By Gwen Rollings
The first riddle: Why are an Honorary Mayor, a deputy mayor and a councilman called ‘Weather Boys?’ The second riddle: What do a realtor, a web designer and an insurance agent have in common? If this sounds like a riddle within a riddle, you might be right. If you solve these riddles, you will discover lots of good deeds being done in the Apollo Beach and Ruskin communities.
(Spoiler Alert!) Teo Leonard (Honorary Mayor) is a web designer at Web Design Ninja. Robert King (deputy mayor) is a realtor with Tampa Bay Infinity Group at Future Home Realty. Joel Meek (councilman) is an insurance agent at Meek Insurance Group.
King revealed a piece of the puzzle, “As Hurricane Irma was approaching in 2017, we (King, Leonard and Meek) started making and posting a bunch of funny videos regarding prepping and spaghetti models and such. Somebody coined us the Weather Boys, and that’s been us ever since.”
What these three have in common is their willingness to help others in times of crisis without even being asked. During the coronavirus crisis, for example, the Weather Boys heard about other towns and cities doing a restaurant bingo game to encourage support of local restaurants that are still open for takeout and delivery service.
King explained, “We really wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to play. One meal from any restaurant on the card equals one mark off. A player only needs a minimum of 10 marks to submit the card by May 17 for the random drawings and prizes on May 18.”
Initially, only a $300 grand prize was sponsored by the Weather Boys. Due to much community involvement, individuals and businesses have donated more than 16 additional prizes. Players must retain receipts from each restaurant for verification of their bingo cards. The Weather Boys, Meek specifically, are preparing another game: celebrity jeopardy. Stay tuned!
Many good deeds accomplished by the Weather Boys happen without much notoriety, and they do not seek accolades.
King said, “It’s not just us, but everyone in our communities is awesome…shopping for others, sharing your extra hard to get commodities like paper products, eggs, milk with those who need them.”
Perhaps that is the real solution to the riddle of what makes a great community: people willing to encourage, support and offer a little laughter to others through extraordinarily difficult times. To get involved, email kinginfinitygrp@gmail.com.
