10.22.20 PLCO

Plant City Observer

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

WONDER WOMEN Meet 2020’s group of “Wonder Women.” SEE PAGE 3

NEVER TOO LATE TO START Jose Rodriguez, 50, made his professional boxing debut on Oct. 17 in Lakeland. He beat Josh Boudreaux by TKO at 1:49 of the second round.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

All Jose Rodriguez needed was four minutes and 49 seconds in the ring to make one of his dreams come true.

Rodriguez, 50, made his professional debut as a fighter on Oct. 17, 31 years after his amateur career in Puerto Rico ended.

He did not look like a 50-year-old man that night when he squared off against Josh Boudreaux about mid-way through T&K Boxing Promotions’ All or Nothing 3 card: Rodriguez knocked his opponent down four times and won by TKO at 1:49 in the second round.

SEE PAGE 18

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

HCSO launches package theft prevention program

NEWS BRIEFS

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Courtesy of Clarice Henderson

Plant City resident turning 100 In a few days, Rachel O. Coleman Sullivan and her family will celebrate a big milestone in her life: making it to age 100.

She was born Oct. 26, 1920 in Okeechobee and had seven siblings. Sullivan lived through the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane that killed an estimated 2,500 people and the family relocated to Plant City in the 1930s. Sullivan lived here until she married H. Glinis Ethington, whose job as a morse code radio telegrapher with the Merchant Marines took them to Fort Lauderdale and Slidell, Louisiana. The couple moved back to Plant City in 1982 after they retired. Ethington passed away win 1997 and Sullivan married William H. Sullivan several years later.

Sullivan has a daughter (Clarice Henderson), two granddaughters (Felicia Cumbess and Maurice Huskins), three great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. Henderson said her mother credits “her Christian faith and clean living” for her long and happy life.

The police are normally busy looking for package thieves during the lead-up to the holiday season. This year, they’re preventing package theft.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced “Operation Pinch-A-Grinch” on Monday as a way to give residents a more secure option for package delivery: shipping items directly to HCSO to hang onto for safekeeping. Citing both an increase in online shopping due to COVID-19 and last year’s package theft statistics — HCSO said 274 reports of package theft led to more than $76,000 in losses during the 2019 holiday season — Sheriff Chad Chronister said there’s a clear need for the operation.

“Operation Pinch-A-Grinch is simple,” Chronister said. “When checking out online, just enter your name and our district address for delivery.”

If you live in Hillsborough County and have a valid, government-issued photo ID plus your package tracking number(s), you can have packages weighing less than 50 pounds delivered to HCSO’s District 3 Office, located at 7202 Gunn Highway in Tampa, or the District 5 Office at 10128 Windhorst Road in Tampa. Deputies will accept the deliveries and keep them safe until you can get to either office to pick them up.

Operation Pinch-A-Grinch starts Nov. 9 and ends Dec. 21. Package distribution will happen from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

“I am very excited to launch Operation Pinch-A-Grinch, and I hope that by working together and encouraging members of our community to take advantage of this new program, we will keep the Grinch from stealing Christmas here in Hillsborough County,” Chronister said.

Visit teamhcso.com/PinchAGrinch for more information.

County health department offers Halloween safety tips If trick-or-treating is allowed in your community next Saturday, the Hillsborough County Health Department released some tips on Monday to help residents have a safe and happy Halloween.

The department offered the following suggestions: Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.

Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.

Look for “flame resistant” on the costume labels. Wigs and accessories should also clearly indicate this.

Avoid any sharp or long swords, canes, or sticks as a costume accessory. Your child can easily be hurt by these accessories if he or she stumbles or trips.

Do not use decorative contact lenses without an eye examination and a prescription from an eye care professional.

While the packaging on decorative lenses will often make claims such as “one size fits all” or “no need to see an eye specialist,” obtaining decorative contact lenses without a prescription is both dangerous and illegal. This can cause pain, inflammation and serious eye disorders and infections, which may lead to permanent vision loss.

For those unable to go trick-or-treating, the department said there are still plenty of activities families can do to enjoy the holiday: Carving or decorating pumpkins with family members and displaying them.

Children can draw a face with markers and parents can do the cutting. Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest. Do not place candle-lit pumpkins on a porch or any path where visitors may pass close by.

Doing a Halloween scavenger hunt where children are given lists of Halloween-themed things to look for while they walk outdoors from house to house admiring Halloween decorations.

Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples.

Attend a small, outdoor and open-air costume parade or have a virtual costume contest If you plan to stay home this year and hand out goodies to neighborhood children: Remove tripping hazards to keep your home safe for trick-or-treaters. Keep the porch and front yard clear of anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.

Check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.

Sweep wet leaves from sidewalks and steps.

Provide grab-and-go goodie bags instead of individual pieces of candy. If you are preparing goodie bags, wash your hands: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after preparing the bags.

Parents are encouraged to give children a good meal prior to parties and trickor-treating to prevent overindulgence on candy. Keep an eye on what your child has in their mouth while trick or treating.

Additional resources for a safe and healthy Halloween can be found on the websites for the American Academy of Pediatrics: healthychildren.org/English/ safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Halloween-Safety-Tips.aspx: and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-lifecoping/holidays.html.

PlantCityObserver.com

MEET OUR

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

2020 WONDER WOMEN

Photos by Deanna Hurley

Dee Dee Grooms | Chevelle Hallback | Michelle Valdes | Essie Dixon Lewis | Gwen Thomas

Meet Your Care Team

Robert Baskin, MD

Gregg W. Gutowski, MD

Brian J. Korte, MD

Specialty: Family Medicine Education: Medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama.

Experience: Residency at the Cardiology Research V.A. Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama.

Certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Specialty: Family Medicine Education: Medical degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.

Experience: Residency at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama.

Certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Specialty: Family Medicine Education: Medical degree from Northeastern Ohio University in Rootstown, Ohio.

Experience: Residency at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Primary Care and Sports Medicine fellowship at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Certification: American Board of Family Medicine

Board Certified Family Medicine

Board Certified Family Medicine

WellMed at Plant City Family Practice Center 507 W. Alexander Street Plant City, Florida 33563

Board Certified Family Medicine

813-754-3504

WellMedFindADoctor.com | facebook.com/WellMed WellMed does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its health programs and activities. ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you.

Please call 888-781-WELL (9355). ATENCIÓN: Si habla español (Spanish), hay servicios de asistencia de idiomas, sin cargo, a su disposición. Llame al 888-781-WELL (9355). 請注意：如果您說中文 (Chinese)，我們免費為 您提供語言協助服務。請致電：888-781-WELL (9355)。20_5406_WMOPT_AD_MEETTEAM PC_FL_KH_C072320

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

WONDER WOMAN:

Essie Dixon

Lewis

Dixon Lewis became well-known in Plant City when she became the first black girl to make it onto the Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s Court, earning the title of First Maid in 1973. These days, the longtime educator’s penchant for kindness pays off for Plant Citians young, old and in between as she’ll lend a helping hand wherever she can.

JUSTIN KLINE

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SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ssie Dixon Lewis has never met a stranger in her life.

Her warm, friendly nature was well-known around Plant City from her childhood and was on full display in the 1973 Florida Strawberry Festival Queen’s Pageant. She made history that year as the first black girl to place in the top five and, furthermore, she was named First Maid. For Dixon Lewis, it was like the fulfillment of everything she was taught to believe in.

The oldest of three children, Dixon Lewis was raised in a single-parent household by a mother, Lucille Dixon, who instilled the value of hard work in her kids. She led both through her words and by example, and those lessons learned still resonate.

“I look back at my childhood,” Dixon Lewis said. “My mom had three kids and she was by herself. To see her do stuff like being a Girl Scouts leader and she was very active in the church — her thing was,

‘Whenever you can do something for somebody, do it. God blessed you. Do it.’”

Since graduating from Florida A&M University, Dixon Lewis has used her personality and her education to help others wherever she could. She is involved with the Order of the Eastern Star, is a co-leader for local Girl Scouts, is active at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and also works for Winslow Honors Funeral Chapel. She’s volunteered with Plant City HeadStart, the Improvement League of Plant City and the Plant City Area Democratic Club, and she also likes to lend a hand to anyone who may need it. That could be a child who could use some tutoring, adults who need help applying for Social Security, food stamps and other programs or a senior citizen who needs help getting groceries.

“I feel needed and sometimes I say that’s a good thing, sometimes I say that’s a bad thing,” Dixon Lewis said. “I hear from people, ‘You need to go sit down and rest.

Do you ever sit down?’ Yes I do. When you pass my house sometimes and see me just sitting up in my truck, I’m resting. I’m getting my comfort reading the Bible.”

Working with children is one of Dixon Lewis’s biggest passions. She spent 20 years teaching at schools in Tallahassee and around Hillsborough County and still enjoys helping kids with their studies to this day. She also loves her Girl Scouts and has been active with the organization since her granddaughter, a high school junior who recently bridged over to Ambassador status, was in kindergarten. One of her core beliefs is that anyone can learn a lot from children as long as they’re willing to sit back and listen.

“You can learn something from a kid just by listening to them,” she said. “And you can actually also be a big standpoint for a kid. You can direct them in a beautiful direction just listening to them, asking them what they want to do later in life and how they plan to get there, start a journal with them… my thing is just, sit there and listen to kids. You’ll be amazed at what you get out of listening to children. Kids can teach you so much and you can get their respect, not just for yourself but also others.”

After two decades as a schoolteacher, Dixon Lewis decided to switch gears. She always wanted to be a social worker. But as

Lucille’s health began to fail her, Dixon Lewis focused her energy toward taking care of her mother. Lucille. In addition to Lucille, Dixon Lewis has other senior citizens in her life whom she helps with day-to-day tasks, checks in with and loves to talk to. Learning about family histories and local history is rewarding for her, and she values the friendships she’s formed with the elderly.

