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Anti-Gang Awareness Event Takes Place At Library Today

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By BARBARA KENT

Tribune correspondent

Published: April 26, 2008

PLANT CITY - Gulf Coast Family Services/Hillsborough County will sponsor an Anti-Gang Family Awareness Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 McLendon St.

Free entertainment and guest appearances will be among the highlights of the event with a theme of Just Say No to Gangs. Outreach coordinator De'Anna Irizarry and Plant City's Carlos Jimenez of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay will appear along with hip-hop artists 3 PM.

Balloons, face-painting, vendors, prizes and a clown will be on hand. Also scheduled to appear are former gang members who will tell their personal stories.

This event is free.

Festival Awards Help Students Attend College

PLANT CITY - The Florida Strawberry Festival does more than entertain residents and visitors. It also provides opportunities for local young people to earn money for college.

In the past 10 years, the festival has awarded more than $67,000 in college scholarships through the annual livestock scholarship program.

This year, the festival set a record by awarding $14,400 in college scholarships.

A total of 18 Hillsborough County seniors received $500 scholarships for academic excellence and contributions to agriculture.

Two additional $500 scholarships were awarded, the William R. McClelland Scholarship, sponsored by the Swindle family, and the James L. Redman Scholarship, sponsored by the law firm of Trinkle, Redman, Swanson, Coton, Davis and Smith.

In addition to the livestock scholarships, the festival's livestock and plant shows help local students earn money for college.

The money generated at this year's festival includes:

•Youth plant show and sale, $315 awarded by the festival in prize money and $41,840 generated by the plant sale and add-on donations from businesses or individuals

•Youth dairy show, $5,365 in prize money;

•Youth beef breed show, $6,630 in prize money;

•High school agribusiness competition among area FFA chapters, $6,000 awarded to eight Hillsborough County high schools;

•Youth poultry and rabbit shows, $905 in prize money;

•Youth livestock contestant judging, $1,125 in prize money;

•Youth swine show and sale, $1,682 in prize money and sales plus donations, $149,587;

•Youth steer show and sale, $1,855 in prize money and sales plus donations, $535,212;

•Youth lamb show, $3,165 in prize money.

Garden Club Wins Award At Regional Convention

PLANT CITY - Members of the Plant City Garden Club recently attended the convention of the Deep South Region of National Garden Clubs and the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.

The annual gathering was held at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front.

Those who attended brought home several awards presented at a banquet. They won the Butterfly Conservation Award from Deep South, the Fun With Flowers series award from the Florida Federation and the Sunshine Award for making table arrangements for the Susan G. Komen cancer banquet.

The Deep South Region is made up of Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

In addition to the banquets and awards, the conventioneers also took part in A Stroll on the Beach benefiting Habitat for Humanity and a luncheon at which Marie Harrison spoke on altruistic giving in support of Deep South's Dollars for Scholars Program.

Five Students Awarded Scholarships

PLANT CITY - Five Plant City High School students were among the 25 Hillsborough County students who were awarded college scholarships from the Tampa Bay WorkForce Alliance.

The presentations were made April 17 at a reception at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. The students receiving the scholarships were Roderick Henderson, Aaron Driscoll, Phillip Ondrovic, Steven Mitchell and Eddie Emilut.

The scholarships are part of the alliance's mission of developing workforce talent to foster economic development.

Sale To Benefit Memorial Trust

PLANT CITY - A multifamily garage-yard sale will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. today to benefit the Stephen Herring Memorial Trust at Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, 1513 James L. Redman Parkway.

Items for sale will include baby furniture, household goods, children's clothing and more. Hot dogs, cold drinks and desserts will be for sale.

For information, call Barry Herring at (813) 365-1206.

Car Show Celebrates 11th Anniversary

PLANT CITY - Last week's 11th anniversary Strawberry Classic Car Show was a big success.

Al Collinge, tourist information specialist for the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, said there were so many cars that parking was at a premium. Entertainment included Plant City's Southern Star Bluegrass band, which presented three shows.

A total of 823 vehicles were entered in the April 19 show. Award plaques were presented to:

•Jim Newberry of Ruskin for his 1941 Willys Best Engine

•Bob Perlilli of Brandon for his 1961 Chevrolet Corvette Ladies Choice

•Jack Harrington of Winter Haven for his 1937 Ford Best Interior

•Ronnie Lawson of Lakeland for his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Best Paint

•Tony Prezidsi of Valrico for his 1956 Ford Sunliner Convertible Best of Show

The Strawberry Classic Car Shows are from 4 to 9 p.m. the third Saturdays monthly. For information, call the chamber of commerce at (813) 754-3707.

Agencies To Present Programs At Library

PLANT CITY - Two agencies will host programs in May at Bruton Memorial Library.

From 2 to 3 p.m. May 7, Hillsborough County Energy Management will present a program dealing with practical things that can be done to reduce monthly utility expenses. Many cost nothing, and others involve minor expenses for simple projects, many of which the consumer can build or install.

From 2 to 3 p.m. May 12, the Florida Department of Financial Services will present a program on scams, explaining how to identify types of scams, including insurance, financial and credit card.

The programs are free. The library is at 302 McLendon St.

Store Celebration Will Aid Summer Camp

PLANT CITY - To mark its first anniversary as a Sweetbay Supermarket, the store at 597 S. Wheeler St. will combine that celebration with a fundraiser for the 2008 Muscular Dystrophy Association summer camp.

The celebration will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.

Among the events planned are a bake sale, cake walk, live music, drawings, free health screenings and a ladder truck from Plant City Fire Rescue.

Columnist Barbara Kent reports on community news. Items submitted must include a telephone number. Send via fax to (813) 865-4441, or mail to Neighbors, 101 N. Wheeler St., Plant City FL 33563.

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