AMERICAN WATER & WINDOWS CELEBRATES ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY

American Water & Windows is the oldest water-conditioning and softener company in the Greater Riverview, Brandon and SouthShore community. Owner and President Gary Bancroft has been providing excellent customer service and competitive pricing on water purification systems and energy-efficient windows locally for 30 years.

“The business started April 1992,” said Bancroft, or ‘The Water Wizard,’ as he is known by many in the community. “The Water Wizard name came from a customer after I fixed his water system in 10 minutes.”

Bancroft grew up in New York City and graduated from St. John’s University. He also had a water-conditioning business in Denver that he started in 1982. He ultimately ended up in SE Hillsborough County, where he started his current business, American Water & Windows.

Bancroft is a past honorary deputy mayor of Riverview (2017) and continues to be invested in the community he is proud to serve. “I am a member of the Greater Riverview, South Hillsborough (Sun City) and Valrico/FishHawk Chambers of Commerce,” Bancroft said. “I love being a part of all the chambers and be-

COUNTY GRANT FUNDS HIGH 5 INC. POOL RENOVATIONS JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS

By Lily Belcher

By Libby Hopkins

ing a part of my community.”

There are many benefits to having a water-softener system in your home. An American Water system will help to prevent buildup of minerals (scale) on the inside of pipes, fixtures and hot-water heaters and can lengthen the life of some appliances.

It can reduce or prevent mineral spots on glassware and prevent or reduce soap films and detergent curds in sinks, bathtubs and washing machines. Bancroft is proud to ofer a purifier that is virtually maintenance-free. “Our new water system, a water-softener alternative, is called the Whole House Purifier Anti-scale Water System,” Bancroft said. “It doesn’t use any salt or electricity, and you only have to change one filter about every two years.”

American Water & Windows also specializes in the installation of new and replacement windows, so if you are looking to upgrade your home with custom, high-efciency windows, Bancroft can help with that as well.

If you would like to learn more about American Water & Window, visit www. americanwaterusa.com or call Bancroft at 813-684-PURE (7873).

High 5 Inc. was awarded a grant to fund the resurfacing of its three pools, which are expected to be completed at the end of April.

The $550,000 grant was given to High 5 by Hillsborough County at the beginning of the 2023 annual budget cycle.

“It helps us to be able to teach children under the age of 3 to swim, increases the opportunity to run competitions, which would have a nice economic impact to our area and create a much better experience for all community members that use these areas,” said High 5 CEO Chuck Burgess.

At High 5’s location of U.S. Highway 60 at 405 Beverly Blvd. in Brandon, all three pools will undergo the resurfacing financed by the county’s grant. High 5 owns an Olympic-sized lap pool with five diving boards and a diving well. Its 10lane, 25-yard pool and teaching pool are also being renovated.

The pool resurfacing project is part of a three-phase improvement project to update High 5’s facilities. This phase will allow the recreation center to add aquatic facilities to expand opportunities for swim lessons, school practices and other events. Additionally, these improvements will make space for senior programming,

General Admission Tickets at

giving large groups or church organizations the appropriate space for their meetings.

“The grant is more than just a resurfacing,” explained Burgess. “It has been part of a three-phase overall project to update and add significant aquatic facilities for learning to swim for all ages.”

BCI Pools is in charge of the renovation project. The Fort Myers-based swimming pool contractor has 40 years of experience building pools for the community.

High 5 is a community recreation center that supports education, athletics and community through its programs. High 5’s value-added membership opportunities give members special prices, early registration and exclusive invitations to events, among other perks. Juniors can receive a membership for $40 per month, individual memberships cost $55 per month and family memberships cost $75 per month. One-day guest passes are also available for $10 per person.

For more information on how to join High 5 and to learn about its mission to serve the community, visit www.high5inc. org. To contact the organization, call 813689-0908 or email memberservices@ high5inc.org.

Queena Charity Hosts Third Annual Hope Classic At Top Golf

Local nonprofit Hope Heals the Brain was created to raise funds for the Bloomingdale Library Survivor, known to the community as Queena, to regain the life she once knew. As the foundation grows, the possibilities of helping other local survivors is now possible.

Queena’s sister, Anna, started the nonprofit in hopes to continue raising funds and awareness for families and individuals affected by traumatic brain injury in the Central Florida region.

Local nonproft Hope Heals the Brain was created to raise funds for the Bloomingdale Library Survivor, known to the community as Queena, to regain the life she once knew.

Area golfers are coming together for a fun-filled night at Topgolf in Brandon for Hope Heals the Brain’s Hope Classic. “This is our third event at Topgolf,” said Queena’s mother, Vanna Nguyen. “The last two were so successful we thought it would be a great idea to bring it back and try to reengage the community again. The COVID pandemic was so tough for us and many nonprofits. We were not able to hold fundraisers like we used to and the turnout dropped.”

