02.20.15 PCTO

Plant City Times &

Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

A PARTNERSHIP WITH

HERITAGE

FAMOUSDISH

IN THIS ISSUE

2015 FLORIDA

Parade marches down MLK for Black History.

Celebrity Chef Dinner was a delicious success.

STRAWBERRY FESTIVALguide

PAGE 6

OUR TOWN

FREE • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015

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FEBRUARY26� MARCH8

tribute by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

BUDDY BENNETT:

For the Love of the Game + Win a Corvette

Stingray Chevrolet is giving away a Corvette to benefit Unity in the Community.

Raffle tickets are only $5. Raffle tickets will be available until 6 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Stingray Chevrolet, 2002 N. Frontage Road, Plant City, and at the Florida Strawberry Festival from Thursday, Feb. 26, to Sunday, March 8. Tickets are also available online at StingrayChevrolet.com until 6 p.m. Friday, March 6.

The winning ticket will be drawn at 5 p.m. March 8 at the Florida Strawberry Festival.

The goal is to double the donations from $100,000 to $200,000. Unity in the Community contributes to many causes in Plant City, including the United Food Bank.

File photo

When Buddy Bennett, the face of the Plant City Dolphins for 20 years, died the morning of Feb. 10, he left behind a legacy that will not be forgotten.

In youth football and cheerleading, as in many sports, parents, coaches and volunteers often get into the game for their children. And once the kids age out of the program, the parents follow suit.

Buddy Bennett was not one of those people.

No one can accuse the longtime Plant City Dolphins president of sticking with the program just for his family, because he spent much of his 30 years with the organization without any players hailing from his family tree. He did it, as hundreds of people in the

Winter Strawberry Capital of the World said, for all the right reasons.

“It was strictly for the kids,” field director Eric Lawson said. “He would bend over backwards for them. He had no other reason to be there for so many of those years — he

did it because he wanted to.”

Mr. Bennett died Feb. 10 after a battle with cancer.

At the viewing and funeral services, the family estimates that nearly 500 people came out to pay their respects to Mr. Bennett: to thank the man for all that he’s done for their fam-

Buddy Bennett was beloved by several generations of Plant City Dolphins players, coaches and parents.

ilies, and for themselves.

They said that Mr. Bennett had three loves: God, family and football. Although the West Virginia native spent much of his time working

SEE BENNETT / PAGE 4

FRESHLY PICKED

+ We hear wedding bells

Joseph and Cecelia Herrmann, of Plant City, announce the engagement of their daughter, Karen Cecelia, to Jose Garza, of Houston, Texas.

Karen is a 1995 graduate of Plant City High School and a 1999 graduate of the University of Florida, with a bachelor’s of science in accounting. She currently resides in Houston and works as a planning and budgeting manager for Targa Resources.

Jose Garza is a 1991 graduate of South Houston High School and a 1996 graduate of the University of Houston with a double major in finance and accounting. Jose currently resides in Houston and works as a financial marketing analyst for BHP Billiton.

The couple will be married June 13 in Houston.

, 3&

This week’s winner is

Nate Hoover

See his photo on PAGE 15.

Amber Jurgensen

Turkey Creek Middle School FFA students invited neighboring Robinson Elementary to join them at a U-Pick Friday, Feb. 13, at the field in front of the middle school. Turkey Creek will host a community U-Pick to benefit Plant City Relay for Life from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at 5005 S. Turkey Creek Road. For more pictures turn to page 5.

ribbon cutting by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

SWEET FASHION by Amber Jurgensen | Managing Editor

Jarrett-Scott replaces body shop B&B releases special The new Jarrett-Scott Ford body shop is in the same location, edition bracelet but is much more comfortable for both customers and employees.

Just in time for the festival, locally grown Bourbon and Boweties will present a strawberry bracelet. It can only be found at Plant City’s Fringe Boutique.

Customers and employees are enjoying the new JarrettScott Ford body shop after the old shop was torn down in favor of a more modern space.

The old body shop, located on the same site as the dealer at 2000 E. Baker Street, was built in the 1970s. It was characterized by a number of inconveniences, such as the lack of a restroom, and by this decade, parts of the structure had started to rust.

“It was dated, and we just needed a better facility,” Carl DeMuth, body shop manager, said.

Catherine Sinclair

The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cutSEE SHOP / PAGE 4 ting ceremony for the body shop Friday, Feb. 13.

Look out, strawberry bling shirts. This year, there’s some fashionable competition ladies will want to wear to the Florida Strawberry Festival. Locally grown jewelry brand Bourbon and Boweties is releasing a special edition gold strawberry bracelet to celebrate the Strawberry Festival.

The launch is a homage to brand owner Carley Osch’s hometown, and the item will only be for sale at Plant City-

SEE BRACELET / PAGE 4

INDEX Calendar.......................2

Courtesy photo

The bracelet is engraved with “Plant City 2015.”

Vol.2,No.30 | Onesection Crossword...................15

Obituaries...................11

Sports.........................12

Weather......................15

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COMMUNITYCALENDAR

FRIDAY, FEB. 20

Acoustic Happy Hour — live music takes place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 7648818.

Christian Contemporary Music — takes place from 6:33 to 8:13 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.

(813) 752-1220.

Live Music — takes place from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 20, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 764-8818.

Mary Reddick History Event: From Slavery to Bliss — takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, to Sunday, Feb. 22, at Ruby’s Produce & Art Gallery, 2001 Highway 60 E. Barbeque will be served Friday. Beginning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, enjoy a pancake breakfast and talk with the famous folk artist, Ruby Williams.

Uncork Your Friday! — live music takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road.

(813) 752-9100.

SATURDAY, FEB. 21 The Honey Hole Market — takes place Saturday, Feb. 21, at 2201 Thonotosassa Road. The market offers antique picking and more.

Mia, (813) 484-1127.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles — takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Plant City Airport, 4007 Airport Road. There will displays and demonstrations on planes, helicopters, remote control planes, model trains, automobiles, K-9 demos and fly overs. Free flights for kids will be available, as well as a kids’ play area, food vendors and scouting badge opportunities. The event is hosted by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce.

Free admission. $5 parking.

(813) 754-3707.

Relay for Life Tea Party —

takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Plant City’s First Baptist Church, 503 N. Palmer Street.

Safe Sitter — takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at South Florida Baptist Hospital, 301 N. Alexander St. Safe Sitter is a medically accurate babysitting training program designed for young people, ages 11 and up.

The full-day class provides the basic information every good babysitter should know, including how to handle minor to life-threatening situations, rescue a choking infant or child, communicate with Emergency Medical Services, entertain kids and other babysitting tips.

The cost is $55. Registration is required. (813) 644-6720.

Uncork Your Weekend! — live music takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Keel and Curley Winery, 5210 Thonotosassa Road. (813) 7529100.

Young Adult Nite — takes place from 7:33 to 10:33 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21, at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Enjoy live music from local artists. (813) 752-1220.

SUNDAY, FEB. 22 Beginning English for Speakers of Other Languages — takes place from 2 to 4

p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McClendon Street. The new class is offered by the Hillsborough Literacy Council and is taught by an experienced volunteer.The class size is limited to 10 adult students.

The class is free, but each student must purchase his or her workbook for $5. Students must register by calling the Hillsborough Literacy Council between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at (813) 273-3650.

Divorce Care: The Road to Healing/Finding Help — takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Plant City Church of God, 2103 Mud Lake Road.

This is the third program in the 12-week course.

MONDAY, FEB. 23 Plant City Area Democratic Club — takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St. Joyce Hamilton-Henry, director of advocacy at the Mid-Florida Regional office of the ACLU will be the featured speaker.

The Florida Constitutional Amendment for Voter Rights Restoration petition will be the major topic. Other current issues the ACLU is working on in Florida will be discussed.

To publicize your event in our Community Calendar, please send by mail: 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563; or by email: ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com. Photos are welcome. Deadline is noon Thursday.

BEST BET Celebrating Black History Month — takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Winn Dixie, 205 W. Alexander St. There will be free food, jumpers, entertainment, firetrucks and more. Contact Sharon Moody (813) 453-7134 or Celebration2.homestead.com.

TUESDAY, FEB. 24 GriefShare — takes place beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Hope Lutheran Baptist Church, 2001 N. Park Road. Each GriefShare session includes a video seminar and group discussion to help cope with the death of a loved one.

(813) 752-4622.

The Recovery for Life — takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 24, at the Lorena Jaeb Rainbow House, 504 N. Palm Drive. It is a 12-step Bible-based program to help free individuals from all forms of addiction. Debbie Ray, (813) 763-1562.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25 Open Mic Night — takes place beginning at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 25, at O’Brien’s Irish Pub and Family Restaurant, 1701 S. Alexander St. (813) 764-8818.