Her ability to connect with people also helps with one of her newer jobs. Dixon Lewis works with Winslow Honors Funeral Chapel and can often be found comforting families in their times of need as they say goodbye to their loved ones. She thought all she would be asked to do was read resolutions, which is something she was prepared for through her speaking at Order of the Eastern Star functions. But she eventually found herself being a shoulder to cry on, a companion for families and someone willing to play outside with the kids when they need to let some energy out.

As long as Dixon Lewis can work with people, no matter how big or small the job is, she’ll help however she can and turn a complete stranger into a friend in the process.

“It’s a good feeling,” she said. “It’s a happy feeling, meeting people and learning and partaking. It’s hard to describe. It just works.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

WONDER WOMAN:

Dee Dee

Grooms D BREANNE WILLIAMS

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STAFF WRITER

ee Dee Grooms is a familiar name in Plant City. She is almost always linked to her husband, Carl Grooms. The iconic duo has long been quietly shaping their community into one in which they hope future generations will choose and prosper.

Fancy Farms evolved through many years of dreams and hard work, and it’s left a lasting mark on the community. Truly astonishing are the many lives touched by the Grooms’ passion for agricultural education.

“Our mindset has always been to give back,” Dee Dee said. “We’ve been very blessed and we are able to share and so, of course, that is what we have always done.”

The Grooms care deeply about youth, stating the future of the community lies with its children.

For that reason they often focus on activities and organizations like 4-H and FFA. If there’s an FFA banquet or agriculture show in town or even just a local student requesting an interview about the strawberry industry, the Grooms never fail to provide the opportunity to share.

“These activities help the students realize that they are recognized and supported,” Dee Dee says, “But it’s also about preserving American agriculture...I really hope that Plant City will be the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World for decades to come, but

that is only going to happen if our children also share a passion for berry farming and fight to remain competitive.”

Although Dee Dee is well-known in the community, she actually prefers to work behind the scenes.

Part of her passion lies in serving with GraceWay Church of Plant City. Dee Dee has done everything from teaching at Bible school to working in the nursery and joining the choir. She currently serves on the leadership team.

Outside of agriculture events and organizations, Dee Dee and Carl also support local events like Diamonds & Denim and Dancing with the Locals.

In February, they even donned aprons and chefs’ hats to whip up a dessert for the annual United Food Bank of Plant City Celebrity Chef, which raised nearly $100,000. It was perfect for Dee Dee because cooking is her love language. She cooks for her family as well as friends and is a five-time grand champion winner from the Florida Strawberry Festival’s many food contests.

“I would hope that my legacy would be that I helped make Plant City a better place for future generations,” Dee Dee said. “I hope that in every way possible, we helped Plant City to be a better community... I think that when all is said and done, people will know that we cared for this community, that we loved this community and

that we fought very hard for the children and youth in our town.”

Dee Dee was born in Plant City.

She grew up in Dover and Turkey Creek and graduated from the former Turkey Creek High School in 1972. Their daughter Kristi was born in 1977 and their son Dustin in 1981 to complete their family.

The unique and special memories the Grooms created growing up among the strawberry rows are ones that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.

On Dec. 3, 2018, Dee Dee’s life changed forever.

Once again, she chose to largely keep the experience to herself, never asking for help and never letting on that she was ill. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was contained in the duct and it was the exact same cancer with which her mother had been diagnosed age 68.

To even get the initial diagnosis, Dee Dee faced a plethora of hurdles.

The first biopsy took three hours. The doctors were not certain if they even removed enough

tissue and warned her that round two was likely imminent.

She was prepped for surgery.

The dye for the lymph nodes was injected and she went under the knife in January 2019. Three lymph nodes were removed but the pain did not go away. During a follow-up visit, she remembers the doctor pulling aside her gown and saying, “Oh no!”

Her body suffered an allergic reaction to the dye, which resulted in a severe infection. A heavy dosage of antibiotics was prescribed along with the warning that it could get worse. It took seven weeks to heal.

Because the tumor was rated a three, they recommended 34 treatments of radiation. Eventually she overcame the countless hurdles and was finally able to “ring the bell.” It was one of the happiest moments of her life.

Soon afterward, she developed a cough and was treated for pneumonia. The cough did not go away.

She struggled to breathe. Her doctor expressed no ideas but her gut feeling was that something

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

was very wrong. On Nov. 13, 2019, Dee Dee went to the hospital for tests. As she was leaving, the doctor remarked that her breathing issue more than likely stemmed from the fact her lung had been compromised from the radiation.

This was news to her.

After careful consideration, Dee Dee chose to instead trust her care to the same physician who treated her mother. At this point in time, she was unable to walk around the room without oxygen.

Right before Thanksgiving, she received a phone call from her new doctor who prescribed an oxygen tank. She remained on the tank for more than seven months.

The world entered a pandemic.

Finally, after many months, Dee Dee received the call for which she had been praying: all was clear and she could finally live without the oxygen tank.

“I am thankful. It could have been so much worse,” Dee Dee said. “I wasn’t worried about me. No matter what happens - if I survive or if I die, I know that ultimately I will spend eternity in Heaven. During that time I was so worried about my family and tried to be strong for them – especially for my husband Carl... and now, now I realize that maybe my story can inspire someone else.”

Dee Dee encourages women to trust their feelings and instincts. If the first opinion unsettles you and you feel that something just isn’t right, go get a second opinion.

“Hope, that’s all we truly have,” Dee Dee says. “I went through a lot, but I know there are so many more women who go through even more than what I did. But if I can help and give just one person hope, it will be well worth sharing my story.”

See full story online at plantcityobserver.com.

Congratulations,

dee dee Grooms!

Wonder Woman 2020

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CONGRATULATIONS

on all your accomplishments. Our family is so blessed to call you wife, mom, Gee Gee, friend and Head Chef! We couldn’t make it through each day without your support and guidance.

“When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her.

Her husband praises her: There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Proverbs 31:26-29

Love, Carl, Kristi, Dustin, Alison and Skyler Produce Stand: 5204 Drane Field Rd. | 813.478.3486 or 813.754.4852 | FancyFarms.com

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

WONDER WOMAN:

Chevelle

Hallback

Hallback has represented Plant City in the boxing world since 1997, putting “The Itty-Bitty” city on the map for people all over the globe.

Her fighting career is not over yet, but she’s working on the next chapter of her life and planning for it to be helpful for others.

JUSTIN KLINE

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SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

hevelle Hallback’s “fists of steel” are well-known in the boxing world.

The Plant City native has used them in rings all over the world since 1997 and has five world championships to show for it. Even after a five-year hiatus (which wasn’t her choice), Hallback’s 2019 comeback showed the world those fists still aren’t rusty with two decisive wins over Szilvia Szabados.

Hallback made her pro debut on Feb. 21, 1997 and has a record of 32-8-2 with 13 of those wins coming by knockout. She has won world titles in the Super Featherweight, Lightweight and Welterweight divisions. She’s faced some of the biggest names in combat sports, such as world No. 2 welterweight Cecilia Braekhus and crossover star Holly Holm, best-known for her upset win over UFC star Ronda Rousey in the octagon. Hallback is currently ranked ninth in the world among welterweights and third among American fighters.

She knows she’ll have to hang up the gloves for good sooner or later, but she’s

not retired yet. Hallback’s working on lining up some more bouts and her goal is for her final fight, whenever that may be, to be held here in her hometown and she’s been hard at work getting that set up. As someone who’s spent decades correcting people who have billed her as fighting out of Tampa, it would be the perfect ending.

“I found a venue, it’s just getting all the details together and everything,” she said.

“My final fight is definitely gonna happen next year.”

But what comes next? The short answer is, a lot. Boxing may be the thing that most defines Hallback’s life, but she’s revealing herself to be a true Renaissance woman as her in-ring career approaches its end.

She’s long expressed her desire to train the next generation of local boxing stars.

Hallback currently does offer training services and most recently worked closely with Plant City Boxing Gym owner Jose Rodriguez for his recent pro debut, but plans to get more into that after her retirement. She’d also like to train kids age 6-17 with a program anyone could afford, which

may lead to a donation-funded program for them.

Another thing that’s piqued her interest is motivational speaking. She already knew she had a good foundation to build on. Her life story includes a very late start in boxing without an amateur career, learning to navigate the twists and turns of boxing’s business side, blazing a trail for women in the sport and, of course, coming back to win two fights at 48 years old. She’s a firm believer in defying expectations people set based on your age, gender and other trivial reasons people would have to sow the seeds of doubt within you. She’s also all the living proof she needs to make that point.

After trying her hand at public speaking and joining National Speaking Academy and Plant City’s Toastmasters group, Hallback revealed herself to also be a charismatic, compelling storyteller. She’s participated in the Great American Teach-In around Plant City, the 2019 Black History Month celebration in Plant City and other local events, and she hopes to expand on that soon.

“I want to be able to book some gigs, to actually get my story out. My story of starting boxing,” she said. “With that are lessons of motivation and an inspirational message as well. I’ve been through a lot with my boxing career. Toward the end, or what other people see as the end, I’m always told ‘You can’t get any fights because you’re too old…’ so after not fighting for five years with this excuse and finally landing a fight, fighting someone younger than

myself and beating her twice, I have said people look at my age and not my skill set.

Yes, I’m a certain age but I am also able to perform at a high level.”

Unsurprisingly, Hallback’s charisma also comes through on film. In addition to modeling, she decided to try her hand at acting two years ago and is starting to land some roles for herself, notably now on OWN’s David Makes Man and the YouTube series War Up. She recently auditioned for a bigger role in David Makes Man, made the top two and is waiting to learn whether she got the part.

“I hope and pray that I get it,” Hallback said. “Even if I don’t get it, I’m grateful because I’m just starting. I haven’t done anything major and to get selected to be in the running with a major network… I’m excited about that. I’m so stoked about it.”

She’s an outgoing, down-to-earth person, but her career in boxing gave her the ability to play the tough gal with ease. She likes the idea of playing a villain on camera.

“I’m always smiling and upbeat, but there is a flip side,” Hallback said. “I wanted to try my hand at it.”

