BRANDON/WINTHROP EDITION
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JUNE 2026 Volume 21, Issue 6
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CELEBRATING 24 YE ARS OF PUBLISHING POSITIVE COMMUNITY NEWS
ROTARY’S CAMP FLORIDA NAMES ELEANOR SAUNDERS AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
By Libby Hopkins
Staff Report
Thanks to works in food the Tampa Bay service at LCS Buccaneers’ onCommunity and going partneris focused on reship with Habitat building stability. for Humanity of Like all HabiTampa Bay Hilltat homeowners, sborough, two both families local families repartnered in the ceived the keys to homebuilding the very homes process by comBuccaneers playpleting sweat eqers helped build uity hours alongduring the 2025 Holiday side volunteers and Home Build with the purchased their homes Bucs. with affordable mortHabitat and the Bucs gages designed to fit teamed up on June 12 their budgets. to celebrate the home The ceremony also dedications for Ami recognized a BuccaGarcia and Raul Johnneers player for his exson. The event highceptional commitment lighted the completo the project. Tight tion of the affordable, end Devin Culp will storm-resilient homes receive Habitat’s Thein Habitat’s Windhorst The Tampa Bay Bucs were on site in Brandon ology of the Hammer to help build homes for two local families. Commons community in Award, which honors Brandon, which was made possible through volunteers who exemplify Habitat’s mishands-on service from Bucs players, staff, sion through service. Culp made significant community partners, Habitat volunteers contributions during the Holiday Home and the future homeowners themselves. Build, and he also serves on the BuccaAmi Garcia is a hardworking single neers Player Impact Board, which helps mother of four daughters — Jadalyn (15), guide the team’s community engagement Janelidee (11), Nyree (10) and Angelisa (3) efforts. — who has overcome significant hardships Windhorst Commons is a 23-home while working to provide stability for her Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillfamily. She currently lives in overcrowded sborough neighborhood designed to adand unsafe conditions in a deteriorating dress the growing need for affordable, mobile home with mold, structural dam- disaster-resilient housing in Hillsborage, unreliable electricity and air condi- ough County. The development reflects tioning, and exposed wiring. Despite these lessons learned from recent hurricanes challenges, Ami, a machine operator at and incorporates construction materials B&M Precision, remained determined to and practices to better protect families provide a safe place where her daughters in future storms. The remaining homes could grow and thrive. in the community are all expected to be Raul Johnson was inspired to apply for completed by early 2027. Habitat’s affordable homeownership program after seeing its impact on his family. His niece has been a Habitat homeowner BETTER BLEND OPENS.....................PG 4 for seven years, and his daughter is currently in the program. He previously lost 4,000 RECLAMATION.....................PG 13 his job during the pandemic and was un- SEMINOLE HEIGHTS........................PG 21 employed for nearly two years, creating LOCAL VAL/SAL.................................PG 31 significant financial hardship as rent and EYE ON BUSINESS...........................PG 34 living costs continued to rise. He now
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Rotary’s Camp moting the camp’s Florida has been a mission to the compart of the Brandon munity and beyond,” community since the Saunders said. “It is 1950’s. It was origa place that has so inally a camp used much potential and by the United MethI love helping local odist Church, but in nonprofit organi1991, Rotary’s Camp zations realign and Florida was incorpogrow.” rated to acquire, opRotary’s Camp erate, and maintain Florida welcomes a year-round camp non-profit and facility for children for-profit organizawith special medical tions for celebraneeds. The property tions, team building, Eleanor Saunders will become the new Director on which Rotary’s planning meetings, of Rotary’s Camp Florida on July 13 of this year. Camp Florida sits Saunders is a Brandon resident, a Rotarian and the corporate retreats, was purchased on former Executive Director of E.C.H.O. of Brandon. or workshops. December 26, 1991, Throughout the 21and extensively reacre campus, guests modeled. As the can enjoy peacechurch camp was ful seating areas, built in the 1950s, it lakeside views, and was not designed for outdoor spaces for special-needs chilteambuilding exerdren. “It a local hidcises and other acden gem and I don’t tivities. The camp’s want it to be hidden facilities can be anymore,” said Rotarented for the day, ry’s Camp Florida’s the weekend or for new director, Eleanor Saunders. week-long camps. “I love that the camp Saunders is a Brandon resident, a has something for everyone,” Saunders Rotarian and the former Executive Director said. “My hope for the camp is that it will of E.C.H.O. of Brandon. She begins her new become very well known in the local marjourney as the camp’s director on July 13. ket as an option for retreats and events “I was at E.C.H.O. for 11 years and I prayed and that earned revenue will full support very hard about taking the first step for our campers, so kids with special needs can the position at Rotary’s Camp Florida,” come to camp without money being a conSaunders said. “The first step was submit- cern. They can just come to camp and be a ting my resume and from that point it all kid.” seemed to fall into place.” If you would like to learn more about RoThe mission of Rotary’s Camp Flor- tary’s Camp Florida or if you are interested ida is to provide a safe, fun space to learn, in renting the camp for an event. You can grow, and play for groups whose members visit the camp’s website at https://rotaryneed supportive accommodations. “Rota- scampflorida.org or call 813-654-4042. ry’s Camp Florida is a 21-acre ADA-compli- The camp is located at 1915 Camp Florida ant campsite, and I can’t wait to start pro- Rd. in Brandon.
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