ReportWire

Tag: APP Good News

  • Eckerd College students feeling good by feeling safe

    Eckerd College students feeling good by feeling safe

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Through September, Weapon Brand, a small business in St. Pete, is offering free self-defense classes to a select group.

    The company’s classes mix fitness with practical skills for personal empowerment.

    Weapon Brand offers other courses in personal safety as well.

    What You Need To Know

    • Weapon Brand self defense is holding free courses for Eckerd College incoming freshmen  

    • Weapon Brand’s classes mix fitness with practical skills for personal empowerment
    • 22 Eckerd College students new to campus life are taking the class


    A group of students from Eckerd College recently took the high-speed combatives self-defense workshop and is feeling good by feeling safe.

    Madison Prois is jumping into something new.

    “I at least jump off the Pier once a week and I can’t wait to keep getting in the water,” Prois said.

    She is new to the area and is getting into self-defense as she starts her in her first year at Eckerd College.

    “I do carry around pepper spray so that’s also helpful but that could always go wrong,” she said. “It’s not always going to work.”

    Prois plays for Eckerd’s beach volleyball team.

    Her teammate, Ella Kloepper, who is also a new at Eckerd, took the class as well.

    The class instructor, Brian Anderson Needham, explained what the students get out of high-speed combatives.

    He said it is “basic instruction on how to avoid danger if they can avoid it.”

    It is also about how to fight out of an attack while also getting in a good workout.

    Needham is the co-owner of Weapon Brand.

    The retired Marine gave the free class to 22 Eckerd students new to campus life.

    The program is part of their orientation in more ways than one.

    “This maybe a new time for them to be in a community and an environment that it’s a little bit different,” Needham said.

    What is not different, said Needham, are the skills needed to feel safe. 

    Prois and Kloepper are feeling empowered.

    “I feel like I’m leaving with confidence,” said Kloepper. “If I was put in a situation, I have many ways that I can get out of it and a way to feel safe around campus and out.”

    Prois said it is “definitely worth it and I could definitely use it in the future.”

    [ad_2]

    Roy De Jesus

    Source link

  • Lotz of Blessings packs snacks for food insecure students

    Lotz of Blessings packs snacks for food insecure students

    [ad_1]

    CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Lotz of Blessings nonprofit in Clearwater has a pretty simple mission, which is to organize events throughout the year to help the less fortunate.

    They provide snack bags for children who are food insecure.

    They provide blankets and sleeping assistance to the homeless.

    They provide school supplies for kids who went back to school recently.

    What is most impressive is that the organizers of this group are other children.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Lotz of Blessings nonprofit in Pinellas helps out with their volunteer programs

    •  Their Pack a Snack program fills bags of snacks for students who are food insecure

    • The nonprofit is partly ran and organized by student volunteers 


    Their most recent program is helping make tummies feel full and kids feel good ahead of the long Labor Day Holiday weekend.

    In that event, about 55 volunteers with 30 children among them lined up to pack snack bags while they got a lesson in kindness.

    Reese Gatchell is a third grader who is participating in the Lotz of Blessings pack a snack program.

    “I feel like it’s a kind way to open up to people and help people,” said Reese.

    Lotz of Blessings’ Advisory Board Member Rowan Cowley explained how the pack a snack program works.

    “Well, they’re volunteering and packing bags for kids who are food insecure,” Rowan said.

    Rowan is a seventh-grader in Pinellas County and is helping other students.

    He partly runs the show at the Lotz of Blessings.

    “We organize all of the projects that we do like this,” he said. “We do this monthly.”

    Most recently, they did a back-to-school bash.

    “Got donations of a bunch of school supplies and gave it to kids who need supplies for the school year,” said Carter Lotz.

    Carter’s parents came up with the idea for Lotz of Blessings.

    Carter, who is also in seventh grade, is also an advisory member as well and he has been doing this nonprofit work for about seven years.

    “At first I felt confused because I was young,” Carter said.

    But then, it made Lotz of sense.

    “I feel good cause I get to help,” he said.

    And little Reese is well on her way to possibly becoming a student advisor at Lotz of Blessings because of what they do for the community.

    “It can go around,” Reese said. “You can pass it to other people. You can say, ‘Hey do you want to help at this place,’ you know…it’s kind of contagious.”

    It is a good feeling everyone should experience.

    [ad_2]

    Roy De Jesus

    Source link

  • Presidential Lifetime Achievement given to Sarasota CEO

    Presidential Lifetime Achievement given to Sarasota CEO

    [ad_1]

    SARASOTA, Fla. — From helping seniors stay active to making sure they don’t feel alone, Senior Friendship Centers have served those 50 years and older in all aspects of aging.

    What You Need To Know

    • Erin McLeod was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award

    • According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Service Survey Data in 2023, around 30% of the Southwest Florida population is 65 or older

    • Senior Friendship Centers helps seniors at all stages of their senior lives


    They’ve helped thousands of people over the years, but one person is being recognized for their service. 

    Erin McLeod was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Wednesday for her dedication in assisting the senior community. 

    “It’s really important that we know that there’s someone there for us and that’s what we are,” she said. “We’re there for older adults and their families, so they’re not going at it alone.”

    For the last 20 years, McLeod has dedicated her time to making the lives of seniors in her community better through her work with Senior Friendship Centers. 

    As the CEO, she tackles all sorts of senior issues, from health and wellness to isolation and hunger. 

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Service Survey Data in 2023, around 30% of the Southwest Florida population is 65 or older.

