6-year-old daughter named Hana who is our ‘floor manager,’ and she keeps us in check,” Weaver said.

The couple took over the frame store when the previous owner became ill. “It was all thanks to the VP of FastFrame, the team at Winthrop and timing,” Weaver said. “Unfortunately, the previous owner of the location fell ill and could no longer take on the store. It was important to the VP of the franchise to keep the location going and the people of Winthrop didn’t want to lose the product, as it was too emotional and valuable to let go to waste. Simultaneously, my husband and I were looking for a career change. It’s something we thought we could bring our youth and energy to, as we saw how custom picture framing, just like many other businesses, is experiencing an aging process.”

As soon as the couple took over the frame store, they realized it was so much more than just a frame shop. “It is about

preserving people’s treasures and memories,” Weaver said. “It was overwhelming, in the best way. We couldn’t be happier that it turned out to be such a positive thing for us and the community of Winthrop.”

If you ask the couple what makes FastFrame diferent from other frame stores in the area, they will tell you it’s the process of making their customers’ visions come to life. “First, we go through a professional designing process with our customers for each piece,” Weaver said. “Whether you’re trying to decorate your home or your ofce, we can help our customers bring their vision to life. Second, we delicately and meticulously handle our customer’s artwork and memorabilia. All of our services are done by an experienced craftsman. Finally, we ofer a True Love guarantee on each piece. That means if a customer isn’t in love with their finished piece, we will redesign and recraft it within the same price range at no additional cost. When you bring your memories to us, we will take the best care of them.”

If you would like to learn more about FastFrame and the services it ofers, you can visit its website at https://fastframe. com/riverview/ or call 813-436-0044. The store hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and on Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The store is located at 6128 Winthrop Town Centre Ave. in Riverview.

Dove Interiors recently unveiled Room by Room, a total showroom redesign.

ENJOY A DELICIOUS CUP AT ONE OF THE MANY LOCAL COFFEE SHOPS IN THE COMMUNITY

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

While cofee has been around since the 15th century, one Seattle-based cofee shop put the delicious drink on the map. Once cofee became popular after the Boston Tea Party in 1773, Starbucks popularized the drink in 1971 by expanding its reach to gain loyal customers nationwide. According to a recent survey, Tampa is ranked number six across America as one of the best cofee cities. When you take a look at all the cofee shops in the community, you can see that the area loves delectable cofee.

While Starbucks might have started the trend, Dunkin’ soon gained fame in the early 1980s after opening its doors in 1950. Starting out as just donuts and cofee,

tions to choose from, no matter what you choose, you can always get a delicious cofee from Dunkin’. The Dunkin’ located on Fishhawk Blvd. is open from 5 a.m.-10 p.m. seven days a week.

Though Cali Cafe ofers more than just cofee, its Columbian classic is hard to beat. This local cofee shop makes everything in-house, so it is fresh every day. From the breakfast Cuban to the cafe con leche and everything in between, customers are loving Cali Cafe.

Located at 10010 US-301 in Riverview, Cali Cafe is open from Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and on Sunday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Foundation Cofee Co. ofers handcrafted cofee and espressos, an expansive tea bar and real, fresh food options. By hiring baristas who know the history and details about coffee, they are able to serve you something with love and care. Foundation Cofee has two locations, one in Riverview and the other in Ybor. The shop located at 10020 Carr Rd. in Riverview is open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m., and on Sunday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

this shop might have some extravagant drink options, Chill Cawfee wants you to be able to relax when you step foot into the shop.

“I love connecting with the community, the few minutes that our customers spend with us to get their cofee in the morning brings me happiness,” said Lisa Quigley, owner of Chill Cawfee.

The shop will be expanding this year to add retro games and extended hours. Chill Cawfee, located at 3407 Lithia Pinecrest Rd., is open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.5 p.m., and on Sunday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Raining Berries was founded in 2018 in Florida with a goal to transform the cofee industry. The shop sources cofee through trusted and ethical means, and you can read the story of the cofee on its website. Raining Berries, located at 1560 W. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon, is open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m., and on Sunday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Mantilla stated that no matter what your cofee preference is, Louie Bean can create something for you.

“I have people who need cafeine but hate the taste of cofee,” said Mantilla, “others love the taste but cannot have caffeine. Don’t worry, we got you.”

Find Louie Beans at 106 N. U.S. Hwy. 41 in Ruskin from 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday.

Dunkin’ has expanded to bagels, sandwiches, English mufns and many other breakfast items. While there are many op-

Chill Cawfee ofers a new take on classic drinks with CBD-infused cofees and teas. Though

The Louie Beans Cofee Co. truck serves the Tampa area cofee, tea and flavored soda. The truck has five signature drinks that include things like pistachio, toasted marshmallows and lavender.

“I enjoy being able to make people’s day by serving them things they love,” said Jennifer Mantilla, owner of Louie Beans.

Cofee comes in all shapes, sizes, flavors and temperatures, and every person has their favorite way to drink it. With all the shops that ofer unique versions of the classic cofee, step out of your comfort zone and try one of the fun, new flavors that cofee has to ofer.

Our primary care providers know there’s more to your health than numbers on a medical chart. That’s why we personalize your care in a way that’s centered around your life — so you can enjoy all the vital moments of your life.

Online Scheduling. Same-day appointments. Extended Hours. Virtual Visits. Over 25 local primary care locations.

FOUNDATION COFFEE

A LETTER FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT: HCPS RECRUITING NEW ESE TEACHERS WITH ACCELERATED PROGRAM

As we push forward with filling our remaining teacher vacancies for Hill sborough County Public Schools’ (HCPS) 2023-24 school year, HCPS has a laser focus on specific po sitions: Exceptional stu dent education, or ESE, teachers. HCPS serves over 30,000 students with dis abilities, who receive in struction with specialized support provided by both general education and special education teachers. But for many students with disabilities, success in the classroom de pends on appropri ate adaptations, ac commodations and modifications made to the instruction and any other classroom activities.

Right now, HCPS is actively recruiting new ESE teachers as we strive to fill 100 positions. These include students with intellectual, learning and physical challenges, speech and language di fculties as well as hearing and/or visual impairments, along with students with autism.

“These are our students who need some of the most support, and they need to have services as a part of their Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and it’s important that they have high-quality instructors to help them meet their goals,”

By Interim Superintendent Van Ayres

said Shannon Lesperance, ESE assistant director for instructional programs. Thanks to our STEP program, there is an accelerated route in which a background in education isn’t necessary. STEP is a great opportunity for those who always thought they might want to be a teacher. We’re looking for individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher and a growth mindset who can always find ways to help our students find success.

“It’s really about having a guide for these prospective teachers every step of the way to help you both in your preparation and practice, which leads to a professional certificate,” said Scott Richman, the district’s supervisor of professional development.

Those who enroll in the program, meet the requirements and complete three or more years of teaching will receive up front a 50 percent discount o f the program value of $900. In addition, benefits include competitive starting salaries, vacation time and school breaks, medical plus basic life insurance and participation in the Florida Retirement System, professional development and training at no cost, as well as opportunities for career advancement.

HCPS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONALLY FUNDED COMMUNITY PROJECT: CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) GRANT

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) has been awarded a 12-month Congressionally Funded Community Project: Career and Technical Education (CTE) grant for $1,000,000. This federally funded grant will o f er a rigorous workforce development program that will educate students in a variety of medical and building construction professions. This grant project will be funded in whole by federal funds through the Department of Education, which will ensure that the workforce of Tampa’s tomorrow is prepared with the necessary skills and create a much-needed pipeline of skilled labor in high-demand fields within our community. This funding was made possible through the work of U.S. Representative Kathy Castor and her office.

HCPS will use the federal grant funds to expand CTE o f erings for students in grades nine through 12 in the areas of construction and medical training, including the purchase of CTE course-related equipment and instructional materials. This year, the district opened two new workforce development high schools: the Building Construction Academy at Bowers/Whitley and the Medical Academy at D.W. Waters.

The district’s CTE o f erings are part of an overall program of study designed to prepare students to be successful

Saint Anne Catholic Church

in a rapidly changing workforce and equip them to make informed decisions about their future.

CTE o f ers students the opportunity to earn highly valued industry certifications and to develop a multitude of skills while experiencing a rigorous curriculum with real-world applications. Through this grant, the district can o f er more courses and increase the number of students enrolled.

“We are excited to see our health science students transition from the entry-level course this year to the more advanced courses in the next few years. The Congressionally Funded Grant will provide modern equipment that will allow students to use advanced technology to visualize, simulate and perform clinical tasks, which will best prepare them to enter a health science-related career or postsecondary program when they graduate high school in 2027,” said interim superintendent Van Ayres.

The district has been partnering with industry experts throughout the Tampa Bay area to ensure our students are trained and have the knowledge and skills necessary for careers right here in our community. Students who earn an industry certification in high school can potentially save their families anywhere from $106.86 to $1,602.90 in college tuition per industry certification.

Saint Anne Catholic Church

Saint Anne Catholic Church

Vigil

Sunday8

~Masses~

~Masses~

Vigil Saturday 4:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday Wednesday &

MASSES

Sunday8 a.m., 10 a.m., & 5 p.m. (12:30 p.m. Spanish)

Monday-Friday 8 a.m.

Vigil.....................................................................Saturday 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday & Jueves 7 p.m.

Sunday........................ 8 a.m., 10 a.m. & 5 p.m. (12 p.m. Spanish)

Monday - Friday......................................................................8 a.m.

Wednesday............................7 p.m. Jueves.........................7 p.m.

