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Tag: APP Good News

  • 13K turkeys headed to Tampa Bay families in massive distribution event

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Salvation Army in Clearwater is preparing to give out 13,000 turkeys on Monday in what organizers say has been a year jam packed with requests.

    Major Ted Morris with the Salvation Army said the massive distribution event is split into two parts: families receiving individual pickups, and community organizations that pickup in bulk and then distribute the turkeys to families in the surrounding area.

    They plan on giving 3,150 turkeys to individual families and 9,850 to community organizations to hit that total of 13,000 turkeys.

    What You Need To Know

    • Salvation Army to give out 13,000 turkeys Monday

    • 3,150 turkeys are to individual families and 9,850 to community organizations to distribute 

    • 150 volunteers are helping during 10-hour distribution event 

    • You must have a pre-registration ticket to attend pickup event 


    “We’ve had more requests this year than we’ve had in the past,” Morris said. “So we’ve had to limit the number we’ve had to give out with all of the requests that have come in.”

    The event is in its 30th year and sponsored by an anonymous donor.

    Roughly 150 volunteers are staffing Monday’s massive turkey distribution event and split into three shifts. Volunteer coordinator Irene Frye said the demand for food assistance really started to pick in up July. It grew even more when the government shutdown hit.

    Frye said she’s just thankful to be here helping others.

    “It’s just serving others. Helping people help people. Being there for one another… being there for our neighbor and just helping out especially in this time of need,” she said.

    As of Monday morning, all turkeys have been accounted for. You must have a slip as proof of pre-registration to pick up a Thanksgiving meal.

    The distribution event runs through 7 p.m.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Florida farm brings unique Gypsy Vanner horses and their story to life

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    OCALA, Fla. — Deep in the heart of Florida’s horse country, one farm is offering more than just beautiful pastures and photogenic horses — it’s giving guests a cultural and historical experience unlike any other.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gypsy Gold Horse Farm in Ocala is the first U.S. home of the rare Gypsy Vanner horse breed.
    • Visitors can take guided tours that provide education, history, and hands-on animal interaction.
    • The farm’s founder imported the first Gypsy Vanner after encountering the breed in Europe in 1995.


    Gypsy Gold Horse Farm is the first in the United States to introduce the rare and striking Gypsy Vanner horse breed to American soil.

    Known for their feathered hooves, flowing manes, and gentle temperament, these horses were originally bred by British and Irish travelers — often referred to as gypsies to pull their ornate caravans.

    “This amazing breed that Dennis has been preserving for over 30 years now. These are amazing, beautiful creatures, and a lot of people that come on these tours aren’t even familiar with the Gypsy Vanner breed,” said Eileen Mahoney, who works with the horses daily at the farm.

    Founded by Dennis Thompson and his wife, the farm is home to more than 30 Gypsy Vanner horses, each with a unique story and heritage.

    Thompson gives weekly tours where he not only introduces visitors to the horses but also shares the journey that brought them here.

    “My late wife and I, in 1995, saw one horse and learned it belonged to a gypsy,” Thompson told a tour group.

    “Spent that day in a gypsy camp and basically became obsessed.”

    The farm has earned TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence four times and remains one of the top-rated attractions in Central Florida. (Spectrum News)

    That encounter sparked a decades-long mission to preserve the breed and honor the culture behind it.

    For Thompson, it’s not just about the horses — it’s about correcting long-held misconceptions about the Romani people.

    “They don’t read and write — that is by choice because they don’t want to lose their culture,” he explained. “So, they have been treated with prejudice for a thousand years.”

    During the tour, visitors meet horses like “Little Big Man,” whom Thompson describes as “a grandson of Kushti Bok,” one of the original horses he imported.

    Guests can also interact with mules and exotic birds, like colorful macaws, all while walking the picturesque grounds.

    Visitors from all over the country have made the trip — some with a deep love for horses, others simply curious.

    “Yes, I’ve grown up with horses. I used to be a jumper — and then I got old,” joked Bonnie Mickley, a visitor from Georgia.

    “It’s so wonderful that people like Dennis are saving this animal,” added fellow visitor Chris Connolly.

    Thompson’s passion is simple.

    “When people come to Gypsy Gold, I hope they get a better understanding of the culture and a better understanding of the horses that they envisioned.” said Thompson

    The farm has earned TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence four times and remains one of the top-rated attractions in Central Florida.

    For more, visit the Gypsy Gold Horse Farm.

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    Randy Rauch

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  • Local Toys for Tots youth ambassador inspiring more service

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — As we look ahead to Thanksgiving and Black Friday this 2025, the holiday giving season really ramps up, and one Bay area teen is showing the way for others to do more community service while getting inspired by his dad’s own service. 

    Paxton Dulski, a senior at Clearwater’s Calvary Christian High School, has made it his passion project to organize Toys for Tots collection sites.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Paxton Dulski, a senior at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, is a Toys for Tots National Ambassador

    •  He says he is inspired by his father’s service to his country as a Marine veteran and his community as a law enforcement officer

    •  Dulski has been promoting toy donations at the different sites he has set up in the Bay area


    Paxton loves to spend a lot of time on the baseball diamond at Calvary Christian as one of the team leaders.

    As with any teenager, his life is centered around activities like these.

    But his passion is in volunteering.

    “Like the opportunity to help others,” Paxton said. “So, I think I can use the Toys for Tots platform to like show the blessing that I have to others and to bless them.”

    A run through of his days takes him from school to various locations where he has placed the Toys for Tots collection boxes, at least 10 of them.

    He is in fact a National Ambassador for Toys for Tots, a nonprofit created at the behest of the Marine Corps in 1991.

    As it states on their website, the basic mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Program is to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas.