    “Every person should be seen and heard, respected, and treated with dignity,” she said. “Not just put down because of an age or number. I’m humbled and honored, and it doesn’t really belong to me. It belongs to everybody around me that makes this community a better place.”

    Speakers said it’s McLeod’s dedication to serving thousands of people over the years that led to her receiving this award.

    [ad_2]

    Matt Lackritz

    Source link

  • Fields of generosity. Kentucky farm shares its bounty with local pantries

    Fields of generosity. Kentucky farm shares its bounty with local pantries

    [ad_1]

    MELBOURNE, Ky. — A northern Kentucky farm gives away thousands of pounds of food each year to local food pantries thanks to help from volunteers, and owners who say they’re committed to their community.

    What You Need To Know

    • The owners of the Giving Fields hope to give away 15,000 pounds of food this year to local field pantries

    • Before there were any tomatoes, jalapenos or eggplants there, the farm was just excess land on Doug Bray’s property

    • A visit he made to a pantry in Covington changed his perspective

    • The farm also features a row rental program, which provides space for community members to grow their own produce


    Fresh vegetables growing at the Giving Fields like zucchini, okra and bell peppers will eventually end up on the plates of hungry families. But first they need to be harvested, and there are plenty of volunteers at the farm willing to do just that.

    Many of them work at the food pantries the produce will be shipped to.

    “Just for volunteering we get as much food as we want, and that helps our budget tremendously,” said Chuck Grone, director of St. Paul’s Food Pantry.

    Before there were any tomatoes, jalapenos or eggplants there, it was just excess land on Doug Bray’s property. A visit he made to a pantry in Covington changed his perspective.

    “Most of the food in the pantries was canned goods, high sodium and a lot of people that had diabetes and they preferred fresh food, and that’s really what got us into this,” Bray said.

    Thus, the Giving Fields came to be. Bray and his wife hope to give away 15,000 pounds of food this year.

    “We’re very committed to our community. And we felt this was a way of involving our community and giving back to the local pantries,” Bray said.

    Assistant Farm Manager Brooke Meyer, who’s also studying biology at Western Kentucky University, caught on quickly under Bray’s tutelage when she came to the farm.

    “It seemed like such a cool project, and I was home for the summer, so I wanted to get involved in something. So I shot them an email and connected with Doug,” Meyer said. “I’ve been leading harvest with our volunteer groups, and I also do more of the behind the scenes online stuff with coordinating pickups and deliveries.”

    Meyer played an important role in helping reach the farm’s goals, right up until her last day on Aug. 8 before heading back to school.

    “There’s something about being outside and doing hands on that’s very fulfilling,” Meyer said. “There’s a lot of food insecurity. There’s also a lot of lack of fresh produce in people’s diets. Because that’s really hard to get your hands on. And it’s honestly pretty expensive too. So being able to provide high quality fresh produce to the rest of the community has been a really great way to get involved and kind of help out.”

    The farm also features a row rental program, which provides space for community members to grow their own produce. This supplements the mission of the farm.

    Bray said the Giving Fields utilizes a state-of-the-art water system.

    “There are electronic timers here. And we can monitor, we can change. If we get rain, we can cut it off,” he said.

    It’s been a hot and dry season, which hasn’t been ideal for output. But the Giving Fields is still sending boxes upon boxes of food to pantries, which will go a long way toward fighting hunger.

    Anyone who wants to get involved with volunteering for the Giving Fields, or check out the row rental program, can visit the farm’s website.

     

    [ad_2]

    Sam Knef

    Source link

  • The Olympics may be over, but one Lakeland family is still celebrating

    The Olympics may be over, but one Lakeland family is still celebrating

    [ad_1]

    LAKELAND, Fla. — When Lakeland native Monae’ Nichols competed in the long jump finals, her friends and family gathered around the TV at her grandparents house.

    She may have been more than 4,500 miles away in Paris, but her hometown support system made it feel like they were right there with her.

    What You Need To Know

    • Lakeland native Monae’ Nichols competed in her first Olympics in the long jump

    • Nichols began her track and field career at Auburndale High School, where she still holds records in the long and triple jump

    • Her family held an Olympics watch party at her grandparents home in Lakeland


    Her Auburndale High School coach was there. She’s got lots of memories stored on her phone, from the very beginning of Monae’s track career.

    “Monae’, she still has the long jump record, the long and the triple jump record at Auburndale High School,” Sheryl Covington-Thomas said. “So you know, just from the very beginning, I just knew she was destined for greatness.”

    That greatness landed her in Paris in her first Olympics. Her Nana, Audrey Nichols, watched the qualifying competition on her phone and when Monae’ clinched a spot on the U.S. Olympic team on her final jump, Nana couldn’t contain her excitement.

    “I was like, ‘Yes, yes, yes, she made it, she made it,’” Audrey Nichols said.

    That’s what the Olympics does. It brings out all the feels, especially when it’s a loved one going for the gold. These family members have been watching Monae’s journey from the very beginning.

    “We have watched Monae grow, and she has come a long way,” her grandfather, Byron Nichols, said. “From running in school to No. 6 or 7 in the Olympics, that is a great achievement.”

    Monae finished sixth, missing out on a medal at her first Olympics. But that didn’t damper the party. The Nichols celebration had it all. Food, faith and family. Most of all, family.

    This is a tight-knit group that sweated out each approach and cheered every jump. And a family that still sees Monae’ as their golden girl.

    “It’s just a wonderful, wonderful experience,” Byron said. “It’s a little nerve-wracking because of course all the Olympians family want their family to come in first. But we are so grateful and it’s so wonderful to see the winners and those who will try again. That gives us hope.”