She’s decided to try her hand at some off-screen work as well and recently started writing her own screenplays. Nothing has been finished just yet, but Hallback’s pen has been flowing during the time of COVID-19.

No matter what she tries after she’s done fighting (away from the movie and TV cameras, that is), one thing’s for certain: one of Plant City’s brightest stars is still going to shine.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

WONDER WOMAN:

Gwendolyn (Gwen)

Thomas BREANNE WILLIAMS

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STAFF WRITER

wen Thomas is known for many things in this community: her passion for lifting up the generations behind her, her quiet and humble nature and her varied interests in giving back, to name a few.

However, her strength of character is undoubtedly what raises her to a point of distinction.

Thomas is a woman of her word and teaches through her actions what it means to be a person of honor and grace.

“I always tell my husband my life is my own and I make decisions based on the whole picture, not just what I want for myself,” Thomas said. “You cannot live your life looking at just yourself.

This world is bigger than you and when you realize that, you can start making decisions that will make not just your life, but the community around you a better place. I’ve always tried to do that, to use my time here to make something better.”

She shies away from the limelight, but if you ask around, the rippling effects of her impact in this community are startling.

Thomas and her husband — William “Bill” Thomas — are involved in many groups and organizations in the community. She serves as the Executive Director of Bealsville Inc,. an organization that manages and maintains the Glover School

National Historic Landmark. She is a member of several other groups including the Arts Council of Plant City, the Woman’s Club of Plant City and the Improvement League of Plant City.

She’s been active in the community for decades and was a longtime volunteer with the Boy Scouts, heavily involved in Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, a proud member of Business and Professional Women of Plant City in its prime and founder of the Ladies of the Millennium group, which encouraged young women to learn life skills and discuss women’s issues as well as develop a strong and healthy self-esteem.

“I think the Young Ladies of the Millennium is one of the things I am most proud of,” Thomas said.

“It was a group of young ladies that came out not just to play, but to learn and to grow. We got together to be all-encompassing and it evolved into everything.

We learned about life, how to love each other and ourselves, we learned to cook together, went to conferences together, we had sessions on small things like makeup and hygiene and we talked about religion and our faith. I watched those girls grow up and now they’re graduating college or having families. They’re productive citizens. It was a wonderful thing.”

Thomas has watched this community evolve for her entire life.

She grew up on Alabama Street and said when she and Bill married and moved to base — Bill served in the Army — it was the first time they had white neighbors. She said everyone worked together and race was no longer on the table. You helped each other out no matter what.

“Being in the military, it allows you to be exposed and be in contact with individuals from all over the world so you learn to just work with everyone and not just be in your own little bubble,” Thomas said. “I learned to cook Mexican food, German food, all kinds of food from European countries.

We moved around a lot and got to know so many different people.

That’s the main thing in life, you have these opinions and assumptions about people, but you have to push those aside and really get to know someone.”

They were often the only black couple in the room and Thomas joked that if it didn’t bother them, it didn’t bother her. Through this mindset, long-lasting friendships were born and she said she learned lessons she never would

have if they stayed in their comfort zone.

They moved to Alabama, Panama Canal Zone, Georgia and Germany. Their suitcases traveled all over the globe until it was finally time for them to come home.

Thomas was working for the federal government and when Bill told her it was time they considered moving back to Plant City, she was reluctant at first. She’d have to give up her career and her new set of friends. But their parents were getting older and she knew they needed to come back to start the next chapter of their lives.

So they did. No sooner were their suitcases unpacked than they got involved in the community they’d left all those years before.

“We got to work,” Thomas said.

“Of course we did. This was our home and we were living here, so of course we wanted to do our part in making it a little better. You don’t do this for the fame or the notoriety. It’s not being put on a pedestal. It’s about doing what you commit yourself to do and go on. I don’t need my name on

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

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things to say ‘she did this.’ If the outcome is good and we reach that point that it benefits people, we are more than happy. Bill and I volunteer and serve as much as we do because we want to support those organizations we are involved in. If you’re part of it and don’t support it, why are you even there? You’ve got to do the work.”

Thomas has impacted nearly every life she’s touched. She serves with a gentle determination, giving her all to each task she vows to complete. You’ll never hear her speak ill toward anyone.

She treats everyone with respect and always takes the time to step back and look at the big picture. If she thinks her involvement could help bring change or improve a situation, she’ll volunteer.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone in the city who hasn’t worked with or benefited from Thomas’ passion for the community. It’s a legacy she and her husband carry with pride and one passed down to her son, William Thomas Jr., who is now President of the Improvement League.

“We’ve really tried to make that a focus, to support and participate in programs for youth in our community” Thomas said. “When you think about it, so many of our youth have working parents or a single parent and they may not be able to be as involved as they would like in some activities. So we step up and provide some assistance for them. They say it takes a village to raise a child and that’s exactly right. I hope that I’ve used my time here to help our youth and others, to make our community a little better because I was here. You can’t do it alone.

You’ve got to reach down and pull someone up with you. If you have a talent to share, share it. Teach someone else what you know.

Then they can teach someone and so on.”

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

WONDER WOMAN:

Michelle

Valdes

Valdes is well-known throughout Plant City as an unstoppable force of charity. She’s always looking for someone to help through her nonprofit, Operation Paying it Forward, and is extremely active in other community organizations.

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SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

s long as Michelle Valdes is alive, she’ll keep helping people in need. That’s the fire within her and it’s never going out.

Valdes, best known as the driving force behind Operation Paying it Forward, has been that way for her entire adult life. Many people around the Tampa and Plant City areas have been touched by her kindness whether they knew it was her or they only knew that someone in the grocery store paid all or much of their bill before running away. She used to prefer the anonymity; now she’s more comfortable not having much of a choice.

“People started recognizing that it was me and I couldn’t hide anymore,” she said.

Much has been written about her nonprofit, which she formed in 2018 with the support of a handful of friends and business partners in Plant City. There’s no act of kindness too large or too small for Operation Paying it Forward, which will use any means to help any person. It may be a fundraiser one month, a free house painting the next month and a vehicle giveaway later. OPIF has a “100 percent in, 100 percent out” policy for donations because Valdes doesn’t believe in paying it forward just to pay herself.

“That’s the difference between me and a lot of charities,” she said. “There’s no directors’ fees, there’s no salaries, no noth-

ing. It’s purely volunteer-based because it comes out of love and compassion and my heart from what I grew up with.”

Valdes had a tough childhood in Tampa.

She suffered abuse and dealt with the effects of alcoholism in her family. She often found her way into trouble — or perhaps trouble found her — and she could easily have become a statistic. Those were a guidance counselor’s words to her in high school.

But there were bright spots. Two stood out among the rest: her mother and grandmother, who came to the United States from Cuba to start a new life. They never asked for handouts, Valdes said, but they were also never afraid to give them.

“My mother, even though she was an alcoholic and I suffered abuse and all that stuff — we all have stories — she taught me to pay it forward, to give always to the less fortunate,” Valdes said. “And even though we might not have had a milk jug in the refrigerator, it was like half of it was going to the neighbor. So when I was young, she used to take me to Metropolitan Ministries on North Florida Avenue (in Tampa) and she used to cook meals. She worked seven days a week, raising a bad child… her taking me to Metropolitan Ministries when I was young, it stuck with me as I got older and it resonated. It stayed with me to teach me that we’re all blessed in our

own ways. It’s how we look at our blessings that we have. I’m thankful I’m able to wake up every day, to see and breathe… that’s something my mom taught me.”

Valdes did not become a statistic. She became a successful business owner and defied the expectations for “a girl from the hood” whose stubbornness was a defining trait.

“To go back to the schools and talk to the (Career Academy) students about everything I went through — the abuse, the alcoholic parents and so forth — and being able to say I’m not a statistic, I own several businesses in Plant City and I’m able to pay it forward but I remember where I came from, that’s what makes me humble,” Valdes said.

It wasn’t until 2005 that Valdes began to make random acts of kindness a major crusade of her life. Cancer took her mother away that year and Valdes said that sent her into a deep depression for “about a year.” She sought counseling for a while but nothing seemed to click until one gave her a simple piece of advice.

“I finally saw one counselor who told me ‘one person at a time,’” Valdes said. Bam. An epiphany, a light came on for me.”

That’s when she decided to start helping one person at a time, anonymously, whenever she could. Though she lived in Plant City, she would often go to a Kash n’ Karry in west Tampa to look for people who needed help paying for their groceries, hustle over to the register to give the

cashier some money and scurry off before anyone could stop her. She would often ride around with gas canisters and tanks in case she found someone on the side of the road who had run out. Nothing was ever really planned — Valdes was just ready for anything at any time.

That is, until 2010 when she, her friends from East Bay Raceway and the folks at Tint Plus customized a motorized wheelchair for a young local racing fan with cerebral palsy. Valdes used to race on that track and said the boy was a fan who “lived vicariously through us.” Seeing his and his family’s reaction to getting surprised with the tricked-out wheelchair — his parents cried, he took it out to do donuts in the nearest parking lot and Valdes raced him on foot — inspired her to keep going.

“From then on it was like, I had to do it,” she said. “Every year, I had to look for a big act to do besides my little small, random ones.”

The COVID-19 pandemic made OPIF’s mission a little more difficult than usual in 2020, but Valdes said she and the group will hit the ground running and make up for lost time as soon as more restrictions are lifted. There’s always someone out there who needs help, and helping is all she knows.

“You have to make your mark somehow,” Valdes said. “If everyone did one act once a week around the world, the world would be in a better place. Just one act from one person, once a week.”

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

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COMMISSION ROUNDUP The Turkey Creek Road Project is one step closer to completion and a local company was offered an extension to qualify for the Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemption.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Last week’s commission meeting was short, but impactful.

Commissioners began the next step toward completing the Turkey Creek Road Project. Last week, they approved the ranking of firms that submitted bids to take over the project.

