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Area Students Celebrate Season At Ice Sports Forum

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 31, 2008

TAMPA The Ice Sports Forum hosted its annual Holiday Celebration on Ice on Dec. 7.

Seventy-four figure skaters from the greater Brandon and South Shore areas who take lessons or train at the rink participated. The youngest skater was three; the oldest was 50-something.

"The performers at the holiday show ... are all amateur skaters," said Tommy Brannen, a forum coach. "Some do it recreationally just to learn the basics and participate in shows; some do it for the physical activity to be healthy and to keep in shape; and some are serious competitors who have a dream of being a champion one day."

Some of the Ice Sports Forum's skaters have competed at the U.S. Regional Championships, Liberty Open in Pennsylvania, National State Games of America in Colorado and the National Showcase Competition in California.

Students who skated in the holiday show are Zoe Alersa, Rachel Arcuri, Melanie Argudo, Jillian Arnold, Lilly Berry, JaydeBillings, Amanda Bishop, SydniBoles, Courtney Boswell, Lauren Brittain, Alexia Browne, AlannaCarnevale, Audrey Carroll, Alden Cochran, DarciConklin, CamiCutchin, Emma Cutkomp, Hannah Cutkomp, Samantha Downing, Gracie Englund, Michelle Fee, AnnaliseFeeley, Peyton Foley, Megan Fournier, Hannah Frum, Madison Gauvreau, Vanessa Gilbert, Heather Glassberg, Sofia Guizar, EstefaniaGuizar, Lisa Gullett, Alexandria Hartley, Katie Hawley, Kelsey Hawley, Victoria Houston, Amber Isenbeck, AlexaJaskiel, ChrissyKormis, Katie Kruzlic, Brianna Lapwing, Erin Leydon, Courtney Lopez, Christopher Martin, Erin Martin, Nina McDaniel, Jordan Migis, AinsleyMishka, Riley Moser, AnneMarieMosiello, Isabella Mourtos, Jordan Muniz, MaddieMuniz, Caitlyn Murdock, Courtney O'Connor, Alexis Plaskon, Isabella Ramirez, Frankie Roberts, LexiRoberts, Allison Sjoblom, Haley Smith, Sabrina Smith, Jackie Starkey, Kayla Suarez, Sofia Sullivan, KayleeSwenson, Blair Tolrud, KissandraTorres, Jayme Valenta, Alexis VanVliet, Emmy Ward, Victoria Weaver, Abbey Worthington and Alexandria Wright.

Festival Sheds Light On Holiday

BRANDON - Congregation Beth Shalom of Brandon invited the local community to a Hanukkah Festival Dec. 21. Hundreds attended - some congregation members, some who observe Hanukkah but are not affiliated with a synagogue and some of different faiths, said Rabbi Betsy Torop.

Some visitors were asking questions. There was some teaching going on, and some came to join in the celebration, she said.

Member Sara Goodman was in charge of the indoor craft table, where visitors painted more than 200 sun catchers shaped like dreidels, the Star of David and menorahs.

Hannah Lopez, who lives nearby, came out of curiosity and brought a young neighbor with her. Both enjoyed the festival.

Terri Abrahams of Tampa exhibited and taught Israeli folk dances to kids, teens and non-teenage types, said Torop, providing a way to work off the chocolate dreidels and sour-cream-smothered latkes that were consumed at the festival.

DJ Kevin Frye of Brandon, congregation member, played pop, Hanukkah and Israeli music all day. His favorite moment? "I had some kids request Israeli hip hop, and I had some!"

Frye, who runs Bayside Entertainment, also plays trumpet and sings in the Mike Eisenstadt Band and co-hosts The Sunday Simcha Jewish Radio show from noon to 2 p.m. Sundays on WMNF-88.5 FM.