    And Paxton has been helping for years, starting first as a volunteer for the program.

    He has a big reason and inspiration which drives his service to the community.

    One of his deliveries is at Largo Police Department and City Hall.

    “He is motivated, he is empathetic, he’s a giver,” said his father, Lt. Ryan Dulski. “This is a passion that he had.”

    Those words of praise come from — you could say one of Paxton’s biggest inspirations — his father.

    “That’s probably the best part of it, you literally have a child helping children and he’s learning from it at the same time,” said Lt. Dulski.

    It is this year’s Toys for Tots theme — children helping children.

    Paxton has been all over Pinellas County logging hundreds of hours to set up the toy collection boxes, from bingo nights at the neighborhood clubhouse to box set-ups at mom’s work.

    All the while, dad said Paxton is maintaining a nearly 4.5 GPA, and he is also a leader for the baseball team.

    “Those are time-intensive things, both studies and being a student athlete but to tag on volunteering and hundreds of hours of volunteering,” said. Lt. Dulski.

    Paxton would say it is the service of his father, who also happens to be a Marine veteran, that he is trying to emulate.

    He wants others to find their own inspiration.

    “I just hope that they can make an impact too,” said Paxton. “Because like I said, I started out volunteering and that’s one of the biggest blessings that you can help others.”

    As they say, it is much better to give than to get.

    A motto we can all live by this holiday season.

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    Roy De Jesus

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  • Jesuit student launches project to honor veterans at American Legion Cemetery

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    TAMPA, Fla. — At the American Legion Cemetery in Tampa, Drew Garcia is saving lives. He’s piecing together the stories of veterans who are on the verge of being forgotten.

    “I’m putting their stories back together,” Garcia said.

    American Legion Cemetery President Alyse Duffy said the need to remember these veterans is critical.

    “The quote is, ‘A person dies twice.’ Once when they give up their life and the second time when they’re forgotten forever,” Duffy said.

    What You Need To Know

    • Tampa resident Drew Garcia is on a mission to tell the stories of all 732 military members buried at the American Legion Cemetery

    • With the help of his partner, Paige Wilson, Garcia calls the project “American Bios“

    • Garcia and Wilson have uncovered the stories of about 20 veterans so far, but they’re hoping to find others who are just as eager to do some sleuthing of their own


    A year ago, Garcia began searching for a research project. Since he was a history buff, Duffy suggested Garcia research the lives of the veterans buried at the American Legion Cemetery. When he was younger, Garcia said he always wondered about the cemetery he would pass along Kennedy Boulevard.

    With the go-ahead from Duffy, Garcia started delving into the life of each military member. He thought he’d only tell the story of a couple of veterans.

    “But I realized that’s not fair,” Garcia said. “It’s important all their stories are told.”

    Now, he’s on a mission to tell the stories of all 732 military members who are buried at Tampa’s American Legion Cemetery.

    “We have a spreadsheet and I just scroll, scroll, scroll and I click them,” Garcia said.

    After randomly picking a veteran to research, Garcia goes through census data, military records, marriage documents — whatever he can find. He even reaches out to family members. Then, Garcia shares each story with whoever will listen.

    “Not all of them served for the same amount of time, but their service is so incredibly important in making America what it is today,” Garcia said.

    He calls the project “American Bios.”

    His partner, Paige Wilson, came up with the name. She’s now in charge of the online Instagram presence. 

    “I feel so connected to each of these veterans that I research because I learn their life story,” Wilson said.

    But sometimes, there are gaps.

    Like Private Frank Marson, for example. He fought in the Spanish-American War in the late 1800s and there are not a lot of records about his life.

    “I see evidence right there of someone’s story who isn’t as properly told as it should be because it’s been so long, and so it really drives me to want to get things done now,” Garcia said. “Research them today.”

    So today, the work continues.

    “I feel so humbled to be surrounded by these heroes,” Garcia said. “I want these people’s stories to be so famous that someone can just be looking online and stumble upon the story of their great grandparent. That’s how popular I want these people to get.”

    Garcia and Wilson have uncovered the stories of about 20 veterans so far.

    They have put the pieces together like a puzzle.

    “It’s so cool,” Garcia said. “There’s no other word for it.”

    But the couple needs some help. They’re both graduating next year.

    And while Garcia will continue to lead the project, they’re hoping to find others who are just as eager to do some sleuthing of their own.

    Garcia said he wants to make all 732 veterans famous. And one day, he wants their stories shared in the Library of Congress. It’s all an effort to keep the veterans buried at American Legion Cemetery alive.

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    Dalia Dangerfield

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  • 50-cent thrift store book nets special find for veteran’s family

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    TAMPA, Fla. — A simple purchase at a thrift store turned into a very special find for one veteran’s family.

    Theresa Sutton was putting books away at a thrift shop in Lakeland when a book caught her eye. It was an aviators log book, dated 1945, during World War II.

    “It’s just so unique,” Sutton said. “So interesting.”

    Sutton paid 50 cents to buy the book. Then, she spent five years trying to find out who that book belonged to.

    She was excited when she was able to finally pinpoint someone who could help at the American Legion in Lake Wales.

    “I looked so long,” Sutton said as she wiped away tears. “Sorry. I looked so long for the right person to hand it to. It made me feel better.”

    The book was dated 1945, during World War II. (Spectrum News/Dalia Dangerfield)

    With the help of Kathryn Gates-Skipper with the American Legion of Lake Wales, they found out more about the veteran. His name was Sgt. Henry Hajenian. He was a Marine stationed in Cherry Point, N.C.

    Sgt. Hajenian served two years. The flight book belonged to him.

    Recently, Skipper and Sutton delivered the book to his daughter, Katia Moore. She lives in Tampa.

