FOCUS Plant City 09-03

foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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contents

volume 9 issue 3 - march 2010

Publisher Mike Floyd Office Manager Dede Floyd Copy Editor Lynne Warren advertising director Brent Simmons

Family of Community Magazines

Sales Sophia Hyde Tammy Simpson Sheryl Vitelli Wyatt Wheeler Holly Far mer RJ Johnston Production Anthony Sassano Tony Cartagena FOCUSTV Kara Manelli

ontheCOVER

Distribution Doug McGee Belva DeVane

David & Vickie Hawthorne

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FOCUSTV

MYFOCUSTV.COM Local Community Stories New Episode Every Wednesday

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Own Your Own FOcus Magazine

Licensed territories are available.

If you are interested in owning your own Focus Magazine call Mike Floyd at 813-707-8783 ext. 26

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LOCAL

What an exciting month! We have been working hard to cover everything going on at the Strawberry Festival. In this issue we have the results from many of the contests, including the highly anticipated Baby Parade and Youth Steer Show, among many others. But, the Festival wasn’t the only thing going on in Plant City this month.

We’re bringing you coverage of local fundraising events, an apparent sighting of several Dr. Seuss characters in the area, and we invite nominations for our upcoming, annual FOCUS on You Makeover. This and much, much more can be found in our Local section.

FOCUS Plant City Lakeland Brandon Winter Haven Lake County South Tampa

Photographers Suzanne Gallagher Billy Friend Lori Blaser

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FEATURE

Each year since 1960, Plant City has honored one if its citizens with a distinguished award: Citizen of the Year. Representatives from the various local service clubs review a list of nominees, and have the tough job of selecting one of them to be awarded the honor. Although this year’s recipient may not be as well known as previous winners, he is certainly among the most deserving. From his involvement in, and contribution to the community to his generosity and heart of gold, Henry Falcon, of Sweetbay Supermarkets, absolutely fits the bill. Let Focus introduce you to this great citizen.

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW

Downtown Plant City has been experiencing a revitalization over the last two decades or so. There have been many contributors to the success of those efforts, and among them are David and Vicki Hawthorne. Born and raised in this area, David left right after high school to enter military service, and then traveled extensively while building his career. Eventually he met and married Vicki, and the two returned to David’s hometown of Plant City. Since their return in the 1990’s, the two have been key players in the revitalization efforts.

business profile

A new business recently opened its doors in downtown Plant City. The Truth Christian Store and Event Center is a result of the dreams and hard work of Donald and Jennifer Flagg, and Jennifer’s parents, Fred and Irene Wright.

Stop in for a visit, and tell ‘em FOCUS sent you.

12 - Talk of the Town 48 - Did You Know?

50 - Plant City Chamber of Commerce

77 - Home Guide 92 - Athlete Of The Month 96 - Seniors Of The Month 100 - Al Reuchel

102 - Derek Maul 114 - Event Calendar 118 - Just For Fun

Staff Writers Cheryl Johnston Ruchelle Owens Carolyn Miller Brian West Joe Bowles Laura Estes Michelle Stark Phil Neary Derek Maul Sherri Robinson Mitchell Var num Debra Lucia contributors Al Ruechel Bruce Rodwell Gil Gott Sherrie Mueller Jo-An Lusk Nate Davis Natalie Sweet Felix Haynes Editorial Interns Tanya Albert Currie Dickerson production Intern Scott King

standards of accuracy The goal of the writers at FOCUS Magazine is to provide heart-war ming stories that are accurate from the start. Being human, however, we sometimes make mistakes. Please forgive us.

So if you notice anything that is incorrect, then please do not hesitate to contact the editorial department and infor m it about the fact error. To do so, call (813) 707-8783 or e-mail editorial@floydpublications. com. The staff will fix the error in a timely manner.

Readers who wish to respond to an article – not correct facts – can do so by writing a letter to the editor. If you need any other type of assistance, then please view the directory for the appropriate department.

The staff at FOCUS Magazine is committed to serving their consumers and customers to the fullest of abilities. You’re paying attention to our words. Let us pay attention to yours.

FOCUS Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Plant City businesses, restaurants and many local venues.

Letters, Questions and Comments can be sent to us at editorial@floydpublications.com.

Advertisers warrant and represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. Focus Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All letters and their contents sent to Focus Magazine become the sole property of Floyd Publications, Inc and may be reproduced thereof. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Floyd Publications, Inc. Use or duplication of material used in this publication is prohibited without approved written consent from Floyd Publications, Inc.

published by:

floyd publications, Inc.

101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd.

Plant City, FL 33563 Phone 813.707.8783 • Fax 813.764.0990

Your Smile

The most attractive thing you can put on.

Dr. Derek M. Busciglio Dr. John A. Busciglio LICENSED ORTHODONTIC SPECIALISTS

Braces and Invisalign for Children and Adults Free Consultations • Affordable Financing Available

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Certified Premier Invisalign Provider Most Insurances Accepted • Se Habla Español

NEW LOCATION

623 East Alexander Street • 813.759.9474 at Alexander Crossings Plaza

TWO LOCATIONS TO BETTER SERVE YOU! 515 Corner Street, Brandon 813-681-9473

Plant City Dental Specialty - 623 East Alexander Street, Plant City, FL

Plastic, Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery Jack A. Davidson, DDS, MD, PLLC

Two locations to better serve you 623 East Alexander St., Plant City, FL • Phone #: (813) Specialty: Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

571-1516

www.davidsonsurgery.com

Brandon Location: 1165 Nikki View Drive, Brandon, FL 33511

MEMBERSHIPS INCLUDE: Board Certified In Plastic Surgery The American Dental Association • The American Medical Association American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons The American College of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons The Florida Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons The American Society of Dental Anesthesiologists The Florida Dental Society of Anesthesiology Board Certified in Dental Anesthesiology foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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letter from

THE Publisher

I

I don’t know what “it” is. I’ve been trying to rack my brain to answer the question I have continuously been asked.

Fred’s Southern Kitchen and FocusTV partnered to bring the community constant coverage of everything that went on at the Strawberry Festival. Last year the FocusTV staff handled most of the production for all of the shows. But this year I decided to roll up my sleeves and personally shoot a lot of the events.

Anyone who runs a company can tell you that most of your job ends up being paperwork and staff management, and less of the trade. I absolutely love what we do and get a thrill out of personally doing the work myself. So for the festival coverage this year, I personally did the video for almost half of the 30 shows we filmed, and I was at the festival all eleven days.

So, back to the unanswered question. Knowing how much I was at the festival this year, I have been asked several times, “what was your favorite part?” Looking back over the week and a half I spent there, there are a few events that stand out to me the most.

On American Heroes Day, the festival offered a free day to the families of fallen soldiers from East Hillsborough County. Four families came out and enjoyed the day full of food, rides, and entertainment. They were recognized during Aaron Tippin’s show and got to meet him backstage. Then a ceremony was held to honor the soldiers and there wasn’t a dry eye in the building. The sacrifice these families have made for our country is tremendous.

On a much lighter night, I am still in shock from the strawberry shortcake eating contest. A new record was broken for eating 4 lbs of strawberry shortcake in 4 min 42 seconds. I cannot get the image out of my head of him pretty much shoveling shortcake down.

For as long as I have lived in Plant City, I was familiar with the livestock events at the festival. However, this year I really got a behind the scenes look at all of the events in the big tent. It really touched me how it’s about so much more than just the students raising these animals. It really becomes an entire family affair from parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters. They all spend countless hours preparing for the show in hopes of it paying off in the end.

I could keep going on about neat things from that week. Like Charlie Christ coming out, or eating incredible food. However, more than anything I think I liked just running into so many people around Plant City that I know but don’t get to see often.

Seeing so many familiar faces from the community was exciting for me.

Very few of us were lucky enough to be able to be there all 11 days and catch all the action. If you missed something you wanted to see, make sure you check out FocusTV. Go to myfocustv.com and look under the special events tab. We’ll see you at the festival next year!

Mike floyd Publisher

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Talkof the Town pchs prince & princess Winner

Rhonda Fry and H. Fry of Travel by Horizon with last month’s Focus Deals winner. Dana Garvin of Plant City won a trip to Mexico for signing up for Focus Deals. You too can enter to win our monthly giveaway by texting “focus” to 32075 or by visiting our website at www.myfocustv.com

Plant City High School recently held a Prince and Princess contest. Contestants collected money for charity with emphasis on the American Cnacer Society’s Relay for Life. Winning the title of Princess was Ashyln Robinson, a senior. She was the overall top fundraiser in the event. Runner ups for Princess included: 1st runner up- Cassandra Cantu, 2nd runner up- Laura Garcia, 3rd runner up- Amanda Hoyle.

In the Prince division, Chastain Manning, a PCHS junior, earned the crown by being the top male fundraiser. George Lott was the 1st runner up.

Winners were recognized on the school morning show and were awarded prizes. They will also be featured in the PCHS 2010 Yearbook.

Pictured: Left to right- 3rd runner up Amanda Hoyle, 2nd runner-up Laura Garcia, 1st runner-up Cassandra Cantu, Princess Ashlyn Robinson, Prince Chastain Manning, 1st runner up George Lott.

ANNUAL BIG BOOK SALE

The Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library would like to invite you to their Annual Big Book Sale. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to purchase gently used books at unbelievable prices. Hardback books and larger trade paperbacks will be $1, regular paperback books are priced at 50 cents and romance paperbacks will be priced at 5 for $1.

Many categories of books will be available for sale including fiction, domestic, history, literature, psychology, sociology, biography, art, science and military. Proceeds from the sale benefit many library programs.

The sale will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010. The sale will be open to the public from 10:00am-4:00pm at the Bruton Memorial Library, located at 302 McLendon Street, Plant City. An “Early Preview Sale” will be held from 9:00am-10:00am for members of the Friends of the Library. Call (813) 757-9215 for additional information on the book sale and how you can become a member of the Friends of the Library.

TUNE INT O FOCUSTV

Youth S te Da y 8 er Show Show 2

Powered by

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erby Dia per D how 3 Da y 5 S

de Pa ra B ab y Show 2 10 Da y

Check out our coverage of the Strawberry Festival at myfocustv.com

local talk of the town

The Plant City Garden Club supports Wekiva Youth Camp with volunteers and funds.

Camp Wekiva is supported by the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs and its member clubs, with the purpose of instilling a love and respect for the “real” Florida, along with a knowledge of nature, the importance of conservation and the protection of our environment., The camp, located in Wekiva State Park near Orlando, is an accredited camp for children in third through eighth grades.

The six weeklong sessions are broken down by ages and sex and held over the summer break.

The camp features activities such as hiking, nature photography, swimming, arts & crafts and lots more all with the focus on nature, conservation and the environment. “The kids are active, having fun as they learn, making new friends; they forget there is no TV or electronic games and such”, stated Lisa Firm, Junior Gardener Chairwoman for Plant City Garden Club.

Now is the time for planning for the upcoming summer sessions and training of volunteers for camp. Several members of The Plant City Garden Club attended the 3 day training classes gearing up to assist camp staff over the summer camp session. The Club also supports the camp with a $1000.00 donation to their operating fund. You do not need to be a part of the garden club for your child or grandchild to attend camp. The Garden Club does sponsor any child from the Plant City Area providing a discount on the camp fees, in addition to the club giving needy children a scholarship to attend. Camp fees including the activity fee is $315.00; garden club sponsored child bringing the total to $240.00. Anyone interested in more information can go to the FFGC web site: www.ffgc.org or contact Garden Club President Mikie Snyder @ 813 752-9363.

Shown in the photo presenting the check to FFGC Second vice President, Sue Angle is left to right: Garden Club members: Sally Spooner, Christy Linke, Kathy Dillon, Sue Angle, FFGC second vice president; Lisa Firm, Eileen Reed and third vice president for FFGC Arlene Hanks.

plant city photo archives progressive tea party

This year’s progressive tea party, sponsored by Hopewell Funeral Home, was a success for the Plant City Photo Archives. Ladies toured several homes in the historic district, ending at the Verner’s home on Calhoun. This photo features the winners of the hat contest.

KATHLEEN AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 19TH ANNUAL HERITAGE DAY FESTIVAL

Saturday, March 20, 2010 Heritage Park 8950 North Campbell Road, Lakeland, FL 33810 Free Admission, Free Parking, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Fun day of old fashion fun, great food and live entertainment. Old Time y Demonstrators, Quilt Museum, Kountry Store, Children’s Games, Cake Walk Craft Vendors.

Bring your lawn chairs and sit a spell, enjoy the music, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. For information call Glenn Thomas (President) 863-226-2956 Website Kathleenahs.org

congratulations

rachel long

Rachel Long won first place in a state wide writing and illustration contest. Her first place prize was a two thousand dollar savings bond, a gift pack from Crayola crayons and many smaller prizes. Rachels story titled {Beating Back Boredom} was picked from hundreds of entries from all over Florida. The contest was sponsored

by The Florida State Fair, Crayola crayon, WEDU Television and the Florida lottery, other sponsors were Tampa Bay Parenting magazine, and Nickelodeon Family Suites.

Rachel wanted to thank all her teachers at Shiloh Charter School for helping her to always do her very best. Rachel also wanted to thank her Aunt Wanda Long for helping her learn her abc,s and giving her a love of learning. Rachels parents are Glenn and Yetti Long and they are so proud of Rachel, not only does she excel in Academics but she has a good heart and loves helping others.

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local focus

Strawberry Festival Diaper Derby

by K r y s t e l K n o w l e s

The Strawberry Festival features some very unique contests. During the various baby-related contests, mothers, fathers and families show their competitive side. The Diaper Derby is a competitive event that consists of mothers encouraging their babies to crawl from one side of the stage to the other. The fastest crawler is the winner.

This year’s Diaper Derby champion is Keegan Barbee-Rangel. Not only did Keegan win the derby but he also won a trophy for having the most hair.

Keegan’s mother said that she is very proud of him and enjoyed participating in a fun activity with her son. Aside from the fact that he enjoys being on the move, his mother said he also likes eating sweet potato puffs. Maybe that’s what fuels his speed!

“He likes getting into things, he likes to run,” said Keegan’s mom.

Kaiden Davis winner of most creative diaper.

Emma Wetherington won prettiest baby 6-9 months.

Karys Jones won prettiest baby 15 months.

Traiten Castello won most handsome 10-12 months.

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Visit myfocustv.com Strawberry Festival 10 Day 5 Show 3

Ayden Suarez won most handsome 13-15 months.

Joshua Bahr won chubbiest cheeks.

Keegan won the Diaper Derby

Carson Hattaway won funniest diaper.

Caitlyn Hartley won best cartoon character.

Brayden Thompson won most creative diaper.

David Riddle won biggest eyes.

Georgia Payton Pippin won prettiest baby 10-12 months.

Grayce Paige Warner won most beautiful 16-18 months.

Carson Jimenez won most handsome 6-9 months.

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local focus

He Sure Can Sing Former local, Mel Tillis, is still perfoming at age 78

by Br i a n W e s t

If you’ve been in, or around, Plant City long enough, you know that Country music singer, Mel Tillis, lived in Plant City as a child. He was born at home, in Tampa, in an old house on Morgan St. His father had a job at a bakery in Ybor City, and his family lived in Hillsboro County for about ten years; most

of that time in and around Plant City. They moved to Pahokee, Fl., in 1942 when his father took a job at a bakery there, and Tillis graduated from high school there in 1951.