SATURDAY, FEB. 28 42nd Annual Civitan Club Youth Parade -- takes place beginning at 11 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28. The parade begins at the State Farmers Market and goes through town, ending at the Florida Strawberry Festival.

Daddy Daughter Dance — takes place from 4 to 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 28, at the John R. Trinkle Center, 1206 N. Park Road. The deadline to register is Feb. 20. Registration is $30 per couple and $10 to add an additional daughter. Register at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 N. Dort St. (813) 6594256.

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 Baby Contest — takes place beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, March 1, at the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds.

Regional Qualifier for Nathan’s Famous July Fourth International Hot Dog-Eating Contest — takes place beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at the Florida Strawberry Festival.

MONDAY, MARCH 2 Strawberry Festival Grand Parade — takes place beginning at 1 p.m. Monday, March 2.

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how to save a life by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

Rotary reaches AED fundraising goal The Plant City Noon Rotary Club raised enough money to finish purchasing AEDs for every P.C. Police Department vehicle.

Two years ago, the Plant City Noon Rotary Club set a goal: to make sure all of the cars in the Plant City Police Department’s fleet were equipped with an automated external defibrillator.

They met that goal Monday, Feb. 16, when the club presented the last of the AEDs, 20 to be exact, to the police department.

It might have seemed like a lofty goal to many. In 2013, only four of the police department’s more than 50 cars were equipped with portable AEDs. These life-saving devices cost several thousand dollars each, which is why so few

PCPD cars had them.

That also meant that Rotary would have to raise quite a sum.

“Our club found a need within the community as it often does, and this time it was with our own Plant City Police Department,” Aaron Davis, who was Rotary president when the project began, said.

The Rotary Club announced this project in August 2013, and through its two biggest annual fundraising events, Dancing With the Locals and the Wild Game Cookout, along with individual donations and corporate sponsorships, the club has raised close to

WLCA by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

WLCA to focus on landscaping and repairs

Catherine Sinclair

Rotary president Brian Griffin and past president Aaron Davis presented an AED to police chief Ed Duncan. $70,000 toward its goal.

The police department received AEDs in installments as the Rotary Club was able to purchase them. Soon after the club had delivered its initial

seven units, three of them had already been used, and one of those instances was a life-saving event.

Anytime a 911 call comes in, there could be a life at risk of

sudden cardiac arrest. In some cases, lives are lost simply because the responders did not have the necessary equipment to jumpstart a heart.

“One of the most frustrating things for a law enforcement officer is to get on the scene of a medical emergency and not have the equipment he needs to be able to sustain life,” chief of police Ed Duncan said.

AEDs have saved lives in Hillsborough County. Now that every PCPD car has an AED on board, more lives are likely to be saved in Plant City.

“Without this type of support ... we would not be able to perform the jobs that we are asked to do every day,” Duncan said. “With this device here, we’ll be able to add that secondary level of first responder care, and hopefully save lives.”

HOW IT WORKS

An AED, or automated external defibrillator, is a battery-operated, portable device that helps to jumpstart an unconscious person’s heart.

The user attaches sticky pads with sensors to the chest of the person who is having sudden cardiac arrest, and the sensors send data to a computer to analyze whether an electric shock is needed. If a shock is needed, voice prompts from the AED guide the user through the shock process.

The process must be done quickly, because every minute of sudden cardiac arrest leads to a 10% reduction in the likelihood of survival.

Information from nhlbi.nih.gov.

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver. com.

youth in government by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

The board hopes to find affordable solutions to some of the community’s biggest aesthetic concerns.

After considering a switch to a new landscaping company, the Walden Lake Community Association has decided that its only affordable option is to stay with Complete Landcare.

The board listened to a presentation from OLM Landscape Management at its meeting Monday, Feb. 16.

Some board members gave positive feedback, but they collectively decided that their budget could not cover OLM’s $6,000 landscape maintenance bid package and monthly $1,100 inspection fee.

They decided to stay with Complete Landcare — at least, for now.

“Maybe next year, we could build this into the budget,” secretary Heather Updike said.

“We’re just not really prepared for this right now.”

One of the biggest problems has been inefficient irrigation.

In November 2014, the community went over its city-dictated limits of water for irrigation and did not realize it until almost the end of December.

Walden Lake Propery Manager Linda Fernandez told Eddie Evans, director of operations for Complete Landcare, that if Walden Lake went over its water limits again, his company would have to cover the overage expense.

Evans assigned an employee to focus on irrigation full-time, and last month, the community did not exceed its water limits.

There have also been complaints about the appearance of some of the subdivision entrances.

But Ray Page, of the landscaping committee, said that Complete Landcare had been successful on a project at the entrance to the Wedgewood subdivision, and the residents were pleased.

“If Eddie can do that, why can’t he do the other areas if

UPDATES • Three board positions will be filled in the annual election April 9.

Walden Lake residents who are interested in running should send their letters of intent to the community office.

• Community manager Linda Fernandez consulted 14 towing companies, but none were certified for booting. The board is again revising its plan of what to do with unauthorized vehicles parked at the lake. we supervise him?” Page said.

The board discussed options for repairs to the fishing pier, used for recreation and events. The pier is made of lumber, which is supposed to be pressure-sealed regularly to last 15 to 20 years. It isn’t 15 years old yet, but needs to be replaced.

Two companies submitted proposals for the pier project.

The board voted to accept the less costly proposal from Golf Coast Construction Inc. If the board opts to use lumber for the project, Golf Coast’s cost will be $32,000 for the bridge, $48,630 for the pier and $39,640 for the stage area.

There would also be routine maintenance costs for sealing.

If the board opts to use AZEK composite decking, there would be an additional cost of $24,640, but there would be no recurring costs for sealing, and the whole pier would be expected to last at least 30 years.

Construction will last four or five weeks after it has begun.

“I’d sure like to see that all done before the Easter sunrise service,” Griffin said.

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver. com.

A CAPITAL EXPERIENCE

Courtesy photo

The students spent most of the weekend in the House and Senate chambers.

Thirty-four students found out how government really works during a whirlwind weekend of debates and campaigns.

Last weekend, the State Capitol was bustling with normal activities anyone would expect.

Delegates and senators presented their bills and debated important issues, and even attended the Governor’s Ball.

But what set last weekend apart, when compared with any other time of year, was that those delegates, senators, and even the governor, were all in their teens. Students descended on Tallahassee as part of a role play program, Youth in Government.

The student-run, national organization, allows students to find out what it’s like to be in the world of politics. Within Youth in Government, they can run for state or national offices, and once a year, they get together in Tallahassee to present their very own bills and vote on one another’s.

Thirty-four students from the Plant City area hit the road Wednesday, Feb. 11, and arrived in the state capital that night, joining almost 600 other students from around the state.

The next morning, they observed the pros before taking their spots in the chambers.

“We actually went and sat in a real House committee, and (the students) were over the moon, even though it was about tax-

YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT

Any middle school or high school student can join YIG. Meetings are from 7:30 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, at the Plant City YMCA. For more information, contact Michelle Hanchett at rmhanch@verizon.net. es,” Michelle Hanchett, the advisor for Youth in Government at the Plant City YMCA, said.

One of the first activities on the agenda was campaigning.

Students who were running for state offices gave speeches, and all of the students in attendance then voted for their elected officials.

The students also gave short speeches to introduce bills they have written themselves.

Throughout the weekend, they voted on one another’s bills.

Bills can move on through first and second committees, both chambers and eventually the cabinet.

Elizabeth Watson, a sophomore from Plant City, introduced a bill that would make gun safety classes mandatory for schools across the state.

“I’m passionate about the situation where children get hurt, and I want to stop that,”Watson said. “There are currently places where you get your license where they have a gun safety class, but it’s not mandatory for schools to have it.”

Watson’s bill passed the House and was placed 11th on the docket.

Watson was not the only student from Plant City who wrote a successful bill this year.

Ten other students’ bills were also placed on their respective dockets, organized into House and Senate, and three chambers each, based on students’ experience.

The Plant City club also won two awards his year: Outstanding Statesman in the middlelevel Senate, and runner-up for the award in the middle-level House.

“The club did amazingly well,” Hanchett said.

Two highlights for many of the students are debating and practicing their public speaking skills.

“We had a lot of pretty interesting (bills), and I always enjoy being able to debate my personal beliefs,” Chase Cushen, another Plant City sophomore, said. “Youth in Government has made a big impact on my life,

on my personal skills, on my beliefs about the world around me.”

In addition to interacting with students from around the state in session, participants had the chance to socialize in a more relaxed setting, during the Governor’s Ball.