Recorded Masses can be viewed on the St. Anne website (SaintAnneRuskin.org) and Facebook page.

Reconciliation Tue. at 8:30am, Thurs. at 6pm, Sat. at 3:15pm and By Appointment.

Te Masses will be streamed and uploaded to the St. Anne website (SaintAnneRuskin.org) and Facebook page.

Te church will be open weekdays for private prayer between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Reconciliation Tues. at 8:30 a.m., Tur. at 6 p.m., Sat. at 3:15 p.m. and by appointment.

For more information, please check the St. Anne website. Registration is now open for the 2021-2022 Faith Formation year.

Please call the ofce for more information.

For more information, please check the St. Anne website.

Congratulations Jessica, Jordan and family on the

Our Lady Of Guadalupe Food Pantry Celebrates 90th Birthday Of A Volunteer

“Our Lady’s Pantry is a perfect example of neighbors of all ages coming together to care for one another,” said director Tom Bullaro. “And this week, we celebrate Nancy Lang’s 90th birthday.” Lang said that volunteering brings her peace of mind as she reflects on what was accomplished that day.

“I am always looking for those who need help,” she said. “One such local need is Our Lady’s Food Pantry, Guadalupe Mission, located in Wimauma on U.S. 301 South, just south of Route 674, across from Aldi’s. I encourage seniors to join me and others.”

According to Lang, men and women are needed to fulfill the pantry’s goal of

“My motto is, ‘Do for others what they cannot do for themselves,’” said Lang.

“Nancy is amazing,” said Bullaro.

“She has been working here since early 2020, doing everything from filling bags and boxes with food to stocking shelves with canned goods, and doing anything else that we ask her to do. Ninety years young — just goes to prove you are never too young to volunteer at Our Lady’s Pantry.”

To learn more about Our Lady’s Pantry, visit its website at www. ourladyspantry.com or call 813-6332384.

Riverview Woman’s Club Luncheon

The Riverview Woman’s Club will be holding its October luncheon on Wednesday, October 18, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Riverview Taphouse, located at 10656 New East Bay Rd. in Gibsonton.

Deborah Kau f man, president of the Hillsborough County League of Women Voters will be the guest speaker at this meeting. To find out more about the Riverview Woman’s Club, visit its website at www. riverviewwomansclub.org or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ riverviewwomansclub.

Charity Bingo At The Talking

Pint, located at 13418 Boyette Rd. in Riverview, on Tuesday, October 10 starting at 7 p.m. Please come early to select your seat, this is a first-come, firstserved event and there are no reservations. Bingo cards are $20 for 10 games and will go on sale at 6:30 p.m. There will also be a 50/50 ra f e drawing.

Arts & Crafts Fair

Redeemer Lutheran Church, located at 701 Valley Forge Blvd. in Sun City Center, is holding an Arts & Crafts Fair on November 4. With over 40 vendors, this is a great opportunity to find unique gifts just in time for the holidays. A wide variety of handmade items, including sewn and crocheted items, painted items, jewelry, pottery, leather items, glassware, ceramics, wreaths, wooden items and much more, will be available. There will also be a bake sale and food trucks.

Comedy Night To Benefit Campaign Against Human Trafficking

The Campaign Against Human Trafficking - SouthShore (CAHT) will host the Al Ernst Comedy Night on Tuesday, October 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Florida Room at the Atrium, located at 1009 N. Pebble Beach Rd. in Sun City Center. Al Ernst has been named Carnival Cruise Line’s ‘Entertainer of the Year’ and combines motivational speaking with nonconfrontational humor. Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased from the CAHT website at https://sccblueheart.org/. Proceeds will help fund victim services programs and educational awareness and prevention activities in schools and the community.

Beth Israel Annual Rummage Sale

Beth Israel Congregation is inviting everyone to come to its annual rummage sale on Tuesday, October 24 from 9 a.m.2 p.m. It will be located at 1115 E. Del Webb in Sun City Center. There will be a wide variety of objects for sale, including clothing, linens, books, appliances, dishes and artwork. Designer and costume jewelry will be for sale in the sanctuary. Come early to find the best pieces.

Compiled by Jenny Bennett jbennett@ospreyobserver.com

TWISTED SUGAR’S RIVERVIEW LOCATION OFFERS COOKIES, TWISTERS AND SODAS FOR CUSTOMERS

Twisted Sugar franchise owner Shawn Boer opened his gourmet cookie store in Riverview nearly a year ago. Twisted Sugar o f ers custom sodas and ice cream smoothies at the Riverview location, including its famous gourmet cookies.

“I tell everybody they’re the best cookies you’ll ever eat. We have over 100 flavors of custom sodas and we have ice cream smoothies that will change your life,” Boer said.

Twisted Sugar offers gourmet cookies and custom sodas in addition to its ice cream smoothie twisters.

Twisted Sugar was started in Boer’s home state of Idaho. He loved visiting the stores near him and decided to open his own franchise around two years ago after watching his friend find success with his own franchises. Boer has a background in sales and company management, skills he brought to his franchise in Riverview.

“[I] just traveled the country for a couple years in an RV and figured out I wanted to live in Florida,” Boer said. “… When we decided to do something like this, we went to every cookie store there was … and we bought all the cookies they had.”

After purchasing a number of cookies from di f erent stores, he had his neighbors sample the di f erent options, and they picked Twisted Sugar’s cookies as their favorite.

By Lily Belcher

At the beginning of September, Boer opened a Twisted Sugar cookie truck to o f er a mobile option for events and parties. He is hoping to book the truck for a function every day to bring his cookies and twisters to the community.

“My favorite cookies are the key lime pie and the butterbeer cookies, and I recommend the twisters because the ice cream smoothies are just incredible,” Boer recommended.

Twisted Sugar has also sponsored spirit nights for local schools, including Sumner High School and Riverview FFA.

Boer and his nine employees make all their cookies from scratch every day to o f er fresh products to their customers.

“Everybody loves cookies and it’s nice to provide a high-quality cookie to people who thoroughly enjoy it because it’s a good cookie,” Boer said. “I tell them it’s the best cookie they’ll ever eat, and they agree. So, it’s nice to see people enjoy your creations and what you’re doing.”

For information about Twisted Sugar or place an order, visit https://twistedsugar.com/. To book Twisted Sugar for an event, call 813-672-2786. Twisted Sugar is located at 13159 U.S. Hwy. 301 in Riverview in the Summerfield Square Professional Center.

I’m Bill Kidwell, a licensed sales agent in South Bay Tampa. When it comes to Medicare, it’s important to consider all of your optons. What works well for your neighbor may not be the best ft for you. I know the ins and outs of Medicare, and I’m ready to answer your questons and help you fnd a plan that fts your needs. Take advantage of my knowledge and experience to:

• Take the confusion out of Medicare

• Receive one-on-one service

• Get help comparing plans

• Make enrolling in a plan easier

William $40 OFF BRAKES Includes Free Brake Inspection Not to be combined with any other ofer. Only valid at Riverview, FL - Boyette location.

Not to be combined with any other ofer. Only valid at Riverview, FL - Boyette location. 10/31/2023 10/31/2023

EXPERIENCE HALLOWEEN AND FALL FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween

Get your favorite costume ready and come and collect candies and treats while Magic Kingdom park thrills and chills you with eerie entertainment, delightful attractions and some beloved Disney Characters. Watch three sinister sisters bewitch and bedazzle in the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, boogie down with friends from Disney Junior shows at Disney Junior Jam and finish the evening watching Disney’s Not-So-Spooky-Spectacular, a wickedly wild fireworks display hosted by Jack Skellington. This frightfully fun experience runs on select nights through Wednesday, November 1. Tickets can be purchased at https://disneyworld.disney. go.com/; please review the dress code and costume guidelines before attending.

Haunted Halls At Spoto High School

The Navy JROTC at Spoto High School is hosting Haunted Halls on Saturday, October 28 from 5-7:30 p.m. It is inviting everyone to dress up in their Halloween costumes and join them in their air-conditioned haunted classrooms and hallway filled with fun, screams and laughter. This event is aimed at younger children in elementary school, who will each receive candy at the end of the haunted trail. The cost of this event is $5, and all proceeds will go to the Navy JROTC. Spoto High School is located at 8538 Eagle Palm Dr. in Riverview.

Riverwalk Trick Or Treat

The free Riverwalk Trick or Treat event returns for its seventh year on October 28 from 4-7 p.m. Dress up in a costume, collect your bag from MacDill Park at 100 N. Ashley Dr. in Tampa and then trick-or-treat along the Tampa Riverwalk and enjoy the fun activities. There will be over 50 stations to enjoy throughout the route

from Water Works Park to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, with a movie on the big screen at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park starting at 7 p.m.

A Kitten Place Rescue Black Cat

5K Run

Local cat and kitten rescue A Kitten

Place is holding its annual Black Cat Halloween Run on Saturday, October 21 in the Twin Lakes neighborhood and is looking for vendors and corporate sponsors for the event. It is a fun family event; feel free to dress up in your Halloween costume. There will be a DJ, food, costume contest rafe prizes, a silent auction and more. If you are interested and would like more information on the event, please email akittenplace@gmail.com to register visit https://runsignup.com/race/ fl/valrico/blackcat5kwalk.

