Osprey Observer Riverview/Apollo Beach September 2023

September 2023 Volume 21, Issue 9 Ph: 813-657-2418

SPURLINO FAMILY YMCA LAUNCHES CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

The Spurlino Family YMCA is about to embark on a capital campaign project which will bring a state-of-the-art, 17,000-squarefoot indoor basketball court to the Riverview community. “The idea for the indoor gymnasium was always in the works from the moment we broke ground on the main facility,” said Spurlino Family YMCA executive director Jarrod Williams. “It had always been a phase two of our overall plan. However, the demand we are seeing for our programs and services has forced us to expedite this next phase so that we can continue efectively serving our rapidly growing community.”

Williams and his team at the Y are looking to raise $1,000,000 in capital funding to bring this project to the finish line. “Our goal is to wrap up our capital fundraising eforts by the end of January of 2024,” Williams said. “It is a tight window, but I am confident that our community will rally around this cause and bring this amazing new amenity to its residents as quickly as possible.”

Williams is currently putting together a team to help raise the funds for the indoor basketball court. “Our steering committee will be finalized in early September,” Williams said. “From there, we hope to use the resources of the committee to identify and secure key sponsorships from community champions. It is important that we partner strategically with sponsors who are aligned with the mission of our Y and want to help build a stronger community together.”

The YMCA’s mission is to put Judeo-Chris-

See Ad On Page 15

By Libby Hopkins

tian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Its focus areas include youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. “Anybody in the community who is interested in contributing in any capacity — financially, time, expertise — can reach out to me directly at jarrod.williams@tampaymca.org,” Williams said. “We are looking for community champions who are ready to leave their mark on the future of Southern Hillsborough County.”

Williams has high hopes for the campaign and what a new indoor basketball court will bring to the community. “My hope for this campaign is that the community gains a full understanding about the Y’s commitment to being a leading charitable organization in our community, that we are an inclusive community here to help everybody reach their full potential in sprit, mind and body,” Williams said. “This indoor gymnasium will not only enhance the program experience and capacity for some of our existing programs, it will allow us to introduce new programs such as youth volleyball, indoor pickle ball, adult basketball, adult volleyball and so much more.”

If you would like to learn more about the services ofered at the Spurlino Family YMCA, you can visit its website at www. tampaymca.org/locations/spurlino-familyymca-big-bend-road. The Spurlino Family YMCA is located at 9650 Old Big Bend Rd. in Riverview.

WIMAUMA HIGH SCHOOL MARKS HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT’S LARGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EVER

Ground has been broken for the strongest testament to date of Southern Hillsborough’s breakneck growth as High School UUU takes shape just south of Sun City Center Blvd. of West Lake Drive.

The school, whose ofcial name is yet to be decided, is set to meet both the massive growth of Wimauma, a historic, mostly rural community not too many years back, and to relieve overcrowding at Earl J. Lennard High School in Ruskin and Jule F. Sumner High in the Balm/Riverview area.

School ofcials at the August 3 groundbreaking (from left to right): Chris Farkas, deputy superintendent for operations; school board members Lynn Gray, Henry ‘Shake’ Washington, Patricia ‘Patti’ Rendon and Stacy Hahn; Interim Superintendent Van Ayres; and School Board Chair Nadia Combs.

When Sumner opened in 2020, it was the largest school in the Hillsborough County School District, by some reports now the nation’s eighth-largest school district. But that wasn’t enough, as the $75 million school,, built to accommodate 2,905 students, quickly needed more space. A 25-classroom wing opened in January 2023 as Sumner’s enrollment continued to grow, surpassing 3,800 students by the end of the 2022-23 school year.

In contrast, the $176 million, multibuilding, 359,000-square-foot High School UUU campus, slated to open in time for the start of the 2025-26 school year, is set to accommodate 3,428 students at the outset. Situated on a nearly 100-acre greenfield site, the land, in due time, is set to house both a new elementary school and a new middle school.

At the August 3 groundbreaking ceremony, the focus was on High School UUU, taking root adjacent to Southshore Bay by Metro Places, one of the many new subdivisions and multibuilding, multistory apartment complexes taking shape in and around Wimauma and the Balm/Riverview area of Southern Hillsborough County.

“Welcome to the groundbreaking of what

By Linda Chion

is surely going to be more than a high school,” said Van Ayres, Hillsborough’s newly appointed interim superintendent, who noted that as a “state- of theart center point” in the community, UUU will accommodate families “moving into this area in enormous numbers.”

“We are here to accommodate them with the best education, best opportunities, best advancement and best technology possible,” Ayres said.

The same team that built Sumner is at work on High School UUU. Harvard Jolly PBK, a full-service architectural firm specializing in educational design, joins with Beck/Envision, responsible for construction management.

High School UUU is set to house a 2-story media center, a 2-story gymnasium (with seating for 3,400) and a 973-seat theater/auditorium, with an orchestra pit. Additional highlights include an automotive lab; a culinary lab; JROTC labs; digital, 2-D and 3-D art labs; and a lab for EA Sports, a division of Electronic Arts that develops and publishes sports video games.

Plans call for 142 classrooms and a synthetic turf, multisport playing field and stadium set to seat 3,500 attendees.

Site enhancements include five retention ponds, a driver’s education practice lot, eight electric-vehicle charging stations and parking spots for students (548), staf (189) and visitors (42).

IN THIS ISSUE:

ST. JOE’S SOUTH NEWS PG 3

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full stories

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Te Spurlino Family YMCA is about to embark on a capital campaign project which will bring a state-of-theart, 17,000-square-foot indoor basketball court to the Riverview community.

Friday Night Lights are back! Osprey Observer Sports Editor Nick Nahas previews the season for four local high schools including Sumner, East Bay, Lennard and Riverview High Schools. Each team has a chance to build its program with this year’s schedule and strong seniors and talented juniors will build up team rosters. For

see

in the second section.

APOLLO BEACH WOMAN’S CLUB

2023-24 MONTHLY LUNCHEONS AND ACTIVITIES RESUMING

The Apollo Beach Woman’s Club (ABWC) looks forward to resuming activities and monthly meetings on Wednesday, September 13 during its luncheon at the Ruskin Moose Lodge #813, located at 1212 E. Shell Point Rd. in Ruskin. Guest speaker Debi Lanier, Moose Lodge #813 administrator, will provide an overview of the three areas that the Moose Family seeks excellence: Moose Heart, Moose Haven and Moose Charities.

The Wednesday, October 11 speaker will be Jefery E. Merry Jr., Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce community resource deputy, who will discuss fraud.

Luncheons are led by ABWC President Sheila May and held at 12 Noon on the second Wednesday of every month from September through May at the Moose Lodge, except for December. All luncheons are $22, and reservations and payments must be received by the Friday before each luncheon. On Saturday, December 9, the club will host a holiday bufet dinner at Southshore Falls from 5-8 p.m.; the cost is $35. For menu details and reservations, contact Barbara DeOca at 813-892-1219 or bdeoca@gmail.com.

The ABWC has been serving the community since 1959. Its primary objectives are to promote sociability among its members, work toward advancing womankind and provide scholarships for the

ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL-SOUTH ADDS MATERNITY ‘MINI-EXPANSION’ TO MEET GROWTH

Staf Report

education and training of students who live in Apollo Beach and the surrounding areas with demonstrated financial need. The club continues to help the local elementary schools with needed clothing, Thanksgiving and Christmas gift cards and holiday presents. Other community needs are addressed during the year as well.

Throughout the year, ABWC members engage in scheduled enrichment activities. The ABWC Book Club ofers members an opportunity to discuss a variety of books; the Culture Club ofers trips to museums, the theater and other local points of interest; and the Garden/Craft Club ofers trips to local garden locales and craft classes.

The ABWC also sponsors scholarship fundraising events such as a bakeless bake sale (October and November); holiday dinner (December 9); cruise to Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico (February 3-8, 2024); and a bus trip to Charleston, South Carolina (April 22-28, 2024). The ABWC is a 501(c)(3) and donations may be tax deductible.

New members are welcome and annual dues are $50. For more about the ABWC, visit www.apollobeachwomansclub.com or contact Liz Pedersen, second vice president of membership, at 813-777-8215 or kenlizpedersen@msn.com.

The stork is busy at St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview.

Since the hospital opened in 2015, the number of babies delivered in the hospital’s labor and delivery unit has nearly tripled. In 2015, the hospital delivered 613 babies, while in 2022 the number of precious deliveries was 1,834. Furthermore, the 1,834 in 2022 were a record for the hospital, passing its previous all-time high of 1,709 in 2021.

To keep up with this growing community need, St. Joseph’s Hospital-South recently opened a ‘mini-expansion’ that includes three new labor and delivery rooms and two assessment/triage rooms.

A triage/assessment room is an examination room where expectant mothers are checked and monitored before being admitted to a labor and delivery room or discharged if they are not ready to deliver.

The new additions bring the number of private, labor and delivery rooms from seven to 10 while assessment/triage rooms increased from five to seven private rooms. The addition also includes additional nursing administration workspace. Total cost of the expansion is approximately $2 million.

“With our maternity volume growth, these added rooms allows more flexibility in scheduling inductions and C-sections procedures while still allowing for care of our

walk-in patients,” said Michelle Landy, operations director at St. Joseph’s Hospital-South.

The hospital also has 24 private Mom and Baby rooms for after delivery. The Mom and Baby rooms simulate all the comforts of home.

The most recent additions follow pediatrics and maternity expansions at the hospital in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the hospital added a pediatric inpatient unit with 12 private rooms. In 2021, the hospital opened an 11-bed NICU for babies born prematurely or with special health needs.

“Since our opening in 2015, the community has seen a 20 percent population growth,” Landy said.

“We have been fortunate enough to be able to expand our services and space to meet the needs of our community with our latest expansion supporting childbirth and women’s services.”

Visit St. Joseph’s Hospital-South’s maternity page for more information, including a video tour near the bottom of the page showcasing the hospital’s labor and delivery rooms, the comfortable and homelike Mom and Baby rooms, the NICU and other features, at https://baycare.org/hospitals/st-josephs-hospital-south/services/maternity.

St. Joseph’s Hospital-South is located at 6901 Simmons Loop in Riverview.

Te Apollo Beach Woman’s Club Elected Board of 2023-24

(left to right): Claudia Gassett, treasurer and past president; Liz Pedersen, second vice president of membership; Roz Hensor, secretary; Sheila May, president; Barbara DeOca, third vice president of membership meetings; and Jeanette Doyle, frst vice president of programs.

Some members of the St. Joseph’s Hospital-South maternity team in front of the new labor and delivery nurses’ station and workspace.

nitishrele@gmail.com

KIA HITS HOME RUN WITH 2023 TELLURIDE SUV!

Its list of honors and raves is endless. U.S. News’ Best Three-Row SUVs for families, Car and Driver’s 10 Best Trucks and SUVs, Kelley Blue Book’s Best Buy Award in the 3-Row Midsize SUV category, Insurance Institute of Highway Safety’s Top Safety Picks, SlashGear’s Best Family SUV, The Car Connection’s Best Family Car to Buy — you get the picture. Honestly, the 2023 Kia Telluride is a sensational hit.

TELLURIDE (SX-PRESTIGE, X-LINE AWD)

Tires: 245/50R20

Wheelbase: 114.2 inches

Length: 196.9 inches

Width: 78.3

Height: 70.5 inches

Tow capacity: 5,000 pounds

Available in seven or eight-passenger configuration, the SUV is equipped with a sole power train: 3.8-liter V-6 engine pumping out 291 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 262 pounds-feet of torque at 5,200 rpm, more than tolerable to climb a mountainous terrain or navigate the sharp turns of a countryside road. The eightspeed auto gear box with paddle shifters is immaculate, ofering instantaneous up and down moves. The SUV also is fitted with a start/stop system, which turns the engine of at a halt to save fuel.

Fuel capacity: 18.8 gallons

City: 18 mpg

Highway: 24 mpg

Base price: $51,785

Price as tested: $54,120

Website: www.kia.com

By Nitish Rele

radiator grille with a gloss-black insert and dark-gray surround trim, flanked by LED projector-style headlights and black bezels. It comes standard with forward-collision avoidance, safe-exit and lane-keep assists and smart cruise control; there also are 10 airbags, a driver knee airbag, four-wheel antilock brakes with brake assist, vehicle stability/ traction control, front/ rear crumple zones, daytime running lights and a tire pressure monitoring system.

An independent MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension does a particularly good job of soaking bumps and potholes with skill in this front-wheel or all-wheel-drive SUV. Also worth noting is the motor-driven power rack-and-pinion steering, efortless at higher speeds or while pulling into a parking lot. Also serving the overall eforts is 59 percent advanced high-strength steel and sound-damping materials that hold wind and road noise to a minimum.

Taking up a sizeable space up front is a

Switch over to eco, comfort, smart and sport drive modes (snow and AWD lock for allwheel drive) via a knob on the center console. Also ofered are 10way driver and eight-way front-passenger power seats, as well as dual 12.3-inch displays: a touch screen for infotainment system, and another for digital instrument cluster; Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; head-up display; cooled/heated front and Nappa leather seats; a dual sunroof; a surround-view monitor; a tilt/telescopic steering column; a dual auto AC; stainless-steel pedals/scuf plates; satin chrome door handles; and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system. Don’t be deluded into believing that the mighty 4,524-pound vehicle lacks muscle. In fact, the gas pedal releases forceful but silent acceleration to make the Telluride an elegant, pleasing and easy-riding companion. And Kia’s five-year, 60,000-mile basic and 10-year, 100,000-mile power train warranties should convince you to sign on the dotted line.

Two years ago, the Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce had an innovative idea for preventing excessive force in emergency situations. The product BolaWrap was soon utilized in hopes to reduce threatening armory in the hands of someone who committed a felony.

Kevin Mullins, CEO of Wrap Technologies Inc., stated, “BolaWrap was designed to be the next best option after verbal commands fail — and to be used well before any other pain-inducing options — to restrain a subject being taken into custody.”

This leads to fewer abuse accusations toward the police force and the one convicted of a crime. The hard work put into this product has been reintegrated to ofer a safe and efcient alternative to traditional methods that may be forceful or painful.

“The BolaWrap solution embodies the unwavering commitment to Wrap’s noharm guiding, providing a crucial tool that empowers law enforcement professionals to maintain safety and security while minimizing the risk of injury to all parties involved,” stated Mullins.

This stun-gun-like machinery is beneficial to have handy in unnegotiable

ENERGY-SAVING TIPS FROM TECO

By Avery Ranieri

circumstances. This is because it makes work easier and safer for the police and brings in subjects who have broken the law while preserving their rights. BolaWrap has already expanded to over 1,000 agencies in the United States and 60 countries nationwide. This allows ofcers all over the world to demonstrate and manage complex public safety scenarios.

Master Deputy and BolaWrap master instructor David Hofman of the Hillsborough County Sherif ’s Ofce said, “If the BolaWrap deployment, either alone or in combination with other tools or tactics, results in getting the individual restrained without injury or additional force, it can be seen as successful.”

The proficiency of a deputy being able to do their job is dependent on the willingness of the subject. Intense reactions can also solidify more fines for the individual under arrest, and BolaWrap is able to prevent those from stacking quickly. Two years later, in the present day, the police force and Wrap Technologies fully intend to further the expansion of BolaWrap, eager to smoothen the conflicts in public safety and communication.

This summer has been one of the hottest on record. As temperatures soar, air conditioners have to work extra hard to keep your home cool. This can lead to electric bills that are higher than the rest of the year.

To help assist customers having difculty making utility bill payments, Tampa Electric is donating $1 million to the Share program to help customers with summer bills. Share is administered by the Salvation Army and the Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg, specifically to provide utility bill assistance.

TECO’s charitable contributions are paid by shareholders and the generosity of employees, customers and community partners, and they do not afect customer bills.

Here are a few ways to use less energy (and help reduce your power bill):

• Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher and set the fan on auto. Every degree below 78 can add 6-8 percent to the cooling portion of your power bill.

