Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Work nears completion on the parking lot upgrades for the Sandy Rodriguez Center, which houses both the Brandon Regional Library and the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association.
Parking lot improvements and additional parking lot spaces are the reasons for the construction work that has been ongoing at the Sandy Rodriguez Center in Brandon, which houses both the Brandon Regional Library and the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association. Here's a collection of photographs taken recently. What's you take on the work under way? Do you welcome the lowered entranceway, which replaces the high-rise that led in some cases to the scraping of the undersides of vehicles? In all, six new parking spots have been added. It's not a lot, but is that welcome relief regardless? Let us know in the comment box below.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
The Center Place Holiday Tea features holiday decor and accessories — most notably, yours — and tea and food from The Tea Cup Tea Room of Brandon, Lake Brandon Village Chick-fil-A and Jute's Box, where the motto is: "Life is too short to skip dessert."
The second annual Center Place Holiday Tea gets under way Sunday, Dec. 2, at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association in Brandon. The event traces its beginnings to a fundraiser held for Barbara Schwabe's 2011 bid for honorary mayor of Brandon. Now an annual tea, the occasion features prizes for "Best Hat" and "Best Table" as attendees deck the halls of the Sandy Rodriguez Center with the best of holiday show. The center houses both Center Place and the Brandon Regional Library, at 619 Vonderburg Drive, west of Parsons Avenue and between the Brandon Regional Hospital and All Persons Playground of Clayton Park. The adults-only tea is from 2 to 4 p.m. and proceeds help benefit children's arts programming at Center Place. …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
The Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association in Brandon cannot run without the support of volunteers, says Dawn Galia, the center's executive director. Those volunteers were celebrated at a luncheon Nov. 13.
The Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association hosted an appreciation luncheon Nov. 13 to thank its volunteers, without whom the not-for-profit center could not be in business, said Dawn Galia, the center's exeuctive director. "The volunteers are the heart of the organization," she said. "A lot of people don't realize how small our staff is. We have more than 50,000 people a year come through our doors and our staff is two full-time employees and a few part-timers. We couldn't hold the events that we have here without our volunteers." Christine Kazor, president of the Center Place board of directors, agreed. "Our volunteers are the heart and soul of what we do here," she said. ______________ Don't miss out on Brandon Patch news, with …
Monday, October 29, 2012
The annual Halloween Horribles Parade at Center Place in Brandon got under way Oct. 28 under clear skies and cool temperatures, with hundreds of kids and adults stopping by for treats from area small businesses, groups, organizations and politicians.
Hundreds of kids and adults wrapped around Parsons Lake outside the Sandy Rodriguez Center in Brandon for the 2012 Halloween Horribles Parade, where booths representing area businesses, clubs, organizations, media outlets, services and groups were well-stocked with treats to give for free. The event is held annually by the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association, which shares space with the Brandon Regional Library in the Sandy Rodriguez Center, at 619 Vonderburg Drive. Children in costume, accompanied by adults, many of whom also were in costume, lined up to start a parade of stops from the lakeside entrance of Center Place through the nearby medical offices and parking lots. Brandon Patch was at the event, too, reminding parade …
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Breast Cancer survivor Dawn Galia dolled up her deaf horse, Glory, for the "Pink Your Pony" trail ride in Dover for October Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
From the pink bows and ribbons in her mane to the pink polish on her hooves, Glory, a deaf horse owned by breast cancer survivor Dawn Galia, was ready for her trail ride in Dover. Galia, the executive director of the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association in Brandon, said the "Pink Your Pony" event, small in numbers but big in heart, was a chance to celebrate those who survive breast cancer and to support those who continue to fight for a cure. Gailia helped organize the event with Rose Folaron, also a breast cancer survivor. "We pinked our ponies and went out on the trail," Galia said. "It wasn't a whole lot, just 11 of us, but the money we raised [$150 a person] we incorporated into the Plaza Bella [breast cancer awareness] event…
Thursday, October 11, 2012
The 15th Annual Halloween Horribles Parade is set again for the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association in Brandon. It's not too late to sign on as a business vendor. Tickets are required for the popular event.