Designer Handbag Boo Bash Bingo

The Brandon Junior Woman’s Club is hosting a designer handbag boo bash bingo. The event will take place on Thursday, October 19 from 6 p.m. at New Hope Church, located at 213 N. Knights Ave. in Brandon. There will be 10 rounds of bingo, and winners can choose between a selection of designer handbags and totes from Kate Spade, Coach, Brahmin, Dooney and Bourke and more. Light bites and refreshments are also included in the ticket price. Tickets are available from www.gfwcbrandonjuniors.org and cost $40. This event is always extremely popular, so register early to make sure you are not disappointed. Additional information about the event can be found by emailing bjwc.fl@gmail.com.

Armature Works

Fall Fest

Popular waterfront venue Armature Works

is expanding one of its most popular events, Fall Fest, to two weekends this year: Saturday and Sunday, October 14-15 and October 21-22. The event includes a spectacular riverfront pumpkin patch, activities for the whole family and autumn treats to give you all the fall feels. There will also be live music performances and a food drive benefiting Metropolitan Ministries. Armature Works is located at 1910 N. Ola Ave. in Tampa.

Bullfrog Creek Ranch Halloween Party

The Bullfrog Creek Ranch is hosting a family-friendly Halloween party. A dog parade and costume contest, pumpkin carving and a horse recital are just some of the fun activities planned. The event will take place on Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at 12435 Cody Dr. in Wimauma. The entry fee is $10, but kids are free. For more information, email mmbarn4@ gmail.com or call 813-992-0473.

Free Halloween Fun At Sparkman Wharf

On Friday, October 27, Sparkman Wharf will host its fifth annual Haunted Wharf to celebrate Halloween in the district. Sparkman Wharf will transform into a haunted pirate shipwreck with silly spooks for the kids and scary fun for the adults as the evening progresses. Haunted Wharf is a free community event for all ages that will feature two nights of roaming entertainment, photo-ops as well as festive food and drinks available for purchase.

Additional Halloween entertainment happening at Sparkman Wharf includes the

Compiled By Jenny Bennett

annual Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest on Monday, October 23. Registration will begin at 6 p.m. at The Modern Paws at Sparkman Wharf and the contest will kick of at 7 p.m. at the stage area. Enjoy a lawn viewing of Ghostbusters on Tuesday, October 31 starting at 6:30 p.m. The first 50 people to arrive will receive a complimentary treat from Hampton Chocolate Factory.

Haunted Ship Returns

Now through Saturday, October 28, guests can board the American Victory Ship for a haunted experience like no other. One of the most anticipated spooky events of the season, the UNDead in the Water haunted ship, returns as Tampa’s premier authentic nautical haunted attraction. The American Victory Ship is a 1945 WWII ship that served in WWII as well as Korea and Vietnam. The ship has a new location: behind The Florida Aquarium at 705 Channelside Dr. in Tampa. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.undeadinthewater.com.

This haunted experience is not recommended for children under the age of 11.

Keller Williams Suburban Tampa Trunk-or-Treat

The Tony Baroni Team at Keller Williams Suburban Tampa is thrilled to invite the community to the highly anticipated annual Keller Williams Suburban Tampa Trunkor-Treat event. Prepare for a spine-tingling, family-friendly experience on Thursday, October 26 at the Keller Williams Realty Suburban Tampa parking lot, located at 2350 E. SR 60 in Valrico. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. In addition to the trunk-or-treating, there will be a haunted maze, face painting and popcorn for all. Don your spookiest, funniest, or most creative costumes and join the fun.

Angel Foundation FL Celebrates Gift Shop Anniversary With Ribbon-cutting

The Angel Foundation FL, a caring resource for families in our community experiencing a temporary crisis due to a life-threatening illness or catastrophic event, recently celebrated the first anniversary of its gift shop, located at the HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, with a Valrico FishHawk Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting. The gift shop space is generously donated by the hospital and all proceeds from store sales go right back into helping families in the community. For more information on the Angel Foundation FL, visit https://angelfoundationfl.com/.

Heath Wealth Management LLC To Host Estate Planning Workshops

Did you know 67 percent of Americans do not have an estate plan? According to 40 percent of survey respondents, the biggest reason why is ‘they just haven’t gotten around to it,’ while 33 percent indicated they don’t think they have enough assets. Of those Americans who have an estate plan, many have plans that don’t work out exactly as intended for a variety of reasons, including wrong registration, wrong beneficiary, misunderstanding of legal terms, fraud, unplanned contingencies and more.

Elijah Heath, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU® and Heath Wealth Management LLC will be hosting workshops that will review traditional estate planning strategies along with smart, new techniques that traditional estate planning may not have addressed.

The workshops include dinner at Donovan’s Meatery, located at 11206 Sullivan St. in Riverview, on Monday, October 9 at 5:30 p.m. and downtown brunch at Heron’s rooftop, located at 815 Water St. in Tampa, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 11. Seating is limited and interested parties must RSVP to Sandra Massengale at s.massengale@lpl.com or 813-556-7171.

Florida Strawberry Festival Announces Teme For 2024 Event

The Florida Strawberry Festival recently announced the theme for its 89th annual event: “Out of This World!”

“The sky’s the limit,” said Florida Strawberry Festival President Kyle Robinson. “Our board of directors, staf and maintenance crew have been hard at work this summer planning and preparing an ‘out of this world’ experience for all our guests. We look forward to welcoming visitors from far and wide to BerryFest24.”

A new theme is created for each year’s festival to ofer patrons a glimpse of the experience they will have at the 11-day event. It also unifies vendors, FFA chapters, organizations, corporate partners and exhibitors, who create parade floats and displays throughout the event.

Award-winning Challenge Island STEAM Programs

Now In Southeast Hillsborough

Challenge Island South Hillsborough County wants to bring STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) to you. Ofering STEAM enrichment programs in a mobile capacity, the award-winning Chal-

See Ad On Page 31

lenge Island program and curriculum are designed to meet the needs of two entities: today’s playful, imaginative child and tomorrow’s empowered, globally successful adult. Kids work together for hands-on learning in programs that use imagination and teamwork. The Challenge Island program ofers after-school enrichment, award-winning camps, on-site field trips, birthday parties and more.

For more information or to book a Challenge Island program, visit https://challenge-island.com/south-hillsborough-county/.

Te Florida Orchestra Names Principal Oboe And Bass Musicians

As the new season begins, The Florida Orchestra has named Mark Debski as principal oboe and Ryan Sujdak as principal bass, filling two key positions in Florida’s largest professional orchestra under the artistic leadership of music director Michael Francis. In total, the orchestra welcomes nine new musicians to its first full season. All have won highly competitive blind auditions that attracted nearly 200 candidates from around the nation and world.

As the principal oboe, Debski fills one of the top-tier positions in the orchestra of 70 full-time musicians and conductors. Seated in the middle of the stage, the principal oboe is often featured in major works and traditionally tunes the orchestra before the performance begins. Florida native Sujdak

Continued on next page.......

Te Angel Foundation recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the gift shop with a ribbon-cutting.

By Jenny Bennett

will be TFO’s first new principal bass in nearly 50 years. He succeeds Dee Moses, who retired last season after 47 years with the orchestra. Visit https://floridaorchestra.org/ musicians/ for more information on the musicians with The Florida Orchestra.

Riverview Internal Medicine Now Open And Seeing Patients

Riverview Internal Medicine is excited to announce it is now open and seeing patients. Dr. Salman Ahmed, M.D. is a compassionate physician who has been in practice for over 20 years. The practice ofers essential services, including managing high blood pressure, diabetes, congestive heart failure, women’s health, hormone replacement therapy and more. Riverview Internal Medicine also has a focus on preventative medicine. Ahmed’s practice is conveniently located at 13113 Vail Ridge Dr. in Riverview at the cross section of U.S. 301 and Big Bend Road in the medical complex behind Publix. Its ofce hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and has appointment availability on Saturday. For more information,

visit www.riverviewinternalmedicine.com or call 813-257-0342.

Summerfeld Community Wins Safe Neighborhood Award

The Summerfield Master Community Association in Riverview recently won the 2023 Safe Neighborhood Award. An increasing number of wildlife sightings and interactions were reported, so neighborhood leaders sought help and direction. They invited Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission representatives to speak to community members to learn about the diferent animal species they may encounter in the area and how to best handle them if they do. The award recognizes the Summerfield Master Community Association for taking the initiative to learn ways to better coexist with the natural world. They will now compete for Neighborhood of the Year, which is to be announced soon.

Tess Gates, owner of and nurse practitioner injector at TRU Aesthetics, believes in inspiring confidence. That priority, combined with her 17 years of experience working in the health care industry, prompted her to open her med spa ofce in April.

“The main thing that I recognized was there was a need for an aesthetics practice that put a priority on the patients’ needs rather than the needs of the business,” explained Gates. “I’ve kind of just aspired to establish a business where my top priority was honesty and integrity and really create a space where patients can feel comfortable sharing inse curities and vulnerabilities.”

Meeting these patients’ needs, Gates said, should be done without pressure or urgency to spend money on treatments.

“A lot of people have a preconceived notion … that they can’t potentially aford antiaging treatments, or they will kind of be looked down upon if they have a particular budget in mind,” Gates said. “I do believe differently. I believe that through a thorough patient consult, I can provide services tailored to every budget and comfort level of the patient.”

Gates is currently ofering free consulta-

By Lily Belcher

tions to new patients and their choice of Botox or Dysport for just $10 per unit. Gates’ priority is to create personal relationships with her clients, hoping to gain their trust to become their “go-to, long-term provider for everything related to antiaging, skin health and wellness.”

TRU Aesthetics offers science-based treatments with a focus on antiaging services, including wrinkle relaxers, microneedling and injectable dermal her patients.

