Community Corner

New Year's Must-Do's: Our Growing List Features 23 Things To Do

Deadlines, dates, auditions, shows, classes, contests and more are noted in this ongoing list of community events. New to the list: Rolling Pin, Music Showcase, Gasparilla boat checks and poster contest, "So You Think You Can Paint," chair yoga and more.

 

The new year is upon us and it’s time to look ahead to what’s happening and worthy of note in the Greater Brandon community.

This is the second edition of a list we started in December, with the latest entries designated with the word "new" in the subject heading.

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Since this is the Internet, and space is unlimited, we added to the bottom of the list all entries previously posted. As always, we invite you to help us grow the list by submitting your own "must-do's" in the comment box below.

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Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

NEW: Music Showcase Players Present "Aida"

  • The Showcase Players return to the stage at the Theatre in Brandon with "Aida." Show dates are Jan. 6, at 7 p.m.; Jan. 7 and 8, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Jan. 13, at 7 p.m.; and Jan. 14 and 15, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and are available online, at the Music Showcase Web site. The theater is at Music Showcase, at 402 Oakfield Drive in Brandon. Call: 813-685-5998.

NEW: Celebrity Chef at Rolling Pin Emporium

  • The , at 2080 Badlands Drive in Brandon, announces a series of celebrity chef classes in January and February. The Jan. 7 class features Chef Tre Wilcox, who "brings his spectacular Top Chef All-Star, Top Chef Healthy Choice and Iron Chef Skills" to the emporium on Jan. 8 and 9, "for a very special demonstration class of his signature dishes." Wilcox is the executive chef of his new restaurant, the Marquee Grill, in Dallas, Texas. Coming in February: Richie Farina, Virginia Willis and Helen Chen. For information, call Rolling Pin at 813-653-2418.

NEW: No-Cost Vessel Checks for Gasparilla Day

  • Recreational boat owners planning to participate in the 2012 Gasparilla Pirate Invasion on Jan. 28 are invited to take advantage of "no-cost, non-punitive, 15-minute checks" to avoid "potential sizeable fines for outdated or missing safety equipment aboard their boats." This word from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 79, which plans to offer Coast Guard Auxiliary Vessel Safety Checks beginning Jan. 7 and continuing Saturdays and Sundays leading up to the invasion, as well as Friday, Jan. 27. The checks are from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 7, 14 and 21 and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 8, 1 and 22. On Jan. 27, the hours are from 9 a.m.-noon. Go to the Gandy Boat Ramp, at 5108 West Gandy Blvd., in South Tampa. For more information on the checks, visit this online site covering what's required to be on board.

New: Art Exhibit for Greater Brandon Artists - No Entry Fee!

  • Artists are invited to enter up to three paintings for, "So You Think You Can Paint? The Greater Brandon Edition 2012." The event, scheduled for Jan. 25 at The Regent, is modeled after successful efforts at the Centre Gallery in Tampa and the Spoke Gallery in Chicago. Artists are invited to submit their work, of any subject, size or format, Jan. 20-22 at The Regent, 6437 Waston Road in Riverview (in the southwest corner of the Winthrop community). Judging will be based on concept and a panel will critique the submitted paintings based on skill and the artist's handling of the medium. A video of the judging will be presented dring the reception and awards presentation, Jan. 25, from 5-9 p.m. Five grand prizes and five special-category prizes will be awarded. A raffle drawing will be held to win a painting kit from AOE Supply, a sponsor of the event, with Vincent Kral. For more information, call the The Regent at 813-571-2494, or email: info@experiencetheregent.com.

NEW: Mission Lunch and Auction

  • Silent auction, lunch and a live auction are scheduled for ALMA, the John Nugent Mission Event, held every other year at the to benefit a local mission. This year the event is Jan. 21 and will benefit the Brandon Outreach Clinic, a not-for-profit corporation that provides basic medical care to people who earn a living, but not enough to buy medical insurance or pay their medical bills. Auction items have been donated by church members and friends and include vacation opportunities, rounds of golf, gift certificates for fine dining in area restaurants and family entertainment and unique gift items. The silent auction begins at 11 a.m., with lunch served at noon, followed by the live auction. Open to the public. Tickets available at the door on the church's Web site. The church is at 121 Carver Ave.