The Hope Classic will be held on Sunday, February 19 from 4:30-8 p.m. Participants will enjoy an all-American bufet, private cash bar, 50/50 rafe, silent auction as well as a top-notch Topgolf experience. Early registration is encouraged, but day-of signups will be accepted. To register online and pay by credit card, please visit https://hopeclassic.eventbrite.com. All registration fees and tournament sponsorships are tax-deductible donations; a sixsome costs $400, individuals are $75 and spectator/dinner registration is only $30. “We’re really looking forward to bringing everyone back together again for

By Libby Hopkins

Queena, and for the Jasmin and Churchill,” Nguyen said. Jasmin and Churchill are other local residents who have brain injuries.

Churchill is a 40-yearold woman who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and underwent surgery in 2021. The surgery was only able to remove part of the tumor, and she was left in a coma for several months as a result. The surgery and remaining tumor have left her unable to walk, stand, move or shower on her own. Churchill has limited resources and would benefit from a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to see her three young children and attend appointments and therapies. Securing permanent transportation options will allow Churchill to continue with her recovery journey.

Jasmin is a 13-year-old girl who was on vacation with her family in Mexico and was involved in a tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents and grandparents, which has left her in critical condition. Her family was able to raise funds to have her airlifted back to the U.S. She is currently in ICU at a local Tampa hospital. “We hope to raise enough money to help cover a few sessions of Queena’s therapy this year,” Nguyen said. “Jasmin will also be coming home from rehab soon and will need some renovations in her home to make it wheelchair accessible. Churchill’s family really needs a new vehicle that can fit a wheelchair. They have no other mode of transportation right now to get her to doctor’s appointments.”

For more information or to get involved, visit www.JoinQueena.com.

Experience A Spark Of History Through The Edison And Ford Winter Estates

If you are looking to enjoy the beautiful Florida weather and learn something along the way, look no further than then the uber-charming Edison and Ford Winter Estates in downtown Fort Myers on Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s a perfect recipe of U.S. and Florida history with a dash of architecture, botany, engineering and innovation mixed in.

Prolific inventor Thomas Edison and automobile pioneer Henry Ford, personal friends and business collaborators, purchased adjacent winter estates near the Fort Myers waterfront to escape the brutal northern winters. The Edison estate boasts a main house, adjoining guest house, Edison’s study, caretaker’s home and swimming pool complex. The Ford estate sits steps away next door.

Just an hour-and-a-half drive south on I-75 from the Tampa Bay area, these homes take visitors on a journey back to the turn of the 20th century to discover how these two great men lived, worked and played in the Florida sunshine. Today, the complex (and your admission ticket) includes an expansive museum, botanical gardens, historic and beautifully maintained homes, garages

By Jef Hoening

of classic Ford automobiles, Edison’s study and his Florida laboratory.

Visitors could spend hours perusing the myriad of Edison inventions, such as the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, even the movie camera. Edison filed and held an astounding 1,093 patents, 389 for light and power alone, and his contribution to sound and picture recording is monumental.

Check out the beautifully maintained 1916 Ford Model-T given to Edison by Ford.

Ford once said of the famous Model-T, “The consumer can choose any color he wants as long as it’s black.” So why was it called the Model T? Simple! The first design of the ‘horseless carriage’ was called the ‘Model A,’ and subsequent designs moved down the alphabet.

Have fun with the scavenger hunt with your littles or enjoy the self-guiding tour with the easy-to-download app. And be sure to look for the photo of Edison napping on the lawn with the President of the United States reading the newspaper in the background. For more information, visit www. edisonfordwinterestates.org.

11TH ANNUAL LOVE ON PURPOSE MARRIAGE CONFERENCE FEATURES DRS. JOMO AND CHARMAINE COUSINS

The 11th annual Love on Purpose (LOP) Marriage Conference is coming back to Tampa on Friday and Saturday, February 17-18 at the Tampa Convention Center. This year’s conference will focus on Seedtime and Harvest utilizing relatable principles that can be applied to marriage.

Speakers Drs. Jomo and Charmaine Cousins as well as J.J. and Trina Hairston are ready to deliver an exciting two-day event packed with a dynamic word, fun activities, relationship games and more.

Prepare for an immersive experience where you’ll learn how to properly maneuver marriage and the typical and not-so-typical challenges couples often face at various stages of their journey. It will focus on pruning negativity and planting seeds of encouragement to ultimately cultivate a stronger foundation for your marriage. You’ll learn the diferences between sowing and reaping in your marriage and just how impactful your roles are individually and as a couple. Couples and spouses will learn how to practice positive communication, tend to each other’s needs and ultimately grow in love for one another.

The LOP Marriage Conference will feature six dynamic and educational sessions to nurture, strengthen, encourage and restore your marriage to reap God’s abundant harvest. Dance the night away at an exclusive all-white-attire performance, featuring J.J. on Friday evening. This electrifying concert will allow you and your partner to fellowship