“I recognize that, even though I’m helping patients in a diferent platform, I am helping to inspire confidence,” Gates said. “My thought process is confidence is beautiful, and helping people feel confident is where my passion lies.”

TRU Aesthetics is located at 1218 Millennium Pkwy. of Pauls Drive. To book an appointment, visit TRU Aesthetics’ website at https://mytruaesthetics.com/ or contact 813-696-1710.

•

Tess Gates, owner of and nurse practitioner injector at TRU Aesthetics, hopes to create personal relationships with her clients by building trust.

Stay Healthy This Fall

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

We can all enjoy hiking, playing golf and a game of tennis or pickleball. It is also the time of year when injuries and accidents can occur.

In an emergency — we are here for you.

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

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

ER at Sun City Center features:

• Care for all ages

• Access 24/7

• On-site physician 24/7

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

• Full-service laboratory and imaging services (X-ray, CT and ultrasound)

• 10,884 square feet

First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) organization in Riverview. It specializes in rescuing cats, but more specifically, this unique nonprofit is an urban farm and sanctuary. It ofers cat rescue, adoptions and a working barn cat program.

First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary provides the animals with love, care and a safe haven for as long as it takes to find them forever homes. Through its Street Strife to Farm Life Working Cat Program, the sanctuary reimagines the traditional TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return), to reduce the population of stray and unwanted cats in the community by placing them at farms, barns and other businesses in need of natural pest control.

This women and veteran-owned organization grew out of a passion for rescuing cats and kittens, but as the name suggests, it does so much more by also rescuing domestic poultry, such as chickens, ducks, geese and peafowl.

Many of the animals that are rescued have critical needs. They have been dumped, abused and even, in some cases, victims of arson. The organization started with one coop and six hens who were named after first ladies of the United States.

First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary is the only sanctuary/rescue for domestic poultry on the Florida Gulf Coast. It is often the last, best and only chance for animals such

By Kathy L. Collins

as cats and poultry with critical needs in the area.

Over the years, First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary has placed numerous animals in new homes. In 2018, it placed 13 kittens in new homes. In 2019, this number rose to 53 kittens, and then in 2020 the number dramatically rose to over 300.

First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary is not backed by large corporations and does not receive grants, and so it relies on the generosity of local people who donate. It maintains a low operational overhead, is very resourceful and knows how to make its dollars go as far as possible.

Chelsea Edmonds with First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary said, “We are a local rescue doing the hard work in Southeast Hillsborough County. We host adoptions and a local market featuring home-canned jams and jellies, fresh duck and chicken eggs and goat cheese. Check us out on Facebook under Events under Market information as well as scheduled events.”

First Ladies Farm and Sanctuary is located at 13028 Shadow Run Blvd. in Riverview. For more information, please visit https://firstladiesfarm.com/.

START YOUR FALL WITH A NEW AND INTERESTING CLASS AT THE CENTER 4LIFE LEARNING IN SUN CITY CENTER

If you are interested in studying or enhancing your knowledge on a wide variety of subjects, then you should investigate the great o f ering of classes provided by the Center 4Life Learning, located at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center.

You can learn, be inspired and make new friends while attending classes at the Center 4Life Learning, located at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center. Te fall semester begins on Tuesday, October 3, and you can register online or in person.

All courses o f ered at the Center 4Life Learning are nonaccredited. The nonaccredited adult education is an outreach program that serves the entire community. You do not need to be a member of the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center in order to participate.

Sue Holter with the Center 4Life Learning said, “Our classes are educational, creative and fun. This fall’s curriculum includes the ever-popular conversational Spanish, current event discussion, finance, art, sign language, genealogy, travel presentations, history, wellness classes.”

Holter added, “Our new classes include The Art of Storytelling, Artificial Intelligence, Befriending the Ending, Modern Quilling and Be Prepared (for weather disasters). All courses are taught by highly qualified instructors from the local community.”

In addition to o f ering classes that you can take, the Center 4Life Learning

FALL FESTIVITIES AND HOLIDAY FUN AT THE FLORIDA RAILROAD MUSEUM

By Kathy L. Collins

is a place for seasoned and experienced instructors to teach classes.

Holter said, “We are always on the lookout for new instructors. We have an urgent need for Spanish instructors. Our Spanish class was sold out on the very first day of registration.”

“In addition to our classes, we o f er day bus trips to entertaining and informative venues. Examples of this include dinner cruises and stage presentations to performances such as The Nutcracker,” she added.

The Center 4Life Learning was first established in 1976 as the Community Church by the United Community Church. In 2019, it was moved to United Methodist Church of Sun City Center and the name was changed to Center 4Life Learning.

The United Methodist Church of Sun City Center campus is located at 1971 Haverford Ave. in Sun City Center.

Registration for the 2023 fall classes and trips can be made by visiting the Center 4Life Learning website at www. sccumc.com/4lifelearning. You can also register by coming into the Center 4Life Learning o f ce, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

The summer is coming to an end, but the Florida Railroad Museum has a funfilled calendar of events to keep rail fans, history bu f s and kids of all ages entertained for the fall. Take a look at its schedule and take a ride through history and the holidays with the museum.

Civil War Reenactment — Saturday and Sunday, October 14-15

In this Civil War reenactment, take a train and tour through the era by visiting the Union and Confederate camps, then watch a battle between the Union and Confederate soldiers, complete with period rifles and cannons.

Pumpkin Patch Express — Saturday and Sunday, October 21-22 and 28-29

The Pumpkin Patch Express is departing the station for a trip to the Florida Railroad Museum’s very own pumpkin patch. Lots of activities are included with your ticket, including hayrides, arts and crafts, Lincoln Log building and games. Children are invited to pick a pumpkin from the patch to take home. Food and beverages will be available for purchase on the train and at the pumpkin patch.

Von Kessinger’s Express — Saturday and Sunday, November 4-5

German and Allied soldiers battle for control of your train.

Von Kessinger’s Express is a fictional but realistic battle from World War II. This reenactment is an exciting and realistic way to teach about the past that brings into perspective the events which took place toward the end of WWII. It also pays tribute to our WWII veterans as it takes place on or near Veterans Day every year. Come take a ride through history and help the Florida Railroad Museum honor the Greatest Generation.

World War II veterans ride for free. This event might not be suitable for children.

North Pole Express — Thursday, November 30 to Thursday, December 21

Join the museum this December for a 35-minute ride from Parrish to the North Pole. Upon arrival, everyone will detrain at the museum’s special North Pole station where Santa awaits to visit with every child.

During your stay, a variety of entertainment, activities, campfires and all the hot chocolate and cookies you care to eat are included with every train ticket.

The Florida Railroad Museum is located at 12210 83rd St. E. Parrish. For more information about the museum and its events, visit www.frrm.org.

Same Day Appointments Available

GET FOOD AND MEDICINE ASSISTANCE FROM THE MARY PETRO FOOD AND MEDICINE FUND

Mary Petro lived a modest life in the Sun City Center area. When she passed away in 2009 at the age of 96, she left a substantial estate to Community Foundation Tampa Bay to establish the Mary Petro Food and Medicine Fund to assist low-income seniors who live in the Sun City Center and Kings Point areas with food and medicine.

The fund is administered by the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center.

Mary Petro Food and Medicine Fund is a ministry of United Methodist Church of Sun City Center. Te fund was established to assist low-income, legal residents of Sun City Center and Kings Point with food and medicine.

Madeline Hughes is the director of the Mary Petro Fund, which operates and manages the day-to-day operations of the fund as one of the church’s ministries. Earnings from the fund are used to provide the assistance.

According to Hughes, “Full-time, permanent residents of Sun City Center Association and Kings Point who are in dire need and meet our current gross income guidelines are eligible for assistance.”

Specifically, a single person who earns $25,000 or less or a couple who earns $30,000 or less are eligible.

Individuals must apply in person. The Mary Petro Food and Medicine Fund ministry is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The ministry is located at United Methodist Church of Sun City

SIR HENRY’S HAUNTED TRAIL CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF SEASONAL ATTRACTIONS, HAYRIDES & EVENTS

By Kathy L. Collins

Center in the church’s sanctuary, room 12 at 1971 Haverford Ave. in Sun City Center.

Applications are approved for three to 12 months.

Since its inception, the Mary Petro Food and Medicine Fund has assisted approximately 369 individuals.

If you are accepted, you will receive a number of benefits. These included two gift cards valued at $25 each from select grocery stores in the area each month. In addition, you can receive assistance with medical expenses (prescriptions, co-payments and more).

Participants pick up the gift cards. If you are homebound, the gift cards are mailed to you.

The Mary Petro Food and Medicine Fund ministry partners with several local organizations. These include the Sun City Center Lions Club for visual needs; the Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation of Florida, which assists with hearing needs; Mission Smiles Dental Clinic, which ofers help with dental needs; and Feeding Tampa Bay, which helps with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for participants in the fund.

For more information and to get an application, please call 813-634-8306.

Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail, a series of haunted trails aimed at giving guests a surging adrenaline rush and a high scare factor, is celebrating its 10th year in business. Located at 2837 S. Frontage Rd. in Plant City, Sir Henry’s is excited to announce some new additions to its yearly scares. This is the perfect place for adrenaline junkies. On top of its three one-of-a-kind haunted trail themes, two escape rooms and laser tag, Sir Henry’s is premiering its brand-new Haunted Hayride.

Owner Zach Glaros stated, “The special efects, sets and theatricals of the hayride are on another level.”

This year’s hayride is titled ‘Legends of Halloween.’

