A recent grand reopening of Life's Treasures Thrift Store in Brandon celebrated its 1,000 sq. ft. expansion.

Enroll Your Child In Kumon-Math & Reading Enrichment Program

Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children, so they can achieve more on their own. As a comprehensive program, Kumon serves children in preschool through high school.

The learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration and develop better study skills.

Kumon has over four million students enrolled at nearly 25,000 learning centers in 50 countries and regions. The local Instructor, Katherine Mandry, has been guiding students to academic success and confidence for 20 years.

Make an appointment for your child’s free placement test and parent orientation today.

Kumon Math and Reading of Brandon-Bloomingdale is located at 1114 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico. Call 661-1952.

D-BAT Southshore Offers Pitch Machines, Pitching And Hitting Tunnels And More

Jacob and Erica Collier are the owners of D-BAT Southshore, an indoor baseball and softball training and fun center with a full pro shop catering to all—from beginners to professionals. You will find pitching machines, open practice areas, camps and clinics. Private lessons are also available.

Hours are Monday to Friday from 1- 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

D-BAT Southshore is located at 351 30th St. NE in Ruskin. For more information, call 645-3228 or visit www.DBATsouthshore.com.

Grand Reopening Of Life’s Treasures Thrift Store Celebrated

‘Life’s Treasures Thrift Store located at 1335 W. Brandon Blvd. celebrated its grand reopening on Friday, May 17. The event marked the completion of a near 1,000 sq. ft. expansion, including a brand new boutique section that features a near-endless selection of today’s trends in women’s clothing, shoes and accessories.

In the store customers can find men’s and women’s clothing for all ages and sizes as well as furniture, housewares, books, antiques and much more. All items are gently used, pre-owned, nearly new or never been worn.

Volunteers are always welcome and tax-deductible donations are appreciated. All of the store’s proceeds support LifePath Hospice in Hillsborough County. Call 653-4616.

Dr. Offner Named Chief Veterinarian At County Pet Resource Center

Hillsborough County recently welcomed Dr. Mallory Offner as chief veterinarian at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center.

Dr. Offner had served as a PRC staff veterinarian from 2016-2018 and led the department’s efforts to treat parvo-infected dogs and puppies. More than 40 dogs have been treated for parvo at PRC since the program began in March 2018 with a success rate of 90 percent. Previously, parvo was predominantly a fatal diagnosis.

Dr. Offner earned her veterinary degree at the University of Florida and previously has served as staff veterinarian with the San Diego (California) Humane Society and the SPCA Florida shelter in Lakeland.

She will oversee a department that performed nearly 8,000 dog and cat sterilizations last year in the department’s ongoing effort to reduce pet overpopulation. PRC veterinarians performed an additional 277 life-saving surgeries and specialized treatments last year on pets that otherwise would not have been adopted or rescued. In all, PRC staff cared for more than 17,000 dogs and cats last year.

The Pet Resource Center is the county’s only open admissions shelter, meaning it accepts all dogs and cats regardless of age, weight, breed or health.

Ace Golf Brandon Closes

After 26 years, the Ace Golf in Brandon closed to make way for the future site of 333 apartments by Edward Rose Properties.

Ace Golf will now focus on its Riverview location which opened in 2003. Ace Golf Riverview was named a “Top 100 Standalone Golf Range in the US” last year and every year for the past 6 years by Golf Range Magazine.

Further upgrades to the Riverview location are anticipated for next year, including LED lighting, new batting cage netting and more.

Craig Skiles, manager of Ace Golf Brandon, will become Golf Director at Plantation Palms Golf Club in Land O’ Lakes. Sean Walter, assistant manager of Ace Golf Brandon, will become assistant manager of Ace Golf Riverview. Some of the other staff members and golf instructors will also move to Ace Golf Riverview.

The manager of Ace Golf Riverview is Matt Primrose, who was named ‘Top 50 Golf Instructor in the US’ by US Kids Golf and has been recognized the last five years by the PGA for his contribution to junior golf.