    Moore said she didn’t know a lot about her dad, who died when she was just 8 years old.

    “There’s not a lot I have of his,” Moore said. “It’s very sparse.”

    Having the book gives her something to treasure.

    “I love it,” Moore said. “It’s amazing. It’s wonderful.”

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    Dalia Dangerfield

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  • Pinellas Park provides free community meal with annual Giveback event

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    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Thanksgiving is nearly here, and in celebration of the upcoming holiday, Pinellas Park is giving back through its 3rd annual Thanksgiving Giveback.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas Park hosted its third annual Thanksgiving Giveback

    • The event included a free community meal and to-go bags with supplies

    • Organizers say this year’s efforts take on a bit more meaning with the recent government shutdown


    Dozens met at the Broderick Community Center for a free community meal, but without volunteers like Newton Tren, the event could not be the success it is.

    “I support Pinellas Park (as a) city, so whatever they have … I come up to do it,” she said.

    Community center Project Manager Richard Rock said the idea for the giveback began three years ago.

    Growing each year, he’s thrilled the community can sit down and have a meal as a city.

    “Families can sit down, have a meal on us, and then at the end of it, we do a pay-it-forward event where we have food items that they can either take for themselves or pay it forward to somebody else,” he said.

    Rock said this year’s efforts take on a bit more meaning with the recent government shutdown.

    Despite the shutdown’s end ending, he said it’s put a lot more stress on families than in past years.

    That’s why he’s happy they provide a to-go bag with supplies people may need.

    With 150 bags available for everyone to take home for themselves or for someone in need, Rock said they’re supporting the community on all fronts.

    He added that some were expected to be left over and encourages anyone in need of extra supplies to stop by the community center.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Angela Davis leads Polk County Toys for Tots with focus and a big heart

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County’s Toys for Tots director is spending up to 70 hours a week this time of the year to make sure many kids in need have a great Christmas.

    Angela Davis took over the volunteer position several years ago after former director David Waller passed away.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Angela Davis runs Polk County’s Toys for Tots organization.

    •  The program will provide gifts to 15,000 less fortunate children in Polk. 

    •  Davis took over Polk Toys for Tots when former director Dave Waller passed away. 


    Davis had been a volunteer for the organization when Waller called her as she was preparing to play a round of golf.

    He told her to put away her clubs and to come see him in the hospital. When she got to the hospital, he told her about the brain tumor that would soon claim his life. He asked her to take over the Polk Toys for Tots program.

    “How can you say no?” she said. “Look at what this program does. The impact it makes. How could you say no?”

    Davis took the bull by the horns and got aggressive with fundraising and organizing. The program operates out of a huge warehouse in Auburndale. Toys for Tots will provide presents to more than 15,000 children from low-income families this year.

    “All right, guys. That one’s full already. Goodness. You are good,” said Davis to some volunteers on a recent morning as they were filling up boxes with stuffed animals. “They are preparing stuffed animals that we will give out to all children between two and seven,” she said.

    Each child gets a set of gifts based on the application that is filled out by their parent or guardian.  

    David grabbed one of the “shopping lists” and headed out to the tables filled with gifts based on categories. Her list was for a boy.

    “He’s nine years old. This is appropriate for a child eight plus,” she said as she held up a board game. “And based on what the child told me, this might be a good match for this young guy.”

    Literacy is a year-round effort by Toys for Tots, so children will also get a book with their gifts.

    Dozens of volunteer shoppers gather up gifts based on the lists and place them into black garbage bags with a label. That way, if a child is with their parent or guardian when they pick up the gifts, the child hopefully won’t be aware that the bag is full of gifts for them.

    Davis said she is hyper-focused on every detail of Toys for Tots. Her family tells her she becomes a little OCD.

    “You must be into the details. We are trying to serve these families,” said Davis. “We don’t want to make a mistake. We want to give these kids something special on one of the best days of the year. So of course, I have to be OCD.”

    However, she can have a softer side when approaching her work, getting emotional as she talked about the kids.

    “You know, they say there is something about the impact of doing something for a stranger and the impact it makes on you,” she said. “And I have all these wonderful people who have come in to help me make a change in a child’s life.”

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    Rick Elmhorst

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  • Veterans from Polk assemble floats for annual Orlando’s Veterans Day Parade

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — A group of Central Florida veterans is working on a special project together — assembling floats for Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade is Saturday, Nov. 8

    • This year, the parade is relocating to Lake Nona from downtown and steps off at 11 a.m.

    • Festive Floats, based in Polk County, has a group of veterans who works on floats for the parade


    Bob Collins spent 22 years in the Navy. He enlisted in September 1971 and worked as a boiler operator before retiring in March 1993.

    Collins works for Festive Floats, a company based in Fort Meade in Polk County. This week, he worked on wiring electrical boxes for a float so speakers and lights can get plugged in.

    “After my military days, I’ve been a stationary engineer now for about the last 25 years working in hospitals, doing basically the same thing I was doing in the military,” Collins said.

    This year, Festive Floats co-owner Billy Attix said his team is working on floats for Commissioner Jim Gray and the Orlando Veteran Affairs office.

    “We’ve been working on the Veterans Parade for about three weeks,” Attix said. “We’re customizing some of our floats to make it military-based to honor those who have served, those who have lost their life.”

    The parade is a long-running event for residents to remember and honor those who served our nation.

    “We’re able to give back to the good, give back to humanity, bring that smile that somebody needs. Just an escape for five minutes of your normal life,” Attix said.

    Collins said he enjoys pulling the floats and seeing people have a good time, while connecting with other veterans along the way.

    “It’s kind of an honor, it really is, especially driving in the parade with the veterans on it and the Wounded Warrior people,” Collins said. “They do a lot of good work for the veterans.”