    [ad_2]

    Katherine Smith

    Source link

  • Mt. Vernon Elementary sends new teachers on shopping spree

    Mt. Vernon Elementary sends new teachers on shopping spree

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Mt. Vernon Elementary Principal Nikishia Dixon said it is through community partnerships with private companies such as Office Depot that the Pinellas County school can supplement the student experience and help teachers with adequate resources.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Mt. Vernon Elementary gifted their new teachers with $100 gift certificates

    •  Teachers used the money to buy supplies ahead of Back to School Day on August 12

    •  Principal Nikishia Dixon says community partners help supplement school resources


    For the past couple of weeks, teachers and administrators have been getting ready for the big Back to School Day on Monday.

    Mt. Vernon Elementary welcomed their new teachers with a special surprise.

    With donations from the local Office Depot store, Mt. Vernon surprised their newly hired educators with a $100 shopping spree.

    From crayons to planning calendars and label makers, the teachers from Mt. Vernon shopped for their supplies ahead of the big day.

    Madison Cossairt, a new first-grade teacher, got a nod of approval from Dixon when she looked at the items in the shopping cart.

    Akela Harris, who is also a new teacher, described what it is like leading up to the first day.

    “So, this is my favorite time of the year,” Harris said. “Back to school, it just brings me like to a Christmas feeling.”

    And if it is like Christmas, Dixon is the one delivering presents.

    Dixon handed out the gift certificates to about a dozen new teachers at her school.

    She said it is to reassure the new hires.

    “So, I want them to know that they made the right choice,” Dixon said. “I know I made the right choice, but they made the right choice by picking Mt. Vernon Elementary.”

    Harris said it goes beyond helping the teachers.

    “Some people look at it as the teachers are getting these supplies,” Harris said. “But really, it’s for the kids.”

    After they finished shopping, the new teachers took a tour of their campus and unloaded their supplies to get their classrooms ready.

    Atiana Mason, who is starting a third-grade class at Mt. Vernon, showed off her new supplies.

    Cossairt got excited to make her new classroom cozy for her students.

    They are good feelings, that Dixon said are simply priceless.

    “The smiles and the faces of the kids, there’s no paycheck that can give me the feeling that that gives me,” Dixon said.

    Dixon added the opportunities like the one her new teachers experienced make it all worth it.

    Dixon said the community partners help Mt. Vernon every quarter with donations.

    [ad_2]

    Roy De Jesus

    Source link

  • Transformation Network boosts low performing Hillsborough schools

    Transformation Network boosts low performing Hillsborough schools

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. — DeSoto Elementary School in Tampa will be starting off the academic year with an A grade for the first time in more than a decade after participating in the Transformation Network, according to Assistant Principal Lindsay Allen.

    What You Need To Know

    • DeSoto Elementary went from a D rated school to an A for the first time in more than a decade 

    • DeSoto Elementary School has been enrolled in the Transformation Network for the past few years 

    • Transformation Network launched in 2020 to boost low-performing schools

    • In 2020, there were 50 low-performing schools in Hillsborough County, and currently, there are eight


    “It was a team effort to allow us to stay laser focused on students’ needs,” she said. “Not just academic needs but also social and emotional learning.”

    The Hillsborough Public School District launched the Transformation Network in 2020 as part of a comprehensive turnaround initiative to boost low-performing schools. At the time, there were 50 schools with D or F grades, according to Deputy Superintendent Shaylia McRae.

    “Over the last four years, we’ve been working with our D and F schools and some of our fragile schools,” she said. “We’ve been able to see some dramatic improvements in our schools.”

    Last December, Hillsborough County had the lowest performing schools in the state, according to data released by the Florida Department of Education. McRae said the district has since shed that dubious distinction due in large part to the program.

    “We are no longer the district that has the most D and F schools,” she said. “We are focused on getting our schools to a C or better but really to that A and B mark.”

    McRae said the district currently only has eight low-performing schools with six enrolled in the program. Allen said the key to the program has been the one-on-one mentors along with the wrap around services.

    “That extra attention, that extra spending time with them, really allowed students to show their potential,” she said. “They knew that they were cared about.”

    McRae said the wrap around services focus on the whole student.

    “We provided food services, clothing services … extra wrap around support is what they needed to kind of bump them from what was a D school to now an A school four years later,” she said. “I think the key to this is really identifying individualized support for kids.”

    Part of the mission statement for the Transformation Network is to focus on innovative approaches that create equitable access to high quality instructional practices, empower family involvement and community partnerships for the most vulnerable schools in Hillsborough County, according the HCPS.

    Allen said DeSoto Elementary students are no longer eligible for the program and she’s confident they’ll still maintain their A status.

    “We are out of transformation and we are proud, but it is bittersweet because we do love our transformation family,” she said. We’re excited that we’re in our new region. We have different supports and we have amazing resources moving forward to maintain our A.”

    [ad_2]

    Josh Rojas

    Source link

  • Electrician turned A+ Teacher helps students learn trades

    Electrician turned A+ Teacher helps students learn trades

    [ad_1]

    DUNEDIN, Fla. — This week’s A+ Teacher pursued the career he’s in now after an injury in 2020.

    Brandon Szymanski hurt his harm in a snowboarding accident and couldn’t continue being an electrician. He transitioned to a career in teaching trades to students.

    What You Need To Know

    • Brandon Szymanski transitioned from an electrician to a teacher 

    • Szymanski is the building trades instructor at Dunedin High School and leads the construction technologies program

    • Do you know an amazing teacher? Nominate them to be our next A+ Teacher

    He’s the building trades instructor at Dunedin High School and leads the construction technologies program. 