Well known for his stutter, it developed during his childhood as a result of a bout with malaria.

Tillis said, “I got interested in Photo by Jim Lersch

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music when I realized I couldn’t talk, but I could sing without the stutter.” He recalled one of his early school teachers at Wilson Elementary, “Her name was Miss Clark. She had beautiful white hair. She’d say, ‘I want you to hear this boy. He can’t talk, but he sure can sing. He’s gonna sing an old Gene Autry song called, I wanna drink my coffee from an old tin can.” And she’d take him from class to class singing, acappella.

Tillis was determined to make something of himself. He believes that a quick word with Mr. Miller about a job at the candy store downtown helped him most. Mr. Miller noticed his stutter and said, “You know, I used to stutter. I’ve got something here that’ll help you.” Miller gave Tillis the Alcoholics Anonymous Creed; Oh Lord, grant me the serenity… Miller suggested he read it about 10 times before he went to bed. Tillis woke up the next morning and thought to himself, “If I’m gonna be here on this earth, they’re just going to have to accept me the way I am.”

And everything just began to fall into place after that.

Tillis enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed in Okinawa.

He was a baker. He likes to poke fun at himself about his job saying, “I served my country. I served cakes, cookies, pies and donuts.”

Tillis worked 24 hours on and then 48 hours off, which was a

great opportunity for him to get some experience with a band. He joined the Westerners, and they played at events all over the island.

When he came home from the service, his family had relocated back to Plant City Al Berry likes to tell about the time when he and Ercelle Smith were judging a local talent show.

Their job was to cull the talent, ‘so there weren’t too many little Jimmy’s playing the guitar.’ When Tillis walked up and introduced himself, “Hi. My name is M-MMel T-Tillis.” Smith leaned into Berry and said, “This ought’a be good.” Berry still gets a laugh thinking about that. Tillis placed third behind the Simmons sisters and a quartet he couldn’t remember. Before too long, Tillis was singing at the local drive-ins during intermission, anywhere he could find an audience. He eventually ended up with his career as a Country music singer with several #1 hits and many top ten hits, but also has many credits as a writer. He wrote the Kenny Rogers hit, ‘Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,’ and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

Tillis now owns ranches in Nashville and Ocala. He does about 100 shows each year and is currently preparing for his 4th Annual M-M-Mel Tillis and Friends Fishing Tournament to benefit the Shriner’s Childrens Hospital. The tournament will be held on April 17th in Steinhatchee, Fl. If you’re interested, visit the website at www.FishingwithMel. com

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local focus

Wearing Orange

for a Cause Banking for the Cure

S t o r y a n d P h o t o by K r y s t e l K n o w l e s

Gail Jones lived a normal, happy life that she shared with her husband and children.

She was a typical lady who went to work every day at Hillsborough Bank and was loved by all her co-workers.

Jones was healthy and rarely got sick until one day, when her life changed forever.

Last year around Thanksgiving, Jones started having problems with her eye but did not think is was anything serious. Her foggy vision kept getting worse and in December, her eye doctor recommended she see a specialist. On Dec. 17th, 18

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Jones was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. When she received the diagnosis she was surprised because she has always been healthy overall.

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that attacks the body’s own defense system (central nervous system). When the damage occurs the nerve impulses that travel to and from the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves are distorted and create a series of symptoms.

Those symptoms can include loss of vision (foggy vision), numbness in the limbs and typically vary from person to person. There’s no conclusive

determination as to the cause of Multiple Sclerosis. The disease is not contagious nor can it be inherited, more research needs to be done to determine the causes and to find a cure.

Jones said that after vigorous hormone treatment, her vision was restored. She is currently taking medication in injection form that costs around $2,700 a month. Although there is no cure for Multiple Sclerosis, the medication slows the progression of the disease.

“The medication is very expensive and I have to take it every day,” said Jones.

Tiffany Sacco, teller at Hillsborough Bank and Team Captain for Banking for the Cure, said that when Jones was having her eye problems the whole bank was concerned.

Sacco said after she returned from lunch one day, a worried co-worker told her that Jones was just diagnosed with MS. “I got chills all over after I found out.”

Sacco has always been involved with charity and decided to research MS to find a way to help. She found a fundraising event to help raise awareness and fund MS research. Sacco started her own Walk MS Team called “Banking for the Cure,” the team currently has 17 Hillsborough Bank members from both branches who are eager to participate. The goal

of her team is to raise $1,500 through donations, selling pinups and bracelets.

“I wanted to do something sweet for Gail, I did not tell her until I got the whole staff involved,” said Sacco.

Starting on Feb 19, staff members of both Hillsborough Bank branches will wear orange T-shirts every Friday to raise awareness about the disease and to honor their co-worker. On March 27 there will be a MS Walk to help fund MS research and create awareness at the Lowry Park Zoo. Event check-in begins at 5:30 p.m. and then participants can chose to walk a long or short route.

Jones said it brought tears to her eyes when Sacco told her about the support she is receiving from her coworkers.

“I’m going to cry,” Sacco said of how she feels when talking about Jones’ MS. For more information about ways to participate and/or donate to team “Banking for the Cure” please go to http://walkflc. nationalmssociet y.org/site/ PageServer?pagename=WLK_ FLC_Volunteer and select the Walk Ms: Tampa tab. Or call Lanette Lafferty at (407) 7406194.

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local focus

The Spirit of Agriculture Pee Wee Showmanship

by C urr i e D i ck e rs o n

The Pee Wee Showmanship competition held March 7, in the Patterson Livestock Arena provided a breath of fresh air. The showmanship event exemplifies what the Strawberry Festival truly represents. The children are not yet old enough to compete in the junior showmanship event, but they are the future of showmanship events at the Strawberry Festival. Unlike many other competitions where the animal itself is judged, Pee Wee Showmanship awards the children that have the best arena presence with their animal.

This event is an example of family at its best. The work that

goes into preparing these young children to show their cattle can only be accomplished through a family effort. Parents, grandparents, and older siblings work together to produce the best young participant.

It was amazing to watch these children gracefully guide cows that often towered over them. This year, Gavin Arrant won first place in the competition. Gavin showed great control and demonstrated ‘outstanding leadership’ throughout the event. Although one child must be awarded winner, the heart of the event is not the competition.

The heart of Pee Wee Showmanship is the kids. These

kids are hands down the future of the Festival and agricultural clubs in the area. The hard work and responsibility these kids learn through events like Pee Wee Showmanship carry on with them for the rest of their lives. The children train and guide their animals and often form very strong bonds with them.

According to 4 year old Shaylynn Cason, her favorite thing about her cow ‘daisy’ is when she gives those big cow kisses. Not only will these kids shape the FFA and 4-H organizations, they will continue to hold true to the values that the Pee Wee Showmanship promotes. The children had impeccable manners and were just so happy to be there.

The smiles literally lit up Patterson Livestock arena. As I was taking

3 year old Easton Morrow strutting his stuff at the Pee Wee Dairy Showmanship. Photo courtesy of Floyd Publications.

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in the event, I could hear a young girl say, “Momma, I want to do this next year!” There were more “awes” and laughs in the audience than anyone would expect from a dairy showmanship event. That’s what separates the Pee Wee show from any other livestock show at the Festival. It’s all about family, friends, and encouraging these kids.

The Showmanship events are a vital part of the Strawberry Festival.

People come from all over the country to see the Dairy events held annually at the Festival. These children that are now only 4 and 5 years old will eventually be the leaders in the FFA and 4-H clubs across this tri-county area. If you missed the Diary Showmanship Events this year, you shoul mark your calendars for next year.

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local focus

Photography Winners Forever Capture Moments in Time S to r y by C h e r y l J o h n s to n | P h o t o s c o ur t e s y o f c o n t e s ta n t s a n d a ss i s ta n c e f r o m J i m B l a ck

Every year the entries in the Strawberry Festival Photography Contest prompt smiles, laughter, and expressions such as “Look at this one!” or “How did they do that?” Thanks to the wonders of technology and the imaginations of our contestants, these photos capture a wordless story moment-

Lynn Wiezycki Residence: Thonotosassa First Place – Places

in-time to distill memories for future generations. This event is all about sharing the inspiration.

Entries must be original work from the previous 12 months of amateur photographers residing or wintering in Hillsborough, Polk, or Pasco County. Adults may submit two and youth only one.

Photo is of sunset on the Anclote River in Tarpon Springs.

Interested in photography: for many years, but began studying and shooting intensely in 2005 with purchase of her first digital SLR camera.

Categories include Black & White, Theme, Humans, Animals, Plants, Places, Miscellaneous, Youth - 18 & Under, and Youth - 14 & Under awards include 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons, with two honorable mentions for each of nine divisions, plus a Best in Show.

The photos are judged on two

David N. Moore Residence: Plant City First Place – Miscellaneous category

Photo shows the resonance holes and strings inside a grand piano at Waldron Place Productions.

Nikolas Spoto Residence: Crystal Springs on family’s 107-year-old dairy farm First Place – Youth 14 & Under Category Photo is Spoto’s brother Joshuah standing next to the garage and a watering can Interested in photography (and video creation) since age 4, including his own special effects.

Michael Carneiro Cruz Residence: St. Petersburg First Place – Black & White Interested in photography: Has been passionate about photography for the last four years

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important criteria: impact and storytelling. This year’s submissions made for a tough decision for the two judges, both professional photographers who volunteer to judge each year.

Enjoy this overview of 2010’s best shots and be encouraged to enter the 2011 competition.

Focus regrets we were unable to speak with Benjamin Kelly, First Place – Plants category winner

Frances Fawkes-Shiver Residence: Zephyrhills First Place – Theme award (also won 2004 Best in Show) Photo is of her pet Cuban tree frog, Prince Marchello, celebrating in a strawberryfilled champagne glass.

Interested in photography: as long as she can remember; Her work with the pet Cuban tree frog began as a way to lighten up her dying father’s day. (Visit www.ribbitdesign. com for more smiles.)

David Pugsley Residence: Plant City First Place – Animals category

Photo is a “frogscape” – a combination of nature and landscape, his two favorite subjects

Evan Marcus Dell Residence: Plant City Best of Show 2nd place Human category

Photo is “a capture of serious music in a form to illustrate that not every part of the music business is all work and no play, and that serious musicians can have fun with their image and styles.” Dell says, “It is also a portrayal of my own life in the sense that I am an adult, but I still have a kid in me that wants to have fun with his work.”

Interested in photography: 23 years

Shana Norris Warner Residence: Plant City First Place – Human Category Photo is a posed shot of siblings Raigen (4) and Riley (2) in a red wagon on the train tracks.

Credits God for the passion and a talent for photography, and her mother, Toni for encouraging her to achieve the goal of one day owning a successful photography business. “The Festival photo contest really means a lot to me and this award is a good step in the right direction.”

Katlyn Marie Davis Residence: Plant City First Place – Youth 18 & Under Photo is a “random photo” of Fort Point lighthouse under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco that captures a beautiful family trip memory when they travelled to Hollywood for a national cooking contest Devin had entered and won.

Interested in photography: practicing for only the last year.

Interest in photography began six years ago; passion developed in the last three.

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Isn’t it beautiful?

Let’s keep it that way!

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local focus

2010 Florida Strawberry Festival Baby Parade King, Queen & Court with Little Miss Plant City Queen and Court. Photo courtesy of FSF

The Littlest Royalty Festival fun continues with the annual Baby Parade S to r y by Ly n n e Wa rr e n

The grandstands at the Strawberry Festival were abuzz.

Proud parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles were among the many that turned out for this year’s Baby Parade on Saturday, March 13. This annual tradition is a favorite Festival event, and participation tends to be carried down from generation to generation. Many of the mothers and fathers who are now leading their children through the procession were contestants themselves years ago.

Contestants’ ages range from one to four. Some ride miniature, parent-powered floats, wearing the cutest costumes. Others participate as what is known as ‘walkers’, many of them adorned in beautiful, frilly dresses or handsome suits. The four age groups – 1 year olds, 2 year olds, 3 year olds, and 4 year olds – are judged and awards are given in several categories within

each group.

The award categories include best costume, most beautiful float, most creative float, most personality, most handsome boy and most beautiful girl. The most handsome and most beautiful from the three age groups make up the Baby Parade Court, with the four year olds named King and Queen.

Although she wasn’t overly concerned with her own award, when this year’s Queen, Bailey Brock, realized her King was Colby Brewington, she almost couldn’t contain her excitement. The two go to school together and participate in some of the same agricultural activities and contests at the Festival, including Pee Wee Beef Showmanship.

Listed below are the awards for each age group and category.

Visit myfocustv.com Strawberry Festival 10 Day 10 Show 2

Zy Floyd - 1st place 2 year old Most Creative Float. Photo courtesy of FSF

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Makyla Brown - 1st place 2 year old Best Costume. Photo courtesy of FSF

Gracie Garner - 1st place 3 year old Best Costume. Photo courtesy of FSF

Keagan Mosley - 2nd place Most Creative Float. Photo courtesy of FSF

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2010 Florida Strawberry Festival Baby Parade Winners

local focus

Best Costume: 1 Year Olds 1st Place: Olivia Abrams 2nd Place: Priscilla Hopkins 3rd Place: Alli Jo Taylor

Best Costume: 3 Year Olds 1st Place: Gracie Garner 2nd Place: Jalynn Wright 3rd Place: Caden Trapnell

Most Beautiful Girl: 1 Year Olds 1st Place: Emily Nichols 2nd Place: Daisy Davenport 3rd Place: Priscilla Hopkins

Most Beautiful Girl: 3 Year Olds 1st Place: : Leah Gainer 2nd Place: Aubrey Abella 3rd Place: Lillie Riner

Most Beautiful Float: 1 Year Olds 1st Place: Samantha Watson

Most Creative Float: 3 Year Olds 1st Place: Lillie Riner 2nd Place: Leah Gainer

Most Personality: 1 Year Olds 1st Place: Bella Bikowski 2nd Place: Emily Nichols 3rd Place: Johnny Edenfield Most Handsome Boy: 1 Year Olds 1st Place: Brody Bryant 2nd Place: Jordan Bagley 3rd Place: Blane Newman Creative Float: 1 Year Olds 1st Place: Titus Suits 2nd Place: Ryan Haney 3rd Place: Brody Davis Best Costume: 2 Year Olds 1st Place: Makyla Sunset Brown 2nd Place: Caraleigh Beauchaine 3rd Place: Tucker Garner Most Beautiful Girl: 2 Year Olds 1st Place: Caraleigh Beauchaines 2nd Place: Kendall Wright 3rd Place: Shelby Walker Most Beautiful Float: 2 Year Olds 1st Place: Brooke Wright 2nd Place: Chloe Suits Most Personality: 2 Year Olds 1st Place: Brylie Davidson 2nd Place: Chesney Stackhouse 3rd Place: Alivia Eben Most Handsome Boy: 2 Year Olds 1st Place: Hayden Johns 2nd Place: Drew Cothren 3rd Place: Jackson Trapnell Most Creative Float: 2 Year Olds 1st Place: Zy Floyd 2nd Place: Keagan Mosley 3rd Place: Caden Bryant

Most Personality: 3 Year Olds 1st Place: Caden Trapnell 2nd Place: Alyssa Hernandez 3rd Place: Carter Herndon-Stalvey Most Handsome Boy: 3 Year Olds 1st Place: Carter Herndon-Stalvey 2nd Place: Guadalupe Villanueva 3rd Place: Chase Braglin Best Costume: 4 Year Olds 1st Place: Cadence Fricks 2nd Place: Rilee Escamilla 3rd Place: Savannah Abrams Most Beautiful Girl: 4 Year Olds 1st Place: Bailey Brock 2nd Place: Paige Zarecor 3rd Place: Madelynn Farmer Most Personality: 4 Year Olds 1st Place: Charles Watson 2nd Place: Shelby Lawrence 3rd Place: Chase Simpson Most Handsome Boy: 4 Year Olds 1st Place: Colby Brewington 2nd Place: Jayden Brown 3rd Place: Aiden Grooms Most Beautiful Float: 4 Year Olds 1st Place: Skyler Grooms 2nd Place: Lilly Hall Most Creative Float: 4 Year Olds 1st Place: Garrett Reinhold 2nd Place: Olivia Little 3rd Place: Carlie Barglin

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local focus

Food, Wonderful Food

Second taste of the Annual Celebrity Chef Dinner is even better than the first S to r y by Br i a n W e s t

The United Food Bank of Plant City has seen its challenges over the past few years. The economy is having a direct impact on our residents through job loss, foreclosure, and a myriad of other reasons. The number of clients served through the food bank increased to more than 12,000 clients in 2009. But fortunately, through donations and fundraisers, the food bank is serving those needs.

