Brandon ‘86 Rotary Club Celebrates
By De’ger Saner
Brandon ‘86 Rotary Club held its annual charity check presentations and gave over $25,000 to eight charities in December, which included $10,000 for Brandon Outreach Clinic, a matching grant partnering with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida.
“This gift was made at the request of the Brandon ‘86 Rotary Club,” wrote Susan B. Towler, Blue Cross and Blue Shield vice president of Community Affairs in her letter to the Brandon Outreach Clinic. “When we were informed of the grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida for the Outreach Clinic, the board voted to match the grant request up to the maximum award,” said Brandon ’86 Rotary President-elect Becky Jordan. “We are proud to support all of our charities.”
Representing Brandon Outreach Clinic, Director Debbie Meegan and Dr. Stephen Parks received the $10,000 check and thanked Brandon ‘86 Rotary Club for its support. Parks went on to address all the charities present at the meeting and said, “I feel as if Brandon ‘86 and all the charities here today are partners working to better this community. I am honored to be here with all the other charities.”
“We saw about 1,800 patients and provided over 4,200 prescriptions in 2007,” Parks said. “Debbie Meegan deserves much credit here because she runs the clinic with the passion to help people desperate for medical care, and groups like Brandon ‘86 help us keep it going.”
Other charity organizations that received checks included the I Am Hope Café, which fed over 11,000 people this year, Carefly, a group of pilots who fly patients to destinations where they can get medical help for free, Young Life, an organization which reaches out to hundreds of middle and high school students in need or in trouble, Campo Family YMCA of Brandon, which continuously runs charitable programs for the needy, ECHO, an organization which feeds the hungry in overwhelming numbers, Every Day Blessings, an adoption agency which helps less fortunate families and kids, and the New Horizons non-profit group, which continues to build or repair homes for families in need.
“Last month we got 60 percent [increase in] new people who came to ask for help,” said Stacy Efaw of ECHO. “With all the food donations, we did not turn one person away because of people like the ones in this room.”
Chartered in 1987 Brandon ’86 Rotary Club meets every Friday at 7 a.m. at Buckhorn Springs Golf & Country Club located at 2721 S. Miller Rd. in Valrico.
Rotary International is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Call 664-6881 for more info.
Governor Huckabee To Speak At Bell Shoals
Heading a new campaign, presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee will be making his way to Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon to speak, endorsing his fifth book, From Hope to Higher Ground: 12 STOPS to Restoring America’s Greatness. Read more
Soccer Program for Challenged Youth
Thanks to TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) many mentally and physically challenged youth in the Brandon area, from ages 5 years and up, will have the opportunity to be a part in a busy athletic season while playing soccer.
“The program is both social as well as athletic, designed for children and some young adults with disabilities the opportunity of learning the game and having some fun at the same time,” said TOPS local founder Ken Muzyk.
Muzyk explained that through the generosity and support of local businesses as well as organizations such as BAYSL (Brandon Area Youth Soccer League) TOPS, a national soccer program, will begin its tenth season this year on September 13, and will end on November 8, with a party as well as a trophy for each player.
As it was true in previous seasons the support of the community allows each player to be supplied with cleats, shin guards as well as uniforms at no cost while the program is carried out in a caring coaching environment.
According to Muzyk, TOPSoccer was designed not as a competitor to the programs run by other sports organizations for people with disabilities, but rather as a complementary program that works hand in hand with organizations like Special Olympics to expand the overall training and competition opportunities for young people with disabilities.
“This is an excellent program and it works well, which is why it has been able to exist for almost a decade. Muzyk said, adding, “We have on an average 120 athletes some of whom are in a wheelchair and many of them returning for the tenth time.”
While there are no practices during the week games are played on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon at the J.C. Handley Park Soccer Complex, located at 3104 South Kings Avenue in Brandon.
The sports complex is also the location for registration which is scheduled for September 20. Each player is required to bring his or her birth certificate, Individual Education Plans (IEP), and a parent or guardian with photo I.D.
Volunteers are still needed to help with several parts of the TOPS program. For more information please visit www.brandonsoccer.comor call 657-5271.
Elvis Returns To Nativity Taste of 2008
Last year, more than 850 people attended Nativity Outreach Taste of 2007 to sample from many of Brandon’s finest restaurants and to watch Elvis tribute artist Peter Alden sing and swivel his hips to many famous Presley hits. If you missed all the fun, Alden will once again headline this year’s Taste of 2008 for an encore performance on Saturday, September 20, in the church social hall.
“Peter Alden is the best in the tribute to Elvis genre,” said Pat Le Jeune, director of Nativity Outreach. “He is not only talented and a pleasure to work with, he also has a real interest in assisting our ministry to help us raise the funds to continue our work.”
The all-you-can-sample buffet style fundraising event invites guests to try foods from local restaurants in a family-friendly atmosphere. Since 1994, the Brandon community has stepped up each year to help support Nativity’s outreach programs.
“Our event has allowed restaurants to present new menus and specialty items to a welcoming crowd as well as provide a full evening of entertainment and seating that allows our guests a chance to relax and enjoy the food,” said Le Jeune.
Last year, more than 16 restaurants and Yuengling Brewery and beverage booths helped raise more than $9,000 to support the Nativity Outreach programs.
Le Jeune expects to have a total of 20 restaurants this year that include Arby’s, Beef O’Brady’s, O’Brien’s, Brocato’s, Chick-fil-A Valrico, The Club House, Honey Baked Ham, Hungry Howies, Sabor A Mexico, Shell’s, Sweet Expressions, Apron’s and Yuengling Brewery.
Proceeds from the event benefit Nativity’s food bank and food pantry, where families are provided with groceries, bread and fresh produce at no charge. During 2007, more than 500,000 pounds of food were distributed at the food pantry and emergency distributions to 11,000 needy families. In addition, the food bank distributed over two million pounds of food and essentials to more than 70 local organizations, including neighboring catholic parishes and their food pantries.
Le Jeune gives all the credit of the success of the annual Taste event as well as the impact the ministry has made on the community to the dozens of Nativity Outreach volunteers. “This week, we provided food to 128 families which is quite a feat for my 97 volunteers who receive the donation, then hand it to a needy neighbor,” adds Le Jeune. “This is a huge job, and we all love it.”
Advance ticket prices are a $10 donation for adults, or $12 at the door, and include one beverage and an entry into a door prize drawing. Tickets for children ages 6 to 12 years of age are a $5 donation and include one beverage. Tickets are available at the Nativity church office, located at 705 E. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon, and at the Ave Maria Store located at 222 Bryan Rd. in Brandon.
Nativity Outreach is looking for volunteers to work as ushers during concerts at the Ford Amphitheater and to usher and work concessions duties at Raymond James Stadium for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and USF Bulls games.
For more information, call Le Jeune at 707-1523.