    “We focus on electricity and framing, roofing, all these different things,” said Szymanski. “All the projects you see around me are things built by the students.”

    Over the summer, he taught at a summer camp at the school aimed at introducing different careers to students. 

    “We’re just trying to come up with new intuitive ways of getting them interested in the trades, working with their hands,” said Szymanski.

    During the school year, he works with his students to make sure they have hands-on experiences in different trades so they can find a career path to pursue.

    “I know every single student. I know what they want to do, and I try to help them achieve those goals,” he said. “I use my professional career before I came here and all my connections to really help these students get their foot in the door and communicate to employees exactly what these students are capable of.”

    Szymanski is teaching them the technical skills they need but also life skills.

    “I don’t want them to just find a job,” he said. “I want them to be five years down the road. I want them to be thinking about their electrical license with the state or opening a business or starting a real estate investment group.

    “I want them doing something that’s for them and not just to survive.”

    He says he’s looking forward to the new school year starting in two weeks. 

    “I can’t wait to see what ideas we get out of the students this year,” he said. “And what creations we can do.” 

    [ad_2]

    Jorja Roman

    Source link

  • Ernie Smith leads weekly Vets Feeding Vets in Pasco County

    Ernie Smith leads weekly Vets Feeding Vets in Pasco County

    [ad_1]

    TAMPA, Fla. — A Pasco County man has seen his dream come true. It’s a Vets Feeding Vets program run by the Amvets Post 550 in Zephyrhills. 

    Post finance officer Ernie Smith said the post had an unused building near the Zephyrhills airport and the post was wondering what they should do with it.

    Several months ago, Smith woke up in the middle of the night with an epiphany. He told his friend LeeAnne Starcher about using the building for a weekly feeding program.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Ernie woke up in the middle of the night with the Vets Feeding Vets program idea

    •  The program is on Friday’s in a building near the Zephyrhills Airport

    •  Food for the program is donated by local businesses

    • FACEBOOK: Vets Feeding Vets


    “In fact, at 3 (a.m.), when I had the dream, Leanne was home. I knew she was up because we are good friends,” he said. “I called her at 5 o’clock and said, ‘Meet me for breakfast, I got an idea.’ And she fell in love with the idea.”

    Smith and post members worked on cleaning out and sprucing up the building for several months, and they recently held a ribbon cutting for the first day of the program.

    “These bags here are bread and produce,” said Smith as he showed off some of the food that would be given away. The food is donated by local businesses. The bags include meat, bread, and vegetables among other things.

    Veterans or their representatives are required to show their identification and other information one time to qualify for the food. Then they’ll be on a list that will allow them to come back each week.

    Smith said the community has been supporting his mission.

    “Last week we had a church come in and bless the building for us. And nobody here gets paid. It’s all volunteers,” said Smith.

    Starcher is excited about how the program has come together.

    “With God’s help we pulled it off. Because that’s what it took,” she said.

    Volunteer Kathy Kincaid loves the Vets Feeding Vets program.

    “Because they need assistance just as much as anybody else. They are on very limited incomes, very limited resources. We are able to help them and add to those resources,” she said.

    The Vets Feeding Vets program is open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4717 Airport Rd. in Zephyrhills.

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • Girls Rock St. Pete summer camp Rocks Jannus Live

    Girls Rock St. Pete summer camp Rocks Jannus Live

    [ad_1]

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Girls Rock St. Pete is having their fifth summer camp rock concert this weekend at Jannus Live.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Girls Rock St. Pete having performances this weekend at Jannus Live

    •  Girls and gender-expansive youth gathered for a week to learn instruments and band together for the show

    •  The program inspires resiliency, confidence, and support among youth


    The rock show performances begin at 6 p.m. and you can find tickets on this link.

    About 50 young summer campers ages eight to 17 took a week to learn instruments and banded together to perform in front of the expected large crowd on Saturday

    Spectrum News went to the summer camp jam session where the campers learned to rock out and to transform.

    Mazzy Tateishi is 12 years old and attended her second year of Girls Rock St. Pete.

    “Coming into this, I’m super nervous,” Mazzy said. “And coming out, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, it’s like the best experience in my life.’”

    This week, she learned the drums.

    Jesse Miller is the executive director of the Girls Rock St. Pete.

    She told Spectrum News the participants are picking up more than how to play the instruments.

    “To figure out how to write a song in five days on an instrument you’ve never played before with people you’ve never met,” Miller said. “So, it sounds impossible, but what the campers realize is that they can do this.”

    The empowerment Miller describes is transformative.

    She said what they learn in camp can crossover to other parts of their lives.

    “Fill up a toolbox that helps their self-confidence and then after camp take that into the world,” Miller said.

    The camp counselors are professional musicians who volunteer their services.

    They told us every minute of the camp is to help give the young students who range in age of eight to 17 a voice and inspire confidence.

    Charlena Howard, a rising senior, has been doing GRSP since she was nine years old when she lived in California.

    “I feel like this place is a great place to find your people and fit in,” Charlena said.

    The camp is a place where “hitting the wrong note” is welcomed.

    “If you are encouraged to make mistakes, and you keep on making mistakes and keep getting better, what you teach yourself is how resilient you can be,” said the director of the program.

    Mazzy said that is what this camp is all about.

    “It just makes you feel so supported because you come in and it’s like one big family,” said Mazzy. “Everyone is there for you, and you always have a smile on your face. It’s just awesome.”