In May 2013, the City of Plant City entered into two interlocal Transportation Grant Agreements with Hillsborough County. Those agreements allocated funds toward two transportation projects: the Turkey Creek Road Improvements and the Airport Road/Turkey Creek Signalization.

The city then used transportation impact fees for the Airport Road Realignment Project.

The Water/Sewer Utilities Fund is going to be tapped to pay for the costs to relocate all of the water and sewer lines. The city announced the engineer’s estimated construction cost for all areas totals $8.4 million. The report said the “project’s scale

and complexity will require professional construction engineering and inspection (CE&I) services for contract administration, construction project management, and materials testing.”

Nine responses were received by Aug. 20 and the Request for Qualifications evaluation committee composed of Frank Coughenour, Tatyana Austin, Lynn Spivey, Tonya Grant and David Vogel interviewed the three highest-ranked firms. From there the final ranking list was submitted to the city commissioners as: KCCS, Inc in first, Stanley Consultants in second and Elipsis Engineering and Consulting in third. A Notice of Intent to Award for KCCS, Inc. was issued on Sept. 30.

What that means is City Manager Bill McDaniel was approved to start negotiations with KCCS, Inc. If for some reason negotiations fail, he can then move on to the next-ranked firm.

A public hearing was also held to discuss extending the Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemption for NuCycle

Energy of Tampa, LLC formerly Materials Lifecycle Management Company of Tampa, LLC. Local voters approved the referendum on Nov. 2, 2010, which essentially allows local governments to grant tax exemptions to qualifying new business or expansions of qualifying existing businesses. On July 23, 2018, commissioners approved the tax exemption for Materials Lifecycle Management Company of Tampa, LLC. IT would commence Jan. 1, 2021 and expire Dec. 31 of the seventh tax year afterward.

Then MLMC changed its name to NuCycle Energy of Tampa, LLC. The company, located at 2067 S. County Line Road, said it would employ at least 45 new full-time equivalent employees at an average annual wage of at least $58,383 and make a Capital Investment exceeding $8,887,000 prior to the commencement of any exemption granted.

The company asked commissioners for an extension to the “creation and maintenance of 45 full-time equivalent employees

due to operational obstructions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.” The change will delay the commencement date of the Exemption to Jan. 1, 2022, and then extend the expiration date of the Exemption by one year.

After the public hearing was held, commissioners agreed that with the unexpected hurdles of COVID-19, it only made sense to grant the extension.

Local voters have the opportunity to make their voices heard on whether they wish for this tax exemption to remain in place. The referendum is up for renewal and is on Plant City residents’ ballots under the title “Plant City Economic Development Property Tax Exemptions for New Businesses and Expansions of Existing Businesses.”

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

SCHOOL RESOURCE DEPUTY SAVES STRAWBERRY CREST STUDENT’S LIFE Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Pedro Colon performed CPR chest compressions on David Nieves when the student experienced a seizure on Oct. 12.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

David Nieves was feeling perfectly normal on Oct. 12 when he went to the Strawberry Crest High School cafeteria to get some lunch. In what seemed like a split second later, he realized he was getting in an ambulance with no idea why.

“I’m eating lunch and everything’s fine,” Nieves, 18, said. “Next thing you know, I’m being strolled into the ambulance and trying to figure out what is happening. I don’t remember anything in between the events of what happened.”

As quick as that transition seemed for him, a school resource deputy’s actions were, thankfully, even quicker.

Deputy Pedro Colon of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, an SRD of 12 years who just started working at Crest this school year, was alerted to Nieves’ condition and rushed over to him in the cafeteria.

“The principal and assistant principal were rendering aid,” Colon said. “I walked over and checked on the student, noticed that he had stopped breathing and started CPR chest compressions until he started breathing on his own.”

Principal Christie Raburn said a student who saw Nieves’ seizure ran over to get her and assistant principal Trent Hobbs.

The two started rendering aid and called for Colon’s help. Raburn and Hobbs went through the first two phases of the ABC method — airway and breathing — and Colon wasted no time performing the compressions.

“We feel great that it actually worked out,” Raburn said. “Obviously any time you have a happy ending, it’s a good situation.

You’re terrified in the moment… for everything to work out, it’s a blessing.”

The incident was captured on Colon’s body-worn camera and HCSO released the video on its YouTube channel. Nieves said Thursday he was still trying to process what happened and what he saw in the video. He said he felt fine that day before the seizure and that, other than undergoing open heart surgery when he was three years old, he hasn’t had any major health issues.

“I’m like, wow, that actually happened,” Nieves said. “I’ve never had anything like that happen before to me in my life. It’s a first for me. It’s a lot to take in… I didn’t think anything like that could happen to me.”

Colon, who had just greeted Nieves in the cafeteria “just 10 minutes earlier” and recognized him, said he didn’t have time to think about what was happening in the moment but was glad Nieves was able to get medical attention almost immediately.

“I had a big feeling of relief that the worst was over at this point. He’s awake, he’s breathing on his own,” Colon said. “At that point we continued to render aid until EMS could arrive and they were able to get him to the hospital. I do feel proud. I’m happy that I was here at the right time, in the right place, happy to have the training that I had in order to render aid that he needed at that time and I’m thankful that he’s here with us today. I was relieved to see him doing much better, back to his normal self.”

Both he and Raburn called Colon a hero for his actions, and Nieves got to chat with Colon on Thursday morning during his first day back at school. The two exchanged a few fist bumps and Nieves expressed his gratitude for the deputy’s rapid response.

“I thank him for saving my life,” Nieves said. “I see him as a hero.”

Justin Kline

Deputy Pedro Colon, David Nieves and Strawberry Crest Principal Christie Raburn stand outside the school’s front entrance on Oct. 15 following a press conference. It was Nieves’ first day back at school.

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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DOCTOR’S NOTE: DON’T FALL INTO HEARING LOSS LET’S FIGHT THE FALL TOGETHER

This October, we celebrate both National Audiology Month and National Physical Therapy Awareness Month.

Fall is upon us! The taste of pumpkin spice lattes, the smell of apple cider scented candles and changes in weather as days become shorter are just a few things that stimulate our senses this season.

But what about our ability to hear?

Although many tend to take it for granted, hearing is one of the most crucial senses we rely on from the inner ear. Not only does the inner ear control your sense of hearing, but it’s also linked to the vestibular system which regulates your movement and balance.

The inner ear is composed of two important parts: the cochlea for hearing and the vestibular system for balance. Both are essential when it comes to performing daily activities safely.

This year, hearing loss has already increased by 15 percent — affecting nearly 50 million Americans age 12 and older. Although hearing loss is the third most common (yet most treatable) health condition in the United States, it is often overlooked. In most cases, hearing loss occurs gradually, making it easy for an individual to become adapted to it. Most people do not realize that untreated hearing loss can also affect the vestibular system since

the inner ear detects movement and controls balance by sending sensory cells to the brain. An individual’s risk of falling increases 140 percent for every 10 decibels of hearing loss. For example, if an individual has a 30 decibel hearing loss, they are 420 percent more likely to fall than an age/gender matched counterpart with no hearing loss.

The ability to hear connects us to the world, while maintaining our balance allows us to move safely at home, access our community and interact with our environment. Together, these systems keep us functionally independent.

The doctors of audiology at the Florida Center for Hearing Health have extensive, specialized experience and state-of-the-art technology to safely evaluate, diagnose and treat hearing loss. In addition, FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers rely on science-based therapies to evaluate and perform proper treatments for numerous balance disorders.

Now is the perfect time to not only check and protect your hearing, but also to optimize your movement and improve your range of motion. As partners of Florida E.N.T. & Allergy, the providers at the Florida

Center for Hearing Health and FYZICAL work closely with board-certified physicians to provide the best possible hearing-related services and physical therapy to their patients.

For additional information or to schedule an appointment with a Florida E.N.T. & Allergy physician, Florida Center for Hearing Health audiologist and/or a FYZICAL therapist, please call 813-879-8045 or visit Florida E.N.T. & Allergy online at www.FloridaENTandAllergy.com.

The physicians of Florida E.N.T. & Allergy have served the Tampa Bay community for over 40 years. The board certified physicians & doctors of audiology have completed extensive education and clinical training.

They also have specialized training in their area(s) of expertise. From pediatric allergies to fitting hearing aids, our caring and experienced providers specialize in ear, nose and throat care for the entire family using comprehensive, cuttingedge technologies.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

2020 CHEVY BOLT GOES THE DISTANCE – SOLELY ON BATTERY NITISH S. RELE

Imagine going over 250 miles and some more on a full one-time electric charge in a ride.

GM claims 259 miles (up 21 from its predecessor), to be exact, in its four-door, five-passenger 2019 Bolt EV. Plus, the four-door, five-passenger Bolt EV is an ultra-smooth and cool hatchback package with superb handling and overall balance.

The ride is remarkably cooperative, soaking hurdles with dexterity, sure-footedness and poise.

The four-door hatchback driving force comes from an electric motor propelled by a huge under-floor lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 66 kWh. It produces 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. The Bolt is mated to a singlespeed gearbox with a sport mode switch to liven up handling. Regenerative braking allows the vehicle, when coasting or slowing down, to capture kinetic energy that would be lost. It converts the energy into useable electricity to recharge the battery.

Keeping the vehicle stable enough to soak bumps is an independent suspension of front MacPherson strut and torsion beam rear. The column-mounted electric power rack-and-pinion steering is accurate and unswerving. Charging options include a standard 120-volt Level 1 power cord, which takes an hour to recharge 4 to 5 miles. Instead, opt for the 240-volt Level 2 charging, which can recharge 25 miles or so in an hour (cost to install can range from $750 to $1,000).

It isn’t really a stunner though HID projector headlights flanking the familiar and centered Chevy bowtie gives the car a fitting appearance. The cabin is unlike most cars, especially the instrument panel with a 8-inch LCD screen in driver’s vision displaying the digital speedometer, distance, miles to go, average and battery level bar graph indicators. The massive

10.2-inch color screen in the center stack shows entertainment, climate and navigation readouts.