The Haunted Hayride is not the only innovative idea Glaros has had over the past 10 years. At a young age, his and his dad’s interest in Halloween displays grew into a passion to serve people with an attraction experience they will never forget.

“Entertaining guests to the highest degree possible while allowing themselves to have a memorable time is critical,” said Glaros.

Sir Henry’s family of cast and crew is eager to celebrate 10 years with customers and each other.

Glaros touched on the closeness of employees, saying, “From our management to those who act within the trails, we all care for one another. Everyone that comes through feels that there is a huge sense of community and belonging within Sir Henry’s. We are always pushing each other to be even better than we thought possible.”

A work environment like this allows this

By Avery Ranieri

business to thrive and improve each year. Halloween is not the only time to visit this incredible attraction. Sir Henry’s hosts Christmas and Valentine’s Day haunted trails that have the same amount of, if not more, enthralling scares. With astounding, newly developed makeup, costumes, props and animatronics, Glaros and his team are bringing Halloween to life.

Sir Henry’s is classified as a 501(c)(3) and purchases support charities such as Give Kids The World Village and Folds of Honor. Sir Henry’s relies on volunteers of all ages and works with high school students who would like volunteer hours. This team’s work ethic, connection and dedication to service is impeccable.

Glaros stated, “If you are interested in being part of our team and volunteering with us, please send us an email at sirhenryshauntedtrail@gmail.com.”

There is no cost to park and souvenirs are typically available for purchase. Sir Henry’s is family-friendly although parental discretion is advised for children under 12. Guests can purchase a season pass with perks such as one front-of-the-line haunted hayride pass each visit and 10 percent of merchandise discount. One or more visits to Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail this spooky season, with its well-rounded family of staf providing frightful entertainment, will surely generate remarkable memories.

For more information or to purchase tickets and set of on an eerie adventure, visit www.sirhenryshauntedtrail.com.

Te

MEDICARE INFORMATION PROJECT

HELPS THE COMMUNITY WITH THEIR MEDICARE CHOICES

With the annual election period just around the corner, deciphering Medicare can be a difcult task. Luckily, Greg Wohl, Jennifer Loader-Wohl and their licensed agents at Medicare Information Project are here to help.

The mission of Medicare Information Project is to educate and empower Medicare-eligible beneficiaries by providing objective information through its network of independent agents. Its agents go over all your coverage options and find the plan that best fits your specific health care needs within your budget. “I originally wanted to be a stockbroker, but I had a life-changing illness at 26 years old and I had a lot of medical bills,” Wohl explained. “I got into the insurance business in 1999 and I wanted to help people make the right choices when it came to insurance and Medicare, so I decided to start my own company a few years later.”

With the annual election period around the corner, deciphering your Medicare options can be a difcult task. Luckily, Greg Wohl, Jennifer Loader-Wohl and their licensed agents at Medicare Information Project are here to help.

By Libby Hopkins

prescription drugs are covered. We provide information in an objective manner with no obligation to you.”

Medicare Information Project’s insurance agents are licensed to offer plans from 17 insurance companies, representing over 140 plans, which include Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) and drug plans (Part D). “Your health care decisions are very important,” Wohl said. “We do business diferently because we believe that you are unique and everyone deserves a one-on-one consultation.”

At Medicare Information Project, keeping things local is very important. “It’s all about building relationships within our community,” Wohl said. “We are here to help anyone in the community who is unsure about their Medicare needs.”

$1 WINGS DineinOnly

Medicare Information Project is a health insurance brokerage located in Brandon. “We are a team of trusted, independent, licensed insurance professionals that provide assistance in navigating your Medicare options,” Wohl said. “We research networks and formularies to make sure your doctors, hospitals and

If you would like to learn more about Medicare Information Project, you can visit its website at https://medicareinfopro.com/ or call 813-699-5559. It will be hosting an open house on Saturday, October 21 from 9 a.m.-12 Noon, if you would like to stop by and meet their agents.

Medicare Information Project’s ofce is located at 915 Oakfield Dr., Ste. A in Brandon.

MYERS LAW PROVIDES KNOWLEDGEABLE COUNSEL FOR CRIMINAL DEFENSE AND PERSONAL INJURY CASES

Attorney Dawn Myers o f ers a f ordable and knowledgeable counsel to clients through her private practice, Myers Law

P.A.

Myers began her practice in Bloomingdale in May of 2017 after an extensive career as a prosecutor and civil litigator. Myers served as a prosecutor for 10 years, working with misdemeanor and felony charges. Her background in investigation and litigation allows her to counsel her clients with a versatile understanding of criminal and personal injury cases. Myers tells clients that her background as a prosecutor means she knows how law enforcement will build their cases and how to best defend her clients against them. Her experience defending insurance companies allows her to get clients the maximum settlement.

“I started my law practice because I saw there is a need in the community for a f ordable solutions to legal disputes,” Myers said.

Myers takes over 50 new cases each year but counsels other clients that may not turn into cases. Myers o f ers free consultations over the phone or through her online form.

She said her biggest challenge over the past six years has been marketing and having residents remember her prac-

By Lily Belcher

tice when faced with criminal charges or personal injury.

“The personalized attention my clients get is part of what sets my firm apart. At Myers Law, there is a lawyer working on your case, not a paralegal. Also, I give very straightforward and

Dawn Myers and legal assistant Chrystal Erhardt work together at Myers Law P.A. to give clients personalized attention and a legal care.

BUSCH GARDENS’ SPOOKTACULAR OFFERS INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES, A COSTUME PARADE AND FUN FOR ALL

Guests looking for family-friendly fun will be in for quite the treat at Busch Gardens’ Spooktacular. A whimsical world of enchantment full of not-sospooky Halloween fun, Spooktacular is an immersive experience ideal for the little ones full of eye-catching new characters, trick-or-treating, a colorful costume parade and more.

This year’s Busch Gardens’ Spooktacular will be bigger than ever, taking place every Saturday and Sunday now through Sunday, October 29, plus Monday, October 30 and Tuesday, October 31 from 12 Noon-4 p.m.

The event, located at the Festival Walkway, is included with regular park admission. Some of the activities for families as well as new oferings this year are:

• New! Kandy’s Pumpkin Palooza: Kandy’s big dream to become a witch continues. And with big dreams come big spells and bigger pumpkins. This new walkthrough experience is the perfect location for a family photo opportunity.

• New! Time Peace and Alfred: Pumpkins are not the only things afected by Kandy’s training sessions. A slight miscalculation of Kandy’s spells resulted in the creation of the newest long-legged members of Kandy’s world, Time Peace and Alfred.

• New! Professor Pufemintz: This year’s Spooktacular sees the debut of

Staf

Professor Pufemintz, a science professor in charge of interactive experiments.

• Kandy’s World: Join Kandy as she shares her journey to becoming a real witch as well as stories of her spell training and eagerness to satisfy the sweet tooth with lots of candy.

• Spooktacular Costume Parade: On this magical catwalk of costumes, all the guests, especially the little ones, are top models.

• Storytime with Kandy: Situated next to Kandy’s picture-perfect pumpkin patch and bubbling cauldron, guests will be immersed in the popular story Room on a Broom, where everybody has a place, and everyone belongs.

• Trick-or-Treating: With eight trickor-treat stations, Busch Gardens’ Spooktacular is the perfect location for guests to purchase a bag and partake in the sweet seasonal tradition.

Guests can pay for a day at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and get more than 15 months of admission to the park for the price of one day. For a limited time, guests that purchase a 2024 Fun Card get the rest of 2023 for free. The addition of 2023 allows access to not only Busch Gardens’ Spooktacular but also the popular Christmas Town.

For more information on Busch Gardens’ Spooktacular and to purchase a 2024 Fun Card, visit https://buschgardenstampa.com/.

Thursday, November 16

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

4:00 PM- 10:00 PM

Bands Under the Big Tent (6:30 PM)

Chorus and Show Choir Night (6:15PM)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18

Friday, November 17

4:00 PM – MIDNIGHT Soul Circus Cowboys (8:00 PM)

4:00 PM - Midnight Classix (8:00 PM)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Saturday, November 18

11:00 AM – MIDNIGHT Classix (8:00 PM)

11:00 AM - Midnight Live Music (8:00 PM)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Sunday, November 19

12:00 PM – 10:00 PM

12:00 PM - 8:00PM

Military/Veterans, Law Enforcement and First Responders Appreciation Day

Military/Veterans, Law Enforcement and First Responders Appreciation Day

NCS Alumni Day

NCS Alumni Day

Thank

Kandy, a friendly witch in training, shares her journey in Busch Gardens’ annual family-friendly, immersive Spooktacular.

SIGN UP FOR TITLE FRAUD ALERTS THROUGH COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE

By Brad Stager

will notify an owner when documents are filed under their name.

YOUNG ADULT READING FESTIVAL BRINGS GOOSEBUMPS AUTHOR R.L. STINE TO TAMPA

By Jane Owen

The hot real estate market in the Tampa Bay area is also bringing with it an increase in property fraud crimes, such as when crooks take possession of homes by submitting false information with the documents that o f cially record ownership of a property. Known as home title fraud or house stealing, it is becoming a big concern, especially for elderly residents and absentee owners with vacation or rental homes. Deployed members of the military are also often targeted by title theft criminals.

Besides preventing someone from using, selling, renting or even accessing their own property, thieves can move in with their false ownership claim and sell the property themselves or use it to obtain loans in the real owner’s name. It usually requires a lot of time and effort to fix the problems that occur once home title theft happens.