The 15th Annual Hallloween Horribles Parade is scheduled for Oct. 28 at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association. "Costumed munchkings" (children, ages 3 to 10), accompanied by an adult are scheduled to line up in the deck area of Center Place at 2:30 p.m. From there, they will parade down a route lined with "treat stations" hosted by Greater Brandon clubs and businesses. There is no charge to attend but tickets are required. They are being handed out at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association on a first- come first-served basis. Center Place shares space with the Brandon Regional Library in the Sandy Rodriguez Center at 619 Vonderburg Drive. Call: 813-685-8888. ______________ Related Coverage: ______________ …
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
More than 60 photos of the Greater Brandon area are on display this month at the Mook Art Gallery at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association.
The communities of Brandon, Seffner, Valrico, Riverview and Lithia didn't simply spring up overnight. Remnants of 100-year-old structures can still be glimpsed between new subdivisions and shopping centers. Nevertheless, most of the historic buildings that marked the development of these Eastern Hillsborough County communities have long been demolished. But, thanks to photo archives, residents can get a sense of the history of these pioneer communities. Throughout the month of October, residents are invited to view more than 60 historic photos of these communities from the 1890's through the 1960's at the Mook Art Gallery in the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association. The historic exhibit is free. Gallery hours are Monday through …
Community Roundtable and Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association officials are teaming up to present another year of “Cards for Troops,” a chance for Greater Brandon area residents to make holiday cards for troops to send back home.
Greater Brandon area residents will be making and stamping cards to send to troops overseas, so they in turn can fill them out and send them back to loved ones in the states. For a fifth year, Center Place, in collaboration with the Community Roundtable, will host its Holiday Cards for the Troops card-making event. On Saturday, Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Center Place, 619 Vonderburg Dr., Brandon, residents are invited to gather to create handmade holoiday cards. Residents age 16 and up will create decorated cards that are blank inside to send to deployed service members. The service members will be able to write a message to loved ones in the card. Donations to participate will be accepted at the door to help with the cost of …
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Watercolorist Sue Allen will demonstrate the wet-in-wet technique at the September monthly meeting of the Brandon League of Fine Arts at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association on Vonderburg Drive.
Watercolorist Sue Allen, a past president and long-time member of the Brandon League of Fine Arts, is the scheduled feature artist for the next league meeting, Sept. 17, at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association in Brandon. Allen also is a past president of the Florida Watercolor Society and a signature member of the National Watercolor Society. Primarily known for her abstract watermedia work, Allen's classes at Center Place emphasize traditional watercolor techniques. "At our meeting she will show how artists can use wet paper to get beautiful spontaneous effects," said league member, and watercolorist, Roxanne Tobaison. The Sept. 17 meeting is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Center Place shares space with the Brandon Regional …
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The Pat's Corner gift shop at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association is set to run an end-of-summer sale. The shop is named posthumously for Patricia B. Odiorne, an early supporter of the center.
The end-of-summer sale at the Pat's Corner gift shop at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association is set to begin the week of Sept. 17. Through Sept. 21, items in the gift shop will be on sale at a 25 percent discount. The sale does exclude artist work, however. The gift shop shares space in the Sandy Rodriguez Center with the Brandon Regional Library, at 619 Vonderburg Drive, just west of Parsons Avenue. Gift shop hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Thursday evenings from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call ahead of your visit at 813-689-0319. The shop is named posthumously for Patricia B. Odiorne, an early supporter of the center, in whose name a scholarship is given annually to a local high school senior. All …
Sheila Mainous
9:22 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
I can't believe they are spending all that money for just 6 more spaces!! They need at least 50 more. The "shared" lot is two blocks away and when you have arthritic knees and hips and a pile of books, that is way too far away. more ›