We must admit we were pleasantly surprised with the 56.6 cubic foot cargo space, plenty for several bags of luggage.

Also standard are a single-zone auto a/c, leather shifter with satin silver and chrome accents, tilt/telescopic steering column, six-way manual front seats, 60/40 split rear fold seat and keyless open/start.

Standard safety features include dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag, front knee airbags, lane change/side blind zone/rear-cross traffic alerts, rear park assist, pedestrian safety signal, threepoint safety belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, stability and traction control, rearview camera, tire pressure monitor and daytime running lights.

Though no longer eligible for a federal tax credit, the Bolt is a trailblazing vehicle that offers speedy acceleration with ample power. This car of the future could one day be mastered to perfection (imagine going 500 miles on an electric charge).

BOLT EV PREMIER Tires: P215/50R17 Wheelbase: 102.4 inches Length: 164 inches Width: 69.5 inches Height: 62.8 inches Weight: 3,563 pounds Miles Per Gallon equivalent (MPGe): 118 Base price: $41,020 Price as tested: $44,130 Web site: www.chevy.com

Nitish S. Rele operates motoringtampabay.com and Khaas Baat, and was an automotive editor/columnist for the Tampa Tribune. Email him at motoringtampabay@gmail.com.

CUTEST CRITTER

Do you want Plant City to see how cute your favorite pets are? Send your pictures to Staff Writer Breanne Williams at bwilliams@plantcityobserver.com to be featured.

PEPPER: Pepper the French Bulldog, now seven months old, came into Lizet Chavez’s life early in the COVID-19 pandemic and has been a joy ever since. She said Pepper is “energetic, affectionate and playful. He loves pup cups, blankets, sticks and chasing lizards.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

VETERANS OFFERED FREE ASSISTANCE AT BING HOUSE The Bing Rooming House Museum has invited local veterans to take part in a free counseling session to make sure they are taking advantage of the benefits available to them.

BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER

Local veterans now have the opportunity to pore over benefits available to them thanks to the new free counseling service offered at the Bing Rooming House Museum.

George Hampton, a VA counselor, will be on site from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Wednesday to meet with local veterans who want to make sure they are up-todate on the services and benefits available for them. Federal, state and local opportunities are constantly changing and it is often difficult for veterans to stay on top of everything they could benefit from. That’s where Hampton comes in.

“It all started at this past year’s MLK Festival,” William Thomas Jr., president of the Improvement League of Plant City, said. “Our theme was centered around recognizing local veterans, specifically people of color that had served in our military. There were so many that we were able to recognize and we realized just how many people in this community had served. After the event there was an individual, George Hampton, who approached

us and said that he wanted to provide some VA counsel to help guide our veterans through the process of VA benefits.”

The pandemic further complicated matters, so the Improvement League of Plant City decided to wait until it was safe to have people meet in person to open the Bing House’s doors. The free counseling program opened Oct. 7 and five veterans have already taken advantage of the assistance.

The Bing House has always been more than just a museum. For years it has been the gathering place for a variety of groups, including a youth forensics program, and has hosted several community events like Taste of Laura Street and the Plant City MLK Festival on its property. Thomas said they want its community outreach to continue to grow. Between last year’s MLK Festival and the Veterans Coffee event, it became clear there was a large need in the community for veterans assistance.

Thomas is a veteran himself, as are many of the members of leadership with the Improvement League. It's a cause he said

is close to all of their hearts and he added they are beyond thrilled that they are able to offer this service with Hampton’s help.

“We want to make sure our fellow brethren are taken care of,” Thomas said.

“We hold them in high favor. What a lot of people don’t realize is benefits aren’t just for those who are retired military. If you served any amount of time, you have options open to you. With everything going on right now it’s so important that our veterans take advantage of the help that’s available.”

Walk-ins are welcome and can arrive anytime throughout the event. If that time period doesn’t work with someone’s schedule, Thomas said they can call the Bing House at 813-704-5800 to set up an appointment with Hampton.

When you arrive, a temperature check will be given at the door and attendees are asked to wear masks to protect their fellow veterans. To streamline the process, bring your DD214 form with you.

IF YOU GO What: Free Assistance for Military Veterans When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Wednesday Where: Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., Plant City Requirements: Masks are required and temperature checks will be given at the door.

Via: VA Counselor George Hampton Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific time

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH: SURPRISE SUNSETS

Fall helps us recognize that life is still moving forward, pandemic or not, and we must be willing to enjoy the times of our life just as we encounter the seasons within life.

DR. DANIEL MIDDLEBROOKS

It stopped me in my tracks.

I walked out the back door of our church fellowship hall to put some items in our storage shed when the sight before me caused me to stand still. I looked intently at it and then called for others to come take a look. It was an incredible sunset over the strawberry fields behind our church. The deep reds and orange streaks accentuated with the thin lines of clouds was breathtaking. So we did what we all naturally to do in moments like these: we pulled out our iPhones and took pictures.

It did, however, make me think a bit more about the magnificent scene and the fact I am sure there were probably just as many sunsets of “oohs and ahhhs” in the nights before but, for some reason, I missed them.

I’ll bet you did, too.

Since the pandemic, we went from seemingly sitting still to running 90 to nothing to catch up the lost ground of months. But there is one thing I like about the fall season: it helps us to slow down a bit and enjoy the majestic moments more. Maybe it is because we are not running from the coolness in our cars to the AC in our homes or businesses that we tend to walk a bit slower and look around more. I know that for the thousands within the community who have been working feverishly (in the good way) to get the businesses, schools and life back up and running, we can develop a chaotic cadence of treadmill travel. It is going fast but, in the end, going nowhere.

We often use October as a preparation month for the mad dash of Thanksgiving and Christmas for the gatherings, the presents, the projects and the traveling. The treadmill gets going faster and faster until we get to the new year and say, “I make a resolution to not be so busy this year!” Here is a thought.

Why not make October the preparation for the peace in the coming seasons rather than going to pieces during them?

The past months of masks, social distancing, Zoom meetings ad nauseum, e-learning, stores and restaurants reopening and toilet paper flying off the shelves have taught us we can be still, we can talk more, we can plan more and we can do those “someday” projects today. We can stop and smell the roses.

That is what Mr. Fred Wolfe taught me when I was stationed in the Army in Alabama. Arienne and I were at Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama one Sunday morning. After the service, we were all moving toward the doors to head to our cars. That day, we parked on the top level and needed to go through the children’s area to get there. The traffic flow of people moved well until we seemed to hit a bottleneck. It was Mr. Wolfe. He still walked with a purpose despite being in his 80s, but on this morning he walked slowly and stopped at the corner to smell the flowers on display.

He turned to us and said, “It has taken me over 80 years to learn to do that. Maybe it won’t take you so long to do the same.”

I must admit, it has been since 1990 that the lesson of “stop and smell the roses” was modeled in front of me. The question is, what am I modeling to those around me today? What is the lesson I am teaching to my family, my friends, and my congregation? Is it to run fast, or will it be to “stop and see the sunsets?” For me, it is hard because I wake up with my AAA batteries fully charged and I’m go, go, gone. Yet I (and maybe you, too) must learn that the energy God gives us is not to hurry through life, but to hold tightly onto it. It’s to sit on the porch with your aging parents and solve the problems of the world. It’s to take the walk with a spouse and share again the dreams of the future. It’s to sit in the floor and roll the Matchbox cars back and forth with the kids. It’s to fall into the easy chair and let the dog that has waited so patiently for you to come home hop into your lap — their cuddling space.

Let me leave you with a twist on an old saying. “Don’t just do something, stand there.” When we learn to be content with the silence of our day, we become better students of the teacher of time.

As I conclude, I look once again at the picture of the sunset and smile. God has majestic colors for us in the sky that He ultimately paints across the horizon of our hearts. What will your sunset look like?

Dr. Daniel Middlebrooks is the Senior Chaplain of First Call Church and the CEO/President of Chaplaincy Care, Inc.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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CARPETS

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

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OCTOBER 22, 2020

SPORTS

Mallory Smith leads Plant City’s volleyball team in kills and helped win a district title last week. See Page 18

GAME OF THE WEEK:

Quick Hits

STRAWBERRY CREST AT DURANT The Chargers visit the Cougars on Friday night as both teams look to try and snap a losing streak.

File photos

PCHS VOLLEYBALL WINS FIRST DISTRICT TITLE SINCE 1980 It’s been 40 years since Plant City High School’s volleyball team last held a district championship trophy up high, but the girls did it again last Thursday with a 3-0 win over Armwood.

The Raiders continued their strong run with their third win over the Hawks by scores of 25-13, 25-16 and 25-21 playing on the road after Armwood received a first-round bye in the FHSAA’s blind playoff draw. With the clean sweep, Plant City finished its 2020 series against Armwood winning all nine sets.

Not only did the Raiders rewrite the school history book, but they also likely rewrote the school’s record book with a win percentage of .846.

“I knew coming into this year that this was the group of girls that would win a district championship, so it was very exciting to see it all come together and despite all the craziness with COVID and everything, it’s been extremely successful,” head coach Sara Tooman said. “It’s a group of very skilled players and they all work very well together. When they’re on the court they just make it happen.”

Tooman said this team’s secret weapon has been its chemistry. The girls all share a tight bond on and off the court and know exactly how to complement each other during games. Nowhere is this more evident than in district play, where the team went 6-0 and won 18 sets — nine more than runner-up Strawberry Crest, another strong program that’s won two of the last three district championships.

“They work so well together,” Tooman said. “Sometimes they don’t communicate enough on the court because they’re all pretty much reading each other’s minds, but somehow they pull it off. That’s for sure.”

Plant City got back on the court Wednesday night at home against Leto, but results from the game were not available at press time.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The month of October hasn’t been particularly kind to either the Durant Cougars or the Strawberry Crest Chargers, but the good news for these teams is that one of them will finally get a win on Friday night.