On Saturday evening, February 20th, the food bank held their 2nd Annual Celebrity Chef Dinner at the Trinkle Center. This event has become the signature fundraising event for the food bank. Last year, about 220 people attended the event. This year, about 275 attended the event. The attendance grew enough that they moved to the main hall in the Trinkle Center, and the food bank needed every square foot.

The event began with a predinner event. This portion of the event will change each year, but this year local service organizations showcased their cooking talents.

Three service organizations created appetizers for a brief reception to the main dinner; Plant City Fire Rescue Department – Jumbo Coconut Shrimp, Plant City Police Department – Grilled Sea Scallops and Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Department – Deep-Fried Red Snapper wrapped in Prosciutto Ham. As guests entered the room, they were asked to sample each of the appetizers and place a vote for their overall favorite.

The presentation of each of the appetizers was wonderful, and it was a close vote, but the Plant City Police Department came out on top,

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and left with bragging rights.

Attendees were treated to a buffet dinner of roast beef and chicken, and a dessert table with a wide selection of cakes, cheesecakes and cookies. Then it was time for Chef Jon Ashton. Each year, Ashton, has been the Celebrity Chef. Ashton has appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” the “Today Show” and is currently the food correspondent for the nationally syndicated Morning Show, “The Daily Buzz.” Ashton discovered his passion for cooking by creating recipes with Granny Ashton, who he mentioned a few times during the evening, and he even shared her recipe for scones.

Ashton gave a cooking demonstration of several dishes, including simple midweek pasta, crispy chicken with sweet shallot mashed potatoes and cranberry scones with black pepper strawberry jam and mascarpone sauce. As Ashton prepared the dishes, he allowed audience members to come forward and sample them in exchange for generous donations to the food bank. He was very engaging and kept the audience laughing throughout the evening.

At the end of the night, Ashton offered to auction his services to the highest bidder; a dinner for 12 where Ashton would take diners on a culinary adventure. The result was $6000.00 raised for the food bank. It was a wonderful evening and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. If you didn’t get a chance to attend this year, make plans now to attend next year. You won’t want to miss it.

Visit myfocustv.com Plant City Episode 72

Local Celebrity Chef’s help Chef Jon Ashton prepare appetizers for a crowd of 70 at Friday night’s Celebrity Chef VIP reception.Pictured: Mayor Rick Lott, Billy Keel, Dan Raulerson, Jon Ashton, Doug Driggers and Kevin Alves. Photo courtesy of Kelleigh Klein

County Commissioner Al Higgenbotham presents Chef Jon Ashton a Hillsborough County Proclamation for his efforts in helping the United Food Bank raise money to help feed the truly hungry in Plant City.

Photo courtesy of Kelleigh Klein

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Hope is Restored Throughout Local Schools S to r y by C urr i e D i ck e rs o n

As the gymnasium buzzed with questions, students bustled in from their normal schedules to hear an unplanned motivational speaker. What they were getting ready to hear and why they needed to hear it was unknown, but after the first few minutes all gazed intently at the man standing in front of the crowd. His message directed its intensity toward each open heart, and created an atmosphere of unity amongst the student body. Tears were shed, laughs were exchanged, and hope was rebuilt at that moment, a moment which shaped the lives of countless individuals and gave purpose to many questioning souls.

For some, life loses meaning following a devastating past, and hope is absent for the future.

As the third leading cause of death among teenagers, suicide is a means to an end for many hurting youth of today. The hurt of society’s pressures crushes the spirit and hope of these lost individuals, but when this new face emerged from the crowd, a tiresome burden of guilt was lifted.

Using a voice filled with comfort and confidence, Reggie Dabbs proclaimed a message no one had heard before, and gave reality to the dreams felt by all who listened.

As an unborn infant, Dabbs’ life was already at stake, his very existence put into question. His mother, an unwed teenager, had lost all hope, and was at the brink of an abortion for the destined speaker. Her conditions forced the questions regarding the boy, as she was living in a chicken coop in Louisiana during her pregnancy while also caring for several other children. Fortunately, a kind and generous teacher came to the destitute mother’s mind before she

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made the devastating decision to end the child’s life. Mrs. Dabbs was the girl’s tenth grade English teacher, and made such an impact on her, that the frightened teenager decided to give Reggie up for adoption to the compassionate family. From that day forward, Reggie was nurtured and cared for in a loving home, as the fire to help others grew inside his heart with each year that passed.

By the age of twelve, Reggie knew beyond a doubt that there was a special calling for his life, saying, “I always wanted to help people.” When he reached his junior year in college, Dabbs officially began his speaking career, and spoke at his first high school in 1987. His message was clear: “You can never change your past, but you can change your future!” Dabb’s love for this generation sparks the passion he holds for rejuvenating a society which looks down on the capabilities of young people, and he is devoted to seeing that all students he speaks to will catch the same fire built within him to transform the world.

Visiting fourteen schools in the Plant City area, Dabbs shared this inspiring and impacting story with thousands of students and faculty.

In fact, for every school he spoke at, Dabbs had to reject fifty, which demonstrates the high demand he has from schools around the world.

His testimony touches people in a unique and powerful way, and he gets to the heart of every issue involving a student’s past and future. Having visited every continent in the world, Dabbs desires “that every young person understands they’re going to make it, and to never give up.”

Reggie has been playing the saxophone since the sixth grade, and utilizes his talents to motivate others. He says, “I play the saxophone like I live my life,” which he does with passion.

Photo by Currie Dickerson

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local focus Photo by Mike Floyd

Plant City Welcomes Shriners

by C h e r y l J o h n s to n

Plant City now has its very own Shrine Club. The Plant City Shrine Club is a reality, thanks to the efforts of Dick Fisher, Robert Powell, Buddy Rudolph, and others.

In 1870 the Shriners were established as a related body to Freemasonry. The organization is best-known for the Shriners Hospitals for Children© they administer, for the red fezzes that members wear, and for their entertainment at the Shrine Bowl, the Shrine Circus, parades, and other community events.

To be a Shriner, one must have first become a Mason and have strong moral values, place family as a high priority, and in short, “live right.” These men are dedicated to helping children in

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need of the Shriners Hospital services. In the process of serving society, they look for opportunities to lighten up and help people smile.

The Shrine’s charitable arm is the Shriners Hospitals for Children©, a network of 22 hospitals in the United States, Mexico and Canada. They treat children under age 18 for orthopedic problems, burns, and other conditions. There is never any charge for treatment. In 2009, Shriners Hospitals’ total budget was $825 million. Each year the hospitals provide care for approximately 125,000 children.

For readers unfamiliar with the fraternity of freemasonry, here’s a little background knowledge.

As the world’s oldest and

largest fraternity, freemasonry membership has included royalty, government officials, military commanders, corporate CEOs, film stars, celebrities, and probably your next-door neighbor. Their theme is “Making good men better.”

Masons see brotherhood as wisdom that bonds men together in an attitude of reverence for living things, tenderness toward people who suffer, loving-kindness for all mankind, and a desire to do right because it is right. Simply put, every Mason makes the Golden Rule a lifestyle marker.

For this reason, Masonry has been called one of the greatest forces for good in the world. They acknowledge belief in a Supreme Being and insist on toleration – on

the right of each person to think independently in political, religious, and social situations.

Freemasonry exists to effect change for good and to build a better world for our children.

The Plant City Shrine Club meets monthly at the Olin S. Wright Masonic Lodge #79 on Acacia Street on the fourth Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

To discover how you can be a difference maker, simply ask a Mason, stop by the local lodge, or phone 813-752-8061. Local Master Masons are invited to become Shriners and join the fun and help support the Shriners Hospitals. Local Shriners are invited to join the Plant City Shrine Club.

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Strawberry Festival

Youth Steer Show Hard work and dedication bring rewards for Hillsborough County youth

by K ay l a Lu n s f o rd

Yes, it’s that time of year again!

Time to avert your attention away from the strawberry shortcake, endless rides, and various exhibits that the one and only Strawberry Festival features each year. It’s time to focus on an event that many in Plant City and surrounding communities in Hillsborough County take great interest in. The Youth Steer Show at the Strawberry Festival is an event that represents the lifestyle, hard work, and effort that goes into agriculture.

From an outside perspective, understanding just how much hard work and determination these youth put into preparing their animals for the show is hard to grasp. Many of these young people begin preparing their steer in July and continue their rigorous work throughout the next few months before the actual show.

According to Cameron Salter, 16, a challenge in raising and preparing his steer, during the months before the show, is making sure that the animal is fed properly and is gaining the appropriate amount of weight.

Another challenge is making sure the steer is gentle, able to be handled, and calm during showings.

Not only are there months of groundwork that go into these steer, but the showing itself is a challenge all its own. The steer have to be washed, clipped, blow dried, and groomed in

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preparation for the show. Judges look for certain characteristics in each steer, and the grooming involves techniques that emphasize those characteristics, while minimizing areas where the steer’s conformation may not be ideal. The mental aspect of the preparation is also difficult for some of the young exhibitors. The level of anticipation among the awaiting contestants varies, but many of them were anxious for the show to begin. When asking Kelsey Bozeman, Strawberry Crest FFA, how she felt while waiting for the show, she replied “pretty darn nervous”.

For those who aren’t savvy about how the steer show works, the winning steer is selected based on muscle quantity, meat quality, and the amount of fat cover. The steers are grouped into nine classes based on weight.

There are three Division winners, three Reserve Division winners, a Reserve Grand Champion, and ultimately a Grand Champion.

In the Light Weight Division, the winner was Zachary Lloyd, Durant FFA. We asked the Middle Weight Division winner Derrick Knight, Plant City FFA, how it feels to win and he replied, “it feels great”. The winner of the Heavy Weight Division was Chrissy Grimmer, Plant City FFA. Grimmer’s steer Twister also took Grand Champion in the show. When asked how it felt to win and what she put into

Cameron Salter, 16, with his steer Oby. Photo by Kayla Lunsford

preparing her steer she replied “it feels amazing”. She said she “put a whole lot into feeding the steer at 5 in the morning, rinsing it once a day and feeding it twice a day”. The Reserve Grand Champion winner was Zachary Lloyd. About his steer being named Reserve Champion, Lloyd said “ It feels like a lot of hard work paid off ”.

Saundra TenBroeck served as the judge for this years’ show.

When asked how she felt about how the show impacts the youth exhibitors and the community, she replied “The show is just the end of a year-long project”. Her perspective on the show is that it’s a way for the youth to learn

responsibility and that it is a positive experience. “The community builds the show to incorporate fairness”.

At the end of the day, these young members of our local agricultural organizations have gained experience that will help them develop a true sense of responsibility and embrace the nature of competition. Although they can’t all be winners, their steer projects allow them to build character and to feel the sense of achievement that comes through hard work and dedication.

Visit myfocustv.com Strawberry Festival 10 Day 8 Show 2

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Musical Delights PCHS Seussical the Musical

by Br i t t n e y C e r n y

Actors from the Plant City Players theatre troupe captivated audiences with their colorful interpretations of Dr. Seuss’ well known works, in one collaborative show meant to engage the senses from Feb. 25-28.

The musical, entitled “Seussical! (the Musical,)” incorporated the fictional characters of Seuss’ work ranging from Horton the Elephant to the Grinch, the Whos to The Cat in the Hat. The plot of the story centers around Horton’s struggle to save Jojo and the Whos from destruction, while also sitting on an egg and facing persecution from his forest neighbors for his outlandish thoughts.

Along with the high school actors, this musical also incorporated children from Walden Lake Elementary School. Many of the children played Whos or animals in the zoo. Notable among the young actors were Bryson Keel, “Jojo”, and Katie Hamilton, “Elephant Bird.” A special “Who’s who in Whoville” section in the program describes all of the actors in the play, occasionally throwing in humorous anecdotes.

Maxville Frost, the director of the musical, said that the musical presents a two-fold benefit for the Plant City community: high school students are able to work with younger students and the younger students are able to experience theatre and the arts. “There really isn’t an outlet for them to experience theatre in Plant City and see if they like it,” Frost said.

Most of the students are new to theatre and acting, and for many of them this was their first production, Frost said. Isis Ash, 15, Taylor Harvill, 16, and Mitchell Spencer, 16, were all actors in the musical and agreed that the musical was

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“fun” and a “great opportunity to make new friends.”

Plant City High School’s auditorium was transformed into a stage where audience members became a part of the show. The scene for the musical included a wooden platform built out from the permanent stage area on which the actors could dance and sing. Children eight years and younger were able to sit in a cutout section within the wooden platform, getting front row seats and occasionally becoming directly involved in the show as well.

Frost said he hopes his troupe will obtain a reputation for giving an “(unforgettable,) great night of entertainment.” He also adds that live theatre “offers an element to a night out, that other venues cannot offer.”

“I have told the students that just because we are a high school theatre troupe does not mean we have to give a ‘high school looking performance.’ We are professionals,” Frost said. The parents of both the Walden Lake and Plant City High actors were all a part of the production of the play, real “gogetters,” Frost said.

“Everything you see during the play is built by the students and volunteers,” according to Frost.

There were many involved with the play: Mike Wood, of Mike Wood Lighting and Production Services provided lighting and stage design for the event, Max Roberts was the musical’s graphic designer, and Jeff and Kate Moranville were Frost’s “go-to” people when he needed help with costumes and production, just to name a few of the individuals providing helping hands.

Visit myfocustv.com Plant City Episode 73

The crowd waits for the doors to open on opening night, Feb. 25

Children below look on as the musical comes to a close.

cowboys

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Victoria Garren and Kellie Murrell helping greet guests during the IHOP National Pancake Day. Photo by Krystel Knowles

Beauty Queens and Free Pancakes for a Good Cause IHOP National Pancake Day

by K r y s t e l K n o w l e s

In 2006 IHOP created the National Pancake Day, then in 2009 IHOP partnered with Children’s Miracle Network who became the beneficiary of the proceeds of the annual event. On National Pancake day, IHOP restaurants serve free pancakes, but patrons are encouraged to make a donation to the cause. The goal is to raise money to fund much needed equipment, research programs and much more.

