By Lara M. LaVoie
The Community Services Committee (CSC) had another amazing year due to the support and generosity of our wonderful volunteers. After the success of the Adopt-a-Veteran event in October (where volunteers gave their time so generously to fulfill the wish lists of veterans in need), countless volunteers stepped up once again to support the CSC’s Elves for Elders event in December. The CSC was able to get 250 elders “adopted” this year! Without volunteer elves, these inspiring seniors would have had no presents for the holidays. In March, the CSC participated in Dining with Dignity Week, in association with Trinity Café. The CSC’s friends and family (including members of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit) spent quality time at Trinity Café serving sit-down, three-course meals to Hillsborough County’s homeless, hungry, and working poor. It was a rewarding experience for all!
Our most recent event took place in May at A Kid’s Place in Brandon, which is an incredible nonprofit center for abused, neglected, and abandoned children. To help these amazing children feel like kids for a day, the CSC threw them another Pirate Party this year.
Once again, it was a resounding success thanks to all who donated or came out to help! We had some fun activities, and everyone had a blast ― the kids and the CSC’s volunteers included. We played pirate games and allowed every little scallywag to pick prizes out of our treasure chest. We dressed the little buccaneers as pirates and let them make their very own pirate treasure chests. The kids also enjoyed face painting and tattoos (courtesy of Glitterbug). Smokey Bones of Brandon donated the yummy grub, and Tasty Trendy Cakes donated a remarkable pirate cake. Due to the generous discounts provided by both Happy Kids Inflatables and Taylor Rental of Brandon, the kids were also able to enjoy bounce houses, as well as snow cone and popcorn machines.
The CSC is humbled and overwhelmed by the amount of donations and volunteer support that we received for this event. The CSC would like to thank all of our volunteers and the Hillsborough County Bar Association, as well as the following donors: Law Offices of Lisa Esposito, P.A.; Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill of Brandon (especially GM Tishara Griffis); Hill Ward Henderson (especially attorney Mary Snyder); Ron Christaldi and Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLP; attorney Tom Curran; Anton Castro Law; Tasty Trendy Cakes; Maria Maranda and State Farm; Arturo and Vienna Fuentes; Tampa Sweetheart Cigars; Yvette Hammett; Al Martinsky; AJ’s Bikes & Boards, LLC; Fernando Llop and PLSS Paving; Baker Cosmetic and Family Dentistry; The Barefoot Pirate; Rick and Liz Tomlin; Steve and Emily Kuundrat; Roselle Swain; Gigi Pelosi; Doc and Theresa Holiday; Al Martinsky; Glitterbug; Stingray Chevrolet (and manager John Whaley); Bobbie and Dan Aggers; Patricia Palma, P.A; Bolter & Carr Investigations; Osgood and Associates; and Ameriprise Financial. We sure hope we didn’t forget anyone!
For more information about joining the CSC, please contact Chairs Lisa Esposito ― (813) 223-6037 or lisa@lesposito.com ― or Lara LaVoie ― (813) 638-1357 or lara@flinjuryadvocates.com.
