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Published: January 28, 2009

Public Can Sound Off On Station Relocation

County officials will hold a public meeting 6:30 p.m. Tuesday on a proposal to relocate a fire station from Springhead to Bealsville in eastern Hillsborough.

The Springhead Fire Station at 4503 Coronet Road is in need of about $500,000 in renovations. Fire officials are pondering the possibility of instead building a new station at Bealsville Park, 5009 Nesmith Road, at a cost of about $1 million.
County Fire Rescue spokesman Ray Yeakley said the Springhead station was originally built to serve volunteer firefighters. The county now has four paid firefighters there 24 hours a day, and the accommodations are not very good, he said.

Also, Plant City has annexed to within a quarter-mile of the Springhead station, and fire officials are wondering if it wouldn't be better to build in the Bealsville location about 21/2 miles away, he said.

At the meeting, county staff members will discuss the details of the project, answer questions and receive public input.

The meeting will be at the Bealsville Recreation Center, 5009 Nesmith Road

Yeakley said the county hasn't made the final call on relocation, and public comments will play a role in the decision.

"Usually we don't get a lot of opposition," but the county wants to hear from residents, he said.

For information, call Steve Valdez at the Public Works Department, (813) 272-5275.
Dave Nicholson
Rock Saturday At Volunteer Jam
Former members of Sweet Rye and Silver Dollar Band and other area musicians will gather Saturday for The Southern Rock Volunteer Jam.

Admission is $10 for the 5 p.m. event at the Hillsborough County Cattlemen's Association building, 6404 S. State Road 39, a mile south of State Road 60.

"There will be a lot of good music, a lot of good friends," some of whom have played together in one group or another for three decades or longer, said longtime Plant City resident Gary Keeler, who is organizing the event with his daughter, Layla Drawdy.

"We thought it would be a good way to get everybody together and maybe start a tradition," he said of the first-time event. "There's nowhere to go if you want to hear live music" this side of Ybor City, said Keeler, formerly of Silver Dollar Band and Sweet Rye.

Proceeds go to the musicians, and the "volunteer" designation is derived from the fact all have volunteered to perform, Keeler said.

Food and beverage vendors are scheduled to participate. No alcoholic beverages will be sold, but patrons may bring their own, Keeler said.

In addition to Keeler, scheduled performers include Dennis Davenport, Ronnie Rayburn, Jimmy Grubbs, Jerry Harrell, Dallas Upton, Dave Woody, Casey Stidham, Ted Messick, Ray Brown and Keith Carter.

To perform or for information, contact Keeler at (813) 754-5767 or gkeeler@comcast .net.

George Wilkens

Walk Or Run For Church Ministries

The early registration deadline is looming for a 5K walk/run to help two ministries at Plant City Church of God.

Mike Young, youth ministry pastor, hopes there will be at least 300 participants in the Strawberry Distance Challenge. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 14 along a course through the Walden Lake community. Money raised will help the church's Operation Compassion, which helps the needy in the area, and to remodel a youth building.

Early registration forms must be postmarked by Sunday.

Young said members of the church's youth ministry staff who are at least 40 years old have enjoyed participating in races in other areas and decided to "do one of these for Plant City."

Runners and walkers will receive 2009 Strawberry Distance Challenge T-shirts. Astin Farm is paying for the race's expenses.

The race starts at the Walden Lake Polo Field on Griffin Boulevard between Timberlane and Spring Hammock drives. Race-day registration starts at 6:45 a.m.

Fee is $20 for early registration and $25 to register the day of the race.

Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each of several age groups, from children to 60 and older.

For information, call (813) 752-4591.
Dave Nicholson
Celebrate Mardi Gras At Flower Show

The Plant City Garden Club is bringing a touch of New Orleans to its annual flower show.

Mardi Gras will be the theme of the Feb. 5 event at Walden Lake Golf and Country Club, 2001 Clubhouse Drive. There's no admission charge to the 5 to 8 p.m. show.

Members will play off the Mardi Gras theme with their floral designs.

The club has held the shows for about 30 years so members can display their floral design skills. The club selects different themes for each of its annual flower shows. Last year's theme was Elvis Presley.

Club President Cassandra Banning said members were brainstorming ideas for 2009 when Em Rawlings, who used to live in New Orleans and participated in Mardi Gras parade balls, suggested it.

"Everybody liked it. It sounded like fun," Banning said.

If you want to make an evening of it, a buffet dinner will be served from 6 to 8 p.m. in the main dining room of the country club for $11.95 per person. During the meal, Ray Mercer will perform music with a New Orleans and Mardi Gras theme.