Though many students participate as delegates, another popular role is to become members of the press and cover the sessions in Tallahassee.

Press positions require an application.

Any middle school or high school student can join Youth in Government through the YMCA in Plant City. Many of the students are home schooled.

Some alumni even go on to study political science in college.

To prepare for the annual weekend in the state capital, students learn how to write bills, and work on their public speaking and debate skills.

Each meeting is run by students, with advisement from Hanchett.

Many times, even the students who are initially the least enthusiastic end up wanting to run for office.

“It’s very difficult to explain to teenagers,” Hanchett said.

“But then they go up there and ... they fall in love with it.”

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver. com.

FAITHFUL FRIENDS by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

Keels host fundraiser for Lawson family The Keels wanted to show support for the family of Joey Lawson, who owned Lawson Hardware, but died last year.

After Joey Lawson, 47, a longtime resident of Plant City, died Nov. 16 from an unexpected heart attack, the community pulled together to honor his memory and help support his surviving family. Keel and Curley Winery held a fundraiser for Lawson’s family Sunday, Feb. 8.

“Joey was one of the nicest guys. You could call him any day of the week — he’d drop what he was doing and help you with anything you needed,” Ryan Keel, vice president

of operations for Keel and Curley Winery, said.

Lawson was the owner of Lawson Hardware for 20 years.

He was skilled at working on cars, boats and carpentry projects, and loved fishing and blueberry farming.

Lawson’s brother, Johnny Lawson, and mother, Carolyn Lawson, worked with him at Lawson Hardware and are continuing to operate the store.

“We worked together and we played together,” Johnny said.

“He was a good partner. He was a good brother and a good father.”

Lawson was well known in the Cork area as a friendly guy.

The Keels first met the Lawsons when they moved to the Cork area in the 1980s and started the plant nursery where their blueberry farm is now. Keel remembers certain nights during berry season, when farmers in the area had to stay up late and prepare their crops for a freeze.

Lawson Hardware would keep

its lights on all night, providing a place for the farmers to warm up and sip cups of hot coffee.

Because of the close relationship that the two families have had throughout the decades, the Keels organized the fundraiser.

“It was the least we could do for the family, really,” Keel said.

There was a silent auction, and the winery and Smokin’ Aces BBQ donated 50% of its profits that night. Blues Hall of Fame member Skip Frye, donated his time to provide music.

More than 100 people attended. The event raised about

Joey Lawson was a handyman and worked on cars. $9,200 for the Lawsons to use for meals, funeral costs and other unexpected general expenses since Joey’s death.

“Everything went well,” Johnny said. “The community

Courtesy photo

just coming together — they did a real good job for my brother’s family.”

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver. com.

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3ODQW&LW\2EVHUYHU FRP SHOP / PAGE 1 In early 2014, the old body shop was leveled and construction began on a new shop in its place. The new shop has been open for about four months, but the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday, Feb. 13.

Another factor that led to the decision to build a new shop was that the 2015 Ford F-150 is an all-aluminum model. To work on this model, Jarrett-Scott Ford needed an isolated area.

“Working on aluminum is entirely different than working on steel,” Jim Scott, general manager, said. “You can’t work on aluminum next to steel, because it causes erosion.”

Now that the body shop has an area designated for aluminum models only, the technicians will be certified

by Ford to work on the new F-150.

The office has had huge im-

PICK YOURS UP

To represent Plant City with a limited edition Bourbon and Boweties bracelet, place a preorder with Fringe Boutique before Wednesday, Feb. 25. You can pick up your bracelet and enjoy special activities at the Strawberry Release from 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 25, at the boutique.

If you forget to pre-order, you may come to the boutique for the Strawberry Release, but bracelets will only be sold as supplies last.

FRINGE BOUTIQUE (813) 754-4438 601 E. Alexander St.

BRACELET / PAGE 1 based Fringe Boutique.

“We have a unique relationship with Bourbon and Boweties being that we are from the same town,” Morgan Feaster McGimsey, co-owner of Fringe Boutique, said. “We can’t thank Carley and her team enough for remembering her roots and staying loyal to what is local and what makes small business what it is.”

Osch’s line has had success since the Durant High graduate launched it several years ago. Broadcast journalist Katie Couric and Bachlorette Desiree Hartsock are just two celebrities caught with a signature Bourbon and Boweties bracelet around their wrists.

INFORMATION

JARRETT-SCOTT FORD BODY SHOP Address: 2000 E. Baker Street Phone: (888) 690-1633 Website: JarrettScottFord.com/ BodyShop Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday provements. The technicians now have showers in their locker room. And though it used to be difficult for them to find somewhere to rest or eat, the office has a kitchenette and break room.

The 7.5-foot ceilings have been replaced with those of standard height, creating a bright, airy atmosphere.

After being involved with a crash, drivers are usually not in the best of moods.

But Scott said he hopes the friendly staff and welcoming new body shop will help to lift those customers’ spirit.

But it will be harder for Bourbon and Boweties’ mass clientele to get their hands on one of the limited edition strawberry bracelets. The only way to guarantee a purchase is to pre-order before Wednesday, Feb. 25.

On Feb. 25, Fringe Boutique will hold a Strawberry Release party with a mini trunk show, so shoppers can pair their strawberry stack with new accessories.

The bracelets will come in two wrist sizes. There will also be two different sizes for the actual gold strawberry: small, about the size of a quarter, and large, about the size of a half dollar. The small is $38 and the large is $40.

A child’s bracelet will also be made and priced at $28 in the smaller-sized strawberry.

“The bracelet is truly classic,” McGimsey said. “Its gold finish is gorgeous, and it’s engraved with ‘Plant City 2015.’

It represents Plant City with taste and will be nearly impossible to duplicate.”

Indeed, the bracelet has been designed with Plant City in mind.

“Last year before the 2014 festival we had brainstormed with Bourbon and Boweties and knew we wanted something, but not just anything,” McGimsey said.

“Carley looked at every gem show, and every buying trip she went on to find something that we couldn’t live without.

This year Carley took matters into her own hands and Bourbon and Boweties designed the strawberry themselves.”

BENNETT / PAGE 1 with the Dolphins, he also made sure to take care of his own family, his wife, Pam, and daughters Ericka Winslow and Kim Drawdy.

“He was always there for us,” Drawdy said. “He just always made sure that we had everything we ever needed.

We were never rich, but he made sure we were very well taken care of with what we needed in life.”

Mr. Bennett loved to travel and made family vacations a priority. Oftentimes, he’d take the family out of town for a few days twice a year, choosing to visit beaches and mountain towns. This is something that he continued up until this past January, when the family enjoyed Martin Luther King weekend in Biloxi, Mississippi.

He also loved his four grandchildren, three of whom are in the Dolphins program, and made sure that they knew how much he loved them every day.

“He always helped pick my kids up from school and take them to practice,” Drawdy said. “He wasn’t just a hereand-there Papa. He was involved in their sports, their school functions, their everyday life.”

Of course, no story about Mr. Bennett would be complete without the Dolphins.

One could say that making that organization into what it is today has been his life’s work, his greatest passion outside of his faith and family. He got involved with the program 30 years ago, while in his 20s.

His shot at leading the organization came 10 years later.

It was then that David Brewington, the previous president and Mr. Bennett’s good friend, was looking for someone to fill his shoes upon leaving.

“David’s boys were getting out of it, and he wanted someone he knew he could rely on to take care of the Dolphins,” Drawdy said. “My dad thought it would just be a couple years that he would help do it, and he ended up being president for 20 years.”

Those who have worked with him, either as coaches or board members, said that he was unquestionably the best man for the job.

“Buddy was the heart and soul of the organization,” former coach Richard Kuhlmeyer said. “What I remember most about him is he was a very steady leader. He never got too high or too low. Buddy was always consistent in dealing with any problems that would arise.”

Mr. Bennett was known for always being the first one to arrive and the last to leave.

On game days, he’d get to the field at sunrise and stay there until after sunset. The next day, he’d be back at it again to make sure that everything was set up for the kids as best as it could be.

He especially loved seeing the Dolphins make the playoffs, and put in plenty of 12-hour days whenever the United Youth Football League National Championship tournament was in town. In fact, Mr. Bennett was wearing his two national championship rings when he was buried.

Most notable about Mr. Bennett, besides his love for

FUTURE PLANS

Because the Plant City Dolphins Board of Directors had already elected its officers for the year, Buddy Bennett will still be considered the president of the organization until next year. All decisions will come down to a board vote, as they always have, and a new president will be installed in 2016.

“That was his wish, for everything to continue to operate the way it has,” board member Eric Lawson said. “Everyone’s (going to) have to step up and chip in to do the day-to-day operations.”

According to Lawson, the team is working on a way to pay tribute to Mr. Bennett on the field.