NEW: Veterans Assistance Seminar

  • The Bridges Retirement Community is partnering with the American Association for Wartime Veterans (AAWV) to help educate wartime veterans about an "aid and attendance" benefit under the Veterans Administration pension program. The benefit can help offset the cost of living in a retirement community for a wartime veteran or his or her surviving spouse. According to Janet Noah, community relations liaison for The Bridges, "any member of any branch of the armed services who served 90 consecutive days on active duty, including one day during a war, is eligible for $1,644 or more reimbursement for assisted or independent living expenses." The seminar to discuss this benefit is scheduled for Jan. 17 at 6:30 p.m., at The Bridges, 11350 Bloomingale Ave. Call to reserve a spot: 813-413-8900.

NEW: Chair Yoga Classes

  • Chair yoga classes are being offered Saturday mornings in the clubhouse at The Bridges Retirement Community. Open to the public, these classes are free of charge and taught by Gary Lenza, a certified yoga instructor, who noted in a news release that the classes are "great for seniors because they can experience the benefits of yoga without getting on the floor." With regular practice, he added, "yoga improves balance, strength and energy." The Mayo Clinic notes that yoga's potential benefits include stress reduction, increased fitness, management of chronic health conditions and weight loss. For information, call Janet Noah at 813-413-8900.

NEW: Caregivers Symposisum

  • The Bridges Retirement Community is partnering with the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association to present an educational seminar for caregivers on Jan. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., with registration and refreshments at 9 a.m. The seminar will address practical strategies for caregivers and professionals and new treatments for the disease and related disorders. Scheduled to speak are Dr. William Haley, a nationally recognized scientist and professor at the University of South Florida, and Dr. Susan Steen, a board-certified psychiatrist and neurologist. Family members, professionals and caregivers are invited to attend. The seminar is free but reservations are required. Call Janet Noah at 813-413-8916.

NEW: Gasparilla Music Festival Event Poster Contest

  • The inaugural Gasparilla Music Festival is scheduled for March 10-11, featuring live bands in the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa. A diverse array of muscial styles will be featured, including indie rock, world music, jazz, Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk, gospel, reggae and more. Artits are invited to submit by Jan. 27 their work for an event poster advertising the music festival. The selected designer will receive $200 and the chosen design will appear on posters and might be incorporated into other marketing items, such as an event Web site and flyers. The artist will be credit. The selected design also might be sold in al ive or silent auction to benefit the Gasparilla Music Festival, a non-profit organization, with a percentage going back to the artist. For more information, visit the Greater Brandon Arts Council Web site.

NEW: Barbara Bailey Hutchison Community Concert

  •  Grammy Award winner Barbara Bailey Hutchison is scheduled to return in concert at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association on Jan. 28. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the concert getting under way at 7:30 p.m. Heralded as a singer, songwriter and storyteller, Hutchison's concert is family friendly. Tickets cost $20 and are available at Center Place, which shares space with the Brandon Regional Library in the Sandy Rodriguez Center, at 619 Vonderburg Drive. Call: 813-685-8888.

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PREVIOUSLY POSTED EVENT NOTICES:

Community Theater and Sherlock Holmes

  • The Village Players returns to the stage with the January staging of "The Penultimate Problem of Sherlock Holmes," directed by Gail Pierce. Show dates and times are Jan. 7, 13-14 and 20-21, at 7 p.m. Also, Jan. 15 at 2:30 p.m. Cost is $12 at the door and $10 in advance from a cast member. A dinner theater performance is scheduled for Jan. 6, at a cost of $25 per person. For information, call: 813-300-1817.

Free Seminar: Social Security

  • Is Social Security dying? “Savvy Social Security Planning: What Baby Boomers Need To Know to Maximize Retirement Income” is the topic of discussion Jan. 3 and 5, at 6:30 p.m., and Jan. 7, at 10:30 a.m. Presented by financial planners Elihu Woolfson and Tracy Gillette, at Asset Money Management, 1104 Nikki View Drive, next to Kohl’s in Brandon. Catering provided by Panera. Seating is limited. For reservations, call: 813-914-0440.

Network at the YMCA

  • The Greater Brandon area is not shy of networking groups, with the addition as well of a new group in 2012. The inaugural session of a networking group at the Campo Family YMCA in Valrico is scheduled for Jan. 5, from 11 a.m. to noon, with lunch sponsored by the restaurant in Brandon, on Providence Road. The group intends to meet the first Thursday or every month, at the Campo Y at 3414 Culbreath Road. Reservations for the first meeting must be received by Jan. 3. Call Kavita Marballi at 813-684-1371, ext. 212, or email: kmarvalli@tampaymca.org.