Guests don't need to go to the dinner, but if they plan to eat, they need to make a reservation by calling Sherry at (813) 754-8575 by Tuesday.For information, call Banning at (813) 759-1638.
Dave Nicholson
Relay For Life Seeks Co-Chair Applicant

The advocacy chairman for the 2009 Relay for Life is looking for a volunteer co-chair to assist in that position.

Hunter Gambrell, who promotes the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network through the Plant City fundraiser, is looking for someone to help him.

"Our job is to contact government officials, federal, state and local, to support legislation promoting the treatment and cure of cancer," Gambrell said. "The position requires people skills and a passion to defeat cancer."

The 2009 Relay for Life will be held April 17 and 18 at Plant City High School's football stadium.

Those interested may call Gambrell at (813) 763-1889.

George H. Newman

Rural Citizens' Alliance Launches Web Site

The Alliance of Rural Citizens, a nonprofit organization of northeast Hillsborough County residents and property owners interested in preserving their rural lifestyle, has launched a Web site: www.arc-hills.org.

"It is our belief that special interests have been favored by our local officials for too long at the expense of our quality of life," Ronnie Bayless, the group's community issues vice president, said in a statement announcing the Web site.

"Population growth is not inevitable; it is a choice," Bayless said. "We should have a right to choose a path that is consistent with the lifestyle we have chosen, not a direction that has been selected on the basis of potential profit."

There are no membership costs, but donations are encouraged.

The Web site is designed to enhance dialogue among members and prospective members and provide visitors with information about the organization's activities, news, resources, membership information and contact information.

The alliance started with a group of Cork neighbors who came together in 2006 to try to save a 50-acre Stafford Road orange grove from rezoning to allow a subdivision they said was totally out of character with the rural surroundings.

The property was rezoned but to date has not been developed.

George Wilkens

Yard Sale To Benefit Relay For Life

Proceeds from a Feb. 7 yard sale at J.S. Robinson Elementary School will benefit the 2009 Relay for Life fundraising effort.

Items and contributions can be brought to the school, 4801 S. Turkey Creek Road. Those interested in contributing can call the school office at (813) 757-9434.

The yard sale will run from 8 a.m. to noon.

"Sponsorships and donations for the Relay for Life are lagging behind this year," said Alicia Wilkerson, a committee member for the local American Cancer Association fundraiser. "We are asking the public to help us reach our goal in any way they can. The yard sale at the school is one way they can help us succeed during this tough economic time. Please donate items or come by and purchase what you need to help us out."

Wilkerson can be reached at the school or by e-mail at Alicia.wilkerson@sdhc .k12.a.us.

George H. Newman

City Seeks Bids For Old YMCA

The city is accepting bids on the former Plant City Family YMCA property at 502 E. Young St.

Bids on the 4.3-acre site are due by 2 p.m. Monday.

After the YMCA terminated its lease on the 5,000-square-foot masonry building in 2007, the city pondered what to do with the property bounded by Cherry Street to the north, Vermont Street to the east, Young Street to the south and McDavid Street to the west.

The property was once the YMCA's main site and included a swimming pool, bathhouses and other facilities that have since been demolished. The YMCA continued to offer after-school programs there after moving most operations to more spacious quarters at 1507 YMCA Place, off Alexander Street, about seven years ago.

The former YMCA site includes nearly 24,000 square feet of paved parking, basketball court, shrubs and mature trees.

The city estimates current land-use designations would allow up to 17 lots for single-family homes.

A recent appraisal obtained by the city lists the property's value at $450,000.

For purchase requirements, other details and a bid form, go to the city's Web site: www.plantcitygov.com.

George Wilkens

Boys & Girls Clubs Is $200 Richer

In conjunction with the local Pollo Tropical restaurant, Boys & Girls Clubs of Plant City raised $200 during a recent promotion.

The restaurant, at 238 W. Alexander St., donated 15 percent of it sales generated by guests of the Boys & Girls Clubs during the fundraiser.

The multicounty fundraiser included nine Pollo Tropical locations, raising $3,075 that will be earmarked to develop and fund after-school youth activities throughout the area.

"We thank Pollo Tropical for partnering with our organization to help the clubs raise money through a simple and fun activity," said Daniel Lyons, executive director of the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

Pollo Tropical has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the years in various communities.

Pollo Tropical, which debuted in Miami in 1998, opened last year in Plant City.

For information about the chain or its benefit and fundraising activities, go to www.pollotropical.com.

George Wilkens

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