One thing that is set in stone is to honor him this year with a bronze plaque on the team fieldhouse. It will have his picture and a list of his accomplishments with the team.

working with kids, was that his dedication to the program wasn’t slowed down by his cancer diagnosis. When he learned he had colon cancer in 2013, he made the choice to stay with the team and ended up missing just one day.

“You wouldn’t know by looking at him that he was going through what he was, that he was fighting that fight,” Lawson said. “He never wanted anything in return.”

Mr. Bennett never once complained about his treatments, or how sick he was feeling. He wanted to make sure that everything was running as normally as it would if he were cancer-free, and it did.

Plant City residents have many good things to remember Mr. Bennett by, and his impact on the community will ever be forgotten.

“From a personal view, I have lost someone I will always have a great deal of respect for,” Kuhlmeyer said.

“However, more importantly, Plant City has lost one of its finest. A man who should be recognized as Citizen of the Year. Who else has given more to this community than Buddy Bennett?”

Survivors include his wife of 36 years, Pam Bennett; daughters, Ericka (Ryan) Bennett Winslow and Kimberly (Jesse) Morgan Drawdy; grandchildren, Colten, Wyatt and Kyndell Drawdy, and Liam Winslow; brother, Don Bennett; and sisters, Pauline Pishner, Jean Halstead and Patty Jean Barnett.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Hazel Bennett; father-in-law, Gene Chapman; and grandmother, Susie Martin.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Plant City Dolphins, P.O. Box 993, Plant City, FL, 33563, in Buddy’s honor. Online condolences may be made at WellsMemorial.com.

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

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IN SEASON by Amber Jurgensen | Managing Editor

CUTESTCRITTER

A

Kamille Long showed her partner how to pulled the strawberries from the stem.

There were plenty of ripe berries to be picked.

Strawberry season growing at Turkey Creek Middle The sounds of laughter could be heard from the sunny strawberry field in front of Turkey Creek Middle School Friday, Feb. 13.

Students from Robinson Elementary next door went on a field trip to learn more about Plant City’s cash crop.

The middle school students taught the young ones how to select the ripest strawberries and pack them into clamshells.

Of course, there was lots of berry snacking in between collecting.

Students packed the clamshells full.

Right: The students worked in teams.

ngela Streit’s 6-month-old kitty, Nemo likes sleeping in clean clothes.

Turkey Creek Animal Hospital and Animal Wellness Center have partnered to present a monthly Cutest Critter Contest. Entering is simple: Just submit a high-resolution photo (200 dpi or better) and a sentence or two about why your pet is the cutest. Include your name and contact information. Photos will be showcased in the Plant City Times & Observer.

Submit your entries to Managing Editor Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com; subject line: Cutest Critter Contest. Good luck!

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PARADE ROUTE by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

City celebrates Black Heritage Month

THIS WEEK’S CROSSWORD ANSWERS

Mary Thomas Mathis greeted spectators from near the front of the parade.

Right: Marshall Middle School’s Gentleman’s Quest students were happy to walk in the procession.

THIS WEEK’S CRYPTOQUIZ ANSWERS 1) Blue Moon Cafe 2) Anthropology 3) L’Ag’Ya 4) Stormy Weather 5) Shango. Katherine Dunham

Plant City Times & Observer Locally Owned by Ed Verner, Nate Kilton and Felix Haynes The Plant City Times & Observer is published by Plant City Media LLC, a joint-venture of the Tampa Bay Times and Plant City Observer LLC.

110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A Plant City, FL 33563 (813) 704-6850 www.PlantCityObserver.com &RS\ULJKW 3ODQW &LW\ 0HGLD //& $OO 5LJKWV 5HVHUYHG

The sounds of several marching bands, roaring cars and more filled the streets near downtown Plant City on Valentine’s Day, as the Black Heritage Parade made its way down Martin Luther King Boulevard.

The parade was a part of the city’s three-day celebration of Black History Month, which included an awards banquet and a youth summit.

The sidewalks along Martin Luther King Boulevard were filled with spectators catching beads and recording the action on their smartphones.

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We want to hear from you. Let us know about your events, celebrations and achievements.

To contact us, send your information via: Email: Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@ PlantCityObserver.com.

Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563

Many of the youngest parade participants rode in the backs of trucks and cars.

Right: Tampa Bay Tech made the trek out to Plant City to join the parade.

CONTACT US The Plant City Times & Observer is published once weekly, on Fridays.

It provides free home delivery to several neighborhoods in Plant City.

The Plant City Times & Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

Plant City Times &

Observer

General Manager/Executive Editor / Michael Eng, meng@PlantCityObserver.com General Manager/Advertising / Stacey Hudson, shudson@tampabay.com Managing Editor / Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@PlantCityObserver.com Assistant Managing Editor / Jess Eng, jeng@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writers / Justin Kline, jkline@PlantCityObserver.com; Catherine Sinclair, csinclair@PlantCityObserver.com Advertising Executives / Veronica Prostko, vprostko@PlantCityObserver.com; Joanna Verga, jverga@tampabay.com Circulation/Office Manager / Linda Lancaster, llancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” — Friedrich Hayek, “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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FEEDING THE SOUL by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

treasure trove by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

Destination marketplace opens downtown The Plant City Mercantile is unique in town as a shop that offers different vendors, as well as classes.

Rich Glorioso, Tina Pike and State Rep. Dan Raulerson

Mary Wood and Liz Pfeffer and Rev. Dean Pfeffer

Celebrity Chef Dinner draws delicious crowd Those who came hungry to the Hillsborough Community College’s Trinkle Center Saturday, Feb. 7, were not disappointed.

The United Food Bank of Plant City held its seventh annual Celebrity Chef Dinner, this time bringing in “Top Chef” fan favorite Fabio Viviani for the occasion.

In addition to Viviani’s dinner and dessert offerings, an appetizer-based “throwdown challenge” was held between the Plant City Times & Observer and FOCUS Magazine.

The Plant City Times & Observer took the win for its olive tapenade recipe. There were also book signings and a silent auction.

Right: Charli Jervis, Tommy Pollock and Doug Roberts Upper right: Whitney Miller Humphrey and Ryan Humphrey

The Plant City Times & Observer’s olive-based appetizers won chef Fabio Viviani over.

United Food Bank director Brian West spoke of the United Food Bank’s work before dinner was served.

Plant City’s Historic Downtown is known as a hub for antique dealers. But a new 18,000-square-foot store is the largest one in the neighborhood.

The owners and manager of Plant City Mercantile describe the store as “curated boutique marketplace,” meaning it is filled with various booths, but vendors must submit photos and an application if they want to sell their pieces there.

“Then we look and see if it would be a good fit for us, and how it would be displayed,” co-owner Patricia Schultz said.

One vendor, Repurpose Revolution, upcycles old items into new creations, such as satchels made from coffee bean sacks and a table made from an old window. Another vendor, Burlap and Bling, offers shabby-chic, handcrafted accessories.

Other items currently available at Plant City Mercantile include a large model ship, strawberry-themed art, cow hide rugs and wicker furniture. There are also plenty of fine antiques. Schultz said the store’s goal is to offer pieces for shoppers of any age and with nearly any taste.

“We’re not just an antique shop with dusty, old antiques,” Schultz said. “Many of our vendors are quite creative. ... Every vendor has a different taste, so it’s quite a nice variety.”

Plant City Mercantile also has classroom space and has been offering chalk painting classes. The owners plan to develop additional types of classes over time.

And they’re hoping to even build a coffee bistro in the front of the store, so patrons

Cathrine Sinclair

Plant City Mercantile is operated by husband and wife David and Patricia Schultz, and their son-in-law, David Gnage. can recharge during marathon sessions of browsing, or have something to sip during a class.

The owners hope all of these features will encourage shoppers from out of town to bring their business to Plant City.

“We felt that Plant City needed a destination shop,” Schultz said.

Schultz and her husband, David, have a long history with antiques. In 1986, they opened an antique market called Brimfield Barn in Brimfield, Massachusetts — one of the nation’s meccas for antiques and handcrafted items.

Brimfield Barn was so successful it was even featured in Country Living.

But the Schultzes moved to Florida in the early 2000s, to be closer to family. They opened a shop in Plant City called Patricia’s, but when the Kilgore Seed Building went up for sale, it was an opportunity too good to miss.

The Kilgore Seed Building, which now houses Plant City Mercantile, was built in 1916 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is unusual for Florida, Schultz said, because of its high beamed ceilings and exposed brick. There are also large windows that let in a lot of natural light.

“You don’t get a lot of this old mill look in Florida,” Schultz

PLANT CITY MERCANTILE Address: 208 S. Collins Street, Plant City Phone: (813) 659-9700 Website: PlantCityMercantile.com Facebook: Facebook.com/ PlantCityMercantile Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. said. “We worked on preserving the look of the building, but bringing it up to a modern gallery.”

