TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Mayor Candidates Continue Fundraising

D'Ann Lawrence White, Tribune photo

Tammy Holmberg and Jake Piascik are vying to be the next honorary mayor of Brandon.

ADVERTISEMENT

By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 9, 2008

BRANDON - Just a week into the race and Brandon's candidates for honorary mayor are on a roll, garnering votes in the form of hard cash at various charity fundraisers.

Jake Piascik and Tammy Holmberg kicked off their campaigns June 1 and will continue raising funds through July 4.

The two are vying for a position that goes to the candidate who raises the most money for charity. The money is counted on the morning of Brandon's annual Fourth of July parade by members of the Presidents' Roundtable of Greater Brandon, sponsor of the parade.

Eighty percent of the money each candidate raises goes to his or her designated charity, 10 percent goes to the roundtable and 10 percent is given to organizations sponsoring the candidate.

Piascik, co-owner of Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year winner Dream Limousine and Anytime Taxi LLC, is sponsored by the Brandon Rotary '86 Club.

He will raise money for the Emergency Care Help Organization, which provides food, clothing and other supplies for families in crisis; A Kid's Place, an emergency shelter for children in crisis; and The Trey Curry Foundation, established to help children in need in the Brandon area in honor of 20-year-old Valrico resident Trey Curry, who died this year.

His rival owns the Chik-fil-A in Lake Brandon Village. Sponsored by the Brandon Rotary South Club, Holmberg will raise money for the Brandon chapter of the Dream Factory, which grants wishes to critically ill children, greater Brandon area YMCAs and the children's theater at Center Place.

Piascik will host a groundbreaking ceremony for A Kid's Place on Lithia-Pinecrest Road in Brandon at 10:30 June 13, followed by Full Moon Fever from 6 to 10 p.m. June 18 at the Clubhouse Sports Pub, 1265 Kingsway Road, Brandon.

An All-American Family Picnic to benefit Holmberg's race is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 14 at The Park Club of Brandon, featuring food from Chick-fil-A, popcorn, cotton candy, snow-cones, watermelon, a bounce house and an exhibit of cars from the 1950s. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children age 12 and younger.

Also on June 14, Holmberg will host Tammy's Tex-Mex BBQ Barn Dance at Cross Creek Ranch in Dover from 5 to 9 p.m., featuring a bluegrass band, barbecue fajitas from Jaymer Que, family activities, a sundae bar and a drawing. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children age 12 and younger.

Peterbrooke Chocolate and The Cork & Olive in The Shoppes of Lithia on Lithia-Pinecrest Road in Valrico will host a benefit for Holmberg's race from 5:30 to 8 p.m. June 17. The retailers will donate 10 percent of sales that evening to Holmberg's race.

A Summer Splash family event will be held at the Aquatic Club on Churchside Drive in FishHawk Ranch from 6:30 to 11 p.m. June 21 to benefit Piascik's campaign. The cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children and free for children age 3 and younger. The event will feature pizza, a magician, a shallow beach area, a flume ride, junior Olympic pool and waterfalls.

Meanwhile, Holmberg will be making a splash of her own at the Campo Family YMCA, Brandon Family YMCA, FishHawk YMCA Express and Camp Cristina with the kick-off of the YMCA Duck Splash from 9 a.m. to noon June 21. Residents can purchase a $5 duck for a chance to win big.

Flicks and Poker Chips will be on tap from 6:30 to 11 p.m. June 22 at the FishHawk Ranch Osprey Club, where Piascik invites residents to enjoy a game of poker or "chick flicks." Entry into the poker games costs $50. Entry to the movies costs $25.

Holmberg will wrap up her campaign with Tammy's Trendy Tea and Fashion Show from 2 to 5 p.m. June 22 at Center Place, featuring a silent auction, tea and fashion show. Tickets are $25.

A Cheeseburger in Paradise party is planned at FishHawk Ranch's Palmetto Club on FishHawk Crossings Boulevard to benefit Piascik's campaign from 6:30 to 11 p.m. June 27 for $50 per person. Then he'll hold a Club Hopping Indoor Golf Tournament starting at 3 p.m. June 29 that will take participants to O'Brien's Irish Pub, Mojitos, Beef O'Brady's and other popular locations in Brandon for $30 per person or $100 for teams of four.

For information about Holmberg's fundraisers, call (813) 727-0749 or go to www.votefortammy.com.

For information on Piascik's fundraisers, call (813) 662-7300.

D'Ann Lawrence White is a reporter for the Tampa Tribune. She can be reached at dlwhite@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT