Riverview Chamber Announces New Festival
Showcase your business to the greater Riverview community – let the community know that you are here and you want their business at the 2009 Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce Summer Fest, taking place at the new Hilton Garden Inn, located at 4328 Garden Vista Dr. in Riverview, on Sunday, June 28, from 1-5 p.m. For more information, call 234-5944.
Free Comedy Offered
Brandon Route 60 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s and Coconuts Comedy Club, located at 9331 Adamo Dr. within the Best Western plaza, are providing Brandon comedy lovers and those who have lost their jobs some economic relief in the form of a limited number of free comedy theatre tickets. Admission is normally $10 per person, and Coconuts hosts a variety of top-tier comics, many of whom have appeared on Comedy Central and HBO just to name a few. Friday/Saturday evening shows are being discounted on a buy one, get one free basis for all patrons and those who have lost their jobs can get complimentary tickets while supplies last. No rain checks please. Certain time and date restrictions may apply. Make your reservation online today at www.beefscomedyclub.com, call 951-1265 or email info@beefscomedyclub.com.
Naughty Dog Contest Announced
Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company, announced the first-of-its-kind National Naughty Dog Contest to find the naughtiest dog in America. Bark Busters invites members of the public to submit videos of their naughty dogs to BarkBusters.com via YouTube until Monday, July 13. The contest winner will be selected by a panel of experts at Bark Busters USA and will win free dog training—which includes Bark Busters’ guaranteed lifetime support—to transform the winning dog from naughty to nice. Any dog can enter – any breed and any age. The winner will be announced and posted online at BarkBusters.com on Tuesday, July 21. For more information, please visit www.BarkBusters.com.
Moms Can Make Money
Women’s Investment Network, located at 7454 Palm River Rd. in Tampa, is offering classes on Tuesday, July 14, 21 and 28, to those single moms out there on how to make the most out of their money. There will be prizes, fun activities, childcare and dinner. Call 628-9179 with any questions.
Neighborhood Marketplace Donates $1,000 To Feed Less Fortunate
“When we enter into a community, we always like to put some goodwill towards it, Read more
Rolling Pin – July ShopLOCAL Winner
Photos from the Presentation of the July ShopLOCAL Winner – Rolling Pin.
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Brandon Foundation Check Presentation
Photos from the Brandon Foundation Check Presentation.
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Three Vie For Honorary Mayor Title
The Honorary Mayor’s Race, now in its 51st year, has officially begun and the winner will be announced at the annual Fourth of July Parade.
The Brandon Honorary Mayor’s race is a fundraising effort established by The Community Roundtable, formerly called The President’s Roundtable, which also coordinates the annual Brandon Fourth of July Parade. The winner of this year’s race will be announced at the parade. The Honorary Mayor will represent his or her community at events and as a dignitary throughout the year.
All monies must be raised between June 1 and July 4 of each year with 80 percent of funds raised going to designated charities, 10 percent to the sponsoring organization and 10 percent to the Community Roundtable.
At the urging of All Children’s Specialty Care, Brandon Guild and the “suggestions” from current honorary mayor Tammy Holmberg and former state representative Sandy Murman, Connie Smaldone has decided to run for the title of Honorary Mayor of Brandon along with James Jensen, Kiwanis vice president and owner of Minuteman Press, soon to be re-named Next Level Printing & Graphics as Jensen is breaking from the franchise and opening his own business. Also in the running, Barbara Jones-Keplinger recently joined the race. Jones-Keplinger is a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office community resource officer at the Riverview sub-station.
Smaldone, a longtime Brandon resident, works for South Shore Group Real Estate. She already has some fundraising events planned including “Singing with the celebrities” with Tedd Webb and friends at the Italian Club, located at 1731 E. 7th Ave. in Tampa, a “Couture for Kids” fashion show and wine tasting at the Winthrop Barn Theatre, located at 11349 Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon and a family fun day at the Campo Family YMCA, located at 3414 Culbreath Rd. in Valrico.