    The long-standing tradition is moving from downtown Orlando to Lake Nona for the first time.

    This year’s Veterans Day Parade will step off at 11 a.m. Saturday. The route starts at Laureate Park Elementary School and will finish at the Lake Nona Town Center.

    A ceremony and more activities for families will follow.

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    Emma Delamo

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  • Bay area food pantry rescued by local moving company

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — An undeniable truth is that moving is stressful.

    What You Need To Know

    • With food assistance programs from the government being cut back, local food pantries are stepping up to fill the gap, including Love Thy Neighbor, which is expanding this week to serve more people

    • Love Thy Neighbor went from serving 1,000 people a month to 2,000 recently. They found a new, larger location just four blocks away

    • The problem – they had no way of moving the large freezers and refrigerators. The owner was panicked over what to do. 

    • 2 College Brothers Moving and Storage offered to move them free of charge


    “We’ve packed up most of this stuff,” said Joanne Braccio, pointing to stacked boxes with food inside.

    She is the owner of Love Thy Neighbor FL food pantry and thrift in St. Petersburg.

    The nonprofit serves anyone in need, but following back-to-back hurricanes last year, rising food prices this year and now a government shutdown, she said her customers have been struggling.

    “We’ve gone from a thousand people a month to almost two thousand. And I’m starting to watch the news this morning, and I’m really starting to get scared,” said Braccio.

    To help the increased need, they decided to move four blocks away to a larger space. But they had no way of moving the large freezers and refrigerators used in the food pantry.

    She admits she was starting to panic until she got an unexpected call.

    “God bless you, sir,” she said as she hugged Wade Swikle. “Thank you so much, this means a lot to me. I’m a little emotional now, but thank you for doing this. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

    Swikle owns 2 College Brother Moving and Storage. He heard that Braccio was struggling and knew he had a solution to her dilemma.

    He offered to move the entire food pantry and thrift store for free.

    “At the end of the day, I mean, it just makes you feel good about doing business,” said Swikle. “We’re all in business to help people. At the end of the day, we’re here to solve problems.”

    For Braccio, his kindness moved her to tears.

    “To have people help me with this, to have people that believe in what we are doing, and for the actions to be happening it’s like, I’ve prayed for this for a long time,” she said with tears in her eyes.

    The new location is on 7110 5th Avenue N in St. Pete.

    Braccio said they will be open on Thursday in their new location with the same hours. She said this was important to make sure those in need didn’t have any delay in getting food and other necessary items.

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    Erin Murray

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  • A year after sudden cardiac arrest, young Tampa Bay man starts CPR nonprofit

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    BRANDON, Fla. — True second chances don’t come often. Andrew Emerton got his second chance at 26-years-old.

    Last year, when playing video games with friends, he went into sudden cardiac arrest.

    “One of them called 911 immediately and the other one started administering lifesaving CPR,” said Emerton. “And I believe she had to do CPR for 10 minutes straight.”

    He and several members of his family live with a rare, inherited heart gene mutation. It’s called Desmoplakin cardiomyopathy. It can increase the chance of unexpected sudden cardiac arrest.

    By luck, coincidence or divine intervention — Emerton survived.

    “And the very first thought was, ‘Dang, like a higher power is not done with me yet. I have more to do,’” said Emerton.

    Andrew Emerton lays in a hospital bed while being treated for cardiac arrest in 2024. (Andrew Emerton)

    He took months to think about what he would do with his second chance at life. While on a walk, an idea came to him.

    “Out loud I asked and I said, ‘God, if you think I’m ready, so do I.’ And within 30 seconds, the idea for Breathe Florida popped in my head… I was like, ‘This is like what I was brought back to do,’” said Emerton.

    He created Breathe Florida, a nonprofit that pays for lifesaving CPR training for high school students.

    “I was in ROTC all four years and in this high school,” said Emerton, at Brandon High School. “I can’t even count how many times I must have barged in and out of this hallway doing different things, whether it was a rifle team (or) four drill team.”

    Emerton’s picture is still on the wall outside the JROTC classroom. He was the 2017 Brandon High School JROTC Battalion Commander, the highest rank. 

    The 2025-26 school year cadets admit, they relate to Emerton and his story.

    All the current students could put themselves in Emerton’s shoes.

    “I think his story shows how real it is,” said Marielis Pena, JROTC senior.

    They also hope they could think as quickly on their feet as Emerton’s friend did with doing CPR.

    “Hanging out, playing video games, and then it just suddenly went wrong,” said Samuel Rodriguez, JROTC junior.

    There are several CPR classes now planned at Brandon High School. Emerton hopes this is just the beginning.

    “If I spread this far enough across Florida and do it for long enough, there simply will come a time where I believe this will save someone’s life,” said Emerton.

    In Hillsborough County Public Schools, hands-on CPR training is a graduation requirement.

    Breathe Florida’s classes are just additional training students can take.

    To donate to Breathe Florida, click here.

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    Erin Murray

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  • Parc Center helps employees with disabilities thrive long-term

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    TAMPA, Fla. — October marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and the U.S. Department of Labor is shining a light on this year’s official theme: “Celebrating Value and Talent.”

    What You Need To Know

    • National Disability Employment Awareness Month has an official theme: “Celebrating Value and Talent”

    • Parc’s Supported Employment Services program has helped nearly 100 people with disabilities find competitive employment

    • Success stories like Michelle Burger show the long-term impact and benefits of supportive employment


    It’s an impactful mission that Parc Center for Disabilities strives to accomplish all year long with its Supported Employment Services program, which champions nearly 100 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities out in the community with competitive employment.

