November 2022
Brandon/Winthrop Edition
BLOOMINGDALE ART STUDENTS PAINT COMPANY WINDOWS FOR THE HOLIDAYS By Lily Belcher The Bloomingshow support to dale High School our local school by Art Club painted showcasing these festive holiday talented students’ designs on the artwork with windows of the hopes that as a reFarmers Insurance sult it helps draw Valentino Agency new potential cuson November 5 as tomers’ eyes to our a service project Seven Bloomingdale High School students painted colorful windows for the students. and draws them fall designs on the windows of the Farmers InsurArt teacher Painto our office to ance Valentino Agency. mela Reeves and hear about our seven of her stuproducts that we dents visited the have to offer,” company on Fishsaid LaRosa. hawk Boulevard in The BloomingLithia and painted dale Art Club has fall designs on the been a part of windows. Art club the school since students painted it was foundpumpkins with ed, but this is the names of the Reeves’ first year Farmers Insuras the teacher. ance agents, surReeves was a rounded by detailed leaves, flowers and a student and vice president of the art club cornucopia on the door. in 1990 when they had a local window “Our FishHawk office understands how painting contest. Now, she is trying to reimportant it is to support local business- vive the program and is hoping to start a es and encourage education so we can be Bloomingdale window-painting contest afsuccessful together as a community,” said ter the new year. Colleen LaRosa. “Bloomingdale Art Club has been around LaRosa, Valentino Agency employee and since the start of school. I recently moved mother of an art club student, approached to Bloomingdale to become the art teacher, Reeves with the idea of having Blooming- so we are trying new things,” said Reeves. dale High School students paint the winThe Bloomingdale Art Club is willing to dows in October. The Valentino Agency paint additional windows for companies purchased the art supplies and donated that are looking to bring some holiday to the club before getting their windows cheer to their business. painted by the students. For more information on the Blooming“It meant so much to me personally that dale High School Art Club or to have comthe Valentino Agency could partner with pany windows painted, email Reeves at pathe Bloomingdale High School Art Club to mela.reeves@hcps.net.
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CIGARS ON THE BOULEVARD TO HOST PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS FOR FUNDRAISING EVENT
By Lily Belcher
Cigars on the Boulevard will host an autograph and photo session with famous wrestlers at the Apollo Beach store to raise money for the Cauliflower Alley Club on Hector Guerrero Monday, December 5 at 6 p.m. Fans can pay $20 to receive autographs and photos from all the wrestlers and all profits will be donated to the charity. Fidel ‘The Cuban Assassin’ Sierra, Haku, B. BriHaku an Blair, Hector Guerrero, Steve Keirn and Kahagas will attend the event, taking pictures with fans who pay the $20 fee. Some of the wrestlers will bring their championship belts for guests to pose with as well. “It’s an association that wrestlers, boxers and stuntmen from Hollywood movies put together years ago,” said wrestling promoter Hal Jeffery. The Cauliflower Alley Club aims to support wrestlers, boxers and stuntmen who do not have the financial resources to receive medical treatment or pay off medical bills from their time in the profession. “The money we raise goes through a private group of our leaders in the club that sipher money off to them to pay
their bills and get the medical help they need,” said Jeffery. The $20 fee will allow guests to take a picture with all the wrestlers and receive an 8 x 10-inch B Brian Blair photo of each wrestler for autograph. “We give away thousands a year to help support these retired athletes. It’s a good organization, and most people don’t know about it because they are not Steve Keirn behind the scenes with wrestling or boxing, … but it’s there, and it’s there to help others,” said Jeffery. The autograph-signing event is being presented in association with Frontier Cigars, which are available at all Florida Tobacco Depot and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits locations. Cigars on the Boulevard is a clean, upscale cigar restaurant that invites guests to drink and socialize at its Apollo Beach lounge. It has over 130 types of cigars, including traditional and local cigars. Cigars on the Boulevard is located at 1438 Apollo Beach Blvd. near Lands End Marina and is open from 3-11 p.m. every day. For more information, visit www. caulifloweralleyclub.org.