For this holiday season, with so many local families and servicemen and women in need of assistance, local Gulf Beaches and Pinellas County groups are doing their part to make the season a bit happier for many in the area.
Among the local projects that can use your continuing help are the Gulf Beaches Kiwanis Miracle League through a Shell’s Restaurant fundraiser, St. Pete Beach Support Our Troops and Silas Dent’s fundraiser, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office “Ride and Run With The Stars,” and the first Gulfport Community Christmas Party, among others.
PCSO “Ride & Run with the Stars”
“Since 1993, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office “Ride and Run With The Stars” has given hope and help to needy children and families,” According to Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. “We have formed productive partnerships with generous community sponsors, without whom ‘Ride and Run With The Stars’ would not have been successful. Thanks to you, we have been able to meet the needs of hundreds of families and thousands of children during the holidays and year round, raising more than $500,000 in donations and proceeds for children and families the past 20 years.
“Ride & Run With The Stars” will be held on Saturday, December 6, at beautiful Fort De Soto Park. Participants enjoy cycling, running, and walking events, as well as a visit from Santa Claus, food, and a climbing wall.
The funds raised through sponsorships and registrations support the Sheriff’s Christmas Sharing Project. PCSO agency members use the proceeds to shop for deserving families and then personally deliver the holiday packages of food, clothing and children’s toys.
The PCSO invites you to become part of our effort. Thank you for your consideration and support of “Ride and Run With The Stars” and the Sheriff’s Christmas Sharing Project. Your generosity will go a long way towards making the holidays happy for the less fortunate in our community.
Site: All events start and finish at The Fort picnic area. Cost: The registration fee for all participants is $35 per person. The fee includes a long-sleeve logo T-shirt, food and giveaways. There is one free child’s t-shirt with each registered adult while supplies last.
Grand Prizes: High quality bicycles.
Silent Auction: Bid on great sports gear, getaways and gift baskets.
“Everest Challenge” 25-foot Climbing Wall: For all ages to test your skills.
5K Chipped Race: The route follows a 3.1-mile (5K) flat course around Fort De Soto Park, with grassy areas along the route. Results will be posted at the finish line. Children registering must pay entry fee. 25-mile Bike Ride: The route follows a flat course around Fort De Soto Park.
Family Fun includes a 10K Family Bike Ride with the route following a 6.2 mile (10K) flat course around Fort De Soto Park. Family Fun 1 Mile Walk or Skate follows a 1-mile flat course around
Fort De Soto Park, with grassy areas along the race route. This is a non-competitive event and is purely for enjoyment.
Registration & T-Shirt Only for non-race or ride participants is $35 per person. The fee includes a long-sleeve logo T-shirt, food and giveaways. There is one free child’s t-shirt with each registered adult while supplies last. Register & make donations online at www.ridewiththestars.com.
St. Pete Beach Support our Troops
The very successful SPB Support Our Troops, Inc., had its origins when former Mayor Mike Finnerty met Marlene Clausen, Councilwoman for Indian Shores, at a Big C meeting shortly after Finnerty was elected to the District 1 Commissioner seat. She announced at that meeting she had started a group of volunteers that were sending care packages to troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait and asked if anyone else would be interested in helping her with this program.
One of the most impressive things about her program was that she had concentrated her efforts on gathering names and addresses of men and women serving our country from our local municipalities. Also, having been a Vietnam combat veteran, he remembered how great he felt when he received packages from “back home” while serving in Vietnam.
Soon after he was elected Mayor, he brought the idea of setting up a donation box in City Hall to the Commission and it was thoroughly supported. He made the announcement to the citizens of St. Pete Beach in June 2006 and committed to picking up donations each week and delivering them to Indian Shores City Hall.
When the program outgrew that location, City Manager Mike Bonfield found room in SPB City Hall for donation collection and packing. One of the city’s residents, Millard Gambel, offered to generously donate a substantial amount of money to the program for postage, as did citizens and American Legion Post 305. It was then that St. Pete Beach
Support Our Troops was begun in St. Pete Beach. In early 2009, Terri Finnerty incorporated the program as a non-profit with the state of Florida, under the name SPB Support Our Troops, Inc. and on March 23rd the program was granted 501 (c)(3) tax exempt status by the Treasury Department.
In May 2011, Mayor Finnerty realized the space at City Hall was not sufficient to keep the program moving forward. It was also becoming difficult for volunteers to shop for the program and haul 80- 90 bags of groceries up 3 flights of stairs. Another issue hindering the program was that hours of operation were limited from 8am-4:30pm Monday through Friday. He contacted St. Alban’s Episcopal Church on 85th Avenue and asked if they had space to house the program. They did and two weeks later the program was moved to an extremely large room at the Church with access 24 hours a day.