• Use ceiling fans — but only in occupied rooms. For summer, rotate the blades counterclockwise.

• Limit your pool pump to run eight hours a day or as recommended by your pool service.

• Set your refrigerator temperature to 37 degrees and your freezer to 5 degrees.

• Lower the temperature setting on your water heater to 120 degrees.

• Run the washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full.

• Close the curtains or blinds in sunny rooms to keep the heat out.

• Turn of computers and monitors when not in use, or put them in sleep mode.

• Clean or replace air conditioning filters

each month.

• Check for leaky windows and doors, including the fireplace damper if you have one.

• Make sure your attic is sufciently insulated. Learn more about how you can adjust your energy use with energy calculators (for more information, visit www.tampaelectric. com/residential/saveenergy/energy-calculators/).

To help customers better manage their energy use, Tampa Electric ofers more energy-saving programs than any other investor-owned utility in Florida.

Prime Time PlusSM is a free and easy way to earn credits on your electric bill. The average customer earns $144 per year. It does this by letting Tampa Electric reduce electricity use during periods of extremely high demand.

The free Energy Planner program is a powerful tool to save money. It allows you to plan your highest energy use during the time of day when demand for electricity is lowest. You can save about a month’s worth of electricity each year by making simple adjustments to the time of day you use electricity.

To continue to help manage your energy costs, you can get a free energy audit from Tampa Electric. The online audit identifies areas where you may be wasting valuable energy.

Tampa Electric has been encouraging sustainability for over 40 years. In that time, more than 1.38 million customers have participated in the company’s energy-saving programs. In 2022 alone, 138,000 of Tampa Electric’s customers participated in at least one energy-saving program. Visit www.tampaelectric.com for more information.

Te BolaWrap is used after verbal warning to safely restrain a person by wrapping arms and legs. It is also used to restrain people who are experiencing psychosis without harm.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE UTILIZES BOLAWRAP FOR GREATER SAFETY OF ALL

Te BolaWrap is sometimes referred to as the electric lasso.

Who is ready to run for a good cause? The fifth annual Next Step Is the Cure 5K will be on Saturday, October 7 at Alderman’s Ford Park in Plant City to help bring awareness and raise funds for research for ocular melanoma (OM). Ocular melanoma is a rare disease which affects six out of 1 million people each year. With no known cure, OM is referred to as an orphan disease; of the people diagnosed, 50 percent will develop metastasis that usually travels to the liver and the lungs.

Race directors Bernadette Boyle and Linda O’Brien have a vested interest in this disease.

Bernadette lost her husband, Joe Boyle, to this cancer, and O’Brien is still fighting with yearly scans and eye exams;

O’Brien remains NED (no evidence of disease).

Their decision to organize a 5K came about in 2017 when they learned that the Melanoma Research Foundation’s ‘Miles for Melanoma’ was not going to be held in the Tampa area. In November 2017, they held their first 5K at E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin.

Bernadette and O’Brien are excited about the new location and are appreciative of the ongoing support of the community. Packet pickup will be at Park Square in FishHawk, and they hope to continue supporting Park Square and the surrounding businesses. They will also be reaching out to area schools to see if students are interested in volunteer hours to assist on the day of the event.

The hope for this year’s event is simple: to surpass the 2022 achievements. In 2022, there were over 300 people registered, 70-plus rafe items, 20-plus sponsors and $21,400 raised and donated to the Melanoma Research Foundation.

Representatives from the Melanoma Research Foundation will speak about ocular melanoma and the research that is happening because of events like this. Also invited are a prominent doctor from Moftt, who will speak about research being done in ocular melanoma, and a doctor from Retina Associates of Florida. Their passion is exemplified through every detail because they know that every dollar raised goes directly to the Melanoma Research Foundation — Cure Ocular Melanoma.

Along with shirts, finisher medals and swag bags for all participants, there will be awards given to first, second, and third place in both the men’s and women’s groups. With 13 age groups and a fun run for the younger children, there is a place for everyone to participate.

Visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/ cureocularmelanoma and Instagram page @yournextstepisthecure to follow its posts and updates.

If you are interested in learning more about sponsoring or donating, email yournextstepisthecure@aol.com. To register for the race/walk or donate, visit https:// runsignup.com/race/fl/lithia/yournextstepisthecure or scan the QR code.

FINANCIAL FOCUS

WHAT DOES IT COST NOT TO HAVE LIFE INSURANCE?

It’s probably not on your calendar, but September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. And that means it’s a good time to become more aware of the benefts of having life insurance — and the dangers of not having it.

Unfortunately, confusion about some of the basic elements of owning life insurance may be keeping people from getting the protection they need. More than half of uninsured Americans say they have put of purchasing coverage because they don’t know what to buy or how much they need, according to Life Happens and LIMRA, two nonproft organizations that provide research and education about life insurance.

Yet, while this confusion may be understandable, a delay in acquiring appropriate insurance can be costly in more ways than one. From a strict dollars-and-cents perspective, it’s generally much more afordable to buy life insurance when you’re younger. But there are potentially much greater costs involved in not having insurance when it’s needed — and these costs are personal.

To be specifc, what is it worth …

… to know your family could stay in your home if something happened to you? … to know your children could continue their education plans?

… to know your debts could be paid without burdening your family?

Clearly, if you were to assign these benefts a “price tag,” it would be pretty high. And that’s the value of owning sufcient life insurance. So, let’s return to the issue of people putting of buying insurance because they don’t know how much they need, or what type they should have:

• How much is enough? You might hear that you need life insurance equal to about seven to 10 times your pretax annual salary. That’s not a bad “ballpark” fgure, but not everyone is playing in the same ballpark. To get a true sense of how much of a death beneft you require from your life insurance, you’ll need to consider a variety of factors, possibly including your current income, spouse’s income, the size of your mortgage (in addition to other liabilities), number of children, educational expenses and fnal expenses for funeral arrangements.

• What type? You can essentially choose between two basic types of life insurance: term and permanent. As its name suggests, term insurance is designed to provide coverage for a designated period, such as 10 or 20 years. Generally speaking, term insurance is quite afordable for most people, especially when they buy policies as young adults. On the other hand, permanent insurance, such as whole life or universal life, is usually considerably more expensive than term insurance. This is because permanent insurance premiums, in addition to providing a death beneft, help build cash value, which you can typically access through loans or withdrawals, giving you additional fexibility should your fnancial needs change over time. In choosing between term and permanent insurance, you’ll want to evaluate several issues, such as how long you think you’ll need coverage and how much you can aford to pay in premiums.

Finding out about the benefts, costs and types of life insurance can help you make informed choices to help protect your family for years to come — so don’t delay learning what you need to know.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

By Carole Estes, FARMS Manager, SW Florida Water Management District

Q: What is FARMS?

A: The Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems, or FARMS for short, is a program designed to serve as an incentive to the agricultural community to promote water quantity, water quality and natural systems best management practices (BMPs) to conserve groundwater use and promote resource sustainability. The program is an agricultural costshare reimbursement program that reduces groundwater withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer through conservation and alternative water supply BMPs. Water quality and natural systems improvement BMPs also may be costshared in priority areas in conjunction with water conservation BMPs.

Q: What is a best management practice, or BMP, and what does that look like for FARMS?

A: Best management practices are methods that have been determined to be the most efective and practical means for improving water conservation and quality in agricultural discharges. Examples of commonly used BMPs for FARMS include surface water pump stations, water control structures, automatic irrigation controls, soil moisture sensors and weather stations.

Q: What are some of the benefits to the water resources through the FARMS program?

A: Implementing agricultural BMPs provide many water resource benefits, including reduction of groundwater withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer, improvement of ground and/or surface water quality

impacted by groundwater withdrawals, applied nutrient reduction or retention and improved natural system functions within wetlands and watersheds. Approved projects support the district’s Regional Water Supply Plan, Southern Water Use Caution Area or SWUCA Recovery Strategy, Strategic Plan and Springs Management Plans.

Q: How much water has been ofset through the FARMS program?

A: From the inception of the FARMS program in 2003 through 2023, the total projected groundwater ofset from the more than 240 approved FARMS projects is 31.5 million gallons of water per day at an overall average cost-benefit of $2.43 per thousand gallons of water ofset.

Q: As a member of the agricultural community, how do you qualify for FARMS funding?

A: If you are a member of the agricultural community and have a district water-use permit, you can apply for FARMS funding. To qualify for funding, projects must be located in the district and include one or more of the following BMP strategies: utilize an alternative water supply or technology to reduce groundwater use, improve irrigation water quality and watershed ecology by reducing reliance on poorer quality groundwater and reduce nutrient applications or increase nutrient retention. The FARMS program may reimburse a grower up to 50 percent of the total project costs. To learn more about the FARMS program, visit the district’s website at www.watermatters.org/farms or contact the district at 941-404-1452.

Carole Estes is the manager of the Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program.

ART813 HELPS PROMOTE THE ARTS AND ARTISTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

Millions of residents and visitors enjoy the many and varied art and cultural activities that Hillsborough County ofers each year. Whether it is a big event like the Gasparilla Music Festival or a production by a community theater group, lots of people support the arts in Hillsborough County.

In an efort to promote both big and small arts organizations and talented individual artists, Hillsborough County has established Hillsborough Television’s Art813, a series that shines a spotlight on flourishing creativity within Hillsborough County. Art813 is a new collection of mini documentaries produced by Hillsborough Television. The documentaries highlight local artists, arts and culture organizations and events within the region, giving viewers instant access to the area’s most imaginative creations and happenings.

One of the reasons for the boom in arts and cultural events is the support that artists and organizations get from the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, which is funded by the county. In addition, numerous arts and cultural organizations and individuals throughout Hillsborough County shared almost $3.3 million in approved grants from the Florida Department of State’s Division of Arts and Culture during the 2022-23 year. This is more than double

By Kathy L. Collins

the award from 2021-22.

Eileen Blake, contracts manager for the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, said, “The main purpose of this new series is to better inform our residents about the exciting things happening within the local arts and culture community. The videos cover individual artists, organizations and local events.”

Blake added, “The community can learn about all the great opportunities they have to participate in the arts of our area by tuning in and learning more.”

The first organization to be highlighted was the Carrollwood Players Theatre. Upcoming videos will feature local artists like John Costin of Valrico and Nneka Jones of Tampa, and organizations such as the Tampa Bay History Center and the Florida Wind Band will be featured.

The Arts Council of Hillsborough County provides a unified voice for all cultural organizations and activities in Hillsborough County. It promotes news about the cultural vitality of the community while providing grants, research and advocacy to help the cultural community.

If you are interested in tuning into Art813, subscribe to the Hillsborough County YouTube channel or follow Hillsborough County social media channels at @HillsboroughFL.

US DODEA AWARDS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS $2 MILLION TO EXPAND WORLD LANGUAGES PROGRAM

they can compete globally with their peers,” said Interim Superintendent Van Ayres.

The project’s objective is to increase the number of language learning opportunities for elementary students in Spanish, French and American Sign Language (ASL).

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) has been awarded the 2023 $2 million DoDEA World Language Advancement and Readiness (WLARP) Grant.

The grant is funded through the United States Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Program and the grant period is Saturday, September 30 through May 31, 2028.

Over 11,090 students in military-connected schools, including 13 elementary schools and two K-8 schools, are eligible to participate in this grant-funded opportunity. The proposed Exploring World Languages project will include three main components: in-person Spanish language instruction specials for elementary students at Rampello K-8, an ‘Around the World’ in-person summer camp for elementary students at the 13 eligible schools and virtual language enrichment opportunities for elementary students at the 13 eligible schools throughout the school year.

“We are grateful to have been selected by DoDEA to continue our partnership in expanding innovative, world language learning opportunities for our students. This grant aligns with our strategic plan to prepare all students for life by o f ering unique programs that will ensure

Key activities include:

• Recruiting teachers.

• Delivering high-quality professional development.

• Developing curriculum.

• Providing Spanish language instruction through Rampello K-8’s specials program.

• Recruiting students for virtual enrichment and summer programs for all eligible schools.

• Ofering virtual enrichment and summer learning opportunities in World Languages.

About DoDEA

The Department of Defense Education Activity is a field activity of the Ofce of the Secretary of Defense. DoDEA’s mission is to plan, direct, coordinate and manage the education programs for eligible dependents of U.S. military personnel and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense. The DoDEA has congressional authority to provide resources to public schools to support the continuity of education for military-connected students through a competitive grant program. DoDEA’s vision of “Excellence in education for every student, every day, everywhere” is realized through this partnership with public school districts.

To learn more about the arts, artists and arts organizations in Hillsborough County, you can tune into Art813 by subscribing to Hillsborough County’s YouTube channel or following the county on social media at @ HillsboroughFL.

Stay Healthy This

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR

ER at Sun City Center features:

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Care for all ages

Access 24/7

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

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On-site physician 24/7

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

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10,884 square feet

ALIGN RIGHT REALTY OFFERS SERVICE TO RIVERVIEW AND NEW TAMPA COMMUNITIES

By Lily Belcher

have clear communication and overall expectations of one another since we are true partners in the process,” Tackus said. “Throughout their real estate journey, I keep them updated and ofer support and resources every step of the way.”

Align Right Realty is celebrating four years of serving Hillsborough County and their new Align Right Realty Suncoast ofce in New Tampa.

After the success at the Riverview office since 2019, Align Right Realty decided to open a new ofce to expand the company’s support to the community.

“The biggest diference is the location and embracing a new community. Luckily in our model of business we have mentors and leadership that support the ofce and embrace the community,” broker and owner Lisa Tackus said about the new ofce in New Tampa. “The systems, resources and culture are the same in all ofces so that allows us to grow and build.”

Tackus and her team of three other employees and 105 licensed agents have served hundreds of clients from the Riverview ofce. Align Right Realty supports residential services, commercial leases, purchases and rentals. The new ofce will allow Align Right to expand their support to the Tampa area.

“I work with my customers by educating them on the process and ensuring we

Tackus earned her real estate sales associate license in 2015 and was drawn to the supportive culture of Align Right Realty. Now, through her work, she is a member of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, allowing her to help her customers through the network of businesses.

“Agent success is by far the most rewarding part of the business. Success in not just measured by closings and commission. It is also measured by mindset, learning, partnership and helping customers achieve their real estate goals,” Tackus said. “Our tools, resources and support diferentiate us and we are very proud of the ofce culture we have built over these last 4 years.”

Align Right Realty Suncoast is located at 17427 Bridge Hill Court, Suite B in Tampa. For more information on Align Right Realty, visit their website at alignrightriverview.com or alignrightsuncoast.com. If interested in “Aligning Right in Real Estate,” contact Align Right Realty at (813) 563-5995.

Align Right Realty’s team ofers support to the Riverview and New Tampa community with their new Suncoast ofce.

SPURLINO YMCA WELCOMES THREE NEW STAFF MEMBERS

By Libby Hopkins

The Spurlino Family YMCA’s mission is to put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Its focus areas include youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

The Y is made up of people of all ages and from every walk of life working side by side to strengthen communities. With the Y’s focus on core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility, it looks for these core values in the people it hires as well.

“We couldn’t be more excited for Tammy Hopkins, Corey Belcher and coach Ken Trusty to join our team at the Spurlino Family YMCA,” said the Y’s executive director, Jarrod Williams. “They bring decades of combined experience to our community. Tammy with immense membership experience working at the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis and JCC Indianapolis, Corey with a background of more than 20 years of aquatics programming and coach Ken, who has dedicated the past 20 years of his to youth development and helping kids shine through positive program opportunities. We are very intentional with who we decide to join our team. This community deserves the best and brightest, and that is who I feel we got in Tammy, Corey and Ken.”

All three new staf members are enjoying settling into their new jobs. “My experience the first three weeks with the Spurlino YMCA has been incredible,” said Trusty, the Y’s family program director.

“The team here is so close and knowledgeable. Everyone is eager to assist in any way possible. Because they are so attentive to the members, every person I talk to loves what we do here.”