    [ad_2]

    Roy De Jesus

    Source link

  • PACK Summer Camp returns for kids with disabilities

    PACK Summer Camp returns for kids with disabilities

    [ad_1]

    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — For the 27th year, PACK summer camp is now in session.

    What You Need To Know

    • PACK, Pasco Association for Challenged Kids, started in 1997

    • The summer camp takes in kids with disabilities that other camps can’t

    • PACK relies on state funding to keep it affordable for families and they also accept donations


    PACK stands for the Pasco Association for Challenged Kids. The camp takes in kids with disabilities that other camps can’t.

    The camp was founded by Paula and Barry Cohen in 1997. Their son with autism, Gregory, needed a place to spend the summer and so they started the camp.

    “We said that Gregory can’t be the only special needs kid who needs something to do in the summer. And 27 years later, I guess we were right,” Barry Cohen said.

    Now nearly 30 years later, they still keep the camp going as its need continues to grow in Pasco County.

    This summer, PACK has 40 campers in a three-week session at Pepen Academies in New Port Richey.

    Kids that need constant attention are able to get it. They get to take part in lots of activities with one goal: Just to have fun.

    PACK relies on some state funding to keep it affordable for families and they also accept donations.

    Cohen says they hope to keep it going as long as they can to help with the needs in the community.

    “Can’t believe we’ve been doing it for that long. A lot of kids need this service in Pasco County. So we’re glad we can still do it,” Cohen sad.

    [ad_2]

    Tim Wronka

    Source link

  • Grief center helps kids build up support

    Grief center helps kids build up support

    [ad_1]

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A Children’s Grief Center in Manatee County is helping kids ages 4 to 18 heal and overcome loss with a new approach. They say their support structure is evidence-based treatment.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Blue Butterfly Family Grief Center started a new grieving event for kids. Its called Finding Your Superhero Day
    • Each child gets to pick their superpower so they can be their own hero

    • The Blue Butterfly Family Grief Center launched a pilot program in Manatee County schools to train the mental health counselors on how to help with students’ grief

    Danielle Wondrak is envisioning a world where she has special powers.

    “I would fly so that I could fly around all of the kids that need help,” she said.

    Wondrak is the program manager at Blue Butterfly Family Grief Center. Her goal is to help kids cope with their grief.

    “I’m Mackenzie. I’m here to remember my brother. If I had a superpower, it would be to control all of the electronics,” she said.

    It’s the first Superhero Day at the center. Each child gets to pick their superpower so they can be their own hero.

    Wondrak knows what these kids are going through. She lost her father when she was 10 years old.

    “He had thyroid cancer. A very rare type, and from the day of diagnosis to when he died was 65 days,” she said.

    It was a shock to her, and she wishes people around her had done more to help her grieve.

    “I went to a private Catholic school. So everyone’s way of dealing with it was just to tell me, like, ‘Oh, pray about it and he’ll get better.’ But that didn’t happen,” she said.

    Wondrak helped create this day so that kids could be their own support system, learning how to handle grief through activities like writing uplifting words on a mirror.

    “So we’re trying to teach the kids that they have this within them. They know that they’re brave, they know that they’re courageous and that they’re hopeful. But sometimes it gets lost. When we’re grievers, we’re vulnerable,” she said.

    This day helped 9-year-old Savannah. She is grieving the loss of her father, who was a firefighter and served in the Army.

    “He was very funny and brave,” she said.

    The kids draw their superhero on a T-shirt so when they leave they can remember to be their own hero.

    “It’s a doctor superhero because I really want to be able to help people feel better because my dad died from cancer. So I wanted to be able to heal things like that,” she said.

    Wondrak says when kids are in a big group with others going through a similar situation, it allows them to understand themselves better.

    “Grief doesn’t require mental health counseling. Our kids are not mentally ill. They don’t have a diagnosis. They are just grieving. They are missing someone that they love. And really, the best way to help them through that is support and love and to feel like, OK, I am not alone,” she said.

    With the support of a superhero, Danielle makes sure these children persevere.

    The Blue Butterfly Family Grief Center launched a pilot program in Manatee County schools to train the mental health counselors on how to help with students’ grief. The program was such a success that the organization is planning to expand to Sarasota County for the next school year. For those families who want to seek help, all of the Blue Butterfly services are free.

    [ad_2]

    Julia Hazel

    Source link

  • A+ Teacher spends summer helping students practice reading skills

    A+ Teacher spends summer helping students practice reading skills

    [ad_1]

    SEMINOLE, Fla. — This week’s A+ Teacher went back to her roots this summer at Osceola Middle School.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dorene McNulty has been a teacher at Osceola Middle school for more than 20 years
    • SAhe loves teaching reader to her students
    • Now she is a case manager at the Pinellas County school

    Dorene McNulty is now a case manager there. She has been a teacher at the school for more than 20 years and spent 12 years as a reading teacher.

    “Reading is in everything, which I tell them all the time. Every single subject, you have to be able to read,” said McNulty.

    She helped kids practice their reading skills over the summer through Pinellas County’s Summer Bridge program. During the school year, McNulty is a case manager at the school. She helps students with special needs create plans for the future.

    “I like that I’m able to write a plan and try to help those students that have those needs. Try to help them meet those needs, setting goals, working with them. These are your goals. Talking to them about how they’re progressing,” said McNulty.

    Her goal is to help her students pursue a path forward toward something they’re passionate about.

    “You try to find that interest, something that will bring them back to school. Something they want to come to school for and then remind them [that] in high school these are the things you get to do also so then they’ll have those skills when they get older and they can apply that in their real life,” said McNulty.

