Bloomindale/Fishhawk Edition

Brandon Fresh Market Finds New Home

The Brandon Fresh Market has a new location on Lithia Pinecrest Rd. The weekly market, offering fresh produce, baked goods, local honey, unique arts and crafts, homemade fudge, dips and salsas, aromatic coffee, fresh baked German bread, herb gardens, potted plants, orchids and much more, will now meet every Saturday in the parking lot of Gold's Gym, at the intersection of Lumsden and Lithia Pinecrest roads from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, call 684-6806, visit www.brandonfreshmarket.com or e-mail brandonfreshmarket@hotmail.com.

Keep The Alafia Beautiful

The Alafia River Basin Stewardship Council, the group who helps put on the Alafia Challenge Canoe and Kayak Race, is hosting a river cleanup on Saturday, March 25, beginning at 8 a.m.

Adult volunteers are needed. All of the supplies, including canoes, bags, nets and lunch will be provided to volunteers.

The Tampa East Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts have already signed up to take part.

Contact for the cleanup is Karen Wagner at 684-7300 or wagnerpi@msn.com. Sign ups are needed by March 20.

Annual Health Fair

The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce will hold the 2006 Health Fair on Saturday, March 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Campo Family YMCA, 3414 Culbreath Rd., in Valrico.

The Health Fair provides health-related industry members the opportunity to exhibit their products and/or services to the community. Health screenings will be provided throughout the day at various exhibit booths. The entire event is free to the public.

The title sponsor for this year's event is Brandon Regional Hospital. Additional sponsors include: Platinum Level- Hawthorne Village, Sullivan Rehab Services & Physical Therapy and Gulf Coast Vein and Laser Center, Gold Level- Metabolic Research Centers, Massages for Health and Gentle Dental. The Tampa Tribune/Brandon News serves as the event's Media Sponsor.

Sponsorships and exhibit spaces are still available. For more information on being a sponsor, exhibitor or placing an advertisement in the event program, please contact Crystal Colegrove at the chamber at 689-1221 ext. 24, or via e-mail at ccolegrove@brandonchamber.com.

Masonic Golf Tournament

The Brandon Masonic Lodge No.114 F. & A.M. will be holding its sixth annual charity golf tournament on April 30 at Cypress Creek Golf Club in Sun City Center, tee off time is 1 p.m.

For information, call Frank Goldston at 661-6262, the Masonic Lodge at 689-4221 or Herb Whisenant at 689-6273.

Iris & Hubert Allen Masonic Scholarship

The Brandon Masonic Lodge No. 114 F. & A.M. is receiving applications for the Iris & Hubert Allen Scholarship for 2006. Students may request a form from high school counselor or obtain one from Brandon Masonic Lodge No. 114 P.O. Box 816 Brandon, FL 33509-0816 or call Herbert Whisenant at 689-6273. The deadline for applications to be turned in is March 30.

Free Meditation Classes Offered in Brandon

Falun Gong classes are offered at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays at the Paul Sanders Park in Brandon, located at the corner of Kings and Bloomingdale Ave. Falun Gong features tranquil meditation and slow-moving exercises, and emphasizes the improvement of one's heart and mind. Classes are taught by volunteers and are always free of charge. Please contact Kent McKinney for more information, at 777-9939.

Homeopathy Seminar

On March 28, the Wealth of Health Institute is hosting a seminar titled Understanding Homeotoxicology: Detoxification and Pain Relief Utilizing Homeopathy' with speaker Paula Koger, OMD.

The Wealth of Health Institute is located at 220 N. Moon Ave. in Brandon. For more information or to reserve a seat please contact Teresa at 661-7010.

All are welcome to attend but seating is limited.

Concerned Parents Raffle

Concerned Parents of Autistic Children, Inc. is hosting a raffle to raise funds to finance a Community Center for children with autism. The raffle will take place at Nature's Health Foods at 3443 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico on March 26 at 4 p.m. and the cost is $2 per ticket. Prizes will include: First Prize, 30" Dell LCD TV (estimated retail value $2,000), Second Prize, $100 gift card, Third Prize, surprise gift basket.

For more information visit 222.cpoac.org or contact Dr. Moursi at 643-9393 or Mr. Ed Dickelman at 681-1491.