Hopkins is grateful for her new position as membership experience manager at the Y. “I feel extremely grateful to have landed at the Spurlino Y,” Hopkins said. “I am so excited to work alongside our team of directors to enrich and enhance the Riverview community through all the programs and benefits the Y has to ofer individuals of all ages.”

Belcher is grateful too for his new position as aquatics director. “I am grateful for this experience and build on a career that began years ago with the Y and now at Spurlino,” Belcher said. “We have the opportunity to make a lasting impact as well as provide a lifelong skill set to the Gibsonton/Riverview and surrounding communities we serve.”

If you would like to learn more about the services ofered at the Spurlino Family YMCA, you can visit its website at www. tampaymca.org/locations/spurlino-familyymca-big-bend-road. The Spurlino Family YMCA is located at 9650 Old Big Bend Rd. in Riverview.

WELCOME BACK!

Mosaic would like to welcome back students, faculty and staff and wish them another successful school year. Thanks to every parent, community member and business supporting education around the county. Every Fall, Mosaic employees look forward to partnering with our local schools on academic and extracurricular initiatives from 4H & FFA to furthering innovative STEM learning.

Let’s continue working together to cultivate the most valuable crop of alla bright future.

We help the world grow the food it needs.

MOSAICFLORIDAPHOSPHATE.COM

Te Spurlino Family YMCA welcomes three new staf members, Tammy Hopkins, Corey Belcher and coach Ken Trusty.

ECHO CELEBRATES NEW RIVERVIEW RESOURCE CENTER WITH RIBBON-CUTTING EVENT

ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization) of Brandon celebrated the grand opening of its newly expanded Riverview Resource Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 3.

Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) members and the community were invited to take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception. Those in attendance were able to take tours of the new center.

The previous Riverview location operated in two separate buildings with a total of 3,000 square feet. The new location is 8,000 square feet and has ample space for food warehousing, an expanded pantry, ofces and large gathering spaces.

District 3 Commissioner Gwyn Myers was in attendance.

“It was a privilege to attend the ribbon-cutting for ECHO of Riverview. Having ECHO as a part of our community is a winwin for the county. This organization will help many people who may be experiencing hardship in their lives. In addition, residents will have an opportunity to go to a place and apply for employment opportunities,” Myers said.

ECHO executive director Eleanor Saunders said it was amazing to be able to introduce the donors, partner organizations

By Jane Owen

and community partners to the Riverview Resource Center at the ribbon-cutting. She said the best part was to be able to serve the community in a clean, bright and welcoming environment.

“The new and improved ECHO Riverview creates a seamless service delivery where job coaching, resource navigation and emergency provisions are all front and center and easily accessible. The larger layout provides constant interaction between neighbors, volunteers and staf, creating a natural environment for warm handofs,” Saunders said.

Simeon Baxter, an advocacy coordinator at the Riverview Resource Center, gave several tours to community members. He detailed the ways they meet individual needs through the diferent areas of the center. Community members are greeted at the welcome center to determine the resources available. From there, their needs will be met through a variety of services, which include emergency clothing, food, employment and crisis services.

“We try to bridge the gap between crisis and stability and that looks diferent for everyone,” Baxter said. For more information, located at 10509 Riverview Dr. in Riverview, visit https:// echofl.org/riverview/.

Left to right: ECHO executive director Eleanor Saunders, ECHO emergency services director Savanna Tompson and Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce Chair Tammy See.

Te Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce and members of the community celebrated a ribbon-cutting for the new location of the ECHO Riverview Resource Center.

A+ HEARING CARES ABOUT CUSTOMERS AND OFFERS AMAZING SERVICE

Over 26 million individuals sufer from hearing impairment, and they deserve an organization that cares. A+ Hearing Center has been just that for the community.

A+ Hearing is now located at 835 Cypress Village Blvd. in Sun City Center. The new shop is double the size, on the first floor and is still golf cart accessible.

Rather than just increasing hearing, Don and Chris Guiley, the owners of A+ Hearing, are passionate about helping others increase their understanding.

“You don’t know what you don’t hear,” said Don. “If you are sufering from hearing loss, you won’t know what you are missing.”

Don explained that while less expensive, many over-the-counter hearing aids will only allow the user to adjust the volume and noise level rather than adjust frequencies based on an individual’s needs. While increasing the volume of your surroundings might sound like a solution, it can actually harm you.

“I had somebody recently whose hearing aids were not helping at all. She put the new hearing aids in and was amazed,” said Chris. “We had her daughter turn her back to talk and the customer could now hear every word.”

The nerves in your ears that hear high frequencies are some of the first nerves that noise hits. Because 70 percent of an individual’s hearing comes from high frequencies, these nerves are being broken down

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

throughout your lifetime, and increasing the volume can make this worse.

When you visit A+ Hearing, Don and Chris will be able to customize the settings of your hearing aid to fit exactly what you are missing. By doing this, they are able to allow customers to gain understanding without further damaging their nerves.

“We can retrain the brain, but we cannot regrow those nerves,” said Don.

To stay on top of the constant technological advancements in the industry, Don and Chris visit conferences and seminars often.

A+ Hearing ofers some of the most advanced hearing aids, including ones with geolocators, automatic emergency call services and remote programming. Don explained that some hearing aids can be controlled from his ofce even if you are across the world.

When the Guileys moved to Florida, Don operated a theater and Chris began to work at the hearing aid shop next door. The owner asked Chris to get her license so she could help sell hearing aids. Later, Chris and Don decided to open their own shop so they could truly become a part of the community and help those who are sufering from hearing loss.

To learn more about A+ Hearing Center or schedule an appointment, call the ofce at 813-642-8200 or visit https://aplushearingsuncity.com/.

Don and Chris Guiley have over 50 combined years of experience in the industry and are passionate about helping individuals with hearing impairments.

CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE GALA WILL SUPPORT MISSION TO END NATIONWIDE DRUG SHORTAGE

Angels for Change is hosting their third annual Champions for Change Gala at the beginning of September to support the nonprofit’s mission to stop the nationwide shortage of lifesaving drugs.

Founder Laura Bray established the organization in 2019 after her daughter struggled to get lifesaving medicine. While her daughter was fortunate enough to survive three drug shortage treatment crises, Bray knew other families were facing the same crisis.

“Since our founding in October of 2019, with your help and inspiration, Angels for Change has helped patients and hospitals navigate scarcity and shortage to get hundreds of courses of lifesaving medication both in the United States and abroad,” Bray said in the Champions for Change Gala letter.

The fundraiser allows change makers, like Bray, to advocate for change at the White House, APEC Medical Product Supply Chain Dialogue and the Captis 23 Conference, where Bray was this year’s keynote speaker.

The gala will begin with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner, a silent auction and dance. This year’s program will include speaker Beth Gore from the Oley Foundation, which works to support those living with at-home IV or tube feeding, and the

By Lily Belcher

Change Maker of the Year, who will be announced at the gala.

The gala will be hosted at The Gathering at Armature Works on Saturday, September 16 at 7 p.m. Individual tickets can be purchased for $150 or a table for eight can be purchased for $1,200 online. Donations can be given online as well.

Communications and development manager Michael Ottman said the nonprofit is hoping to host 250 people and raise over $100,000 to support its mission.

“All funds go back to supporting patients. We helped 700,000 last year through our Project PROTECT,” said Ottman.

Project PROTECT is a mission to partner with pharmaceutical supply chains to support the production of essential medicines that are vulnerable to the nationwide drug shortage. Through this project, Angels for Change is hoping to secure these vulnerable, lifesaving drugs for the patients who need them. This will be done by awarding grants to drug manufacturers who are willing to take proactive measures to prevent a shortage of these medicines.

For more information on the gala and Angels for Change’s mission, visit its website at www.angelsforchange.org.

Angels for Change Chief Change Maker Laura Bray hosts an annual gala to raise money to support the nonproft’s mission to end the shortage of lifesaving drugs.

TRUE LIES FISHING COMPANY OFFERS FISHING AND LEISURE CHARTERS

As fish in the waters of the Tampa Bay area shift from living in summer warmth to more moderate autumn temperatures, so do the local fishing guides, such as Captain Branden McCorkle of True Lies Fishing Company.

Sailing out of Apollo Beach, Ruskin and Little Harbor, McCorkle brings a lifetime of boating and fishing experience to his excursions along the local inshore waters where grouper, redfish and snapper dwell.

Fishing the calm inshore waters involves more than just casting a line and counting on luck. With an expert guide like McCorkle, the building anticipation of feeling a tug on the reel from a snacking grouper or redfish will likely be rewarded.

According to McCorkle, knowing how the fish move through the underwater coastal terrain is essential to landing a prize catch.

“Mangrove snapper will be on the rock piles and ledges. If your bait gets past the snapper, hold on because a hungry gag grouper will be lurking down there waiting,” said McCorkle. For people who just want to get out on a boat to relax and unwind as it cuts through the water, True Lies Fishing

By Brad Stager

Company o f ers more than fishing charters.

Leisurely sunset tours around the bay as well as excursions that explore Tampa Bay’s marine ecology and provide a way to connect with nature are also available. Experienced sailors new to the area can also benefit from a boat ride with McCorkle, who grew up in the area, as a way to learn the ins and outs of navigating the inlets, canals and mangrove islands of the SouthShore waterways.

Charters can be arranged to accommodate a variety of groups and inquiries about military, first responder and corporate discounts are invited. True Lies Fishing Company recognizes the importance of teaching young people about the value of recreation on the water and a family-friendly atmosphere is promoted to encourage their interest.

Passenger comfort is assured during a cruise aboard the latest addition to the True Lies Fishing Company fleet, a 23foot Parker Big Bay vessel powered by a 225-horsepower Yamaha engine.

“This is truly a fishing machine,” said McCorkle.

To find out more about True Lies Fishing Company, visit www.trueliesfishingcompany.com or call 813-480-5111.

Captain Branden McCorkle of True Lies Fishing Company ofers inshore fshing charters as well as nature excursions in SouthShore waters.

A LETTER FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT: OFF TO A GREAT START TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR FOCUSING

With the first month of classes completed, I am happy to say that we’ve had a great start to the school year in Hillsborough County Public Schools.

“Hillsborough Strong, Ev eryone Matters” has been our motto throughout the summer — with more than 24,000 employ ees working towards the same goal of creating the best education for your children. Since becoming your interim superinten dent, I have also wanted to stress the importance of student attendance in our district; that Every Day Matters

Nationwide, we are witnessing school attendance as a major issue, with chron ic absenteeism — missing 10 percent or more of the school year — widespread across school districts. One out of three students nationwide is chronically ab sent, and students in our district are no exception. Research has shown that chronic absenteeism negatively impacts students, in both their academics and be-

ON THE ABC’S

By Interim Superintendent Van Ayres

havior.

To combat this, I want parents and guardians to know that our district is focusing on the ABCs — Attendance, Behavior, and Course Performance. The ABCs are powerful predictors of high school completion. By coming to class every day, students can be engaged in their coursework and on the path to

It is understandable that there are situations in which a student has to miss a day of school, but I want to encourage families to keep an open line of communication with their child’s school and ensure that any missed work is made up, so your student does not fall behind. Our schools have resources to provide stability to children and families during challenging times. By working together, all of us — our schools, families and community — can ensure all children get to school every day so they have an opportunity to learn, succeed and realize their dreams.

THE PELICAN PLAYERS COMMUNITY THEATER GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS

The Pelican Players Community Theater is a performing arts community theater located in Sun City Center. It was originally founded as a Kings Point drama club in 1980. The Pelican Players became incorporated in 1981, and several years later it became an ofcial 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

The mission of the Pelican Players Community Theater is to promote the dramatic arts by staging productions and educational activities. It performs three live fulllength main-stage productions each year. Most of them are comedies, and some have an underlying meaning.

Te Pelican Players Community Teater is an all-volunteer community theater group that does so much for the community. It puts on several main stage productions, ofers Radio Teater and funds a scholarship program with the proceeds from its shows.

The Pelican Players Community Theater not only performs live and provides great joy to many, but it also does so much more for the community. This includes donating the proceeds from its shows to the Pelican Players Community Theater Scholarships Fund, which is administered by Community Foundation Tampa Bay. To date, it has contributed over $600,000 toward this endeavor.

The Pelican Players Community Theater ofers all sorts of shows including the Pelican Players Twig Theater. The Twig Theater is a fractured fairy tales group which performs in area schools, churches and libraries.

The Pelican Players Cabaret Singers is a musical group that performs one mainstage performance each year and is also available for hiring out to perform for area

813-974-7889

*

By Kathy L. Collins

clubs.

The Pelican Players Readers Theater gives four complimentary live Radio Theater performances each year.

The Pelican Players Radio Theater records for broadcast and livestreaming on local Sun Radio and WKOT radio stations. Sun Radio broadcasts the Pelican Players Radio Theater recordings at 7 p.m. on the last Friday of each month, whereas WKOT broadcasts them at 7 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month.

The Pelican Players Murder Mysteries are live performances which are hired to perform at area clubs.

Their main-stage productions are performed at the Kings Point Veterans Theater, located at 1900 Clubhouse Dr. in Sun City Center. Performances are $16 and matinees are $13. Tickets can be purchased at the box ofce from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and at the door immediately prior to the performance.

When asked what sets the Pelican Players apart from other local organizations, Rick Swenson, president of the Pelican Players Board of Directors, said, “Our members are extremely talented, driven and dedicated. Our audiences have followed us for over 40 years and are the reason for the success of our PPCT Scholarships Fund.”

For more information, visit www.pelicanplayersscc.org.

Clash Of Te Bay Flag Football Tournament

Registration is underway for Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation’s first-ever Clash of the Bay, a four-on-four flag football tournament that will showcase the region’s top talent. The weekend-long event has three divisions: women’s, recreational and competitive. All participants must be 18 or older. Games will be held at Skyway Sports Complex, located at 3901 George Rd. in Tampa, and SouthShore Sportsplex, located at 6110 Waterset Blvd. in Apollo Beach, on Saturday and Sunday, October 7-8. For more information, contact Mike Russ at russmi@ hcflgov.net or call 813-3095686. Visit https://app.ontask. io/workflow/fa5906e7-36864318-b138-9221c388e564 to register your team for the event.

Denim And Diamonds Bar-B-Que

Save the date for the Hillsborough Republican Party Reagan Day Denim & Diamonds BarB-Que on Friday, October 13 at International Event Venue, located at 6463 W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa. You are encouraged to wear your jeans, bling and patriotic things to the event, which will include guest speakers Senator Rick

Scott, State Attorney Suzy Lopez and master of ceremonies Will Witt. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., the VIP reception is at 6:30 p.m. and the banquet begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www. hillsborough.gop.

Te Summerfeld Women’s Golf Association League

The Summerfield Women’s Golf Association (SWGA) will begin its 18-hole annual league play on Tuesday, October 3 at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, located at 13050 Summerfield Blvd. in Riverview. The season runs through April 30, 2024, and is open to all women over 18 years old of amateur standing. The league consists of all skill levels and plays a variety of games that are fun and challenging for everyone, with prizes awarded monthly. If you are interested in joining or would like additional information, contact Margaret at 517-410-3115.

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.

Beth Israel Rummage Sale

Beth Israel Congregation is inviting everyone to its rummage sale on Tuesday,

Notice Under Fictitious Name Law Pursuant to Section 865.09, Florida Statutes

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fctiious name of PAWSITIVE FOCUS located at 12779 MANGROVE FOREST DR., in Hillsborough County, in the City of RIVERVIEW, FL 33511, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

Dated at Valrico, FL this 8TH Day of September, 2023

October 24, starting at 9 a.m. The indoor event will be held at 1115 E. Del Webb Blvd. in Sun City Center and will include a wide variety of items, such as clothing, linens, books, appliances, glasses and artwork. Designer and costume jewelry will be for sale in the sanctuary area.

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. For more information, please email akittenplace@gmail.com. To register for the event, visit https://runsignup.com/race/ fl/valrico/blackcat5kwalk.