    McNulty says she’s looking forward to continuing that mission and watching the progress the students make from the beginning of the year to the end.

    “It’s amazing. It just fills your heart. You get to see that their light comes on, they get bright, they’re proud of themselves. I’m proud of them. It’s a really sweet moment,” said McNulty.

    [ad_2]

    Jorja Roman

    Source link

  • HCA Largo hospital performs new FDA-approved tricuspid regurgitation procedure

    HCA Largo hospital performs new FDA-approved tricuspid regurgitation procedure

    [ad_1]

    LARGO, Fla. — A breakthrough heart procedure was just completed successfully for the first time in the Tampa Bay area at HCA Florida Largo Hospital, and only the second time in Florida. 

    What You Need To Know

    • HCA Florida Largo Hospital is the first on the Gulf Coast of Florida to successfully perform the innovative procedure for a patient affected by severe tricuspid regurgitation. 

    • Tricuspid regurgitation is a valve disease in which the valve between the two right-sided heart chambers does not close properly. It affects 1.6 million people in the United States every year. 

    • This procedure was just approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April 2024. 

    • Patient Lucien Bouchard, an 87-year-old male, had severe tricuspid regurgitation and was experiencing dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath with activity and lower extremity swelling. 


    It involves tricuspid valve regurgitation, which affects 1.6 million Americans each year. If left untreated, it can lead to organ damage and right-sided heart failure. 

    Lucien Bouchard, 87, was getting dizzy, struggled to breathe and his legs swelled just a few months ago. Turns out, the right chambers of his heart were not closing properly and leaking. 

    Until April, open heart surgery and/or medication were the only available solutions. 

    “Well, it kind of makes you worry. You know, how long? But you never know. But they did a good job,” Bouchard said. 

    Thankfully for Bouchard, a new option was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in April. It is called tricuspid clipping, and it saved his life. 

    “Historically, the tricuspid valve has been called the forgotten valve by cardiologists because, in many cases, the treatment options for this disease were very limited,” said Dr. Saurabh Sanon, structural interventional cardiologist, HCA Florida Largo Hospital. “You either started the patient on diuretic therapy, hoping to reduce the amount of leakage, or you referred the patient for open heart surgery.”

    With Bouchard not a candidate for open heart surgery, Sanon said he knew Bouchard would be the perfect first candidate for tricuspid clipping. 

    “This has opened up a whole new space for cardiologists to treat, and we can really offer our patients — millions of patients in the country that were previously untreated — now an option which is simple. It’s safe, and it’s easy,” Sanon said. 

    A small clip-like device is inserted through a vein in the leg, and guided to the right side of the heart. 

    The clip is secured into place to stop the leaking between the two chambers.

    “You start off with a whole lot of leakage, a whole lot of red color here, and the end up with no leakage over here. This is a fantastic result for a patient,” Sanon said. 

    “No pain. Just a couple of little holes. That’s all,” Bouchard said. 

    He was out of the hospital the next day, and back to walking a mile a day just days after that. 

    “Oh yeah, feel like doing a little bit more now. If my wife don’t stop me. She puts a stop to me sometimes,” Bouchard said lovingly of his wife. 

    Currently, HCA Florida Largo Hospital is the only hospital in Tampa Bay doing this procedure. 

    Anyone with symptoms of tricuspid regurgitation, like shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, and dizziness, should ask their cardiologist if that is what they have. Sanon accepts referrals.

    [ad_2]

    Erin Murray

    Source link

  • Beach Responsibly Project founders wants to clean up Treasure Island

    Beach Responsibly Project founders wants to clean up Treasure Island

    [ad_1]

    TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — All the visitors to Tampa Bay area beaches could lead to a big beach cleanup effort after Fourth of July festivities as a small business in St. Petersburg is having a cleanup event on Saturday morning in Treasure Island to try and help in those efforts.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Beach Responsibly Project beach cleanup event is Saturday, July 6 at 8 a.m. 

    •  The nonprofit started as an offshoot from Chris McCormick’s beach lifestyle business, The Sandbar Clothing Co.

    •  The group hopes to expand to more beach cleanup efforts in the area


    The Beach Responsibly Project non-profit organization started as an off shoot of Chris McCormick’s beach lifestyle business — The Sandbar Clothing Company.

    The headquarters are in downtown St. Pete.

    However, this weekend McCormick and his girlfriend Shannon Estes-Larkin, who also helps run The Beach Responsibly Project, will be at the beach where more volunteers are needed to participate in the beach cleanup event.

    The couple can be found picking up trash at Treasure Island Beach. On one particular morning, they grabbed their gear of trash picker devices and bags to put what they collect in the sand.

    McCormick and Estes-Larkin started their day in Treasure Island as usual. They live right on the beach and make it their mission to keep it clean.

    They hope others join them this Saturday.

    “Two days after the Fourth of July, it’s usually a pretty trashy day,” said McCormick.

    The Beach Responsibly Project cleanup effort will get underway at about 8 a.m. The meeting spot is at the Treasure Island public parking on 104th Avenue and Gulf Boulevard.

    “I don’t think it’s anything that people do on purpose, but things get left behind,” said McCormick.

    From towels to typical trash, they couple even picked up beach toys left behind.

    However, not everything that gets collected ends up in a dumpster.

    “We separate anything that needs to be separated,” McCormick said.

    “Recyclables from stuff that can actually be disposed of and then kind of go from there,” Estes-Larkin added.

    The event hopes to get more people involved in future beach cleanups.