    “With Supported Employment, it’s truly a win-win for the person we’re supporting and the business or employer,” said Brian Rothey, the Assistant Vice President of Adult Community Programs at Parc. “The employer is receiving someone who is going to show up happy every single day to their shift and stay on the job a whole lot longer than their non-disabled peers. They’re highly motivated and a pleasure to work around.”

    Michelle Burger, one of their success stories with nearly 25-years on the job at the VA’s Patriot Café, credits her long-term success in the workforce to the partnership between Parc and the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.

    “It’s great having this job – helping the canteen and helping customers – if they need help,” said Burger who serves as a Veterans Canteen Service Associate at the Patriot Café. “It’s wonderful and they help me out, too, if I need it. I have good friends and a lot of buddies out here.”

    Veterans Canteen Service Associate Michelle Burger preparing to serve a veteran at the VA’s Patriot Cafe. (Spectrum News/Erica Riggins)

    In 2001, Burger was looking for a job to live with independence and prove that she was more than capable of doing the work; and decades later, Burger’s drive and dedication are still paying off professionally and personally.

    “She’s 100% fully integrated in the community. She lives independently. She has a lifelong partner. She was able to purchase her own home, which for a lot of us is a very big deal,” said Rothey.

    Veterans Canteen Service Chief Michelle Florida also describes Burger as a standout employee who consistently exceeds all job expectations.

    “She loves her job every day, loves her co-workers and is happy to be here,” said Florida. “In fact, there was small talk about her possibly retiring, but she declined because she enjoys working here.”

    Parc’s Supported Employment Services program also provides weekly career coaching to help encourage and assist Burger on the VA’s campus in St. Petersburg.

    “There’s this whole hidden population and talent pipeline within the community that we can tap into and provide. One of the biggest ways that our community and employers can support our mission is through partnerships and collaboration; any opportunity to have our voices heard and offer employment to the people that we serve is what we’re seeking this month and all year long,” said Rothey.

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    Erica Riggins

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  • Ukrainian Sarasota resident dancing for world championship

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    SARASOTA, Fla. — The World DanceSport Federation Championships are happening this weekend.

    Team USA is well represented by one of our new Sunshine State residents.

    Born in Ukraine, Dmytro Roshchupkin now has a home base in Sarasota where he is inspiring others by his story.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dmytro Roshchupkin is competing for the U.S. in the World DanceSport Federation Championships

    • Dmytro evacuated Ukraine when the war broke out and was taken in by the Sarasota community

    • He thanks the people who have helped him transition into his new life


    Dmytro is swinging into every dance practice with a smile.

    At 21 years old, he is also a dance instructor with inspirational advice.

    “There is no challenge that you cannot overcome,” said Dmytro. “If it is there, you are capable. And when you are able to overcome it, it just makes you a different person, and you are in a better place than you have ever been before.”

    He is not just talking about learning how to dance, though.

    The war in Ukraine forced him to leave his homeland when he was just a teenager.

    “When the war started, it kind of changed everything,” he said. “We had to leave the country. I stopped dancing for, like, probably like a year.”

    He moved from Ukraine to Germany first.

    Coincidentally, Dmytro returns to Germany for the championships this weekend. 

    His grandparents, who also evacuated the war-torn city of Kharkiv, are also there.

    Dmytro’s parents and siblings are in New York after fleeing the war.

    But Dmytro’s experience shortly after the start of the fighting was just a temporary pause from doing what he loves.

    He finally landed in Florida, where he is heating up the dance floor.

    “Dima has been there through, like, thick and thin,” said his practice partner Alexis Aker. “He has definitely shown me the groundwork and the blueprint of ballroom.”

    Aker is also a dance instructor at the Sarasota studio where Dmytro teaches.

    She affectionately calls him Dima and is now his dance disciple.

    “He has this eagerness for knowledge, and it really elevates everyone in the room,” she said.

    She is also lending her time to get him ready for his next challenge which is taking on the best from other countries in the World DanceSport Federation Championships.

    She said it is how Dmytro has managed the war experience that really stands out.

    “It’s just really inspiring how much he was focused on all the people, on all his students,” she said. “He gave himself to his students and that was like wow…I want to be like that one day.”

    For Dmytro, he would not have it any other way.

    It is the people who welcomed him to his new home that inspire him.

    “It’s the people who greeted me that warmly on the first day I came here. Meeting me at airport, giving me all that love and shine,” said Dmytro. “And being so nice to me when I didn’t even speak any English at the beginning.”

    But he does speak perseverance and soon hopes to talk championships.

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    Roy De Jesus

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  • Man helped woman reunite with lost ring on Clearwater Beach

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Our local beaches are full of beauty and sometimes even treasures that people find with metal detectors. One Clearwater man used his hobby to help reunite a woman with a ring that to her is priceless.

    What You Need To Know

    • Clearwater man helps woman reunite with ring lost on the beach

    • Joey Dahlia started metal detecting this summer as a hobby

    • Dahlia says many people never see their jewelry again once it’s lost, but this case was different


    Joey Dahlia recently started using his metal detector this summer.

    “The first seven days were just screws and bottle caps,” he said.

    But that didn’t stop him from continuing his search for treasure.

    “I find one piece of jewelry a day. It can be any kind, like costume, garbage or up to a very expensive ring,” Dahlia said.

    That’s exactly what happened when he discovered a ring recently.

    He said that while most of the jewelry he finds never makes it back to its owner, this case was different. He was approached by people who knew the ring’s owner.

    “She shows me a clear picture, and I’m like, ‘That’s the ring, and she can have it back.’” He returned the ring, which had sentimental value.

    “I’m always in unique situations, and that was a unique situation for me,” he said. “It wasn’t just a wedding ring, it was very expensive, life changing for either her or me.”