Newsome Hosts Beanie Baby Drive

The Newsome High School National Honor Society recently sponsored a very successful beanie baby drive. The beanie babies are being sent to soldiers in Iraq who hand them out to the children in the streets and hospitals of the country. The beanie babies can be easily thrown form trucks to children and also do not roll so the children will not run after them into the streets in the ways of trucks and other dangers. Beanie babies and money were donated not only by the members of the club but also by a middle school in Northern Virginia. When teachers of Lake Braddock Middle School learned of the project they collected over 50 beanie babies and sent a $50 check to use for shipping costs. The club is proud to announce that over 670 beanie babies are in the process of being shipped to the Iraqi children.

Newcomers Host Game Day

The Brandon Newcomer's Club will host a "fun and games day" on Friday, March 24 at Center Place, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost of $6 covers choice of games such as euchre, bunco, dominos, bridge and more. Lunch and door prizes are also included. The public is welcome to attend and anyone interested in more information, should call Doris at 689-0088.

Diaper Free Baby Group Meets

Parents' group discussion of infant potty training (also called elimination communication and natural infant hygiene) welcomes mothers, fathers, babies, and expectant parents. Older children, grandparents, and caregivers are also welcome.

DiaperFreeBaby of Hillsborough meets next on Tuesday, March 21 from 10:30 a.m.-12 Noon. Contact Katherine at 671-5307 for information on meeting location.

Football and Cheerleading Registration

Brandon Steelers Youth Football and Cheerleading will hold open registration on March 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon at the Brandon Steelers Press Box on Providence Rd.

Football registration is for ages 6 to 15 and cheerleading registration is for ages 5 to 15.

Registrants need to bring a birth certificate, and a small recent photo. Registration fees are $190 for football and $215 for cheerleading. A parent or guardian must be present at registration.

For more information please visit www.brandonsteelers.com.

Riverview Edition

American Choppers Comes to Riverview

On March 24 and 25, Cutter Power Equipment of Tampa is hosting the Dixie Chopper motorcycle featured on the popular Discovery Channel show American Chopper. There will be free food, drinks and plenty of entertainment with a “push pull or drag your ugly mower in” event for a free $500 off any new machine.

Cutter Power has been in business since 2001 and is named the top ZTR dealer of the south. Bill Antala and Tony Ham (both owners) offer personalized sales, great service and plenty of discounted parts. Cutter Power sells commercial lawn equipment with brand names of Dixie Chopper, Stihl, Shindaiwa, Exmark and Gravely.

Cutter Power Equipment, Inc. is located at 403 Crater Ln. and can be reached at 661-9662.

Riverview Rotary Art Auction

The Riverview Rotary Art Auction will be a special fundraising event on Friday, March 31 to benefit the Rotary Club of Riverview.

The art auction is being put on by Michigan-based Park West Gallery, a gallery that conducts fine art auctions throughout the United States and Canada.

The preview will be held at 7 p.m., followed by the auction at 8 p.m. There will be wine, hors d'ouvres and refreshments. Admission is a non-perishable food item to benefit St. Anthony's Food Pantry. Monetary donations also will be accepted.

To RSVP, please call 333-5678 and leave a message.

Keep The Alafia Beautiful

The Alafia River Basin Stewardship Council, the group who helps put on the Alafia Challenge Canoe and Kayak Race, is hosting a river cleanup on Saturday, March 25, beginning at 8 a.m.

Adult volunteers are needed. All of the supplies, including canoes, bags, nets and lunch will be provided to volunteers.

The Tampa East Rotary Club and the Boy Scouts have already signed up to take part.

Contact for the cleanup is Karen Wagner at 684-7300 or wagnerpi@msn.com. Sign ups are needed by March 20.

Spring Break Camp Registration

TechPlayzone's Spring Break Technology Camp will take place from March 20-24, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. for students in thru fifth grade who are interested in website design, video game design, video production and hands-on science.

Full day Technology Camp is open to 25 campers and the cost is $225 with a discount for siblings. Morning and afternoon snacks are provided. Students are required to bring their own lunch or lunch money to eat at the nearby Subway.

TechPlayzone will continue to offer regular afternoon 60-90 minute workshops during the week of spring break.

TechPlayzone is located in the Village at Boyette on Boyette Rd. west of Bell Shoals Rd.

For more details, readers may visit www.techplayzone.com or call TechPlayzone at 453-8612.

Republican Women Meet Monthly

The South Shore Federated Republican Women's Club meets monthly to discuss issues that affect the area and learn about the local government. .

