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New Exchange Students Arrive As Others Head Home

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: September 10, 2008

RIVERVIEW - New American Field Service foreign exchange students arrived Aug. 16 in the greater Brandon and South Shore areas. Vida Triamraktakul of Thailand is attending Bloomingdale High School while living at the home of Peter and Paula Lena. Japan's Sho Hattori is residing with Charles and Loretta Lieble while attending Brandon High School. Phonlawat "Nae" Wittayarungrote of Thailand is staying with Jane Gilblair and attending Riverview High School.

Jessica Ramsdell, daughter of Gary and Lee Ann Ramsdell of Lithia, left Aug. 20 to spend a year studying in Japan as an exchange student with the AFS program.

The 2007-08 AFS students shared a meal June 29 at Cracker Barrel in Valrico, then said their good-byes and flew home. They were Newsome High School's Sophie Voggenberger of Austria, who lived at the Ramsdells' home; Freedom High School's Laila Bramb Tonam of Brazil, who stayed with the family of Dan and Jenny Buffington; Armwood High School's Pattaraporn Miw Somsak of Thailand, who lived with the Mike and Melody Pumphrey family; Robinson High School's Lirjie Uruqi of Switzerland, who resided at the home of Chris and Sara Kay; and East Lake High School's Kwankaew Jung Kangwansurakry of Thailand, who lived with Mike and Amy Patterson.

American Field Service is looking for students who would like to study abroad and local families interested in hosting students arriving from abroad in January.

"It really is a wonderful program that will change a family's life forever," Lee Ann Ramsdell said. "I was an exchange student 30 years ago, and I am still close with my AFS family in Guatemala."

For information, call Ramsdell at (813) 412-2257.

Newcomers, Old-Timers Invited To Club Meeting

BRANDON - The Brandon Newcomers Club invites new and longtime area residents to its meeting at 10 a.m. Sept. 17 at Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association, 619 Vonderburg Drive. Parking is limited close to the building, but additional parking is available in a dirt lot across the street. Early arrivers may be able to park closer.

Barbara Hilderbrand of Osher Life Learning Institute will speak about the institute, which offers day trips and classes geared toward senior citizens.

"Brandon Newcomers is not only for Newcomers to the area, nor do you have to be from Brandon," said Mary Ann Hartman, publicity chairwoman. "All are welcome!"

For information, call Hartman at (813) 681-7558.

New Priest Ordained At Anglican Church

The Rev. Leroy "Chris" Gardner was ordained to the priesthood Aug. 23 at St. Matthews Anglican Church in Riverview. Bishop Walter Grundorf of the Diocese of the Eastern United States of the Anglican Province of America presided. Ten priests celebrated, including the Rev. William Perkins of St. Matthews.

Gardner is a former St. Matthews member who will serve at the Anglican Church of the Redeemer in Hilton Head, S.C.

About 100 friends and family members attended the celebration, including Gardner's wife, Georgetta; daughter Tracy Wilkerson of Riverview, her husband, Robert, and their children, Kyle and Aubrey; and daughter Krista Morrison of Hilton Head and her daughter, Madelinn. His 85-year-old mother, Doris Gardner of Cincinnati, Ohio, was unable to attend.

There was a surprise guest, too.

"I didn't know my older brother Maurice Lee Wiggins of Cleveland was coming!" Gardner said. When he arrived at the airport to pick up his younger brother, Frank Paul Gardner, both brothers were there. Wiggins had been surprised, too, by his son, who bought him the ticket to fly to Florida for the ordination.

Gardner was raised Roman Catholic but joined the Lutheran church when he got married. "My wife said, 'I'm not going to a Catholic church,' and I said, 'I'm not going to a United Church of Christ church her denomination,'" Gardner said. "We were both comfortable with the Lutheran church and stayed there for 26 years." He became one of the first Synodical Deacons in the church.

As the Lutheran church became more contemporary in its worship style, Gardner felt a need to go back to tradition. He found St. Matthews and met Perkins about five years ago. Not long after they met, Perkins asked him to send in the papers for Holy Orders.

"I saw he had suitable gifts for ministry," Perkins said. "He was ordained first a deacon and then to the priesthood."

"All along the way, I felt God working in my life and guiding me," Gardner said. "It was a feeling, like when we were in the Lutheran church, I felt him calling me someplace else, and then I found St. Matthews.

"When we moved to Riverview my wife said, 'We're in Florida now, we're settled. We're never going to move again,'" Gardner said. And yet, when he was asked to be the vicar of the Anglican Church of the Redeemer, "she felt Hilton Head was where we needed to be."

He gave his first blessing as a priest to his family. "It was overpowering - it really felt good!" he said.

His first Mass was Aug. 24.

"I was overjoyed; it felt good," Gardner said. "But when I turned around and looked at the congregation, I got choked up. I was so grateful they wanted me to come here for my ordination."

'Grit For The Oyster' Released For Writers

SEFFNER - A new book for aspiring writers has just been released, "Grit for the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers," by Seffner resident Debora M. Coty with Suzanne Woods Fisher, Faith McDonald and Joanna Bloss.

Coty has had more than 80 articles published in anthologies, magazines and trade journals.

The goal of "Grit for the Oyster" is to help aspiring writers get closer to God while encouraging them in their writing.

Coty will sign copies of the book at a free workshop for writers from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Miracles Gift Shop, 10335 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa. A similar workshop held recently at Family Christian Stores in Brandon attracted nearly 50 participants.

"Grit for the Oyster" also will be featured at the Hillsborough Inspirational Writers Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at Cross Creek Ranch, 12950 Wheeler Road E., Dover. Coty and Brandon resident Ruth Carmichael Ellinger will present the workshop with separate tracks for beginner, intermediate and advanced writers. Registration is $90 and includes lunch and snacks.

For information, go to Coty's Web site, www.Debora Coty.com, or call her at (813) 681-7516 or e-mail gracenotes @deboracoty.com.

Snippets

Timucua District's Cub Scout Pack 110 sponsored a School Night for Scouting campaign at Kingswood Elementary School in Brandon Aug. 28. Parents of boys in first through fifth grades interested in the Boy Scouts may call the Gulf Ridge Council at (813) 872-2691. ... Members of Congregation Beth Shalom of Brandon, including Lithia residents Errol Fishman and Jordan Davis, set up a blue-and-white booth at the annual back-to-school event in August in Fish Hawk Ranch and shared information about the congregation and its services and programs. Learn about attending High Holy Days services and other upcoming activities at www .bethshalom-brandon.org or by calling (813) 681-6547.

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

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