One program provides an easy way for property owners to be proactive in avoiding being a victim of this crime. While crooks have learned to manipulate public records to their advantage, an alert can be set up with the o f ce of the Hillsborough County clerk of court that

Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Cindy Stuart said it just takes a few minutes to set up the alert to avoid potentially wasting much more time and money as a victim.

“You can actually even sign up on your phone. It takes less than five minutes for you to register your home and your name,” she said.

Stuart added that the alerts will quickly notify property owners about official changes to the records on file and potential fraud.

“Our free property alert program will notify homeowners within 48 hours whenever a document is processed in Hillsborough County using your name or your business name,” said Stuart.

There is no charge to create a property fraud alert and multiple names of residents, businesses and trusts can be entered to receive alerts via text message, email or voice message.

Residents can set up a property fraud alert on a commercial website that the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court’s Office uses to assist residents in protecting themselves from the crime. An alert can be created by visiting www.propertyfraudalert.com/flhillsborough or calling 800-728-3858.

A young adult reading and leadership festival is coming to Tampa Bay in October with workshops, in-person author panels and book signings on Friday and Saturday, October 13-14. Acclaimed Goosebumps and Fear Street author R.L. Stine will be speaking and signing books. Best of all, the festival, YA by the Bay, is free to students in high school and under.

Spearheaded by Dominique Richardson and Sorboni Banerjee, Tampa Bay authors of the Everbeach series, YA by the Bay is centered on the dual idea of fusing literacy and leadership to inspire youth to make a diference and achieve their dreams. The slogan of the festival is “Be the author of your own life.”

Richardson explained that a love of reading and words can have a lifelong impact.

“We are focusing on leadership because we want them to believe in themselves and know how to voice their passion and create a life they want,” Richardson said.

YA by the Bay promotes the value of words, both read and expressed, and brings together teachers, students, authors and community members to celebrate literature. Day one of the festival is for students and teachers; it is a high school field trip coordinated within the district. Day two is open to the public and free for students.

Both Richardson and Banerjee believe in

the power words can have on a person’s life.

Banerjee is an Emmy Award winning television news reporter and anchor.

“After over two decades of reporting stories that impact the community, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of storytelling as a connecting force,” Banerjee said.

Richardson said anyone who is a fan of young adult literature should attend on October 14.

“YA by the Bay is a celebration of literature and the power of storytelling. From writing legend R.L. Stine to multiple New York Times bestselling authors, attendees have an incredible opportunity to meet and learn from leading authors in the industry,” Richardson said.

Saturday’s schedule includes Stine speaking at 10 a.m. and signing books at 11 a.m., a three-panel author session is at 11:30 a.m., four keynote authors speaking at 2:30 p.m. and, at 3:30 p.m., the event concludes with book signings from all of the authors.

YA by the Bay will be hosted at Tampa Bay Convention Center, located at 333 S. Franklin St. in Tampa.

For more information, visit https://yabythebay.org/. Author profiles are available on Instagram @yabythebay. To register for YA by the Bay, visit https://yabythebay.org.

Sorboni Banerjee (left) and Dominique Richardson (right) with renowned author R.L. Stine.

Property owners can create a free alert that warns of potential title fraud.

TOM GALLO LAW HELPS THE COMMUNITY WITH ESTATE PLANNING NEEDS

Tom Gallo has been a part of the Valrico community for 20 years. He has been practicing law for 46 years, and 35 of those years have been as Tom Gallo Law. “We are an estate planning and probate practice,” Gallo said. “I do wills, trusts and guardianships.” Gallo attended Rutgers University as an undergraduate and then, after graduating with honors, attended William & Mary Law School.

Tom Gallo Law’s mission is to educate its clients about the importance of planning for their future and that of their families, as well as to help them understand the documents that they will need to do so with simple and straightforward language, in a friendly, family environment. “Everyone needs a will or a trust, whether your family is large or small, whether you are single, married, divorced or remarried,” Gallo said. “Everyone should make sure that their assets go to the person or persons they want them to go to.”

Gallo’s law firm ofers a variety of legal services, which include wills and trusts, elder law, probate, guardianships and asset protection.

By Libby Hopkins

Did a family member die without a will or trust in place? Gallo said his firm can represent individuals through the probate process, but it tends to be costlier and take more time. “Probate can take from five or six months to a year to complete,” he said. “To avoid probate, make sure that a will or trust is in place so assets can more quickly go to heirs.”

Keeping things local is very important to Gallo and his firm’s team. “I enjoy the interaction with people, learning about them and their experiences and, most of all, the satisfaction of seeing the smiles on their faces when we have helped them reach their goals,” Gallo said. “We have a great team at the firm, who all realize that we are there to serve our clients and that the clients are the true bosses. We provide a comfortable environment for clients to make it easier for them to make some of the most difcult decisions that they will ever have to make in their lives.”

For information, visit https://tomgallolaw.com/ or call Gallo for a free consultation at 813-815-4529. Tom

Gallo Law is located at 2240 Lithia Center Ln. in Valrico.

Tom Gallo has been a part of the Valrico community for 20 years. He has been practicing law for 46 years, and 35 of those years have been as Tom Gallo Law.

CHURCH SPONSORED TRUNK-OR-TREAT, PUMPKIN PATCHES & FALL FESTIVALS!

Fourth Annual Trunk-or-Treat At Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church

Bring the whole family for a ‘fa-boolous’ time at the fourth annual Holy Innocents’ trunk-or-treat event. Get ready to dress up in your favorite costumes and enjoy a fun evening that promises an unforgettable, not-so-scary experience for all ages. From creatively decorated car trunks filled with treats to thrilling games and activities, food trucks and more, there’s something for everyone. The event is being held on Sunday, October 29 from 5-7 p.m. Holy Innocents’ is located at 604 N. Valrico Rd. in Valrico.

Trunk-or-Treat At Fellowship Baptist Church

In Sefner

Join in the fun at Fellowship Baptist Church in Sefner on Tuesday, October 31 from 6-8 p.m. for an exciting and free trunk-or-treat extravaganza. The campus will be transformed with creatively decorated vehicles and become overflowing with delightful candies. Kids and teens come dressed up in your favorite costume, and don’t forget to bring a bag for all the delicious candy you’ll collect while having a blast. Parents and guardians should register at www. fellowship301.org for a chance to win a big prize. Fellowship Baptist Church is located at 401 U.S. Hwy. 92 in Sefner.

Wellspring Community Church Hosts Community Trunk-or-Treat

Join Wellspring Community Church for a night of games, inflatables and the

best part of all, candy. This is the third annual trunk-or-treat, and Wellspring is excited to fellowship with the community at this free family event. Please register for a time blocks at https://wellspringfl.com/ to ensure your family’s fun for the night. The event is taking place on Sunday, October 29 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Wellspring Community Church, located at 705 9th St. SE in Ruskin.

St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church Hosts Its Annual Pumpkin Patch

By Kelly Wise Valdes

Opendoor Church

In Brandon

Ofers Fun Trunk-or-Treat Event

Opendoor Church, located at 2908 Bell Shoals Rd. in Brandon, is inviting the community to participate in its annual trunk-or-treat event on Sunday, October 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. This is a kid’s favorite, so don’t miss it. Kids will be able to vote for their favorite trunk, so come find out who will win this year. For more information, visit www.theopendoorchurch.com.

Kings Ave. Baptist Church Hosts Trunk-or-Treat

Come out to Kings Avenue Baptist Church for a trunk-or-treat event. This free family event includes costume contests, games and, of course, candy. The event is taking place on Tuesday, October 31 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Kings Avenue Baptist Church, located at 2602 Kings Ave. in Brandon. For more information, visit www.bethekingsavenue.com.

Did you know that the tradition of the St. Andrew’s Pumpkin Patch began more than 25 years ago? The patch has since earned the name of the ‘Pumpkin Patch Church’ and serves as one of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church’s largest community outreach events, all while raising money for youth mission trips. The pumpkin patch is open every weekday in October from 4-7:30 p.m. and every Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. On Sundays, the patch will be open from 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. During every Saturday in October, there will also be other fun things for families in the community to enjoy at the pumpkin patch.

The last Saturday will be especially full of fun with a craft fair, face painting and pumpkin decorating and carving. St. Andrew’s is located at 3315 S. Bryan Rd. in Brandon. For more information, visit www.saumc.net.

FALLtoberfest Festivities Fill Te United Methodist Church Campus

Come join in FALLtoberfest at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center. The event will be filled with food, fun and foot-tapping music. FALLtoberfest is tak-

ing place on Saturday, October 21 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The entire community is invited to enjoy this event that includes the German band Das Deutsche Fünf playing live on the outside patio. German food will be available for purchase, such as bratwurst and hot dogs on a bun, sauerkraut, warm cheese pretzels, root beer, creme soda, hot apple cider and caramel-dipped apple slices on a stick.

For the younger folks there will be a bounce house, face painters, chalk art and more. Bring a carved pumpkin by 10 a.m. and register for a contest. The trunk-or-treat will take place from 12:30-1 p.m. The church is located at 1971 Haverford Ave. For more information, visit www.sccumc. com.

Church Of God At Brandon Host Free Fall Festival

The community is invited by Church of God at Brandon to join in for a Family Fall Festival taking place on Saturday, October 14 from 3-6 p.m. This free event will include pumpkin bowling, cornhole, Go Fish and much more. There are games, prizes, snow cones, a bounce house, food, drinks and treats for people of all ages. Church of God at Brandon is located at 414 Kingsway Rd. in Brandon. For more information, visit https://brandonchurchofgod.com/.

