“This service project provides for those who have sacrificed much, yet often lack a support group of family or friends who would otherwise bring necessities. It helps them maintain their independence and dignity,” said Nikki Smith, a Blue Star Mom and member of the Rotary Club of New Tampa, which coordinated the VA project.

The Center for Development and Civic Engagement, also known as VA voluntary service, maintains the Comfort Closet with new clothing and toiletries. Voluntary service also shares closet items with other VA sites. Nothing goes to waste. 

“The clothing goes to veterans who come through the ER, and their clothes are cut off during treatment. Sometimes veterans arrive for an outpatient appointment and need to be admitted but don’t have family who can bring items to them. It’s a way we can support patients. We want to make their stay as comfortable as possible. It’s worth it,” said Sarah Cunningham, interim lead of the Center for Development & Civic Engagement at the Haley VA.

Cunningham explained that nursing and social work staff send requests to voluntary services, and the department fulfills the requests. Patients hospitalized in the main hospital, new bed tower, the emergency department, the inpatient rehabilitation center and hospice benefit from care closet donations.

Linda Johnson, Rotary District 6890 Governor, chose New Tampa’s service project as a highlight of her Installation Banquet. She asked all the clubs in Hillsborough, Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties to collect items and bring them to the banquet. New Tampa packed three cars with boxed donations and brought them to Tampa, where they were counted and bagged by type.

“We really appreciate the donations we receive from community partners as well as individuals who graciously give back to our veterans. It’s going to a worthy cause, and every little bit counts. We want to support them and give back,” Cunningham said.

If your group is interested in making a donation, contact the Center for Development & Civic Engagement, Voluntary Services at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, 813-972-2000 ext. 107533. You may choose items you wish to donate, or ask them what they need.

After snacks, chats and a couple of hours, Rotary Club of New Tampa members bagged and tagged clothing and hygiene items for the James A. Haley VA Care Closet. The new items were donated by Rotarians across four local counties.

The donation totaled 1,245 items valued at more than $5000 and filled two large SUVs. Joyce Gunter and Nikki Smith load up one of the carts for a member of the Center for Development & Civic Engagement staff.

All the donated goodies and Rotary Club of New Tampa Rotarians Gary Gunter, Tim McGuirk, Nikki Smith and Jozsef Toth. Sarah Cunningham, interim lead of the Center for Development & Civic Engagement at the Haley VA, pictured behind the sign, speaking with Nikki and Jozsef.

Family 1
Single mom with an 8-year-old daughter. Dad left them, and mom and daughter moved in with relatives so that her daughter had a stable school situation. Daughter is doing very well in school. Mom cleans houses to pay the bills and has been accepted to beauty school.  She is saving to buy a used car so she has transportation to school and a better-paying job after school.

Family 2
Arzo is a nurse on the night shift who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  She is scheduled for a double mastectomy and does not meet the requirements for short-term disability. She will be out of work for six weeks or more.

Family 3
Amy is a critical care nurse whose house was flooded during Milton. She had to move out until repairs are done.  Throughout this time, she has not missed a day of work. 

Family 4
Aline works in the Baby Place and went into labor two months early.  The baby will be in the NICU for several more weeks.  Aline needs to bond with her baby in the NICU and will have to be out on family leave longer than planned.

Family 5
Shantay is a surgical tech who is now a single mom of two, one of whom is totally disabled. Since her rent increase was more than she could afford, they had to move.  Her car is unreliable and until she can save enough for car repairs, her co-workers take her to and from work. She uses UBER to get to her son’s specialty appointments.

During this time, earnings are used to support administration and fundraising. In year four, approximately half of the money goes into TRF’s “World Fund” for Global Grants matching and Programs of Scale.  The other (roughly) half is returned to contributing districts in the form of District Designated Funds (DDF).  Exactly 50% of DDF may be used for almost any charitable activity, locally or internationally. The remaining 50% is exclusively eligible for Global Grants, PolioPlus, or one of Rotary’s seven “Areas of Focus.” 

Unlike many districts around the world, Rotary District 6890 intentionally earmarks our returning DDF for use by the clubs who gave three years prior.  Our goal is to reward clubs for their generosity and incentivize development of increased overall giving.  