The next meeting will be on Thursday, April 6 at 6:15 p.m. at Summerfield's Crossings Golf Club. The guest speaker is Judge Debra K.Behnke, Hillsborough County Circuit Court Judge for Group 6. For more information, call Greene at 672-6123.

Attention - All Women of the Military Seas

If you were (or now are) a member of the Navy (WAVES), Coast Guard (SPARS), Navy Nurse Corps, Marine Corps (Wms), Maritime Service, or any Reserve component of these, with honorable service, you are eligible to join Tampa Bay Waves Unit #55, a unit of Waves National. Unit meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month at the Golden Corral Restaurant, 815 Providence Rd., in Brandon at 11 a.m. For further information, call Joanne Nesmith, 681-4008 or Anne Laing, 633-3314.

ROTC Exhibition

Riverview High School NJROTC is hosting the second annual Hillsborough County JROTC field meet on March 11. The event starts at 7:15 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. and will consist of armed basic, armed exhibition, unarmed basic, unarmed exhibition color guard, athletics and many more fun and exciting components.

Residents are invited to come out and support all 22 schools participating in this event. The Riverview NJROTC unit continues to be very active. The cadets have achieved outstanding Results and continue to excel.

Any questions, please contact CDR Steinestel at richard.steinstel@sdhc.k12.fl.us or 671-5011, ext 280.

Band Students Perform for County

Valrico Edition

Upcoming Events at The Pottery Patch

The Pottery Patch, located at 2551 S.R. 60 E. in Valrico, is hosting some exciting events for the whole family this month.

On March 17 you don't have to be Irish to celebrate the holiday. Pottery Patch is hosting a "Paint 'til Ya Faint" event and is staying open extra late to paint. From 5-11 p.m., there will be give-aways including free pottery and some great discounts, but make sure to wear green. Reservations are recommended.

On March 21, the "Spring Break Kid's Camp" kicks off at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. with "Pottery Pizza." "If you combine shaving cream, paints, and some pottery, what do you get? A slice of pizza, pottery pizza that is," says owner Wendy Pettys. "However, we don't recommend eating this creation."

On March 22, the Spring Break Kid's Camp event taking place at 10:30 a.m. is Leapin' Lizards. "These lizards won't crawl across your toes but will take on a personality all on their own," says Pettys. "Create this creature with a technique that makes you say 'cool.'" Space is limited for all events.

Register by March 20 to save your spot for the camp.

For more information, please contact Pettys at 643-0014 or visit www.potterypatchstudio.com.

Professional Women Celebrate

The Greater Brandon Business and Professional Women (BPW) celebrated president's month at titsFebruary 9 meeting at Yianni's Steak and Seafood Restaurant.

The program featured six past BPW Florida state presidents (one of which is the immediate past National BPW president) speaking on the topic of "BPW Past, Present and Future."

The highly anticipated meeting was attended by members of Greater Brandon BPW, Westshore Evening, Carrollwood and Westshore Midday BPW Organizations, as well as many guests.

Brandon Fresh Market Finds New Home

The Brandon Fresh Market has a new location on Lithia Pinecrest Rd. The weekly market, offering fresh produce, baked goods, local honey, unique arts and crafts, homemade fudge, dips and salsas, aromatic coffee, fresh baked German bread, herb gardens, potted plants, orchids and much more, will now meet every Saturday in the parking lot of Gold's Gym, at the intersection of Lumsden and Lithia Pinecrest roads from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, call 684-6806, visit www.brandonfreshmarket.com or e-mail brandonfreshmarket@hotmail.com.

Sponsors Welcome For Jubilee

Looking to showcase your business to thousands of area residents? Get involved with Spring Jubilee, the family event featuring food, rides, entertainment, a chili cook-off, 5K Race and more, scheduled for April 20-23, 2006 on the St. Stephen school grounds on Boyette Rd. Call 689-7174 or visit www.springjubilee.com to find out more.

Newcomers Host Game Day

The Brandon Newcomer's Club will host a "fun and games day" on Friday, March 24 at Center Place, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost of $6 covers choice of games such as euchre, bunco, dominos, bridge and more. Lunch and door prizes are also included. The public is welcome to attend and anyone interested in more information should call Doris at 689-0088.

Diaper Free Baby Group Meets

Parents' group discussion of infant potty training (also called elimination communication and natural infant hygiene) welcomes mothers, fathers, babies, and expectant parents. Older children, grandparents, and caregivers are also welcome.