All of the monies raised at Smaldone’s events will benefit the Brandon area YMCAs- with the motto of “Helping Build Strong Kids, Strong Families and Strong Communities,” All Children’s Hospital Specialty Center, Brandon Guild- a 21,000-sq.-ft. clinic facility that provides medical and therapeutic services and A Kid’s Place children’s emergency assessment center for abused, abandoned or neglected children to be placed after they are taken from their homes.
Jensen said he decided to run for honorary mayor to raise money for local charities that affect people locally. The charities are the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon and the Emergency Care and Help Organization (ECHO). Jensen said of the Kiwanis Club, “That’s where my heart is.”
Jensen’s events include a BUNCO night at River Hills Country Club, located at 3943 New River Hills Pkwy. in Valrico ,a family picnic at the Brandon Sports & Aquatic Center, located at 405 Beverly Blvd. in Brandon and a tea and fashion show at the Hilton Garden Inn, located at 4328 Garden Vista Dr. in Riverview.
Jones-Keplinger has three events planned so far which include an end of school dance on Friday, June 5 at Spoto High School, located at 8538 Eagle Palm Dr. in Riverview; a golf tournament on Saturday, June 20 and a BBQ and Arts & Crafts show at the Winthrop Towne Centre on Saturday, June 27.
Last year, Tammy Holmberg, owner of Chick-fil-A Lake Brandon Village, won the race raising more than $25,000 for three local charities: the Dream Factory, which grants dreams to critically and chronically ill children, the YMCA, which promotes healthy kids and families has three locations in the Greater Brandon area (FishHawk, Campo and North Brandon) and Center Place, which offers live theater and art classes for both children and adults.
For more information on Smaldone, please visit www.ConnieforMayor.org. For more information on Jones-Keplinger, please contact her campaign manager, Peggs Stuart at pstuart11@verizon.net.
More information on the Fourth of July Parade and Honorary Mayor’s Race is also available by calling The Community Roundtable at 661-4350 or e-mailing roundtable2008@aol.com.
4th of July Parade Celebrates Freedom
With the theme, “United We Stand,” the Brandon Fourth of July Parade is sure to bring honor to all those who have fought to make our country what it is.
On Saturday, July 4, residents are invited to come and take part in the parade that makes its way through the area every year. Starting at 10 a.m., the parade will begin at the intersection of Parsons Ave. and Lumsden Rd., head north on Parsons to Robertson St. There it will make a left, heading west and end in the Publix Shopping Center’s parking lot.
The Community Roundtable (formerly The Presidents’ Roundtable) is the host of the event.
Before the parade begins, the morning of July 4, the new Honorary Mayor of Brandon will be announced as the candidate who raised the most money for local charities. Riding through the streets of Brandon during the parade, the Father of the Year will also be announced as chosen by the Roundtable after local children write 50 words or less about their Dads in school.
Last year, participants in the parade included local active military and veterans. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department also offered its support by providing volunteers. The Bloomingdale Summer Band played some of the parade’s music.
There were also local football and cheerleading groups as well as Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops in the parade. Some local churches put together floats and sang during the parade.
The parade included local organizations such as the Crew of Fort Brookes, McDonalds, the Bloomingdale Fire Department, the Rough Riders, the Lion’s Club, the Elks, the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, and car clubs, the Osprey Observer / My Osprey TV and Skateland of Brandon.
The Community Roundtable is still looking for participants in the parade this year. To participate, one needs to fill out an application available at the local chambers of commerce and turn it in. The application is also available via e-mail. The deadline for applications is Saturday, June 6.
According to Nickerson, member of the Presidents’ Roundtable, the judges for the parade, will be seated behind Clayton Plaza to view the parade.
The Community Roundtable hosts the Community Affairs Dinner annually, taking place in May every year and used to announce awards including the participants in the Honorary Mayor’s race, which it also puts on annually. It is also involved in the Halloween Horribles Parade at Center Place as well as its Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
For more information, contact Nickerson at 661-4350 with a 24-hour voicemail service or e-mail roundtable2008@aol.com.
Sinkhole Confirms Traffic Woes For FishHawk Residents
A single–vehicle accident during the early morning hours last month causing a water main brake and a subsequent Read more