"Beth Shalom has been here 18 years," said Frye. "As a growing congregation, Beth Shalom is constantly striving to be recognized as an integral part of the greater Brandon community, and a festival such as this, where we invite the public to come visit us and share in the joy of Hanukkah, helps us to reach these goals. ... I was happy to see so many people here, so many faces I didn't recognize -many from different religions and cultures."

For information about the congregation, visit www.beth shalom-brandon.org.

Need Money For College?

BRANDON - The Brandon Elks Lodge No. 2383, 800 Centennial Lodge Drive, has scholarship applications on site for high school seniors in the Brandon, Durant or Riverview areas who are either hard-working, average students or high achievers.

Applicants for the Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student scholarship, worth $4,000 to $60,000, must be exemplary, community-service-minded students. The application is complex and requires much time to prepare. It must be returned to the lodge by Jan. 9.

The $4,000 Elks National Foundation Legacy Award is for children and grandchildren of living Elks in good standing. This also must be returned to the lodge by Jan. 9.

The Ladies of the Elks, for their Determined Average Student scholarship, seek high school seniors who have a B to C grade-point average, perform community service and participate in extracurricular school activities. Completed applications must be received at the lodge by Feb. 15.

For details, call Kim Martinez, scholarship chairwoman, at (813) 655-7353 or visit www.elks.org. To reach the lodge, call (813) 685-6469 or (813) 654-2968.

Check Out Motorcycle Adventures

BRANDON - Area women are invited to the Brandon Christian Women's Connection's luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 12 in the Special Events Room of Bell Shoals Baptist Church, 2102 Bell Shoals Road.

Music, fun, informative features and inspiring speakers are usual fare at these monthly gatherings, said Dorothy Hughes, group publicity chairwoman, in an e-mail message.

Inspirational speaker Ann Parrish will share her thoughts about "Bugs in My Teeth and Other White Knuckle Stories;" Donna Terrell will sing; and Dottie Berger MacKinnon, chairwoman of the Kids Charity of Tampa Bay board of directors and founder of Joshua House in Tampa, will talk about A Kid's Place, a new temporary home for children that is being built by Kids Charity on Lithia-Pinecrest Road.

Tickets are $12. Child care is free but must be requested in advance. The deadline for reservations or cancellations is Tuesday. Call Bobbi Gardner at (813) 657-8632 or e-mail her at Barbara_gardner4@ yahoo.com.

Folk Musician In Concert

BRANDON - Original folk music by Jack Williams, a native of South Carolina, will fill the Brandon Regional Library, 619 Vonderburg Drive, at 7 p.m. Jan. 8. This free concert is sponsored by the Friends of the Brandon Library and open to everyone.

Williams has been making music and touring for half a century. He has recorded seven albums and performed with such folkies as Tom Paxton, Arlo Guthrie, Steve Gillette and Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary).

For information about this artist, visit www.jackwilliams music.com. For other details about the concert, contact Jim Graves at (813) 744-5631.

Youth Theatre To Begin Production

VALRICO - An informational meeting about Brandon Youth Theatre's spring offerings will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at New Life Church, 2802 State Road 60. Rehearsals will run Tuesdays from Jan. 13 through March 17.

Janet Frenkel of Brandon will be the artistic director. She graduated from Florida State University and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles and has performed nationally for more than 20 years.

Actors will be divided by age. Children age 5 to 7 will work toward a showcase. Those 8 and older will be able to audition Jan. 17 for "Seussical: The Musical."

This season is different from previous seasons in that it will provide more comprehensive dramatic arts training courses, according to Karis Denhoff, board president.

Tuition is $150. For information, visit www.brandonyouththeatre.org or call (813) 781-3842.

Mix And Mingle With Military Sisters

BRANDON - The Tampa Bay WAVES Unit No. 55 will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday in the AMVETS Post 44 headquarters, 318 Pauls Drive.

Women who are in the military now or who were honorably discharged from the Navy, Navy Nurse Corps, Coast Guard, Marine Corps or Maritime Service or their reserves may attend.

For details, call Green at (813) 657-9164.

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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