    The connection he made with the ring’s owner inspired him to create a lost and found page for other people who lose items at the beach.

    “People go in there and post they found stuff, or they lost stuff, and it’s really unique that I was able to do that,” Dahlia said.

    The ring’s owner said she lost the ring while near the shoreline and said she is happy to have it back.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Wesley Chapel prep cook going above and beyond at work despite disabilities

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    WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — October is Disability Employment Awareness Month and to commemorate the month, we’re highlighting some talented workers here across the Tampa Bay area.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Wesley Chapel prep cook is going above and beyond at work despite his disabilities

    • Jeremy Ross knew at a young age he wanted to work in the food industry and an opportunity knocked thanks, in part, to a disability employment service called ‘employU’

    • ’employU’ is a non-profit, disability employment service, helping those with disabilities get in the workforce by offering employability training to make sure clients are job-ready


    One employee is making a difference in the culinary industry in Pasco County.

    For Jeremy Ross, the kitchen is where he is most comfortable.

    “My slogan is trust and respect,” says Ross. “I just want a good work environment.”

    For the last seven months, Ross has been working as a prep cook at Bubba’s 33 in Wesley Chapel. Chopping up lettuce and other varieties of vegetables. 

    “It’s good working for them. I can finally be myself when I’m working.”

    Ross has ADHD and an intellectual impairment. But just because he has a disability, it doesn’t mean his work is impaired. 

    “He has a harder time learning how to do tasks,” says Catalina Fernandez, Jeremy’s mom. “More of your school life things like reading and math and things like that were always more difficult for him to process because of his disability.”

    Ross learned of his love for the culinary arts in a special program in high school. A five-year culinary program at the Vaughn Occupational High School in Chicago.

    “A high school that he went to in Chicago had a culinary program for our students, all of which were students with disabilities,” said Fernandez. “And he loved it.”

    That passion for working with food followed Ross when he and his family moved to the Tampa Bay area. He found work at a local restaurant until they closed. But then an opportunity knocked at Bubba’s. Ross found the opportunity thanks to a disability employment service called ‘employU.’

    “From the very beginning, we knew that we would hire him and bring him on just because he really grasped what he was doing right away,” said Abby Fletcher, manager at Bubba’s 33 in Wesley Chapel. “He worked really well with the management team and the other employees who were working cold prep.”

    And now Ross can continue his pursuing his passion and love for cooking.

    “It feels really good for me to do that because I always go to my serious work because I always have to focus on my work,” said Ross. “I’m going to do the best I can.”

    Showing how nothing is holding him back.

    ’employU’ is a non-profit, disability employment service based in the Orlando area. Helping those with disabilities get in the workforce by offering employability training to make sure clients are job-ready. You can learn more about their adult employment services online here.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Medical foster mom in Tampa reopens her home after adopting four foster kids

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Kadesha Stewart knew one thing her whole life.

    “I always wanted five children,” said Stewart.

    She had a son, LaShawn. But that was it. In her heart and in her home in Tampa, she never stopped yearning for more little feet.

    What You Need To Know

    • Kadesha Stewart is an adoptive mom of 4 kids that she previously fostered, and three of them have special medical needs

    • She is a specialized medical foster parent through Children’s Home Network, and has received training and a special license to care for kids at their most vulnerable, whose birth parents cannot care for them

    • After helping over 30 kids, Kadesha closed her foster home to new fosters when she adopted her fourth child, but is now getting re-licensed through CHN and is reopening her home for more medical foster children

    • Medical foster parent(s) are needed. To learn how to become one, join a virtual information session with the Children’s Home Network


    She decided to become a foster parent, and through her training decided she would be a medical foster parent.

    “These babies, they need more than just medication. They need love. They need stability,” said Stewart. “And they just need someone who can have the patience to care for them.”

    She went through training and opened her home. It quickly began to fill.

    With foster care, reunification with the child’s biological family is always the goal. But in some cases, that doesn’t work out.

    So Stewart became mother to more than one, adopting Teryonna first. Then, she adopted Lucas. Then Emma.

    “Then the opportunity comes for you to adopt now your fourth child, and your answer is?” asked Spectrum Bay News 9 anchor Erin Murray.

    “Yes,” said Stewart with a huge smile.

    Graciyanna became adoption number four.

    In total, Stewart has fostered more than 30 kids — most with medical needs.

    With LaShawn, Teryonna, Lucas, Emma and Graciyanna, Stewart’s dream is now complete. She is the mother of five children.

    “So five is enough for me because, you know, it’s just me,” said Stewart with a smile.

    Or that is what she thought.

    “If I have the space and the help, which is my mom, to do it, you know, I just want to continue to be a blessing to a child,” said Stewart.

    Fostering is part of her purpose, she said.

    The Children’s Home Network hopes more people will consider becoming medical foster families.

    “In Hillsborough County, there’s only about 15 medical foster homes,” said Paul Penhale, Out-of-Home Care Senior Director, Children’s Home Network in Tampa. “It’s never enough, right? We’re actively recruiting.”

    Penhale said while they are making it work with those 15 families in Hillsborough, Children’s Home Network is always looking for the next generation of foster moms and dads.

    “We believe that regardless of the child’s medical condition, they still deserve to be in a family-like setting. They don’t need to be in the hospital if they’re medically ready for discharge. But they do need more than a traditional foster parent can provide care,” said Penhale.

    Stewart hopes others will see her family and give fostering a chance.

    “These children need a home, and it would be a blessing for more families to open their home to medical children,” said Stewart.

    A full home that always has room for one more foster child.

    “I’m not going to say no,” said Stewart.

    Children’s Home Network said all medical foster parents are given medical training and they have a team of resources available to help them 24/7.