In addition to partnering with IHOP, the Children’s Miracle Network is also partners with the Miss America Organization. So, local representatives from Miss America pageants often appear and help with the Pancake Day events.

At the Plant City event this year, Victoria Garren, 17, Miss Largo Outstanding Teen 2009, was on hand to help cook and greet and serve pancakes to the guest.

Garren says helping others through the Children’s Miracle Network.

Through her affiliation with the Miss America Organization for the last four years, Garren is afforded many opportunities to volunteer and meet new people, which is something she really enjoys.

“Last year was my first time

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volunteering for IHOP. I worked for a few hours during the IHOP National Pancake Day on Dale Mabry,” said Garren.

She has also volunteered for the American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity and more. Garren shared that she likes to volunteer because she wants to help the people who are less fortunate and she wants to be a role model.

Kellie Murrell, 7, Sunshine Princess, said that she is excited to help and after work she planned to eat some pancakes herself.

Apparently helping others is already something Murrell takes to heart.

When she was in 2nd grade she donated her long hair to Locks of Love.

“My goal is to become Miss America,” said Murrell.

Pearl Taylor, IHOP manager, said that free Pancake Day is a good thing because it benefits the people who are enjoying the free meal, but it also benefits the Children’s Miracle Network.

“Not only is this event helping the Children’s Miracle Network but it is also helping some of our homeless.

We had a few homeless people eat for free,” shared Taylor.

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Who Deserves A Makeover?

The time is now to nominate someone for the “Focus on You” Makeover.

Many people know someone who is selfless, someone who always seems to be helping others. Now think for a second about someone you know like that. Who was the first person that came to your mind?

Sometimes those people need a break, and they need a day where they aren’t concerned about helping those in their lives. It is not a selfish thing, just something welldeserved.

Well, fortunately, FOCUS is offering a day like that for four lucky people. It is the magazine’s annual “Focus on you Makeover,” which rewards people with a day of pampering.

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So if you know anyone who deserves a makeover, FOCUS is here to make it happen with the help of other businesses in the community.

To nominate someone, send a 300-word letter describing why he or she deserves a makeover. It can be submitted via mail, e-mail, or fax. All nominations must be received by midnight May 15. Four winners will be chosen and notified on May 17 Letters should be titled “Focus on you Makeover” and mailed to 101 E. J. Arden Mays Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Entries can also be e-mailed to editorial@Floydpublications.com.

Write “Focus on you Makeover” in

the subject line and send the entry in the body of the e-mail – please, no attachments. Entries should include the name of the nominee and the nominator, along with the nominees address, home phone number, and work phone number.

For faxing, call (813) 764-0990, Attn: DeDe. Letters and entries will be published in FOCUS Magazine and photographs will be taken, during the makeover day, and published in the following month’s edition.

So what’s in store for the four lucky winners?

The day begins with breakfast, and afterwards the winners will get to pick out a new outfit. Then comes

a massage, which is followed a lunch with the staff of FOCUS. During lunch, we will have a surprise for each winner.

After lunch, the women will get their makeup done following a facial, manicure, pedicure, and haircut.

To top the evening off, a limo will transport the winners and their dates to get pictures taken and enjoy an evening of fine dining and top-notch entertainment, which are provided by the Red Rose Inn and Suites.

It is sure to be a day that will not be forgotten.

Visit myfocustv.com Plant City Episode 34

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Youth Swine Sale

by S t e v e n R i ch a rds o n

It’s that time of year again, when the students and their pigs vie for Grand Champion of Show. The Annual Swine Show and Sale held on March 4-5 at the Florida Strawberry Festival in the Patterson Livestock Arena, showcases the dedication and hard work that is required to produce a Grand Champion. Hillsborough County students from 3rd-12th grade competed in the annual show in hopes their pig would be crowned Champion. The Show is divided into ten classes with each class containing three divisions.

However, there can ultimately only be one Grand Champion of Show.

The eight weight classes are separated by 4-6 pounds. The judge usually picks first through eighth place in each class. The Grand Champion is selected from the group of first place pigs from each weight class. Once the Grand Champion is chosen, the second place pig from that class is brought into the arena with the other first place pigs, at which time a Reserve Champion is selected.

After months of preparation, Mylie Feaster of Tomlin Middle School and her pig ‘Mish’ stole the show as she was awarded Grand Champion. Mish topped the scales at approximately 275 pounds.

Although Mylie originally wanted to name her pig Wish, nearly everyone’s name in her family starts with an M, so it was a good compromise. However, ‘Wish’ would have been appropriate since Mylie’s pig last year took second to last place. When Mylie was awarded Grand Champion it built a bridge that spanned over 60 years.

It was in 1947 that her grandfather was crowned Grand Champion of Show at the Strawberry Festival. As

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Mylie stated, “this is a memory we now share and always will.”

While the event is centered on naming a Grand Champion, the heart of the Swine Show is the commitment of these students and all the hard work that goes into raising their swine. These are not your typical everyday pigs. As 12 year old Reserve Grand Champion Jarrett Gillman stated, “there kind’ve like a dog,” not just a pig.

There’s so much that goes into raising these animals and the bonds formed reveal the dedication of these students. One theme that was echoed throughout the arena was personality. Much like a person, each pig has a distinct personality.

The day after the show, auction is held to sell the animals. The Grand Champion was auctioned off for $11 per pound. ‘Mish’ was purchased

by West Coast Enterprises, who have being purchasing pigs at the Festival for many years. Mike Lopez of West Coast Enterprises has a close connection with the swine show. As a youth Mr. Lopez showed his pigs and he strives to support today’s youth in any way possible. The Reserve Grand Champion sold for $10.50 per pound. These prices are lower than usual, likely due to the financial constraints of our current economy.

However, Jarrett Gillman was pleased with his sale and is “just happy people are still coming out and bidding on these pigs.”

With the 2010 Swine Show/Sale officially in the books, the students will soon start their preparation in hopes of winning Grand Champion of Show in 2011.

Visit myfocustv.com Strawberry Festival 10 Day 3 Show 1

Grand Champion Mylie Feaster . Photo courtesy of FSF

Reserve Grand Champion Jarrett Gillman’s . Photo courtesy of FSF

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local DID YOU KNOW?

David E. Bailey, Jr., Educator – and A School is Named in His Honor S u b m i t t e d by p l a n t c i t y ph o to a rch i v e s

In 2009, and after much consideration, suggestions, and thought, the Hillsborough School District named its newest elementary school after a man who spent most of his life as an educator – David E. Bailey. In August 2009, those who know him or know of him were proud to see the doors open at David E. Bailey Elementary School on Gallagher Road in Dover. Here is a brief story about David Elmer Bailey, the man and the educator.

David E. Bailey, Jr. was born in Shady Grove, Taylor County, Florida in August 1917 to David Elmer Bailey, Sr., and Priscilla Browning Bailey.

David Bailey, Sr. was from Taylor County and Priscilla Browning was from Lithia, Hillsborough County, not far from Plant City. Mr. Bailey worked in a country store and later owned and operated his own general store. Mrs. Bailey was trained as a teacher and for a while ran a shop where local women could make their own clothing.

The family moved to Plant City in 1923; Mrs. Bailey and the young David had become ill because of the malaria epidemic. Mr. Bailey opened and operated a dry goods store, Bailey’s Cash Store, but had to close when the Great Depression set in. Mrs. Bailey went back to teaching, and the young David and his brother, Alda Merrill Bailey, attended the Strawberry Schools, (so called because they ran on a May through December schedule to allow for families to work the strawberry fields), or regular schools following their mother’s teaching positions.

David E. Bailey, Jr. was early on known as “D.E.”. After attending Dover Junior High, he attended the 1914 Plant City High School, excelling in Latin, English, and History, and graduated in 1934. Opting for a smaller school than the University of Florida, D.E. worked on local farms and in a department store for a year then entered Florida Southern College, in Lakeland, Florida. He worked in the college maintenance department and waited tables to pay for school.

Even with this schedule he found time to work on the college newspaper, the Drama club, the Student Senate, and participated in the Lambda Chi Alpha

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Fraternity. He received his teaching certificate, a Licentiate in Instruction, in 1937. He continued with night classes and summers and received his Bachelor’s degree in 1939.

After teaching in 5th and 6th grades in a small school near Tampa (Gillete), D.E. received a teaching position at Plant City High School and taught English, History, and Speech. He also sponsored the school newspaper, and directed the Drama Club. During this time, D.E became popular and respected by the school administrators, faculty, and students.

He also met Eloise DuBois, whom he knew from high school and who was now teaching in a nearby school. They were married in August 1940.

In March 1941, D.E. Bailey was the first married man from Plant City to be drafted into the U.S Army. His brother, Alda, withdrew from college to join him, and both served in the U.S. Army. D.E. served in the South Pacific, (New Guinea, the Dutch East Indies, the Philippines), and returned home in 1945. His son, David Merrill Bailey, was fourteen months old before D.E. first saw him.

D.E. returned to Plant City High School in 1945 and resumed teaching English, History, Journalism, and Speech. He was appointed principal at Knights Elementary School, just north of Plant City, then Stonewall Jackson Elementary School, and from 1957 until he retired in 1977 he was principal at William Jennings Bryan Elementary School, in Plant City. He also took the opportunity to return to school, the University of Florida, receiving his master’s degree in elementary and secondary school administration, with minors in History, and other social studies disciplines. For his Master’s Degree thesis he wrote “A Study of Hillsborough County History, Legend, and Folklore with Implications for the Curriculum.”

Active in the community, education, and civic affairs, D.E. also taught a bible class at the First Baptist Church of Plant City for 48 years. He belonged to the Arts Council of Plant City, the Community Theatre, Plant City Lions Club, and later the Kiwanis Club, was the Chairman of the Board

of the Hillsborough Education Association, and was active in the Hillsborough Council of Elementary School Principals. He also served on the Executive Board of the Florida Department of Elementary Schools, on the Florida Education Council, on the State Mission Board of the Florida Baptist Convention, and on the Florida Baptist Historical Society.

D.E. wrote a brief history of Plant City, which was published in a special edition of The Plant City Courier.

He later teamed with Quintilla Geer Bruton, who was married to Judge James Bruton and who was active in the Plant City Woman’s Club and was instrumental in establishing the public library in Plant City, and the two of them wrote Plant City; Its Origin and History in 1977, and published an

updated edition of the book in 1985 in conjunction with the celebration of the city’s Centennial Anniversary.

D.E. Bailey is a charter board member of the East Hillsborough Historical Society, a member of the Tampa Bay Historical Society, the Florida Historical Society, and serves on the Advisory Council of Plant City Photo Archives. He has received the Outstanding Citizen of the Year award from the city’s civic clubs in 1978, and, in 1993, was awarded Florida Southern College’s alumni award for Distinguished Service to Humanity. The Plant City Photo Archives presented D.E. Bailey the Heritage Award in 2004 for his outstanding contribution to the preservation of the history and heritage of the greater Plant City community.

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local CHAMBER COLUMN

Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce

by B r uc e R o d w e l l Congratulations to Gary Sawyer on being named Plant City’s Honoree at the Friend’s of Scouting dinner which was held at the Trinkle Center on February 1 st. This Annual event helps support the cost and programs of Scouting in the Gulf Ridge Council.

This year marks the 100wth. anniversary of Scouting. ********** Kelleigh Klein, Executive Director of the United Food Bank of Plant City asked me to say thank you to all who supported the second Annual Celebrity Chef Dinner which was held February 20 th. at the Trinkle Center. It was a huge success.

World renowned chef, Jon Ashton, originally of Liverpool, England and who now hangs his hat in Orlando was the “star” of the show.

In these tough economic times, the need for food and monetary donations is growing. The number of people that utilized the Food Bank in 2008 was a little over 12,000. That number jumped to almost 16,000 in 2009 and the number keep going up.

The Plant City Food Bank is located at 712 East Alsobrook Street, Suite H. Their hours of operation are: 9 AM to 1 PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 1:30 to 5:30 on Tuesday and Thursday. The Food Bank relies on the generous support of business and individual donors. Clients come by referral only, thus insuring only the truly needy receive assistance. ********** Your Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce has four ribbon cuttings coming up in March.

The following three will take place at 10:30 AM: Monday the 15 th.- Cycle Stop USA, 2303 James L. Redman Parkway Tuesday the 16 th.- The Cottage in Plant City, 1308 South Collins Street Wednesday the 17 th. - Nick’s Pizza & Wings, in the So Ho Plaza on Collins Street On Tuesday, March 23 rd. there will be a ribbon cutting at the Strawberry House Bed & Breakfast, 805 North Wheeler Street. This will take place at noon.

The Chamber continues to add new members, thanks to the untiring efforts of Susan Wilson, Membership Director. ********** Bring the family out for a fun day at the Chamber’s Strawberry Classic Car Show on Saturday, March 20 th. This takes place in downtown Plant City and it is a great family

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event. Lots of classic cars to look at, plenty of food vendors and a great time to meet up with your neighbors. This event starts at 4 and goes on till 9 PM. It is held in McCall Park in downtown Plant City. ********** If you live in Plant City you know that we are rich in railroad history. On Saturday, March 20 th. the H.B. Plant Railroad Historical Society will hold their Annual Train Show and Swap Meet in the John Trinkle Building at Hillsborough Community College, 1206 North Park Road, Plant City. Admission is a $6.00 donation and children under 17 are admitted free with a paid adult admission.

This is a real opportunity to enjoy railroad memorabilia and view some terrific model trains. ********** On Friday, March 26 th. the GFWC Woman’s Club of Plant City is holding a fund raiser luncheon and informal fashion show to benefit their State President’s project “Heifer International”. This event will take place at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Plant City and gets underway at 11:30 AM. The menu choices are Chicken Marsala OR Tilapia Wulfe Pasta, Caesar salad, bread, dessert & beverage. Cost is $20. and a cash bar is available.

Heifer International was founded in 1990 and this project envisions a sustainable world where hunger and poverty no longer exist. Its mission is to partner people in the global movement to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth. The money raised at this event will be given to Heifer.

For tickets and additional information, contact Marilyn Day at 813-659-9504. ********** How about a Hawaiian Luau? On Saturday, May 27 th. the Plant City Family YMCA will hold it’s 3 rd. Annual Hawaiian Luau. This fun filled event features delicious food by area restaurants, great tropical drinks, live entertainment by Casey Stidham, Larry Clark & Drum Magic. There will also be a silent and live auction. The event will be held poolside at the Y. Tickets are only $35 per person. You must be 21 to attend. All proceeds will give kids in Plant City a chance to go to camp and be on the team! For additional information, contact Ruth Ann Kosinsky at 813-757-6677 or stop in at the Plant City YMCA. ********** The Friends of the Bruton Memorial Library will hold their Annual big book sale on Saturday, March 27 th. Starts at 10 AM and goes on till 4 PM. You can browse a HUGE selection of books from numerous categories. Back again by popular demand is “Bag of books for a buck” which takes place during the last hour of the sale from 3 to 4 PM.