Sponsors, Special Needs Resource Vendors And Volunteers

Wanted For F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Buddy Walk

The annual F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and National Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk will be taking place on Saturday, October 21 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Al Lopez

Park, located at 4802 N. Himes in Tampa. Come celebrate, advocate and educate for the down syndrome and special needs community. FRIENDS is also looking for sponsors, special needs resource vendors and volunteers for the event. Please visit its website at www.friendssupport.org for more information.

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.

Notice Under Fictitious Name Law Pursuant to Section 865.09, Florida Statutes

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fctitious name of Foxtail Cofee Riverview South #1089, located at 12350 S. US Hwy 301, in Hillsborough County, in the City of Riverview, Florida 33578, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

Dated at Valrico, Florida, this 10th day of August, 2023 Skalder Projects I LLC

Compiled by Jenny Bennett jbennett@ospreyobserver.com

ANDERSON SEAMLESS GUTTERS OFFERS ALL TYPES OF QUALITY GUTTER CARE

As a veteran-owned and operated company, Anderson Seamless Gutters strives to ofer quality work while showing appreciation to community heroes. Throughout its three years in operation, the business has assisted customers with all of their gutter needs in a personal and dedicated fashion.

Customers may choose between a variety of services, such as installation of 6-inch K-style seamless aluminum gutters, gutter guard selections, gutter cleanings and repairs. For customer convenience, work estimates are free, and purchases come with a 15-year leakproof warranty.

A 10 percent discount is given to all veterans, first responders, educators and other heroes. As a veteran himself, the owner, Eric Anderson, prides himself in the appreciation of miliary customers.

Eric Anderson, owner of Anderson Seamless Gutters, provides quality gutter services alongside family, friends and his team.

By Anna Edlund

Each business interaction starts and ends through communication with Anderson directly. Every piece installed and sold is done by Anderson alongside his team.

“Far too often people spend their hard-earned money for work to get done, and if, or when, something goes wrong, the buck gets passed. It’s like pulling teeth to get the issue resolved. That starts and stops with me. Very rarely do I get repair calls on my work, but when they do call, they get an answer,” Anderson assured. Being in the gutter installation business for 10 years previous to starting his own company, Anderson considers his skills to be fine-tuned over the years. He also considers the industry to be not just his job, but his passion.

“I don’t consider it giving back. I see it as showing those who signed the dotted line that we understand what it entails and, with or without uniform, they are still very much appreciated and loved for what they were willing to do for the freedom we all enjoy,” said Anderson.

Striving to stand out from the rest, Anderson Seamless Gutters makes each and every exchange a personal experience that is guaranteed to produce quality results.

“I was being restricted while working for other gutter companies that are just looking for a quick turnaround and a check. Working for myself allows me to take my time to ensure my customers get the best work possible. We don’t charge by the hour; we charge by the foot. It’s always quality over quantity,” Anderson said. For more information or to receive an estimate, please call Anderson Seamless Gutters at 813-334-6335.

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WALK TO SUPPORT F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

DOWN SYNDROME WEST FLORIDA ON OCTOBER 21

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

UNDER ARMOUR’S UNDER THE LIGHTS FLAG FOOTBALL PREPARES FOR HISTORY-MAKING SEASON

By Lily Belcher

Join F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Down Syndrome West Florida at the Al Lopez Park to unite for a common cause at the seventh annual F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Buddy Walk on Saturday, October 21.

The Buddy Walk event will begin at 10 a.m. with meet and greets, music and more. The advocacy walk will begin at 1 p.m., with team pictures to follow.

Individuals with Down syndrome must register as a walker but are free to participate and will receive a Buddy Walk wristband, T-shirt, medal and cowbell or noisemaker. Until Sunday, October 1, registration is $20 for participants ages 13 and up and includes a Buddy Walk T-shirt, a wristband, free team photos and event admission. After October 1, the price will increase to $25. Children ages 12 and under are free and must register to receive their free Buddy Walk T-shirt and wristband.

Starting at 10 a.m., participants are welcome to enjoy the festivities, including music from DJ Mark Girdwood and the MC Mark Oliver as well as bounce houses, a playground and face painting.

A complimentary lunch, prepared by Craig Wangberg and Paul Foyt, will be served starting at 11 a.m., and you’ll be able to get a picture taken with your favorite Star Wars and Ghostbusters characters. Guests are welcome to bring their own 10

ft. by 10 ft. tents, chairs and food. Ninety-seven percent of the money raised during the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Buddy Walk goes back into F.R.I.E.N.D.S. programs and activities. The other 3 percent of the donations raised go to the National Down Syndrome Society to support its significant national advocacy, education and inclusion eforts.

“It is vital for families to meet other families, to share information and to gain that vital support,” said Ann Foyt, president of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. “Our kids also need to meet each other to make friends, and F.R.I.E.N.D.S. gives our community these opportunities.”

In September, teams who register for the Buddy Walk and raise $500 by October 1 will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card. In October, teams who raise $1,000 will be entered to win Apple earbuds; if they raise $2,500, the teams could win a $250 Amazon gift card; and if they raise $5,000, the teams could win a $500 gift card.

Teams will be issued a rafe ticket for each $1,000, $2,500 and $5,000 they raise. The deadline for these incentives is Friday, October 20.

Come out to join the 2,000 participants for a day of fun and support millions of families and individuals impacted by Down syndrome at the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Buddy Walk. For more information, to participate, volunteer or donate, visit www.ds-stride.org/ friendsbuddywalk/help-guides.

Under Armour’s Under the Lights Flag Football is hosting its fall season opener on Friday, September 15, making history with the first all-girls flag football league in the area.

“We are making history not with just one girls flag team but an entire league dedicated to growing the girls’ game that has swept the nation,” Commissioner Jeremy King said. “… Our goal is to introduce the game and develop girls for the next level of competition so they can earn a higher level of education while playing the sport they love.”

The league will be coached by about 60 coaches spanning from former professional athletes to teachers to parents.

“Seeing parents cheer and support their kids and others makes everything worth it to us. As adults, we rarely remember the scores or even number of championships won,” King said. “It’s the friendships, family and love for sports that we remember and pass on to our kids as we grow older.”

Each of the six vs. six teams will have around eight to 10 boys or girls to ensure each athlete has an opportunity to play.

King chose to start the league after his daughter fell in love with flag football. He found there were many coed options and the girls only teams only had a few

teams in the division.

“After watching her love for the game dwindle to a spectator and hearing from other parents they wanted better options, I chose to do something about it in a big way,” King said.

Every summer, before the season starts, Under the Lights o f ers free workouts that encourage kids to stay active and make friends with those in their community. There are no tryouts or drafts to allow all athletes an opportunity to participate and develop their talents.

King is expecting around 400 athletes to participate in the inaugural season. Athletes are supported by a number of sponsors in the area, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and several schools in the area. The program also o f ers a scholarship in memory of Noah Pollock, a former Carrollwood Day School student.

“My goal is to change the way youth sports looks and feels. There has been a quite absence with youth sports leagues and community involvement,” King said. “My goal is to provide a professional, quality and meaningful sports experience for kids.”

For more information about Under the Lights Flag Football, visit www.uaflag. com.

Te seventh annual F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Buddy Walk will have character meet and greets, music and games.

Under the Lights Flag Football ofers both girls’ and boys’ leagues for young athletes.

FastFrame Of Winthrop

FastFrame of Winthrop is a family-owned and operated business that ofers expert custom picture framing for artworks, photographs, memorabilia and treasured objects, as well as canvas stretching. It goes through a quick and easy design process with each customer to ensure satisfaction with the final product. If for any reason you are not satisfied with any aspect of the final piece, a 30-day design guarantee is provided alongside a lifetime guarantee on the craftsmanship of each piece. FastFrame of Winthrop is owned by Aki Weaver and David Escobar. It is located at 6128 Winthrop Town Centre Ave. in Riverview and can be reached by calling 813-436-0044. You can visit its website at https://fastframe.com/ for additional information.

Uptown Cheapskate Celebrates Opening With Ribbon-cutting

Ceremony

The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening and ribbon-cutting event of new member Uptown Cheapskate at its new location in Brandon. Owner Amber Watt, along with her family and staf, welcomed guests and gave a tour of the impressive store. Uptown Cheapskate buys your gently used clothing and ofers amazing deals on fashion brands that you want. It is located at 11229 Causeway Blvd. in the Lake Brandon Plaza in Brandon. To learn more about Uptown Cheapskate, visit its website at www.uptowncheapskate.com/location/brandon/ or call 813409-3014.

Breast Cancer Support Group At St. Joseph’s Hospital South

While living with breast cancer can be challenging, patients with a strong support system have an easier time managing their condition and feel less isolated. St. Joseph’s Hospital-South ofers an in-person breast cancer support group that promotes hope and connection and provides education and information. All breast cancer patients are welcome, regardless of where they are being treated. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, September 28 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the hospital’s Franciscan Conference Room. The meetings are free, but registration is required. Vvisit https://baycareevents.org/ and select the St. Joseph’s Hospital-South box from the location menu or call 727-9536857. St. Joseph’s Hospital-South is located at 6901 Simmons Loop in Riverview.

Te Bridges Retirement Community Hosts Brain Fitness Workshop

Is your mind as sharp as it could be? Do you struggle to remember phone numbers or shopping lists? Our brains are powerful, and even more so when we understand how our brains work and what we can do to improve our memory. A workshop, ‘The Aging Brain: How To Maintain Brain Fitness,’ will be held on Wednesday, September 27 at The Bridges Retirement Community from 11 a.m.-12 Noon. It will answer questions as to what happens to our cognitive abilities as we age and how we can maintain them. Dr. Brianne Stanback, director of community engagement for the Cognitive Aging Lab at the University of South Florida, will present the workshop. The Bridges Retirement Community is located at 5921 Stockport St. in Riverview. Please call 813-413-8900 to reserve your seat.

SEE PAGES 34-37

Comprehensive Center For Dermatology Breaks Ground On New Location

Comprehensive Center for Dermatology has just broken ground on a new ofce space that better fits its practice. The new location will be at 5627 Skytop Dr. in Lithia, near its current ofce at 5607 Skytop Dr. in Lithia. For updates on the building process and to see dermatology and aesthetic services ofered, please visit its website at www.ccdermatology.com.

Edge Pools Now Ofers Resurfacing Edge Pools now installs ecoFINISH pool resurfacing. This has many benefits compared to traditional concrete finish, including: no harsh chemical startup, no wait time to swim, pH swings in the water will not afect the finish, a surface smoother than a pebble finish and many more. An ecoFINISH coating has the same 10year warranty as a traditional concrete finish and can be applied to both concrete and fiberglass pools. To find out if an ecoFINISH resurfacing is right for you, call 813-230-2838. Additional information on all of Edge Pools’ services can be found at https://edgepoolsfl.com/.

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Uptown Cheapskate celebrates its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting in partnership with the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce.

Aki Weaver and David Escobar celebrating the opening of their new FastFrame of Winthrop store.

Amazing Explorers Academy Opens In Mariposa

Amazing Explorers Academy celebrated the opening of its beautiful new location in Mariposa with a ribbon-cutting by the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce. Amazing Explorers Academy at Mariposa fosters a nurturing environment where little minds open up to develop lifelong learning skills designed to inspire, connect and engage the great minds of the 21st century. It is located at 10308 Cardera Dr. in Riverview. Visit its website at www.aexplorers.com/ mariposa/ or call 813-896-0002 for additional information.

Save The Date For The Ruskin Seafood Festival

The SouthShore Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce that the much-anticipated 33rd annual Ruskin Seafood Festival is set to take place on Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3 at E.G. Simmons Park. This hometown festival will feature fun, food and entertainment for attendees of all ages. The Ruskin Seafood Festival is inviting local businesses, vendors and sponsors to participate in this year’s event, please visit https://ruskinseafoodfest.org for more information.

Autism Alliance Water Safety Workshop

Join the Autism Alliance for a water safety workshop on Saturday, September 30 from 12 Noon-2 p.m. at High 5 Inc., located at 405 Beverly Blvd. in Brandon. Drowning is the leading cause of death for individuals with autism, so it’s crucial to stay prepared and keep our kiddos safe. During the workshop, you can expect to learn about water safety, witness a CPR and AED demonstra -

By Jenny Bennett

tion and receive a free swim lesson voucher. Reserve your spot at https:// donorbox.org/autism-water-safe ty-workshop. There is a $25 registra tion event, which will be reimbursed at check-in. Visit https://autismalli ancefl.org/ or email info@autismalli ancefl.org for more information.

Meals On Wheels Opens New Meal Pick Up Site

The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon-cutting with Meals On Wheels of Tampa to celebrate its new Riverview pickup site at First Baptist Church of Riverview, located at 8626 U.S. Hwy. 301 in Riv erview. Meals On Wheels of Tampa is a privately funded nonprofit whose volun teers deliver a daily meal, along with a caring visit, to the area’s homebound, disabled and elderly neighbors. To learn more about Meals On Wheels of Tampa, visit its website at https://mowtampa. org/ or call 813-238-8410.

Latitudes Tours Recognized

As A Traveler’s Choice Award

Winner

Latitudes Tours of Ruskin has been recognized by Tripadvisor as a 2023 Traveler’s Choice Award winner in the tours and outdoor activities category. The award celebrates businesses that have received great reviews from travelers on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months, and Latitudes Tours stood out by consistently delivering positive experiences. Captain Dave, owner of the business, said, “Every tour is unique, from the music selection to the narration. We always put the customer first and tailor each tour experience to the people we have on board.”

For a limited time, Latitudes Tours has a summer special in which kids under 12 cruise for free (10 a.m. tours only) with a paying adult. Call 813-641-1311 to reserve your spot.

Latitudes Tours is located at 580 Bahia Beach Blvd. in Ruskin. For more information on tours, visit its website at www. latitudestours.com.

Amazing Explorers celebrates its ribbon cutting by Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce.

ELLEL MINISTRIES ASKS COMMUNITY TO JOIN ON A RESTORATION RUN

On Saturday, September 30 starting at 8:30 a.m., Ellel Ministries will hold a day of fun activities and races at its Restoration Run, including a 5K trail run and 1-mile walk, at the Ellel Ministries USA headquarters on 1708 English Acres Dr. in Lithia.

Ellel Ministries is a nondenominational Christian ministry that seeks to help people overcome any emotional, physical or spiritual hardships life has put in their paths. Founded in 1987 in England, Ellel has since spread around the world to help fulfill individuals’ purposes and destinies on this earth through God’s order. With this race, Ellel hopes to accomplish restoration in all participants, as well as invite new members into its community.

Director of Ellel USA Matt Moore said, “We understand from the Bible that God has created us as body, soul and spirit. Through the difculties of life, many people are wounded in one or more of these parts and need healing that only God, their Maker, can provide for them. God calls Himself the Great Physician and He wants to heal those who will come to Him and apply His truth in their lives. As a min-

By Sophia Walck

istry, we share truth from the Bible that, when applied in the lives of those who are sufering from various of life’s wounds, brings healing and restoration. That’s why we’ve called this Restoration Run.”

Ofciated by Florida Road Race Management, Ellel Ministries hopes that this race will “raise support for and familiarize our community with what we ofer as a ministry” and bring people together to enjoy the 140 acres of beautiful land on the property. Aside from the race, other fun activities will be available. This includes face painting, bounce houses, food trucks, free hotdogs and Chick-fil-A as well as yard games like cornhole and ring tosses. Local Christian bands will also be playing live for the audience. All activities are aimed at engaging anyone in the area who wants to join; all are welcome.

“We ask all attendees to bring a canned food item to support Metropolitan Ministries,” Moore said.

For more information and how to register, please visit https://ellel.org/usa/ events/2023/09/restoration-run.

OFF

Ellel Ministries USA is hosting a 5K and fun day for families.