Ace Golf is located at 12910 Boyette Rd. in Riverview. For more information, visit https://ace-golf.com/.

Frontier Communications’ Donates $5,500 To Organization Fighting Children’s Cancer

Frontier Communications’ new Frontier Simply Wi-Fi Secure has combined proceeds from an electronics recycling drive with a company donation to provide $5,500 in support for Apple A Day, a Tampa-based nonprofit organization helping children fighting cancer.

“The Apple A Day Foundation is very grateful for this generous support from Frontier’s Simply Wi-Fi Secure service,” said Phoebe Kushner, executive director of the Apple A Day Foundation. “The true beneficiaries of this donation are the young cancer patients we help by taking their minds off of their daily fight with cancer.”

The Apple A Day program provides devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops to children ages 2 to 17 undergoing cancer treatment at no cost to them or their families. Treatments can keep children from normal experiences and interactions, so technology can provide a welcome bridge and sense of normalcy.

Since launching the program, the organization has presented more than 500 iPads/devices to children fighting cancer. Apple A Day Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation registered in Florida and New York.

“Frontier’s creative combination of an environmentally-friendly recycling program with a donation from our Simply WiFi Secure service has allowed Apple A Day to give ten children fighting cancer the ability to connect and communicate with the world around them via technology,” said Melanie Williams, Frontier’s South Region Senior Vice President for Operations. “We are honored to play a small part in making that fight a bit more manageable.”

CVS Managers Honored As ‘Tennis For Fun’ Volunteers

CVS managers are giving back to the community. Louis Sparkman (Brandon store) and Fernando Rodriguez (Seffner store) were recently honored for their eight years of love and dedication to ‘Tennis For Fun’ athletes. Coach Louis and Coach Fernando have been volunteering every Friday at the ‘Tennis For Fun’ Clinics held at Brandon Sports And Aquatic Center for eight years.

‘Tennis For Fun’ is a free tennis clinic for special needs athletes of all ages. The Brandon clinics run from November till May. The programs are at BSAC, FishHawk, Tampa Palms Country Club, HCC Tampa Tennis and on Davis Islands. The programs are run entirely by volunteers. Volunteers are needed (no tennis experience required).

Visit www.tennisforfun.org or call Judy at 417-3751.

Poke Burri Slated To Open In Westshore Area Late Summer

Poke Burri, a Georgia-based restaurant company that provides a healthy and delicious dining experience focused around the popular dish, known as poke is slated to open at 4038 W. Kennedy Ave. near Westshore in Tampa. It is slated to open somewhere from mid-August to end of September.

Poke is traditionally a Hawaiian raw fish salad. Poke Burri starts with this premise and allows customers to order from a menu of specialty poke dishes or create their own dish for a food service experience that is unlike most concepts in the market.

The restaurant represents the lifestyle, culture and spirit of the founders, Seven Chan and Ken Yu. With years of food and business experience Poke Burri represents their commitment to being the best at what they do including freshness, flavor and an emphasis on the customer experience.

For more information, visit www.pokeburri.com/.

New Training Facility Open On Lithia Pinecrest Road

Residents looking to reach a higher level of fitness have a new option. Advanced Training Programs recently started working with athletes of all levels in the BPHAT Fitness facility on Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico.

According to owner Michael Wohltmann, the group offers a comprehensive strength coaching experience and all coaching is individualized to the participant.

“Clients are coached to be stronger, leaner and healthier,” said Wohltmann. “Lifestyle coaching accompanies the sessions with dietary assistance, nutrition and lifestyle changes.”

Hours are available by appointment only and special strength training and coaching is available for teens in addition to one to one training for all age groups.

For more information, visit www.advancedtrainingprograms.com or call 360-8560. Find the group on Facebook @Advanced Training Programs. BPHAT is located at 3638 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. and can be reached at 967-2036.

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Michelle Colesanti
Michelle has been with the Osprey Observer for almost nine years, and her current position is Assignment Editor. She resides in Bloomingdale with her husband Phil, two sons, Philip and Matthew, and Tigger the cat.