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Ride, vigil to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month locally

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By BETTY BRIGGS

Tribune correspondent

Published: September 30, 2009

Mayor Rick Lott has proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and two local events are planned to mark the occasion.

The Spring of Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County's only domestic violence shelter, is encouraging residents to show their support by wearing purple ribbons or displaying purple balloons or ribbons.

The first local event is the Love Shouldn't Hurt Motorcycle Ride, which begins at 8 a.m. Oct. 11 with breakfast at the Plant City Police Department, One Police Place, off Alexander Street.

After a two-hour scenic ride that starts at 10 a.m., participants will enjoy lunch at Hungry Harry's Famous Bar B Que in Land O' Lakes.

The fee is $25 per entrant. All proceeds benefit The Spring.

Honorary co-chairmen include Plant City Police Chief Bill McDaniel, Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober, Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee and others.

For information, call Kat Alley at (813) 247-5433, ext. 200.

The second Plant City event, Candlelight Vigil in Remembrance of Victims of Domestic Homicide, will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at McCall Park at Collins and Drane streets. The solemn service will include a reading of the names of local victims in the past year.

The Plant City Community Choir, led by Joe Mendolia, and The Spirit Singers from First United Methodist Church of Plant City will perform. Purple glow sticks will be given to each participant to use during the event.

The public is invited.

For information, go to www.thespring.org.

Play cards to help restore building

A card party will help restore one of the city's most historical buildings.

Get a team together and come play at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Cornerstone Center, 315 N. Collins St.

The cost, including lunch, is $15. Proceeds will help renovate Cornerstone, which was home to First Baptist Church of Plant City from the 1920s through the 1990s.

For information, call (813) 752-5822 or (813) 752-2683.

Drive on to help needy in Honduras

Members of First Presbyterian Church of Plant City, led by Jean Hehn, are collecting donations of cash and food to help the needy in Honduras.

The money will help purchase medicine for six clinics in the Central American country, said Hehn, a licensed clinical social worker. The emphasis will be on medication to combat parasites and for children's vitamins. Hehn would like to have the donations in hand by Oct. 10.

Through the fall, church members are collecting food such as beans and rice to ship monthly to Honduras, she said.

Donations can be dropped off at the church at 404 W. Reynolds St.; contact Hehn at jean hehn@tampatbay.rr.com or at (813) 763-1833.

Glorioso accepts library awards

State Rep. Rich Glorioso was presented with two awards recently at a Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library meeting.

The Plant City Republican received a Library Champion Award from the Florida Library Association and an award of recognition from the Florida Library Association for his support for state library funding, which continues despite a tight budget.

St. Clement plans annual fish fry

The St. Clement Catholic Church Council will hold its annual fish fry Oct. 17 in Cronin Hall at the church, 1104 N. Alexander St.

Takeout begins at 4:45 p.m., and dine-in begins at 5 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for ages 4 to 12. There will be a cash bar.

Call Thom Gibbons at (813) 719-2976 for information or tickets.

Bereavement group meets monthly

The Bereaved Parents of USA, Tampa Bay Chapter, meets at South Florida Baptist Hospital, 301 N. Alexander St., from 7 to 9 p.m. the fourth Thursday monthly.

This support group is for parents, grandparents and siblings who need care and compassion to survive their grief after the death of a child.

For information, call (813) 832-3175 or (813) 661-0680.

Child safety campaign is launched

The Children's Board of Hillsborough County, in partnership with the Department of Children and Families and the Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County, has launched a countywide child safety awareness campaign.

Billboards and bus ads will encourage parents and caretakers to choose caregivers wisely.

The idea to create an awareness campaign came from Nick Cox, Suncoast regional director for DCF and a Children's Board member.

For information, go to www.dreamsworthgrowing.com or call (813) 229-2884.

Battle of Bands seeking talent

SchoolJam USA allows local bands to compete for prizes for their band - and their school music program.

Through Oct. 15, any high school band student ages 13 to 18 who has never been signed to a music label can enter. Bands can enter any style of original music.

Fifty semifinalists will be posted online, where visitors can vote once a day for their favorite band. The top 10 finalists will battle it out live in January at the SchoolJam USA finals in Anaheim, Calif.

Each of the 10 finalists will receive prize money to purchase new gear, and so will their school music programs.

The winning band will perform in March at the SchoolJam Germany finals in Frankfurt.

For information, go to www.musicshowcaseonline.com and click on the SchoolJam USA link, or call Music Showcase, 402 Oakfield Drive, Brandon, at (813) 685-5998.

Tampa forum focuses on America

The Hillsborough Veterans Council will host a national forum on America's role in the world from 7 to 9 p.m. today at America Legion Post 5, at Kennedy Boulevard and Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa.

The forum is open to the public.

For information, call Leonard Black at (813) 428-1828 or Dave Braun at (813) 310-8513.

E-mail items to Betty Briggs at gabylee

@tampabay.rr.com; mail to The Tampa Tribune, 933 Chad Lane, Tampa FL 33563; or fax to (813) 627-4765.

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