8 THE COURIER NOVEMBER 25, 2004



 F FAMILY


LI V LNG


BETTY'S PLACE




Riding
 Sometimes, the gift of love
comes in a special package on
a HARTline bus.
 Ann Boyd, senior adminis-
trative assistant to county
attorney Jennie Granahan
Tarr, received the Hermana
Award (meaning "lovely
sister") from the Hillsborough
County Hispanic Heritage
 Committee. The
 award recog-
 nizes people
 important to the
 Hispanic
 Community.
 While riding
 to Tampa from
 Plant City on
 "ET( the bus each
 BRIGGS. day, Ann
 Columnist befriended a 12-
 year-old
 Hispanic boy
with kidney cancer, who rides
the bus with his mother and
little sister to Tampa General
Hospital three times a week
for dialysis. In July, a tree fell
through their mobile home,
leaving them without anyth-
ing, including the boy's bike
and Xbox (very important to a
12-year-old boy).
 Ann's husband, John, who
works for-the Plant City Clerk
of Circuit Court, organized a
silent auction at his office and
raised $300 to help the family.
 To help this special family,
call social worker Sonia at
659-8566.


 For one local couple,
sometimes the gift of love and
life are entwined.
 Stacy Simmons, a conduc-
tor for CSX who has waited 20
years to reach the level to be
considered for a kidney
transplant, found out in July
his wife, Laura, was a match.
 In October, Laura, who
works for Coca Cola, gave the
gift of life to the love of her
life. This special couple
thanks the wonderful people
at First United Methodist
Church in Plant City, and Life
Link.
 "We're doing wonderful,"
Laura says, and wants every-
one to know the importance


of organ donation. This
family, including daughters
Rachel and Erika, has a lot to
give thanks for this Thanks-
giving.
 For information on organ
donation, call Life Link,.251-
8017.


 The Tomlin Auditorium
project committee has asked
me to pass along their new
Web site: www.TomlinRestor-
ation.com
 "Purchasing a seat in honor
of an alumni or favorite
teacher would make a great
gift this holiday," they
suggest.


 Speaking of special Tomlin
teachers, I had the pleasure of
working with Beryl Buchman
who taught English there for
many years. Now I have the


pleasure of congratulating
Beryl and Jack Wolff on their
marriage.
 God bless you and may you
have many years of bliss!
 *****

 What a nice treat: Michael
Cameron and Darlene Schenk
of the Edward Jones staff on
Thonotosassa Road gave
delicious pumpkin pies to
their friends and clients for
Thanksgiving.
 I've heard Antiques and
Treasures at 107 N. Collins St.,
will hold its Holiday Open
House on Nov. 28, and will be
open for Christmas shopping
from 1 to 5 p.m. each Sunday
in December.
 Ken and Gloria Battle have
expanded their antique shop,
Antiques and More, at 102 S.
Evers St.
 News from your business

 See BRIGGS, Page 14


CLUB NOTES


 Federal employees
 The Strawberry Chapter of the National
Association of Retired (and current) Federal
Employees will hold its annual Christmas
meeting and luncheon Dec. 2 at noon in the
Singles Ministry of the First Baptist-Church of
Plant City, 103 E. Baker St. Current federal
employees are welcome, too.
 For information and/or reservations, call
chapter president, Richard Zeiner, 579-2887.

 Christian Women's Club
 The Plant City Christian Women's Club plans
its "Beyond the Big Red Bow" luncheon Dec. 7
at 11:30 a.m. at Walden Lake Golf and Country
Club.
 The cost is $11 inclusive.
 The luncheon features speaker Carolyn
Ersig, who will share her stories of "Celebra-
tions from the Kitchen." The Sweet Spirit Quar-
tet will provide music.
 For reservations and complimentary nursery,


call Dorinda, 764-8385, or Dinah, 717-9127, or
e-mail doricard@msn.com. Reservations and
cancellations are necessary.

 Civil War unit
 Step into the ranks of history as a Southern
cannoneer and join the Milton Light Artillery,
Co. A.
 Milton is a Civil War reenacting unit based
on an actual 1860s Florida battery. Milton reen-
acts more than 15 battles a year and includes
civilian and nursing impressions.
 E-mail info@miltonartillery.com or visit
www.miltonartillery.com.

 FAMU alumni
 The Florida A&M University National Alumni
Association, Plant City Chapter, meets the
second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at
Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, 911
E. Warren St.
 Call: Bea, 752-0451.


COMMUNITY ROUNDUP


On Kindness


 Blood drives
 BloodNet USA will sponsor
the following blood drives:
 Patterson Freight, 3108
Central Drive, Nov. 30 from
12:30 to 4 p.m.
 James Hardie Building
Products, 809 Woodard
Wilson St., Dec. 2 from 2 to 6.
p.m.
 C.F. Industries, State Road
39 North, Dec. 2 from 8 a.m. to
3p.m.
 Call: (800) 683-8355.