The owners, along with manager David Gnage, used polished palette boards to decorate some of the walls and other places in the store.

“It kind of goes after the look we want — modern, but rustic,” Gnage said. “We do want to be a step above.”

Plant City Mercantile’s soft opening was Jan. 2. All of the space on the first floor has been rented out, but some vendors are still in the process of moving in. The grand opening and Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24.

Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver. com.

FANTASTIC FLORA by Catherine Sinclair | Staff Writer

Carolyn Conde and Mary Ellen Sampson browsed the displays of succulents.

What in Carnation?

The Plant City Garden Club hosted its annual flower show Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Walden Lake clubhouse.

Twelve judges assessed each piece and awarded ribbons for their favorite designs. Entrants who won blue ribbons for the first time also received

a novice prize of a container or other useful gardening item. Some displays were simple potted plants, others were less traditional, and others were a tribute to Plant City’s agricultural history, matching the night’s theme: “Riding the Rails.”

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OBSERVER OBITUARIES Luis Miguel Belmontes

Luis Miguel Belmontes, 26, of Plant City, died Feb. 14, 2015, at UF Health Shands Hospital.

Born July 30, 1988, in Michoacan, Mexico, he was the son of Rojelio Sr. and Esperenza Contreras Belmontes; they survive.

Also surviving are brothers, Gonzalo, Arturo, Rojelio Jr. and Jaime Belmontes; sisters, Alicia Melgoza, Maurilia Hernandez, Gabriela Rosales, Cristina Belmontes and Irene Belmontes; and maternal grandmother, Maurilia Contreras.

A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Haught Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside service will be at 12 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome.com.

Timothy Allen “Tim” Brock Junior

Timothy Allen “Tim” Brock Junior, 53, of Plant City, died Feb. 14, 2015.

He is survived by his children, Timothy Curtis Brock and Diane Nicole Brock; grandson, Christian Aquino; parents, Elizabeth “Midge” and Rev. Floyd Yarbrough; and siblings, Michael (Andrea) Ray Brock and Charlene Elizabeth (Ray) Zugay.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Hopewell Funeral Home. Private interment at Mt. Enon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pleasant Grove AG Building Fund, 7051 S. Turkey Creek Road, Plant City, 33567. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral. com.

Paul Edward Crouse Sr.

Paul Edward Crouse Sr., 84, of Longwood, and formerly of Plant City, died Feb. 13, 2015, at Florida Hospital Altamonte.

Born Oct. 14, 1930, in Canebrake, West Virginia, he was the son of the late Lewis Sr. and Ola Wade Crouse. He was the husband of Betty Jean Dillon Crouse; she survives.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, and owned and operated the Old Dixie Chicken Restaurant in the Pinecastle/ Orlando area for more than 30 years, even until his death.

Also surviving are son, Paul Crouse Jr.; daughters, Pamela (Mark) Mawdsley and Vicki (Tony) Lupo; brothers, Ray, Lewis Jr., Benny and Dale Crouse; sister, Eunice Moore; grandchildren, Paul Crouse III, Shawn and Michael Mawdsley, and April and Angela Lupo. He was predeceased by brother, Allen Crouse.

A graveside service was held Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Mt. Enon Cemetery. If so desired, donations may be made in Mr. Crouse’s memory to the American Cancer Society. Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome.com.

James “Jimmy” Clayton Fite

James “Jimmy” Clayton Fite, 32, of Smyrna, Tennessee died Feb. 10, 2015. He was a native of Plant City.

Mr. Fite is survived by his wife, Tabitha Fite of Smyrna; sons, James Clayton Fite Jr. and Logan Alexander Fite, both of Smyrna; parents, Daryl Gene and Judy Swanson Fite, of Plant City; sister, Laura Nicole Fite, of Plant City; paternal grandfather, Daryl Elroy Fite, of Live Oak; and maternal grandfathers, Wilbert Raymond Swanson Sr., of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Online condolences may be made at WoodFinChapel. com.

Betty Lou Fletcher

Betty Lou Fletcher, 72, of Plant City, died Feb. 10, 2015.

Born May 18, 1942, in McAlpin, she was the daughter of the late Pete and Lou Bry-

ant Lee. Mrs. Fletcher was a teacher’s aide at Cork Elementary School for 25 years, retiring in 2000, and was a member of Plant City Church of God, where she was a Sunday school teacher. She rejoiced in her family and loved to travel.

Surviving are her beloved husband, M.D. Fletcher; daughters, Daphne Lynn Blanton and Michele (Jeff) Abraham; brother, Ray (Marie) Lee; sister, Glenda (Harold) Warner; grandchildren, Matthew D. Storey, David (Kaitlin) Storey, and Tyler and Logan Abraham; and greatgrandson, Emmitt Storey.

A funeral service was held Saturday, Feb. 14, at Plant City Church of God. Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome.com.

Jeane A. Gilson

Jeane A. Gilson, 91, of Plant City, died Feb. 14, 2015, at Melech Hospice House.

Born March 28, 1923 in Minot, North Dakota, he was the son of the late George and Myrtle Tucker Gilson. He was the husband of Leona Deuel Gilson; she survives. Jeane was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, was retired from Post Cereal and enjoyed working in his shed.

Also surviving are son, Wayne (Wanita) Gilson; daughters, Kathryn (David) DeVault and Judy Johns; six grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. There are no local services planned.

Online condolences may be made at HaughtFuneralHome.com.

James Randall Hart

James Randall Hart, 81, of Plant City, died Feb. 13, 2015.

Born Aug. 26, 1933 in Pavo, Georgia, he was the son of the late Aubrey Vivian and Lois Sherrod Hart. He was the husband of the late Frances Wheeler Hart. Mr. Hart loved to fish, crab and boat. He was also a football fan, a member of Cedar Grove Baptist Church and attended Countryside Baptist Church. He was a millwright by trade, but was also owner of Planter Florist in Plant City.

Surviving are grandchildren, Justin and Kensie Hart; brothers, Bob Hart, Allen Hart and Louis Hart; and sister, Vivian Hart. He was also preceded in death by his grandson, Gage Hart.

Funeral services were Monday, Feb. 16, at Haught Funeral Home Chapel. Online condolences at haughtfuneralhome.com.

Fredric Leon Henderson

Fredric Leon Henderson, 78, of Plant City, died Feb. 15, 2015.

He was born in Turkey Creek and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Joy Henderson; children, Ray Henderson, Donna Jones, Joe Hartley, Jimmy Henderson, Ron (Cammie) Anderson, Jennifer (William) Farmer and Cody Henderson; sisters, Velma (Red) Weaver and Diane (Hance) Harvey; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life was held Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Hopewell Funeral Home. Interment at Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Plant City. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

Marguerite Hutto

Marguerite Hutto, 91, died Feb. 14, 2015, in Palm Beach Gardens.

She was a lifelong resident of Plant City and a graduate of Plant City High School. Loving family who survive are son, Ira “Sonny” (Tammi) Hutto; daughter, Linda Plourde; grandchildren, Jill Hrabovsky, Michael Llauget, Alex Llauget and Travis Hutto; and greatgrandchildren, Lilliana Nuzzi and Alyssa Davis. She is predeceased by husband of 52 years, Grant Hutto; daughter, Nancy Llauget; and brother, Jesse Wiggins.

A visitation will be at 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Wells Memorial, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. Burial will take place at Mt. Enon Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at WellsMemorial.com.

Grover Glenn Pace

Grover Glenn Pace, 67, of Plant City, died Feb. 13, 2015 after a heroic battle with cancer and prolonged illness at South Florida Baptist Hospital (SFBH).

He served six years in the U.S. Air Force at Offutt AFB in Nebraska, achieving the rank of S.SGT. He retired from General Electric in Hendersonville, North Carolina, in 2004.

He and his wife, Miriam, moved to Florida in 2006. He attended Dover Pentecostal Holiness Church, where he served as a guitarist, was director of the Golden Heirs Seniors’ Program and served as Chairman of the Escort Committee at SFBH. He was a compassionate and loyal caregiver to his wife’s parents, Rev. James and Ethelene Stuart, until their passing in 2013. He had a passion for southern gospel and bluegrass music, enjoyed his home recording studio and fishing, and was a certified Amateur Radio Operator.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Miriam C. Pace; son, Greg Pace; daughter, Peggy Tittle; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his adoptive parents, Willis and Alma Pace of Hendersonville, North Carolina.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Dover Pentecostal Holiness Church. Fellowship with the family and friends with lunch immediately following. Interment will be held at a later date in Hendersonville. Online condolences may be made at WellsMemorial.com.