SEVENTH ANNUAL TEXAS HOLD ’EM POKER TOURNAMENT TO HELP LOCAL VETERANS

Susan Ciof, a realtor with RE/ MAX Realty Unlimited, has been in the realty business for 20 years while also supporting numerous activities and charities in the area, such as Trick or Treat Street and the yearly Texas Hold ’Em Tournament, to help local veterans and their families.

“A few years ago, a coworker of mine, Michael Markus, had asked for help with getting Christmas gifts for families of veterans that were just transitioning to new housing with the help of St. Vincent de Paul CARES,” Ciof said. “That year, we had a few families/children that our brokerage and fellow realtors helped. … I felt it was hard to ask a fellow realtor to sponsor a whole family when there were a lot of big-ticket items. I told Michael we should have a fundraiser so we can pay for the big tickets out of what we raised.”

The fundraiser they created was the Texas Hold ’Em Poker Tournament, which is in its seventh year.

“Now we have it at Summerfield Golf Club because the tournament has gotten so big,” Ciof said. “We are hoping to get more players this year. We have to make up more expense that are not being covered this year so we need more sponsors and players.”

The tournament will take place on

By Libby Hopkins

Friday, September 29 at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club at 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost $50. Ciof and her team are hoping to raise more than $5,000 in this year’s tournament.

“I wouldn’t be able to run this fundraiser without the community sponsorships of East Coast Pizza, Nothing Bundt Cakes, the Osprey Newspaper and others,” Ciof said. “Most importantly, my RE/MAX Realty Unlimited family and all the realtors from our ofce that not only donate their money but their time and support. This office is the best ofce I have work in my 20-plus years in this business.”

Ciof and her team love being able to help our local veterans.

“We love to give back to the veterans,” Ciof said. “They are blown away from what they get for Christmas, and we try our best to get everything on their wish list.”

If you’d like to play in the seventh annual Texas Hold ’Em Poker Tournament, you can visit the Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/161946070233642.

If you would like to be a sponsor of the tournament, you can contact Ciof at 813956-8513.

FIND WHAT MOVES YOU.

RE/MAX Realty Unlimited will host its seventh annual Texas Hold ’Em Poker Tournament to help local veterans on Friday, September 29 at Summerfeld Crossings Golf Club at 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost $50 to play.

The Osprey Observer’s annual internship program welcomes several new interns each summer, many of whom pursue journalism even after the internship. Let’s take a look at where a few of them are now.

Sofa Celis Celis took part in the internship in 2022. Graduating high school with her Associates in Arts degree, Celis is attending Hillsborough Community College with plans to transfer to the University of South Florida.

“I am very grateful for having this internship last year since it did get me all my community service hours and was very beneficial. I plan on hopefully doing another internship for communications,” said Celis.

Breanna Maye

Maye is currently a stay-at-home mom who has three daughters with her husband. Her internship with Osprey Observer fueled her initiative at the University of Florida to be a part of the journalism program there.

“I got to study under some incredible journalists and had the opportunity to grow my writing even more and be published in some cool publications,” said Maye.

After graduation, Maye also interned at The Ledger in Lakeland, where she was able to report her own stories and help with formatting the newspaper.

Madeline Gardner

Gardner was an intern during 2022 and currently attends the University of Florida, majoring in English. Gardner continues to be a freelance writer for the Osprey Observer

“Whether it is discussing the selfless deeds of community members or captur-

LIVES:WHERE ARE THEY NOW

By Sophia Walck

newspaper by saying, “Interning at the Osprey Observer reinforced all the fundamentals of writing and editing that I use every day at work. And it was the job where I had my first story in print — something I’ll never forget!”

Arianna Hooker

ing the excitement surrounding upcoming drives and area events, writing for this publication reminds me of how much good triumphs in our local community and how imperative it is that we take the time to recognize it. I am verily grateful for every interview I have been fortunate enough to take,” said Gardner.

Sydney Burken

Burken recently graduated from the University of South Florida with a major in political science and a minor in mass communications. She is pursuing a job in marketing and sales in the Tampa area. Burken says that this internship pushed her out of her comfort zone into a more realistic world in college and academics where she had to rely on the clients’ schedules rather than her own.

“With this journalism internship, I learned a lot about the small businesses around Valrico, Brandon, Apollo Beach and more. I loved being able to promote these lesser-known businesses and help bring in new clientele for them. My favorite byline I wrote will always be about Flip Flops & Fitness, a gymnastics center run by the most generous man located of of 41 in Apollo Beach. His stories and the conversations we had were the highlight of my internship,” Burken said.

Te Doors of Te Church Are Open

Jasmine Haroun

Haroun was an intern in 2019 and then was a freelance writer for the Osprey Observer until late 2020. She is grateful for her internship experience because it helped develop her writing style and skills as well as form connections with the community. Haroun is a second-year honors student at the University of South Florida studying biomedical sciences.

Haroun said, “I’ve always loved how the Osprey Observer focused on the positives within the community, and being a part of that was something special. I loved every moment of it — the people, the stories, the mentorship.”

Halie LeSavage

LeSavage took part in the Osprey Observer’s internship nine years ago and has done nothing short of flourish in her career since then. Currently the fashion commerce editor at Harper’s Bazaar magazine, LeSavage leads the magazine’s fashion trends and overall shopping coverage online. LeSavage has traveled with her job to places such as Copenhagen, Denmark to San Francisco, California, “reporting on a wide range of topics within the world of luxury fashion.”

LeSavage reflected on her time at the

Hooker, a 2022 intern, is now a rising senior at Newsome High School and is the online editor-in-chief and business manager of the Wolf Tracks school newspaper. Hooker plans to major in journalism and business, hoping to one day have a Christ-based news company. This internship provided a sense of community to Hooker and helped her hone her writing skills.

“The Osprey Observer internship got me to where I am today by allowing me to learn the importance of having vast community connections and getting involved in one’s neighborhood,” said Hooker.

Ariana Pedraza

Pedraza took part in the Osprey Observer internship two summers ago and is now a senior at Newsome High School. Pedraza hopes to study international studies before going into law school. Other than writing, Pedraza spends her time involved in her school’s orchestra and band programs, where she’s a drum major for marching band. Her favorite part about this internship was having the opportunity to write about the Newsome Marching Band when the band remained successful despite changes in directors.

Reflecting on the internship, Pedraza remarked, “I have learned and continue to learn so much about journalism and interacting with others and have been able to meet so many incredible people and learn their stories through this newspaper.”

BREANNA MAYE

MADELINE GARDNER

JASMINE HAROUN HALIE LESAVAGE

ARIANNA HOOKER

SOFIA CELIS

SYDNEY BURKEN

ARIANA PEDRAZA

WINTER PARK OFFERS A CHARMING CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, known afectionately as ‘The Morse,’ houses an eclectic variety of American art, spanning 120 years, and the world’s foremost comprehensive collection of masterpieces by Louis Comfort Tifany. Located in the quaint town of Winter Park, 15 minutes from downtown Orlando, this beautiful gallery is a feast for the senses. Enjoy light classical music in the background in a dimly lit, cool gallery as you wander through displays of paintings, pottery and the world-famous Tifany masterpieces of glass, color and design.

The centerpiece of the museum is the awe-inspiring Byzantine chapel, built in 1893 for the Chicago world’s fair. The chapel is arguably Tifany’s most impressive creation, and Hugh F. McKean, former student and preserver of many of Tifany’s art, said, “The chapel was his favorite among all his works.”

Measuring only 39 feet long and 25 feet wide, words fail to accurately describe the beauty and magnificence of this chapel, and it alone is worth the $6 admission to the museum. Gallerygoers can’t help but sit in stunned silence admiring the inlaid lectern, altar cross and baptismal font. Look above

By Jef Hoening

and marvel at the one-of-akind Electrolier, a massive electric chandelier in the form of a three-dimensional cross.

The chapel had quite a journey to Winter Park from the Chicago World’s Fair; to the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City; to Tifany’s Long Island estate, Laurelton Hall, barely surviving a devastating fire at the estate in 1957; and then finally was salvaged from the rubble and resurrected, in a sense, at The Morse. The curators also rebuilt the beautiful Dafodil Terrace of Laurelton Hall inside the museum.

Just outside the museum exit, browse through the eclectic boutiques and shops of Winter Park Town Center. For lunch or dinner, try Boca or Orchid Thai Cuisine. Just want a snack? Find one of the two French pastry shops and select your favorite fresh pastry and a cofee. And, weather permitting, enjoy Winter Park’s Scenic Boat Tour, established in 1938, for a leisurely pontoon boat ride through Winter Park’s chain of lakes.

For more information, visit https://morsemuseum.org/ and www.scenicboattours. com.

Same Day Appointments Available

Critter Adoption and Rescue Efort Inc., also known as C.A.R.E., is a unique no-kill animal shelter in Ruskin. C.A.R.E. was established in 2001. It is a special place for neglected and unwanted cats and dogs, and its mission is to reduce the number of homeless and abandoned animals through adoption, sterilization and education.

Most of the animals that come to C.A.R.E. need just a few weeks of special care before they are ready for adoption into a good home. Others who are older or sick or have sufered extreme trauma become C.A.R.E. ambassadors and find a special home at C.A.R.E. for the rest of their lives.

Rula Urso, a volunteer and board member of C.A.R.E., said, “C.A.R.E. is the only animal shelter in the SouthShore area, and we are proud to serve our community.”

Urso added, “We do not operate on a first-come, first-served adoption basis. Rather, we are very selective because we want to make sure our animals are placed in the home that is the best fit for the animal and those adopting. Our animal care manager does extensive research to make sure the adoption is a success for all. At C.A.R.E., we see so many animals that are surrendered due to people not doing their research and what is involved in

By Kathy L. Collins

having a cat or dog. We try to make sure this is avoided at all costs.”

C.A.R.E. is also diferent in the way they care for the animals who come to them.

Urso explained, “Unlike other shelters, our animals are not kept in cages 24 hours a day. Our dogs are outside during the day where they get plenty of fresh air, exercise and playtime. Our cats are free, roaming in one of three rooms where they are separated by age, and each room has a screened lanai where they can laze and watch the squirrels.”

C.A.R.E. receives no county, state or federal government funding. It is fully dependent on donations, proceeds from fundraisers and bequests and foundation grants to maintain operations and sustain its presence in the SouthShore area.

Urso said, “An ongoing challenge for us is ensuring that we have enough volunteers to provide daily care for our animals. Volunteers are needed to clean and prepare our kennels and cattery, socialize our dogs and cats and provide loving care. Donations of items from our wish list are greatly appreciated at this time of rising costs for food and supplies.”

C.A.R.E. is located at 1528 27th St. SE in Ruskin. For more information, please visit https://www.careshelter.org.

Te Tifany Chapel saw over 1 million visitors at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.

Leaded glass garden windowpanes were a favorite design of Louis Comfort Tifany.

C.A.R.E. is a special kind of shelter for abandoned and neglected dogs and cats. Volunteers and monetary donations are much appreciated.

GRAND WEDDING SHOW COMING

Craig Beckinger is the owner and the creative mind behind ABC Event Planning. He has planned, designed, hosted and managed dozens of events across a broad spectrum of categories, including birthday parties, quinceaneras, corporate conferences, weddings and anniversaries and more. “I’ve been doing this professionally since 2014, as ABC Event Planning provides unparalleled service for any occasion,” Beckinger said. “I have the knowledge, expertise and creativity needed to not only plan your event, but also to ensure your event goes of without a hitch. So, if you’re looking for a reliable event planner for your next event, look no further.”

Beckinger is now hosting the wedding event of the year, The Grand Wedding Show. The event will be held on Sunday, September 17 at The Westshore Grand from 1-4 p.m. “The concept of hosting a wedding event at Westshore Grand originated from our aspiration to ofer couples an extraordinary and unforgettable experience for their special day,” Beckinger said. “Our aim is to provide a distinctively elegant ambiance that would create enduring memories for both the couple and their guests, as well as providing vendors with opportunities to interact and sign new clients.”

The Grand Wedding Show promises to be a lavish and enchanting afair. Attendees can anticipate a beautifully decorated venue adorned with captivating lighting and sophisticated decor, setting the ideal

By Libby Hopkins

tone for a romantic celebration. “The event will feature a diverse array of wedding-related vendors showcasing their oferings, including photographers, florists, DJs, rental companies and more,” Beckinger said.

“Guests will have the opportunity to explore the latest trends and garner inspiration for their own weddings. Additionally, Satin & Lace will be presenting a fashion show at 3 p.m., spotlighting the latest wedding styles.

With a ticket priced at $10, attendees will not only gain entry into the event but also stand a chance to win one of their stunning dresses valued at $2,000.”

Vendors interested in participating can do so by visiting the event’s listings on Facebook and Eventbrite. “They also can reach out to ABC Events, info@abceventplanning.com, or call 813-765-0670 to express their interest,” Beckinger said. “Each $10 ticket fee will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, supporting their valuable cause.”

Beckinger is a cancer survivor himself, specifically from high-grade B-cell lymphoma, and is generously donating 100 percent of the registration fees to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Visionaries of the Year campaign. “My intention is to facilitate connections and foster relationships between vendors and couples in the midst of wedding planning,” Beckinger said.

For more information about the event or to be a vendor, please contact Beckinger at 813-765-0670.

Craig Beckinger is the owner and the creative mind behind ABC Event Planning. On Sunday, September 17, Beckinger will be hosting Te Grand Wedding Show at Te Westshore Grand from 1-4 p.m. Tickets are $10 to attend.

PROTECTED SEASON FOR BATS IN THE ATTIC ENDS JUST IN TIME

Chances are if you have lived in the area for long, you know someone who has had to deal with a bat infestation and subsequent bat eviction in a home. Having lived in FishHawk for 19 years, I knew bat infestations were not uncommon in the community. Nonetheless, I was still shocked to discover I had some uninvited guests in my attic.

What you may not know is that the nesting, or maternity, season for bats in Florida runs from April 15 through August 15. During this time, it is a felony to remove them, unless a special permit is received for extenuating circumstances. Additionally, they are a protected species year-round, meaning it is illegal to harm or kill them at any time. Bats are an important part of our world’s ecosystem. All 13 species natural to Florida eat insects, which aids in limiting disease in humans and damage to agricultural crops.

We discovered our resident bats after hearing what sounded like scratching noises in the attic. Listening closely to the outside softs, we heard squeaks and realized it was likely bats. What else to do but watch and wait? About 15 minutes after sunset, the bats began to leave for their nightly adventures. The size of the soft opening they flew from was almost invisible and the number of bats that came out was both amazing — and, frankly, alarming. While I appreciated their importance to our environment and had nothing personal against my new tenants, I also knew I needed to call a professional for safe removal.

So, why are they nesting in so many attic spaces in the area?

“As development progresses, they have less and less natural habitat. In Florida, their natural habitat is large, old-growth trees. When they have less of that available, they’ll start looking elsewhere. They can take advantage of what are essential-

ROTARY SPOTLIGHT: ACTIVITIES, MEETINGS & MORE

By Jennifer Hurst

ly home defects, and, while not ideal, this also keeps them away from prey,” said Marc Salveson, owner of Gotcha Wildlife Removal LLC. It only takes one sliver of an opening in a soft and some bat pheromones for bats to get the word out that there’s a new lodge in the area.

Signs of a resident colony include the presence of guano (droppings), an ammonia smell in a room or scratching noises or squeaking sounds in the attic or softs — or you can do what we did and watch and wait after sunset.

Bat houses are a safe, environmentally friendly option to assist in preventing an attic colony, but they are unfortunately not allowed in most HOA communities. They should be installed professionally, as there are height and direction-facing recommendations and typically work best if installed right after hibernation season.

I scheduled my eviction of my Brazilian Free-tailed bats with Gotcha Wildlife Removal and anxiously awaited the post-August 15 date, watching them take flight from the soft each night, growing in numbers.

After the initial inspection, the process involved sealing multiple openings that were barely visible in both the softs and where the stucco meets the soft. The final step was to install a trap door.

“The check valve is a screen that is designed to be a one-way eviction, as it borders of the entry and funnels them down to an exit point with no ability to reenter,” said Christian Badalament of Gotcha Wildlife Removal.