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    Erin Murray

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  • A look back at The Center of Anna Maria Island’s inspiring recovery efforts

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    ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. — The Center of Anna Maria Island became the central hub for recovery in a community battered by back-to-back storms.

    The damage Helene and Milton left behind, you can still see today.

    During the time shortly after the storms passed, The Center also became a symbol of community and inspiration.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The Center of Anna Maria Island turned into the community’s recovery hub

    •  Christopher Culhane is the center’s Executive Director and said the yearlong efforts to get back to normal have been tough

    •  The Center has been providing youth sports and other activities for the community which relied on it for hurricane relief


    The Anna Maria Island community suffered major impacts twice, however, the place most residents consider a home base also became a beacon of hope.

    Holmes Beach resident Brooke Svoboda said she has lived on the island for years and The Center on Anna Maria Island became an integral part of the days after the storms.

    “And then the supplies started coming in and it was a home. You got a smile when you started coming in, warm food, supplies,” said Svoboda. “They know it’s the heartbeat of this community and they know the island would not be the same without it.”

    A year later, the community center’s children are scoring big during the center of youth soccer league games, which started back up for the fall season a couple of weeks ago.

    Ironically, that league start would put it on the same timing as the storms arriving a year ago.

    “The hurricanes damaged a little bit of everything on the island,” said The Center of Anna Maria Island Executive Director Christopher Culhane, as he started talking about his recollection of the storms. “Pretty dramatic. All of the tennis court. All of the higher fencing, all of it got blown over. The scoreboard we lost as well. “

    A newly installed scoreboard is now up. And what caused all of this is a bad memory for most residents in the Bay area.

    From fires bursting from downed power lines to rushing water over submerged streets, the moments right after the hurricanes were incredibly challenging and a chaotic scene.

    The double impact of hurricane winds and flooding devastated Anna Maria Island and anything on it.

    But Culhane also said something else happened soon after.

    “The Center stepped up with many other organizations and started a volunteer effort to put the island back together,” he said.

    Neighbors were in need, such as Svoboda, who relies on The Center for her family’s youth activities.

    A year ago, she relied on them even more.

    “We did stay on the island. We didn’t evacuate,” she said. “And after the hurricane hit, we came to The Center, we got supplies. It was like our home when everything was chaos and destroyed.”

    And more started to happen.

    The Center would then help plant almost 30,000 plants to renourish the beaches.

    They also held a relief concert last November with Lynyrd Skynyrd, raising more than $400,000 for temporarily unemployed AMI hospitality workers.

    The Center being so close to the water, like everything else on Anna Maria Island, also faced its challenges.

    It has been a yearlong effort to get back. The sod on the soccer fields had to get redone. The fencing and tennis courts are not fully restored.

    Nevertheless, they are playing on them today.

    The Center and its staff got recognition for all the arduous work they did over the year, and following their social media one can see how much.

    As well as the efforts continue even today to inspire others like Svoboda’s son, Parker.

    “We started a little business, and we thought it would be good to donate some back to the Center,” said Parker. “And we’ve done it enough to get to have our jerseys.”

    Proceeds from Parker’s printing business is going back to The Center to help in other ways.

    Because the kind of teamwork you see on the field during the youth games is also what happens on Anna Maria Island, according to Culhane.

    “This community steps up,” he said. “The Center wouldn’t be here without the community. And the community always stands strong with events like this past year.”

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    Roy De Jesus

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  • Judge shares thoughts about Hispanic Heritage Month

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Myriam Irizarry was appointed as the first Hispanic judge in Pinellas County in 2015 and served in her position until 2020.

    What You Need To Know

    • Myriam Irizarry was the first Hispanic judge in Pinellas County 

    • She said Hispanic Heritage Month is a way to celebrate achievements and add to what makes our country great

    • Irizarry still serves as a senior judge


    She then retired but still serves as a senior judge. That means she serves part-time when the courts need help.

    “The judicial system should represent the makeup of their community. And so, although I was the first, I hope not to be the last,” Irizarry said.

    Now she is using her free time for some of her other passions like writing poetry.

    Irizarry is currently writing a book with her daughter, “The Fragrance of Jesus.”

    “Jesus, my Lord, your fragrance revives my soul and purifies my heart,” she said while reading from her notes. “Your essence fills me with your presence from which I shall never part.”

    It means a lot to Irizarry that she was able to reach her goals and credits her mother for believing in her.

    She wrote her first book, “The Power of Perseverance,” about growing up in a shack in Puerto Rico, hardships in New York City, and eventually becoming a lawyer, then a judge.

    Irizarry said her mother raised her and her siblings with a dream for each of them to achieve.

    “Her tenacity, her grit, her faith in each and every one of us, we were able to overcome,” she said. “So this is a tribute to her as well.”

    Though Irizarry is retired, she sees Hispanic Heritage Month as a way to celebrate achievements and add to what makes our country great.  

    “We get to bring out our culture in such a way that we can showcase how we integrate into the American culture and the richness in our diversity, what it brings to this country,” she said.  

    Irizarry hopes that her story can inspire others to follow their dreams and achieve what they desire.

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    Matt Lackritz

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  • Volunteers pack 126,000 meals in Central Florida food bank in 24 hours

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Second Harvest of Central Florida Food Bank took on a first-of-its-kind challenge, staying open for 24 hours straight to fight hunger in the community.

    What You Need To Know

    • Second Harvest of Central Florida stayed open for 24 hours for the first time in its history

    • More than 300 volunteers rotated through three-hour shifts to pack food

    • The event’s goal was 100,000 meals, but volunteers exceeded it with 126,000

    • Leaders say the event highlights that hunger never takes a break

    “I started volunteering here in 2016,” said Alfred Delio, a longtime Second Harvest volunteer.