Thomas J. “Tom” Sluder III

Thomas J. “Tom” Sluder III, 54, of Dover, died Feb. 9, 2015.

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Plant City. He is survived by his parents, Tom and Judy Sluder; nieces and nephews, Brandy Stocksdale, Brandon Stocksdale, Miranda Sluder, Keith Sluder and Israel Sluder-Anderson; and many great-nieces and nephews, aunts, family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his siblings, Kathryn Sluder, Keith Sluder and Theresa Sluder.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at First Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church stained glass window fund. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

Gladys Mae Layton Walton

Gladys Mae Layton Walton, 91, of Plant City, died Feb. 13, 2015.

She was a member of Berea Baptist Church (Parkway), Plant City. She is survived by her son, Kenny (Peggy) Walton; siblings, Cecil Layton, Ida Bledsoe and Charles Layton; grandchildren, Ashley, Adam, Benji, Shaun, Micki and Matt; and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Echo Walton Sr.; and son, Echo “EJ” Walton Jr. A celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Hopewell Funeral Home, where the family will receive friends beginning at 2 p.m. Interment to follow at Springhead Cemetery, Lakeland. Memorial contributions may be made to LifePath Hospice, Development Dept., 12470 Telecom Drive, Suite 300, Temple Terrace, Florida, 33637. Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.

Sports

YOUTH | HIGH SCHOOL | GOLF | COMMUNITY

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Baylee Cauwels is an all-around player. 14

SPONSORED BY COURTNEY PAAT | STATE FARM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015

PLANTCITYOBSERVER.COM

SIDELINES Do you have a good sports scoop for us?

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver. com.

SOFTBALL

+ Slow start for area teams

Many of the Plant Cityarea prep softball teams have had to deal with losing several key players to graduation, and it appears those losses are being felt early in the season.

From the Feb. 10 season openers until press time, area teams have a combined 1-8 record — with Plant City picking up the lone win, 4-3, over the Plant Lady Panthers. In the Feb. 13 game, the Lady Raiders used a late rally to snag a comeback win at home, thanks in part to sophomore Edmilly Molina’s three RBI and one home run.

Fortunately for area fans, none of these games were district contests. The long road to the district tournament began this week, and all of the teams will play a big block of 7A-7 games between now and spring break.

All teams will play at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20. Plant City will travel to Tampa Bay Tech, Strawberry Crest will be at East Bay and Durant will host Brandon.

football by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

Ward resigns from position at PCHS

To the surprise of many, Plant City High football coach Wayne Ward announced his resignation from the position Feb. 9.

At the Plant City High School National Signing Day ceremony, football head coach Wayne Ward was there to speak highly of his senior class. When he was done, he walked off the stage to a round of applause and left the Raider fans in good spirits.

So when he announced his resignation just a few days later, no one in Raider Nation saw it coming.

Ward, the team’s head coach

for the past six years, first announced his decision with a Facebook post the afternoon of Monday, Feb. 9.

“Having had the ability to positively help change the lives of so many young men through the game of football has been such a tremendous blessing and opportunity I do not take for granted,” Ward wrote. “I have taken this program as far as I could take it and I look forward to the next chapter of my

life. I thank the Plant City community and parents for showing your support over the last six years. It has been an amazing journey.”

The post, which racked up nearly 100 “likes,” was met with dozens of positive comments from past players and their families. The next day, Feb. 10, athletic director Traci Durrance confirmed that Ward

SEE WARD / PAGE 14

LACROSSE by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

Justin Kline

spotlight by Darek Sharp | Tampa Bay Times

P.C. football player wins Bill Minahan Award Plant City High’s Markese Hargrove was selected as the winner, and Strawberry Crest’s Darius Williams was a finalist.

Bill Minahan’s influence did not end when his life did.

The spirit of the legendary Hillsborough County football coach, who died a little more than a year ago, was palpable at the Columbia Restaurant last month. Five county football players, all with inspiring qualifications, were honored as finalists for the inaugural Bill Minahan Award. Plant City junior Markese Hargrove was selected the winner, and Strawberry Crest’s Darius Williams was one of the finalists.

But all of the finalists — and really, everyone in attendance — came away victors.

The athletes’ stories of perseverance, selflessness and leadership moved in many ways, and each received a $1,500 scholarship.

Two finalists, Steinbrenner’s Phillip Smith and Williams, have been homeless. Jefferson’s Ernest Mills was burned over 95% of his body as a baby and has had more than 100 surgeries.

Robinson quarterback An-

BASEBALL

+ Clobberin’ time for Cougars, Chargers

As a whole, the area prep baseball scene has seen some more positive results on the diamond.

Much of this is from a pair of blowout wins for Durant and Strawberry Crest last week. It could be seen as just a pair of tune-up games, but there are few better confidenceboosters out there than picking up a double-digit win.

On Tuesday, Feb. 10, Strawberry Crest traveled to Chamberlain and picked up a 10-0 win over five innings. Senior ace Mark Moclair was nearly flawless through four innings, striking out eight in a no-hitter brought down by two walks, and seniors Augustin Ontiveros and Tyler Chancey combined for four of the team’s nine hits, six RBI and three runs scored.

On Friday, Feb. 13, Durant picked up a 15-0 win at Middleton. The team combined for 14 hits, and Travis Riley, Zach Barfield, Cade Kelley and Cesar Caro combined for eight RBI and five runs scored. Six other players picked up RBI, as well, and Chelsea Baker got the win with three innings pitched, one hit allowed, three strikeouts and no walks.

Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest will all play tonight at the same time and location as their softball counterparts.

Wayne Ward spoke at Plant City High’s National Signing Day ceremony, honoring his graduating seniors.

Tampa Bay Times

Markese Hargrove enjoyed a breakout year in 2014.

drew Moss started a 7-on-7 tournament in which all the proceeds go to the Children’s Home.

But Hargrove has a story all his own.

Hargrove’s father landed in prison before he was born.

His mother, Kenyatta Shaw,

SEE HARGROVE / PAGE 13

swimming by Justin Kline | Staff Writer

Durant celebrates its big win in the huddle.

Justin Kline

STRONG START Durant lacrosse may be the only high school program of its kind in the area, but these boys and girls know how to put on a show that all fans can enjoy.

In the Friday, Feb. 13, home opener, the boys gave a huge, all-around scoring effort to pick up a 20-0 win over Tampa Bay Tech. Even the goalie, freshman Alex Cordero, put one in the back of the Titans’ net to add to the total.

+ PCLL holding sign-ups

Plant City Little League is bringing back Senior and Big League Baseball for boys age 15-18.

Anyone who wishes to play must be registered by Saturday, March 7. Contact Jeffrey Jacobsen for registration information at (813) 468-9362 or email jakesteraider@yahoo.com.

Jordan Jolly brings the ball up the middle.

Including stats from the team’s season-opening 9-6 win at Freedom on Feb. 11, seniors Jordan Jolly (7), Cecil Caldwaller, Mitchell Tyler and Robert Seguin (4) are leading the team in goals scored. Seguin also leads the team with 18 ground balls and 14 takeaways.

The Cougars will host Freedom 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20.

Crest swimmers float the grade

The Strawberry Crest High boys swim team was honored with an award for having the highest GPA of all boys swim teams in Hillsborough County.

Being a high school athlete isn’t easy — even for the elite.

With the responsibility to keep good grades in addition to performing well for the team, these kids face a lot of pressure throughout the school year.

So when a group of kids can balance it all, they get rewarded. Just ask the Strawberry Crest boys swim team, which added a scholastic award to its trophy cabinet last month.

After recording the highest GPA of all Hillsborough County boys swim teams, the Chargers accepted an award for their achievements at a Tampa ceremony Thursday, Jan. 29.

“One of the main focuses of the school here is to put academics first,” head coach Paul Bonanno says. “We support the teams very much, but grades are more important.”

As with many teams, Crest

SEE CREST / PAGE 13

WHAT IS IB?

The International Baccalaureate organization is recognized worldwide as a leading name in education.

The organization offers educational programs for students 3 to 19, though not all American public schools are IB schools.

The programs are rigorous, yet rewarding. Many high school IB students graduate with college credits.

Strawberry Crest High does offer the IB program for its students.

For more information about IB, visit ibo.org.

For information about Strawberry Crest, call the school at (813) 707-7522.

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WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

HARGROVE / PAGE 12

Let’s do youth sports the right way There’s no doubt that Plant City lost a great man last week, when Buddy Bennett died.

Many who spoke of Bennett, whether on the phone, in email or on the Internet, found dozens of ways to say the same thing about the longtime Plant City Dolphins president’s commitment to the program: He was in it for the good of the kids.