“This was everything needed to keep the program going and making it easier on the volunteers,” Terri told Paradise News. “These are our regulars who always show up to help sort and pack no matter what: Terri and Mike Finnerty, Maureen Carr, Barbara and Terri Wiktor, Diana Simpson, John and Dee Bell. To date we have sent almost 3,600 packages to our troops.
“In addition to regular donations, we get fundraising assistance from local businesses. This year, Rob and Debbie Stambaugh of Silas Dent’s in SPB are involved.”
“Since giving up our Christmas food baskets project several years ago, this year we’re working with SPB Support Our Troops,” Debbie told Paradise News. “Our holiday program will start Thanksgiving week and run to New Year’s. We ask our guests to make a $5.00 donation to our ‘Support Our Troops’ organization, which is added to their food and beverage bill.The restaurant matches each donation. Once the guest makes the donation, we give them a Christmas card so they can write a personal message to our military stationed overseas.The cards and donations are then given to Support our Troops.The cards are included in the ‘goodies boxes’ and the cash is used for the postage to mail the boxes.”
“The residents of St. Pete Beach are committed to continuing this program until the last of our brave men and women return home safe and sound. Please see the document on the city website that lists items to donate to fill boxes. Also, financial donations may be sent to: SPB Support Our Troops, Inc., 330 85th Ave., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706.”
Please contact Terri Finnerty by calling 727-641-2314 to request a receipt for tax exempt purposes, or to volunteer to help pack boxes. You may also contact her by email at spbsot@gmail.com and visit on facebook.com – search SPB Support Our Troops.
Gulf Beaches Miracle League
The Kiwanis Club of Gulf Beaches Miracle League had its modest start in January 2005. “Some of our members sawa program on HBO‘Real Sports’ about the Miracle League,” George Stone recalled. “We thought that this was project that we should jump on.
“With a sizable donation from Southeast Leasing in Pasco County and a grant from Pinellas County we started construction at the Azalea Little League complex in the fall of 2005. A Miracle League field is an all rubber field made from old rubber tires with the base lines painted on so any child would not trip and fall.
“On Saturday, March 26, 2006, we officially opened our first season. Matt Silverman, President of the Tampa Bay Rays, threw out the first ball. At that time Miracle League had only 50fields nationwide. Since then it has grown to over 250 fields internationally with fields in Canada, Puerto Rico and Australia.
“The rules are very simple. Every Inning each child gets a base hit, runs the bases and scores. If there are 10 kids per team, the score would be 10-0 after each half inning. At the end of the game the score would be 30 to 30. Everybody wins, with hundreds of local kids enjoying the program in the past eight years.”
Stone noted that many local businesses have held fundraisers for the miracle League, with the new Shell’s Seafood Restaurant in St. Pete Beach helping this year.
Owner John Christen told Paradise News, “We were talking and one of our bartenders had the idea to do a local charity event, involving our patrons and our vendors to raise as much as possible.
“Richard Thobe, a good friend and very active in the local Kiwanis Club, talked to us about the children of Pinellas and how they sponsored the Miracle League and a swimming program, with 100% of everything they raise going to the charities.
“On Saturday, December 6, from Noon to close at 11 pm, all our bartenders are donating their tips, and we’re working with Southern Wine and Johnson Brothers to donate their proceeds that day. We’re getting free promotion on DBS Radio’s WQIK (Q105 FM) “Bobby Rich & Mason Dixon Show,” with Bobby at our event. All diners will be asked to contribute and we’re doing our best to get people to come out and help raise a decent amount of money for a good cause.”
Gulfport Community Party
Newest local event is the first annual Community Christmas Party sponsored by the Gulfport Community Players, Saturday, December 6, 6 pm at the Back Door Theater, 1619 49th Street South.
“We’re putting together a night of sparkling entertainment, food and libations,” GCP President Eileen Navarro told Paradise News, “with 100% of the proceeds to the Gulfport Community Police ‘Operation Santa’ that for 23 years has been helping local kids in need have a Merry Christmas.”
Included in the $20 admission is a one-act play, “A Modern Day Mr. Scrooge;” a delightful musical skit; a “Holiday Happy Hour” featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres, soft drinks and a cash bar (beer and wine). Also included are raffle tickets for some great items donated by generous Gulfport businesses and Chamber members, and the opportunity for photos with Santa.
The Party is perfect for small office holiday celebrations. Contact the Players by email at GulfportCommunityPlayers@yahoo.com with how many in your party, and special reserved seating will be set up for your group.
Tickets are available exclusively at the Beach Bazaar. Other donations for the raffle are also welcome. For your convenience, you can buy your ticket from the volunteer who stops by to pick up your donation item.
[Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Christen Smith, PCSO; George Stone, John Christen, Terri Finnerty, Debbie Stambaugh and Eileen Navarro for their input and assistance.]
Story by Steve Traiman
[Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at straiman@mindspring.com.]