    “I know it’s like a very popular spot for not only visitors but for our own communities too,” said Estes-Larkin. “So, it’s really important to keep our beaches clean and to just make sure that we’re doing our part to be a part of that.”

    McCormick said if the event is a success, they would like to expand into other locations to do beach cleanups.

    As the saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

    For McCormick and Estes-Larkin, they just like keeping Treasure Island clean.

    [ad_2]

    Roy De Jesus

    Source link

  • Mary’s Bagel Cafe owner Denise Gilmore provides lunches to neighborhood kids

    Mary’s Bagel Cafe owner Denise Gilmore provides lunches to neighborhood kids

    [ad_1]

    LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland woman is preparing hundreds of meals to neighborhood children this summer. Denise Gilmore is doing it at her restaurant, Mary’s Bagel Café.

    Gilmore grew up at the very spot where she opened the restaurant on North Florida Avenue in Lakeland. Her grandparents had owned several homes there. The restaurant is named after her grandmother Mary.

    What You Need To Know

    • Denise Gilmore grew up on North Florida Avenue in Lakeland where her grandparents owned several homes

    • Gilmore opened Mary’s Bagel Cafe on the same property last year

    • Last summer and this summer Gilmore has been providing hundreds of free bagged lunches to neighborhood children

    • A top jar of the counter of the restaurant helps to fund the free meals


    Mary’s Bagel Cafe specializes in bagels, pastries and sandwiches.

    Gilmore believes that some children in the neighborhood get plenty to eat during the school year at their schools, but she was concerned some of them were not getting enough to eat at home during the summer break.

    The bagged lunches feature a healthy sandwich.

    “Which consists of wheat bread, cheese ham or turkey,” she said. “They also get chips and a bag of sliced apples.”

    They also get a lower sugar drink.

    Last summer Gilmore and her volunteers gave out 675 lunches. In just two weeks this summer, they have given out 475.

    “What I’m doing is I am providing them something that’s healthy and that’s free that the parents don’t have to pay for,” she said.

    Lots of customers contribute to a tip jar on the counter to help pay for the lunches. Gilmore and her husband pick up the rest of the cost. She also provides a Thanksgiving meal to dozens of families.

    Gilmore gets a lot of satisfaction out of helping the children.

    “It makes me very happy that they are eating a meal. Even if it’s on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. At least they have a meal,” she said.

    Gilmore has set up a non-profit organization to help with her efforts. It’s Mary’s Pantry Inc.

    [ad_2]

    Rick Elmhorst

    Source link

  • The Visual Bucket List sends Polk County family to Australia

    The Visual Bucket List sends Polk County family to Australia

    [ad_1]

    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — If you could pick anywhere in the world to visit, where would you go?

    What You Need To Know

    • Lily Light and her family are visiting Australia thanks to The Visual Bucket List Foundation    

    • The foundation started in 2016 after the co-founders received a gift for their daughter with a visual impairment

    • Lily will get to scratch off items on her bucket list such as snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and visiting zoos

    It is a “bucket list” question for us all, and a Polk County family got great news. They are scratching a trip of a lifetime off their list.

    The Visual Bucket List Foundation picked the Light family in Winter Haven and are gifting 12-year-old Lily with a trip to Australia.

    Lily has a condition which severely and permanently debilitates her eyesight.

    ABOVE: Lily’s dad talks about the trip

    The Visual Bucket List Foundation grants wishes to children like Lily.

    This week, the nonprofit’s co-founder, Christine Myers, also handed Lily a new camera she can take on the trip.

    Lily is planning to put it to good use in documenting this voyage. She loves animals and has always wanted to visit the Great Down Under.

    ABOVE: Lily talks about her upcoming trip to Australia

    “Kangaroo has been my favorite animal since I was very little, and I have absolutely loved all the animals in Australia. I’m really excited,” Lily said. “I’m going to get to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. I’m going to get to go to two different zoos.”

    The story behind the foundation is also amazing.

    “The Visual Bucket List Foundation is a pay it forward,” explained Christine Myers. “So, for us this is our way of giving back the gift we received for our daughter back in 2016.”

    ABOVE: Christine Myers talks about The Visual Bucket List

    Lily’s family is leaving later this summer to Australia, which will be that country’s winter season.

    They are all overly excited and feeling good.

    [ad_2]

    Roy De Jesus

    Source link

  • Non-profit sends veterans to D.C for the 50th time

    Non-profit sends veterans to D.C for the 50th time

    [ad_1]

    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Local nonprofit Honor Flight of West Central Florida recently flew 75 veterans from Tampa Bay to Washington D.C. at no cost. 

    What You Need To Know

    • This mission marked the 50th time Honor Flight of West Central Florida sent veterans to D.C.
    • Hundreds of people gathered at the St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport to welcome the veterans home 
    • There are two more honor flights taking veterans to D.C. this year. One is on Sept. 10 and another is on Oct. 22

    This day trip is to give veterans the chance to see the war memorials in our nation’s capital, including Gary Mull.

    He said after previously being part of the group that welcomes veterans home, being able to go D.C. was an incredible experience. 

    “Thinking back on all of the thousands and thousands of people whose names I came across today that gave the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom, it’s even more meaningful,” he said. 

    Mull served in the Air Force as a medic for around eight years during the Gulf War.

    He said the cheers and thanks from the hundreds of supporters who welcomed him home meant so much because everyone attending knows the event is not just about them.

    He said all they support the honor flight so the heroes that fought for our country can be remembered by the veterans still here.