Barbara Ellis, House of Colour (HOC) Tampa Bay owner and stylist, is ofering a professional service that is resurfacing in popularity for professionals — color analysis. Wanting to look and feel one’s best is nothing new, and the concept of personal color analysis is not, either. ‘Having your colors done’ was wildly popular in the ’80s. While the process never went away, color analysis wasn’t being talked about until recently, when it experienced a surge in popularity again. Social media has fueled the recent buzz, with the hashtag #coloranalysis having hundreds of millions of views, and now professionals in Tampa Bay have the opportunity to access professional color analysis to help them show up in ways that establish identity, show approachable authority and increase their value in their businesses and workplaces.

The HOC color analysis is the process of using principles of color science to determine which colors best compliment someone’s natural skin tone, hair color and eye color. By identifying their ideal color palette, professionals can make smarter choices when it comes to clothing, makeup and accessories, saving them time and money. Realtors, business owners and C-suite leaders are some of the clients who have been finding HOC Tampa Bay’s services of great value to their perception and presentation for in-person or

virtual interactions.

“Now I know how to dress smarter and draw people towards me naturally, which starts all my business interactions on a positive note,” said Tampa businesswoman Geneva Maresma.

Mortgage loan originator Christen Burden recently visited Barbara Ellis for a color analysis. She viewed the service as a smart business investment.

“I saw immediately how shopping will be so much easier and now I have much more confidence in my clothing choices for business and social engagements,” Burden reflected.

The two-hour personalized color analysis service involves consultation on clothing and also cosmetics and hair colors that best flatter each client.

House of Colour Tampa Bay is a locally owned business serving Tampa and surrounding areas that ofers private and group color analysis sessions and style consultations. A style consult helps clients understand how to dress their body to highlight their best assets while honoring their individuality and personality.

Color consultations can also be booked directly through Ellis’ website. Learn more about the power of color by contacting Ellis through her website at https://thestylishchick.com/ or by email at barbara.ellis@ houseofcolour.com.

Valrico resident Barbara Ellis, House of Colour Tampa Bay owner and stylist, will complete your personalized color analysis in her studio.

BROOK PRESSURE WASHING

SERVICES GREATER TAMPA BAY AREA

Make your life easy this year and hire a passionate professional to help keep your home clean and looking nice.

Brook Pressure Washing serves the Greater Tampa Bay region with exterior cleaning services as well as holiday light set up, take down and storage.

Brook Pressure Washing ofers both residential and commercial services, with pricing beginning at $200. Services offered at Brook Pressure Washing include house or building washing; fence, pool cage and concrete cleaning; paver sealing; gutter cleaning; solar panel cleaning; and more. The company can service most of Hillsborough, Eastern Polk, and Southern Pasco counties.

“My wife, Carly, and I are both natives of Brandon and we love to support local small businesses to keep our community growing and find it a privilege to be a small family-owned business here,” said Jeremey Brook, owner of Brook Pressure Washing.

Wanting the opportunity to serve the community that they grew up in and having the desire to become an entrepreneur, Jeremey started Brook Pressure Washing back in 2014 as an owner-operator and has since grown the company to three trucks and seven employees.

“We enjoy the successes and challenges of being an entrepreneur,” said Jeremey.

In 2014, Jeremey moved out of management to become an entrepreneur and

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

pursue pressure washing. Prior to joining the company full time, Carly was a Hillsborough County Public Schools teacher for 16 years in Valrico and Lithia. It was only a few years ago she decided to join full time and now uses her skills of coaching and connecting with others to help with the team and clients at Brook Pressure Washing.

While the Brooks had no prior experience owning and operating a business, they knew that with a little passion they could create something amazing. After over six years of operating the business, the Brooks decided to open a second company.

The new business, Brook Holiday Lighting, ofers holiday light installation during the holiday season. The Brooks can service commercial and residential spaces with holiday decorations. Brook Holiday Lighting ofers in-home design and consultation, demonstration, custom-cut and hung lights, worry-free maintenance, takedown and storage of all lights.

The Brook companies have been designed to ofer worry-free solutions for problems you don’t want to deal with.

For more information about Brook Pressure Washing and Brook Holiday Lighting, please text or call Jeremey and Carly at 813-537-3379. Visit https://brookpressurewashing.com/ for more information on cleaning services and https://brookholidaylighting.com/ for more on holiday light installation.

SETTING THE STANDARD IN WOMEN'S IMAGING

Jeremey and Carly Brook started Brook Pressure Washing as a way to keep the community they have loved forever looking clean.

INTERACT CLUB OF TAMPA BAY PROVIDES SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

With over 400 community service hours completed last year, the Interact Club of Tampa Bay has been an essential resource for local students wanting to make an impact within their community. The club’s motto of “Service above self” guides members in sparking change and committing themselves to helping those in need. Through public service projects and volunteer opportunities, the Interact Club gives students a way to both give back and foster their own leadership skills.

The Interact Club is designed to connect students with leaders in the community through monthly guest speakers. From attorneys to public speaking professionals, students are exposed to a variety of interesting topics geared toward assisting them in making their own career choices. The main goal of the club, however, is to give every student the chance to experience firsthand the impact service has on the environment and the people around them.

“The club focus is helping our students with leadership education and providing them with opportunities to earn community service hours,” said Chad Norgard, Interact Club advisor and former presi-

By Ava Benedict

dent of the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club. The Interact Club is sponsored by the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club and frequently assists with Rotary events in the area. One of the largest annual events that the club participates in is the Brandon Seafood Festival, a day filled with fun and delicious treats for the entire family. The festival features a pie-eating contest, bounce houses and, of course, some tasty seafood. Proceeds from the experience are donated to local and global charities, with over $10,000 in funds raised last year to benefit Everyday Blessings and The Rotary Foundation. Past service projects have also included roadside cleanups, fundraising for elementary school libraries and landscaping local neighborhoods.

The club is open to all students ages 14-18 in the Tampa Bay area, but being a member is not required to participate in community service events. Meetings are on the first Monday of each month from 6-8 p.m. (with dinner provided) and are located at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center in Brandon. For more information, visit the club’s Facebook page at Interact Club of Tampa Bay or email interactbrandon86@gmail.com.

Michael

Te Interact Club partnered with the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club to help with a roadside cleanup and keep the community safe.

Pastor Clifon & Lady Nicholette Tornton

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT:

ACTIVITIES, MEETINGS &

FishHawk-Riverview

MORE

Staf Report

WORLD’S FIRST BATTERY-POWERED CRAWLER CRANE U.S. DEBUT IN TAMPA

By Brian Bokor

“Together,

Have a heart for service? Join the Rotary Club of FishHawk-Riverview on Mondays, 12 Noon-1 p.m., at Gasparilla Pizza & Grinders or at its social on Thursdays, 5-6:30 p.m. at Shrimp Boat. In the 2023-24 Rotary year, FishHawk-Riverview Rotary donated over $40,000 to local and global charities, including graduating high school seniors, junior delegates to S4TL (Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders), Rotary’s Camp Florida, Honduras Compassion Partners and various initiatives in Kenya. Requests for donations from the FishHawk-Riverview Rotary Club Foundation come exclusively from active members and are awarded based on alignment with its mission: alleviating poverty, illiteracy, hunger or disease. For more information, visit its Facebook, Instagram or YouTube pages or go to www. fishhawkriverviewrotary.org.

Brandon

Last year, the Rotary Club of Brandon donated more than $130,000 to local charities. Its annual golf tournament at Buckhorn will be on January 18, 2024, and our annual Wild Game Dinner will be March 1, 2024, at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds. The Rotary Club of Brandon meets Tuesdays at 12 Noon at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. Visit www.brandonrotary.org for more information.

Brandon ’86

Join us for a day of fresh-caught sea-

food, live entertainment, and fun for all ages at the 32nd annual Brandon ’86 Rotary Club Seafood Festival on Saturday, November 4, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Rotary’s Camp Florida. Brandon ’86 Rotary Club’s VIP area ofers an exclusive experience. Become a sponsor and gain exposure for your firm through six regular sponsorship levels and an ‘in-kind’ food sponsorship. Contact the club at info@ brando86rotary.com for more details.

Sun City Center

Why are so many people joining the Rotary Club of Sun City Center? Go find out! Ten new members have joined its active group in the past year, earning it a bronze award from its Rotary District. Coming soon is the club’s annual Pecans for Scholarships fundraiser, which will begin in mid-November. Over the last 30 years, it has awarded more than $250K to local high school students. Be a part of the action and call Connie at 813957-6482.

Brandon Global Eco Zoom

Join Brandon Global Eco on Zoom, 6-7 p.m. every second and fourth Monday of each month as its ecology club learns from speakers from across the United States on all topics related to the environment and ecology. Please email Bruno Kazenas at bkazenas@comcast.net for the Zoom link, for information on joining this causebased Rotary Club or if you would like to be a guest speaker. Visitors are welcome.

For the first time on U.S. soil, Sims Crane & Equipment Co., a Tampa-based crane rental and rigging service company, showcased the world’s first battery-powered crawler crane on September 11 at its corporate headquarters, located at 1219 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. in Tampa.

The crawler crane’s designer, multinational equipment manufacturer Liebherr, held a joint presentation with Sims explaining the history of both companies and discussing features of the newly manufactured LR 1250.1 unplugged electric crane.

The crawler crane’s battery-powered engine cuts carbon emissions completely and is capable of operating for eight hours unplugged, or for an unlimited amount of time when connected to a power source. The crawler crane is also quieter than its diesel counterpart, making it ideal for construction jobs in residential areas, at hospitals and in other areas where noise pollution may be a concern. The eight battery packs used to power the LR 1250.1 take between four to five hours to recharge.