And while I hoped they remain safe as they find a new home, I also happily toasted their exit.

If you think you may have your own bat colony (or any other uninvited critters), you can contact Gotcha Wildlife Removal at 813-205-5877 or visit www.gotchawildliferemoval.com.

Brandon And Brandon ’86

On August 8, the Rotary Club of Brandon helped kick of the school year at Kingswood Elementary School with lunch and a surprise for the teachers and staf, announcing that together with the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club, they purchased 110 new books for their Sunshine State Young Readers Awards (SSYRA) Program. While staf enjoyed pizza, salad and dessert provided by the clubs, Rotarians shared with them their commitment to service while learning about additional opportunities for service at Kingswood.

Te Rotary Club of Brandon and the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club joined together to donate over 100 books to Kingswood Elementary School.

The Rotary Club of Brandon meets on Tuesdays at 12 Noon and the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club meets on Fridays at 8 a.m. Both clubs meet at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon, and are always looking for individuals interested in serving our community and “doing good in the world.” For information, contact Debbie Meegan at debbiemeeganrotary@gmail.com.

Interact Club Of Tampa Bay

All area high schoolers interested in service, leadership, food, and fun are invited to the first meeting of the Interact Club of Tampa Bay on Monday, September 11 from 6-8 p.m. at the Rivard-Simmons Rotary Event Center, located at 3007 S. Kings Ave. in Brandon. The Interact Club is sponsored by the Brandon ’86 Rotary Club. For more information, contact Chad Norgard at chad@norgardinsgrp.com.

Brandon Global Eco Brandon Global Eco meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Members are from the immediate area and other states. Its primary focus is environmental education and ecological friendly projects; for this mission, it has planted 20,000 trees in Plant City with a statewide grant and planted greeneries around newly built houses for Habitat for Humanity.

Visitors around the world are welcome at all Brandon Global Eco meetings. Join the club on September 11 for guest speaker Bob Inglis, a former South Carolina congressman, whose main objective is to address climate change in a bipartisan constructive manner. For more information, contact Bruno Kazenas at bkazenas@comcast.net.

FishHawk-Riverview

Join the Rotary Club of FishHawk-Riverview on Thursdays from 5-6:30 p.m. for FishHawk-Riverview Rotary After Hours or on Mondays at 12 Noon for its daytime club meeting. Visit www.FishHawkRiverviewRotary.org for guest speakers and meeting locations. In addition, the 39th Alafia Lighted Boat Parade is coming on Saturday, December 2 at the Riverview Civic Center, located at 11020 Park Dr. in Riverview. For more information or to join the decorated boat contest, enter your famous chili in the chili cook-of or choose a sponsor level with guaranteed exposure and recognition of your business, visit www.alafiaboatparade.com.

Thursday,

Lynne: (813) 634-5111 • Lynne@SouthHillsChamber.com

Saint Anne Catholic Church

Saint Anne Catholic Church

Saint Anne Catholic Church

Vigil Sunday8 Monday-Friday Wednesday &

~Masses~

~Masses~

Vigil Saturday 4:30 p.m.

MASSES

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

Monday-Friday 8 a.m.

Wednesday & Jueves 7 p.m.

Vigil.....................................................................Saturday 4:30 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.

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.

NE • Ruskin SaintAnneRuskin.org • 813-645-1714

Christian Badalament with Gotcha Wildlife Removal worked to seal all of the potential openings and set up the one-way eviction door for the bats.

Photo courtesy of Wildlife Removal of Florida. Bat colonies often roost in attics as natural habitats dwindle.

Former South Caroline Congressman Bob Inglis will speak via Zoom at the upcoming Brandon Global Eco meeting.

FIFI’S FINE RESALE APPAREL CONTRIBUTIONS EXTEND BEYOND CHIC FASHION

Whether you’re looking to spice up your closet, sell some of your own things or just support a local business, Fifi’s Fine Resale Apparel is the place for you. This local consignment shop, located in Apollo Beach, ofers high-end brands of apparel, handbags, shoes, jewelry and accessories with the luxury of shopping at a discounted price.

“Anything you would find at the mall, from Dillard’s, Nordstrom, Saks, Tommy Bahama, Robert Graham, etc., you will find greatly discounted at our store. All our couture bags, like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel, just to name a few, are authenticated through state-of-the-art AI,” said store owner Judith Williams.

Fifi’s is your gateway to taking your fashion to the next step while not breaking the bank. While this store seems to have it all, Fifi’s Apparel stores also work in furniture reseal and consignment furniture.

Judith stated that, to continue to attract buyers and sellers to Fifi’s, “We send out mass emails every month in regard to our sale days, we have Facebook and are hoping to launch our Facebook Live, Twitter and Facebook soon.”

Customers and sellers have a clear idea of what is being sold at the store and when are the best days to come.

What truly sets Fifi’s apart from other consignment stores is its contributions to countless nonprofit organizations. The Blue Heart Campaign, Helping Hands in South-

By Bella Ferretti

Shore, Meet Me In The Street Ministry, Girls of the World, Lighthouse Gospel Mission, Resurrection House in Sarasota, Mothers Helping Mothers and Selah Freedom are some of the various nonprofits that Fifi’s works closely with. Just from this list above, it is apparent that when you are purchasing or selling at Fifi’s, you are contributing to far more than the store itself.

With so many nonprofits to choose from, and all standing for diferent causes, it can be difcult to decide which to focus on, but Judith explained, “I normally go with the ones that touch my heart or mean something special to me. Most of them are for women or young girls in some way, human trafcking, sponsorships for college and mentorship. And, of course, the homeless or less fortunate.”

While the nature of nonprofit support can look diferent depending on the organization, contribution from Fifi’s include a combination of financial support and donations of gift cards to support fundraisers.

With high-quality appeal, various support for nonprofits and a brand that constantly expands, Fifi’s is a great shop to consider for your next spree.

Fifi’s Fine Resale Apparel is located at 6156 U.S. Hwy. 41 N. in Apollo Beach and can be contacted at 813-641-8444. For more information and other store locations, check out https://fifisfineresale.com/.

Fif’s Fine Resale Apparel, a store which ofers pretty clothes at bargain prices, is located in Apollo Beach.

BY NICK NAHAS

EAST BAY INDIANS LOOK TO WIN BACK-TO-BACK DISTRICT TITLES THIS YEAR

SCHEDULE

The 2023 East Bay High School Indians look to win back-to-back district titles. Former Durant head coach Mike Gottman has changed the culture of the program, going 8-3 in his first season and 10-2 last season, winning the district championship and going two rounds deep into the playo f s.

Gottman had a great track record at Durant from 2003-20, where he went 107-83 and won four district titles. In his first season, the Cougars went to the state final four, and in 2012 they had a perfect 10-0 regular season.

The Indians will have to replace three-year starting quarterback Nate Carter, who was the heart and soul of the team. East Bay will go with a two-quarterback system to start.

William ‘Rocco’ Boyd and Roderick Mack will take snaps at signal caller. Boyd was the JV QB last season and has a strong grasp of the o f ense and is a dual threat. Mack is more athletic but needs to learn the o f ense a little better and won’t be cleared to play for a couple weeks, according to Gottman.

The team is o f to a great start, trouncing the Middleton Tigers 38-6 in the regular-season opener. Gottman thinks that his team’s strength is its defense. He is happy with his D-line and inside linebackers but said that they need to improve at outside linebacker and in the secondary and not give up as many big plays. The Indians are a young and inexperienced team, returning two players on offense and five on defense.

Key players include three-year starting fullback Jaelin Sneed; offensive guard Jamal Platts; center Christian Forte; receiver Deanthony Caldwell, who has had a nice start to the season; and running back Anthony Laurent, who will take some of the carries. Seniors Izaiah Ketchup and Jose Hernandez will make an impact on both sides of the ball.

The Indians have two really good defensive ends in Sherman Johnson and Landon Hernandez. Inside linebackers Emanuel White and Justin Cornish will help lead the defense. Kicker Kaydien Saul, who is also a soccer player, has a strong leg and will handle kicko f , extra point and field-goal duties.

Gottman is of the mindset that his team needs to get better day by day and remain consistent in their approach. Their motto is “Embrace the grind.” East Bay has a very manageable schedule. Expect this team to claim their district for a second straight year and win nine to 10 games this season.

ROSTER

# NAME POS GR

1 Jose Hernandez WR, FS SR

2 Deanthony Caldwell RB, DB JR

3 Miles Thompson RB, DB SR

4 Anthony Laurent RB, CB JR

5 Zarius Lemons FB, LB JR

6 Dravyn Oblak WR, DB JR

7 Edward Moquete, Jr. OLB, RB SR

8 Sherman Johnson TE, DE SR

9 Jaeryn Millerd RB, LB JR

# NAME POS GR 32 Jovan Cruz WR, DB SR 33 Eligh Evans WR, CB SR 34 Devaighn Parker WR, DB SO 42 Daniel Buron MLB, FB JR 44 Dorian Edwards RB,

HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR!

BY NICK NAHAS

LENNARD LONGHORNS LOOK TO A WINNING SEASON WITH NEW HEAD COACH

SCHEDULE

9/8

9/22

10/13

ROSTER

The 2023 Lennard High School Longhorns look to have their first winning season since 2019 under first-year head coach K.B. Belton. He returns to Lennard after he was the receivers coach in the 2021 season. Former head coach Matt Kitchie was a big factor in getting Belton back to Lennard. The head man hopes to change the culture of the program. He has brought in a new coaching sta f , and new o f ensive and defensive systems.

Lennard has a very young, inexperienced team. They will play six seniors on both sides of the ball. The Longhorns return five starters on defense and seven on o f ense. Their major strength will be the o f ensive line, which returns all five starters. They have about 110 kids on the JV roster. Associate head coach/defensive coordinator Khristopher Ramsey is back after taking a few years o f and will lead the defense.

Sophomore quarterback Jacob Mobley will lead the o f ense. The young QB hasn’t played much football, primarily playing basketball. Belton said that the pocket passer has a great arm, is a strong leader, watches a lot of tapes and takes extra reps after practice. He has a willingness to learn, challenges his teammates to get better every practice and believes that his team can compete with anybody. The Longhorns are rallying around him.

Belton thinks that his linebacking core is the best in Hillsborough County. He said that they have four solid

linebackers that can play anywhere in the county. Key players include: Sumner transfer running back/cornerback Dorian Burns; junior running back Gavin Fields, who is a track runner as well; senior outside linebacker Elijah Darcueil, who returns after a productive o f season; and senior linebacker Anthony Hunt, who is a potential D-I player. Captain kicker Aidan Gibbons is a big weapon, consistently hitting from 47 yards. He kicked a 45yard field goal against Braden River in the preseason game. The soccer goalie will handle punt, kicko f , extra point and field goal duties.

The Longhorns have a tough schedule, having to play Durant, Sumner, Hillsborough, East Bay, Steinbrenner and Armwood. They will have to gain experience on the fly and limit mistakes in order to get better. Belton has high expectations for his program in his first season, hoping to take home the district championship and host the first playo f game in program history. He has been asking his team all o f season, “Why not us?” They will have to knock o f Bloomingdale and East Bay in order to do that.

BY NICK NAHAS

RIVERVIEW SHARKS ARE OFF TO A GREAT START UNDER SECOND YEAR COACH

SCHEDULE

ROSTER

The 2023 Riverview High School Sharks are of to a great start after beating the Spoto Spartans 28-6 in the preseason opener. The Sharks had a significant improvement under firstyear head coach Tony Rodriguez last year, winning three more games than the previous season. The team looks to take the next step and make the playofs for the first time since the 201920 season.

The Sharks were hampered by a knee injury to starting quarterback Aaron Turner halfway through the 2022 season. The senior captain will have a chance to help lead his team to a winning record in 2023. Turner had 11 passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns before the injury. Rodriguez said that Turner is a dual threat, has great leadership skills and will be much improved in his second year in their ofensive system. The quarterback had two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown against Spoto.

Riverview is an experienced squad with 22 total seniors on the roster, but they will have to improve upon their lack of depth. They return seven starters on ofense and seven on defense. Rodriguez likes his depth at wide receiver. He said that he has three sets of four wide receivers that he can throw out there at any time, and they wouldn’t miss a beat with any of the groups out there.

Running back Dontarious ‘Rico’ Shoats brings explosiveness to ofense. The captain had 11 rushing touchdowns and 653 rushing yards on 100 carries last season. The ofensive line will be anchored by 6’3 330-pound Jonathan

Stark. Receivers Julian Arthurs, Cole Berger and Isaiah Washington will be pass-catching threats.

Key defensive players include defensive lineman Franki Santiago, linebacker Landon Johnston, cornerback Marcus Carey and defensive backs J.J. Johnson and Alloysius Tyson. Kicker Warren Shriver will handle kickof, extra point and field goal duties and was 4/4 on extra points vs. Spoto.

The Sharks play in one of the toughest districts in Hillsborough County, having to play Newsome, Durant and Sumner, whom they were winless against last season. Riverview would love to beat top rival East Bay as well. The team was able to gain momentum in the spring game, beating Sumner 7-6. Rodriguez said that they will take things one game and one play at a time and have to eliminate mistakes to improve. The team motto is “Count on me.” They will have a great chance to have a winning record with a winnable schedule early in the season. Rodriguez and his program are in need of coaches. If you are interested in helping, contact Rodriguez at 813952-3132.

BY NICK NAHAS

SUMNER STINGRAYS’ ARE OFF TO A GREAT START IN THE FOURTH YEAR AS A PROGRAM

SCHEDULE

ROSTER

The 2023 Sumner Stingrays are one of the better teams in Hillsborough County in just their fourth overall season as a program. They beat a solid East Bay Indians team 28–0 in the preseason and handled Bloomingdale 50-13 in the regular season opener.

Senior quarterback Greg Smith has been a star for the Stingrays for the last three years. He is being sought after by D-1 colleges as an athlete. Smith also plays safety for his team. The dual-threat QB threw for four touchdowns and 146 yards and rushed for a touchdown as well, against Bloomingdale. Head Coach Alonso Ashwood says that his quarterback has a strong grasp of the ofense, and is a mature leader who knows what his personnel’s strengths are, and he always puts them in the right position with the ability to audible at the line.

Ashwood is impressed with his skill players. Tyler Williams was the standout of the Bloomingdale game, receiving four touchdown passes and 123 yards through the air. Running back Devin Spencer recently committed to Arkansas State. He also likes his defensive line, but says the team can improve in the secondary and on the ofensive line. According to Ashwood, the team had to shift several athletes over to the ofensive line because of players graduating, transferring or getting hurt.

Other key players include junior linebacker Cameron White, senior ofensive/ defensive tackle Keon Webb, who will make a diference on both sides of the ball, junior Ziyare Addison, who will help

anchor the ofensive line. Senior defensive end Joshua Warren will help disrupt the edge on the defensive line. Senior kicker Kevin Elsner was going to be a key player on special teams before he tore his ACL. Unfortunately, he is done for the season. The team returns six starters on ofense and six on defense. According to Ashwood, at least six players will most likely sign by signing day.

Sumner has a tough schedule and is in one of the better districts in Hillsborough County. They have to beat Newsome, Durant and Riverview if they want to win their district. Ashwood always has goals of winning the district, but he also wants his program to improve year-by-year, become more disciplined and have a full buy–in as a team. Ashwood always tells his team that they need to have their best day on their worst day. He thinks that if his team stays healthy and plays to their capability, they’ll be very good. Expect this very talented Stingrays team to win nine games, compete for their district and make the playofs for a third straight year.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA RHEUMATOLOGY OFFERS NEW SERVICES AND WELCOMES NEW DOCTOR TO PRACTICE

The Southwest Florida Rheumatology practice ofers a team of experts who work to diagnose and provide complex treatment regimens for over 200 distinct rheumatologic conditions. With a focus on having supportive and helpful staf, the practice welcomes Dr. Maria Skopis to the team.