    “When you see the names on the wall … that’s not just something that’s chiseled in the granite, that’s a life, that’s a person who has a family, a mother, father, sister, brother,” he said. 

    There are two more honor flights taking veterans to D.C. this year. One is on Sept. 10 and another is on Oct. 22.

    [ad_2]

    Matt Lackritz

    Source link

  • Pinellas Park’s Patti Johnson Farm’s contests help with outreach

    Pinellas Park’s Patti Johnson Farm’s contests help with outreach

    [ad_1]

    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — The City of Pinellas Park wants you to know about one of their relatively new offerings from Parks and Rec.

    In one of the most densely populated parts of the Sunshine State, animals roam in the fully functioning Patti Johnson Farm.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas Park’s Patti Johnson Farm was established in 2022 and is open to the public 

    • They’ve recently held contests featuring some of their farm animals to show the public about their education programs

    • You can plan a visit by going to their website

    They are having feel-good contests to get more awareness of what is happening there.

    Spectrum Bay News 9 went there for a visit recently, as they were finishing an online competition with the community for the prettiest pig. 

    The Patti Johnson Farm has their own pig. Penelope is the resident piggy at the farm.

    It was established just two years ago, and the farm is now open for business.

    “You can just show up, which we have an entrance gate,” said Tammy Peterson who is one of the farm managers. “We have a large cowbell; you ring the cowbell, and we can hear it all over the farm.”

    You will also hear the animals of course.

    From a piggy to a turkey’s gobble, you will also find goats, a donkey, a horse, a steer, and several other Old MacDonald favorites.

    Tammy Peterson is one of the farm managers at Patti Johnson.

    She told Spectrum News their business is to educate the public with this living classroom.

    Last month, in a video taken by city workers and posted on the city’s Facebook page, they handed out prizes to the best in show.

    “We started out with a rabbit and chicken show competition,” said Tammy. “That’s where it started. And then we were like what other animals can we do?”

    Penelope is part of the inspiration for Pinellas Park’s prettiest pig contest.

    Patti Reed, who is a member of the city council, produced the online contest.

    Her late mother Patti Johnson, who was also a council member in Pinellas Park, spearheaded the idea to obtain and develop the farm, according to farm manager Tammy’s retelling.

    For the contest, participants sent in their pet pig pictures online.

    Two piggies are receiving the honor.

    Tammy said the competitions and other farm events will continue as they bring awareness to the farm.

    They hope to be a common classroom destination for schools in Pinellas County and the rest of Tampa Bay.

    “Kids can go in the garden, pick items for a pizza and hopefully we will have like an outdoor kitchen where we can make pizza,” Tammy said. “And they can add their ingredients from the garden in the pizza. Cook the pizza and then they could eat it, so it’s really farm to table.”

    So, it is not only the animals on this farm that will get some attention.

    The farm is producing their own fruits and vegetables to feed the animals.

    The produce will be used for the school presentations and other activities.

    [ad_2]

    Roy De Jesus

    Source link

  • Dentist plans to run World Marathon Challenge for a good cause

    Dentist plans to run World Marathon Challenge for a good cause

    [ad_1]

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte-area dentist is giving back to an organization that helps children in her home country while taking her biggest physical challenge to date. 

    What You Need To Know

    • A Charlotte dentist is participating in the World Marathon Challenge, which includes seven marathons in seven continents in seven days

    • Dr. Smita Warrier, who is originally from India, wants to raise awareness and funds for an organization in her home country 

    • Warrier aims to raise $85,000 for Sakhi for Girls Education, which helps girls continue their education
    •  May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which recognizes contributions of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States

    Dr. Smita Warrier, who is originally from India, plans to participate in the World Marathon Challenge, which involves running seven marathons in seven continents in seven days.

    Warrier moved to the U.S. from India 24 years ago, and seven years later, she opened Warrier Family Dentistry. 

    “I feel like [Mumbai, formerly] Bombay will always be my home, but Charlotte is where my heart is now,” Warrier said. 

    At her practice, she helps patients smile with confidence, and a few times a year she gives back by offering free dental services. 

    “Who we are and what our role is in our community is what makes us as a person,” Warrier said. 

    Warrier is taking strides to make a difference by running seven marathons in seven continents in seven days next year.

    “I feel like this would combine my love of running with drawing attention to an important cause,” Warrier said. 

    She’s raising money for an organization in her home country called Sakhi for Girls Education. It helps girls in the slums and rural areas of India continue their education. 

    “Unfortunately, not all the girls have the opportunities that I’ve had. Girls marginalized and don’t have as much access to education and even good health, nutrition,” Warrier said. 

    Warrier has several triathlons and ultra marathons under her belt. 

    “This was my longest run ever. It was built to be a 100K and it ended up being a 107K,” Warrier said. 

    She’s now training for her longest challenge to date, which will take place in January 2025. 

    “Right now, because it’s summer, I’m focusing on strength training,” Warrier said. “When I’m six months away from the goal, which will be in August, I’m going to crank up the running and increasing the mileage that I’m doing.”

    By pushing her boundaries, she also wants to inspire other women. 

    “Don’t let anyone tell you no. If you set your mind to it, anything is possible,” Warrier said. “I’m the first Indian woman to do this. If I can do it. Anyone can.” 

    Warrier’s goal is to raise $85,000 for Sakhi for Girls Education. 

    She’s covering most of the cost of the World Marathon Challenge, but is also accepting support from corporate sponsors. 

    Participants run their first marathon in Antarctica, then fly a chartered place to their next destination. 

    Their last race will take place in Miami. 

    [ad_2]

    Estephany Escobar

    Source link