“We are honored to partner with Liebherr and be on the forefront to serve a vastly growing need for alternative energy,” said Jackson Sims, vice president of Sims Crane & Equipment.

“These cranes are popular and used across Europe, particularly Scandinavia, and throughout Asia,” said Wolfgang Herzog, vice president of sales for the Southeast and Caribbean at Liebherr, a company with

40 factories across the globe, more than 52,000 employees and assets topping $16B. “This is the first in fleet in the U.S. and was built in Austria. The unplugged crane crawler was brought to market in July 2020 and there are about 30 around the world. The crane can hoist up to 485 ft. and has a load (lift) capacity of 275 U.S. tons. The battery version has exactly the same load chart and operates exactly the same as the diesel-powered version but is completely quiet.”

It takes about 20 trailer loads to transport the crane. Once on-site, the crane employs an innovative self-assembly and self-loading system which enables unloading and assembly without an auxiliary crane. For crawler cranes in this size category, more cost-effective transportation and quick commissioning play an instrumental role in efcient operation.

Sims’ rental fleet, the largest in the state of Florida, is excited to add the LR 1250.1 unplugged electric crane to its fleet. Founded in 1959, Sims Crane & Equipment Co. ofers a broad selection of equipment for heavy lifting and hauling applications for construction and industrial projects. The company is currently expanding into Georgia and recently opened an ofce in Atlanta.

For more information on Sims, please visit https://simscrane.com/ or call 813-6268102. For more information on Liebherr, please visit www.liebherr.com and/or search for ‘LR 1250.1 unplugged.’

We Empower” image: Rotary International members building a house in Honduras.

Local graduating seniors were awarded scholarships from the Rotary Club of FishHawk-Riverview.

Wolfgang Herzog, vice president of sales for the Southeast and Caribbean (left), and area manager Americas Lukas Burtscher (right).

The weather is getting very com fortable on the wa ter. We will begin to see some of the cold fronts come down from the north, but these are some of the best times to fish. Everything is open in the bay to catch and keep. Gag grouper, redfish and snook will be the desired fish for the season.

Redfish will be schooling and on the prowl to eat. Gold spoons are a great search lure, or maybe use some soft plastics. Run those gold spoons down the mangrove lines or in deep pockets located in the passes and backwaters. Cast the soft plastics toward the mangroves and move it slowly back to the boat. If you have live pinfish or fresh ladyfish, you will be in great shape to find some redfish. Cut the ladyfish into chunks, just big enough

Te weather now is one of the best times to catch a variety of fsh like redfsh and grouper.

main staple while they are open. Large pinfish work great on heavier setups. Maybe a 6/0 circle hook on 80# leader. Work the edges of the shipping chan nels or reef locations in the area. Pinfish will be great because they won’t need weight, or at least not too much, as they will actively swim straight back down to the bottom where the grouper like to hide. They will hit very hard, so be prepared to really lay into them to get those beasts out and away from their hiding holes. The size limit for gags is 24 inches.

If you want to get out and get some dinner, find a local guide, or call me at 813-459-2521, and let’s go get some fish and make memories.

Some nice redfsh and grouper were caught on recent trips.

PCAT OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY PROGRAM FOR AT-RISK PRIMARY GRADE STUDENTS

Parents and Children Advance Together (PCAT)

Literacy Ministries

Inc. was founded in 2003. Its mission is to provide literacy programs to address the educational needs of children and families residing in underserved communities.

Students who need assistance with reading and reading comprehension can get help through PCAT. Seen here are the kindergarten graduates at Ruskin Elementary School.

PCAT is an after-school literacy program that is designed to assist with reading and reading comprehension instruction for low-performing primary grade students (kindergarten to second grade) who are at risk of school failure. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children’s education by attending various learning initiatives, including reading at home. Services are provided at no cost to the families.

PCAT serves 90 students (30 per grade level) at Ruskin Elementary School. They also serve 30 kindergarten students at Sulphur Springs K-8 Community School.

GiGi Moise, executive director of PCAT, said, “Students are recommended to our program by their Hillsborough County Public Schools district teacher. Any student in the grade levels that we serve who are reading below level are eligible for our program services.”

Once students are ofcially enrolled by their parents/caregivers, PCAT completes a Developmental Reading Assessment for each student and creates an individualized learning plan to ensure that their

By Kathy L. Collins

learning needs are met.

Moise said, “PCAT has been serving students in Hillsborough County for over 20 years. We are focused on helping students to become proficient readers. We also work with parents and caregivers to provide resources which aid them to help learn how to support and empower their students. We use a proven curriculum system in conjunction with other … educational tools to teach students. We also have incorporated character, life skills and resiliency through reading in our program, which helps students and their families grow in other areas, all while improving their educational performance.”

PCAT students are required to read at home aloud with their parents/caregivers at least four times a week. The parents/ caregivers are trained on the techniques to properly read with their child. Research has shown that family engagement in schools improves student achievement, behavior and social skills as well as reduces absenteeism.

Reading together fosters a love of reading at an early age. As children grow up, they find reading to be a pleasurable habit.

For more information on PCAT, please visit https://pcatliteracyministries.org/.

LIGHTHOUSE GOSPEL HAS BEEN HELPING PEOPLE SINCE 1952

In December

By Kathy L. Collins

Faith Home Ministry and Lighthouse Gospel Mission to support our work within the community.”

Lighthouse

1952, the Reverend J.A. Lennard had a vision to establish a place where people who are facing powerful temptations of addiction could find hope and rehabilitation. Thus, Lighthouse Gospel Mission was born. On Friday, October 20, the Lighthouse Gospel Mission will hold its annual Partners Banquet at 7 p.m.

Over the years since its inception, Lighthouse Gospel Mission has grown and now ofers those who are hungry, hurting and addicted multiple areas of ministry.

Minister Nikki Santana, who has been in the media department of Lighthouse Gospel Mission for 12 years, gave a succinct explanation of the ministries ofered.

Santana said, “The Lighthouse has expanded to become a multifaceted ministry. Within the Lighthouse, we have the Faith Home Ministry, an 18-month residential discipleship program for men and women addicted to drugs and alcohol.”

Santana added, “We also have a church for the community called Lighthouse Freedom Center. We are a church on fire for Jesus with services held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and on Sundays at 10 a.m.”

Santana explained, “The Lighthouse Remnant Thrift Store is an amazing store with great prices, and all proceeds go toward the

Santana said, “And finally, Operation Hope, the outreach arm of Lighthouse Gospel Mission, is our food ministry. We hold food outreaches every Thursday between 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. We also ofer our Holidays of Hope outreach every Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

The Operation Hope food ministry distributes over 2.4 million pounds per year to families in need. It serves as a local distribution point for ministries in Tampa Bay to bring food to their communities.

Finally, its Taste of Freedom Food Truck is the newest and most delicious enterprise of Lighthouse Gospel Mission yet. Here, it serves sandwiches, empanadas and much more. All proceeds go to Lighthouse Gospel Mission.

Tickets for the annual Partners Banquet start with single tickets, which are available for purchase at $50 each. If you are interested in partnering at a higher level by purchasing a table of eight, there are multiple sponsorships available.

Lighthouse Gospel Mission is located at 7211 S. 78th St. in Riverview. For information or to help or get help for someone you know, visit www.lighthousegospelmission. org or call 813-677-5220.

Hybrid Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support Groups

Gospel Mission

in Riverview will celebrate 71 years of inspiring faith and strength in Tampa Bay at its annual Partners Banquet on Friday, October 20 at 7 p.m. You can learn how it brings hope through discipleship and community eforts and help it continue its mission.

& a well-pump storage shed. $600,000

& stainless-steel appliances. $575,000

Over $20 million in sales in 2022

RE/MAX Hall of Fame, Top 1% among all agents across Tampa Bay

Certified Luxury Home Specialist

31-year resident of Riverview

“I live here. I love it here. And I sell here like no one else!”

Email: annmarievaughan @verizon.net

Web: annmarievaughan. realtor

Yet another improved from roof to floors, this villa with no rear neighbor in sight is move-inready in Sun City Center! A 240-SF Florida room helps it live larger than its listed 2-bed, 2bath, 1,714 SF. Enjoy low-maintenance life in a cul-de-sac where $100 monthly covers yard & water. $299,999

Sold the week before this ad was printed, here’s a 1,600-SF 3/2/2 with a brand-new roof & garage door, stormrated windows & lanai door, stainless-steel appliances & upgraded counters. Oh, & a fenced 1/4 acre that allows boats & other big toys in no-fee Boyette Springs! $375,000

updated bathrooms & appliances, from culde-sac safety in front to wooded privacy in back behind a pool & spa, the 1,720-SF 3/2/2 offers advantages beyond its pricing compared to neighbors. $475,000

Pending sale this week is a Riverview property where damage & deterioration became too much for its owner but not too much for me to help! I showed it to several investors so the seller had options for an easy & profitable transition to something safer than this 2,130-SF 4/2/2. $235,000

Beyond this home s upgrades from roof to floors, you’ll find a backyard haven that exceeds expectations: an extended, screened & roof-sheltered pool lanai, stamped concrete deck, open patio, shed, vinyl privacy fence & more! It s a 2,245-SF 4/2/2 in no-fee Boyette Springs. $469,900

It’s storm season, so whether it’s right here in Florida or anywhere your heart connects, please give to the helpers who go where we can’t to help those in need.