********** The Little Miss Plant City Pageant will take place at Plant City High School on March 27 starting at 6 PM. Call Lynn Connor at 813-5798637 for more information. ********** Plant City Photo Archives invites you to “An Evening of Picture Perfect Memories” on Thursday, April 1 st. at the Red Rose Ballroom & Suites, Plant City. This event gets underway with a Champagne reception at 6:30 accompanied by an elegant Hors d’oeuvre buffet. There will be entertainment. General admission is $75. per person for members and $85 for non-members of the Photo Archives. Black Tie is optional.

Reservations should be made by March 18 by calling 813-754-1578. ********** Don’t miss one of the Greater Plant City Chamber’s family fun event…The Bike Fest which will take place in downtown Plant City on Saturday, April 3 rd. This starts at 5 PM. Great fun time to look at all the motorcycles. ********** A brand new event in Plant City…. TUXEDOS & TENNIS for the benefit of the Spring of Tampa Bay. This will take place Saturday, April 3 rd. at STINGRAY CHEVROLET, 2002 N. Frontage Rd., Plant City (Exit 22 off I-4 at Park Road). For a donation of $50. you can participate in a social which starts at 6:30 followed by dinner and entertainment at 7:30. There will also be a silent auction. Dress for this first time occasion is tuxedo & tennis shoes! Call Linda Lawson to RSVP by March 31 st. at 813-679-3370. ********** The Plant City noontime Rotary Club will hold their Annual Wild Game Cookout on Friday, April 9 th. Call Jimmy Carapezza at 813-7071221 for tickets and additional information.

and for additional information.

Saturday, April 17 - Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce 13 th. Annual Strawberry Classic Car Show in downtown Plant City. Starts at 4 PM. REMEMBER TO SUPPORT YOUR GREATER PLANT CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBERS SHOP AND PATRONIZE THE BUSINESSES WHERE YOU SEE THE SIGN MEMBER GREATER PLANT CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Ribbon Cuttings

February 17th Ribbon Cutting for: Interior Solutions Annette Burnsed & Libby Vaughan, Owners 647 East Alexander Street • (813) 763-1983

February 18th Ribbon Cutting for: The Florida Strawberry Festival’s New Administrative Offices Paul Davis, General Manager 303 North Lemon Street • (813) 752-9194

February 2nd Ribbon Cutting for: Helping Hands Thrift Store Cathy Walker, Owner (813) 781-4272 702 East Alsobrook Street, Unit G cathy.walker88@yahoo.com

********** Sun N Fun starts Tuesday, April 13 and runs to Sunday April 18 at Lakeland Regional Airport. you can log onto their web site: www.sun-n-fun.org for additional information.

Don’t forget the Great Plant City Chamber of Commerce Contact Breakfast on Wednesday, April 14 th. at the Red Rose Inn & Suites. Starts at 7:30. Call the Chamber office at 813-754-3707 to reserve your place. ********** Two dates to remember: Friday, April 16 - Ikon Children’s Classic Golf Tournament at Walden Lake Golf & Country Club. Call Jodi Smith at 813-757-8574 to register

February 9th Ribbon Cutting for: Plant City Mortgage Corp.

Nate & Natasha Davis (813) 707-6200 1501 South Alexander Street, Suite 103 www.plantcitymortgages.com

February 4th Ribbon Cutting for: Product Consultants Unlimited, Inc. Jim & Jennifer Brown, Owners 3017 James L. Redman Parkway • (813) 717-7717 jimb@pcustore.com • www.pcustore.com

Easter

Worship

focus magazine’s

guide

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EasterServiecs find your Church here Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ 1212 Reynolds St Plant City, FL 33563 813-477-5130 Sunday Services 10am and 6pm Wednesday Night at 7:30 pm Bethany Baptist Church 3409 N. Cork Rd Plant City, FL 33565 813-752-9209 www.ibelongatbethany.org Sunday Service at 11 am Eastside Baptist 1318 E Calhoun St Plant City, FL 33563 813-754-2681 Sunday Service at 10:45 am First Baptist Church of Dover 3223 N. Gallagher Rd Dover, FL 33527 813-719-2273 www.firstbaptistdover.org Sunday Services at 8:15am and 10:45am First Baptist Church of Plant City 503 N Palmer St Plant City, FL 33563 813-752-4104 www.fbcpc.com Sunday Services 9am and 10:30am 52

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First United Methodist Church 303 N Evers St Plant City, FL 33563 (813) 754-3519 Easter Sunday Services 9am and 11am Walden Lake Sunrise Service at 7:30am Lone Oak Baptist Church 3505 Lone Oak Rd Plant City, FL 33567 (813) 754-5278 Easter Services at 7:30am (sunrise service) and 6pm All other Sundays 11am and 6pm services Plant City Church of God 2103 Mud Lake Rd Plant City, FL 33566 813-752-4591 www.plantcitycog.com Easter Sunday Services at 9am and 10:30am All other Sundays 10:30am and 6pm St Clement Catholic Church 1104 N Alexander St Plant City, FL 33563 813-752-8251 www.stclementpc.org Easter Sunday Services at 6:30am and 10:45 am (English) and 8:15am and 6pm (Spanish)

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2010

Feature by Brian West Photos by Mike Floyd & Courtesy of Henry Falcon

CITIZEN of the year Grocery store manager named Citizen of the Year

The Citizen of the Year Award began in 1960 when Arthur Boring was the first recipient. Since then, a review of the list of past recipients reads like a Who’s Who of Plant City; Quintila Bruton, Dr, Hal Brewer, Otis Andrews, Nettie Draughon, Jim Redman, D.E. Bailey, Hillman Bowden, B.M. Smith, Floyd Hall, Judy Martin, Mike Sparkman, Al Berry, Betty Chambers, Reverend Richard Bills, Coleman Davis, Felton Williams, and the list goes on and on.

The announcement is made each year at the Citizen of the Year luncheon, which has been held at the Red Rose Ball Room for the past several years. Every year, the recipient of the distinguished award is easily one of the best kept secrets in town. Representatives for each of the service clubs come together with their nominations. The nominees are voted on, but the final winner is known only to representatives of the Kiwanis Club, who sponsor the award. Eventually, the recipient from the previous year learns the secret because they have the responsibility to introduce the new recipient.

Bruce Rodwell, 2009, had the pleasure of introducing this year’s recipient, and had to do a little research to prepare. The description of the recipient is supposed to start somewhat vague and build to the point

Henry F

alcon

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Henry Falcon - 2010 C

itizen of the Year

that people are still wondering who the new recipient is, right up until their name is spoken.

Rodwell spoke with the recipient’s granddaughter who described him as, “He is a great grandpa. He never says no to anything I ask him. If I ask my mom for something and she says no, I call my grandpa and he says ‘anything for you my baby.’ I love his laugh. It’s funny and loud. Everybody knows him by his laugh. I am so proud of my grandpa because he is the best and I want to say it to him.”

Rodwell made these points in his introduction. “He is an extremely humble person. Most people don’t know he’s involved in so many organizations and worthwhile causes. And there are probably many more acts of kindness, caring and giving that we will never know about. His wife told me that one time they were at a comedy show and our recipient was laughing so hard that the comedian stopped the show and commented about the laughter coming from him. I asked his daughter if there was ever time when you laughed at him. She said, “He fell out of bed once. We heard this loud noise and found him sitting on the floor in the bedroom. Once we realized he was okay, we all laughed, but we laughed much harder when we realized he had grabbed my mom’s glasses off the nightstand instead of his own which apparently caused the fall. That memory is priceless.”

The 2010 Citizen of the Year is Henry Falcon, the 51st recipient of the award. If you’ve shopped the Sweetbay Supermarket on South Alexander St., you probably know Falcon, or know who he is. Falcon has been the Store Manager at the Plant City location since 1992. To hear him laugh, is a treat all its own. It’s loud. It’s genuine. And it’s infectious. One might describe Falcon as “jolly.” If his hair would turn gray, he’d make a great Santa.

Falcon was born in Cuba, but moved to the United States as a 14 year old in 1960. There was a Sweetbay Supermarket, formerly Kash n Karry, located next to his high school, and in 1973 he applied for a job as a Service Clerk. Falcon said, “The longer I worked the more I realized that I enjoy being around people.” He and his wife, Anna, were married in 1979 and moved to Sarasota for about 6 years. Eventually, Falcon moved back to the area. He describes it as, “I sleep in Lakeland, but we do everything in Plant City; all the doctors, all the shopping. I really feel like Plant City is my home.

There’s no other community like Plant City.” On more than one occasion, Falcon has been approached for another promotion, to District Manager, but he continues to turn it down because he doesn’t want to get away from working with people.

The Citizen of the Year Award is really meant to recognize community involvement and overall contribution to the community, and Falcon has certainly been involved.

He first began getting involved in the community when people like Betty Chambers, Barbara Franques and Coleman Davis got him started. Falcon said, “Those people are special.

They’re a big reason I’ve gotten so involved in Plant City.

Honestly, I think that we all have a responsibility to get out in the community and try to make a difference.”

Falcon was in Plant City for about a year when Chambers got him involved in the Plant City YMCA. Chambers was known for her passionate support of the YMCA. When the Southside

Merchants Association was developed, Falcon was involved for a couple of years. He’s a member of the Plant City Lions Club and serves on the board for Meals on Wheels.

Every Friday, Falcon, or one of his associates, takes care of the route for Meals on Wheels. About 3 years ago, Mike Sparkman asked Falcon to join the board for the Boys and Girls Club. Franques got Falcon involved with supporting the schools while she was working as Principal at Walden Lake Elementary, and Falcon has remained involved since. Falcon said, “After Barbara got promoted to Area Director, I didn’t have a choice. I had to get involved with all of the area schools.”

In 1998, Falcon got involved with Unity in the Community. Joyce Jordan was really doing everything with Unity in the Community all by herself.

She became ill and approached Falcon about getting involved. Unity in the Community supports both Meals on Wheels and the United Food Bank of Plant City. Falcon, always willing to help, suggested that they begin an annual golf tournament. Jordan said, “Well I don’t know anything about putting on a golf tournament.”

Falcon responded,

“Well I don’t either, but we’ll make it work.” The first year they raised $4,800.

The tournament continues to grow each year. In 2009, they raised more than $19,000.

Falcon has also received accolades directly related to his job as Store Manager with Sweetbay. In 2000, Falcon found himself in a hotel lobby down south. When he arrived, he met Coleman Davis. Davis was being nominated for Florida Retailer of the Year – Small Business and Falcon was being nominated for Florida Retailer of the Year – Large Business.

Interestingly enough, they both won. They still like to reminisce about their moment together and speculate on the odds that two great friends, running businesses in the same small town would both win the award. It was a truly special moment for both men. Most recently, Falcon was named the National Store Manager of the Year at the Food Marketing Institute convention held in Dallas this past October.

Falcon also credits his father saying, “He was my hero.” When they moved to the United States, from Cuba, they didn’t have anything. But Falcon’s father had a strong belief, “You work for what you get, and you try to help others that are in need.” There’s no doubt this has had a positive impact on Falcon.

Falcon has two daughters, Jackie and Jessica, and three grand children - two grand daughters, and the latest addition, a grand son. One of his daughters said, “Having a father like him makes it a whole lot easier to feel confident about raising children of our own.” Falcon is committed to four things in his life; God, family, children and providing for the needy and hungry of Plant City.

Falcon received the Citizen of the Year award on Wednesday, February 24th. The following Saturday morning, Falcon suffered a heart attack at his home, and was rushed to the hospital. His doctor eventually told him that had he been just 5 minutes later, he may not have lived. Falcon is doing fine, and although he has not returned to work just yet, he did get to participate in the Strawberry Festival parade, riding in the back of a convertible and waving to the crowd.

Henry, we’re so glad you’re still with us. We hope you continue to recover, and can’t wait to hear you laughing again, soon. Congratulations! You’re now part of a very special group of leaders in Visit myfocustv.com our very special town. And thanks so Plant City Episode 73 much for all you’ve done to help make Plant City a better place to call home.

Previous

CITIZEN of the year recipients 1960 Arthur Boring

1986 Richard Elston

1961 Quintila Bruton

1987 David Byars

1962 Frank H. Moody

1988 Ron Baker

1963 Edgar Hull

1989 William Bradbury

1964 Willard McGinnes

1990 James Jones

1965 Alex Hull

1991 Ruth Lylea

1966 Robert Trinkle

1992 Ercelle Smith

1967 Bill Rickert

1993 Floyd Hall

1968 Ben Rawlins

1994 Bob Edwards

1969 Horace Hancock

1995 Judy Martin

1970 Dr. Hal Brewer

1996 Mike Sparkman

1971 Roy Thacker

1997 Sadye Martin

1972 Henry Moody

1998 Al Berry

1973 Otis Andrews

1999 Bill Herold Sr.

1974 Nettie Draughon

2000 Ray Rollyson Sr.

1975 Coach L.H. Duyck

2001 Myrle Henry

1976 James Redman

2002 Betty Chambers

1977 Mac Hooper

2003 Rev. Richard Bills

1978 D.E Bailey

2004 Judy Barta

1979 Hilman Bowden

2005 Coleman Davis

1980 William Vernon

2006 Felton Williams

1981 Reece Smith Jr.

2007 Jack Gibbs

1982 Paul Buchman

2008 Fred Johnson

1983 Betty Watkins

2009 Bruce Rodwell

1984 BM Smith Jr

2010 Henry Falcon

1985 Mary Gardner

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Intervie

In January, Plant City celebrated its 125 birthday with the unveiling of the new downtown mural on the south wall of the building occupied by The Whistle Stop Café. There have been a lot of people over the years to help make Plant City what it is today, and David and Vicki Hawthorne had a big part in the revitalization of down town, beginning in the mid 1990’s.

Where are you from, originally?

Vicki: David is from Plant City, that’s what brought us to back to Plant City. I was born in Columbus, Ohio, moved to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and then to Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1987 I relocated to Port St. Lucie, and then settled into a home in West Palm Beach, and a career in Boca Raton. One of my favorite stories is that I was literally “Greenacred.” We met and married in Palm Beach. We had a fabulous wedding at the Henry Flagler Museum, and now I’m here in Plant City. Each regional area has unique cultural interests and people to enjoy.

David: I was born right here, in one of these old buildings, but I forget which one.

Tell me about your families.

Vicki: My father was a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. Every time my father received a promotion we had to relocate to the next city, and they were usually near the major airport hubs. My mother was born in London, England, and as a teenager she survived the “Blitz.” She is a tough lady, with a streak of British grit. She was a homemaker, and worked various part time jobs. I believe that I get my scientific/analytical skills from my father and my love of the arts and theater from my mother. I have two sisters. My “big” sister lives in Chicago.

She’s married and has two children. I have a brother that actually just retired as a Lt. Colonel from the United States Marine Corps. He lives in San Jose with his family, and works in Silicon Valley, CA. I have younger sister that lives in Connecticut with her family, and she works for Save the Children. My older brother is a disabled adult who lives in Port St. Lucie close to my father in a group home. When he was born, he didn’t get enough oxygen to his brain, but that does not stop him from enjoying life. He is quite the character.

David: My family homesteaded here in Plant City just north of Varn Rd. in 1840. We still have some of the original family property. I have a living brother who is retired, and a sister who is a registered nurse. I had a brother and a sister who is not with us anymore. My mother is alive, and my farther has passed. My mother was a nurse… my father was a rancher and farmer.