Want to learn more?  Be at the Rotary Club of New Tampa meeting on Nov. 15 to hear about The Rotary Foundation 3-in-1 hat trick from Ed Odom.

New Tampa Rotarians have supported OASIS Opportunities since three moms founded it in 2001. “New clothes and school supplies equals dignity,” said Dawn Shulman,  OASIS executive director. Last year 60 to 65 percent of Hillsborough County Public School students were economically disadvantaged. This year it is 87 percent.

“All the money we raise for our YMCA each year goes back into the community as part of our Open Doors Program,” said Ryan Pratt, executive director. “We provide financial assistance to those in the community that may be in financial distress. About 35 percent of our members are on some sort of financial assistance. No one would know that when they come into our facility. The kids can participate in swim lessons, sports and summer camp. Parents can have a family membership taking care of their health and wellness while we watch their kids.”

• Cleft Lip and Palate Vocational Training Teams in Peru-Rotary Club of Venice-Nokomis (Global Grant)
• Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
• Evolve School of Learning
• Fisher House
• Ghana Service Projects-USF Rotaract
• H20 for Life Burkina Faso Water Projects-White Bear Lake, MN Rotary Club (Global Grant)
• Helping Hands Food Pantry
• Heroes Adapt
• Hillsborough Literacy Council
• Hurricane Idalia Disaster Relief-Rotary District 6890
• Kennedy Cares Tampa Bay
• Makumbi Orphanage-c/o Rotary Club of Harare Central, Zimbabwe
• Maui Fire Disaster Relief-Rotary District 5000 Hawaii
• Mission Smiles
• New Tampa YMCA
• OASIS Opportunities.
• Pioneer Medical Foundation
• Polio Plus-The Rotary Foundation
• Project Dynamo
• Rotary Camp Florida
• Seminar 4 Tomorrow’s Leaders
• Stay in Step Rehabilitation
• Teen Impact
• The Joshua House
• The Rotary Foundation
• USF Rotaract

The Clay Shoot was sponsored by District 6950 and the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel. It was well attended and held at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Matt Palmer, Frank Moore, Eric Longphee and David Pogorilich snagged the second place Governor's Cup. Shooters enjoyed a barbecue meal with all the fixins' from Hungry Harry's Barbecue.

"Build This Home was one of the charities we supported last June during our Give Back Breakfast. Our members learned about Wesley Chapel Rotary's efforts to raise $500,000 to build this home giving young girls and teens a safe, secure home in which to recover and learn," said Ken Guidera, RCNT president and a member of the second RCNT shooting team.
 

Scan the code below to learn more and help finish the home.

Tot trot at 7 a.m.
5 K at 8 a.m.
1-mile after that

• 100 percent of the net proceeds go to charity. Total donated over 13 years $483,450.

• Cool ornamedals and turkey trophies

• Stupendous selfie stations

• Costume contest with great prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places

• Music, music, music at the start/finish and along the route

• Warm up at the starting line and tone your trotters before the buzzer.

• Cheering-section-with-bells-on in the home stretch

• Fun!!! Work off the Turkey Day feast first thing AND help your neighbors.

Tots trotted a 100-yard dash or so and collected a medal while the adults and older kids stretched with Orange Theory before their 5K and 1-mile treks through the Shops at Wiregrass.

Boardwalk Wealth Solutions passed out cider, and Farina Orthodontic Specialists offered water along the route. Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, TECO and Access to Fresh handed out water and bananas at the finish line.

Our major sponsors included Tampa Home Group John & Maria Hoffman, Sevelius Wealth Management of Raymond James, Boardwalk Wealth Solutions, LMCU and Stifel Investment Services Since 1890.

Natalie Sheer (right), human resources team member with AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, won 1st place in her age group. Her boss and coworkers celebrated her at the hospital the following week.


Our overall male winner, Alex Pena (left) with Cason, manager of Fit 2 Run at Wiregrass. 









Linda Devine (at right), Rotary District 6890 Governor, was our race official getting us off and running at 8 a.m. sharp. Thank you, madam Governor!