Durant, which started the month with a 34-6 win over Sumner on Oct. 2, has lost two consecutive games to Bloomingdale and Lakeland, respectively. Crest, which had a bye week on Oct. 9, is winless in both October games against Lakeland and Plant City, respectively. Both teams haven’t been able to get on the scoreboard in each of their last two games.

Last week, Durant finished its twogame road trip at Lakeland and took a 35-0 loss to the Dreadnaughts. Lakeland picked up 260 rushing yards and 115 passing yards against the Cougars’ defense, and the defense came up with three interceptions, a fumble recovery and a goal-line stand in the third quarter. Durant did not post its offensive stats for the game to MaxPreps.com.

Meanwhile, at Plant City, the Chargers took a 30-0 loss to the Raiders. Forced

to get creative to work around its quarterbacks not being able to play, Crest came up with a game plan that worked quite well other than the lack of scoring.

With Marcus Springfield and Jesse Waldrop splitting snaps behind center, the Chargers aimed to be as confusing to the Plant City defense as humanly possible to draw penalties, extend drives and create running lanes by way of the Raiders not having time to get in their proper positions. Nearly every offensive snap featured some element of trickery — and it paid off in the form of a slew of flags against PCHS, a huge difference in the time of possession battle (Crest ran 43 offensive plays and Plant City only ran 20) and a game tempo the Raiders didn’t care for. The Chargers gained 137 yards on 39 carries with Springfield posting a team-high 61 yards and 22 runs, and he completed both of his passing attempts for 25 yards. Waldrop ran nine times for 35 yards and completed one of two pass attempts.

Durant will undoubtedly be relieved to get back to Cougar Path for a Friday night game against a familiar foe. Crest will be relieved to get its quarterbacks back, which may mean the Chargers run with a more traditional game plan against the Cougars this week.

OTHER GAMES TO WATCH PLANT CITY AT KATHLEEN, 7:30 P.M. Last week, Plant City was forced to use the big play to make up for lost time. But that did work for the Raiders: three of Nick Felice’s eight completed passes were touchdowns and one of his two runs also went for six points. Felice finished the game with eight completions on 10 attempts for 254 yards, throwing touchdown passes to Mario Williams, Reagan Ealy and Brent Coton. The Raiders only ran the ball six times, two of which came from Felice (25 yards, one touchdown) and Romeo Jones gained 45 yards on his two carries.

This week, the Raiders will travel to Kathleen (2-2) with the hope of handing the Red Devils their third consecutive loss.

Kathleen went to Bloomingdale last week and took a 43-6 loss to the Bulls (5-0) in a game where all of the scoring happened in the first half. Though Kathleen trailed by just eight points after the first quarter, Bloomingdale’s offense and special teams went on the attack in the second quarter to the tune of 29 points. The Bulls’ first two touchdowns came on punt returns and the last two were touchdown passes of 75 and 34 yards, respectively.

PCHS SPECIAL OLYMPICS HOOPS TEAM GETS RINGS The 2020 state basketball champions were gifted big rings by Plant City High School on Tuesday evening.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Without a doubt, one of the biggest and best moments of the 2019-20 school year for Plant City High School was when its Special Olympics Unified basketball team won a state championship in February.

A 14-2 season even had the perfect storybook ending: down nine points to St. Cloud with two minutes left in the Feb. 28 Division 2 Unified Sports title game,

the Raiders fought their way back to a two-point deficit with 5.1 seconds left. Ayden Perez inbounded to Parker Hancock-Eitenior, who passed to Taylor Teeden for the last shot. Teeden pulled up from the three-point line on one foot and nailed the buzzer-beater to win by one point.

Plant City High School invited the team members and their families to campus Tuesday night to show its appreciation in the coolest way possible: with a fresh

set of really big rings. The school got everyone in the program, as well as principal Susan Sullivan, a championship ring full of bling and a few nice personal touches, including engravings of each person’s name and the team’s 14-2 record. Sullivan, coaches Lisa Goad, Maverick Lawrence and Jacob Goad gave speeches about the season, the players and what the experience meant to them.

On a broader scale, teacher (and team mom) Jeannette Teeden

stood up to tell the team how much that season meant to the students, teachers and PCHS at large, even for students who didn’t know any of the players personally but still enjoyed following the incredible season as fans and as classmates.

“You’re making memories for other people in the school,” she said. “What you’re doing is bigger than right here.”

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

RODRIGUEZ WINS PRO BOXING DEBUT FROM PAGE 1

Photos by Justin Kline

Plant City Boxing Gym owner Jose Rodriguez won by TKO in the second round of his first professional fight on Oct. 17.

JUSTIN KLINE SPORTS/ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The Plant City Boxing Gym owner overcame Boudreaux’s offensive outpour by waiting patiently for his openings and catching the Mississippi-based fighter when the opportunities arose. It paid off first with three knockdowns in the first round — one of which came right at the the bell, which likely bought Boudreaux more time — and the final blow was struck in the second round. Rodriguez was jubilant afterward, first taking a moment to soak it all in before bouncing around the theatre’s back alleyway on his way back to the locker room, stopping to pose for photos with fight fans.

“I thank God first and foremost,” Rodriguez said. “I gotta thank my team. I thank the audience that came to support me. It was a pleasure, it was an honor and it was a dream come true.”

Aside from Rodriguez’s win, it was a special night for a few other reasons. First, All or Nothing 3 was the first boxing event ever held at the historic Polk Theatre in downtown Lakeland. Second, Plant City native and five-time world champion Chevelle Hallback — who was also in Rodriguez’s corner for the fight — was given a lifetime achievement award by T&K Boxing Promotions for her contributions to the sport.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

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Mallory Smith Know someone who deserves an Athlete of the Week feature? Email Justin Kline at JKline@plantcityobserver.com by the Friday before the next issue.

Plant City High School’s volleyball team beat Armwood in three sets last week to capture its first district championship since 1980. One of the key contributors to that championship has been junior outside hitter Mallory Smith, who leads the Raiders with 110 kills on the season and is third among 6A-District 11 players with an average of 2.6 kills per set through 43 sets played as of Tuesday (the Raiders played last night and game results weren’t available at press time).

each other up when we say “Hey, we got it next point.”

Winning your district is always a good feeling, but how did it feel to help your school win one for the first time since 1980?

How long have you been playing volleyball?

It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed playing in it and knowing it’s been 40 years made it even better. Having this team be able to do it after 40 years, it felt amazing proving that this was the team to win it and show up.

What is it about this team that just works so well?

All-around, we’re all really good friends outside of volleyball and that helps make everything click. It’s just so easy for us, with our friendships, how we connect on the court. We work together, show our chemistry on the court and play… we pick each other up. If we make a mistake, we know that one mistake is just one point. Every point, good or bad, is one point and if we mess up, we pick

What are you most proud of this year?

I’m really proud of this team and how we had to play Strawberry Crest three different times, and each time we were so ready to play them and motivated to beat them. Every time, we did. In the last game, the district semifinal, we beat them in three sets.

Since I was 9 years old. My favorite thing about the sport is playing with my teammates and having fun. When I’m on this court, it’s just a place to have fun and that’s really important to me so I don’t get burnt out. Playing with all my girls and having fun — but we’re also able to be serious about it so we can win big games like these.

Do you play any other sports?

No. My sister, she went to Plant City High School and I remember watching her play games like Durant and Newsome, and I was thinking I really wanted to do this, to play volleyball like she did.

She helped me get into the sport and taught me everything I needed to know.

You can read the full interview on plantcityobserver.com.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

COPS CORNER

PlantCityObserver.com

OCTOBER 12

This week on Cops Corner: a stolen lawnmower, a stolen Mercedes-Benz, a stolen tag and more. a grey Trek bike with white lettering.

OCTOBER 9 GREEN GRASS AND HIGH TIDES 1200 block of South Alexander Street Burglary: Unknown suspect(s) cut through a fence at Rentlok Storage overnight and stole a lawnmower, two weed trimmers and an outboard boat motor. The items were valued together at a total of $11,000.

BIKE BANDIT 1500 block of North Orange Street Theft: This complainant stated someone stole their cell phone and

OCTOBER 10 DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT 110 block of North Pearl Street Vehicle theft: Tampa Police Department officers found a wrecked gray 2013 Mercedes-Benz that someone left abandoned in their jurisdiction. Officers responded to the registered owner’s address in Plant City and learned the vehicle was stolen overnight on Oct. 9.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

WINDOW SHOPPING 1800 block of Sagebush Road Vehicle burglary: PCPD received a call of two subjects seen looking into vehicles around 1:40 a.m. A woman was arrested and taken to Orient Road Jail in connection with the incident.

TAG, YOU’RE IT 3500 block of West Baker Street Stolen vehicle tag: This complainant told an officer someone stole his Florida vehicle tag while his vehicle was parked at the Sunoco gas station.

Plant City Police investigated

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PLANT CITY

Observer Publisher / Karen Berry KBerry@PlantCityObserver.com

OCTOBER 15

HOUSEWARMING GIFT 1710 block of Johnson Pointe Drive Residential burglary: This complainant told an officer someone stole appliances from a vacant home.

Managing Editor / Sarah Holt SHolt@PlantCityObserver.com

GROUNDED 4000 block of Airport Road Burglary/grand theft: Unknown subject(s) entered a gated area of Plant City Airport and a hangar.

Three aircraft were entered and several sets of keys were stolen.

OCTOBER 14

19

Associate Editor / Sports Editor / Justin Kline JKline@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Breanne Williams BWilliams@PlantCityObserver.com Advertising Graphic Designer / Juan Alvarez

HELPING HAND 1000 block of South Alexander Street Felony warrant arrest: PCPD assisted Lakeland Police Department detectives in finding a man with several outstanding warrants out of Polk County, including grand theft and scheming to defraud. He was arrested and taken to Orient Road Jail without incident.

