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Food Drive For Good Samaritans

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By BARBARA ROUTEN, Tribune correspondent

Published: November 28, 2007

SUN CITY CENTER - The congregation of United Community Church began donating nonperishable food items many weeks in advance of Thanksgiving for the annual food drive. On Nov. 19, members of the church mission board packed boxes of food to use for filling Thanksgiving food baskets for the Good Samaritan Mission.

Packers included Jim Cruthis, Rose Mary Winkler, Betty Lou Moody, Jane Ruth, Barbara Schuler and Bob White, chairman of the mission board.

Riverview Picks Idol Winner

RIVERVIEW - Twenty-six contestants vied to make the first cut on the path to becoming the 2008 Riverview Idol Oct. 16 in the Riverview High School auditorium.

The contestants were: Michael Barnes, Rodney Bueno, Alex Catalani, Bernice Collazo, Karla Costa, Alex Crenshaw, Dominique Dickens, Rebecca Edmond, Sasha Farrakhan, Paula Forero, Karli Gundersen, Rickeshia Harris, Melanie Hill, Careda Hurley, Brianna Jackson, Josh Moody, Caryn Noble, Andrea Opinion, Christina Ordogne, Anthony Pesquera, Cheyenne Quailey, Michael Quailey, Angelie Ramirez, Tanai'jia Terry, Kristen Thompson and Conrad Weaver.

Amy Bueno, last year's Riverview Idol, was the mistress of ceremonies.

The audience voted for the Top 12, who competed Oct. 23. Making the cut were Barnes, Bueno, Catalani, Collazo, Costa, Crenshaw, Gundersen, Harris, Moody, Opinion, Ordogne and Thompson. On Oct. 25 the 12 were whittled to six - Bueno, Catalani, Costa, Crenshaw, Gundersen and Moody.

On Oct. 30, the Top 3 - Bueno, Catalani and Moody - "performed two songs in the finale," said Liz Stewart, the choral director at RHS, "one with a prerecorded track and one with a live band.

"Vision Riverview's show choir also performed in the finale, along with some of the 2006-07 Idol graduates: Ben 'the Banana Man' Gettler and Frankie Steel, who was Top 5 in Riverview Idol 2007 and wrote the Riverview Idol theme song."

During the finale, John Davis, the school's band and orchestra director, performed a duet with Stewart. Amy Bueno sang her 2007 Idol song, and then the winner, Moody, was announced.

Moody's prizes included a two-hour limousine ride from 1st Class Limousine, some promotional photos by Chris Blem Photography and a recording session with Crystal Blue Productions of Valrico.

"Joshua has already performed at the night pep rally and sang the national anthem at the game for homecoming," Stewart said. He was a guest performer at the Rodgers Idol because Rodgers Middle School is a feeder school to Riverview High School, and a soloist at Novemberfest and several other area concerts.

Holiday Events At Prince Of Peace Catholic Church
SUN CITY CENTER - Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 702 Valley Forge Blvd., will play host to three concerts and a Christmas banquet.

The first will offer free admission. The Tampa Oratorio Singers will present Christmas carols and excerpts from Handel's "Messiah" at 4 p.m. Sunday. Nancy Callahan will direct the choir. A free-will offering will be taken.

The second concert will be a "Christmas in Ireland" show, featuring folksinger and raconteur Mike Funge from County Wexford, Ireland. The show, presented by the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians of Prince of Peace Catholic Church, will be presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 6. Tickets are $5 per person for cabaret-style seating. For tickets, call Tom Bennis, (813) 633-5188.

At the third concert, traditional holiday tunes will be performed by tenor Chase White at 3 p.m. Dec. 16. It will be White's fourth performance at the church; the other three concerts were standing-room only.

The church's musical director, Dwight Thomas, will accompany White on piano and organ. Thomas is known for being the player of the Mighty Wurlitzer at the Roaring '20s Pizza and Pipes in Ellenton.

The concert is free, and no tickets are required. A free-will offering will be taken to support the parish concert fund. For information about the events, call the parish office, (813) 634-2328.

The Knights of Columbus at Prince of Peace Catholic Church will hold their second annual Christmas banquet at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 16, at Club Renaissance, 2121 S. Pebble Beach Blvd. Marc's Music will provide entertainment. Tickets are $30 per person and include two drinks. It will be a dressy to semiformal event; jacket and tie for men.

Tickets will be on sale from 9 to 11 a.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 11, and Dec. 12 in the parish center lobby, 702 Valley Forge Blvd. For information, call Jack Hawkins, (813) 642-9383, Tom Bullaro, (813) 741-2000, or Mike Cassano, (813) 634-0710.

Emergency Squad Alumni Luncheon
SUN CITY CENTER - The Sun City Center Emergency Alumni meeting will take place over lunch at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Freedom Plaza Club, 3940 Upper Creek Drive. There will not be a speaker.

The cost is $9.50 per person. Reservations must be made by Dec. 5 by calling Phyllis Mueller, (813) 633-2168, or Patti Brandt, (813) 634-7699.

Yule Meeting At Woman's Clubhouse

RUSKIN - The Ruskin Woman's Club's regular meeting and Yule celebration will be combined at 2 p.m. Dec. 5 at the clubhouse, 503 S. Tamiami Trail. The meeting will be led by President Sonja Council.

Former club president and chairwoman of hostesses, Vicki Elsberry, and her committee members - Iris Mixon, Mary Alyce Graf, Coleen Laskey, Claudia Tillett, Joan DeGraff and Judy Dufault - have planned a Christmas play. They will serve pound cake and ambrosia and will decorate with Nativity sets provided by club members.

"Any woman who would like to come is welcome to attend," said Dufault, publicity chairwoman. "New members are also welcome" to join the club.

The club serves the community year-round through its Sew Much Comfort Program by providing adaptive clothing to disabled soldiers, student scholarships and support of charities such as the Mary and Martha House and Southeastern Guide Dogs.

For information about the Yule meeting or the club, call Dufault at (813) 641-0152 or e-mail MrsJudyDF@aol.com.

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

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