Dr. Skopis originally grew up in Tarpon Springs before she went to medical school at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. From there, she went on to do a residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Miami Beach. Finally, she completed her rheumatology fellowship at the University of Miami. With a passion for helping others and the medical field, she knew this was the profession for her.

“It’s the opportunity to make a profound impact on others by treating debilitating autoimmune conditions and arthritis,” said Dr. Skopis.

She expressed that establishing close relationships with her patient and seeing firsthand the diference a rheumatologist can make has been the most rewarding part of her career thus far. She strives to continue to provide quality and compassionate patient care as she begins her journey at Southwest Florida Rheumatology.

“I am very excited to join the Southwest Florida Rheumatology team, where I will meet and establish connections with new patients. The team has been extremely welcoming and supportive of me, and I am very

By Bella Ferretti

lucky to have this opportunity,” she said.

Dr. Skopis and the rest of the team diagnose and treat common rheumatologic diseases such as osteoarthritis, gout, lupus and infectious arthritis, along with rarer disorders. These professionals provide complex medical treatments to alleviate autoimmune disease symptoms and improve their patients’ quality of life. Patients begin with a consultation to determine symptoms, followed by further investigation through labs, X-rays and physical exams for a complete diagnosis.

“Services at the Southwest Florida Rheumatology include infusion and injection therapy, and we are now doing infusions and injections for treatment of nonrheumatic diseases,” said ofce manager Deborah Bricker.

While also involved in clinical research trials, the practice collects new information on active patients who have yet to find successful medications on the current market. As the practice expands its scope of service oferings, collects new information and expands its team of professionals, patients can count on this trustworthy ofce to do everything possible for solutions.

For more information on Southwest Florida Rheumatology’s staf, services and more, visit www.swflrheum.com or call 813-6722243. Located at 11954 Boyette Rd. in Riverview, Southwest Florida Rheumatology is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Te practice welcomes Dr. Maria Skopis to the team.

SOUTH HILLSBOROUGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES

If you are looking to support businesses right in your own backyard, join the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce for its Fall Business Expo in Sun City Center.

The chamber hosts two expos every year, and the next one will take place this fall. The Fall Business Expo will be on Thursday, October 5 from 9 a.m.-12

Noon at Sun City Center Community Hall, located at 1910 S. Pebble Beach Blvd. in Sun City Center. Admission is free for all community members to come and learn about the businesses in the area.

All chamber member businesses are able to purchase a booth or space to promote any and all information about each business. Many vendors even have drawings and giveaways all day long. Pricing for vendor booths ranges from $60 to $350, depending on business type and size of space.

“Many of our vendors have been attending our expos for years,” said Lynne Conlan, former executive director for the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. “A couple of favorite things everyone looks forward to are the best brownies ever from Sun Towers Retire-

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

ment Community, the doughnuts to die for from Steve Overton with The Overton Group and we all appreciate the fresh grilled hot dogs from the Sun City Center Rotary Club.”

The South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce Expos are popular with the members and the public because everyone is given the opportunity to talk one on one. Businesses get to meet with customers while community members get to see what goods and services the local businesses have to ofer.

Established in 1961 as the Sun City Center Area Chamber of Commerce and later renamed, the chamber has been located in the heart of Sun City Center since 1984. The goal of the chamber is to bring life to the community through supporting great places to work, live and have fun. The chamber of commerce exists to advocate for local businesses, from small startups to well-established businesses.

For more information regarding the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce and its events, please visit www. southhillsboroughchamber.com or contact Sherell at 813-634-5111 or sherell@ southhillschamber.com.

Te South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce supports local businesses throughout the year in order to continue bringing vibrant life into the community.

September is beginning to cool the water and air temperatures down some. With that comes a fury of fishing opportunities. The bait will be on the flats and the target species will be a little anxious to feed more aggressively with the cooling. Redfish will be schooling up and wandering the flats and backwaters looking for food.

Redfish will be found many times by looking for the big pushes or wakes as these schools begin to forage in masses. The main idea for getting on to these is to try and pattern them accord ing to tides and times. If the school gets past you, do not chase them. Just pull away from the area, move around them a good distance and get back in front. Cut pin fish, cut mullet or live greenies will work just

fine on these fish. Once the bite begins, hold on because they will be very aggressive this time of year.

Trout will still be a good choice on the flats with artificial and live baits. Gag grouper opened up on September 1, and the inshore and nearshore bites will be amazing. It is a shortened season this year, so hurry and get your bite in. Pinfish work great for these fish on a 4/0 to 6/0 hook, 60# braid and 80# leader.

Snook season has also opened up. These fish will be cooling of with temperatures and be very hungry. Greenies are always the best bet for targeting and locating these fish. Make sure you catch plenty of greenies and chum some to find the points that work the best. Proudly

TRAVIS MANION FOUNDATION’S ANNUAL 9/11 HEROES RUN MOVES TO AL LOPEZ PARK

Welcoming a new face to its annual efort, the Travis Manion Foundation is partnering with Tampa’s Veteran Approved Network (VAN), a network in Tampa Bay providing veterans with access to and discounts for various educational and health resources through its free membership, to host its 9/11 Heroes Run at Al Lopez Park on Saturday, September 9.

“The 9/11 Heroes Run is not all military. It’s to honor law enforcement, first responders of all kinds,” said Toni Hedstrom, co-race director and founder of VAN. “But it’s a great opportunity for the community to come out and be part of an event that is very heartwarming.”

Founded in 2007 by his family, the Travis Manion Foundation memorializes Marine First Lieutenant Travis Manion, who lost his life serving in Iraq in April of that same year. Manion had previously traveled to Rescue 1 in New York City, which lost nearly all its men on September 11 of 2001. Deeply moved by his visit, the 9/11 Heroes Run has thus remained a key project of the foundation since 2008, honoring those who have fallen and those who continue to serve today.

With help from both national and local sponsors, this event will feature food and entertainment. Sponsor Streetlight Taco will be providing fresh chips and guacamole, and the EXTRAS, a local band, will be performing as well. Additionally, retired Major

HOWL-O-SCREAM AT BUSCH GARDENS

TAMPA BAY RETURNS WITH ALL-NEW HAUNTED HOUSE, SCARE ZONES AND MORE

By Madeline Gardner

General James ‘Hammer’ Hartstell of the U.S. Marine Corps and Florida State Senator Jay Collins are scheduled to speak at the event.

VAN will also be setting up its Veterans Village, a series of vendors who will be available to greet race attendees and hand out free merchandise. Some of these organizations and businesses will include American Legion, 2nd Amendment Armory of Brandon and Bufalo Wild Wings.

A portion of the proceeds will go directly to the Travis Manion Foundation, while the remainder will be allocated to VAN to disseminate within its network.

Hoping to difuse the mission of the Travis Manion Foundation, retired Marine and co-race director Beau Higgins, who served with Manion as the commanding ofcer of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion in the Marine Corps, cited the event as an opportunity to unite the community in remembrance and the spirit of giving.

“If everybody gives back a little bit, it all adds up,” said Higgins. “… if you find a cause there at one of the booths or just someone you connect with there to make a small diference in your local community, that all adds up.”

To register for the 9/11 Heroes Run, visit https://runsignup.com/race/fl/tampa/911heroesruntampafl. Al Lopez Park is located at 4180 N. Himes Ave in Tampa.

Guests can o f cially start warming up their vocal cords (it’s called Howl-OScream for a reason). HowlO-Scream at Busch Gardens

Tampa Bay is slated to awaken guests’ innermost fears and make them scream to the extreme with the ultimate park-wide terror, including an all-new haunted house, two new scare zones and all-new interactive entertainment o f erings. Six spine-chilling scare zones, five hair-raising haunted houses and four elaborate entertainment productions will have guests screaming at the top of their lungs.

This year, new terrors hailing from the afterlife and iconic frights will make even the bravest souls whimper in fear. Fan-favorite haunted houses such as Stranglewood Estate, Witch of the Woods and The Residence: Home for the Holidays will return, as well as infamous scare zones such as The Junkyard, Beyond the Veil, The Shortcut and Raven’s Mill. In the all-new D.H. Baggum’s Circus of Fear, D.H. Baggum brings you all his monstrosities that are sure to make your spine tingle and your blood run cold. Or step into the twisted and adrenaline-fueled world of Big Ed’s Demolition Derby. He has pulled together some of the roughest, toughest and meanest baddies from all over Howl-O-Scream and brought them there to compete. Step up and see how long you can survive and navigate this automotive nightmare. Sin City Zombies brings you to the outskirts of the Las Vegas strip and a rundown motel, home to some of the best entertainers to ever live and overrun by zombies who run rampant. Try your luck and hope your number wins because this is one town you don’t want to lose in.

Performing live at the Festival Fields stage, guests will be mesmerized with the all-new Rock the Grave, an explosive, high-energy, live stage show that merges the worlds of alternative and classic rock and pop hits into an unforgettable experience. This year’s Howl-O-Scream sees the return of pulse-pounding mu-

sical performances by The Rolling Bones at Dragon Fire Grill and the death-defying acts and stunts from Cirque X-Scream at the Stanleyville Theater.

Howl-OScream fans can take their turn behind the mic at the all-new ‘ScareE-Oke’ experience at Gwazi Plaza. Guests can select their song of choice and take a memorable photo of their experience. At the Coke Canopy, guests can dance the night away until the clock strikes 12 in the all-new Raveyard, featuring an electrifying atmosphere with music and specialty cocktails.

Howl-O-Scream is a separately ticketed event, taking place on select nights from Friday, September 8 through Tuesday, October 31 after 7 p.m. Parental discretion is strongly advised as HowlO-Scream contains graphic and mature content that may not be suitable for children. Costumes are not allowed.

For the most avid Howl-O-Scream fans, Front Line Fear passes are the best way to access all five haunted houses. For extreme fans, a Front Line Fear Extreme pass provides access to all haunted houses in addition to providing front-of-line access to Busch Gardens’ roller coasters, including Iron Gwazi and Serengeti Flyer. Front Line Fear passes start at $69. To step further into the darkness, the Ultimate VIP Tour grants admission, unlimited front-of-line access to haunted houses and rides, a complimentary meal at Dragon Fire Grill, private complimentary beverage locations and free preferred parking. A daytime behind-thescenes tour is also available for guests interested in learning more about what it takes to create Tampa Bay’s most terrifying Halloween event.

To purchase tickets and evil upgrades such as Front Line Fear passes, exclusive tours and many other experiences at this year’s Howl-O-Scream, guests can visit www.howloscream.com. And to stay up to date, guests can follow Howl-OScream on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter).

Te outskirts of the Las Vegas strip is the setting for the all-new Sin City Zombies at Howl-O-Scream 2023.

Pictured with his wife, Liz, retired Marine Beau Higgins will be working as the co-race director alongside Tampa’s VAN founder, Toni Hedstrom.

Hillsborough

County Veterans

Helping Veterans will host its eighth annual golf tournament on Saturday, September 30 to fundraise for its mission of providing assistance to local bay area veterans in need.

The golf tournament will take place at Summerfield Crossings Golf Club, beginning at 8:15 a.m. with a shotgun start. Preregistered golfers can check in as early as 7 a.m. and will be treated to lunch from East Coast Pizza and an awards ceremony at 1 p.m.

Other awards will include first place, second place, longest drive and closest to the pin. Veterans Helping Veterans will also award bowling tickets to the lastplace award winner.

“It would be great if we could raise $30,000. Typically, when [veterans] come to us, they are needing help with their rent, house payment, food, utilities, telephone, car, transportation, all of those things,” said secretary Joe Eletto.

Tickets for a group of four cost $500 and individual tickets are available for $125. The tournament is looking for more sponsors, ranging from hole sponsorships available for $200 to Medal of Honor sponsorships for $3,000.

This year’s Medal of Honor sponsor is Pop a Beer Bar & Grill, a veteran-owned

By Lily Belcher

and operated restaurant in Tampa.

Eletto said the biggest challenge has been finding sponsors and getting responses from businesses to sponsor diferent holes. However, he said finding their photographer was especially easy.

Veteran Bill Kirkland will be photographing the event again this year for the tournament.

The tournament is the major annual fundraiser for Veterans Helping Veterans. The organization is a nonprofit that advocates for the support of veterans in Hillsborough County and supports their basic needs.

“It benefits the needy veterans. That’s our whole purpose: helping needy veterans. We are their last resort for help,” said Eletto.

The event will be located at 13050 Summerfield Blvd. of Big Bend Road in Riverview. To support the event, golfers can preregister for the event and companies or groups can purchase one of its 12 sponsorship options. To register, visit https://hcvhv8.ezregister.com/.

For more information, contact Eletto at 813-789-8682 or elettoc21@gmail.com or visit the Veterans Helping Veterans website at www.hcveteranshelpingveterans.org.

Big changes are going into effect at Our Lady’s Pantry regarding weekly food distribution.

“Our Lady’s Pantry has recently had to move to a policy where we will only be able to distribute food to those families in the group designated for that week,” said pantry director Tom Bullaro. “We deeply regret this change, but our lines are so long, and we don’t have the help we need to distribute food to everyone each week,” he said. “We were short at least 10 people outside on Saturday, August 5. Finding enough volunteers to work long hours in the Florida heat has been an ongoing challenge.”

Tere are many ways you can lend a hand at Our Lady’s Pantry. Volunteers work together every Saturday morning packing boxes of food for local families, and the need is great.

manage the crowds with our limited number of helpers.”

Volunteers are not the only hardship for the pantry.

“We are also struggling to have enough food for increasing numbers of people. We used to get much of our food from Feeding Tampa Bay, but they are caring for hundreds of pantries in Central Florida and have little for us anymore. That means our drivers must be on the road almost every day of the week buying food and picking up donations from all over the county,” said Bullaro.

According to Bullaro, Our Lady’s Pantry has been serving hundreds of individuals and families for more than 20 years by dividing them into two groups, who would come on alternate Saturdays to receive food.

The pandemic changed everything, however. During this period of great hardship for many, Bullaro told families that if they really needed food in between their regular week, they could come and would be able to receive food regardless.

“Our lines have become too long, however,” he said. “We simply cannot

He asks that from now on families only come for food on the week they have been previously designated to come. If you need more food in between weeks, consider going to St. Anne’s Pantry or Calvary’s Angel Attic, both in Ruskin, or Beth-El in Wimauma. Or check out Feeding Tampa Bay for other pantries that may be able to help you and your loved ones. Visit it online at www.feedingtampabay.org.

“Again, we deeply regret that we can no longer serve you every single week,” Bullaro said.

If you are able to volunteer or donate, or if you want to learn more, please visit www.ourladyspantry.com or email Bullaro directly at tom@ourladyspantry.com. Our Lady’s Pantry is located at 16650 U.S. Hwy. 301 S. in Wimauma.

Hillsborough County Veterans Helping Veterans is hosting its eighth annual golf tournament fundraiser at the end of September.

COMMUNITY FOR WOMEN WORKS TOGETHER TO HELP CHANGE LIVES

The Community for Women of St. Stephen Catholic Church is a diverse group of women who gather for fun, fellowship, service and to lend a helping hand. Its mission is to assist the priests and the parishioners of St. Stephen to serve others through social and spiritual events.

The church’s social events are packed with informative speakers, spiritual gatherings and game nights, and this year the hope is to incorporate some field trips to enhance its ministry. Meetings have a casual atmosphere; after taking care of business, the women gather to just relax and enjoy each other’s company. It is truly a ministry supporting the fellowship of women.

The church works to change lives by organizing and leading many events that benefit the community, such as ‘Underwear Sunday,’ where it serves 16-plus impoverished elementary schools in Hillsborough County. During a weekend in September, the parishioners bring in diferent sizes of undergarments for both boys and girls, then it is divided and distributed to local schools in our surrounding area. Another organization St. Stephen supports is THORN (Thankfully Helping Others Real Needs). One of the biggest gatherings at St. Stephen is the fish fry during Lent; working along with other ministries, money is raised for the parish to help with the purchase of equipment or support

HILLSBOROUGH’S DENNIS JONES NAMED FIRE CHIEF OF THE YEAR

By Linda Chion

other ministries that need assistance. Fish fries are noted for the delicious fish dinners and awesome desserts; join in the festivity, meet new people and enjoy the evening with family and friends on Fridays during Lent.