DiaperFreeBaby of Hillsborough meets next on Tuesday, March 21 from 10:30 a.m.-12 Noon. Contact Katherine at 671-5307 for information on meeting location.

Macy's Helps Non-Profit Groups

Macy's is seeking non-profit community organizations to participate in its semi-annual private shopping fundraiser. By calling their local Macy's store to pre-register and request tickets - which they will then be able to sell for $5 - organizations have the opportunity to raise unlimited funds. It's that easy.

One hundred percent of the proceeds raised through ticket sales will benefit the respective charities. More than 800 charities from across the state benefited from Macy's charity events in 2005.

Shoppers donating $5 to a participating charity and purchasing a ticket to this event will enjoy two hours of private shopping on Saturday, April 1, from 8-10 a.m. when all Macy's Florida stores will open two hours early for private shopping. Refreshments and door prizes will also be available. For more information, visit www.macys.com.

Free Meditation Classes Offered in Brandon

Falun Gong classes are offered at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays at the Paul Sanders Park in Brandon, located at the corner of Kings and Bloomingdale Ave. Falun Gong features tranquil meditation and slow-moving exercises, and emphasizes the improvement of one's heart and mind. Classes are taught by volunteers and are always free of charge. Please contact Kent McKinney for more information, at 777-9939.

Homeopathy Seminar

On March 28, the Wealth of Health Institute is hosting a seminar titled ' Understanding Homeotoxicology: Detoxification and Pain Relief Utilizing Homeopathy' with speaker Paula Koger, OMD.

The Wealth of Health Institute is located at 220 N. Moon Ave in Brandon. For more information or to reserve a seat please contact Teresa at 661-7010.

All are welcome to attend but seating is limited.

Summer Camp Sign-Up

Theatre Arts and Dance Alliance is accepting registration for summer camps and workshops. These summer sessions will be offered in dance, music, theatre, art, puppetry and acrobatics.

For more information, please come by the studio at 16711 FishHawk Blvd. on the corner of FishHawk Blvd. and Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in the Kash n' Karry Shopping Center or call 571-0901.

Concerned Parents Raffle

Concerned Parents of Autistic Children, Inc. is hosting a raffle to raise funds to finance a Community Center for children with autism. The raffle will take place at Nature's Health Foods at 3443 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico on March 26 at 4 p.m. and the cost is $2 per ticket. Prizes will include: First Prize, 30" Dell LCD TV (estimated retail value $2,000), Second Prize, $100 gift card, Third Prize, surprise gift basket.

For more information, visit 222.cpoac.org or contact Dr. Moursi at 643-9393 or Ed at 681-1491.

Dinner Theater

Actors from Valrico will be performing in MurderS She Wrote's "Murder in Sparkleville," the hilarious murder mystery dinner show on March 18 at The Radisson, Clearwater on US 19 N.

Audience members will try to uncover the clues to the mystery while feasting on chicken sherry or grilled lemon salmon. The social starts at 6 p.m. and the dinner and show at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $46 all inclusive

For more information, call 727-7012 or 715-4736.

Local Church Does Super Job for "Souperbowl"

Every year during the Superbowl festivities, a national event called the "The Souperbowl of Caring" occurs. During this event, organizations around the country collect cans of soup for local charities and soup kitchens. In the Brandon/Valrico area, St. Mark United Church of Christ (UCC) is one of the groups that has participated in the past several years. Soups collected by St. Mark UCC are donated to the Emergency Care Health Organization (ECHO) in Brandon.

Starting with a modest collection of 62 cans in 2001, the drive soared to 700 cans in 2005. This year, the goal was set at 1,000 cans, a pretty lofty goal for a church with 93 members. However, the members have a strong "can-do" attitude. In the weeks prior to the Superbowl, cans were collected and stacked in front of the altar. Interim counts were reported during each service. At the start of the service on Superbowl Sunday, the count was over 850-well ahead of the 2005 total, but still well shy of the goal. After cans brought in during the service counted, the total was nearly 900, so the call was made for one final donation during the coffee hour after the service, and one last soup run was made. The final total was 1,104 cans.

Purpose Driven Life Group

Bethel Baptist Church is launching the "40-Days of Purpose" program this month. The church, located at 1801 S. Miller Rd. in Valrico, is forming small groups to discuss the five purposes laid out in The Purpose Driven Life, a novel by Rick Warren. Groups will meet for six consecutive weeks at host homes and copies of the book will be available at a discounted rate.

For more information, contact 685-6063 or visit www.bethelbaptist.net.