That’s what I grew up doing. I still have cows and I like them.

Sometime in the 1960’s, my father got a certificate from the Governor saying that we had one of the longest continuously operating ranches in the state. I don’t know where the ranch ranks now, but it still has to be one of the longest. My mother is still out there with other extended family.

David, tell me a little about the path that got you where you are today.

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David: When I turned 18 years old, I decided that I wanted to move on to greener pastures. I went into the Army. When I came out of the Army I went to work for a company in Tampa, which is currently Mosaic, the phosphate company. It was a French owned company. I was with them for 13 years and traveled extensively. They had holdings in fertilizer, citrus, hotels, oil and gas and even wine vineyards. It was a great job. Then I took a job in New York working for a boutique consulting firm called Zolfo Cooper, which did work with financially troubled companies. From there I took a job in Dallas, Texas working in a troubled company situation. We took over a family’s holdings on behalf of the bank. The family had gone bankrupt. We rehabilitated the company and sold them off. Then I went to West Palm Beach to run a hotel company called Servico Hotels, which is where I met Vicki. We got married. About one year later I left Servico and moved back into the area. Initially we were planning to move to Tampa, but Vicki decided she might like to live in one of the historic houses here in Plant City.

What got you interested in downtown Plant City?

Vicki: We purchased a house on Collins St. and I spent about a year remodeling it. I had a background in preparing, marketing and listing, and selling foreclosure properties. I really enjoyed helping people find a home, and watching the transformation of before, and after a rehab of an “as-is” property. It happened to be that the 108 Collins St commercial space in down town was vacant, and in need of major work… I thought it’d be fun to have a retail store with an Old Village historic ambiance. The additional inspiration was the first time we attended to the Strawberry Festival, and I was amazed so many people have so much talent, and my thought process was… ‘It would be nice if they had a place to showcase their talent permanently; their arts, crafts and antiques.’ So that’s where we started. Frenchman’s Market was already up and running so we acquired the building and business, and modified the business model a little so they weren’t just selling flea market items, and we started accepting credit cards. Many of our vendors are still with us!

David: Vicki got interested. I wasn’t very interested at first. She showed a real flare for it. The interior of the store was very nice.

She put a lot of work into it. I lived through the re-development of Fort Worth and West Palm Beach. In both places they did a very good revitalization, but it takes private money to get started and then public money can come later. You can’t do these things with public money up front. We ended up buying 13 buildings.

Obviously it turned out to be a good investment for you.

Vicki: We thought it would be a year for it to take off and get all of the spaces filled, but in 3 months we were full and had a waiting list, so we bought the building next to it.

David: We bought the building down by the railroad tracks; it was formerly a furniture store. We sold that one, but I’ve always regretted that we didn’t put apartments on the second floor and keep the downstairs. We didn’t buy these buildings for forever. We bought them, and it worked at the time for a variety of reasons. At the same time, I continued my career working with troubled companies. Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time out of town, and would leave my beloved wife here.

She had the stores and would run the operations. I set up the renovations of the buildings. Then a number of years ago we decided we’d start selling them off. I think the big change for us came when Olde Village Shoppes was burned down. With some urging from other people, I attempted to redevelop the whole block. I entered into a contract with the fellow that owned the other half of the block. I got a contract with him, but when it was time to close, he wouldn’t close. I’d already hired architects and spent a lot of money. The design was pretty ambitious. It was obvious to me we were reaching the end of the real estate boom and the delays got stretched out so long that I finally decided that I wasn’t going to do it. By the time I’d have gotten it opened and tried to sell the apartments, I wouldn’t have been able to sell them. It came down to height and parking restrictions.

So what’s next for you?

David: I’m back in the real world again. I’m on the board for Super Media. They own Verizon Yellow Pages, I’m involved in a hotel start up in Atlanta, and I’ve bought property on Sparkman Rd. for a project I’m working on; a high end RV Resort.

It’s been a rough recession. The real estate values have dropped so you can’t borrow against it, so it’s hard to do development work. I plan to be on more corporate boards and I haven’t given up my idea of the luxury RV Resort, but you can’t do that until people are buying RVs again.

Vicki: I’ve been going to school for the past 4 and a half years, seeking a BFA at the Art Institute in Tampa. I’m studying Interior Design. I only have 25, out of 197 hours left. When I have the chance to return, my plan is to graduate with honors.

Can you tell me more about the RV Resort?

David: It’s a market with a group of people that are under served; the high-end RV market. There aren’t many high-end resorts. I want to build a resort that caters to those people.

There are only 3 or 4 in Florida. There are a lot of places that call themselves RV Resorts, but we’re talking about resorts for the Class A RVs. These are the RVs that everyone wants. The location we have is great. It would be great for the economy of Plant City. It’s zoned for 499 spaces on about 160 acres.

Share something with me that may have caused a laugh for you over the years working with so many people in downtown?

Vicki: He once spoke with our vendors at Frenchman’s Market, something to the effect if they did not like it they could leave, and they all packed up and left. My guess is the majority of our vendors are from the “baby boomer” and “greatest generation,” and they appreciate respect. I was able to smooth things over, but it wasn’t easy. So our joke is that he doesn’t speak to our employees, our vendors or our tenants – nothing other than, “Hi, how are you today?”

David: Unfortunately I come across abrasive and she’s very approachable. It doesn’t bother me. That’s why we’re such a good team. My element is being on the phone with people hollering at 3:00 a.m. I’m very comfortable there.

Thanks so much for all your work in downtown. You helped to refresh the face of a tired city. Today, some businesses still struggle to make a profit in theie downtown locations. The city has plans for a Mid-Town project, and that should help, but that’s still years away from coming to fruition.

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business profile

New Christian Store and Event Center Opens in Historic District Truth is here and Plant City will embrace it.

by C h e r y l J o h n s to n

Stop in soon to welcome the newest addition to Plant City’s historic downtown business district – Truth Christian Store and Event Center.

Prepare to be impressed.

Located at 301 South Collins Street, the store is a dream come true for two families. Donald and Jennifer Flagg own the business with her parents, Fred and Irene Wright.

All will play active roles in sharing responsibilities for customer service, inventory, and event planning.

Peace abides in this place and it’s no wonder. According to Jennifer Flagg, their prayers for God’s guidance in this new venture were answered in the most interesting ways. From the initial decisions to lease the location, select furnishings, and order inventory, the two families have sensed their Lord’s approval and favor.

The bookstore is a warm and inviting place to meet friends for free coffee, free computer WiFi, and encouraging conversation, or to shop for that special inspirational book, DVD, CD, Bible, or gift. Truth also

invites special orders. Café tables and leather reading chairs are situated near the front windows so those who take advantage of the technology access can also have a view of downtown activities. A children’s area nestles the little ones near their own age appropriate books and DVDs. It is obvious the Flaggs and Wrights have carefully considered their customers’ needs.

The event room accommodates up to 70 guests in an atmosphere that will please any host. The original brick walls, decorative concrete floors, wide crown moldings, and high ceilings create a mood of casual elegance.

Guests may have their events catered by one of our fine local restaurants or bring their own prepared specialties. Jennifer and her mother Irene envision the room being reserved for luncheons, bridal or baby showers, engagement, birthday, or anniversary parties, business seminars, and possibly talent events showcasing music or performance. They hope to plan some family movie nights, a monthly

Christian Store is a family’s dream come true: L to R, Fred & Irene Wright and their daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Daniel Flagg. Photo by Jennifer Flagg

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children’s movie morning, Bible studies, and youth events, too. Truth is open to the possibilities customers suggest and Irene Wright is an expert event planner.

Jennifer Flagg mentioned how encouraged they have been by visits from other downtown business owners. On the second day of business (March 2), a group of pastors visited to express gratitude for this new convenience. Church on the Rock made quick use of Truth’s service by ordering 200 Haitian language Bibles.

Jennifer recalls the recent events that finally brought the dream to fruition: “Not too long ago, my husband Donald and I were in Sunday church service and the pastor posed the question, “What have you done with what God has given you?”

Walking out, we both looked at each other and knew that it was time to search for the location. The Lord has made it all come together. Our desire was to own a business where we could be involved in the community and serve Him through ministry to others. How wonderful that we can

do it with my parents, too!”

As a bonus, Grace and Truth Family Church now worships in the event center on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each week new families are encouraged by the friendly outreach.

You, too, can get involved. Come support your local faith based bookstore and meet the sweet-spirited folks at Truth Christian Store and Event Center. Shop or browse six days a week from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

On Fridays and Saturdays, shop until nine.

For questions or directions, phone (813)363-1582.

Truth Christian Center 301 S Collins Street, STE 101 Plant City, Florida 33563 Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Friday - Saturday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

All the newest titles, Bibles, inspirational gifts, music, and DVDs are beautifully displayed.

Prepare to spend a little time making selections. Photo by Jennifer Flagg

foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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business focus

Plan Now for Unexpected Early Retirement by e d wa r d j o n e s

None of us can see what the future holds for us. But you have to make certain assumptions if you’re going to create a strategy for building the resources you’ll need for a comfortable retirement. But what happens when those assumptions prove unrealistic?

Unfortunately, many people are wrestling with this very problem.

Specifically, they plan to work until a certain age — but they leave the work force earlier. Obviously, this can have a big effect on a variety of other retirement income factors, such as the amount of money they need to put away each year while they’re still working and the age at which they should start collecting Social Security and begin tapping into their IRA, 401(k) and other retirement accounts.

Just how big a problem is this?

Consider the following statistics from the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2009 Retirement Confidence Survey: * Forty-seven percent of retirees left the work force earlier than planned. * Of that total, 42 percent did so because of health problems or disability, 34 percent left due to their employers’ downsizing or closure, and 18 percent left to care for a spouse or another family member.

So here’s the bottom line: Even if you think you’re going to work until, say, 65, and you want to work until 65, you may be forced to quit at 62, 60 — or even younger. And during those years you won’t be working, you’re not just losing out on earned income — you’re also not contributing to your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan, and you might lose your ability to contribute to your IRA as well. At the same time, your retirement lifestyle expenses have

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begun earlier than you anticipated — and many people find that these costs aren’t much, if any, lower than the expenses they incurred while working.

What can you do to help avoid coming up short of the income you’ll need during your retirement years?

For one thing, don’t spend a lot of time focusing on those things you can’t control, such as downsizing or an unexpected health crisis or disability.

Instead, concentrate on those factors over which you have power. Consider the following: * Maximize your contributions to your 401(k) and IRA. Each year, put as much as you can afford into your IRA and your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. * Invest for growth. Include growth-oriented investments, such as stocks, in your balanced portfolio if appropriate for your objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. While it’s true that growth vehicles will fluctuate in value, you can help reduce the effects of volatility by buying quality investments and holding them for the long term. * Create alternative plans.

While you may want to construct an investment strategy based on retiring at a certain age, you’ll also want to come up with some alternative scenarios based on different retirement ages and corresponding differences in other factors, such as amounts invested in each year, rate of return, age at which you begin taking Social Security, and so on. A financial professional can help you develop these “hypotheticals.”

You can’t predict the future. But you can at least help yourself prepare for those twists of fate that await you as you plan for retirement.

foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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business success

Ms. Michelle Broxton Background: I grew up in the flooring and design industry from an early age. My mom started Crawfrod-Hill in 1987 and it has been in my blood ever since. I graduated with degrees in other fields and realized that they weren’t my passion. When I married and moved away I kept falling back into the design field and finally realized that was were I needed to be.

Aspirations: To raise happy, healthy children. And to raise them in a positive environment because the world has become such a negative place. To provide them with their every need and to help them achieve their every want.

Inspirations: My family and friends and hearing good morning momma from my little one, because

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it puts life in perspective for me and it makes my realize why I do what I do. There is nothing better than seeing the love in the eyes of the one’s that you love.

Successes: A successful career doing what I love, a beautiful family and great friends. Happiness, love and faith are the biggest successes in life and I am blessed to have them all.

Future: A new branch of Crawford-Hill. I would love to venture out into a broader version of the business. Carrying new lines of furniture and lots of other goodies.

“Success is not the key to happiness.

Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” ~Albert Schweitzer

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business success

Ralph Feola Allstate Insurance Agent Background: I was born in Cohasset Mass. I graduated from Fla Southern College. . I have been with Allstate Ins for 24 years in Plant City.

Aspirations: I plan to expand my agency: both local and additional sites. I plan to continue educating myself and staff to be more effective for my clients.

Inspirations: I am inspiried by the opportunism that come each day in this great country.

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My family inspire me each day to be the best I can be.

Successes: Success is an end result, I prefer to live life as a continuous challenge, not an ending destination. I try to surpass my goals.

Future: Future for me and my business is to evolve into 1st century technology, increase size and number of agencies and to have my son take over our corporation.

foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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HOME GUIDE

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This is a special advertising section

Find Your New Home Today!

foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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real estate walden lake review

Walden Lake Review S to r y by N ata l i e S w e e t

The Walden Lake Community Association Board Meetings are the third Monday of each month. The next meeting will be March 15th at 6:00 PM. The Annual Meeting will be Thursday, April 8th at Walden Lake Golf & County Club at 7:00 PM. There will still be a regular Board Meeting on April 19th.

Construction has been everywhere in Walden Lake. As of this printing, the office and maintenance buildings are completed and waiting for power and the driveway and parking lots are poured. The office will be moving in soon!

I know it’s been a huge inconvenience for everyone while the path around the lake was repaved. Paving can’t be done when the weather falls below 55 degrees and we have had quite a bit of cold weather these days. As of this

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printing, this should be complete and we again will have a great trail around the lake. The concrete by the dock at the park is also being replaced and will be done by the end of this month. The second phase of the re-pavement of the trails, will be the section between Timberlane and Laurel Lake and should begin soon.

The Board thanks the residents for their patience during this time of construction.

There are still sinkhole issues on some of the roads in Walden Lake.

Timberlane going out to Trapnell Road is still closed. At this time, the city has awarded the bid to repair the road although the city is looking into ways to fund this $180,000 repair project. Concord Way has a closure although property owners can reach their properties from either Thackery Way or Pine Club Dr.

The sinkhole at Kipling Court has been filled although not paved as the city is waiting for Geotechnical evaluation. There is another on Silvermoon as well which is also being tested at this time.

Board members, Jan Griffin and Marcus Alexich along with Tom Daramus rode the development to review the trees in the development.

Approximately 20-25 trees need to be taken down due to age and replaced.

Some are too big for the medians and it was suggested that trees that grow well in smaller spaces and that are more hurricane resistant, such as Magnolias and Hollys, replace the existing trees. Many of the entrances lost valuable plants during this cold snap and once it is safe to replant, Larry will replace the plants as he has time.

The nominating committee is looking for new candidates for the upcoming Board of Directors

election at the Annual Meeting. To date, no new candidates have been nominated. Up for re-election are Robert Hunter, Marcus Alexich, and Frank Salerno. The Board urges the residents to send in their proxy if they are unable to attend the Annual Meeting.

The Document Review Committee is working on a sample revision of deed restrictions for the individual neighborhoods to make them more consistent.

Currently, they are reviewing a set of documents from Rampart, as a best practice example.