I’ve only been here since September 2013, so I didn’t know Bennett as well as many of you readers did. But JUSTIN if there’s one KLINE thing that I do know, it’s that Bennett was a living, breathing representation of what youth sports, not just football, should be about.

Sure, not everyone who will become involved with the TCYFCC football and cheerleading teams, the Plant City Little League and every other youth sports organization will have Bennett’s level of commitment. To find someone with that level of dedication is exceedingly rare these days.

But I would hope that every coach, board member and parent who comes through a youth sports league shares Bennett’s morals. These are sports meant for kids, played by kids, and they should be just that — not means for the adults in charge to seek out glory for themselves.

Perhaps you’ve read the news recently and saw that the Jackie Robinson West Little League team was stripped of its 2014 United States championship last week after it was revealed that the adults illegally used players from out of the team’s pre-determined district. And now, the kids are paying for something that they couldn’t possibly have stopped. It’s not nearly as bad as the Danny Almonte scandal of the past, but still a clear violation of the rules.

Almonte was a 14-year-old pitching phenom from the Dominican Republic who was playing in, and dominating, the 12-year-olds’ game in 2001. It was revealed that his parents falsified documents a year earlier in order to give Almonte the advantage.

In Plant City, I’ve gotten concerned emails when some of our local youth sports teams have won big games and tournaments, happening as recently as Christmas. I spent about half of the week investigating some allegations. (They turned out to be a false alarm, and I haven’t heard anything about it since just after Christmas Day.) It’s sad that, in today’s youth sports scene, there are so many cheating scandals and allegations that there’s a shadow cast over every good accomplishment, every trophy raised or game won.

I wish it weren’t that way, because these sports are supposed to be all about the kids having fun. This is supposed to be about kids growing as both athletes and people, making great memories on and off the field and friends for life. But nothing’s that simple anymore.

And the kids can’t do anything about it.

Crooked coaches and parents seek to manipulate kids to prop themselves up but, in the end, it’s the people who always do the right thing that will be remembered fondly for decades. That’s why, when we all forget about the next youth sports scandal that makes the news, we’re still going to remember what great things men like Buddy Bennett have done for our community.

Courtesy photo

Athletic director Jasmine Tramel, Kevin John, Hunter Dennis, Alonzo Biala, Kasen Van Fossen, Zane Richardson and coach Paul Bonanno.

CREST / PAGE 12 holds a study hall for its swimmers before practices.

On Mondays, which are early release days, the swimmers will hole up in study hall from just after 2 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., when practice starts. Attendance is mandatory, unless someone really doesn’t want to swim.

What makes it tricky for this group is that almost all of the swimmers are enrolled in the school’s International Baccalaureate program.

CREAM OF THE CROP

There’s the Advanced Placement program, which puts plenty of smart kids in college-level classes throughout their high school careers. The IB program, on the other hand, takes that to the next level.

Often considered one of the highest standards of public education, if not the highest, the IB program has students enrolled in a college-style scheduling block and essentially sends the graduates off to college with

an associates degree in hand.

“Their schedule, it’s ridiculous,” Bonanno says.

“They do block scheduling, so they’re in classes for two hours as opposed to a traditional 50 minutes.”

Bonanno says that about 80% of his swimmers are in the IB program. The girls program, he says, has around 60% IB enrollment. So, it makes sense that a Crest swim team would eventually win some kind of scholastic award.

They also do well in the water. Bonanno’s second year as head coach was full of positives.

“We had two swimmers go to states, which is a huge accomplishment,” he says. “We had 10 boys go to regionals and Western Conference finals. Our relay team made it to regionals, which is huge.

Our freshman class is amazing. We had a freshman go to states, which is almost unheard of.”

Junior Hunter Dennis is a captain for the boys team and an IB student. He says that the balancing act of IB

studies and swimming is a tough one to keep up, but doable with some motivation.

“It takes a lot of organization,” Dennis says. “You really have to plan out your time, assignments, everything you’re going to do.

During season, I go straight from school from practice.

When I get home, I do homework until dinner. Then, I do homework again until it’s time to go to sleep.”

Dennis has his sights set on attending the University of Central Florida, where he plans to study architecture.

He says that the IB program should help him save money while attending college by allowing him to get college credit in high school.

This award is a resume builder for him and his teammates, even if they weren’t expecting it.

“I was kind of surprised,” Dennis says. “But, happy that we won. There are a lot of kids who work hard on this team.”

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

raised Hargrove along with two siblings, all the while taking in transitional foster children.

Hargrove was honored to be selected the winner.

“I guess it shows that what I’m doing is appreciated,” he said.

Hargrove, a junior running back, has a 4.3 grade-point average. His coach, Wayne Ward, said Hargrove is the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave. Often he leaves with others, offering up rides to teammates who need them.

And he also tutors them.

With Hargrove’s help, the team GPA has shot up 40%.

“The grades started getting better, slowly and then boom, they exploded,” Ward said. “And he came to me with that whole idea of tutoring. He said ‘Coach, I got this; I can help.’ And I said, ‘Yes, go do it.

Please!’ ” Shaw said his mentoring skills definitely started at home. And Hargrove said older brother, former Raider star running back Dazmond Patterson, has encouraged him even more along those lines.

Hargrove’s mentorship echoes Minahan’s. After serving in the Korean War, he played quarterback at the University of Tampa before settling in as local coach, leading Jesuit High School to a state title in 1968. His credentials certainly

would have served him as a father figure to a player like Hargrove.

“Outside of my own father, Coach Minahan was the most important man in my life. And I can guarantee you there are hundreds more who would tell you the same thing,” said Skipper Peek, who won the Guy Toph Award under Minahan’s leadership in 1975.

Peek said many of Minahan’s players went on to become successful in life, using a lot of the traits Minahan instilled.

And Peek forecasted that athletes, like the ones honored, would continue the effect.

Minahan knew something about perseverance. He received a kidney transplant in 1986, one that was expected to last maybe five years and instead held out for nearly 28.

“He would have been proud to be your coach,” Richard Gonzmart, who played for Minahan at Jesuit, said.

He and other former players, along with Minahan’s widow, Martha, shared memories of Minahan’s enthusiasm, passion, legendary speeches and — most of all — his willingness to do anything for his players.

After reading the stories of the submitted nominees, the panel in charge of picking its first winner realized it needed a bigger event. The festivities were originally going to be a small luncheon affair, but ended up with 64 guests.

Courtesy photo

Plant City running back and inaugrual Minahan Award winner Markese Hargrove (center) poses with his grandmother, Constance Thomas, mother, Kenyatta Shaw, former Raiders coach Wayne Ward and Plant City High athletic director Traci Durrance.

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3ODQW&LW\2EVHUYHU FRP WARD / PAGE 12 was stepping down.

He has since spoken about his decision to leave the team, and cites a need to be with his family as the main reason behind it.

“There are some things, family reasons, that I need to focus on,” Ward says. “I love these boys tremendously. This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.”

Ward, who played running back for the Raiders in his high school days, joined the team as an assistant coach in 2002. In 2010, he replaced Jason Strunk as head coach and immediately took the team to a 7-4 record and a playoff appearance with future star quarterback Bennie Coney.

In 2013, with Landon Galloway under center, Ward guided the team to an 8-3 record and another playoff appearance, following a three-way district tiebreaker, and helped bring the spotlight to play-

ers such as Montel McBride (Alabama), Sedrick King (Nebraska) and T.J. Chase (transferred to IMG Academy). Last season, the Raiders posted a 4-6-1 record but made the playoffs by finishing second in the district.

He leaves the team with a 30-22-1 career record and will continue to teach at the high school.

Ward says that he isn’t sure what his future in football will hold, but he isn’t ruling out a return to the game.

“At some point, I’ll coach again,” Ward says. “I’m not sure if I want to be a head coach right now. I would prefer an assistant role over a head role.”

Plant City has been interviewing potential candidates and, as of press time, has not yet made a hire. For all of the school’s sports, Durrance prefers to hire coaches that also teach at the school, which makes it possible that associate head coach Greg Meyer, who teaches television production classes, could land

the job.

Meyer, who has confirmed his interest in taking the head job, was previously the head coach of Jacksonville-Wolfson High, posting a 4-17 record in two seasons, and was an assistant coach at Plant High School, when the Panthers completed a run for the 2008 state championship. He joined the Raiders two seasons ago as the defensive coordinator and has also served as the team’s college recruiting liaison since his promotion last season.

Until Durrance makes a hire, which should happen fairly soon, Raider fans will be waiting with bated breath to see who will take over the team — and if they can improve on Ward’s successes. The former coach also has high hopes for the boys.

“You will go on to do magnificent things and represent this city proudly,” Ward wrote.

“Now, it’s time to go win a state title. I look forward to an amazing year from you guys.”

