Compiled by Jenny Bennett
Popular Bluegrass Band Coming To Sun City Center
The United Methodist Church of Sun City Center welcomes Sandy Back Porch to its campus for a 7 p.m. concert on Friday, September 25. Sandy Back Porch is most often called a bluegrass band, but make no mistake, they are also country, patriotic, Irish, gospel and country classic as well.
One thing is for sure: they hit the ground running with hard-driving, traditional music at lightning speed, offering toe-tapping, people-pleasing performances.
The church will employ safety measures including masks and a 25 percent venue capacity, meaning only the first 175 people will be admitted into the sanctuary. A donation of $10 is requested at the door on the night of the concert.
For more information about this and other concerts, please contact Kevin Goodenow, concert series coordinator, at 362-0956.The United Methodist Church of Sun City Center is located at 1210 Del Webb Blvd. W. Additional information about the church can be found at www.sccumc.com.
Local Author’s Biography On The Bestseller List
Jacky Costello’s story is not unlike many immigrant success stories of hard work and determination to take advantage of opportunities in America she did not have before. It is also the story of a cancer survivor and how her faith, her husband, her friends and a stray dog from Greece all gave her the support she needed to persevere.
How Far I Have Risen – Coming Clean About God, Cancer And My American Dream was published in March and rose to number two in new releases in Christian biographies in the U.S. Today, seven years after arriving, Costello is the owner of Custom Cleanups, a house cleaning service in Lithia. To make good on her promise to “pay it forward,” she partnered with Cleaning for a Reason, a nonprofit organization that provides free house cleaning for cancer patients.
“My greatest hope is that by sharing my story, I will inspire others to know that no matter what you face in life, you can overcome it and achieve all your dreams, even if you don’t quite know what those dreams are yet,” Costello explained.
How Far I Have Risen – Coming Clean About God, Cancer And My American Dream by Jacky Costello is available on Amazon and at bookstores nationwide. A portion of the proceeds from every book sold will be donated to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where Costello received her follow up care.
New Market Coming To Park Square
Art Monkey Emporium, located at 16132 Churchview Dr. in the Park Square neighborhood of FishHawk Ranch, in collaboration with Pish Posh, is pleased to announce that they will be hosting a market on the second Saturday of every month commencing on September 12 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Approximately 20 vendors featuring local artists and makers are expected.
HCC To Launch Free Job Skills Training Program
Hillsborough Community College is launching a free training program in partnership with Verizon to boost in-demand job skills and workplace connection. The program will have multiple offerings through the fall of 2022, and the first cohort will begin on Monday, September 14 and run through Saturday, October 31.
The innovative program will offer flexible learning formats, build industry experience and develop the most sought-after aptitudes needed for in-demand fields. Topics for the program include communication, problem-solving, collaboration, leadership, networking and more.
Individuals who complete the training will be paired with a mentor, job shadow and/or be placed in an internship with local companies. Limited need-based scholarships are available for unpaid intern placements.
For more information and registration, visit hccfl.edu/academics/lets-get-2-work.
ECHO Brandon Looking For Volunteers
ECHO was founded in 1987 with the mission to assist residents of Hillsborough County in crisis with emergency food and clothing, offering life stabilizing programs and resources. It was created so churches and others could send people in need to one central location.
ECHO has been extremely successful in fulfilling its mission, but during this time of increased need due to COVID-19, it has found itself experiencing a reduction in volunteers as many of its older volunteers choose to isolate for their own protection.
If you would like to assist ECHO by volunteering, please visit www.echofl.org or call 685-0935 to register.
Car Show To Benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The first annual Belmont Car Show and Market will take place on Saturday, October 3 at 10050 Paseo Al Mar Blvd. in Wimauma from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Do you want to show your car off?
Categories include fan favorite, classic and best in show; preregistration is only $10. Along with the car show, there will be a market with local vendors and entertainment for the family.
If you are interested in having a booth or entering your vehicle into the show, call 954-300-8657 or email belmontmarketandcarshow@gmail.com. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Registration Is Open For The Annual Hillsborough River And Coastal Cleanup
At this time of year, Keeping Tampa Bay Beautiful would traditionally be looking forward to having huge numbers of volunteers gather for the annual Hillsborough River and Coastal Cleanup. Like a lot of other organized events, it will be doing things a little differently this year.
Instead of designating one day for the cleanup, it is devoting the entire month of September to encouraging you to do self-led cleanups either individually or in small groups. Keeping Tampa Bay Beautiful will be providing supplies to all, which will include supplies needed to perform cleanups, masks or buffs as well as Chick-fil-A gift cards as a thank you to its volunteers.
To register for the event, go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAfvEdY1ejWSm9YEZ_ZZQG3pahagRYp2u4–5q9LQ-zpWZwQ/viewform.
