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Local Student Wins Tractor Contest

Photo by Erin Ellsberry

A judge, left, evaluates the performance of Andrew Culpepper, right, a student in the Lennard High School FFA Chapter, in the District 9 Tractor Operations Career Development Event Jan. 22 in Plant City. Culpepper won the event.

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By BARBARA ROUTEN

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 25, 2009

RUSKIN - Andrew Culpepper, a student in the FFA Chapter at Lennard High School, won Sub-District Tractor Operations Career Development Events on Dec. 11 and District 9 Tractor Operations CDEs on Jan. 22 at the Hillsborough Community College Plant City campus. He passed an oral and written test and driving course at each competition.

"Each FFA chapter was allowed to enter one student," said Erin Elsberry, Lennard's agriscience and FFA advisor.

Entrants who failed to answer four oral questions correctly and earn a score of at least 80 percent on the written safety portion were disqualified. If they passed those preliminary tests, "then they drive the course and are scored on driving abilities," she said.

Culpepper will represent Lennard at the State Tractor Operations CDE April 25 in Haines City.

Nature Lovers' Photo Contest

RUSKIN - Calling all budding photographers, and those farther along in their growth cycle.

Camp Bayou is hosting a photo contest for camera buffs of all ages through March 20, when the Citizen Science Symposium begins.

The prize, according to Nature Center Education Director Dolly Cummings, will be "a canvas bag filled with goodies to help get the most out of your day outdoors: binoculars, critter keeper, field guide, bandana, water bottle, sunscreen, bug repellent and more, plus a Camp Bayou T-shirt and hat."

Plants in various stages of growth at Camp Bayou must be the photo subjects. Visit the Project Budburst Web site, www.windows.ucar.edu/ citizen_science/budburst, to learn what the stages are.

Extraneous insects and spiders also may be in a photo, but the plant in its growth phase must be the photo's focus.

Photos in digital JPG files no larger than 4,000 KB must be submitted to campbayou@ yahoo.com. Accompanying each photo must be the photographer's name, town, state, e-mail address, growth phase represented in the photo and comments or observations from the field.

Complete rules and disclaimers are available at www.campbayou.org. Click on photography contest.

For more information, contact Cummings at (813) 363-5438 or campbayou@ yahoo.com.

Lecture About Joyce Kilmer

SUN CITY CENTER - Tod McGinley, poet and co-founder of the Writers and Poets Association of the South Shore, presented a short lecture on Catholic writer Joyce Kilmer Feb. 11 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church to about 25 members of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.

The order is a sisterhood comprising practicing Catholics who are Irish or of Irish descent. The order's mission is to encourage friendship, unity and Christian charity.

"A most unusual thing happened when I read Kilmer's most popular work, 'Trees,'" McGinley said. "Several ladies started singing the words to the poem, and then Jen Forciea, a former interpreter for deaf students, signed the poem in a wonderful rendition."

Born in New Jersey, Kilmer gained notoriety also for "A Blue Valentine" and "The House with Nobody in It." He wrote definitions for "Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary," reviewed books, gave lectures and was an essayist for The New York Times and other publications.

Anniversary, Scholarships

APOLLO BEACH - The Apollo Beach Woman's Club will celebrate its 50{+t}{+h} anniversary with a luncheon, fashion show and silent auction from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 11 in the South Shore Falls Ballroom, 5831 Cascade Falls Lane.

This combination lunch and fashion show will include a silent auction, fashions from Dillard's and accessories from the Green Boutique in Valrico. Club members will model the clothes.

Tickets for the event cost $30 and are available by calling Karen Benedict at (813) 645-9229.

Proceeds will benefit the club's college scholarship fund, which shared $10,000 in assistance with 15 recipients in 2008.

Scholarship recipients must live in Apollo Beach, attend East Bay High School, demonstrate financial need, have good grades and show a record of community service. Winners may re-apply each year they attend a college or university. The application deadline is March 30.

Scholarship applications will be available starting today in the East Bay High School guidance department. For more information, contact Mary Weaver, guidance resource specialist, at (813) 671-5134 or mary.weaver@ sdhc.k12.fl.us, or call Beverly Fletchall, scholarship chairwoman, at (813) 672-4682.

To donate goods or services for the auction, contact Benedict at (813) 645-9229 or Nan Majors at nanmajor@aol.com.

Joy Moves To Funeral Home

SUN CITY CENTER - Beginning March 1, Unity Community of Joy will begin holding Sunday services at 12:30 p.m. at the Sun City Center Funeral Home, 1851 Rickenbacker Drive. The move will give the community more space to grow as additional members join.

"Unity's mission is to support and celebrate the unfolding awareness of spirit in every life," said Carol Oschmann, publicity coordinator, in a recent e-mail. "All faiths, theologies and nonbelievers will find commonality in Unity's service, along with practical ways to add prosperity, health and peace to each life."

For information, call (813) 298-7745.

Best Of Broadway And Beyond

APOLLO BEACH - The popular local team of Lew Resseguie and Ellen Kleinschmidt will perform "The Best of Broadway and Beyond" after a gourmet dinner at 6 p.m. March 10 at Apollo's Bistro, 6520 Richies Way.

The price, $32 per person, includes dinner, the show, tax and gratuity.

For reservations, call the bistro at (813) 641-2685.

Send news and photos of community interest to Barbara Routen at neighbors@tampabay.rr.com or call (813) 657-4531.

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