The individual communities will not have to change their deed restrictions if they prefer to stay with their current set of documents.

Walden Lake Golf & Country Club has availability for your events and tournaments at the club. Contact Michele at 752-1171, extension 222 for all your event planning and membership information.

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real estate mortgage

FHA Mortgage Loans after Bankruptcy S t o r y by N at e D av i s

Many potential homeowners mistakenly believe that they cannot obtain a mortgage loan if they had a bankruptcy on their record. This is simply not true.

The length of time that must transpire between a bankruptcy and applying for a mortgage loan (FHA) is determined by the type of bankruptcy filed and also whether or not a foreclosure was included in the bankruptcy.

Please keep in mind that the below timeframes are MINIMUM timeframes and the catalyst for the bankruptcy is also a consideration.

For example, a circumstance that is unlikely to occur again or that was outside the borrowers control (failed self-employed business and now an employee, divorce, major medical conditions, etc versus simply living outside their means).

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy does not disqualify a borrower from

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obtaining an FHA mortgage if at least 2 years has passed since the bankruptcy was discharged AND the borrower has re established credit. In short, after a bankruptcy it is imperative to ensure you obtain credit (there are ways to do this, i.e. secured credit card) and show that you have the ability to make timely payments on debts since the bankruptcy occurred.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy does not disqualify a borrower from obtaining an FHA mortgage provided there has been at least one year of timely payments under the plan and also on all other liabilities.

In the event of a foreclosure or if the foreclosure was included in the bankruptcy a minimum time of 3 years must have elapsed and credit must have been reestablished.

Exceptions are available for extenuating circumstances

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real estate real estate

Buy Now‌ S t o r y by J o - A n Lus k

Real Estate market forecasters and gurus have predicted that the first half of 2010 will be strong while still in recovery; largely due to the continued and enhanced Buyer Tax Credit which expire June 30.

There are still many bargains out there for the investor and first-time homebuyer, as prices remain somewhat steady and mortgage interest rates slowly creep over 5 percent.

Looking at the last 6 months in the Plant City market of singlefamily homes, active inventory has decreased slightly by 4.7%, while the number of homes going under contract is up by 2.1%. The biggest jump in contracts pended came in January, a 50% increase over December 2009. In the Plant City market (zip codes 33563-67) the average sale price of a single-family home in January was $123,000; the lowest since October of last year.

This number incorporates REO (Real-Estate Owned) and short sale properties as well.

Numbers do tell a story here; first we are still in a buyer’s market.

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There are more homes on the market than buyers demand, therefore prices will be lower. Foreclosures and short sales are not going away.

In fact, new rules and guidelines that take effect April 1 may initially add frustration among homeowners but ultimately are supposed to help.

The objective for the new short sale guidelines set a priority in loan modification prior to approving a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. These guidelines are part of the federal government’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA) and Home Affordable Modifications Program (HAMP). For more information talk to a Realtor who has been certified in dealing with short sale and distressed properties.

Remember that real estate IS LOCAL. What you hear on television is based on national numbers. Some markets will continue to improve, and Plant City is one of them. It is a great time to buy, and real estate is still the best investment.

foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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Please this paper!

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VINTAGE REAL ESTATE SERVICES Commercial and Residential Investments

813-763-0343

Fax: 813-986-3483 607 S. Alexander St., Suite 213 Plant City, Fl. 33565 Email: Hshane1@aol.com

foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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sports soccer

Moving On Up Lancers win Division Championship

by J o e b o w l e s

According to their head coach, Sean Woodhouse, the Plant City Lancers’ 11-and-under soccer team is “moving on up.” You see after only three years in existence, the Lancers have won the Division II championship in the United Soccer Association’s Region C and will advance to Division I next season competing against seven other elite teams in central Florida.

As far back as Woodhouse can remember, soccer has been a part of his life. He was born in London, England, but moved to Tampa as a child. He began playing soccer in the youth leagues in south Tampa and later at Robinson High School. After graduation in 1989, Woodhouse continued playing the

game he loves at Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky, and later at Webber University in Lake Wales.

While at Webber, he got his first taste of coaching as a volunteer coach at Lake Wales High School.

Although the Plant City Lancers soccer program is well established and has produced a number of successful travel teams in the past, including teams that have received national recognition, they were devoid of participation by girls until Woodhouse started the first Lancers girls’ team in 2005.

Three years ago, Woodhouse conducted tryouts for a new Lancers team made up of boys, barely nine years of age. The core of that first team is responsible for the success

of today’s team. Since inception they have competed in Division II and have won or placed in numerous tournaments. “We have won quite a few tournaments. This past October we won the Pinellas Park Halloween Tournament, which is a pretty big tournament. We ended with a season record of eleven wins, one loss and two ties. Right now, we have advanced to the final sixteen teams out of forty teams in the Region Cup. The final round will begin early next month and if we continue to play well,” Woodhouse proudly said, “we should be right there at the end,” The team has really come together this fall and two of the reasons they are moving on up are forward Eric Ugarte and midfielder Oscar Mendoza. They have emerged as team leaders and have scored a large portion of the team’s goals. All of the players, however, are groomed to fill a role for the benefit of the team even in the off-season.

“We basically play year-round. Our

regular season begins in November and runs until early March. During the off-season, the team practices one day a week, as well as participating in soccer camps and playing in weekend tournaments. At this age, we are trying to teach them to be better passers and to work as a team rather than to kick the ball down the field as far as they can. We want them to be able to take the ball from the outside down the wings and work it toward the middle,” Woodhouse remarked.

Woodhouse’s assistant coaches, Noel Quiroz and Jose` Pina, have put in a lot of hours shaping these players into a winning team. According to Woodhouse, you have to have good coaching and supportive parents to build a successful soccer program.

“Our coaches and parents are awesome. We’ve worked so well together up to this point, but there is still a lot of hard work ahead.”

“Lancers Capture Division Title.”- Front Row: (L-R) Christian Hofrichter, Christian Espinal, Eric Ugarte, Gustavo De La Garza, Jonathan Mansilla, Abraham Ruiz, Ebodio Aleman; 2nd Row (L-R) John Zielinski, Nathan Wegner, Oscar Mendoza, Oscar Marquez, Ronaldo Rodriguez, Tony Guevara; 3rd Row (L-R) Coach Noel Quiroz, Head Coach Sean Woodhouse, Coach Jose Pina.

Photo by Sean Woodhouse

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sports

901 West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Plant City, Florida (813) 754-2588

SCREEN PRINTING · EMBROIDERY · LETTERMAN JACKETS · SPORTS EQUIPMENT

by J o e b o w l e s

Jordan Prestwood Jordan Prestwood’s most memorable football moment came at the conclusion of this year’s Durant game as Plant City hung on for a 27-24 win against their rival. A game in which Prestwood contributed at tight end with three key catches. If I was a betting man, I would wager that the majority of Prestwood’s football memories will be reserved for the future rather than the past.

Prestwood, a junior at Plant City High School, has drawn a lot of attention lately as one of the most sought after football players in the state of Florida. Prestwood is a big tight end

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who could play offensive tackle in college. He has the size (6’6’, 265 lbs), the strength (300 lb. bench press), and speed (4.89 in the 40) to make most college recruiters talk about a scholarship before they ever meet him.

But if you meet him and get to know him there is so much more than size and skill. There is a reserved, polite, respectful young man who has dreams of many more memorable moments, and rightly so. You see, twelve colleges have already made him offers to play for their program when he graduates next year and more are expected in the

future.

He has received offers from Florida International, Alabama, FSU, USF, UCF, West Virginia, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Purdue, South Carolina, Auburn, Texas Tech, and Notre Dame.

He has been on the radar ever since his coach, Jason Strunk, sent game film to a number of major colleges before the season began and word started to spread.

He followed Strunk’s recommendation with a strong showing at Notre Dame’s summer camp and a stellar campaign this fall for the Raiders.

Prestwood had 26 catches for 311 yards, averaging 12 yards per catch with 3 touchdowns on a Raiders team that went 7-3. He was also named a First Team All Hillsborough County selection and to the Third Team All State Team.

Prestwood is still growing. He has gained 15 pounds since spring, most of the gain has been muscle. Even now in the off-season he has dedicated himself to conditioning, spending time in the weight room Monday through Thursday preparing for next season.

Jordan would probably be happy at any college he chooses, but he is looking for the right situation for him. As far as what position he plays, it doesn’t matter to him either.

“I don’t care what position I play.

I just want to play, said Prestwood. “I would like to make it in the NFL but that’s down the road. I set goals for myself all the time…in the weightroom… in the classroom. I want to be the best athlete and student that I can be.”

In the classroom, Prestwood is a solid student with a grade point average around 3.0 that is on the rise. In his spare time, he likes to hang around with his friends, hunt, fish, and spend time with his family.

“I have a really supportive family that I love and appreciate,” Jordan said.

Jordan plans to make some more unofficial visits to some of the competing colleges before his senior year when the recruiting officially begins. Many experts think he might be one of the most recruited athletes in the country before National Signing day in 2011.

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foCUS Magazine Plant City march 2010

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sports baseball

2418 James L Redman Pkwy, Plant City (813) 757-0300

Dedication Brings Rewards Plant City’s Rawlings Bulldogs are Going to Cooperstown By j o e b o w l e s

The week of July 4, Plant City’s Rawlings Bulldogs will be going to the Cooperstown Dream Park in New York to compete against nearly 100 other twelve-and-under teams from across the nation in a national tournament that is held weekly in the town where baseball began in 1839. In addition, they will also visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and attend baseball games at Doubleday Field, the legendary home of baseball. This experience will be a reward, so to speak, for the dedication that the parents, coaches, and players have exhibited over the past three years in preparing their kids for high school baseball one day.

“Our primary goal is to prepare the kids to play high school baseball,” said head coach Bob Mondoux. “We try to break any bad habits they may have developed and we try to play the kids in the positions that they will most likely succeed in when they get to high school.”

The Rawlings Bulldogs are a travel baseball team made up of 11 and 12 year-olds. The team was formed when the boys were nine and ten and still boasts three original members: Tyler Mondoux, Cory Smith, and Bronson Tidwell.

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Coach Mondoux tries to keep players together, but like most travel baseball teams it’s difficult to do.

“From year to year we try to keep the team together. We don’t have a yearly tryout like other teams. The only time we add players is when someone moves away or drops out.”

Rawlings Bulldogs have been one of the more successful teams in central Florida over the years. They have won more than 75% of the games they have played. Mondoux has always played his team in the elite division regardless of the organizations that have operated the leagues or the tournaments. As a coach, he wants his players to face the toughest competition. They have had strong showings at most of the tournaments they have entered including last April’s first place finish in AAU’s Slug-ARama, one of the more prestigious tournaments held each year. This past season the team entered ten tournaments. They won three, took the runner-up trophy in two, and placed third three

times. In other words, they took home trophies in eight out of ten tournaments.

According to Mondoux, their efforts are more that just trying to win a ball game. It’s his goal, along with assistant coaches Reuben Gonzales and Daniel Martinez, to develop his players to play at a higher level.

“We encourage our players to receive additional instruction such as private lessons in addition to the coaching they receive from us,

said Mondoux. We sometimes even bring in former professional players to assist us at practice.”

In Florida, baseball is a yearround sport. Rawlings Bulldogs play a spring and a fall season. In the summer, they practice and play select tournaments. Mondoux gives the team a month off in the summer and a month off at Christmas, so the players can take some time away from the game and to allow the pitchers to rest their arms.

Their dedication will come to fruition this summer in Cooperstown as they compete against the best, as they absorb some of the history of the game, and as they prepare to play at the next level.

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extra Seniors of the month

Seniors

of the

by C u r r i e D i c k e r s o n

Marissa Aloya Adorned with quiet determination and simple grace, Marissa Aloya illustrates incomparable qualities among this year’s outstanding seniors. Her accomplishments and academic achievements prove her dedication to the pursuit of success, not only academically but also in other aspects of her life. The path of this future radiologist is sure to reveal many unique opportunities in the days ahead.

Following in her sister’s footsteps, Aloya is the top Hispanic student at Plant City High School, ranked seventh in the senior class. She holds a 6.51 weighted grade point average, and is a member of the National Honor Society. Using her strong academics, Aloya will be attending Florida State University’s Honors College in the fall, and will pursue a pre-med degree.

In the long term, she desires to become a radiologist, and make a difference in the lives of patients. Aloya first became interested in the career through her mothers’ experience as a cancer survivor, and sees herself helping other families similar to her own. Adding to her zeal regarding the medical field, Aloya was also given the opportunity to shadow a radiologist at the Watson Clinic, and enjoyed the entire experience.

In her free time, Aloya is passionate about the art of dancing. She has been a dancer since 1994, and enjoys every moment she spends demonstrating this talent to others. Her love of dancing is evident through her participation in community events with her dance group.

She has provided entertainment for nursing homes, fairs, the Red Rose Dining Room, Disney World, and children’s homes. Aloya shared, “It’s just really nice giving back to the community.”

In addition to her dance team activities, Aloya also participates in Special Olympics each year, coaching the bowling and softball teams.

The PCHS Key Club also provides many opportunities for Aloya to make an impact on her community. This month she is buying, collecting, and donating baby items for underprivileged children and also collecting cans for a PCHS can food drive.

Whether dancing or participating in school activities, Marissa Aloya has enjoyed her time as a high school student, and taken advantage of the many opportunities she has been afforded. The future glitters with excitement for this young lady, as she continues to pursue her passions.

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Month Zack Batley

As the President of the PCHS Civitan Service Club, Batley holds his involvement in the community as a high priority. This past year he participated in a Halloween canned food drive and a Christmas toy drive, and recently volunteered to move furniture at Tomlin Middle School. Once a week, Batley also visits his “little brother” in the Big Brother Big Sister program at Walden Lake Elementary School. He has been paired up with the student for two years and shares that “I’ve made him more social, and interact with his friends.”

Serving not only as president of his service club, Batley is the secretary of the PCHS Student’s Against Drunk Drivers, and a member of Senior Executive Council. His position as a student council representative is a newly created role deemed the “marquistador,” and Batley’s duties include changing news on the PCHS sign each week. On a more serious level, Batley is an inf luential leader throughout his high school, and says that his participation within various clubs and activities “has taught me to follow through with commitments.” Apart from his community activities, Batley has also been a member of the PCHS baseball team for the past four years, and loves the game of baseball.

Currently, Batley is ranked in the top seven percent of the Senior class with a 5.12 weighted grade point average, and is a member of the National Honor Society. His scholastic ambitions are open, as he was recently accepted to the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, and Florida State University. All three universities offer many unique opportunities for Batley to grow within his ultimate potential, and he shared that he is still contemplating his final decision. Batley enjoys mathematics and working with numbers, and hopes to major in anything from engineering to accounting.

Batley has had many unique opportunities in his growth and development as an active leader during his high school experiences. As a junior, Batley was selected to serve as a senate page for Ronda Storms in Tallahassee.

He was also selected to attend University of Florida’s Young Leaders Conference, and the West Point Ethics Conference. His participation in these various events proves Batley’s commitment to learning not only about the world around him, but also the values that are forever instilled in his heart, values that will aid him in his future to come.

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sports fitness

Fitness Matters

Expert answers to your health and wellness questions S t o r y by S e’a R ya n

Question: Is it true that I’m supposed to drink 8-8oz. glasses of water per day?

