The second of two StoryWalk locations in Southeastern Hillsborough County held a celebratory ribbon-cutting in Ruskin in August, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of SouthShore.
The August 10 ceremony, at the Ruskin Park & Recreation Center, heralded the grand opening of the fourth of five Hillsborough StoryWalk locations.
Designed to encourage literacy and exercise for young children, StoryWalk is family-friendly experience with sign installations featuring the pages of books to be read at stops along an outdoor walking path.
Launched two years ago in Hillsborough by the Kiwanis Club of Tampa at Al Lopez Park, the effort has been spearheaded by Kiwanian Amanda Malinowski, who then worked to secure a $70,000 grant from the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County for expansion to other locations.
The Ruskin ribbon-cutting in August followed the June 15 ribbon-cutting for the Kiwanis StoryWalk in Seffner, maintained by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon. It’s at Seffner Comm“UNITY” Park and Gardens, adjacent to the Seffner-Mango Branch Library. Additional StoryWalk locations are in Carrollwood Park Village and Rowlett Park in Sulphur Springs.
Every month, StoryWalk features a new book for children ages 3-7. The book featured in August was Harry and the Dirty Dog, written by Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham. September’s book is I Got the Rhythm, by Connie Schofield-Morrison, which is set to be replaced in October by Acorn Was a Little Wild, by Jen Arena.
Overseeing the changing of books with fellow Kiwanis Club of SouthShore members is veteran Michael Ball, a financial advisor with Edward Jones and the PTSA president at York Innovation Academy in Apollo Beach. He serves also as chair of the board of trustees for HCA Florida South Shore Hospital.
Having grown up as an avid reader and researcher, Ball said he pays tribute to his mom and godmother, who both worked as children’s librarians. And he remembers to this day the ‘snort’ his dad used when reading to him Ferdinand and the Bull. Ball said it’s the same snort he heard when his father read the same book to Ball’s children.
“This is how people make their memories,” Ball said. Reading together, “it becomes a family legacy.”
StoryWalk advances the mission of Kiwanis, a global volunteer organization that aims to improve the world, one child and one community at a time.
Suzi Bredbenner is the incoming president for the Kiwanis Club of SouthShore, set to replace Kim Przekop in her second year as president on Tuesday, October 1. Bredbenner is in the club with her husband, Chris, and is a past president as well of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon.
Bredbenner’s two-club association deepens her drive to do well by children.
“Kiwanis is all about serving the kids of the community, and you can find through Kiwanis some kind of volunteer opportunity to meet your level of ability and time,” Bredbenner said. StoryWalk, she added, is a means to that end.
The Kiwanis Club of SouthShore meets on the first and third Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. at Denny’s in Ruskin, located at 3747 Sun City Center Blvd. Visit the club at www.facebook.com/southshorekiwanis.