Circulation/ Office Manager / Linda Lancaster LLancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

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The Plant City Observer is published once weekly, on Thursdays. The Plant City Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100B.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

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We asked Facebook: Halloween is right around the corner and COVID-19 could change the way many enjoy the holiday. Families, how are you preparing for trick-or-treating, handing out treats and other Halloween traditions this year?

“Handing out candy in the historic district…”

— Sandi McGlathery

and then saying ADIOS in a blowout NYE celebration.”

— Jamie Newman

“Same as usual. Outside with the complete DJ rig, lights, sound and lots of candy. Pretty sure most will be wearing a mask for Halloween.” — John Parker

“‘Handing out’ but social distancing since it’s 6 feet away from us on a table and all candy is prepackaged in individual bags. Our safety is just as important as theirs so we are doing our best to let kids be kids.”

— Ashley Pellisson

“Going camping with a large group of friends/kids. NORMAL trick or treating and lots of events planned in the campground.” — Kelly Ward “We handed out candy and decorated at 1914 last year, but due to COVID we are NOT going to do either this year out of courtesy to our volunteers who worked with us on this community event last year. 2021 Halloween!”

— Shelby Bender “We will be trick or treating, gathering to give thanks with family and friends, celebrating the birth of Jesus

“We are staying home. Minute to win it games, candy scavenger hunt, fun spooky foods, movies, and a ton of candy.” — Brittany Nicole “Happy Halloween for us as normal - we will be handing out candy. Carrying on with our lives!”

— Doresa Wise Young “We are not taking our kids on the traditional route this year. With so much crazy that is this year we decided to

take a mini weekend getaway instead. We will celebrate as a family instead of the community celebrations that we have done in the past. Hopefully next year will be more normal than this year has been.”

— Theresa Rice Griffin “Halloween as normal! We plan to trick or treat and more importantly we will be handing out candy!”

— Katie Boston

is all about.

W E ’ R E P R O U D TO S E RV E our community with personal, compassionate care since 1896.

As your Dignity Memorial professionals,

PlantCityObserver.com

Dorothy Lyvonne Yelton, 78, of Lithia, born on January 12, 1942 in Alford, entered into eternal rest on October 11, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Hazel Pippin Hazel Pippin, 86, of Plant City, born December 3, 1933 in Berrien County, Georgia, entered into eternal rest on October 16, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

we’re dedicated to helping families create a PLANTmemorial CITY OBSERVER unique and meaningful that truly celebrates the life it represents.

|

> 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability City, FL 33563. Funeral servicesTravel Assistance service >atThe11:00 a.m.Helpline® Compassion > Bereavement will follow at 11:00 AM. InterCondolences may be offered R ment at St. Joseph’s Cemetery at www.wellsmemorial.com for Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. in Fredonia, NY will occur in the the Day family. summer of 2021.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.

WELLSMEMORIAL.COM haught.care.

Taking care of each other is what Amparo Wells MeMorial & event Center

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813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com

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Hernandez, age 71, of HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM Taking care of Dover, passed away on Tuesday, HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM each Jocelyn other is what Sylvia Ann October 13, 2020. Amparo was M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd 1

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Hudson ‘Earl’ Cook

Hudson “Earl” Cook, 70, of Lithia, born on September 28, 1950 in Plant City, entered into eternal rest on October 13, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Jacquelyn A. Steele Jacquelyn A. Steele, 82, of Plant City, born on January 15, 1938 in Methuen, Massachusetts, entered into eternal rest on October 14, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Dorothy ‘Dot’ S. Russell

Dorothy “Dot” S. Russell, 77, of Dover, born on September 26, 1943, entered into eternal rest on October 13, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Sherman Lake Ashworth Sr.

Charles community

is all about.

21

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

OBITUARIES

Dorothy Lyvonne Yelton

®

10/27/15 10:42 AM

we’re dedicated to helping families create a W E ’ R E P R O U D TO S E RV E our community born 3,meaningful 1949 memorial in Long unique and that truly with personal, compassionate care since 1896. March the life it represents.

As your Dignity Memorial professionals, Island,celebrates New York. ®

> 100% Service Guarantee Fond > National Plan Transferability expresJocelyn Sylvia Ann Charles >memories The Compassionand Helpline® > Bereavement Travel Assistance

sions of sympathy may be passed away peacefully in her Sherman Lake Ashworth Sr., Rat www.wellsmemorial. shared home in Dover on October 9, 72, of Plant City, passed away we’re dedicated to helping familiesProudly create a supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival.

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2020.

She was born July 2, 1966 on October 12,Wwith 2020.

He was unique and meaningful memorial that truly personal, compassionate care since 1896. celebrates the life itVirginia. represents. your Dignity Memorial professionals, in Alderson, West a United StatesAs Army veteran. > 100% Service GuaranteeFond > National Plan Transferability and condoMemorial Services were Travel Assistance memories > The Compassion Helpline® > Bereavement lences may be shared at www. held October 17, 2020 at New WELLSMEMORIAL.COM R wellsmemorial.com for the Hope Freewill Baptist Church, Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival.

Charles family.

3101 Sydney Dover Road, Darrell Wells MeMorial & eventEugene Center Dover, FL 33527.

PlanT CiTy Meyer 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com Online condolences may be left for the family at www.

Darrell Eugene Meyer, 76, of WELLSMEMORIAL.COM haught.care.

Plant City, passed away on Sunday, October 18, 2020.

Wells MeMorial & event Sears Center LaFane Day Darrell was born March 4, PlanT CiTy we’re dedicated to helping families create a W E ’ R E P R O U D TO S E RV E our community 813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com and meaningful memorial withpassed personal, compassionate care since 1896. inunique 1944 Sutherland, Iowa. that truly LaFane Sears Day celebrates the life it represents.

As your Dignity Memorial professionals, Fond memories and expresaway in Broken Arrow, Okla> 100% Service Guarantee > National Plan Transferability sions of> sympathy be homa, on Wednesday, October Travel Assistance The Compassionmay Helpline® > Bereavement shared at www.wellsmemorial.

14, 2020 at the age of 83. LaR com for the Meyer family.

Fane was born on May 19, 1937, HAUGHTFUNERALHOME.COM Proudly supporting the Plant City Strawberry Festival. in Blackshear, Georgia.

A visitation will be held Rosalie Katherine Wednesday, October 21st at Jaggie 10:00 a.m. at Wells Memorial WELLSMEMORIAL.COM Funeral Home, folRosalie Katherine Jaggie, 98, lowed by a funeral of Plant City, passed away on Wells MeMorial & event Center PlanT CiTy October 13, 2020.

813-752-1111 WellsMemorial.com The family will receive friends Thursday, October 22, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Plant ®

Taking care of each other is what

community

is all about.

M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd 1

10/27/15 10:42 AM

M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd 1

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

YOUR COMMUNITY FUNERAL HOME AND CEMETERY. HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

Wallace ‘Coach’ Brown Wallace “Coach” Brown, 89, of Plant City, born on April 7, 1931 in Opp, Alabama, entered into eternal rest on October 19, 2020.

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

10/27/15 10:42 AM

ALL OBITUARIES ARE SUBMITTED AND EDITED BY FAMILIES OR FUNERAL HOMES

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971

Betty Lackey Bostick, 88, of Plant City, entered into eternal rest on October 14, 2020.

The family will receive friends Saturday, November 7, 2020 at New Hope at Cornerstone, 315 N. Collins St., Plant City, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Celebration of Life will follow at 11:00 a.m.

10/27/15 10:42 AM

®

M2313_4832_Wells_PNT_Comm_7-25x9-75_C.indd 1

Betty Lackey Bostick

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

Monique Danielle Montgomery Lee Monique Danielle Lee, 48, of Camden, South Carolina, died October 15, 2020.

Born in Tampa, on April 18, 1972, she was the daughter of Donald Prescott Montgomery and Cheryl Kay McDaniel Montgomery. Monique was raised in Plant City, where she graduated from Plant City High School. She graduated with Honors from Florida Southern College, a Master’s Degree in Public Health Administration from the University of South Carolina and she also earned her JD with Honors from the University of South Carolina College of Law. Monique has worked as a lawyer for the State of South Carolina in their Mental Health Services Division for the past 22 years.

In addition to her parents, survivors include her daughters, Amelia and Addison Lee; sister, Karessa Lasher (Stuart); nephews, LJ Pennachio and Colton Cavery; niece Celeste Pennachio; and a great-niece, Piper Pennachio. The graveside service for Ms. Lee will be held for family and close friends at Quaker Cemetery 713 Meeting Street Camden, South Carolina. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.

Memorials may be made to Palmetto 4H Horse Club, c/o Jane Reese, 631 Hatrick Road, Columbia, SC 29209.

Memories and condolences may be shared at ShivesFuneralHome.com.

Darwin K. ‘DK’ Morgan Darwin K. “DK” Morgan was born March 5, 1928 in Plant City to the late Harley Gordon Morgan and Thelma Futch Morgan. Darwin grew up on the family farm, enjoyed school, played high school football and when he got off the school bus, helped his father in the fields with a mule and plow. After high school he enlisted in the Merchant Marines in the final days of WWII at the age of 18 and saw much of the world tending the ship’s boilers on cargo ships and an oil tanker, “SS Pendleton.”

“It was really hot in the boiler room,” he said, “especially around the Equator!”

At the end of WWII, Darwin disembarked from a ship in San Francisco. At that time, he and a friend bought a 1945 Kenworth truck and began hauling freight between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

In California, he met Patricia Joan McQuillan, married and from there moved to Wisconsin where he drove a milk route picking up milk from local dairymen around 5 a.m. each morning and delivered to the creamery. The family moved to Bloomingdale, Georgia in 1956. Raising cows and hay, he then established Morgan Mobile Home Park in the 1960s, providing affordable housing for hundreds of families over the next 50 years.

His skill of training mules never waned from his childhood and during off time from work, trained two young pulling mules. One year, on a snowy Christmas, he entertained his small grandchildren in a “one mule open sleigh.”

