TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Guild Members Like To Stitch And Talk About Quilts

ADVERTISEMENT

By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 28, 2008

BRANDON - The Piecemakers Quilt Guild invites anyone interested in quilts and quilt making to join the group at 6:30 for socializing and 7 p.m. for a meeting July 14 at First United Methodist Church of Brandon's gym, 121 N. Knights Ave.

Members' ages range from twentysomething to nearly 80. Some are beginning their first quilts, and others, such as founder Claudia Ingram of Valrico, are seasoned quilters.

Ingram's home is decorated with many quilts of myriad designs, including an American flag quilt.

"My mother the late Jeanne Fritz, formerly of Valrico and my best friend Nancy Mitchell of Valrico and I wanted to make something for the Fourth of July because my daddy the late Lt. Col. Frederick Fritz was in the Air Force and my husband Col. Walter C. Ingram was in the Army," she said.

"I found a flag pattern that should have been a one-day project but turned into a 11/2-week project," Ingram said. "I keep mine up year-round; Nancy displays hers between Flag Day and the Fourth of July."

Guild meetings, which are the second Monday monthly, are educational, and bee groups are as social as they are functional. Dues are $15 per year for members; guests may try out a meeting at no charge.

For information, call Ingram, (813) 689-9172.

Celebrate And Help Deployed Troops

RIVERVIEW - A Fourth of July celebration at 1 p.m. July 4 at American Legion Post 148, 7240 U.S. 301 S., will feature a pig roast, live entertainment and drawings.

Guests are asked to bring items to donate for deployed troops. Needed items include AT&T pre-paid phone cards, powdered drink mixes, protein bars and fruit cups, olive-drab T-shirts, white or black socks, men's underwear, wet wipes, antifungal powders, sprays and lotions, DVDs and AA and AAA batteries.

Also requested are pencils, crayons and clothes for the soldiers to give Iraqi children.

The cost for the celebration is $6 per person.

For information, call the post, (813) 677-6529.

Soccer Ball Drive Nets Almost 500

BRANDON - The Kick for Nick soccer ball drive, organized by David Baumgartner in April at the Brandon Area Youth Soccer League, netted almost 500 balls to send to U.S. soldiers to give to Iraqi children, "which is awesome," said Melissa Howard, a member of the league's board of directors.

She is grateful for the community's response.

We've been "communicating with Mr. Bill Madaras ... mostly about getting the balls over there. We're still working on that one. David Baumgartner has been looking for donations. ... We could certainly use some financial assistance for shipment," she said.

The Kick for Nick project honors the memory of Army Pfc. Nick A. Madaras of Connecticut, a young soldier stationed in Iraq. He had noticed how important soccer was to Iraqi children and planned to have his family send soccer balls for the kids. He was killed in action in Iraq before he received the balls. His father, Bill Madaras, started Kick for Nick to keep alive his son's wish of providing soccer balls to Iraqi children.

An e-mail from Madaras described his most recent Kick for Nick shipment - a box of 30 balls and a pump - that left the States June 2 for Iraq. Recipient 1st Lt. Justin Chabalko wrote him June 8: "Wonderful news, I have received all of the balls. NBC News came out with us for two days and filmed us handing out your soccer balls. ... Thank you again for what you do; your support is invaluable to me and my men, and as always Nick is in each one of our hearts."

Checks to help with shipping costs may be mailed to BAYSL, J.C. Handley Athletic Complex, 3104 S. Kings Ave., Brandon FL 33511, Attn.: Kick for Nick.

For information e-mail Howard at mbhoward5@verizon.net or Baumgartner at kick4nick08@yahoo.com. For information about Kick for Nick, go to www.kickfornick

.com.

Introduction To Computers Registration

SUN CITY CENTER - The Computer Club at Sun City Center will hold an Introduction to Computers class for residents of Sun City Center and Kings Point from 10 a.m. to noon in the Atrium Building Computer Lab, 949 North Course Lane, beginning July 8.

The signups will last for "for five or six weeks," said John Fischer, the club's director of communications.

Topics are listed on the bulletin board outside the classroom.

Tuition is $20 per person, payable at time of registration. Participants may register between 12:30 and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For information, call Bob Wehrle, director of education, (813) 633-4516.

Inspirational Writers' Workshop Planned

DOVER - Christian authors Ruth Carmichael Ellinger of Brandon and Debora M. Coty of Seffner will host the Hillsborough Inspirational Writers Workshop for beginning, intermediate and advanced writers from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at Cross Creek Ranch, 12950 Wheeler Road E., Dover.

The theme is Touching Lives through the Written Word.

Session topics include "A Writer's Journey: Traversing Pinnacles and Potholes on the Road to Publication"; "Beginning the Marathon"; "Writing Great Fiction"; "Avoiding the Slush Pile/Writing the 'Killer' Query"; and "Promoting Yourself, Marketing Your Work."

Ellinger is the author of the popular Wild Rose series and is an inspirational speaker and Bible teacher. She was selected writer of the year in 2006 by the American Christian Writers and is president and founder of the Brandon Christian Writers group.

Coty has written for Christian magazines, writers' journals and devotionals. Her novel "The Distant Shore" reached the top of the Vintage Romance Publishing best-seller list within three months of publication. She contributed to "Grit for the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers," which will be released by Vintage Spirit this fall.

"One of my goals" for the workshop, Coty said, "is to impart hope to other reluctant, aspiring people, too fearful to try something new not necessarily writing. ... If I can begin a successful, new career at age 45 with no training, no experience, but lots of desire, so can you!"

The cost is $75 per person prior to Monday; $90 after that. Lunch and snacks are included. Checks may be made payable to Ruth C. Ellinger/HIWW or Debora M. Coty/HIWW and mailed to Ruth C. Ellinger, 1405 Lithia-Pinecrest Road, Brandon FL 33511. Name, address, e-mail address and indication of beginner or intermediate/advanced status should be included with check.

For information e-mail Coty at gracenotes@deboracoty

.com or Ellinger at writer@ruthellinger.com or call (813) 685-7387.

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT