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Lions Club And University Women Light The Way

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By BARBARA ROUTEN, Tribune correspondent

Published: December 8, 2007

BRANDON - Anyone who happened to drive past the Brandon Lions Clubhouse at 610 Limona Road on Nov. 17 might have noticed men and women playing in the sand.

A closer examination would have revealed it was Lions, young Leos and members of the American Association of University Women bagging sand and building kits for their luminary fundraising project. Brandon area neighborhoods lined with these luminaries - votive candles anchored on sand inside paper bags - will shine on Christmas Eve.

On hand to pack kits and shovel sand were AAUW project coordinator Christine Sauciunac and members Betty Fadell, Anne Garcia, Marie Gay, Ann Gudath, Barbara Reed, Evelyn Sanchez and Jean Westbrook; Brandon Lions Club project chairman Fred Brown; Lions Club members Mike Kirk, Bob Nixon, Ben Brown, Kevin Rees, Joe Desmarais, Art Schmidt and Bo Hurley, Rees' father; Adam Buzbee, Hurley's grandson; Kirk's son Andrew Kirk, a junior at Brandon High School; his friend, Joey King, a senior at Durant High School; and Brandon High Leos Georivette Torres and Keren Gomez.

"There are about 40 members in the Leos," Gomez said. She discovered the Leos at a meet-the-clubs day at school. Because she needed service hours, she joined. The Leo Club Program, a Lions Club youth group, was initiated in Pennsylvania in 1957. Its motto is "Leadership, Experience and Opportunity," with a primary focus on community service projects.

The Brandon Lions Club also focuses on community service and is the oldest service organization in the greater Brandon area with a charter dated 1954. Members assist local and statewide organizations, including the Emergency Care Help Organization, Brandon Outreach Clinic, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Southeastern Guide Dogs and Florida Lions Camp for the Blind and Multi-handicapped Children.

"Bo Hurley just received a trophy for getting lighting for the Halloween display for the Lions Camp Haunted Trail," said Schmidt, pointing proudly to a gruesome fake severed hand impaled on a trophy stand. "The camp in Lake Wales brings in handicapped kids in the summer, and they have a Halloween fundraiser." The Haunted Trail was open Oct. 26 and 27.

The Lions dug more than 2,000 feet of trenches to bury electrical cables to light the trail, using a trencher and generator contributed by Neff Rental and other donated materials. They erected a pole provided by Tampa Electric Co. The whole project cost more than $3,200. "We didn't get the donations we expected, so now we're looking for contributions," Schmidt said.

For information, contact the Brandon Lions Club at amk50@verizon.net.

Christmas Theater Is 'Tangled In Tinsel'

VALRICO - Horizon Christian Church, 1720 S. St. Cloud Ave., invites the public to "Tangled in Tinsel," an evening of Christmas theater "with a coffee house atmosphere for all ages," said Tanya Killebrew, church public relations chairwoman. The event starts at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $5 per person.

A dessert buffet and a variety of beverages will refresh participants, while sketches and monologues about Christmas entertain. Donations for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program are requested.

Child care will be available for children 5 and younger with reservations in advance.

For information or tickets, call the church at (813) 689-1457 or visit www.horizon christianchurch.com.

Alumni Association Looks Ahead

BRANDON - The Brandon High School Alumni Association will sponsor an appreciation luncheon for Brandon High teachers with at least 25 years of tenure at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 7 in the school dining room. The meal is free for these dedicated teachers. Also invited, for a $10 donation, are alumni, guests and all other teachers.

"Ten Brandon High School Memory Walk Bricks will be awarded as door prizes," said Karen Rodriguez, alumni association president.

Reservations are required by calling Rodriguez at (813) 431-7484.

Laureate Epsilon Beta Had Busy Fall

BRANDON - The Laureate Epsilon Beta Brandon chapter of Beta Sigma Phi has had a busy few months. Members organized a salad dinner Sept. 4 at President Sue Vaughn's house, followed by service projects for Seffner Elementary School and the Brandon Players, a local theater troupe.

The group also co-sponsored a luncheon Nov. 3 at the Hard Rock Casino with 93 sorority sisters from 23 chapters across the state.

On Nov. 17, chapter members drove to the Rogers' Christmas House in Brooksville. After the visit, said publicity chairwoman Babs Prudente, "it's impossible not to be in the Christmas spirit."

Three women "have expressed interest in joining our chapter, and we hope to welcome them to our group in the near future," Prudente said.

For information about the international sorority, visit www.betasigmaphi.org.

Snippets

The Nativity Chorale and the Hispanic Music Ensemble invite the public to two free musical Advent presentations at Nativity Catholic Church, 705 E. Brandon Blvd., Brandon. The first, "Canticle of Joy: an Advent Cantata," will start at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The second, "Cristo Es la Navidad," will begin at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21.

Also, more than a dozen priests will be available to hear individual confessions at a parish penitential service at 7 p.m. Monday.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at The Tampa Tribune, 505 W. Robertson St., Brandon FL 33511, e-mail neighbors@tampabay .rr.com or call (813) 657-4531.

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