In addition, the St. Vincent de Paul committee will be hosting its 25th annual tea on Saturday, October 7. This event is another example of how the Community for Women sponsors a fundraiser. Through fundraising, St. Vincent de Paul can provide monetary support to people in the community. If you would like to attend the tea, please use the following email for more details: amyjometz@gmail.com.

Do you love to play bingo? Then join the fun on the fourth Tuesday of every month in the Family Life Center at the church (located at 10136 St. Stephen Cir. in Riverview). Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and games begin at 6:30 p.m. Gather with your family and friends for a fun night and win cash prizes. All the proceeds of bingo provide support to the numerous ministries that are close to the members’ hearts and impact members, the parish and the surrounding communities in many ways.

If you would like more information about the ministry, email cfw@ststephencatholic. org. St. Stephen Catholic Church is located at 10118 St. Stephen Cir. in Riverview of of Boyette Rd.

Film With Live Orchestra

Fri, Sept 22, 7:30 pm

Sat, Sept 23, 2 pm At

The Music of James Taylor, Neil Diamond & Paul Simon

Starring Michael Cavanaugh

Sat, Sept 16, 8 pm, Mahaffey Theater

Hough Family Foundation Masterworks

Holst’s The Planets

Sat, Sept 30, 8 pm, Mahaffey Theater

Sun, Oct 1, 7:30, Ruth Eckerd Hall

Raymond James Pops

Cirque Dances with Troupe Vertigo

Sat, Oct 7, 8 pm, Mahaffey Theater

Sun, Oct 8, 2 pm, Mahaffey Theater

At the Naples Grande Beach Resort in July, Dennis Jones celebrated a grand moment in his momentous career, which since 2015 has involved leading Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and its more than 1,200 career firefighters, paramedics and staf

Named Florida Career Fire Chief of the Year at the July 18 event, Jones said he was “truly humbled to receive this recognition” and that he was “extremely proud to be a member of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue,” which this year celebrates 50 years of service.

With more than four decades of firefighting experience himself, Jones joined Tampa Fire Rescue in 1978, rising up through the ranks to Tampa Fire Rescue fire chief. He retired in 2010 after five years in that role.

Now, going into his ninth year as Hillsborough fire chief, Jones leads the state’s fourth-largest fire department and the largest on Florida’s west coast. Hillsborough’s 46 stations cover more than 909 square miles and last year answered nearly 140,000 alarms for service. To meet the demands of a growing population, Jones has called for an additional two stations a year for the next 10 years.

Jones is a founding member of Florida Task Force 3, an urban search-and-rescue team of trained firefighters from Hillsborough County, Tampa and St. Petersburg, which assists in disasters statewide and nationally. Jones in 2021 deployed the task force in response to the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, a

suburb of Miami.

“He is a man of integrity, fortitude and compassion,” Hillsborough County Administrator Bonnie Wise said. “With more than 40 years of experience in fire service, chief Jones has the steadfast respect and admiration of the first responders in his charge, and as a founding member of Florida Task Force 3, there is nobody I would rather have at my side during times of crisis.”

Notable achievements under Jones’ tenure include the addition of 12 advanced life support ambulances, a second heavy rescue unit, a new fireboat, a new rescue boat, two personal watercraft and an aerial truck. The summer youth fire academy, cadet program and fire academy were either instituted or revamped under his direction, and as a result allowed for a more diverse workforce.

As for his heart for service, it was clearly evident in 2022 — during the 21st anniversary remembrance for the September 11, 2011, terrorist attacks — at Hillsborough County Veterans Memorial Park and Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins Jr. Veterans Museum in Tampa.

“In just two and a half hours that morning, our lives and our world were changed forever,” Jones said.

For his career commitment and achievements, Jones received career fire chief award recognition from the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, which specializes in promoting and supporting excellence in fire and emergency services management.

Some of the members of the Community for Women at a recent presentation on human trafcking

Craft nights are another fun activity the Community for Women members participate in together.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Dennis Jones, front and center, with HCFR members in attendance at the 2022 Patriot Day Remembrance at Hillsborough County Veterans Memorial Park.

DAY IN THE LIFE OF DELIVERING

OSPREY OBSERVER NEWSPAPERS

Ever wonder how copies of the Osprey Observer or Christian Voice get delivered to local businesses in the area? Walking into your local YMCA or church, you might see newly printed copies of your favorite local newspaper, the Osprey Observer, waiting for someone like you to grab a copy. Well, I had the opportunity to deliver the copies with Bill Andrew, the go-to delivery manager for the Osprey Observer.

I met Andrew at 9 in the morning at the Osprey’s ofce. He discussed the plan. First, we would pick up Christian Voice and the Bloomingdale/FishHawk edition of the Osprey Observer from the printer. Then, we would start our long day of deliveries. We grabbed some water and headed on our way to our first stop, Newspaper Printing Company (NPC) in downtown Tampa. Along the way, Andrew and I talked about countless topics ranging from music to journalism to cats.

Picking up the papers from NPC was swift and efcient. The newspapers were driven on a forklift down to the car, leaving Andrew and I to organize them into his car, almost like an intense game of Tetris — with newspapers. The first load was the start of the August edition for Bloomingdale/FishHawk, a much smaller load than what was to come, the August edition of the Christian Voice Andrew showed me his method for attack,

BRANDON-BASED REEMPLOYABILITY INC. SUPPORTS INJURED WORKERS & MORE

By Ella Shockley

or, in other words, how to organize all the copies in his trunk. After this, we were on our way once again.

On the drive over to our first delivery I asked Andrew how he first started delivering the Osprey. He responded with, “I retired in September of 2022 and needed just a little more income but didn’t want a job that required me there at certain times. I put the word out that I was retiring, and bam! This came along.” He also discussed how he enjoys designing his route and seeing the friends along the way.

The rest of the day included stopping at many places near Apollo Beach to drop of the Christian Voice, such as Bell Shoals Church of Apollo Beach, St. Anne Catholic Church and many others. On the way back up to the ofce, we made stops at Village Inn and Spurlino and Campo Family YMCAs. When we arrived at the office, we unloaded the copies of Bloomingdale/FishHawk and the leftover Christian Voice Copies that still needed to be delivered at a later date.

Driving with Andrew for a day was incredibly insightful, showing what a strong, family-like bond the team at the Osprey Observer has with each other, and showing that good news comes from a truly fantastic group of journalists.

Even in the safest workplaces, it’s inevitable that injuries occur. Getting injured workers back to their jobs following an injury is a challenge for most companies.

Headquartered in Brandon, ReEmployAbility Inc. is the largest national provider of specialty return-towork and transitional employment programs. ReEmployability’s innovative transition to work program, Transition2Work, matches injured workers with nonprofit organizations in need of resources. The injured employees remain productive by performing light-duty work and have an avenue for earning their regular income and benefits until they recover.

CEO Debra Livingston began her career working as an insurance claims adjuster and founded ReEmployAbility in 2003 based on a passion for helping injured workers return to work.

“I was always passionate about helping people get back to work. And then, as we started placing injured workers in nonprofits, workers were giving us feedback and saying, ‘This has changed my life,’” Livingston said.

This year, ReEmployAbility has placed Transition2Work participants with nonprofit organizations in all 50 states. As of the first half of 2023, more than 5,000 participants in Transition2Work have collectively volunteered for over 1.1 million hours to support almost 2,000 organizations.

The company is having a meaningful im-

By Jane Owen

pact across the country and right here locally.

ReEmployAbility assists many local nonprofits, including Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, ECHO and Lighthouse Ministries.

Jean Nieves Palma (JP) began working at the Lighthouse Ministries Brandon Thrift Store in February through the Transition2Work program after being injured at his job with Tesla.

“They ofered this modified duty, which is a blessing. It was an amazing option to have. It has been fantastic to work while I have my injury limitations,” JP said.

Diana Copley, Lighthouse Ministries Brandon Thrift Store operations manager, is thankful for the partnership with ReEmployAbility.

“We have a close relationship with ReEmployAbility. The volunteers we receive from them have become such an important part of our team. They are a huge help. It really makes a diference,” Copley said.

On top of helping local nonprofits, injured community members and companies, ReEmployAbility was No. 10 in the 2023 Tampa Bay Times Top Workplaces (Small Category).

One of the foundations of ReEmployAbility is the belief that giving back helps individuals, as well as the community. Livingston shared that one of the full-circle benefits of starting Transition2Work is that it benefits everyone involved.

For more information about ReEmployability, visit www.reemployability.com.

From left to right: Lindsey Bressi, Jean Nieves Palma, Diana Copley and Angela Fulgieri at Lighthouse Ministries.

Newspaper Printing Company is where all the copies of the Osprey Observer and the Christian Voice are printed for delivery.

LOCAL INSURANCE AGENT HELPS SENIORS WITH OPEN ENROLLMENT

Michele Bartock has been in the insurance industry for 19 years. She is a general lines, life, health and annuities agent. “I started my own business, MB Insurance Solutions, in 2020 because I wanted to help seniors and those under 65 that have disabilities understand Medicare,” Bartock said. “I love talking about insurance, which makes me very different than most people.

I love to teach people all the diferent aspects of Original Medicare, supplements/medigap policies and Medicare Advantage policies. I can write plans anywhere in Florida, but most of my clients are local in the Osprey Newspaper area.”

There are many kinds of insurance out there and Bartock makes sure she finds the perfect plan for her clients. “There is no one plan that is perfect for everyone, and that is where I gather details about the insured, their doctors’ medications, if they want to see how covered, if they want/need money back towards their Part B premium or if they love to travel and want a plan that works when out of state,” Bartock said. “My goal is to give the insured options so they can choose the best plan that will cover what matters most to them.”

Bartock made a promise to herself and to her clients that she would be better than agents who just write a plan and then are never heard from again. “I want to be there to help my clients when they have questions

By Libby Hopkins

or need to make changes due to life changes,” Bartock said. “I am happy to review nonclients’ coverage and I will never suggest they change if that is not in their best interest.”

Bartock walks people through the process to get their Medicare card if needed and will do appointments in their homes or at a local restaurant or cofee shop. “Annual enrollment period (AEP) is coming soon, October 15-December 7,” Bartock said. “That is the time when I ofer to review every policy to make sure that any new doctors and meds are covered. This is the time of year you can make changes to your plan. You can go from a Med. Adv. to Original Medicare with a supplement and drug plan or to another Med. Adv. plan. You can also go from a supplement to a Med. Adv. plan if your finances have changed. I look up all the plans that I write with and give them the best options to choose from. If you miss AEP and have a Med. Adv. plan, you can make one more change, January 1-March 31, during MA OEP.”

Bartock can also write life insurance, dental plans and other auxiliary plans, such as accident or cancer plans. “I am also licensed to write health insurance for 65 and under and have been helping clients pick plans on healthcare.gov.” Bartock said.

For information, visit https://medicareoforida.com/, call 813-767-2878, or find her on Facebook at https://fb.me/mlbartock.

Hybrid Dementia and Alzheimer’s Support Groups

Michele Bartock has been in the insurance industry for 19 years. She started her own business, MB Insurance Solutions, in 2020.

PRO221 PRESSURE WASHING IS LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED AND FOUNDED ON PROVERBS 22:1

Pressure washing is a delicate service that should be done by someone with experience. That’s why you should hire someone you trust to clean the exterior of your home — like Pro221 Pressure Washing, which has the experience and expertise to safely clean your driveway, pool cage, roof and more.

Pro221 ofers a wide range of services within residential and commercial exterior cleaning. Some of its services include exterior house washing, driveway cleaning, pool deck and lanai cage cleaning, fence cleaning as well as low-pressure soft wash roof cleaning. Many times, Girdwood is able to quote services based on pictures of your home or business without being on-site.

“I enjoyed the work as it is quite satisfying to take something dirty and make it look new again,” said Mark Girdwood, owner of Pro221 Pressure Washing.

Many customers have their home pressure washed at least once a year. Professional exterior cleaning can significantly increase your curb appeal and can even prolong the life of your home’s roof.

When Pro221 visits to clean, you do not need to be home, just close all windows and clear any areas that will be cleaned, and you will receive an electronic invoice once the cleaning is done.

Pro221 Pressure Washing serves the

By Makenzie Atkins Noel

Greater Hillsborough County area, including, but not limited to, Dover, Durant, Brandon, Sydney, Mango, Riverview, Valrico, Sefner, Plant City and Lithia.

Girdwood moved to Florida in 2001 and worked in various restaurants for many years. After trying every position in the restaurant industry and working for over 20 years as a restaurant Manager, Girdwood discovered that he was tired of the long and unpredictable hours. Wanting to be home more to spend more time with his wife and children, Girdwood took a risk and started his first business in 2022.

“I knew deep down that there had to be a way I could utilize my customer service skill set and be home more with my family to be a better husband and dad,” said Girdwood.

The name Pro221 Pressure Washing was inspired by Proverbs 22:1, which says: “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”

Girdwood is a one-man show whose attention to detail and commitment to his customers have earned him a loyal following, and he is proud to ofer quality cleaning to the community.

For more information or to inquire about Pro221 services, call or text Girdwood at 813-699-0304, email info@pro221.com or visit https://pro221.com/.

Not

only does Pro221 Pressure Washing ofer quality work, but it is also passionate about keeping homes looking brand-new.

Habitat of Hillsborough gears up this month for another season of helping veterans in need of quality housing! Actual construction will be closer to Veterans Day November 11, but the foundation begins with fundraising & a fun-tastic way to do that is here now!

Friday, September 22, is the 5th Annual Veterans Inshore Slam Fishing Tournament. This event has raised more than a half-million dollars for Habitat Hillsborough’s Veterans Initiative. The tourney includes breakfast, weigh-in, and an after-party with games, prizes, a bucket of goodies and a t-shirt.

Organizers are still welcoming sponsors & teams this month. You can learn more about the tournament, the November Veterans Build event, and the overall initiative that helps lowincome veterans with repairs all year long. Go online to habitathillsborough.org and click the link for Builds & Special Events!

Get 5 bedrooms, 4 garage bays, 3 bathrooms, plus a 2-story outbuilding with loft & workshop on 1 acre at this customized property in Riverview’s Shadow Run!

Low HOA fees & few deed restrictions make this a great place for your ATVs, RV, boats or more while still living close to good schools, shops, restaurants, recreation spots & travel routes! You ll find new carpet & luxury vinyl plank floors to complement existing tile throughout the home, as well as a new refrigerator, quartz counters, undermount sink & tile backsplash to enhance the central kitchen. Outdoor spaces include a screened lanai & stone-pavered patio, 2 doublebay garages, the barn-style outbuilding & a well-pump storage shed. $625,000

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

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floors, AC to water heater, stone counters to stainlesssteel appliances, from the landscaped front to a privacy-fenced back, all updates are done in 1,314 SF. $335,000

In actual Bloomingdale, this 2-story 4/3/2 with a downstairs master suite & screened lanai is for rent! The back yard’s fully fenced, & a new fridge is among all the stainless appliances in a kitchen with counters & cabinets upgraded. No carpet anywhere but the staircase. Monthly rent $2,475

Catch the backyard beach vibe at this pink palace with solar-heated spa plus an outdoor kitchen in a screened & roof-sheltered lanai! You'll love coming home to this 1/4-acre corner in the part of Riverglen, where a flexible floor plan offers several options to suit your family's needs. In 2,634 SF you'll find 4 beds & 3 baths in a 3-way split; 2 front & 2 rear rooms for living, dining, or specialty use; French-doored office or den; a central kitchen with breakfast nook & serving bar; & 3 sets of sliders that open to the pool lanai with its gas grill, mini fridge & bar sink in a granite counter for Florida-style entertaining. Recent improvements include HVAC 3 years ago &