Brandon Elks Lodge Show

  • “A Wedding To Die For” will be presented Jan. 7 at the Brandon Elks Lodge, with a dinner and show performance. The lodge is at 800 Centennial Lodge Dr. in Brandon, north of Brandon Boulevard. Tickets cost $35 and the night starts at 7 p.m.

Photographic Exhibit: “Bud Lee’s America”

  • The Florida Museum of Photographic Arts (FMOPA) has been awarded the Creative Contribution Enriching the Community Award, as presented at the Eighth Annual Brush Strokes Awards in October, which each year recognizes excellence in the arts. The museum through Feb. 11 is presenting “Bud Lee’s America,” an exhibition based on the work of Lee, a Plant City resident, who, as noted in the Osprey Observer was named U.S. Military Photographer of the Year in 1966. According to the Osprey, “In 1967, his photograph of a wounded boy caught in the crossfire of a New Jersey riot made the cover of Life magazine.” Also, “his work has appeared in magazines such as Life, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, Rolling Stone, Vogue, The New York Times Sunday magazine and more.” The museum is in Tampa, at 200 North Tampa St., Suite 130. Cost is free to members and $6 for non-members and $4 for students and military. The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Monday.

Sustainable Landscape Design Workshop

  • Hillsborough County Extension, at its offices in Seffner, at 5339 South County Rd., has scheduled a seven-week workshop series for beginners on sustainable landscape design. The two-hour class is scheduled Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to noon,  Jan. 10 to Feb. 21. Topics include characteristics and composition of plant materials, use and importance of color, drawing a planting plan, maintenance and sustainable landscape materials. The collective fee for all classes is $25 per household, which covers as well the cost of materials. Space is limited to 25 participants. Register in advance online. For information, call Lynn Barber, at 813-744-5519, ext. 54105.

Nominations for "Military Child of the Year"

  • Nominate a child from each service — Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy — for 2012 Military Child of the Year recognition. The nomination period, for children ages 8 to 18, runs through Jan. 15. Nominate online at Operation Homefront, where contest details and requirements are posted as well. Each winner will receive $5,000 and will be flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., for a recognition ceremony April 5. Recipients of the honor last year are noted in the book, “Our Youngest Heroes,” available through Amazon.com.

Tribute Concert to Bobby Darin

  • Salerno Entertaiment is back at the , where most recently through group staged a tribute concert to Frank Sinatra. This time around the crooner of note is Bobby Darin, with a show Jan. 20, at 7 p.m., and a show and dinner on Jan. 21, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for the show only and $40 for the dinner and show performance. Catering is by All Events Catering. For more, call Center Place at 813-685-8888.

"Raise the Roof" Auditions

  • Auditions for the Third Annual Raise the Roof variety show are scheduled for Jan. 25, from 7-10 p.m., at the James McCabe Theater in Valrico, where the show will be performed March 9-10. Invited to audition are performers of all ages, in theater, dance, music and more.

Womens Health Exposition

  • The and South Bay Hospital return with another Healthy Women, Healthy Communities Women’s Expo, this time at the Crowne Plaza Tampa East. (A first such expo was held earlier this year at HCC at The Regent in Riverview.) The expo is scheduled for Jan. 28, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., with lunch served at noon. Visit with vendors and physician practices and attend lectures on a variety of topics, including the latest treatments for menopause, heavy bleeding, heartburn and GERD. Also, tips for dealing with stress and depression and for battling fatique and other like conditions. The cost for the event, including lunch, is $10.
  • Related Coverage:

Women of Faith Writing Contest

  • Open through Jan. 31, this contest is for writers of unpublished books, fiction or nonfiction, from all genres and on all subjects, including memoirs. The grand prize is a publishing contract with Thomas Nelson. First prize is a contract with WestBow Press. Each manuscript must be at least 10,000 words. Visit WestBow Press online for contest rules and additional prizes. 

Family Support Classes

  • Free classes on a variety of topics are offered at the at 12777 Kingsway Rd. For information, call: 813-740-4634.

Classes in the Arts

  • Free classes in the arts for children and adults are offered at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association, which shares space with the Brandon Regional Library in the Sandy Rodriguez Center at 619 Vonderburg Dr. For information, visit Center Place online, pick up a schedule at the center or call: 813-685-8888.


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