Attention Church Musicians

Music Showcase is proud to announce "Worship U" - the newest addition to its summer schedule of music programs. Worship U will take place on Friday, June 8 in the Music Showcase auditorium located at 402 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon.

This all-day event is designed to educate, equip and inspire worshipers all throughout the Tampa Bay area.  So whether you're the minister of music, the song leader, a praise instrumentalist, vocalist, or you just want to enhance your own worship experience, this is for "U." Experienced worship leaders will share practical tips on recruiting, rehearsal techniques, songwriting, generating song lists, instrumental voicing, blending worship styles and more.  Most important, "Worship U" will provide a casual atmosphere where you can exchange ideas and meet others who share a passion for worship. Cost is $55 (lunch included).  For more information, stop by Music Showcase or call 685-5998 and ask for the school.

Annual Las Vegas Night to take place at Beth Shalom

Congregation Beth Shalom is proud to announce the First Annual Las Vegas Night at Beth Shalom. "With professional equipment and dealers provided by Florida Casino Parties, who host approximately 400 parties a year throughout Florida, the event is sure to be a winner," says Joel Edelson, committee chairperson.  

Please mark your calendar for May 12. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the fun begins soon after. Blackjack, roulette, craps, the big wheel, slot machines and even a Texas Hold 'em poker tournament will be available to choose from. Tickets are $30 in advance ($35 at the door). There are 30 seats for the poker tournament, so this will be first come, first serve. Tournament entry fee is $50 per person.

The event will display fabulous prizes such as a Foursome golf outing at Summerfield Golf Club, "Will" Legal Package, full week time share at Ormond Beach, professional hosted Poker Party and more, that participants will be able to "win" with their "winnings" at the end of the event.

For table sponsorship opportunities for your business/corporation as well as advance ticket sales, please contact the temple directly at 681-6547 or e-mail laurenrs@tampabay.rr.com

Congregation Beth Shalom is located at 706 Bryan Rd. in Brandon, between Lithia Pinecrest  and Lumsden roads.

Grace Community United Methodist Church Presents "Summer Sports Camp"

Grace Community Church's Sports Camp is themed "God's Game Plan" and the purpose of the camp is to create a high quality sporting experience that is Bible-centered and action based where kids can have fun as they experience the love of God.

The camp will provide the opportunity for the kids to be challenged, individually and as teams, to discover their relationship with Christ and learn to walk closer with God. The children will get to pick a sport for the week from soccer, basketball, flag football, cheerleading and tumbling.

As an extra bonus, each evening there will be a guest speaker that is a current or past pro sports team celebrity that will be speaking to children, signing autographs and taking pictures with the campers.

The camp is open to children who are 6 as of January 1, 2007 through those who completed fifth grade as of May 2007 and will take place at Grace Community United Methodist Church, 5708 Lithia Pinecrest Rd/, from June 11-15 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Registration is now through end of May and the cost is $40 for the week (includes camp shirt and dinner each night).

For more information, call 661-8858 or visit www.gracecommunityumc.org.

Chabad of Brandon to launch new series of classes

"Bonding," a weekly parsha class instructed by Rabbi Mendel Rubashkin, is a seven part series on the book of Leviticus that explores this concept. This class series is part of the Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), which is geared for Jews of all backgrounds seeking a deeper understanding and appreciation of Jewish thought, heritage and tradition.

The JLI will offer a thorough curriculum each week with selected readings, diagrams, creative exercises, power point presentations, and specially designed student workbooks. Classes will integrate basic Judaism, Jewish history, Jewish mysticism, and the Jewish calendar, practices and ideas through the study of primary sources, commentaries, and group discussion. These and other items will enable students to engage in research, discussion, and critical analysis.

"This course will offer fascinating perspectives and relevant lessons on the service of sacrificing animals on the altar in the Temple," says Rabbi Mendel. "Many people know about the animal sacrifices brought in Temple, but are not aware of the deep and philosophical messages that are hidden within them." 

"Bonding" will be offered Tuesday evenings, 7-8 p.m. Each class is an individual presentation - come for one or come for all. Fee $5 per class or $25 for the complete seven week series (includes textbook).

For more information or to sign up for the course, please contact Rabbi Mendel Rubashkin at 657-9393, e-mail Rabbi@chabadbrandon.org or visit www.chabadbrandon.org.

Immanuel Lutheran Looking for Alumni

Immanuel Lutheran School, 2913 John Moore Rd. in Brandon, is updating its alumni database. If you attended Immanuel Lutheran School at any point, please contact the school office at 695-1978 to provide your current contact information.

Immanuel Lutheran Hosts Open House

Additionally, Immanuel Lutheran School will host an Open House for prospective students and their families on Thursday April 9 and May 3 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. No appointment is necessary - feel free to stop by for a tour of the school and visits of the classrooms. For more information, call the school office at 685-1978 or visit Immanuel's Website at www.ils brandon.com.

Foundation Christian Student Registration

Foundation Christian Academy located at 3955 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. is currently accepting new student registrations for families interested in Christian education for grades Pre-K through eight. 

If you are seeking a new environment for your child or just beginning to learn about the educational process, call the school at 654-2969.

Local Scouts Receive Promotion

Six boys from Boy Scout Troop 628 were recently promoted to the rank of Life Scout during ceremonies at the Lamb of God Lutheran Church. The Life Scout rank demonstrates years of hard work in academics, community support, leadership and outdoor activities.

