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C E L E B R A T I N G
November 2018 Volume 15, Issue 11 Ph: 657-2418 1 6
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Veterans Preserve Their Stories With Students Ask For Help With Disability Ball By Kate Quesada Library Of Congress History Project ridicule or By Michelle Colesanti
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Every veteran has a interviews of vets from story to tell and the repreWorld War II through sentatives of the Veterans Operation Enduring History Project want to Freedom: combat vets record those stories to and military support staff, share with future generaincluding women who tions. Their lives reflect served. Gold Star famiUSA history and the manlies may record the histoner in which a veteran ry of their loved one. serves their country and Jim McNeil, who family, and ultimately served in the Army durbuilds their life. ing the Korean conflict Dan Craft served active duty in The Veterans History “I am grateful to said, WWII in the Philippines. Project was created by Judy Smolk and everythe United States one else who made me Congress in 2000. aware of the Veterans The 1st Presbyterian History Project and Church of Brandon offered me the opportuni(FPCB) became a host ty for my military experisite for the interviews in ence to be recorded for January 2016. The the future.” McNeil’s miliFlorida West Coast tary experience took Region of the American place from August 1951 Red Cross supervises until July 1953. “The and staffs the project. To story of my service to my Jim McNeil served in the Army date, the Brandon project country has been repeatduring the Korean Conflict. has recorded 42 intered many times by me to views encompassing a my children, and now to variety of veterans’ expeknow that my military riences, since that time. A experience has been digital recording is sent to recorded and will be sent the Library of Congress to the Library of for preservation, and Congress for preservagrateful families receive a tion which will allow treasured DVD of the future generations of my interview. The service is family and the world to free. continue to read facts of The successful proj- Kiersten Downs served in the Air my military experience.” Force in Operation Iraqi Freedom ect continues with FPCB is located at and Operation Enduring appointments available in 121 Carver Ave. in Freedom. November and Brandon. For more inforDecember. A private interview with an mation or to schedule an interview, conexperienced interviewer from the Red tact the FPCB office between 9 a.m-1 Cross is recorded at FPCB. p.m. Monday through Friday at 689-4597. The Brandon project has conducted
Get in the holiday spirit with many fun filled events for the entire family. Read about the local holiday activities in our Holiday Gift Guide section beginning on page 25.
A group of students at Bloomingdale High School is looking for help putting together a special night for some special teenagers. The school’s JROTC program has supported “The Night of a Thousand Stars”, an annual ball for guests 16 and older with disabilities, for the last six years, but recently due to illness, the ball was almost canceled for 2018. The JROTC unit volunteered to sponsor this year’s event and are looking for residents and businesses to donate to make the event a success. According to Junior Kalei Douglas, a cadet in the school’s JROTC program, the ball is usually organized by its founder, Marcia Minutello, who started the event 10 years ago. Her recent health issues have meant that Minutello was unable to perform her usual fundraising and organizing activities, “so Mrs. Minutello had cancelled the ball this year,” said Douglas. “Upon hearing the news, the JROTC refused to let the dance disappear so the unit collectively decided to take the weight of the ball onto its shoulders with Mrs. Minutello’s guidance.” The JROTC is now responsible for catering the night for 200 guests from throughout the area in addition to funding other costs of putting the event together. “The ball gives the attendees an opportunity to express themselves with people of similar attributes without fear of
judgment,” said Douglas. “This has been a special tradition in our community for 10 years and we don’t want that to end.” The JROTC unit will also work as security during the event, escorting the guests, serving food and working in the kitchen. The ball is scheduled to take place Friday, November 30 at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Brandon. Any residents or businesses interested in sponsoring the event or contributing in any way are asked to contact the Bloomingdale JROTC at bloombulls@gmail.com. Bloomingdale High School is located at 1700 E. Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico and can be reached at 744-8018.
In This Issue
CAMPO Y HISPANIC HERITAGE ..........PG 3 MILITARY & FIRST RESPONDER DAY ..PG 9 BELL SHOALS RD WIDENING............PG 13 WACKY HOLIDAYS ............................PG 16 SPORTS CONNECTION......................PG 21 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT................PG 23 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE ................PGS 25‐31 EYE ON BUSINESS .....................PGS 41‐42
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