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSORED BY COURTNEY PAAT | STATE FARM

BAYLEE CAUWELS In the first home game of the 2015 season, the Durant Lady Cougars picked up a solid win, 17-2, over Tampa Bay Tech. One of the team’s driving forces is senior Baylee Cauwels, who has helped keep the entire Durant machine working. “She’s an all-around athlete,” head coach Kiara Klingler says. “She has the skill to win a game singlehandedly, but she will put the team first and let others have the glory.”

You all made the playoffs last year in the team’s first season ever.What was it like, leading such a young team that far in just one season?

It’s a really good feeling. A lot of us came into it not knowing the sport at all, and we’ve learned a lot from it.

We’ve learned a lot from each other.

We work together really well. I really like that I get to lead them this year and see how far they’ve come since last year.

How long have you been playing lacrosse?

This year is my third season. I’ve played club with Elite.

What other sports do you play?

Track and lacrosse are my two big ones. I’ve done flag football, and I’ve swam.

How did you end up getting into lacrosse a few years ago?

It was actually my brother. He wanted to play it. He fell in love with the sport and convinced me to do it.

I’m always trying new stuff. I fell in love with it — it’s such a great sport.

What is it about lacrosse that made you fall in love with the sport?

It’s more than just running, which is why I like track. It’s speed, technical stuff. You have to think. It’s a lot of practice, something you have to master. I like the challenge, and the competition is really big here. I like that.

And the girls’ game is fairly different from the game your brother’s playing, especially without contact.

When you’re not playing sports, what are your hobbies?

I like hanging out with my friends.

Family is a big thing for me. Mostly college applications this year. I want to go to FSU so bad. I want to be a nurse.

What’s a sport that you’ve never played before, but always wanted to try?

Rugby. I did flag football, which is

similar.

But, in rugby, you can get all your aggression out. You can actually have contact, which you can’t have in girls lacrosse So, you want to hit someone out on the field?

You have those moments, you do.

You get so frustrated. I guess that makes me sound like a very aggressive person, but I feel like it would be fun to try it.

Is there any sport you’re not into?

I’m not big on soccer.

Huge Dallas Cowboys fan, Boston Bruins fan, Red Sox fan. I’m kind of all over the place, when it comes to sports.

If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be?

To be able to replicate myself. I want to do so many things, but I’m burned out at the end of the day because I commit to too many things.

It’s exhausting. This would help me get my school work done, sports, clubs, friends, boyfriend — it would be really nice and convenient.

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WEATHER

THURS. Feb. 12

0.00

FRI.

TEMPERATURES

Feb. 13

0.00

SAT.

Friday, Feb. 20 Saturday, Feb. 21 Sunday, Feb. 22 Monday, Feb. 23 Tuesday, Feb. 24 Wednesday, Feb. 25 Thursday, Feb. 26

Feb. 14

0.00

SUN.

Feb. 15

0.00

MON. 0.00

TUES.

Feb. 17

0.29

WED.

Feb. 18

1.20

FEB.

TO DATE

4.14 (2014: 0.79)

YEAR

PLANT CITY

RAIN

(INCHES)

Feb. 16

3ODQW&LW\2EVHUYHU FRP

HIGH 59 75 82 80 73 67 67

SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES SUNRISE Friday, Feb. 20 7:02 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21 7:02 a.m.

Sunday, Feb. 22 7:01 a.m.

Monday, Feb. 23 7:00 a.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 24 6:59 a.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 25 6:58 a.m.

Thursday, Feb. 26 6:57 a.m.

SUNSET 6:22 p.m.

6:23 p.m.

6:24 p.m.

6:24 p.m.

6:25 p.m.

6:26 p.m.

6:26 p.m.

STRAWBERRIES

LOW 39 55 57 56 48 46 49

MOON PHASES

Feb. 25

March 5

SHIPPING POINT: Orlando

$7.90-8.90

TO DATE 5.92 (2014: 0.79)

March 13

Courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture

March 20

CRYPTOQUIZ Each of the following cryptograms is a clue to the identity of a renowned dancer. Using the hints W=O and G=N, decipher the clues to name the dancer.

1. F V P J X W W G Q E D J 2. E G Y K B W R W V W T S 3. V ’ E T ’ S E 4. L Y W B X S N J E Y K J B 5. L K E G T W This dancer has been called the “Matriarch and Queen Mother of Black Dance”:

SUDOKU

Solve the puzzle by placing the numbers 1 through 9 in each row, column and box.

, 3&

Nate Hoover took this shot of Snellgrove’s in Historic Downtown at night this month.

The Plant City Times & Observer and Grimes Hardware have partnered to host the I Love Plant City Photo Contest. Winners will have their photo featured and receive a $15 gift certificate to Grimes Hardware’s Strawberry Town Cafe! To enter, email your photo, along with a caption, to Editor Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com; subject line: I Love Plant City. Winners can pick up their prize at Grimes Hardware.

CROSSWORD ROLE TO PLAY by Gary Cooper ACROSS 1 Slacken off 6 “New York ___ of Mind” 11 Tailor 19 All-stops train 20 Hawk’s weapon 21 Long slender cigar 22 Player 24 Unwholly?

25 Cowboy topper 26 Make malicious remarks 28 Microscope part 29 Hog sound 30 “He’s ___ nowhere man ...”

32 Attempt, in basketball 35 Exuberant cries 38 Wizards 40 Cairo cobra 43 Farm mother 45 Blood system letters 46 Ready to tie the knot 48 Meditative martial art 51 Inferior dog 52 Ladled meal 54 Trouble saying “S” 55 It may be clogged 57 Korea Strait port, formerly 59 Mountain passes in India 62 Not even 63 Garage and yard events 64 Entertainment center item 66 Is sore 68 Blood red 70 Lead on Broadway 71 Law firm VIP 74 “___ bigger and better things!”

75 Clothing 78 Very practical 79 Some brown shades 82 ___, rattle and roll 83 Crime report initials 86 Express one’s view 88 Aired unfresh things 89 Petting 91 Legendary singer Johnny 93 Learned one 94 Bobby, the hockey legend 95 Private pupils 97 Silly, self-conscious smile 99 Before, before words 100 ___ many irons in the fire 101 Exiter’s exclamation 102 Angle that’s less than 90 degrees 104 Animal’s restraint 106 Ex-Ugly Duckling 109 Symbols of industry?

111 A stone’s throw away 112 Sally Ride’s org.

115 ___ Novo (Benin’s capital) 117 Amtrak announcement 121 Bits of dust 125 Go different ways 127 Think too highly of 128 Ravi’s instrument 129 Glitterati, e.g.

130 Bearing

©2015 Universal Uclick

131 Take place as a result 132 Sandwich spots, briefly

33 Device that records fluctuating voltages 34 Bald-spot cover DOWN 35 Hornet relatives 1 “Sound of Music” setting 36 “It’s ___ time!”

2 Dory or dinghy 37 Hardy brown-and-gray bird 3 Land measure 38 Accident 4 Arm decoration 39 Kin of a llama 5 Syllable omission 41 Lots and lots 6 Offend the nose 42 ___ Beta Kappa 7 Spigot 44 Seize forcibly 8 “Oh, were it not true!”

47 Large 9 Merchant ship capacity 49 Commotion 10 Constituting the full quantity 50 More out of one’s gourd 11 Sauna setting 53 Have some 12 English noble 56 Contract signers 13 Add to a poker pot 58 Closest 14 Large water conduits 60 Drive-___ window 15 A squirrel’s collection of nuts, 61 Brief quarrel e.g.

65 Mineral-bearing stuff 16 ___ Aviv, Israel 67 Scissors cut 17 Building annex, sometimes 69 Inner ear?

18 Romano of sitcom fame 72 Evoke, as a response 23 Government official abroad 73 Give a new title to 24 Black-eyed edible 75 Dandy’s neck wrap 27 Bothersome type 76 Seven Wonders lighthouse 31 Scottish landowner 77 Everyone except the clergy

80 Kin of a tsunami 81 Disparaging look 84 Prepare to pop the question 85 “___ before beauty” 87 Clairvoyance, for short 90 Kind of sandwich 92 Straight man?

96 Starchy foodstuff 97 Keep up, as a conversation 98 Got more guns 103 Feature of a murder mystery 105 Rare baseball hit 107 Bat haven 108 Nigerian dollar 110 Photo ___ (camera sessions) 111 Mollusk-shell material 113 Check out groceries 114 Sax type 116 Table scraps 118 Colorado skiing destination 119 Contra- relative 120 Soap-making ingredients 121 Herd of whales 122 Fifth, for one 123 Kind of sleep 124 Always, in a sonnet 126 Greek “T”

3ODQW&LW\2EVHUYHU FRP

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