    At four o’clock in the morning, while most of Central Florida is asleep, Delio was already stacking boxes inside the food bank.

    “It makes me feel good inside. I feel like I’ve accomplished something,” he said.

    Delio was one of more than 300 volunteers who signed up for shifts during the relief marathon, called Hunger Never Sleeps. Beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, teams rotated every three hours, sorting, packing, and sealing food boxes with the goal of creating 100,000 meals.

    “It’s making such a positive impact on lives in Central Florida. We’re feeding hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens every ship. It’s almost biblical. Multiplying the efforts of our volunteers here,” Delio said.

    Second Harvest’s President and CEO, Derrick Chubbs, emphasized that the event was about more than just numbers.

    “1 in 7 Central Floridians do not know where their next meal is coming from. 1 in 6 are children that are food insecure. We just want to be here to try to bridge that gap,” Chubbs said.

    Organizers also highlighted the significance of the 24-hour effort.

    “In 43 years of the food bank’s history, we’ve never been open overnight. For the community to step forward with that ask is pretty significant,” Chubbs said.

    As the final hours ticked down, Delio said the lack of sleep was worth it, because the impact would last long after the lights turned off.

    “I really want to be a part of that. It sounds amazing,” he said.

    Second Harvest exceeded its original goal, packing 126,000 meals that will soon be distributed to families across Central Florida.

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    Ashley Engle

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  • Feather Sound resident spreads hope a year after Helene

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    CLEARWATER, Fla. — A year ago on Sept. 26, Tampa Bay area residents woke up to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

    Some of our neighbors are still facing challenges.

    Some still rebuilding and some trying to make it better for the community.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lisa Crawford, who lives in the Feather Sound neighborhood of Clearwater, is still working on her home rebuild after Helene a year ago

    • Crawford’s contractor started the work in May

    • Crawford is spreading positivity by handing out wristbands with messages of hope


    Lisa Crawford experienced the same uncertainty that came after the storm.

    Her contractor is still nailing down the final changes to her home.

    “Everything is coming out great,” she said. “The paint just needs some touch-ups.”

    The contractor, Alex Erazo, worked on the crown molding finishes of the project earlier this September.

    Crawford had to wait until May to get started on her rebuild.

    She retold her experience from that night in late September of last year.

    “When’s it going to stop? Like we didn’t know if it was going to be three inches or three feet,” she said. “We truly did not know that, and we sat on the stairway and watched as the water started to rise.”

    She lives in the Feather Sound community of Clearwater, on the edge of Old Tampa Bay.

    What she saw out her window that night was what was supposed to be a golf course.

    But it had become something different.

    “We watched furniture, little furniture floating by and we sort of giggled about it because we didn’t know what else to do,” she said.

    She confessed it was no laughing matter.

    At daybreak, she had about a foot of water inside her home. The entrance to her neighborhood was underwater.

    She said her story is like other recollections from that morning.

    The wooden floors of her home had to be ripped out. Some of the rooms and walls on the lower level of the house had to be gutted.

    Crews tossed out the furniture to the curb, while piles of debris soon covered driveways.

    Today, the recovery work is ongoing.

    Erazo, who is working on Crawford’s home with the rebuild part of the project, said he started the cleanup phase a week after Helene passed through at other homes in the area.

    One year after Crawford’s kitchen got wrecked, it is just now starting to measure up to her expectations.

    Meantime, Crawford is also building up her community. She started an effort to share positivity.

    “Just to spread the message,” Crawford said. “Let’s stay strong, we’ve got each other’s back. We’re here, all you have to do is ask.”

    She created hundreds of wristbands with messages of hope and is handing them out.

    “As devastating as it feels, you do get to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.

    She wants other communities to spread the message too and is accepting requests from people who contact her through the Nextdoor app.

    She admits it does take a long time to recover, and others have had it worse. She said though to stay positive through the process.

    And Helene is only half of her story.

    She evacuated before Hurricane Milton which impacted the Bay area a couple of weeks after Helene. She came back to find more damage to her home such as a hole in her bathroom.

    Like the Trop in downtown St. Pete which had its roof torn apart, Crawford’s pool cage got ripped apart too.

    But even on a cloudy day, she still believes there is a rainbow after every storm.

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    Roy De Jesus

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  • All Veterans Center works to feed the community and prevent veteran suicide

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The All Veterans Center works to make a difference in the community through its free food program, homeless prevention program, and suicide prevention program. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The All Veterans Center started in 2017

    • They operate in six counties, including Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough

    • Since starting, they estimate to have fed 360,000 people


    Centered in Polk County but active in others, they’ve helped feed numerous people and say their efforts have prevented eight veteran suicides. 

    Chief Operating Officer Harvey Engle and others in the organization have been helping vets for years.

    Eight years ago, they decided to start their own nonprofit in the All Veterans Center. 

    “We just started taking care of veterans, doing things that they said, ‘You can’t do that,’” he said. “Yeah, we can, you watch.” 

    Harvey served in the Air Force. After he retired, he sought a way to support other veterans. 

    Collecting and distributing food is one of the ways his group does that.  

    “Today we should be able to feed at least 300,” he said. “We’ll top 360,000 since we started in 2017.” 

    When their organization began, they set out to specifically help veterans. 

    They’ve since grown.

    In 2018, they started including veterans’ family members, and in 2020, they expanded to help everyone.

    “We ask how many are in the family,” he said. “We ask if there’s any veterans in the family. Aside from that, we don’t really ask any questions because we don’t care about incomes or where you live. It doesn’t matter. You come here, you want food, we’re going to give it to you.”

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    Matt Lackritz

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