Answer: This is actually a more complicated question than you might think, but the answer is no, not necessarily. The daily Adequate Intake (AI) for water is 3.7 liters (132 ounces) for men and 2.7 liters (96 ounces) for women over age 19. You’re probably thinking these numbers are high, but that’s because they represent total water intake from both fluids and foods. This includes beverages with caffeine and alcohol, since the Institute of Medicine concluded that they contribute to overall hydration.

Generally speaking, we take in 80% of our water from fluids and 20% from foods, so doing a little math gives us about 105 ounces for men and 77 ounces for women per day.

These are rough estimates gathered from national data, and they may be appropriate for some, but how do we go about individualizing these recommendations? Ideally, we should base our fluid needs on body weight, since a heavier person clearly needs more water than someone who weighs less. Therefore, a goal is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day. This approximates the daily fluid losses from your body. For example, a 160-pound person should drink 80 ounces of fluid per day. A simple way to check if you’re adequately hydrated is to make sure your urine color is pale yellow to clear on a consistent basis.

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Question: I have trouble remembering to stretch after my workouts. Is it really that important, and if so, what am I missing by not doing it regularly?

Answer: Yes, stretching is an important part of an overall fitness routine. It’s just as important as strength training and cardiovascular conditioning, though many individuals don’t adhere to a regular program like they do with these other forms of exercise. Stretching offers numerous benefits, including injury prevention, an increased efficiency of movement and improved blood flow and nutrient delivery to the joints. It also improves muscle coordination, overall balance and postural alignment. It can help to alleviate muscle soreness and stress after a workout. These are pretty impressive results for just a few minutes of relaxation. Unfortunately, people always seem to be crunched for time, and stretching is usually the first thing to go. In order to make it a consistent part of your training regimen, you need plan for it. Reserve the last ten minutes of your session for stretching, and try not to let your schedule get in the way. After all, you wouldn’t normally cut your lifting or cardio sessions short, would you?

About the author: Se’a Ryan has been dedicated to fitness her entire life focused on encouraging people to take charge of their own health. To submit a question for future articles, please contact the author at seameditate@earthlink.net .

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extra Al ruechel

“For the life of me I can’t understand why anyone would want to send naked pictures of themselves.”

Beware The Web And Cell Phones!

S u b m i t t e d by a l r u e c h e l

Okay, you parents. This is a warning. If you don’t keep up with your kids and how they are using the internet or their cell phones you could be in for a shock. There are at least three very dangerous trends you should monitor with your teenagers or even younger kids.

The first is way too obvious: sex-ting. That’s where users publish x-rated images of themselves to send to their perspective boyfriends or girl friends. For the life of me I can’t understand why anyone would want to send naked pictures

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of themselves. Maybe that’s something new that I messed along my path to parenting. We’ve already had a handful of teen suicides because those kind of images were published to hundreds of other teens as a joke or revenge.

If that wasn’t bad enough we’ve documented dozens of cases were those images made it into the hands of perspective employers. And there was a case last week reported in California where a sex-ting message was used in helping convict a young man of having sex with

teenagers. The defense claimed the messages were inflammatory and had no bearing on the case. Of course, later it was discovered the images were fabricated and the conviction was reversed but not before the young man’s reputation was sullied beyond repair.

The second trend is a little less obvious but poses grave risks especially for young ladies. By putting too much information on sites like Face Book or Twitter you are inviting every deviated pedophile or rapist a challenge they may not be able to resist. I was shocked to read an internet survey that found that nearly 38 percent of teens that regularly use social networking media list their home address, their school, even their phone numbers on profiles that can be seen by virtually anyone. I know those sites claim they have protections in place where your information can only be seen by friends, or family, or other people identified as safe by the publisher.

Still, police investigations across the country are littered with personal information trails of missing teens broad enough for any nut case to pick off at his choosing.

The third is another trend we should all have seen coming. It was exposed so graphically on a hacked website called “PLEASEROBME. com. The site creators simply typed in the line “left home” into the search engines for a half dozen

popular websites. They found literally thousands and thousands of hits with the users proclaiming quite freely and unafraid they had just left home for another destination. Hello! This appears to be an open invitation to rob me because there is no one home. The site has only been up since mid February and already hundreds of thousands have visited it. Can you imagine your shock if you typed in those words and found your daughter or sons name or picture attached to that entry?

Parents this is your wake up call. This is your chance to talk with your teenager or grandson or grand daughter about how they use the internet and cell phones. These are fabulous new media that have made our lives so much better and faster and better educated and better able to communicate. But in our desire to connect with everyone behind the perceived safety of our computers or cell phones we have left ourselves wide open to attacks from those who intend us great harm. Sure, most of it seems harmless and probably won’t cost us save for some embarrassment. But on the one chance that someone is laying in wait to steal your loved ones innocence or even life… we need to wise up… set some rules… exercise some discipline.. to ensure our kids aren’t the next ones I read about on the tube.

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extra Derek maul

“…We prayed together at the end of the conversation, and I wish we all could have taken one-another’s hands.”

A New Understanding of Easter S u b m i t t e d by D e r e k M a u l

I’m writing today’s column at Tampa International Airport, waiting on a flight – via Detroit – to London Heathrow. It will be my first visit to England in over ten years.

The reason behind this journey is both sad and wonderful; the poignant moments of our lives invariably are. I’m travelling, taking a week off work that I can ill afford, for the funeral of my cousin, Linda Andrews. Linda – only in her mid-forties - died last week of brain cancer.

Linda has always been my favorite cousin (don’t worry; I’m not going to reveal the depth chart in print!). However, because of distance and time and

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a hundred other confounding variables, we haven’t actually seen each other since 1992.

We reconnected a couple of years ago when she read one of my books. We exchanged emails, became friends on facebook, and gradually opened a window into one-another’s lives, more than 4,000 miles across the ocean.

Via pictures, updated posts, comments and messages, I got to know the grace-filled woman of deep faith my cousin had become.

Last summer she had brain surgery for cancer, then rehab. Things went well and the news was optimistic. But then, in November and just before Thanksgiving, a series

of new tests revealed a tragic progression.

The first week of December we set up a call on “SKYPE”, some very cool computer software that allowed us to sit in front of a camera and talk to each other via video.

We had an amazing conversation, along with her husband, Dave, and it was easy to feel Linda’s vibrant “live-it-out-loud” faith. She talked openly about everything: her faith, her realization that she would not live more than two-three months, her sadness regarding the loss of family, and the sense of peace and clarity she owned regarding the future.

Then, February 19th, 2010, my cousin died. The day I received the sad news engaged – for me - the deepest meaning of what faith can be. Those of us who love Linda understood something of the powerful truth that Christ’s signal achievement at Easter was (and is) a realization that eternity is held in every moment; life, death, and - sometimes most poignantly - the transition between the two.

I sensed this acutely during that conversation, via Skype, in December. And I can’t do any better - at least not today - than to paste in some words from my blog post the next day... “…We prayed together at the end of the conversation, and I wish we all could have taken one-another’s hands. But it was

interesting how prayer itself linked us inexplicably, and I could barely speak through the tears. It was as if a different kind of conduit had opened up the moment we began to pray.

“So there is communication and then there is communication.

The content was necessarily deep, but something else happened when faith entered the equation.

“Perfect love,” Jesus said, “takes care of all fear.” and “Have courage - take heart; I have overcome the world.”

“I’ve said before that my cousin Linda is a cool lady, full of grace and strength. Well, she’d say it isn’t her, that the grace is all God - and even more the strength part.

But that is what happens when you don’t really know anymore where you come to an end and where God begins.

“I’m thankful that, as who Linda is becomes more and more defined by eternity than it is by time, my cousin’s faith is something that we all can embrace, and that God’s powerful presence is all about the fullness of life.”

That we all might know the assurance of such faith and love - DEREK

You can reach Derek Maul at Derekmaul@Gmail.com, or visit www.Derekmaul.net

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entertainment red rose

Consistently Great Top choice for dining and entertainment: The Red Rose Inn & Suites

by Ly n n e Wa r r e n

When it comes to consistently good entertainment, in a great, local setting, the Red Rose Inn and Suites takes the cake. With two venues – the Ballroom and the Red Rose Dining Room – and acts ranging from top local talent to nationally known recording artists, Mrs. Evelyn and Batista Madonia Sr. continue to bring first rate entertainment to Plant City. And although excellent entertainment choices abound here, there is something else that draws crowds: the food.

The Red Rose Dining Room was recently rated 5 Stars by Trent Rowe, food critic, and won multiple categories in the FOCUS Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards. Although being given 5 Stars by Rowe is an accomplishment in itself, having local diners vote the restaurant tops among all other local establishments is even better. Dining here is an experience. Ambience abounds with low lighting, richly appointed dining area, a Maitre’ d’, tuxedoed wait staff, and a renowned chef.

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Fridays and Saturdays many weeks feature special events.

As always, the lineup of upcoming entertainment is sure to please, and events are scheduled in the Red Rose Dining Room as well as in the Ballroom. Those in the Ballroom are quite unique in that the atmosphere is that of a supper club. Not too big or too small, with intimate tables for two or larger seating for groups. Dinner is served prior to the show, and entertainers are close to the audience and interact with them freely.

Events in either venue are a treat in every way. Below is a list of some of the upcoming acts and events at the Red Rose. For more information and reservations, call (813) 752-3141, or visit the website at www.redroseinnandsuites. com.

As always, concert guests receive special rates on overnight rooms.

-March 19 Cover to Cover Live – Performing hits from over the years. No cover with dinner purchase.

- March 20 Gene Ferrari complete with his 14 piece orchestra. Part of the proceeds from this spectacular event will benefit

our troops. Military personnel receive 25% off ticket price.

-March 26 & 27 Doo Wop Weekend Vol. IV – Acts include The Dukes, George Galfo’s Mystics, Bobby Hendricks (formerly of Bill Pickney’s Drifters), The Passions, PJ Leary & the Las Vegas Sounds, Richie Merritt, Ralph Alloco & Second Wind. This is a weekend not to be missed!

-April 10 Johnny Alston’s Motown Review

-April 17 Shades of Blue. Also featuring PJ Leary and his Las Vegas Sounds , and Ken Brady (Lead Singer of the Casinos) Don’t miss the Sunday Champagne Brunch every week in the Red Rose Dining Room.

Easter Sunday, join the Red Rose for a sumptuous Easter Buffet served in the Red Rose Ballroom.

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entertainment artist of the month

Photo by Suzanne Gallagher

Life’s Endless Canvas In the Hands of A Young Artist’s Creative Life Force S t o r y by H e at h e r D av i s

One of the immense joys and pleasures I receive through writing about other artists is the chance to inhabit and co-exist in their world for a short period of time. Having the chance to explore the art world of ten year old Daniel Gallagher was an experience like no other. His many forms of artistic expression ride on a frequency all their own. Never being one to color within the lines or stay in the box he has created a world of art that is truly unique and all his own. From creating whole make believe worlds with various creatures and figures out of erasers, to the more traditional origami and sculpting with modeling clay, to hand-drawing, Daniel has proven no form of expression is off limits. His fearlessness and lack of inhibition combined with a fierce love and intensity for art bring about some amazing results.

From a very young age Daniel was always encouraged by family and teachers to pursue his

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creative endeavors. While still in Kindergarten he would come home from school and draw all afternoon, creating whole books of his drawings to share with his family. One such drawing won a ribbon in the Strawberry Festival Art Show.

Recently Daniel was invited to be a part of an art show sponsored by the Skate Park of Tampa and Urban Outfitters, which involved painting, modifying, and reconstructing a vinyl Munny – a do-it-yourself toy creation. One of his Munny creations, which he named Hobo Joe, was chosen to be on display for a month at Urban Outfitters.

From Daniels early love of recreating and drawing plant life, snakes, lizards, sea life, and fish, to his more recent interest in the types of animation seen in video games and anime, it is apparent that whatever Daniel puts his focus on will truly take a creative life force of its own.

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entertainment calendar

March 16 10:30 AM - Ribbon Cutting @ The Cottage in Plant City Location: 1308 S. Collins Street

March 17 10:30 AM - Ribbon Cutting @ Nick’s Pizzeria & Wings Location: 1707 James L. Redman Parkway, Suite D

March 18 A Business After Hours is held by Mango Cleaners at 5:15 p.m. Mango Cleaners is located at 2404 James L. Redman Parkway. For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (813) 754-3707.

March 20 The Strawberry Classis Car Show is held from 4-9 p.m. featuring vendors, local antique shops, live music, and great commeraderie. It is located in Historic Downtown Plant City with parking in North and South lots near the Depot, Drane, and Palmer. For more information, call (813) 763-3707.

March 23 12:00 PM - Ribbon Cutting for Strawberry House Bed &

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Breakfast Location: 805 North Wheeler Street

March 25 12:00 PM - Ambassador Lunch Meeting Location: The Chamber Public Meeting Room

March 27 SCRAPBOOKING EVENT Crop-A-Long 101 East J Arden Mays Blvd, Plant City at 5:00 pm.

RSVP only: For more information call Sheryl Vitelli at 813-918-1612.

April 3 Plant City’s Bike Fest is held from 5-9 p.m. featuring a motorcycle show, contest, vendors, live bands and tons of fun. It is located in Historic Downtown Plant City with the main stage at the Depot (Palmer/Drane.)

Call (813) 754-3707, for more information.

April 10 The Florida Air Tool “Couch Potatoes” proudly present the band “Group Therapy” benefit concert Saturday April 10th from 5:00pm 9:00pm.

Bring your coolers and enjoy an evening of great music, food, and fun for all.

All proceeds go to The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Mulberry, Team Couch Potatoes.

Please show your support for this great cause. Funds raised at this Relay for Life benefit are used to research all types of cancer and to fund services provided by the American Cancer Society. The location is Catllemans Club 1 mile south of HWY 60 on ST RD 39. Rain or shine.

Admission is 10.00* per person *Kids under ten are FREE

April 13 8:00 AM - Leadership Plant City 2009 - 2010 SCHEDULE Friday, September 18, 2009 Orientation 1:00 pm Dinner 6:30 pm Tuesday, October 13, 2009 Education, Arts & Media Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Law Enforcement, Public Safety & Justice Tuesday, December 1, 2009 Retreat Day Tuesday, January 12, 2010 Business & Tourism Tuesday, February 9, 2010 Government, Environment, Parks & Rec-

reation Tuesday, April 13, 2010 Healthcare, Wellness & Social Services Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Economic Development, Transportation Planning & Historic Preservation Friday, May 21, 2010 GRADUATION

April 15 A Business After Hours hosted by The Red Rose Inn & Suites is held at 5:15 p.m. Red Rose Inne & Suites is located at 2011 North Wheeler Street. For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (813) 754-3707.

Christian Women’s Connection invites YouJoin other women for a luncheon @ Walden Lake Golf and Country Club we meet every “first” Tuesday of the month at 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

(April 6, 2010 & May 4, 2010) enjoy time with friends and make new ones - we have a special speaker each month, feature from a local business and beautiful music to inspire us!! $13.00 inclusive...

For Reservations call: Evelyn at 813-752-3786 e-mail: cwcpcfl@msn.com

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entertainment crossword

Celebrating Easter P r o v i d e d by C a lv i n & J a c k i e M at h e w s

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