Boys receiving the promotion were Nick DeFazio, Ernest Keller, Mark Solters, Billy Goins, Travis Ingraham and Alan Solters all of FishHawk Ranch. Their next major

Newsome Announces May Concert Series

The Music Department of Newsome High School announces its final concert series for the 2007 school year. All performances will take place in May in the school auditorium.  Refreshment concessions will be set up prior to the performance and at intermission. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Newsome Music Booster Members will be allowed early seating. Performances will start promptly at 7 p.m. each night and admission is free. 

The Choral Spring Concert will take place on Thursday evening, May 3. Performing under the direction of Jeffry Bogue, choral director, will be Elite, Chamber Choir, Advanced Women's Choir, Men's Choir and Newsome Singers. 

The Orchestra Spring Concert will take place on Thursday evening, May 10. Performing under the direction of Linda Groh, Music Department chair, will be Concert Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Strings. Graduating seniors from orchestra will be recognized during the evening.

On Friday evening, May 11, a Choral Awards Night will take place. Students from Elite, Chamber Choir, Advanced Women's Choir, Men's Choir and Newsome Singers will be recognized. Graduating seniors will be featured on a video presentation and will also entertain us with special performances.  It will be a wonderful ending to a very successful year.

For more information, contact Michael Melanson, Newsome Music Booster executive board at 767-9766.

Newsome PTA Holds General Meeting

The last meeting of the school year for Newsome PTSA will take place May 8 in the Newsoem High School cafeteria at 8:30 a.m. The group will vote for the new board and all Newsome PTSA members are invited to attend.

For more information, call Susan Prestridge at 681-9900.

Newsome Cheerleaders Hold Tryouts

Parents of children interested in trying out for the Newsome Cheerleading squad are invited to attend a meeting Tuesday, May 8 at 6 p.m. in the Newsome High School Cafeteria.

Bloomingdale Basketball Camp

Bloomingdale Basketball Coach Josh Chapin will be conducting camps for boys and girls ages 8-13 over the summer. The cost for the camp is $85 and includes camp t-shirt.

Dates are June 4-7, June 11-14 and June 25-28, from 8:30 a.m.-12 Noon. For information call Josh Chapin 744-8018 ext.434 or e-mail joshua.chapin@sdhc.k12.fl.us.

British Soccer Camp Planned

The number one youth soccer company in the United States, Challenger Sports, has been invited to hold one of their nationwide British Soccer training camps right here at South Hillsborough Soccer League- Home of Celtic FC.

South Hillsborough Soccer League/Celtic FC has teamed up to host the week long British Soccer camp during the week of August 6 at Vance Vogel Soccer Fields.

The camp will run Monday through Friday and each child will be coached by a member of challenger's British coaching staff flown to the USA exclusively to work on these programs.

To sign up for the camp either visit www.shslsoccer.com or contact Mike Adams at 671-3696 or e-mail doc@shslsoccer.com.

Fresh Market Holds Blood Drive

On Saturday, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Brandon Fresh Market and the Florida Blood Services will host a Blood Drive.

All donors will receive a T-shirt, a wellness checkup including a cholesterol screening and a buy-one-ticket, get-one-free coupon, good for up to six free tickets at both Silver Springs, Nature's Theme Park and Wild Waters Waterpark, plus the chance to save lives.

The Market is located at Winthrop Town Centre, on the corner of Bloomingdale and Providence avenues.

For more information, visit www.fbsblood.org or www.brandonfreshmarket.com or call 1-800-68-BLOOD or 748-0441.

Pop Warner Little Scholars Comes To FH

By Patricia Johnson

Don't miss the last chance to sign up for the inaugural season of the Pop Warner Little Scholars Program in FishHawk Ranch for flag and tackle football and cheerleading for children ages 5 through 15. 

Parent volunteers will be on hand at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 26 at the Publix parking lot on FishHawk Crossing Blvd. to sign students up for the league. Pop Warner is the only national youth sports organization in America that rewards its members for their outstanding performance in the classroom. Heading into its 77th year, Pop Warner Little Scholars is also the oldest national football and cheerleading organization in the world.  Today, it has over 130 leagues and over 380,000 members.

According to Shawn Afeld, a Fishhawk Trails resident and father of two boys, ages 5 and 11 years old, "Having a start-up league within the community is ideal because we hope to grow with the organization and watch our boys compete with and play on teams with others who go to the same school and live in our community."

For Jerome Hodges, a FishHawk Ranch resident and father of an 11-year-old boy, the structure of the Pop Warner teams is unique and attractive to him. He explains, "For football, boys are placed on teams based on their age and weight and there are two weight classes for every age group." With kids competing with others of similar age and size, the Pop Warner system of setting a strict age and weight matrix does indeed reduce the risk and reality of injuries.

Volunteer organizers Mike Maxey and Don Wolfe look forward to the start of the inaugural season on July 29. As a father of an 8-year-old boy and also a FishHawk Ranch resident, Maxey believes that Pop Warner Little Scholars will be great for local families because of the high priority that parents place on scholastics and achievement in this community. He reports, "There are still openings for certain age groups for flag and tackle football as well as for all ages for cheerleading."  

Maxey states, "The teams will be called the FishHawk Wolf Pack and practices will be at Newsome High School three nights a week with eight games per season." Pop Warner teams will compete for the title of national champion at the Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex during the second week of December. 

For more information, go to www.fhwolfpack.com or www.popwarner.com.