 Art Guild Art Shows
 The East Hillsborough Art
Guild will display art through
December at the following
locations:
 Bruton Memorial Library
- Quilts on display.
 Florida Blood Services in
 Plant City- Angie Bevlin..
 # Greater Plant City Cham-
ber of Commerce Melitha
Everett.
 Park Side Cafe Jossie de
 Q. Azorin.
 Orange Blossom Tea
 Room Jane Burrows.
 Paso Fino Association -
 Rick Boyette.
 The Plant City Courier/
 Tampa Tribune Debra
 Bryant and Jossie de Q.
 Azorin.
 For information about the
 artists or exhibits, call exhibi-


BIRTHS


 The following births were
reported at Brandon Regional
Hospital:
 Oct. 4
 A son, Caden Matthew
Leland Moore, to Ashley
Tatum and Matthew Moore of
Plant City.
 Oct. 10
 A son, Naldo Jason Vargas
II, to Christina Becton and
Naldo Vargas of Plant City.
 Oct. 11
 A daughter, McKenzie Paige
Owens, to Sheryl and David
Owens of Plant City.
 A son, Case Douglass
Watson, to Jill and Doug
Watson of Plant City.
 Oct. 12
 A son, Jacob Aaron White,
to Stephanie and David White
of Plant City.
 Oct. 14
 A son, Caleb Andrew
Nelson, to Sylvia and Timothy
Nelson of Plant City.
 Oct. 21
 A son, Brandon Reid Palm,
to Lisa and John Palm of Plant.
City.
 Oct. 25
 A son, Forest Lee Mulhol-
land, to Elizabeth Durham
and Jason Mulholland of Plant
City.


 Oct. 27
 A daughter, Emma Grace
Hansen, to Teri and Michael
Hansen of Plant City.
 A son, Evan Ellis Knight, to
Patricia Henderson and Edie
Knight of Plant City.
 Oct.28
 A son, Cody Ray Ennis, to
Cassidy Reynolds and Jody
Ennis Jr. of Plant City.
 Oct. 29
 A son, Gage Romeo.Graham,
to Monica and Robert Graham
of Plant City.
 Nov. 2
 A daughter, Sara Emilee
Swingle, to Cathie and Wayne
Swingle, Jr., of Plant City.
 A daughter, Scarlett Rose
Gembala, to Heather and
Anthony Gembala of Plant
City.
 Nov. 6
 A daughter, Kylee Paige
Bennett, to Amber Foulk and
James Bennett, Jr. of Plant
City.
 Nov. 9
 A daughter, Tayler Jo Ann
Knight, to Desirre and Frank-
lin N. Knight, Jr. of Plant City.
 Nov. 12
 A son, Landen Charles
 Robert, to Laura and Stephen
 Robert of Plant City.


STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL NOTES


 Strawberry Queen
 deadline extended
 There is still space available
for contestants.for the 2005
Strawberry Festival's Queen's
Pageant, so the deadline has
been extended to Dec. 1 at 5
p.m. Applications are avail-
able at the festival office, 2202
W. Reynolds St.
 Contestants must be bet-
ween the ages of 16 and 20 as


of March 3, 2005. Applicants
may turn in the application at
the festival office along with a
copy of their Tampa Electric
Co. bill, a $25 fee, a wallet-
sized photo of the applicant,
and a printed paper with the
most current district grade
point average signed by the
school registrar.
 Call: Stephanie Shuff, .752-
3963.


tion chairperson Jossie de Q.
Azorin, 754-2366.

 Jr. Miss Plant City
 The Jr. Elite Women's Club
of Plant City seeks contestants
for its 21st annual Jr. Miss
Plant City pageant.
 Girls ages 10 to 12 may
apply to participate in the
pageant slated for Feb. 5 at 7:
30 p.m. at the Dr. Martin
Luther King Recreation
Center.
 The application deadline is
Dec. 20. To obtain an applica-
tion, call Sharon Moody at
707-8490 or 453-7134, or Essie
Jenkins at 754-4654. Applica-
tions may also be picked up at
the West Side Plant City Boys
& Girls Club, 901 Waller St.

 YMCA offerings
 Plant City Family YMCA,
 1507 YMCA Place, and the
 Youth Extension Site, 502 E.
 Young St., offer the following
 programs:
 Another creative writing
 class has been added the third
 Monday of each month from
 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
 Sign Language for Babies
 is offered Tuesdays from 6:30
 to 7:15 p.m. The fee is.$30 per
 member and $45 per program
 member.
 Call: 757-6677.


 BETY BRIGGS/photo
Jack Wolff and Beryl Buchman, a longtime English teacher at
Tomlin Middle School, celebrated their nuptials recently.


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