From there his interest turned to raising draft horses. At one time his herd grew to 20 Percherons. With a tractor trailer, several wagons, one an antique Coca-Cola wagon, he, family and friends performed at multiple parades, including Savannah and Hilton Head’s St. Patrick's day parades, Florida Strawberry Festival parades in Plant City and multiple Christmas parades carrying Santa Claus in Richmond Hill, Pembroke, Claxton and Thomaston, Georgia.

Many of his prize horses would also be seen pulling carriages with tourist in downtown Savannah.

As a widower, at the young age of 82, he met his soul mate, Brenda Bacon, of Pembroke in 2003 and married shortly afterward.

His generosity to others was never in question from sponsoring little league softball teams to many others falling on hard times. His smile was contagious, and his hard work ethic was inspiring to all.

He enjoyed most good gospel music and being surrounded by friends, family and especially his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harley Gordon Morgan and Thelma Futch Morgan; his brothers, William Joseph Morgan, Keyland Morgan; and his sister, Betty Morgan English; mother of his children, Patricia McQuillan Morgan; and great-grandson, Alexander Eldred Morgan.

He is survived by his wife, Brenda Morgan; his children, Kitty Morgan Simmons (Gary) of Grand Terrace, California, Dr. Harley Morgan (Sharon) of Saint Simons, Georgia and Dr. Kenworth Morgan (Mimi) of Thomaston, Georgia; grandchildren, Dr. Andrew Morgan, Ben Morgan, Suzy Mullens and Katy Peterson; and great-grandchildren, Peyton, James and Charlotte.

The visitation for friends was held on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 in the chapel of Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Home located at 901 W. Hwy 80 in Pooler, Georgia. The funeral and burial was private for the family members only.

PlantCityObserver.com

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

OBITUARIES

22

BEST BET SATURDAY, OCT. 24 BING HOUSE SPORTS HALL OF FAME

1 to 2 p.m. at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St. As part of the Bing House Museum’s Sports Hall of Fame, local coach Wayne Ward will be interviewed and will share his experiences growing up in Plant City, finding success on the football field at PCHS and Virginia Tech and more.

There will be limited seating available and the interview will also be live streamed online.

Visit PlantCityBingHouse.com/Events for the stream link and to get more information.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

SATURDAY, OCT. 24

PLANT CITY TOASTMASTERS

SEED LIBRARY OPEN AT PCC COMMUNITY GARDEN

7:30 to 9 a.m. Join the Plant City Toastmasters for breakfast, laughs, and fun; there’s no better way to start your Thursday mornings. Bring a chair and a mask. The Toastmasters also offer Zoom meetings for those who can’t make it in person. Visit the Facebook page, facebook. com/PlantCityToastmasters/, for meeting locations and information.

BATON TWIRLING CLASSES

Plant City Recreation presents Baton Twirling Classes at the Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St. Classes are held every Thursday. Beginner classes are from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Intermediate classes are from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Your first class will be free. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Barbara Patrick at 813-626-4554.

FRIDAY, OCT. 23 BLUEGRASS NIGHT

7 to 8:30 p.m. at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.

Central Florida’s own Bits of Grass (formerly “Little Bits”) will perform at Krazy Kup’s next Bluegrass Night. Performing a blend of traditional bluegrass, country and Christian/gospel Music, this is a show you don’t want to miss.

9 a.m. Choose or donate heirloom seeds at the Seed Library in the Plant City Commons Community Garden, 2001 E. Cherry St. This helps keep diversity in the local food system. The library is open on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

Call (813) 435-8111 for more information.

FOX SQUIRREL CORN MAZE

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Futch Entertainment presents the ninth annual Fox Squirrel Corn Maze at 3002 Charlie Taylor Road North, featuring a corn maze, pumpkins for sale, hayrides, games and simply enjoying the great outdoors! There will be food, fall cakes, roasted corn, boiled peanuts, kettle corn, shaved ice, honey and more yummy delights. Vendors will feature pumpkin painting, a butterfly experience, arts and crafts, handmade children’s clothing, face painting, horse and pony rides and more. Most vendors are cash only and there is no ATM on site. Fox Squirrel Corn Maze is open Oct. 10 through Nov. 1 on Saturdays and Sundays only. Guests are asked to exit the venue by 6 p.m. See FoxSquirrelCornMaze.com for COVID-19 restrictions, rules and pricing.

KRACK ME UP COMEDY SHOW

7 p.m. at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd. Catch a set of family-friendly comedy live at Krazy Kup, featuring

Donnie Stopa, David Bradley, Sean Harper, Austin Young, Dan Gierlach and LG Grey.

Admission is $5 per person.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 FREE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY VETERANS

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Federal, state and local opportunities are constantly changing. If you’ve served any time in the military, retired or non retention, and would like to review your benefits, please take advantage of free assistance at the Bing House Museum, 205 Allen St., every Wednesday. Walk-ins welcomed or call 813-704-5800 to set a specific time. Masks are required and temperatures will be taken at the door.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 BORN LONESOME LIVE AND LIVE-STREAMED

7 to 9 p.m. Local bluegrass outfit Born Lonesome will play at Krazy Kup, 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., in a concert that will be globally live-streamed with limited seating available for $20 per person. There are only 20 seats available for the show, so get on Eventbrite to buy your tickets as soon as possible if you wish to attend.

If you can’t make it, visit facebook.com/FloridaBluegrassstream/ to catch the live broadcast.

PLANT CITY OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FORECAST

Send your photo submissions to Associate Editor Justin Kline at jkline@PlantCityObserver.com or hashtag #iloveplantcity on Instagram for @igersplantcity to feature.

THURSDAY, OCT. 22

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Oct. 22

7:33a

6:51p

High: 85 Low: 72 Chance of rain: 50%

Friday, Oct. 23

7:34a

6:50p

Saturday, Oct. 24

7:35a

6:50p

Sunday, Oct. 25

7:35a

6:49p

FRIDAY, OCT. 23

Monday, Oct. 26

7:36a

6:48p

Tuesday, Oct. 27

7:37a

6:47p

Wednesday, Oct. 28

7:37a

6:46p

High: 86 Low: 71 Chance of rain: 40%

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, OCT. 24 High: 85 Low: 70 Chance of rain: 40%

SUNDAY, OCT. 25 High: 86 Low: 71 Chance of rain: 20%

TOMATOES Brenda Miller got up close with these hungry caterpillars as they feasted on her milkweed plant.

ONLINE

Shipping point: Central Florida $25.95-$29.95

Follow us on social media: @PCObserver on Instagram, @PlantObserver on Twitter and Plant City Observer on Facebook.

(C) 2020 TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC. DOWN

ACROSS 1 Low poker pair 5 Mus. key with three sharps 9 Nigerian seaport 14 Greet with fanfare 15 Pizza Quick sauce brand 16 “You’ve got a friend” 17 First name in scat 18 Region where broadcast reception may be poor 20 Mix 22 Former Soviet leader Brezhnev 23 Progress at a faster rate 26 Prefix with tourism

29 Navigation technology, briefly 30 Brooding genre 31 “Spartacus” Oscar winner 34 Bowler’s pickup 36 Amtrak express 37 Army rank last conferred in 1950 42 Breakout game developer 43 Pool triangles 44 Sent a message, oldstyle 47 Rock’s Ocasek 48 Grow older 51 Thorn __, former Virgin

Records owner 52 Riot control weapon 55 Arizona MLBers 58 Dig find 59 Automatic functions in most cars, and what can be found in this puzzle’s circles 63 “Ciao!”

64 Take in eagerly 65 Yule tune 66 Saroyan’s “My Name Is __” 67 Collaborative 1993 Sinatra album 68 Looking like rain 69 U. of Maryland athlete

1 Roald Dahl novel adapted as a 2016 Disney film 2 Big hit 3 Gretzky’s first NHL team 4 Word on the street?

5 Canine greeting 6 Tarnish 7 Like gymnasts 8 Capital near Glacier Bay National Park 9 Property claim 10 Dark purple berry 11 Plant custodian 12 Vein contents 13 Briny expanse 19 Neil Gaiman’s “American __” 21 Get rid of 24 Latin 101 verb 25 Circle dance 27 Cuba libre mixer 28 Racecourse shape 32 Chemicals carrier 33 Treats, as a sprain 34 Drought-plagued 35 Get an “Oh no” from Alex Trebek, say 37 Inevitable end 38 Tabloid couple 39 Stamp, as a passport 40 Teri of “Tootsie” 41 Vaping device, familiarly 45 Mark on metal 46 Puck-handling skill 48 Shining brightly 49 Instrument for The Romeros, a classical quartet 50 Pitch tents 53 Regarding 54 Tuned to 56 Very dry, as Champagne 57 Nile vipers 59 H.S. dropout’s test 60 __ de cologne 61 Scone go-with 62 Surreptitious

23

Nov. 14 New

Nov. 19 First

Oct. 31 Full

Nov. 10 Last

RAINFALL Monday, Oct. 12

0.01

Tuesday, Oct. 13 0.00 Wednesday, Oct. 14

0.00

Thursday, Oct. 15 0.00 Friday, Oct. 16

0.00

Saturday, Oct. 17 0.00 Sunday, Oct. 18

0.00

YEAR TO DATE:

MONTH TO DATE:

2020 49.44 in.

2020 10.24 in.

2019 38.87 in.

2019 5.49 in.

WEATHER

I LOVE PLANT CITY

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PLANT CITY OBSERVER

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PlantCityObserver.com

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2020

when treating a heart attack or stroke, time is of the essence. even during these times.

Don’t hesitate when it comes to getting emergency treatment.

Even during a pandemic, you still need to be treated immediately if you have an emergency.

Debating whether or not to risk going to an emergency room during a heart attack, stroke or other health emergency—waiting even a few extra minutes—could be harmful. That’s why in

20-1213541-0920

all BayCare hospital emergency rooms, patients who have symptoms of COVID-19 are screened and treated in a separate area. This helps keep emergency room patients and our team members safe. So if it’s an emergency, don’t wait. For more information: BayCareEmergencyCare.org